No plan to lift ban on political activity: junta

[rooster59]

No plan to lift ban on political activity: junta

By The Nation

 

 

DEPUTY PM CITES WEAPONS FIND AS REASON; ACADEMIC SUGGESTS IT’S A RUSE TO KEEP POWER

 

AS THE clock ticks down to election day, the ruling junta has warned it might not lift political restrictions soon because the recent discovery of active military weapons could mean that the country is once again “being targeted for an attack”.

 

An academic, however, believes the latest weapons discovery might be an attempted distraction by a junta government facing declining popularity and keen to ensure its continued grip on power, soon after its troubled trip to the South. Deputy PM and Defence Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan yesterday claimed that intelligence indicated that “some movements” had started, which could make it difficult to lift its ban on political activity. 

 

“But we also can’t maintain the political ban [forever]. We may lift it when the election is coming close,” Prawit said.

 

The junta placed political restrictions against political gatherings of five or more people shortly after its 2014 coup, resulting in all politics-related activities, including party meetings, being prohibited.

 

 

A call to lift the ban is growing as the election, scheduled for next November, draws near. Many organic laws for the election have already promulgated and only two, on the selection of the Senate and the election of members of the house representatives, are to be discussed at the National Legislative Assembly. 

 

 

Paiboon Nititawan

 

Weapons ‘linked to previous cache’

 

Prawit, meanwhile, spoke after the recent discovery of a large cache of active military weapons in Chachoengsao, purportedly stored in preparation for an attack in the capital.

 

Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Srivara Ransibhramanakul on Thursday linked the weapons to an extremist political group led by Wuttipong “Ko Tee” Kottham-makhun, who has reportedly gone missing.

 

Srivara said an initial examination of the weapons indicated they were from the same batch as those used in at least three attacks in 2014 in Bangkok and metropolitan areas. A search has been ordered for 53-year-old Wattana Sapwichian regarding the original discovery.

 

Yesterday, Prawit confirmed that the weapons belonged to the same batch as Wuttipong’s but said further updates would be provided by police.

 

He also defended his reference to the weapons discovery and said it was not staged to legitimise the junta government’s control over security when it was facing declining popularity. “We’re not going down. We have been criticised a lot but we can still work just fine. It’s nothing,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, Paiboon Nititawan, former junta-appointed member of the defunct National Reform Council, yesterday failed to register his People’s Reform Party with the Election Commission as a result of the junta’s political ban.

 

Paiboon’s movement attempted to follow the political party bill, which requires parties to update their memberships within 90 days of the law’s enforcement in early October. But several parties have been unable to do so, given the lingering political ban. The junta has assured them that they would manage “one way or another” to make ends meet, including possible use of Article 44.

 

The People’s Reform Party, which claims to be ready with 117 members across the country, has had its registration rejected by the EC.

 

However, Paiboon said he would be happy to proceed again once the ban is lifted. Set up with a clear agenda to support PM Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha to retain his premiership, the party was also ready to compete in the junta-created primary voting system to yield MP candidates, he added.

 

Chamnan Chanruang, an independent political observer, said the weapons find was clearly a “red herring” at just the time the military-installed government faced an image crisis.

 

On the continued political ban, Chamnan said that the use of the newer laws, such as the political party bill, should technically disable the ban and allow political parties to function normally. “This is a fundamental principle of law. We academics also stress this point when petitioning the court,” he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30333003

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-12-02

[rkidlad]

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. 

[AGareth2]

it is all a big con

[Ossy]

Weapons . . . in a field . . . who would have believed it? You've got until the Tuesday media show to come up with a better one. The X-Factor's nothing on this lot.

[darksidedog]

Any excuse will do it seems. Time is running out for these people to keep hold of the last shreds of their semi legitimacy. The country and the world are watching.

[PatOngo]

So...........this is how democracy works.

[z42]

I can't see how this sham of a regime is going to keep a lid on everything.

Every attempt at deceiving is becoming less credible now. It reeks of desperation and outright stupidity.

 

They are pissing people off left, right, and centre. It remains to be seen ehat the straw that breaks the camels back will be.. But i suspect we are getting closer to the point where we'll find out.

 

It can't possibly end well anymore. Way too many aggrieved parties for that to happen

[rkidlad]

45 minutes ago, z42 said:

I can't see how this sham of a regime is going to keep a lid on everything.

Every attempt at deceiving is becoming less credible now. It reeks of desperation and outright stupidity.

