Senatorial election process initiated with new royal decree

A new royal decree has been issued to commence the election process for 200 senators, following approval from His Majesty the King on April 24. The law, effective from its publication date in the Royal Gazette, puts the Election Commission (EC) chairman in charge of its implementation.

With the term of the existing Senate concluding on Friday (May 10), the election will involve an extensive voting process among thousands of candidates who will select the final 200 senators. The EC will open the application period for candidates on Monday (May 13), with subsequent voting stages set for June 9 at the district level, June 16 at the provincial level, and June 26 at the national level. Results are due to be announced on July 2.

Candidates for the Senate must meet stringent criteria, including being Thai nationals by birth, at least 40 years old, and having at least 10 years of relevant professional experience. They must also prove a tangible connection to the district they aim to represent. The law excludes 26 categories of individuals from candidacy, such as political party members, current senators, and their immediate family members.

The election procedure is detailed and multi-staged. To narrow down the selection, candidates will participate in six rounds of intragroup voting across 20 different fields, such as education, public health, and agriculture. Initially, district-level voting will determine representatives for broader provincial voting, eventually leading to the national vote that finalizes the 200 senators, each eligible to serve for one term of five years. (NNT)