The Prime Minister is nominated by the President of the National Assembly and appointed by the King. The 270 members of the Senate, who may not belong to a political party, are nominated by the Prime Minister for six-year terms, and are appointed by the King. The members of the House are elected by popular vote for four-year terms. The Thai legal system with respect to the criminal, civil, commercial, and special codes is based on the British and European legal systems. There is also an extensive system of administrative law consisting of royal decrees, executive orders, and ministerial regulations.
Thai law relating to family and inheritance matters is based upon codified traditional Thai laws.
Judicial power is exercised by the Courts of Justice which, consist of the courts of first instance, the court of appeal, and the Supreme Court. For administrative purposes, the country is divided into 76 provinces and the Bangkok metropolitan area. The provinces are further divided into districts, sub-districts, communes, and villages. Each province and the Bangkok metropolis has its own governor. The governors are appointed by the King on the advice of the Minister of the Interior, except for the Governor of Bangkok, who is directly elected by residents of Bangkok.