 

They are pissing people off left, right, and centre. It remains to be seen ehat the straw that breaks the camels back will be.. But i suspect we are getting closer to the point where we'll find out.

 

It can't possibly end well anymore. Way too many aggrieved parties for that to happen

I just hope the straw that breaks the camel's back isn't them inciting violence. The very thing they said they came into to stop. 

[baboon]

16 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

I just hope the straw that breaks the camel's back isn't them inciting violence. The very thing they said they came into to stop. 

Don't you think a 'nice bit of violence' would suit the junta down to the ground?

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, rkidlad said:

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. 

Shouldn't that be, ting tong, ting tong, ting tong.... 

[Ossy]

1 hour ago, baboon said:

Don't you think a 'nice bit of violence' would suit the junta down to the ground?

They must be well out of target practice by now. They'll end up shooting themselves . . . maybe.

[Oziex1]

Are we heading for a Thai spring will the people make a statement regardless of the cost？

[JAG]

1 hour ago, rkidlad said:

I just hope the straw that breaks the camel's back isn't them inciting violence. The very thing they said they came into to stop. 

There is an awful inevitability about them turning to violence eventually.The light at the end of the tunnel is that they are probably as incompetent at that as they are at everything else.

 

It is bound to be messy before we see "Miss Pinky" and her pals making a run for the airport....

Edited December 2, 2017 by JAG

[Enoon]

14 minutes ago, JAG said:

There is an awful inevitability about them turning to violence eventually.The light at the end of the tunnel is that they are probably as incompetent at that as they are at everything else.

 

It is bound to be messy before we see "Miss Pinky" and her pals making a run for the airport....

 

It is their hubris that leads them to believe that everything can be managed as before.

 

But it is now.........after.

 

 

[Colabamumbai]

I think it is time for the Thais to take it to the streets.

[gk10002000]

Hehe.  Of course not.  Just this week the military announced it had no political interactions. 

[Artisi]

3 minutes ago, Colabamumbai said:

I think it is time for the Thais to take it to the streets.

Yep, more name calling and associated nonsense, could well be time for a real coupè, not a pretend one rearranging the deck chairs. 

[connda]

Well of course not.  What good is power if you can not wield it?   

[Bob12345]

Good.

 

Let them postpone elections (and an end to the political ban) for weeks, months, and maybe even years.

 

As soon as elections take place the pressure is off and political parties start doing their normal job again only with less power for the people and much of the power left in the hands of the junta. If the economy recovers (globally) people might actually start to become happier again and there is no reason to move the junta and its puppets out.

 

Best case scenario, for Thailand, would be that the junta postpones handing back power till there is a serious eruption.

The damage done to the country at that moment should be large enough for the coming generations to look back and think "never a coup again, not over my dead body".

The junta will be kicked out, the current government goes behind bars, and democracy will be introduced.

 

But who am I kidding? Even the mass murder at Thammasat university did not wake people up for long.

[TKDfella]

6 hours ago, z42 said:

I can't see how this sham of a regime is going to keep a lid on everything.

Every attempt at deceiving is becoming less credible now. It reeks of desperation and outright stupidity.

 

They are pissing people off left, right, and centre. It remains to be seen ehat the straw that breaks the camels back will be.. But i suspect we are getting closer to the point where we'll find out.

 

It can't possibly end well anymore. Way too many aggrieved parties for that to happen

I could be wrong be but what you write might be an 'coincidental plan', bring out the guns and..well you know what I mean.

[Media1]

There game has come to a end. There cabinets new laws they don't even understand themselves. It's a web of confusion with no end. It actually shows the competence of these people. Nearly 4 years not one new bus. No law reforms apart from there own delays. 

I don't believe Thais will tolerate these characters for to long.

[Media1]

They lie.

There are no weapons just like there is no government. They won't got 1000 votes at a election. Even the soldiers will vote no lol.

[Media1]

7 hours ago, z42 said:

I can't see how this sham of a regime is going to keep a lid on everything.

Every attempt at deceiving is becoming less credible now. It reeks of desperation and outright stupidity.

 

They are pissing people off left, right, and centre. It remains to be seen ehat the straw that breaks the camels back will be.. But i suspect we are getting closer to the point where we'll find out.

