Column: The quasi-democracy of the elected prime minister
The complex and often mysterious process of choosing a prime minister in Thailand raises many questions from both a constitutional and a democratic perspective. While the Netherlands wrestled with the idea of a directly elected mayor, Thailand offers a fascinating look at the staged choice of a prime minister. The current procedure, as described in the Thai Constitution, has both supporters and opponents and raises questions about the true nature of democracy. In a world where political power games and personal interests often predominate, what does real democracy even mean? In this contemplative posting we dive deeper into this subject, based on both the Thai and Dutch experiences.
Thailand is preparing for elections on May 14 after nearly a decade of government control by the military, which came to power after the 2014 coup with the support of royalist factions. Here's a detailed breakdown of what to expect.
Vote buying can be a decisive factor in Thai elections at every level – be it a village chief, a local administrator or a member of parliament. And the upcoming parliamentary elections on May 14 are no exception, according to analysts and even politicians themselves.
Thai voters abroad who wish to exercise their right to vote ahead of the general election can now register, the foreign ministry said.
On 15 March 2023, there will be a new election for voters outside the Netherlands: the election of the members of the electoral college for non-residents for the Senate. This election gives you influence on the composition of the Senate. Until now, voters outside the Netherlands could only vote for members of the House of Representatives and for Dutch members of the European Parliament.
The Stichting Nederlanders Buiten Nederland (SNBN) announces in its newsletter that voting for the Senate from abroad will be possible.
How can you vote if you live in Thailand? Are you 18 years or older, do you have Dutch nationality and are you not registered in a Dutch municipality? Then you can vote from abroad in the parliamentary elections.
Stichting GOED: Voting from abroad
A far from your bed show? No, not really, even if you live abroad you have to deal with Dutch politics. Think of the Nationality Act, Passport Act, Civic Integration Act, Pensions and AOW, Taxation, Digital Government, Consular Services and so on. So just do it!
Webinar: Voting from abroad
In collaboration with the Elections Office in The Hague, the SNBN is organizing a webinar about (successful) voting from abroad – how does the procedure work? When should what be decided and done? Don't let your voice be lost and follow this webinar:
Elections for Members of the European Parliament
Elections for members of the European Parliament will take place on Thursday, 23 May. In order to stay somewhat informed, I had signed up at the time to participate in the various elections.
Unofficial election result: No special changes
The Electoral Council announced the distribution of seats yesterday. The lead in number of votes between front runners Palang Pracharath and Pheu Thai has increased slightly. Pheu Thai remains well ahead of Palang Pracharath with 137 seats with Prayut as prime minister candidate, the pro-junta party got 118 seats.
Elections Thailand: Tomorrow is finally the day!
They had to wait a long time for it, but Sunday, March 24, the day has finally come, tomorrow 51 million Thai voters will be allowed to cast their vote.
Do you live in Thailand? On 23 May 2019 you can vote again as a voter outside the Netherlands. You cast your vote in the elections for the members of the European Parliament.
It is election week in Thailand. Sunday 24 March is the official poll, but yesterday 2,6 million Thai people were allowed to vote, they had registered for the primary elections.
This week, Thais are finally allowed to go to the polls again to do their democratic duty. The interest in this is great, people want to continue with the future of the country. In the Netherlands, too, we are currently being inundated with political messages: on Wednesday, March 20, we will elect the members of the provincial council and the members of the general board of the water board.
Elections in Thailand (1)
It's time! The Thai people go to the polls in the first elections since the junta took power five years ago. If it is not postponed again – which has already happened several times – Sunday, March 24, 2019 is Election Day.
Voting from Thailand? Register on time!
Elections for the European Parliament will be held on 23 May 2019. Dutch nationals abroad can vote in these elections. If you want to do that, register online with the municipality of The Hague before 11 April 2019.