Legislative Framework

Thailand's political system operates under a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. The bicameral legislature consists of the 500-member House of Representatives and the 250-member Senate. Members of the House are elected through a mixed system of constituency and party-list representation. The Senate, previously appointed by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), now includes members selected through various professional and social sectors. The parliament plays a crucial role in law-making and government oversight.

Executive and Administrative Systems

The executive branch is led by the Prime Minister, chosen from elected members of parliament. The cabinet, consisting of no more than 35 ministers, manages various government departments and implements national policies. Local administration is divided into 77 provinces, each headed by a governor appointed by the Ministry of Interior. Bangkok, as a special administrative zone, has an elected governor and city council. The bureaucratic system employs approximately 2 million civil servants across various ministries.

Decentralization and Local Government

Thailand has been gradually decentralizing power to local administrative organizations. There are over 7,800 local government units, including Provincial Administrative Organizations (PAO), municipalities, and Tambon Administrative Organizations (TAO). These bodies manage local affairs, infrastructure, and basic services with partial funding from central government. Recent reforms have increased local budget allocation to 35% of national expenditure, though challenges remain in achieving full administrative autonomy. Shutdown123