Bangkok, 42 other provinces to get more parliamentary seats in new electoral allocations

Bangkok will have 3 more constituency seats than it had at the last general election and still has more seats than any other province. Trat, Ranong, Samut Songkhram and Sing Buri will just have one seat each, in line with the new parliamentary seat allocation just completed by the Election Commission (EC).

The allocation of the House of Representatives’ 400 constituency seats, an increase from 350, following a parliamentary approval to revert back to the two-ballot system and to adjust the ratio between the constituency and party list MPs from 350:150 to 400:100, is calculated based on the population of each province, with one seat per 165,428 people.

The increase in the number of constituency seats in the House and the resulting redistribution mean that Bangkok and 42 other provinces will have more seats. 37 will have one more seat each, while 5 will have an additional two each.

• 11 constituency MPs each for Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai and Ubon Ratchathani.

• 10 MPs each for Chon Buri and Buri Ram.

• 9 MPs each for Nakhon Si Thammarat, Si Sa Ket, Songkhla and Udon Thani.

• 8 MPs for Chiang Rai, Nonthaburi, Roi-et, Samut Prakan and Surin.

• 7 MPs each for Chaiyaphum, Pathum Thani, Sakhon Nakhon and Surat Thani.

• 6 MPs each for Kalasin, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Sawan, Phetchabun and Maha Sarakham.

• 5 MPs each for Kanchanaburi, Narathiwat, Ayutthaya, Phitsanulok, Rayong, Ratchaburi and Suphan Buri.

• 4 MPs each for Kamphaeng Phet, Chachoengsao, Trang, Tak, Nakhon Phanom, Pattani, Lop Buri, Lampang, Loei, Samut Sakhon, Saraburi and Sukhothai.

• 3 MPs each for Krabi, Chanthaburi, Chumphon, Nan, Bueng Kan, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phayao, Phatthalung, Phichit, Phetchaburi, Phrae, Phuket, Yasothon, Yala, Sa Kaeo, Nong Khai, Nong Bua Lamphu and Uttaradit.

• 2 MPs each for Chainat, Nakhon Nayok, Phang-nga, Mukdahan, Mae Hong Son, Lamphun, Satun, Ang Thong, Amnat Charoen and Uthai Thani.

The change in the MP ratio is the result of the parliamentary vote in September 2021 to approve one constitutional amendment draft seeking to restore the two-ballot system, out of 13 submitted. Other amendment proposals that got rejected sought to limit the unelected Senate’s power, especially in voting for prime ministerial candidates, enhance people’s rights, and improve the economy, among many other serious issues. The two-ballot system only serves and is naturally favoured by major parties as it helps increase seats won in an election.

Source: Thai Public Broadcasting Service