The Sombat Thamrongthanyawong panel in charge of charter amendments yesterday decided to recommend that the single-seat constituency - known as the one-man, one-vote system - should continue.
In regard to the number of House seats, the panel opted for a total of 500 seats, comprising 375 from direct voting, known as constituency seats, and 125 from proportionate voting, known as party-list seats.
Under this new arrangement, party-list MPs would increase by 25, while constituency MPs would be reduced by the same number, keeping the total unchanged.
Panel member Jede Donavanik said the revamped voting system was designed to emulate the model under the suspended 1997 charter.
For direct voting, the panel found the single-seat constituency adopted by the suspended charter as the most suitable model for Thailand, he said.
For proportionate - or party-list- voting, the outcome should be based on votes cast nationwide, designating the whole country as a single constituency, in lieu of splitting votes into eight regions, he said.
The cancellation of regional votes would encourage qualified candidates to run and serve the country instead of opting for regionalism, he added.
The panel also decided to do away with minimum votes, presently set at 5 per cent of proportionate votes cast, for parties to win party-list seats, he said.
In another recommendation, the panel called for amending the charter to allow independent candidates to contest elections.
In a separate story, some 22 renowned artists have joined a national reform plan using the arts to raise awareness of changes needed to overcome social divisions.
The artists, led by national poet Naowarat Pongpaiboon, will work through a network, formed as part of the National Assembly Committee on Reform, chaired by Prawase Wasi.
At yesterday's network inauguration, Prawase said artists could communicate through their talents to raise people's physical and spiritual awareness.
"Only through arts and creativity, society can rise above the prevailing crisis," he said.
Feelings of cultural inferiority and powerlessness had long piled on top of one another, deepening divisiveness and social strife, he said.
He was optimistic that artists would build up a social force to advance the reform process, reducing social and economic disparity and ensuring justice for all.
Naowarat said artists were expected to push for reform to bring about a society based on sustainability, sufficiency, wholesomeness, intellect and happiness.
Key members of the network included music educator Sukree Charoensuk from Mahidol University, SEA Write author Assari Thammachote and independent artist Thepsiri Suksopha.