April 2003 : Democrat Party Got New Leader Banyat Bantadtan became new leader of the Democrat Party. The House voted down draft Tambon Administration Election bill amended by the Senate. The cabinet appointed nine more minister assistants and approved the Social Security Act. PM Thaksin appointed a panel to investigate on Klong Dan waste water treatment project. The EC announced June 1 for Sri Sa Ket by-election. Chart Thai party elected 6 key posts. Chonburi court ruled Kamnan Poh guilty of purchasing 93 million bath land for sewage disposal. Banyat became new leader The Democrat general assembly, on April 20, voted Banyat Bantadtan to succeed Chuan Leekpai and became a new leader of the 57 years old political party. Banyat receives 163 votes or 48.05 percent of total 336 ballots from MPs, executives and members of local administrative bodies and branch directors while the second and third contenders, Abhisit Vejajiva and Arthit Urairat get 45.26 and 4.75 percent respectively. However, there were 6 ballots or 1.92 percent invalid. The party also elected 9 deputy leaders as follow : 1] Abhisit Vejajiva 2] Paitoo Kaewthong 3] Photipong Lumsum 4] Jurin laksanavisit 5] Kalaya Sopohonpanich 6] Nipon Prompan 7] Anek Laothamathas 8] Trirong Suwankiri 9] Suthas Ngernmuen and Pradit Pattaraprasit was elected as secretary-general. After the victory Banyat said he would do his best to strengthen and enlarge the oldest political party in Thailand and if the party loose in the next general election he would resign from the position. Tambon Administration Election bill voted down The House on April 30 voted 306 to 100 to scrap the draft bill on Tamban Administration Election which was amended by the Senate. The amendent was on direct election of the Tambon mayor. The bill that passed first round in the House authorized the district head to appoint a mayor from elected members of a Tambon but when the bill was scrutinized in the Senate the principle was amended to allow direct election of the mayors. Term of service will be four years and the mayor could not be in position exceed than two succeeding terms. When the amended bill return the House voted unfavorably and appointed a Joint-House panel to re-read the bill but the panel endorsed the Senate version. As the bill was rejected in the House section 175 and 176 of the Constitution allow the bill to be withheld for 180 days before returning to the House. 9 more assistant ministers The Cabinet on April 1 and 22 appointed 9 assistant ministers as follow : 1. Kitti Limsakul and 2. Patthadej Thamjaree as assistant finance minister. 3. Parinya Nutalai, assistant natural resource and environment minister. 4. Phaitoon Boonyawat, assistant PM’s Office minister. 5. Pongsak Raktapongpaisal, assistant education minister. 6. Nimit Damrongrat, assistant PM’s Office minister. 7. Col. Narikotipak Saenfsnit, assistant information and communication minister. 8. Kwang Robkob, assistant science and technology minister. 9. Panlert Baiyak, assistant industrial minister. Regards to the ministerial regulation, 12 more assistant ministers will be named to fill the total 30 positions. Unemployment draft bill The cabinet meeting on April 28 approved a draft amendment to the Social Security Act to enable the payment of benefits to unemployed workers. The bill was submitted by ministry of Labor which principle is to allow the 7.06 million workers to receive unemployment benefit. Compulsory unemployed will receive 50 percent of last salary for 180 days while non-compulsory unemployed will receive 30 percent for 90 days. The payment shall be drawn from social security fund in which employer, employee and government will contribute 0.5 percent each. The draft bill will be sent to the State Council for scrutinizing and it is expected that the fund shall be collected from January 2004 and the benefit could be paid since July the same year. Klong Dan project on investigation Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on April 3 appointed a 34 members panel chaired by Pol. Lt. Gen. Noppadon Somboonsab, director-general of the Extraordinary Investigation Department Justice Ministry to investigate on the Klong Dan waste water treatment project. The project was extremely controversy after the local residents of Klong Dan protested on the transparency of the 23,000 million bath investment. Several panels were appointed to investigate in the matter and found out that several parties; civil servants, politicians and other people were involved in malpractice causing public lost. Sri Sa Ket by-election set for June 1 The Election Commission [EC] set June 1 the date for Sri Sa Ket by-election to fill vacant seat after the death of MP Boonchong Weesommai who passed away on April 19 of asthma attack caused by Hepatitis B. The application date is May 6-7 and advance polling is May 24-25. Section 119 [2] of the Constitution requires the EC to organize by-election within 45 days after vacancy and polling expenditure should not exceed than 10 million bath. Chart Thai party elected Key posts The Chart Thai party annual convention on April 26 elected 6 executive members as follow : 1. Kancana Silapa-archa and 2. Vinai Viriyakija, deputy leaders 3. Kasem Sorasakkasem, 4. Sitthichai Kittithanesuan, 5. Monthien Songpracha and 6. Janista Liewchalermwong, deputy secretary general Sewage land scandal Chonburi court ruled Somchai Kunpluem or Kamnan Poh, Tambon Sansuk lord mayor and other 3 persons guilty of purchasing 140 rai of land in Kao Mai Kaew for sewage disposal to 5 year imprisonment each. He was on bail and will appeal to the higher court. The land was purchased at 93 million bath and on 1994 the police received an accusation on ground of bribery given to the authority to purchase the land at higher cost. Upon investigation, only 5 persons including Somchai were put on trial but only four were found guilty.