| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Rathasapha / National Assembly |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Wuthisapha / Senate |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Saphaphuthan Ratsadon / House of Representatives
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
12 April 2011 |
| Purpose of elections |
Renewal of 73 indirectly elected senators. |
Based on the 2007 Constitution, the Senate consists of a total of 150 members. There is one elected senator for each province (Changwat) while the remainder are indirectly elected.
The Senate, which was re-established in March 2008, comprised 76 members directly elected for a six-year term and 74 indirectly elected members. In keeping with the transitional measures stipulated in the 2007 Constitution, the 74 senators selected by the Senate Selection Commission in February 2008 served a three-year term from March 2008, instead of the usual six years.
On 23 March 2011, a new province, Bueng Kan, was created, increasing the number of directly elected senators to 77 (see note), and decreasing that of indirectly elected senators to 73. The 2011 renewal was thus held for 73 indirectly elected senators.
On 12 April 2011, the Election Commission announced the list of 73 senators, including 12 women, who will serve a six-year term. Since the one-term limit did not apply to the senators indirectly elected in 2008, 31 outgoing senators were re-elected. The new senators included six former police officers, 11 former military officers, 18 former civil servants and 11 lawyers. On 4 May, the King appointed Mr. Teeradej Meepien, an army general, as the new Senate President.
Note:
Article 111 of the 2007 Constitution stipulates that in cases where the number of provinces changes during the term of office of the elected senators, the Senate shall consist of the existing senators. The seat in Bueng Kan province remains vacant until the next direct elections to the Senate, which are due by March 2014. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Distribution of votes |
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| Distribution of seats |
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| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
126
23
15.44%
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| Distribution of seats according to age |
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| Distribution of seats according to profession |
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| Comments |
Note on the distribution of seats according to sex:
In April 2011, 12 women were indirectly elected. At 9 June 2011, the Senate comprised a total of 23 women out of 149 senators. There is one vacant seat in Bueng Kan province, which will be filled in the next direct elections to the Senate, due by March 2014.
Source: Senate (30.05.2011, 08.06.2011, 15.06.2011) |
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A historical Archive of past election results for this chamber can be found on a separate page