Page 7 - 23464_Full text

6

Abstract

This study has two principal research objectives. The first objective is to provide a
comprehensive explanation of the motivational and reasoning underpinnings that guide political
actors, encompassing both political parties and social movements, throughout the
constitutional amendment process pertaining to electoral system. The second objective is to
examine and explicate the impact arising from alterations in electoral legislation. This is
achieved through an empirical analysis of the electoral results from the 2023 general elections.
The research finds that each political party tries to change the electoral system to
suit their best interest in winning the electoral competitions. Political parties use past
electoral results from the 2001 to 2019 elections to evaluate and choose their most
desirable electoral system. The ruling and opposition coalition have no unity regarding the
conflicts over electoral system design.
The research findings reveal a noteworthy pattern wherein political parties endeavor
to modify the electoral system to align with their strategic interests in achieving electoral
success. Furthermore, it is observed that the issue of electoral system design engenders a lack
of consensus and unity between the ruling coalition and the opposition. This divergence of
perspectives and objectives underscores the presence of conflicts and disagreements within
the political landscape regarding the electoral system.
The change of the electoral system from the mixed member apportionment (MMA) to
the mixed-member majoritarian system (MMM) received parliamentary approval primarily as a
consequence of a consensus forged through mutual agreement and shared interests between

the two prominent political entities, namely the Pheu Thai and Palang Pracharath parties.
Notwithstanding the divergent political ideologies espoused by these two major parties, a
common conviction prevailed that the adoption of the mixed-member majoritarian system
would be conducive to electoral victories for their respective parties. This convergence of
interests emphasized the instrumental role played by electoral system choice in shaping
political outcomes.
The 2023 election results have unveiled unforeseen transformations and
unanticipated ramifications. Contrary to expectations, the Thai party system has exhibited a
shift towards a multi-party system characterized by a proliferation of diverse policy platforms
and ideological orientations, rather than reverting to a two-party model. No single political
party has secured an unequivocal majority, and major parties have failed to capitalize on
the alterations in the electoral system to gain a competitive edge. Consequently, these
election results resoundingly underscore the compelling theoretical proposition that the
identical electoral system may yield divergent outcomes when implemented and employed
in disparate contextual environments.