The 180 senators who were vetted by the Election Commission before it was dissolved are in a kind of limbo as they await the creation of a new commission to verify the elections of the remaining 20. Waiting to start their official duties since their election in April, they have looked elsewhere for work in the meantime.

Uthai Thani Senator Pairoj Tungthong said he had been visiting villagers to better understand their troubles. He has also been helping villagers develop goods for the One Tambon One Product (Otop) programme, and plans to set up a farm to teach modern agricultural techniques.

Pairoj said the newly elected senators deserved to be paid salaries even though they were not yet working officially because they many of them had left their jobs to contest the election and had living expenses.

Songkhla Senator Anun Thongkeaw said he had been meeting local villagers to discuss the political situation because it was not very clear at the moment and people wanted to know what was going on.

As a lawyer, Anun still has seven unfinished cases. Once these are completed, probably by the end of the year, he plans to limit his legal work to only special cases.

Anun said he was uncomfortable about collecting his salary because he could not perform his duties as a senator.

Chon Buri Senator Surachai Chaitrakoolthong and Phitsanulok Senator Surin Titipunya also go out to meet villagers when they have free time.

They are also studying the country's laws to prepare for their work in the Parliament.

Both senators said the people were still confused about the political situation, and that many had asked them for help because they could not turn to their MPs as they would normally do.

Meeting the people is popular among politicians, though generally MPs do a lot more of it than senators. It is especially meaningful to people in the South, who are eager for some sign that the government is working for them.

Pattani Senator Anusart Suwanmongkol said going to meet villagers in the three southernmost provinces was different from visiting other provinces because of the violence there. He said politicians should visit southern residents to cheer them up.

The senators have also formed a group called "The Working Group to Prepare New Senators" to help newly elected colleagues who might not have much political experience.

Sakon Nakhon Senator Sitthirath Rattanawicharn said the group met every Tuesday and invited former senators to share their experiences.

The new senators said they were eager to start working for the people as they were elected to do.

Budsarakham Sinlapalavan

The Nation