The Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) has decided to drop the current electoral system of MPs, opting for a German-style voting system which is likely to blunt the power of big parties and encourage coalition government.
By design of the constitution writers, the new parliament will be a Lower House of small parties and constant bickering and deal-making over power.
CDC spokesman Lertrat Rattanawanich said the drafting panel has resolved to adopt the mixed member proportional representation (MMP) system after hearing from Parinya Thewanarumitkul, a law lecturer and vice-rector of Thammasat University, who backs the model.
Under this MMP model, 250 MPs will be drawn from constituencies and 200 from the party list, for a total of 450 MPs in all.
The number of constituency MPs will be calculated from the population, or roughly 250,000 people per MP. The constituencies will be bigger than in the previous general election under the abrogated 2007 charter. Under the party list system, voting will be conducted across eight electoral regions.
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The voters will be given two ballots, one for choosing a constituency MP and the other for the political party they support.
It may look similar to the current electoral system, but it is not. The new system will ensure all votes are counted and political parties are fairly represented in parliament, he said, noting the number of House seats each party will win depends on the number of party votes it receives.
"For example, if party A receives 10% of party votes, in principle it should receive a total of 45 House seats (10% of the 450 seats).
However, if party A has won 25 seats from the constituency system, it will get only another 20 seats from the party list system.
"If party A has already won over 45 seats from the constituency system, let's say 50 seats, it will not get any seats from the party list," he said.
However, Gen Lertrat said in some cases the actual number of MPs in parliament may exceed the 450-seat threshold because voters may not choose constituency candidates from the political party they opt for on the second ballot.
Gen Lertrat said the CDC has also agreed constituency MPs do not have to be members of parties. Checks-and-balance mechanisms to be strengthened in the new charter will ensure MPs would have proper qualifications.
The new system favours smaller parties and will boost their chances of getting seats in parliament. It also makes it harder for big parties to win a majority.
"Small political parties will have a better chance. The government is likely to comprise several parties. The MMP system is unlikely to destabilise the government because large political parties are likely to get a large number of House seats too," he said.
Meanwhile, National Legislative Assembly president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai played down the CDC decision not to consider a proposal to introduce direct elections for the prime minister and cabinet.
The proposal was put forward by the National Reform Council's political reform committee chaired by Sombat Thamrongthanyawong. It was opposed both by the NRC and by CDC chairman Borwornsak Uwanno.
Mr Pornpetch said Wednesday it is too early to say that the CDC rejected the proposal because the committee has yet to come up with a draft, which will not be ready until April next year.
He said the CDC is also required to listen to all sides especially ideas put forward by the NRC because the reform council, under the interim charter, will vote to accept or reject the draft charter.
Mr Pornpetch also described as "the colour of the debate" a clash between Mr Sombat and Mr Borwornsak over the direct election plan.
He also said the exchange of words could only mean no single group of individuals can influence or manipulate the drafting of the charter.