- May 4, 2021
- 3,533
Provincial Assemblies
According to Section 2 of the 2003 Constitution, the Socialist Republic of Thailand is a confederation of self-governing communes, whereas all authority stems from Community Assemblies (CAs). Based on this foundational principle, CAs across Thailand have federated into 77 provinces. The Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO) coordinates each provincial federation’s local affairs with a direct democratic mandate. Such a popular legitimacy arose from the province’s highest coordinating body, the Provincial Assembly. The Provincial Governor is the provincial head coordinator and facilitator of the provincial federation. They are directly accountable to the local population and the Provincial Assembly, where they are elected through proportional representation.
Each Provincial Assembly establishes its rules of procedure, mirroring the operational framework of the National Assembly. Accordingly, the democratically elected provincial coordinators internally voted for Provincial Head Coordinator and Facilitator to oversee specific duties analogous to those of ‘national level’ facilitators like the confederal government cabinet. As Thailand is a confederated polity, provincial federations hold significant control over its local affairs through exercising the rights and autonomy granted to the Provincial Assembly. Such a provincial coordinating body has supreme legislative power over local economic development, cultural affairs and local traditions, environmental management and conservation, social services adaptation and delivery, local infrastructure and public works, and provincial administration and governance.
Each Provincial Assembly establishes its rules of procedure, mirroring the operational framework of the National Assembly. Accordingly, the democratically elected provincial coordinators internally voted for Provincial Head Coordinator and Facilitator to oversee specific duties analogous to those of ‘national level’ facilitators like the confederal government cabinet. As Thailand is a confederated polity, provincial federations hold significant control over its local affairs through exercising the rights and autonomy granted to the Provincial Assembly. Such a provincial coordinating body has supreme legislative power over local economic development, cultural affairs and local traditions, environmental management and conservation, social services adaptation and delivery, local infrastructure and public works, and provincial administration and governance.
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