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Published on September 8, 2007

"Anyone who is dissatisfied can write to request a vetting," said Yuwarat Kamolvej, chairman of the subcommittee on the organic law regarding election of MPs, elections and the selection of senators.

The panel spent more than two hours debating the issue with little progress beyond a decision to remove a clause prohibiting any association or confederation registered for less than five years to nominate candidates for selected senators, who will make up almost half the Senate under the new junta-sponsored constitution.

"If it's not written clearly enough, there will be all sorts of lawsuits filed. Even among ourselves, we don't have a consensus," said subcommittee member Kamnoon Sithisamarn.

Wuthiphong Priebchariya-wat, another member, admitted that those working in menial occupations, such as janitors or security guards, would lose the chance to put forward candidates for the Senate since they are "not organised".

Another subcommittee member, Sathien Saetasith added that even farmers might not have a real representative as there is no nationwide confederation or congress to represent them.

On the other hand, there exist well-known professional groups or societies where famous members stand to benefit from the new system to appoint senators, making the elite of these bodies natural beneficiaries of the system.

"One criticism is that these organisations are predictable in terms of who will be nominated... so we should widen the selection process," Sathien added.

The domination or monopoly of big and national-level professional groups will continue to be a hot issue to be debated when the subcommittee presents its conclusions to the main NLA committee on Monday.

It is also likely to be debated fiercely when the NLA vets it.

Some will also ask just how representative these professional groups are, as some professionals refuse to join such bodies for various reasons.

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation, Pattaya