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Published on February 11, 2008

More than two dozen non-governmental organisations have nominated their representatives for selection in the Senate.

"We can't use just one measure to change Thai society. It is not a matter of either/or. A nomination is just a small measure," said Rewadee Prasertcharoensuk, former president of the NGO Coordinating Committee on Rural Development.

Drawing on her 40 years of experience as a full-time social activist, Rewadee has come to the conclusion that activism from outside Parliament does not carry enough weight and NGOs' work has not been recognised by the state.

Having a Senate seat would add volume to their voices, she said.

However, being a candidate for the selection-quota Senate has raised criticism from some NGO workers, she admitted.

"Sometimes we have to make sacrifices and accept there will be opposition and criticism when fighting for change," said Rewadee, adding that she and the NGOs still stand firm on the principle that a senator should be elected.

Only veteran civil-rights activist Rosana Tositrakul decided to run in the Senate elections.

Meanwhile, former human-rights commissioner Jaran Dittha-apichai turned down the Union for Civil Liberty's proposal to nominate him for the selection-quota Senate.

"I am opposed in principle to senators being selected. I stand against the nomination process," Jaran said.

But Bunjong Na-sae, director of the Programme Towards Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, Southern Region, said he did not trust the election mechanism and sees no problem in being selected by the non-political panel of seven.

Bunjong is among several social workers nominated for the selection-quota Senate.

"We see that the election mechanism still doesn't work at present," he said.

A fair election only works in Bangkok because people have access to information, he said, adding, "But it's impossible in other provinces. We see little chance of winning in the Senate election amid a political culture in which people do not have access to information."

Somsri Han-anantasuk, another candidate for the selection-quota Senate, was nominated by Amnesty International (Thailand) and is defensive about her decision to accept the nomination, saying it's "no different" from being nominated for the Election Commission or the National Human Rights Commission.

 "We want to counterbalance [other powers in the Senate]," said Somsri, whose candidacy is arguably the most controversial since she is also the director of the Asian Network for Free Election (Anfrel), a not-profit pan-Asian election monitoring group.

Somsri said that even in Britain, they have the appointed House of Lords.

"Some NGOs rightly complained that some elected senators are soon bought by political parties and their roles become confused between that of a lower house and a upper house member, she said"

As for criticism that the many candidates from the people's movement securing selected Senate seats has ushered a new low in the people's movement, Somsri said she had her own goal: acting as a counterbalance to the existing powers.

Somsri, 50, said senior people such as she should consider vacating their seats to make way for younger activists.

"I know I won't be selected. Because the judges on the selecting committee will not choose someone like me, who opposes the death penalty," she said, adding that she did not nominate herself and is also supportive of an elected Senate. 

Subhatra Bhumiprabhas,

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation