Concern voiced over emerging “Upper House dictatorship”

Concerned about the possibility that the majority of senators, allegedly linked to the Bhumjaithai Party, would rule the 21 Senate committees in order to create an” Upper House dictatorship,” a minority group of senators who identified themselves as” New Breed” raised.

The team’s head, Senator Nantana Nantavaropas, stated on Tuesday that the group’s fears were heightened after most legislators voted to support the article to meet requirements and the establishing 21 commissions on Monday, down from the original 26. They rejected four additional drawings from minority senators and only one proposal that the majority group of senators had approved.

” This reflects that we, the majority legislators, are irrelevant and no respected. It will be challenging for us to function out or achieve any goals. Pushing objectives in the Senate’s sessions will also be hard. This demonstrates how the Senate will proceed with its proposed legal update proposal, she said.

In addition, a Senate committee, comprised mostly of lawmakers from the lot class and none from the New Breed party, on Tuesday discussed the Senate’s investigation of contenders for the nomination of the new Attorney-General and Supreme Administrative Court courts, said Ms Nantana. But, the discussion was conducted behind closed doors, so her party was kept out of the loop about what conclusions were drawn.

She demanded that a limit been put in place so that all lawmakers have a chance to serve on enough of the 21 Senate committees that will be created the following year.

” I still hope they ]senators in the majority group ] wo n’t entirely ignore how members of the public will feel if they grab all the seats on all these 21 committees”, she said.

The Senate is nearer to becoming a political dictator, said Sen Norasate Prachyakorn.

” If things continue this way throughout the five years to come, how you it]the Senate ] be called something else”? he said.

There are 56 legislators who are in various majority groups, a number which accounts for one-third of all 200 lawmakers, said Sen Pornchai Witayalerdpan.

If the choice was based on a proportional representation system, the majority lawmakers should direct six or seven boards. We may have to see what kind of approach the opposing party will take to stop majority legislators from serving on committees. We now have a responsibility to watch closely what transpires following week,” he said.