The Chairman of the Village Headmen and Kamnan Association accepts if the law mandates reducing the term to 5 years, noting it will not affect current incumbents. He is satisfied with the current compensation and calls for reviving the Women's Development Fund with 1 million baht per district.
At 10:20 a.m. on 7 Aug 2026 GMT+7 at the Government House, Mr. Yongyos Kaewkhiao, Chairman of the Village Headmen and Kamnan Association of Thailand, commented on the proposal to reduce the term of village headmen and kamnan to 5 years. He said that whatever legislation is proposed, it must be accepted and followed. The legal change will not affect those already in office, but new officeholders will have to comply with the law. Current incumbents retire at age 60, and there is already rigorous performance evaluation for village headmen and kamnan.
When asked about the pros and cons of serving until 60 years old versus a 5-year elected term, Mr. Yongyos said that the majority of the public seem to favor changing to a 5-year term, based on social media observations. However, serving until 60 has benefits for drug suppression efforts. He acknowledged that the change could bring future advantages but stressed it will not affect current village headmen and kamnan if the change occurs.
When questioned about criticism that the roles of village headmen and kamnan overlap with those of subdistrict administrative organizations or municipalities, with some suggesting local authorities be dissolved, Mr. Yongyos explained that at the national level there are both upper and lower houses (MPs and Senators) to balance power. At the local level, village headmen and kamnan look after the people by ensuring law compliance, assisting those in distress, addressing drug and security issues, and national unity. Local government focuses on area development, while village headmen and kamnan maintain order and implement government policies.
Asked about perceptions that village headmen and kamnan act as vote canvassers for political parties, Mr. Yongyos said everyone in Thailand has the right to support political parties according to their policies. There are parties without vote canvassers but still win MPs. Having supporters is like having allies, but all must comply with the law: no vote-buying, no coercion of voters, and no imposing views on them. As a civil servant, he can be a party member but must not use his position to induce or coerce voters during elections.
Mr. Yongyos also addressed the appropriateness of compensation for village headmen and kamnan, saying the position is voluntary and motivated by doing good. Current pay is adequate unless additional duties are added, such as the Women's Development Fund. During Yingluck Shinawatra's government, an annual budget of 300 million baht was allocated for this fund. The Village Headmen and Kamnan Association has established women’s groups at the district level to support income generation and stimulate the economy under this policy. Village headmen and kamnan also earn income from other sources, such as mediations authorized by the Department of Rights Protection, Ministry of Justice. Trained and registered village headmen receive 1,000 baht per mediation case. Current pay rates are 15,000 baht for village headmen, 10,000 baht for kamnan, and 8,000 baht for assistants.
Mr. Yongyos called on the government to subsidize women’s groups within the Village Headmen Association to develop income-generating occupations, clarifying this is not a call for increased compensation. He proposed allocating 1 million baht per district through the Women's Development Fund, totaling 878 million baht, to stimulate grassroots economic activity. This aligns with the principle that leaders should lead by example, pursuing occupations to generate income and serve as models for the public.