The effects of Thailand's proposed electoral system

Local Hua Hin and regional Thailand news articles and discussion.
Post Reply
User avatar
buksida
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 22534
Joined: Tue Dec 31, 2002 12:25 pm
Location: south of sanity

The effects of Thailand's proposed electoral system

Post by buksida »

For those still interested in the quagmire that is Thai politics this article explains the attempts to change the way Thailand votes and how, if implemented, it will level the playing field for some political parties but diminish the advantages previously garnered by others.

The effects of Thailand's proposed electoral system
On 29 January, the second group of constitutional drafters appointed by Thailand’s NCPO released the draft of another new Constitution. Like its predecessor the current draft proposes to change the way Thailand elects its representatives. Recall that the electoral system Thailand used in 2011 was a mixed member majoritarian system (MMM) with 375 single-seat constituencies, and 125 party list seats, elected from a single national constituency using proportional representation. The previous constitutional draft (rejected by the National Reform Council last September) called for a switch to a German-style mixed member proportional system (MMP). The new draft proposes yet another type of mixed member system—what is being called a mixed member apportionment system (MMA).

Under the proposed MMA system, Thailand would have 350 constituency seats and 150 party list seats (Section 78). Instead of voters casting two separate votes, one for a candidate and one for a party list, under MMA voters will cast a single, fused ballot for a candidate (Section 80). That vote will count as both a vote for the candidate, and simultaneously a vote for that candidate’s party for purposes of the party list seats. The total number of votes a party receives nationwide via this single vote will determine the total share of seats a party is entitled to (Section 86). Party list seats will be added to a party’s constituency seats until this total is reached (Section 86). In this way, MMA is more proportional than the 2011 MMM system which simply added the party list seats to the constituency seats already won by a party.

Full Story: Asian Correspondent
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
brianks
Guru
Guru
Posts: 715
Joined: Wed May 13, 2009 7:56 pm
Location: Nongpranphuk, Hua Hin

Re: The effects of Thailand's proposed electoral system

Post by brianks »

Do they make it complicated so nobody understands it? Why can't all the MP's be directly elected? Keep the people ignorant so you can control them I guess.
oakdale160
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 4657
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2013 9:51 pm

Re: The effects of Thailand's proposed electoral system

Post by oakdale160 »

The idea of a single member constituencies AND seats awarded bya proportional representation system is not a bad one. In the recent UK election the UKIP recieved a huge number of votes but only one seat , while the SNP with a similar number of votes won almost every Scottish seat. I think the 350/150 is not the best probably 400/100 would be better but thats a detail.
User avatar
caller
Hero
Hero
Posts: 10978
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2005 6:05 pm
Location: Hua Hin

Re: The effects of Thailand's proposed electoral system

Post by caller »

Doubt it will get through in any case. Even Abhisit is against it, probably because he might be personally affected.
Talk is cheap
Post Reply