Eric Loh

Thai PBS owned by the Royal Thai Government or simply the military government of Thailand is making the case for the military against K. Pita. The article is disingenuous with large portion skewed to justify the case. The irony is that Thai PBS bought the media rights from iTV and should know the background but decided not to mention. This more a propaganda piece.

Until the EC certified the election results, congratulating the winner seem premature.

More or less we know the facts of the case and the EC a sock puppet of the regime. The facts are pretty strong that iTC ceased to become a media company in 2007 and Pita had declared his assets and liabilities to the NACC before he was elected as MP in 2019 that was certified by the EC. He had also transferred his shares to his relatives. Pita and his party legal advisers have dealt with it as best as they possibly can. However the EC can find ways to pervert the law. If EC disqualify him as MP, he still can be nominated as PM. It is the media angle that may ban him politically and disqualify him as PM candidate. I believe that the party and their elected MPs will not be affected and will still be the majority in the coalition.

When the EC chairman and 5 commissioners were selected by the junta appointed senates, it is a problem.

Accusing a politician of owning shares in a media company is a convenient way to get rid of any political enemy with little regard to the intention of the law. The law is not an issue as politicians controlling media outlets can manipulate opinion and slander rivals BUT the intent of the law has now been perverted beyond all reasons recently. In the case of Thanatorn, hos shares in V-Luck Media was in the process of closing pending some debt collection. V-Luck Media published lifestyle magazine and inflight magazine for Nok Airline but the EC still find sufficient faults to disqualify him. There was another case before Thanathorn and also involved MFP predecessor party FFP in which K Henlod was disqualified. His shares were in the company involved in engineering but the EC claimed that the business objectives was to operate radio and TV. That was a 360 pervertion of the law. Now this case with Pita shares in iTV which the government had terminated its contract in 2007 suddenly became a problem. As I said the law has been perverted by the powers to go after their enemies.

In the past, political leaders were wealthy businessmen, top bureaucrats and military men. No grassroots leaders. That change after Thaksin and now Pita. Also emergence of real time communication and social media. Will shake up politics for sure.

1992 Black May violent protests, 2008 Red Shirts mowed down by military and even 2014 coups were meet with resistance from citizens. People took to the streets and fought to protest the coups. They were mercilessly confronted by heavily armed military. Not correct to say that civilians will not resist coups.

Agree that the entrenched establishments will always have a big influence on politics. Thaksin tried to muzzle the military by interfering with the appointments and he got the short end of the stick. However I do see some incremental changes that can shake up the entrenched establishments that had influenced politics in the past. Record voters turnout in previous election is a sign that majority want change. The young and middle class voters played a big part in voting for MFP. Last 2 coups happened due to the middle class demonstration. This time the middle class vote out the military and their ally parties especially in Bangkok which is always the epicenter of demonstration and subsequent coups. Without the middle class aka yellow shirts igniting the chaos, there no excuse for the military to stage a coup. Also in the past, charismatic figures from the Dem Party like Suthep lead the protest. Doubt the party will continue that tradition after 2 big election losses. The army have been defanged in terms of direct command and deployment to be effective in staging a coup. The youth demonstration in 2020 was an eye opener for me. Some taboo subjects were the slogans for change. Maybe the establishment under a new regime may be more open to listen with some limits. I certainly look forward to that. Thailand has yet to fully developed its potential with continuous political crisis and I have some optimism that change for the better is on the horizon.

Judges in Thailand are appointed (and removed) by the king. All appointments are subject to initial approval by a judicial commission. Read more: https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Thailand-JUDICIAL-SYSTEM.html##ixzz83frru6As

Judges are appointed by the King.

He can sought for a retrial based on prosecutorial misconduct and stay out of jail. No deal, just entering into the legal process. Caveat being the MFP and PTP coalition form the government.

I will summed that up for you. You can make your own interpretation. Thaksin’s flaws were that he sought to grow too big, too powerful, too fast against entrenched establishments.

