The Government in Thailand

The current system of Thailand is constitutional monarchy. The Prime Minister acts as the leader of the government while the King or a hereditary monarch performs as chief of the state. Thailand comprises of the Judiciary, Executive and Legislative branches.

The King and the Prime Minister cover the Executive Branch. Based on the constitution, the King has direct authority nevertheless he remains as a figure of national identity and unity. Thailand has been under the rule of kings for centuries. King Bhumibol, the current King of Thailand, has gained significant respect and moral influence of the public as well as his political counterparts. On the other hand, the Prime Minister is the head of the government. Under the constitution, the Prime Minister should be a Member of Parliament.

The bicameral Thai administration is known as the National Assembly or informally called the Parliament, based on the 2007 Constitution. The Legislative branch has 2 bodies: the House of Representatives; and Senate. The House of Representatives has 480 seats, 400 members are chosen through electorate voting and the 80 members from the so-called “proportional representation” or parallel voting (Mixed Member Majoritarian. Both members serve a 4-year term. The Senate is represented by 150 seats – 76 members are elected, one for every province and the 74 are chosen through nomination by the Senates Selection Committee. Senators are in service for 6 years.

The Judicial Branch makes up of judges selected by the monarch. Every court in Thailand is under the Thai Ministry of Justice. An autonomous Constitutional Court also exists in Thailand. The Court of Appeals is divided into districts with 3 judges for each court.

The Government of Thailand is an active member of international organizations such as the APEC, ASEAN, IMO, UNESCO, WHO, IMF, UN and many more.