AIPA NEWS BULLETIN SECOND QUARTERLY                                                                     JANUARY - MARCH 2008

The 16th Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum

            From 20-24 January 2008, H.E. General Charan Kullanvanijaya, First Vice-President of the Thai National Legislative Assembly (NLA) accompanied by six other NLA members attended the 16th Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) in Auckland, New Zealand. This was the last inter-parliamentary mission of the NLA before dissolving to pave the  way for the democratically-elected Senate in March.

            The APPF is organized annually as an open forum for parliamentarians to discuss issues of international concern. The forum stressed on 4 aspects, namely politics and security, economics and trade, cooperation in Asia-Pacific and future work of the APPF. The Thai delegatespresented statements on cluster munitions, international anti-corruption convention, the role of Asia-Pacific States on climate change and sustainable development as well as alternative energy security. Thailand addressed the need of regional cooperation as well as the governmental and public participation to tackle the above-mentioned challenges for the sake of regional stability and prosperity.

            The 17th APPF will be held in January 2009 in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

The Resumption of Democratic Thai Parliament

            Following the promulgation of the new Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand B.E.2550 (2007) and the general election for the House of Representatives on 23 December 2007, the People Power Party (PPP) won the election, gaining 233 out of 480 seats. Later, the newly-elected House of Representatives convened its first session on 21 January 2008 with subsequent election of the new House Speaker and two deputy Speakers by majority vote.

            Consequently, His Majesty the King signed the Royal Command, officially appointing Mr. Yougyuth Tiyapairat as the new House Speaker together with Mr. Somsak Kiartsuranon and Colonel Apiwan Wiriyachai as the first and second Deputy House Speakers respectively. On 28 January, the House of Representatives elected the PPP leader, Mr. Sarnak Sundavarej, as the new Prime Minister.

           Simultaneously, under the 2007 Constitution, the Senate was also established. The Upper House consists 150 senators, 74 of whom had been nominated by various organizations from the academic institutions, private sector, professional sector, professional sector and non-profit organizations and appointed by the selection panel comprising of judges and heads of independent organs under the Constitution in February 2008. The remaining 76 senators were elected from among the applicants, one for each province, on March 2, 2008.

            On 13 March 2008, the Senate voted Mr. Prasopsuk Boondej, selected senator and former Appeal Court President as the Speaker. The Senate also voted to select Mr. Nikhom Wiayaratpanich, an elected senator from Chachoengsao province, and Miss Thassana Boonthong, an appointed senator, as the First and Second Deputy Speakers, respectively.

 

 

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