CDC eyes poll ban for jailbirds

People who have served jail sentences for serious crimes or who are being detained by a court order are likely to be banned from standing in a general election under the new charter.

Norachit Sinhaseni, spokesman of the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC), said yesterday the proposed ban is the panel’s attempt to raise eligibility standards for election candidates.

Normally, people found guilty of election fraud or corruption are prohibited from vying for House seats.

He said the new ban will be applied to cases where convicted people have served sentences. People receiving a suspended jail term will still be eligible to contest elections, he added.

“We’re trying to match the standards required for tambon chiefs and village heads. People convicted of offences that involve jail terms, except petty crimes or recklessness charges, will be banned from contesting elections for life,” he said.

Mr Norachit said the charter is also expected to include a clause to prevent banned people contesting elections if their records are later cleared through the introduction of a special rehabilitation law.

Regarding so-called members of the “House of 111” and “House of 109” groups who were banned from politics for five years by the Constitutional Court, he said they can stand in elections as long as they have not served a jail term.

Meanwhile, the CDC has provisionally agreed there should be 200 senators indirectly elected from 20 groups representing people from across society, committee member Udom Rathamarit. Ten people will be chosen by each group.

He said the panel is working on details to make sure the 20 groups represent people from across society.

According to Mr Udom, education requirements are unlikely to be imposed on Upper House members as the charter drafters want the Senate to represent diverse groups of people.