Thai Village Headman-Elections

Posted on July 26, 2010 by Mike

Poster showing candidate for Thai Village headman post

Village Headman Election Poster

The Thai village headman is a central government post in Thailand.  The headman, Phu Yai Ban, is the person elected to administer a Muban, which is often a single village. In the past this post was a lifetime role but this has changed over the years with the headman serving a term of five years but they can be re-elected.
Headman is the lowest level of central government administration in Thailand and most headmen are assisted by two other people who are responsible for security and government affairs.

The headman has several official duties one of which is recording births and deaths in the village. More importantly perhaps,  the headman is seen as a mediator in disputes and a general “fixer” of village or individuals problems. One of the local headmen in a Tambon(group of Mubans)will also be chosen as the Kamnan or leader of that Tambon.

The village headman also receives a salary from the government which was 5000Baht a month in 2009 but may well have increased since then since this was a proposal from the central government.

The current election for the village headman in Nong Hin(Moo 2-Muban 2) where I live is due to be held on July 29th. Candidate number two(shown on poster) has been doing a fair bit of electioneering and I have seen several of the local small shops displaying his picture. This may be because he is a local man from the village(it says so on the poster). Since anyone over 21, apart from foreigners can stand to be elected it might well be that other candidates are from the surrounding area.

Many Thais I know seem to have a love/hate relationship with the village headman which may well stem from the power that the office administers at a local level. This is particularly so regarding how central government budgets are spent and matters of arbitration on such things as land disputes. There are often allegations of corruption and one of my neighbours described the previous incumbent of the post as a gossip monger.

Related posts:

  1. Village Elections in Thailand
  2. Thai Village Life-Culture
  3. Thailand Village Layout
  4. Thai Bangkaew Dog
  5. Thai Underground Lottery
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  • Adullamite

    No different from councillors here, although most villages may actually know who their headman is!

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  • http://www.thailand-blogs.com Mike

    Graham in a lot of ways its very similar although the headman is probably a bit more visible than some councillors.

  • http://www.thaisabai.org Martyn

    Mike I'm certain your village has to be the same as the young one's come election time. Wi loves local elections and the 100 baht note or sometimes two which are placed on the coffee table by some of the candidates. What gets me is nearly all households (including ours) promise to cast their vote for each candidate who turns up, assuming they are bearing gifts. Of course they only have one vote. There's a lot hidden behind those Thai smiles.

    The village headman, he's the one who wakes you up at 6-30 (I think it's then) in the morning on his 1960's PA system, “snap, crackle, pop…sawatdee krap…snap, crackle, pop.”

    Thailand's a brilliant place to be.

  • http://tambon.blogspot.com/ MaewNam

    Hope you will do some more coverage of this election, would love to have a first-hand experience how they are done right now. From what I read about the Thai administration, in past it was even possible to elect the headman just by a public acclamation, the secret ballot was not mandatory then. If you collect enough stuff, I would even like to write up on it in my blog. For these most local elections there's hardly anything to find on the web, the best I see on your village is the list of headmen in Tambon Khlong Wan. Does the incumbent Yothin Youngborin (โยธิน ยวงบริบูรณ์) run as well?

  • http://www.thailand-blogs.com Mike

    Hi Andy, I can promise some more coverage as I will be going to the polling station with Duen to cast her vote, seems it is a secret ballot, but will let you know. Will try and get some photos too if they will let me. I will also try and get some more info from the candidates.

    I am unsure whether current headman is standing but will also find that out. By the way he looks just like his photo (thanks for the link).

  • http://www.thailand-blogs.com Mike

    Martyn, I am sure you are right, unfortunately my Thai and hearing aren't great but I'm sure I heard 500 Baht mentioned by the election bandwagon yesterday. Of course they could have been saying you get a 500 Baht ticket on the lottery for all I know.

  • http://missus-emm.blogspot.com/ Emm

    He certainly looks eager to please – is that a modest pose he is adopting?

  • http://www.thailand-blogs.com Mike

    Emm Thais have this thing about touching up photographs so they all look like a young Valentino. To be fair the headmen (includes women) can be very good and do a lot for their community.

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