Thailand - July 2024
Thailand replaces junta-appointed senators
On 10 July, the Election Commission (EC) officially certified a list of 200 senators in the first process to choose members of the upper house since the military coup. The three-stage Senate election concluded on 26 June, with only those who applied to be candidates eligible to vote in the indirect election. Political analysts note that most elected senators align with conservative and populist interests, with over half tied to the Bhumajaithai Party (BJT) – the third-largest party in the lower house. The official results were initially delayed due to the EC receiving thousands of electoral complaints regarding block-vote rigging allegations and false information provided by candidates; however, upon announcing the results, the EC stated that “at this point, we cannot say the voting was not free and fair.” While no longer able to elect a prime minister, the new Senate retains significant influence over politics through powers such as scrutinizing bills, voting on constitutional amendments and endorsing candidates for key independent agencies. Women’s representation increased to 45 women out of 200 elected (22.5 per cent), from approximately 25 out of 250 (10.4 per cent) in the 2019 military-appointed Senate.
Sources: Associated Press, Bangkok Post (1), Bangkok Post (2), International IDEA (1), International IDEA (2), IPU Parline
