DirtFarmer

"The army gave no indication of how long military rule might last but offered an indication of what is to come, saying it took power to "start political reform" -- a key demand of opposition protesters.

It also left the upper house of parliament, the Senate, intact despite a suspension of the constitution, giving a hint of the coming process to select a new leader.

Experts expect an interim premier close to the royalist elite to be appointed in the coming days, probably by the Senate.

The new junta government would then run the country for at least one year -- like after the 2006 coup -- during which time a new constitution would be drawn up to curb the political dominance of Thaksin and his allies.

"Elections are not likely before pro-opposition elements within the military and the Thai bureaucracy implement constitutional changes aimed at increasing the powers of institutions sympathetic to the pro-royalist establishment," said Alecia Quah, analyst at the consultancy firm IHS."

________________________________________________

IF and I say IF these pundits are correct these Insiders and Experts... IF these pundits are correct and I assume they are although I had hoped for a completely different outcome...

less democracy.... comes to mind...no clean sweep here folks more of the same.... cronyism, stacked decks on the other side of the coin... so how on earth is that considered reform? I anxiously await the new PM.s manifesto for reform what exactly will be implemented and await the new Constitution..it is really hard to keep an open mind considering the tailoring that is presumed by this piece... wish everybody well .... hope ya got what ya want...

Coup for the Rich Part Deux... if there is anybody left in the world that believes for one minute that this guy will appoint a 'neutral'PM........ there will be futures for you in Bangkok Dial 1-800-IbelieveIcanfly...... this would be comical were it not for the fact that it is just a continuation of the attempt to AMEND (ahem) the Constitution again to allow less un-appointed people into the process and until it is known there is only one acceptable choice on the ballot and that would be the Dems. and then there will be a grand old party We won.. WE Won.. really mom...we won... and the circle becomes more concentric until they finally spin up their own backsides...the downside to this whole machination is that it is history repeating itself..no lessons learned and I fear for the future... education will continue to be only indoctrination, reform will be understood to only take place in back rooms, far from public view or participation..until it suits the authors to trot out something which will allow the same-same to continue...and will only benefit the authors of the 'reforms' and patron-client will carry on as it has for decades.. I don't know why I thought it would be anything different... the losers once again will be the people far and wide and the winners will continue to post selfies of their victories... One day perhaps a new party with real people with eggs and ambitions above the intrinsic need for greed can meet and greet the people of greater Thailand and build hope for the future for the longer term.. but given the history we have all witnessed here over the last 20 years or so...something...someone has to rise from the ashes pretty soon...cuz this is spiraling inward

2006 Part Deux

Under the martial law I believe the general said protest could continue at the established sites but they must be contained there.. No one to date has defined that more specifically... so my guess...given the freedom this tool has had for 7 months is that he will be allowed to party on claim victory etc etc.since he has the protection of all parties that have already most likely agreed to give him a face/save exit..everything I am hearing and have read indicates he will indeed claim his victory..It is a shame. Disenfranchising people who waited decades to have a say and now once again are turned away and soured on the whole process so piggly wiggly and the other pork can continue at the trough is indeed a step backwards.It sets a very sad precedent and completes the roadmap for any other tool down the road to do precisely what he has done...ignore the rule of law, scoff at the Attorney General and police/warrants and ignore requests ( numerous) to respond to charges...way to go Suthep you succeeded in teaching every mug out there how to beat the system.. if you have the 'right' connections.......

It is certainly a victory for the "good people" but not for the greater number of Thai people...Considering the good General and his buddies are and have been clearly Anti-Thaksin historically ( easily googled) they all may turn the head and look the other way... sad really..if the General had the wherewithal and the lack of "pressure" from his bunkmates lo these many years.. he might do the right thing and enforce the martial law he invoked equally across all the boards.. My guess is he is too "pressured" to do that.. but to think for a moment that this "Victory Dance" will be all we see of Suthep, and that he will go quietly into the night is fairly far fetched... what also may very much be the case is... if... and whatever... deal has already been cut... we will only be told a fraction of what it really means...and years down the road will have to rely on wikileaks and other sources to find out the truth...so the speculation drones on..no matter where you fall on this kettle of fish...it surely is not over yet...

