The National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) has approved changes to the local administration law despite the ongoing resistance from kamnans and village heads nationwide.
The most contentious changes involve the reduction of the terms of kamnans (tambon or subdistrict chiefs) and village heads to five years from until the retirement age at 60 at present and the requirement that the performances of village heads be evaluated every three years from five now.
A group of kamnans and village heads came to Bangkok on Monday to protest against the changes.
The NRSA meeting on Monday discussed the reasons for the change.
Seree Suwannapanon, chairman of the NRSA's political reforms panel, said the 1914 local administration law in effect today provided that village heads be elected by local people and a kamnan chosen by them. Both then serve until the retirement age of 60.
The lengthy terms may affect their performances and result in a monopoly and influence building, he said.
"This is our concern, especially for kamnans, who are screened by village heads and are not directly linked to the people. Exchanges of benefits between village heads and kamnans are not uncommon and some kamnans end up not being respected by local people," he said.
The panel proposed that village heads who aspire to be kamnans should run for kamnan elections instead of being chosen by elected village heads. Their term should also be limited to five years.
A popularly elected kamnan shall remain as a village head but he will receive only one source of salary.
The panel also wants the performance of a village head be evaluated every three years instead of five years by district chiefs and local people.
The NRSA members who are formerly provincial governors disagreed with the ideas, saying it would create a rift among groups of people and five years were too short a term for work continuity.
This group of NRSA members also think they should serve until retirement and holding elections too often is a waste of state budget.
NRSA member Wittaya Kaewparadai, who proposed the term cut, said this was the most compromising approach. "If a kamnan works well, surely he will be re-elected. A shorter term should solve the problem of bargaining for positions."
After the debate, the meeting approved the report with 91-27 vote with 32 abstentions.
After this, the report will be sent to the cabinet to consider. If approved, it will be sent to the National Legislative Assembly to be enacted.
Amnuay Klangpa, an NRSA member and former Pheu Thai MP, said he disagreed with the proposed changes for the same reasons advocated by the panel.
"If kamnans and village heads are elected, they will no longer be state administrators who assist district chiefs in guiding state policies top-down. They will become politicians.
"During the first two years, they won't do much as they are learning the ropes. But after that, they have to worry about pleasing voters. It's better to let them handle government policies until they retire without having to worry about popularity," he said.