The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) on Thursday selected five new members to sit on the Election Commission (EC) and they will take up their duties after royal endorsement.
Legislators voted to approve Santhat Siriananpaiboon, Ittiporn Boonprakong, Thawatchai Pakorn, Chatchai Chanpraisri and Pakorn Mahannop from the seven-candidate list. The five each received between 178 and 186 vote, far more than enough as they needed only 123, or half of the assembly.
Somchai Charnnarongkul and Pirasak Hinmuangkao were dropped as they obtained only three and 28 votes respectively. Mr Phirasak is a former provincial governor, Mr Somchai the head of the Agricultural Extension Department.
Whip spokesman Jate Siratharanon said the 17-member committee will begin a new process to find two more candidates for the NLA. Mr Somchai and Mr Pirasak do not qualify for another run, he added.
The EC could get back to work with only the five commissioners, after they received royal endorsement.
NLA president Pornpetch Witchitcholchai will forward the approved candidates to His Majesty for approval. They will replace the present members and select a new chairman from among themselves.
Mr Santhat is a lecturer of environmental technology at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi.
Mr Itthiphon is the former director-general of the Treaties and Legal Affairs Department.
Mr Thawatchai is a former member of the defunct National Reform Steering Assembly.
Mr Chatchai and Mr Pakorn are both Supreme Court judges.
Their main task is to organise a new general election, likely by February at the earliest.