Ya know in my opinion ...all this tiptoeing around by the Democrats the EC The Fast and Furious Forty... only points to one thing and we all know what that is... considering this... stating that...it's all hogwash... it looks like a duck...it walks like a duck...why not call it a putsch...and go for lunch? It will not take long for the world to see through this thinly veiled whitewash "in a bid to find a way out of the political impasse" and all the whistleblowers will actually think they helped their country by taking it back farther... It is sad to see so many sheep with the wool pulled so far over their eyes that all they can see are their selfies..."oh look here's one at the Asoke Protest... here's one with the army during the coup...ooops martial law...what are we going to have for lunch...and meanwhile in the back rooms the rabid re-write and additional dis-empowering of the Constitution will take place.. un beknownst and not cared about and two years down the road they will announce the reforms have taken place and not to worry anymore all is well... it really is ToonTown and we are dealing with Roger Rabbit....as I have said from the beginning... reforms were really just a buzz word...just a catchy little over used banner to trot out and hang opposite the picture of the demon of the moment... SIn nam jai will continue to be the basis of corruption the ingrained wattanathum of doing business..... from top to bottom, the indoctrination in place of education, the receding of personal freedoms and the only thing that will slither out under the door are the rights of the people to have a potent say in their own destiny... Where else in the world does the Election Commission have this unbelievable power..? I cannot think of another place where the bean counters have a knife in the pie of every single step of a society's daily breath? I hope that this takeover, this abrogation, this butchering, this tailoring of Democracy is only my opinion and that I can be proved wrong by the noble people of Thailand who refuse to accept what appears to be happening under their feet...

"A senator even suggested soldiers should force the Cabinet members at gunpoint to resign, something that was done by coup-makers. However, this proposal was opposed by many other senators who did not want to see the military's involvement in the appointment of a new PM."

too late..it has happened already the military is 100% involved.

"The appointment would be made with reference to the Constitution and the Senate would give reasons explaining the need for its actions, according to the sources."

I thought the position was to defer to the Constitution and allow it to govern... my bad "refer" to it is good enough...

Once people are no longer paid to vote on one particular party, the elections should be respected by everyone for a 4 year period - if you vote on the opposition you must accept the outcome of the elections. As it is now and has been for a long time in Thailand, we know that paid to vote is the reason people can't accept the results.

Will you "vote buying" morons PLEASE give it a f'ing rest!!! First, vote buying has been going on by ALL parties since "democracy" was introduced to Thailand. That's a fact. Second, if you actually read more than comic books, you would be well aware that "vote buying" doesn't mean a damn thing. Even Korn, one of the more respectable Democrats openly admitted that in the last Election, where Yingluck and PTP won, the Democrats spent MORE in vote buying than PTP, and they still lost, and stated that vote buying has NO EFFECT on the outcome of the vote. People take the money, then vote for who they want anyway.

Try finding another dead horse to beat and bitch about.

And you know that why? Can you show the interview were he said that, because I think I know where that third hand hearsay comes from and Korn didn't say what you claim, so really, you shouldn't be calling people morons over your non-existent facts.

On the effectiveness of vote-buying, lets look back to the 2007 election and this concession by former Finance Minister Korn made at the FCCT in 2008. Below is a rough summary:

"“For the last election, it may be because we actually used more than them. Therefore, don’t talk about this issue anymore"

