Will it be 'all in the family' for the new Senate?

Published on April 18, 2006- This is not the time to promote family values - especially if you are going to vote in tomorrow's Senate election.

The list of candidates in tomorrow's polls already has cynics labelling Parliament the "Chamber of Husbands and Wives". This is due to the strong political connections of a number of senatorial candidates who are supposed to be neutral and independent.

Many of the some 1,500 candidates running in the Senate poll are believed to have close connections with political parties - especially the Thai Rak Thai Party.

Fifty-five candidates have apparent links with Thai Rak Thai, which, if results of the April 2 general election stand, will enjoy near total domination of the House of Representatives.

These candidates include, for example, caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's sister-in-law Pawruthai, running in Chiang Mai; Natural Resources and Environ-ment Minister Yongyuth Tiya-pairat's wife Salakjit, running in Chiang Rai; and Suwit Wongsri-wong, husband of Thai Rak Thai party-list MP-elect Ladawan Wongsriwong, running in Phayao.

Poonpirom Liptapanlop, wife of Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop, is a candidate for Nakhon Ratchasima; Chai Chid-chob, father of PM's Office Minister Newin Chidchob, is running in Buri Ram; and Patcharee Phetsawang, wife of Thai Rak Thai MP-elect Sopon Phetsawang.

Ten other candidates have close relationships with former opposition parties including Suphan Buri's Prasit Pothasuthon, the older brother of Prapat Pothasuthon (Chat Thai), and in Krabi, Somkiet Engchuan, the younger brother of Arkom Engchuan (Democrat). Running in Sa Kaew is Wittaya Thienthong, younger brother of Snoh Thienthong (who split from Thai Rak Thai).

Earlier, former Nakhon Ratcha-sima senator Kraisak Chonhavan said he believed about 140 candidates who have close connections with the Thai Rak Thai Party would win in the Senate election.

Former Bangkok senator Sak Korsaengreung suggested voters in tomorrow's election should not cast their ballots for three kinds of candidates: those who uphold Thak-sin's regime, those involved in corruption scandals and those who are oppressive. Instead, Sak said voters should elect a candidate who is free from conflict of interests, honest and courageous enough to fight corruption.

The new Senate elected tomorrow should be dissolved as soon as the new Constitution is activated, to start over with the all-new Parliament, former Bangkok senator Jon Ungphakorn said yesterday.

Meanwhile, former election commissioner Gothom Arya said the new Senate would not be free from political interference and block votes.

Joining a seminar at Tham-masat University, he said candidates for the Senate election would make a "family" Senate closely related to political parties and MPs, while some senator candidates might have used the MP political voter base to acquire votes.

He said the people should realise the importance of the minority in Parliament and vote for them to help balance the power of the majority. The total number of MPs in Parliament is 500, while the Senate totals 200.

He said a return to an appointed Senate would be backtracking. Although the first elected Senate had problems with conflicts of interest and block voting in appointing people to sit on independent organisations, they did do a good job of scrutinising laws, Gothom said.

"The best way to solve the problems of the Senate is to encourage people to assert their rights and make a move when they see something unethical. Thailand has had enough lessons in this," Gothom said.

Jon said voters who opposed the Thai Rak Thai Party might be fooled as candidates may have hidden their loyalty to a political party.

Jon proposed a provisional clause to dissolve the new Senate after the constitutional amendments and political reforms are finished, to start afresh for both the Upper House and the House of Representatives. It would also prove the sincerity of the senators elected tomorrow, he said.

However, they should be allowed to run as candidates for the next Senate, he said.

He said people should participate in political reform and that instead of Parliament, 80 per cent of the people must approve the constitutional amendments before the new Constitution is active.

The minimum requirement should be 80 per cent as the Thai Rak Thai Party alone might only be able muster 50-per-cent approval for its version of reform, he said.

Mass media should take a major role in educating people to know and realise their rights, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each section of the Constitution.

People should not choose senatorial candidates who see the position as a way to improve their social status, or as a way to make profit for their families. Instead, voters should choose people who wanted to contribute to society, he said.