Lawmakers endorse only two out of seven nominees for NHRC

In a secret vote, NLA members approved the nomination of former top civil servants – Pitikan Sithidej and Pornprapai Ganjanarintr – as new members of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). 
To be endorsed, nominees had to receive at least 120 votes of support. Pitikarn, who previously led the Rights and Liberties Protection Department, won 146 “yes” votes, while Pornprapai, a former ambassador to Hague, received 152.
The five other nominees, who were handpicked by a selection panel chaired by Supreme Court president Cheep Jullamon, only earned 10 to 15 votes each, with 135 to 145 NLA members voting against them. 

Not allowed to run again
The five who lost out were Somsri Han-anantasuk, from the People’s Network for Election in Thailand (PNET); Phairoj Pholphet, from the ThaiPBS policy committee; Jaturong Boonyarattanasoontorn, an academic on social works and welfare; Boontan Tansuthep-veravong, director of the Peace and Human Rights Resource Centre; and Surapong Kongchantuk, a rights activist and member of the ThaiPBS panel on democracy-promotion policies. 
NLA vice president Peerasak Porjit said the rejected nominees would not be able to re-enter the selection process.