Cooperative League of Thailand

National Apex Organization of the Cooperative Movement in Thailand

       Under the Cooperative Act of 1968, announced that “There shall be the CLT consisting of members which are cooperatives, and having as its objects the promotion of affairs of every type of cooperatives throughout the Kingdom to attain prosperity without acquiring profits or income for sharing among themselves” ,Coop Act, Section 108.

The CLT is the National Apex Organization of the cooperative movement in Thailand. CLT is single regular membership of International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), full member of World Farmers’ Organization (WFO), and Founder Member of Asian Farmers’ Group for Cooperation (AFGC).

The CLT shall be a juristic person. The CLT shall have its head office in Bangkok and may establish its branch offices anywhere.

The CLT has the power to do and act within the scope of its objects as specified in section 108 and such power shall include:

1. Promoting and propagating cooperation affairs as well as conducting research and compiling statistics concerning the cooperative affairs,
2. Giving technical advice and assistance to cooperatives and facilitating communication and coordination among cooperatives and Government agencies or other persons;
3. Providing education and training on technical matters concerning cooperative affairs;
4. Promoting relationship among cooperative both internal and external of the country, or that with cooperative leagues of foreign countries, or foreign organizations, or international organizations having similar objects;
5. Purchasing, procuring, disposing, holding ownership, possessing or executing juristic acts in respect of any property;
6. Promoting commercial business, trade, industry and services of cooperatives;
7. Supporting and assisting cooperatives in solving obstacles and constraints relating to the cooperative affairs which are of common benefit;
8. Acting as an representatives of cooperatives in protecting and maintaining rightful interests deservedly derived from the State or international organizations or other private sector institutions;
9. Cooperating with the Government in the promotion of cooperatives for genuine and real benefits to them in general;
10. Carrying on other acts in compliance with its objects or as entrusted by the National Cooperative Development Board.

The CLT may have revenue as follows:

1. Subscriptions to the CLT;
2. Government subsidies;
3. Interest arising from the central fund of the unlimited-liability cooperatives;
4. Donations of money or property;
5. Residues of money or property after liquidation of cooperatives under this Act
6. Proceeds from sales of technical books, documents or others;
7. Money or property received in return for services rendered;
8. Interests derived from the property of the CLT.

There shall be a Board of Directors of the CLT consisting of not exceeding 14 members, who are 7 persons elected at General Meeting of the CLT and Chairman of National Cooperative Federations, 7 persons.

The Board of Directors of the CLT shall elect from among its members one chairman and one or more Vice Chairman.

The Board of Directors shall appoint a Executive Director of the CLT and the director shall be the ex-officio secretary of the Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors of the CLT shall have the duty to administer the affairs of the CLT and be authorized to issue regulations in compliance with its objects. The following regulations shall be enforceable only when their issuance has been given prior approval of a General Meeting of the Cooperative League of Thailand:

1. Regulations concerning expenses and custody of funds;
2. Regulations concerning a general meeting of the CLT and the criteria on the representatives of the cooperatives attending its General Meeting;
3. Regulations concerning the election, meeting and administration of the Board of Directors of the CLT.

The members of the Board of Directors of the CLT shall have each term of office for four years. After the end of the term, if there has yet been no election of the new board members, the vacating board members shall be entitled to hold the office further until the newly elected board members assume their functions. The vacating board members may be re-elected but not more than two terms of office consecutively.

In addition to the termination of office, a member of the Board of Directors of the CLT shall vacate the office in the case of:

1. Death;
2. Resignation;
3. Becoming a bankrupt;
4. Becoming an incompetent or a semi-incompetent;
5. Serving a penalty of imprisonment by the final judgment of the lawcourt, except for that of an act of carelessness or a light offence;
6. Cessation of membership of the cooperative.

In the case where a board member vacates the office before the end of the term, the board of directors of the CLT shall select other delegate of the cooperative as a board member in his stead. The newly selected board member shall be in office for period equivalent to the remaining time of the term of office of the board member whom he replaces.

The board of directors of the CLT shall call an annual general meeting once a year within ninety days from the last day of the accounting year of the CLT. Upon reasonable circumstances, the board of directors may call an extraordinary general meeting whenever it thinks fit; or in the case where a number of members not less than one-tenth of the total number of member requests in writing the board of directors to call an extraordinary general meeting. Such the written request shall specify the objects for which the extraordinary general meeting is being called. In the case of members requesting for an extraordinary general meeting, the board of directors shall call it within thirty days from the date of receiving the written request.

The Executive Director of the CLT shall have the duties of managing the affairs of the CLT in accordance with the regulations and policies prescribed by the board of directors and shall have the power to control the officials thereof. In matters concerning the third persons, the Executive Director shall be an representative of the CLT. For this purpose, the Executive Director may authorize any person to do specific affairs in accordance with the regulations prescribed by the board of directors.