A former legislator and an ex-prisons chief were nominated Tuesday to fill the last two vacant seats on the National Human Rights Commission.
A select committee will forward the names of Tuanjai Deethes, a former senator for Chiang Rai, and Chartchai Suthiklom, a previous director-general of the Corrections Department, to the National Legislative Assembly for consideration.
The seats remained opened after the NLA on Aug 20 endorsed only five of the first seven candidates nominated by the selection committee chaired by the Supreme Court president.
Boworn Yasinthorn, chairman of the Citizens' Network for Protection of the Three Pillar Institutions, and Supachai Thanomsap, a special lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine at Ramathibodi Hospital, were rejected.
Mr Boworn faced complaints over financial irregularities allegedly linked to the citizens' network, as well as alleged partiality; while Mr Supachai was alleged to have committed ethical breaches.
The rejection of the two required the committee to choose replacements from 63 new applicants, which included Nakhon Silpa-archa, permanent secretary for energy, Sira Jenjakha, a former National Reform Council member, Srisuwan Janya, chairman of the Anti-Global Warming Association, ML Kornkasiwat Kasemsri, an independent academic in the field of energy, Banjong Nasae, chairman of the Thai Sea Preservation Association, Ussanee Chidchob, a former Buriram senator, and Surachit Chirawet, a former Samut Songkhram senator.
After about an hour of a closed-door meeting, the committee voted to select Ms Tuanjai, who was also a former member of the 2006 National Legislative Assembly, and Mr Chartchai.
The names of the two candidates will be forwarded to the NLA for background checks and votes.
The five NHRC members earlier endorsed are: Chatsuda Chandeeying, secretary to the panel of associate judges in the Juvenile and Family Court in Samut Prakan; Prakairat Tontheerawong, president of the Association of Women Lawyers of Thailand; Wat Tingsamit, former senior judge in the Supreme Court; Surachet Sathitniramai, deputy public health permanent secretary; and Angkana Neelapaijit, a human-rights activist.