For anyone as deep into the discussion as we are now here on TV who does not and/or cannot get past the Thaksin issue som nom na... This is a power grab by those equally and more corrupt than Thaksin ever was... Thaksin is not the issue. He is the convenient target as demonized by the real players here nothing more... If you think for one minute that any kind of reform is going to come from Suthep, Abhisit or any of the Dem/fasc group of players you are truly not up to speed on this nation or how it functions... with sin nam jai embedded into every facet of life here going back for many many decades, the lack of education, the propagation of keeping the foot planted firmly on the head of the masses... with the allies embedded in the Privy council and the mega millionaires the Constitutional Court and all Commissions...the Military...and big business...Thaksin is the least of the real threats facing the nation... None of the piling on on him or Yingluck or the remainder of the cabinet is going to change anything... The names and faces may change but the game will remain the same...and the reality is you nor I can do anything about it but.. share our opinions on it at any given time... One would think that if it really mattered.. one would do some real research, from outside sources, books, studies et al... on the way this country has operated and how it will continue to operate in the foreseeable future until people become more informed/educated and given the freedom of thought and speech we currently do not have.. instead of beating the dead horses... Suthep has taken this country backwards.. That was his function...that was his commission... and in the grand scheme of things he is merely a pawn as well... but given that information is more readily accessible and will continue to be more-so going forward... the oppression of the masses down the road is a less likely outcome, AS much as is stifled here and in the media and in this forum as well, the truth is out there if one takes the time to look for it... look beyond pro this pro that that only remains a tug of war among those who refuse to take off the blinders... it is a much bigger game....

With Suthep gone, you Pro non democratic gov posters should be crying, you lot will have no one now to use as scapegoat for your super failure to govern within it's oath it gave.

Rice---tablets---water management---amnesty--refusal to have question time on TV----Money missing--no accounts----Sutheps Fault

Election

Representative Constitutional Convention

Referendum.

Time has always been on the side of the government and time continues to be on the side of the government. Suthep, the PDRC, the judges, the advocates of a military mutiny coup d'état, the senate - they and their whole gang of feudalists - are unable to stop time or to turn back the clock.

Give up the ghost.

And keep on laughing cause it will help get you out of your doldrums.

Publicus, why are you supporting the pro government cause? Aren't you really just mad that Thaksin can not come back to his country, because of Suthep rousing the people of Bangkok to stop his movement. It seems your rants are just a cover for your real goal, giving the country back to Thaksin. Oh these Suthep people are delaying Thaksin's return. Poor Thaksin. I bet you believe it would be so nice if he could be President for life and then the country would not have to be bothered with elections again.

I can't understand if you are short sighted or just don't care. I only hear you complaining about Suthep. Please explain how you think that Thaksin will help the country. Look at what he's done over the past 3 years. Or should I say what he has messed up. It would be nice to hear and understand why you support him?

Dirt farmer, after the democratic elections 3 years ago NO power struggle interfered with the PTP/Thaksin/Yingluck episode.

They governed with their coalition with disregard for their election pledges, after scams etc the Amnesty to pardon Thaksin brought a load of hate and opened the can of worms. They abused their power and are having to pay for that like anyone would have to do.

That created the power people to enter the scene.

Thaksin created the PTP monster, He is the reason He is the issue here. I do believe had PTP governed cleanly and Thailand progressed from it, none of this turmoil would have happened.

Hence no criticism from me, and no denial from Pro posters.

Ginjag stop please... do yourself a favor and take some time off to do some reading outside of thai press and learn from it... get help to let go of Thaksin... it is not about him or the last three years it is about the last 80 years of Thai politics and the ever repeating cycles of power and loss of power with always the same ammunition used and always the same plays by the same group of people... were you ever this vocal about the failings of Abhisit. or Leekpai/Suthep era or the military juntas before that or are you just stuck on Thaksin...without the ability to learn from history much less study it you fall into the trap your puppetmasters ..... Suthep Abhisit, and their backers took a big blunder by PTP and hoisted it as the evil of all time and began their failed campaign there... and spent billions on it...and have the country in the shambles it is in today... aftyer the withfdrawal of the amnesty bill they should have used the crack in the armour to build some kind of real platform for the future... but they did not.. they chose instead to sit there pointing like spolit little children at the bad boy..and tried to build on that but they themselves are no better than their target in fact many of them much worse... and I daresay should they do this country a great dis-service and by some breach of the imagination come to power again legitimately their fallacies will be equally displayed....neither you or I will determine the outcome of it..or even be able to accurately project what it will be ...but my guess is that Suthep will not become the hero he thinks he will

With Suthep gone, you Pro non democratic gov posters should be crying, you lot will have no one now to use as scapegoat for your super failure to govern within it's oath it gave.

