Eric Loh

I would have no problems with Prayuth being PM, or even Suthep being PM ...as long as they are elected by the majority of Thai people.

I heard Suthep says in his election promise that the government will buy the rice harvest at 30.000 Baht/tonne, all students get an Imac and everyone will be rich in 3 months.

Bet he's gone win the elections on one leg.

Nay. Doubt anyone will believe him now after his promises of final...... He can go on all four, he will never win. On top of that, didn't he promised that politics are all behind him? Bet that's another white lie.

It's been my experience that, in Thailand, there is less corruption under military rule than under civilian. This is not true elsewhere though.

If you consider re-writting the constitution to give amnesty to soldiers and injecting appointed senators and forcing all to accept referundum for the changes are not corruption, I have nothing much to say.

What the Army should be doing is to declare that fresh elections will be held and all polling stations will be open and guarded by the military.

The political parties will have a chance to broadcast their platforms and policies and then let the people of Thailand decide who they want to run the country.

Unfortualty it is not that simple

They should have new elections but neither party can stand. Make way for new government and new restrictions as to what pm'a can do to stop the abuse of power which started all this in he first place

Prime ministers should only be aloud to stand for 1 term not 2 or 3 to avoid them getting to comfortable

Also I am please that the army have the power to stop all nonsense and show good judgment and they have shown the world that they are in charge of the country but they support democracy which is very important as the powers that be could push for dictatorship but they chose not to which I am very happy about

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Prime ministers should only be aloud to stand for 1 term not 2 or 3 to avoid them getting to comfortable.

Yes, it is in theConstitution, only 8 consecutive years for premiership. Taksin would be out in 2008 even without the coup. All these wasted years just because the elites got impatient.

If I put a picture of my monkey on a placard and its position on the ballot and walk up this village with 500 Baht in my hand for each voter then for sure I could get my monkey elected. Why, monkey or people the only thing they are interested in is the 500 Baht. Until this changes the north will continue to control the bought election. It would do no good to post the army at the polling stations as the Taksin payoffs take place long before voting. This has to stop but I don't think it can. They love money more than their country. We are going through another big rain dance!

Wow. Seem you got the solution. Just wondering why the Dem with their wealthy supporters and deep pockets didn't think of it and waste their time and resources staging a coup, re-writing the constitution, protests and lawsuits. Think again.

Lets hope that Nurak who has a share in drafting the 2007 constitution will be open and fair in his deliberation of charter reform.

"accepted by the common people". That is why we have election. This idiot invent words and made plans on a daily basis. Imagine how the country if Suthep has his way.

Here you see only bought and coerced elections; hence the anti-gov't protest. Why are posters so daft to notice or deny that?

Because it's not true. No respectable journalist, organization, foreign government or even opposition politician has ever said that the 2011 election was won by anyone other than the party that received the most votes. If that's not the case, please post a link. Just one will do!

A determined search of the 'net will reveal isolated incidents of shenanigans, but this is true anywhere in the world. Whatever else it also has, Thailand has "free and fair" elections.

Red villages, bribes, handouts etc. can't be generalized as true and a norm from other countries if you wanna compare; unless to similar banana republics. You're not going to pull up instant google admissions to see that votes were bought then or in other elections, it or see data reports of course; its not in the books any more than the rented mobs paid handouts in 2010, c'mon. What are you thinking?

Just get talking to some local rural farmers, namely Isarn, and some basic reasoning and observation will show you what a farce the elections are, and of course they get handouts. Keep them poor and they are really easy to buy too. That is why PTP campaigns heavily there, easy to swindle on the backs of the uneducated and poor.

Isnt vote buying as you claimed a yellow or red card offense by the EC? Between you and the EC with the full investigative resources, would I believe you with your basic reasoning and observation? It is a fair election mate. If there are vote buying, it's on both sides. The EC and international observers have not raised any issues and EC have validated all MPs. Give it up with your continuous rethoric on the same subject. That also include populist policies which all parties and government are guilty to win votes and remain in power anywhere in the world.

"accepted by the common people". That is why we have election. This idiot invent words and made plans on a daily basis. Imagine how the country if Suthep has his way.

