The coalition parties will vote in favour of separate polling numbers for constituency candidates and their parties in the next general election, according to Paiboon Nititawan, deputy leader of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP).
Mr Paiboon, who is also a member of the House committee scrutinising amendments to the election of MPs and parties' laws, said the need for separate election numbers has always been a common stance among coalition members.
The PPRP intends to toe the line when it comes to voting on the issue, he said.
The stance, taken up by the amendment bill on the election of MPs, which has passed its first reading, is consistent with the practice and principle of having two ballots, one for electing a constituency MP and the other for selecting a party.
Mr Paiboon said that allocating different election numbers for the constituency candidates and for parties is in keeping with the intention of rewriting the charter to reintroduce the dual-ballot election system.
It would be contradictory to the system if the constituency candidates and their parties were to be given the same election numbers.
This is because constituency candidates are expected to woo voters with their own abilities and not rely on their parties to win the polls.
"With two ballots, voters are free to choose one party and a constituency candidate of a different party," he said.
The scrutiny committee will vote on the issue on Wednesday followed by a debate and vote the next day on the criteria that potential co-founders of new parties must meet.
The amendments to the two laws are finally proceeding after the opposition uncovered the details of an alleged clandestine bid in parliament to have two organic bills on a dual-ballot system voted down after being scrutinised and put to a third and final reading in the House of Representatives.