I like to summed up Thaksin as a flawed complex politician that creat an economic miracle, lifting millions out of poverty and became the unquestioned champion for the destitute peasantry. He unlocked capital that were denied by the elites and deployed the resources to the poverty stricken provinces and lifting their living standard. He empowered the poor to have a voice in running the country. For this he paid a price and not by the losing in an election but by a military coup. The military should be the guardian of democracy but not in Thailand. They are the existential problem together with the appointed senators, EC and Courts that thumb the scale of democracy

It was the ISOC operation authorized by the Army Commander-in-chief General Prawit. By the way, Prawit has yet to apologize for the unfortunate incident.

Those who think that PTP will form a coalition with the military ally parties doesn’t understand Thai politics. One reason as to why voters deserted PTP for MFP was that PTP’s messaging was not strong enough to reject working with the military and ally parties. It will hurt their electability for next election if PTP pull the rug. I can’t imagine PTP working with the military parties that plotted against Thaksin and Yingluck and caused their exiles. I also can’t imagine PTP working with BJT after their defacto party leader Newin stabbed Thaksin in the back and ally with the traitorous Dem Party to steal the government. Further the ultra conservative senators were appointed with a singular mission to stop Thaksin from forming the government. Ludicrous to think that PTP will form an alternative coalition and abandon MFP.

Only the land case has expired. Others convictions tallied more than 10 years and there are also pending cases. Good point why the “boss” got away with their corruptions and seizing power from a legit elected government.

Thaksin’s popularity has waned with unexpected seats loss in traditionally strongholds in the North and North East. The losses in party lists are also significant. Thaksin has acknowledged that MFP has better policies and personalities. I don’t think he can do much for the party and he has thrown in the towel for politics. He has talk about returning before the election. I think he is determined to return and enter the legal process. MFP wining the election and forming the government will deflect a lot of accusation of collusion for his return if PTP is to be the government. He know that he will be returning with Prayut still the caretaker government. Lots of bad blood between them but not sure Prayut still have the appetite to go after Thaksin. In fact, I don’t see the yellow shirts have the appetite to demonstrate in numbers. So it will left to be seen, how the authority will handle his return in accordance to the legal process. He keep saying about waiting for permission. Think that is a cryptic message.

Far from the first national political figure to stumble in public. But walking up the stairs with a trail of tissue paper stuck on your feet will be an one-off.

Goodness the sentencing for espionage is typically long prison sentences often for life. We will miss him for the entertainment value.

Demeaning to refer MFP as interns. Thailand is not a corporation and democracy is not based on seniority. Haven’t this election brought any new learning that the population is simply disenchanted with the old style politics dominated by veteran politicians and want a paradigm and fresh change. If there ever be a good example of young politicians that brought successful changes to a country, look at Lee Kwan Yew. Formed the party in 1954 & won the general election in 1959 and became the Prime Minister at age 36. Thailand need a visionary leader and I see K Pita as one. MFP is full of educated and talented young politicians and they will contribute to the betterment of Thailand. They have 4 years to prove that they are worthy.

Very true in Thailand. Has been the problem in Thailand of securing the subordination of the military to political authority. It's a measure of progress towards democracy to have a democratically elected government in control of the military. Soldiers are public officials like civil servants and should subordinate to civilian authority. They should be the defender of democracy. Sadly not the case in Thailand.

Probably an uneventful entry for Mike Pence. The only excitement will likely be what will Trump call him. He once called him Mike Pounce. He does have lots of material to work on.

What about cutting military conscription and saved 16 billion baht. It's money down the drain after all.

You mean Disney has become more inclusive and you hate it just like DeSantis.

McCarthy finally realized that GOP centrists actually is the majority and did what's acceptable to the rank and file in the house. Meanwhile the rather small Maga hardliners voices has been drowned by the majority moderate wing. Refreshing.