Scavenger living near the bridge for a long time and dead after the violent People's Army moved in. What is there to investigate?

In your mind clearly a forgone conclusion.

Motive? Evidence? - Don't let that worry you over some good propaganda chance. Just make it up as you go along.

Really not that hard to conclude considering the amount of circumstantial evidence. Violent and armed thugs. Same modus operandi of putting victims in bags. Propaganda is when you pull something from thin air. This really a no brainer. When the police finally conclude their evidence, don't be surprise.

Where is Suthep going to get his money if he don't do his daily beggar marches. Heard he will defy Prayuth and march on Friday. Meanwhile the Reds are surrounded by the military and can't move an inch. Fair play?

Let's wait and see if the Army allows him to leave his "campsite" and take his mobs to the street before we scream "favoritism" or "double standards". What Suthep says, and what Gen P allows, might be two different things.

"What Suthep says, and what Gen P allows, might be two different things".

On the other hand very probably NOT two different things.

They both have the same masters so both must do as they are told by their masters.

Master must be disappointed that 6 + months of Suthep pressure and the government has not yield. The court tried and the senate plotted and still no result. This is their last throw of the dice.

Scavenger living near the bridge for a long time and dead after the violent People's Army moved in. What is there to investigate?

Where is Suthep going to get his money if he don't do his daily beggar marches. Heard he will defy Prayuth and march on Friday. Meanwhile the Reds are surrounded by the military and can't move an inch. Fair play?

hmmm...first martial law, then probably a new PM appointed by the Senate...this is all playing out nicely and more or less as expected.

In fact, it means no such thing. The govt remains in office even in the context of martial law. This simply removes from the streets the groups in conflict.

First of all, there is no legitimate Government, at the moment. Secondly, declaring martial law, pulled the last few teeth (CAPO and the ability of the Reds to mobilize) from Thaksin and his cronies. The logical next step, is for the Senate to appoint a Prime Minister (who of course will not be a paid puppet of the man in Dubai)

Looks like you have your choice of either the Upper House (Senate) or the military making the decisions, but it will definitely not be the past Government (Thaksin)

Just one itsy bitsy detail of Prayuth declaring that the caretaker government and the constitution stay so the senate coup will not take place as it is against the constitution and will be illegal. Doubt these senate coupers have the balls to do an illegal act. Not a coup too so no military appointed PM.

_{Another fruitless day for Suthep. No minister resigned and the SRT and BMTA refused to take part in the general strike. Caretaker PM meeting with the senators was to affirm that he is still very much in charge till next election. BTW, crowds during the march is also getting smaller. Guess tomorrow will be just the same old marches for nothing.}

You are just making this up - aren't you? Your claim of having majority? If so, why the reluctance in having an election? Surely you favored political party would win outright majority - wouldn't you? But no! You don't want the election to occur. So there is something clearly WRONG with you claim of having MAJORITY.

I believe Suthep will stop the protests next week but that does not mean he will give up on his and the majorities wish to rid Thailand of the Thaksin regime.

You forgot that the Democrats aren't allowed to promote their politic upcountry, the mass media are under control of the Thaksin regime and there is massive vote buying and "organized voting". If Thaksin believes he can win in fair elections why he fights the reforms?

If Yingluck would have said: yes we must reform, give me your ideas and we'll implement them immediately, she would be a hero. Instead she pushed the Amnesty for Thaksin law.

There was a government attempt for reform and reconcilation last September in which Ahbisit declined to be in the committee. Short of memory?

The best argument for a fully elected senate seems to the senate itself. These self serving appointed dinosaurs have the potential to destroy Thailand and have already played their part in turning Thailand's political system into the laughing stock of ASEAN and the developed world.

No.... The Thai political system has been trashed by the Thaksin regime for the past 12 years or so.

I have been following it since then.

Forget the amnesty bill that promised to wipe out 'rule of law' for years of political crimes did you?

Forget about all the nepotism that yanked out the experts and replaced them with the family did you?

Forget about the corrupted election processes fraught with vote buying, voter intimidation and campaign blocking for all but one political party did you?

Forget about the midnight voting on very important issues when not all vote holders were present and either sleeping or removed from the house did you?

