Future Forward Party and Primary Vote The Candidate Selection for Member of the House of Representatives in Chiang Mai on 24 March, 2019 General Election

Abstract

This research aims to study and analyze problems including obstacles arising from the Future Forward Party's adoption of the primary vote to select candidates for Chiang Mai’s member of the House of Representatives on 24 March, 2019 general election. The research uses qualitative research based on 17 key informant interviews. The results revealed that although the Organic Act on Political Parties B.E. 2560 (2017) provided guidelines for political parties to adopt the primary vote in selecting candidates for member of the House of Representatives for the first time. However, the guidelines are exempted according to the Order No. 13/2561 of the Head of the National Council for Peace and Order. Yet, the Future Forward Party is the only political party that continues to utilize a closed primary vote in its online selection of candidates for the constituency election. Eventually, the power to make the final decision, or “knock,” to nominate a candidate for election, is of the party's executive committee.