Meechai assured that any amendment of the political party law, now being studied by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA)’s law vetting committee, could still be done under the 240-day timeframe allocated.

He also expressed his view on the proposal for a “primary vote”, saying this needs to be considered along with the “timeframe” for the election of candidates from party branch members, to see if the timeframe given is feasible.

The primary voting system is back in the spotlight as the NLA committee considers it while vetting the law.

Under consideration at the moment, members at party branches can hold a meeting, with around 50-100 members attending, to select two representatives to present to the party’s MP candidates selection committee for approval.

The lists would then be forwarded to party executives to endorse. If the executives do not choose the first and second representatives on the lists, they must explain why. A joint meeting between them and the MP candidates selection committee would then be held to propose appropriate candidates.

If that meeting fails to resolve the task, the process would go back to the party branches to select and propose appropriate candidates again.

For party-list MP candidates, the selection committee must come up with a list of no more than 150 candidates first. This would then be sent to the party branches to vote on 50 of the candidates.

A party leader, however, would be reserved as first candidate on a party’s list.