Roles Of The Senate within the System of Checks and Balance: Case Study The Interpellation

This research aims to study concepts and intentions of interpellation under the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, B.E. 2560 (2017), and related laws in order to observe functions of monitoring and balancing of the senators on the governmental powers, as assigned in the transitory provision, section 269 of the current Constitution. Studied topics focus on causes of ineffective interpellation; results of interpellation, which affects the state administration; and proposing solutions or reformation of legal regulations and setting guidelines for efficient interpellation which effectively monitors and balances the governmental powers relevant to intentions defined in the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, B.E. 2560 (2017). Methodologies of this qualitative research include documentary study and field trip in-depth interviews with related personnel. Research findings show intentions of interpellation assigned as a device of balancing powers of the legislative and the executive branches; causing factors of setting interpellation topic of senators; processes of proposing interpellation topics of senators; independence of senators relating to interpellation topics setting; causes of inefficient interpellation failing in effective balancing powers of the governmental, both caused by senators – the enquirer and the governmental – the replier; and results of interpellation affecting state administration. The researcher team proposes recommendations on operation of interpellation for balancing the governmental powers; legal regulations; policy making; and so on, in order to form the efficient balance against governmental powers relevant to intentions of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, B.E. 2560 (2017).