Bangkok: The Senate has approved the Joint Ticket Act, allowing bankrupt individuals to serve on the Common Ticket Committee.
According to Thai News Agency, the committee clarified that it is not involved in asset management, while Senator Ratchaneekorn raised concerns about the financial competence of bankrupt individuals and potential conflicts of interest.
The Senate session, presided over by Mr. Boonsong Noisophon, Second Vice President of the Senate, reviewed the draft of the Common Ticket Management Act B.E. …., consisting of 54 sections. This draft had already been examined by the Special Committee in its second and third readings. During the session, Ms. Ratchanee Thongthip, a senator, expressed her opinion on Section 6 (3) regarding the qualifications of members of the Common Ticket System Policy Committee. She argued for the inclusion of “bankrupt person” as a prohibited qualification, believing that the current criterion of “corrupt bankrupt person” was inadequate for a national-level position.
Ms. Ratchaneekorn emphasized that bankrupt individuals, due to their financial deficiencies, should not be tasked with managing national debts and assets. She highlighted the importance of prohibiting such individuals from the Common Ticket Policy Committee to safeguard complex interests and bolster the committee’s credibility. While acknowledging the new opportunities the law provides for bankrupt individuals, she stressed that the responsibilities of the State Treasury should outweigh personal considerations.
Ms. Jiraphat Karnprasertkit, a committee member, explained that legally, bankrupt individuals are allowed to re-enter business activities, as bankruptcy could result from unavoidable circumstances. She clarified that the role of the Common Ticket System Committee members, who are required to have expertise in engineering and information technology, does not involve direct asset management. The committee has determined that the only disqualifying factor is being or having been a dishonest bankrupt.
The Senate’s decision saw a vote of 124 in favor, 3 against, with 4 abstentions and 1 non-vote. Additionally, opinions were reserved on sections concerning fare calculation fairness, fund management, and the authority of officials. Ultimately, the Senate agreed to uphold the original draft of the committee.
Reporters noted that the Senate spent approximately one hour on the second agenda item before proceeding to the third, where the vote was 144 to 1, with three abstentions and one non-vote.