 

It can't possibly end well anymore. Way too many aggrieved parties for that to happen

They are a laughing stock. He used the word intelligence lol. They count detect a turd in the toilet bowl

[Mainhattencitizen]

7 hours ago, z42 said:

I can't see how this sham of a regime is going to keep a lid on everything.

Every attempt at deceiving is becoming less credible now. It reeks of desperation and outright stupidity.

 

They are pissing people off left, right, and centre. It remains to be seen ehat the straw that breaks the camels back will be.. But i suspect we are getting closer to the point where we'll find out.

 

It can't possibly end well anymore. Way too many aggrieved parties for that to happen

It looks like it will end with bloodshed

[Media1]

Police who haha. Comedy week is it

[JAG]

49 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

Good.

 

Let them postpone elections (and an end to the political ban) for weeks, months, and maybe even years.

 

As soon as elections take place the pressure is off and political parties start doing their normal job again only with less power for the people and much of the power left in the hands of the junta. If the economy recovers (globally) people might actually start to become happier again and there is no reason to move the junta and its puppets out.

 

Best case scenario, for Thailand, would be that the junta postpones handing back power till there is a serious eruption.

The damage done to the country at that moment should be large enough for the coming generations to look back and think "never a coup again, not over my dead body".

The junta will be kicked out, the current government goes behind bars, and democracy will be introduced.

 

But who am I kidding? Even the mass murder at Thammasat university did not wake people up for long.

The mass murder at Thammasat University took

 place at a time when the state (the perpetrators) had control of all the media. That allowed them to control what the people saw, heard and read about it. They were able to frame what was reported. I guss that very little was reported in Thailand. The victims came from a relatively narrow segment of society, equally easy to shut up.

The "media world" is vastly different now.

[JimGant]

Actually, I'm sure most Thais haven't noticed any difference in their lives since the coup. I know no expats here have. Could economics and infrastructure have been better under a democratic regime? Maybe. But we'll never know. Seems they're doing a decent job.

 

And I'm sure most Thais are enjoying the serenity of no yellow/red friction in the streets. Yeah, the ivory tower professors and Marxist leaning populists are annoyed at being caged. Tough.

 

The press seems to be free enough, based on the anti government articles I read in the Bangkok Post and Nation.

 

And if you think the current rules against political discourse on the streets is harsh -- check out the rules and punishment in Malaysia and Singapore.

 

No. Compared to the rest of the world, Thailand is still a pretty good place to live, whether or not the leader is a General or a tycoon. What, you'd be happier in Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Niger, Libya, Iraq......... No, unless you're an idealist, things are just fine here. 

[baboon]

1 hour ago, JimGant said:

Actually, I'm sure most Thais haven't noticed any difference in their lives since the coup. I know no expats here have. Could economics and infrastructure have been better under a democratic regime? Maybe. But we'll never know. Seems they're doing a decent job.

 

And I'm sure most Thais are enjoying the serenity of no yellow/red friction in the streets. Yeah, the ivory tower professors and Marxist leaning populists are annoyed at being caged. Tough.

 

The press seems to be free enough, based on the anti government articles I read in the Bangkok Post and Nation.

 

And if you think the current rules against political discourse on the streets is harsh -- check out the rules and punishment in Malaysia and Singapore.

 

No. Compared to the rest of the world, Thailand is still a pretty good place to live, whether or not the leader is a General or a tycoon. What, you'd be happier in Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Niger, Libya, Iraq......... No, unless you're an idealist, things are just fine here. 

Aye, it's been a while since we have had a 'screw everyone else as long as I am happy' post.

You don't have to be an idealist to be unappreciative of fatal beatings, deaths in custody, the exercise of arbitrary power, lies, no freedom of political assembly... No, just a semi decent human being with concerns outside of one's own narrow interests.

Edited December 2, 2017 by baboon

[Srikcir]

10 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Weapons ‘linked to previous cache’

So do we have a mobile weapons cache being circulated to designated junta points of "conflict?"

Seems suspicious.

 

[JimGant]

Quote

Aye, it's been a while since we have had a 'screw everyone else as long as I am happy' post.

You seem to miss the point. Go ask the average Thai if he's unhappier under this regime than in previous ones.

 

Quote

You don't have to be an idealist to be unappreciative of fatal beatings

I must have missed the news on that one, which is possible..... In my mind, this has been a completely bloodless coup -- actually, more like an impeachment.

 

But, yeah, much work remains. Just glad to see the cabinet reshuffle is finally getting serious about agricultural problems.