Chula scholar eyes court seat

After ripping up his 2006 ballot, 'royalist' professor seeks to share knowledge, writes Chairith Yonpiam

- Chairith Yonpiam

Chulalongkorn University political scientist Chaiyan Chaiyaporn is confident about a case involving his tearing up a ballot paper during the 2006 election will not disqualify him in his bid to be named a Constitutional Court judge.

He also denied being on either the left or the right of politics, but says he remains committed to protecting the country’s system of governance.

Prof Chaiyan is one of seven candidates applying for all seats vacant at the Constitutional Court. President, Nakharin Mektrairat, and Punya Udchachon, a charter court judge.

Both completed their seven-year terms this year and are now serving in acting roles ahead of the appointment of their successors.

Prof Chaiyan, 65, has applied as an expert in the field of political science and public administration, and submitted his application to the Senate’s secretariat on April 4.

Candidates must have worked as professor-level academics at universities in Thailand for at least five years and have produced works of academia that have been widely recognised.

Prof Chaiyan made national headlines after he ripped up his ballot at a polling station during the general election on April 2, 2006, to protest against what he saw as the illegitimacy of the snap election.

The then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had decided to dissolve the House of Representatives and call an election following street government protests led by the now-defunct People’s Alliance for Democracy, which culminated in the 2006 coup.