Forget about the many abuses of power and breeches of the constitution did you?

Don't sit their behind your keyboard trying to pretend the senate is responsible for making the Thai political system a laughing stock. Remember all the current and retired senators who have a sword of Damocles hanging over them... They are all the pro Thaksin lot who have corrupted the senate and tried to corrupt the political system.

Get your red glasses off, you may start to see the wider picture.

Correct

PTP have made a complete mockery of the Thai political system and continue to do so

Nobody else has responsibility for that - power abuse - dereliction of duty - massive corruption

What country on this planet would allow a convicted corrupt criminal on the run buy his way to power from abroad - those that are accepting his money should be ashamed of themselves - bought for their services - seems a common problem in Thailand along with lying and cheating

Thrash in the last 12 years. That 12 years also include 1.5 years of military rule who went on a witch hunt to banned and censored community stations, media and TRT executives for 5 years. Re-write the constitution to benefit the military and the royalists. Then another 2.5 years of Dem government who tried to steal TRT policies and change the thinking of their supporters. Yes there were power abuse, dereliction of duty and massive corruptions in those years too.

It maybe the rules that govern the senate that get in the way of the senate legally appointing a new PM. The senate being a house of revue may not have the power to appoint a PM or to constitute a new government.

actually they do as stated in the Constitution - why did you post the above nonsense

Perhaps you should quote the Section in the Constitution that you felt so strongly that BSJ post nonsense.Looking at the various sections involved in particular Sections 7, 172, 180 and 181, the senate has zero power and the appointed PM must be an elected representative and there is none because the election is null and void.

Does the yellow appointed puppet Mr. Somchai - who is obviously in over his head - want to silence the press now as well?

What are his credentials except wearing the right colored shirt after the coup?

Maybe he should spent his time with the task he is entrusted - organizing elections - instead of playing politics !

If he can't do that he should resign today - he is part of the problem but not part of a solution- I know he considers himself "important" and in his delusion he considers himself smarter than the entire panel of academics - but believe me nobody will miss him once he is gone!

I think Khaosod that lies constantly ought to have been silenced a long time ago when Thaksin started funding them to blow out BS.

'Maybe he should spent his time with the task he is entrusted - organizing elections - instead of playing politics !'

He is trying to, but not the type of elections that your camp want.... free and fair so they don't get obstructed, as according to the constitution.

The EC has much more power than your dopey government that lies in ruins, at least they have a royal mandate. You PM has nothing, and thinks he can just do what he wants... wake up. This is 2014.

Wanted to say the same for BP and Nation. Wonder who fund them.

Isnt this the responsibility of the EC to ensure free and fair election. They have the power of the cards.

The EC got their royal mandate via the PM and her lower house. Should be thankful for that before manupulated her out of her job.

About time someone stood up to the military. What mades them an abitrator of politics as happened 18 times over. Be a professional military man and leave politics to the politicians.

Havent I read this thread 20 years ago?

Simple facts is that an election without serious reforms as to the elimination of vote tampering would serve only to reviser more of the same. The PTP make continual claims that it is the truly elected government , however it is based on based on massive electoral fraud and corruption. Following the debacle of the populist rice scheme which was nothing more that an attempt to gain regional support at the expense of the nation as a whole, there must be many in the red north who can not fail to see how they have been used and abused.

If you do not like what you are getting , then simply stop doing what you are doing.

In it's current form the PTP is broken and dysfunctional and has neither the intellect or ability to function.

What happens to the country depends on how you attempt to fix the damage caused by the greed , corruption and nepotism of this parasitic group of idiots who care little for the nation in their endless search for personal em betterment and associated wealth.

Simple facts is that it is the EC who manage the election and pass out yellow or red cards and the courts to convict and ban the politicians if found quilty. If fraud and corruption did slipped through, blame the agencies and the courts. They did not do a good enough job.

Populist schemes are not only exclusive to this government. They are more blatant populist policies like handing out cash in previous government.

Yes, I agree that the government is broken and dysfunction for obvious reasons you already know

Senate appointed Paiboon who went on air and press and proudly announced that he hate election. What is he doing in a chamber of a democratic system legislature. He should quit and be a full time activist for socialist reform.