Rice---tablets---water management---amnesty--refusal to have question time on TV----Money missing--no accounts----Sutheps Fault

Election

Representative Constitutional Convention

Referendum.

Time has always been on the side of the government and time continues to be on the side of the government. Suthep, the PDRC, the judges, the advocates of a military mutiny coup d'état, the senate - they and their whole gang of feudalists - are unable to stop time or to turn back the clock.

Give up the ghost.

And keep on laughing cause it will help get you out of your doldrums.

Publicus, why are you supporting the pro government cause? Aren't you really just mad that Thaksin can not come back to his country, because of Suthep rousing the people of Bangkok to stop his movement. It seems your rants are just a cover for your real goal, giving the country back to Thaksin. Oh these Suthep people are delaying Thaksin's return. Poor Thaksin. I bet you believe it would be so nice if he could be President for life and then the country would not have to be bothered with elections again.

I can't understand if you are short sighted or just don't care. I only hear you complaining about Suthep. Please explain how you think that Thaksin will help the country. Look at what he's done over the past 3 years. Or should I say what he has messed up. It would be nice to hear and understand why you support him?

For anyone as deep into the discussion as we are now here on TV who does not and/or cannot get past the Thaksin issue som nom na... This is a power grab by those equally and more corrupt than Thaksin ever was... Thaksin is not the issue. He is the convenient target as demonized by the real players here nothing more... If you think for one minute that any kind of reform is going to come from Suthep, Abhisit or any of the Dem/fasc group of players you are truly not up to speed on this nation or how it functions... with sin nam jai embedded into every facet of life here going back for many many decades, the lack of education, the propagation of keeping the foot planted firmly on the head of the masses... with the allies embedded in the Privy council and the mega millionaires the Constitutional Court and all Commissions...the Military...and big business...Thaksin is the least of the real threats facing the nation... None of the piling on on him or Yingluck or the remainder of the cabinet is going to change anything... The names and faces may change but the game will remain the same...and the reality is you nor I can do anything about it but.. share our opinions on it at any given time... One would think that if it really mattered.. one would do some real research, from outside sources, books, studies et al... on the way this country has operated and how it will continue to operate in the foreseeable future until people become more informed/educated and given the freedom of thought and speech we currently do not have.. instead of beating the dead horses... Suthep has taken this country backwards.. That was his function...that was his commission... and in the grand scheme of things he is merely a pawn as well... but given that information is more readily accessible and will continue to be more-so going forward... the oppression of the masses down the road is a less likely outcome, AS much as is stifled here and in the media and in this forum as well, the truth is out there if one takes the time to look for it... look beyond pro this pro that that only remains a tug of war among those who refuse to take off the blinders... it is a much bigger game....

I don't believe a word he says. He is trying to get sympathy from the people who used to come out and support him. He will just say he has a million people and continue the protest. However he will need a lot more than a million to win a victor over the government. There is not great victory for him, the government or the Thai people. Have elections now is the only way you can have reforms in the laws and in the constitution. No other way. Elections, reforms and than another election.

Only crackpots believed anything Suthep ever said and I agree with your post that Suthep simply will declare a million people present and continue on in his mad way.

Still, the more Suthep and the PDRC continue, the more likely it is they will become completely isolated, which should also prevent them stopping the next election.

So I would politely modify your sequence a mite to say elections, a representative constitutional convention, referendum. So that would be

Elections

Representative Constitutional Convention

Referendum

That would about do it.

Yes I think so.

Elections

Representative Constitutional Convention

Referendum

That would about do it.

Yes I think so.