No firm commitment to hold polls in Nov: Wissanu

[webfact]

No firm commitment to hold polls in Nov: Wissanu

politics January 26, 2018 09:47

By KAS CHANWANPEN 
THE NATION

 

Wissanu.

 

MOST NLA MEMBERS BACK DELAY IN ENFORCEMENT OF MPS ELECTION LAW, EFFECTIVELY DELAYING ELECTION; DEMOCRAT LEADER SEES ‘HIDDEN AGENDA’
 

THE DEPUTY premier in charge of the government’s legal affairs said yesterday that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had not signed any treaty committing him to hold the next election in November this year.

 

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam’s comments came as the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) debated the controversial move to delay by three months the enforcement of the MP election law, which potentially could delay the election.

 

During several hours of debate, most NLA members agreed that a 90-day postponement was in keeping with the current circumstances. Some lawmakers suggested a longer period of postponement while others opposed any delay.

 

Wissanu yesterday said Prayut had “just made a remark” when speaking about the tentative election schedule during his visit to the United States in October last year. “No treaty was signed. If he had to sign any agreement, the prime minister would have needed approval from the Cabinet.

 

And he may have to inform the National Legislative Assembly, too,” he added.

 

The deputy PM was speaking at Government House during his meeting with a large group of editors, columnists and reporters. He said “unforeseen factors” like the 90-day delay in the election law’s enforcement certainly would affect the original “road map” under which the next election was tentatively scheduled for November. But he did not think a delay could be viewed as “breaking a promise”. The deputy PM said foreign countries should understand that logic “unless they pretend not to get it”.

 

Earlier, the US and the European Union separately called on the Thai government to comply with the road map and the November schedule promised by Prayut. Legislators yesterday spent many hours discussing the postponement of the election law’s enforcement.

 

Some NLA members proposed a postponement of 120 or 280 days despite criticism that they were helping the junta stall the election. The issue was part of the stipulation in the MPs election bill, which was in the Assembly for the second and third readings. The deliberations started at 9.30am, but the NLA had not started voting on the second reading as of press time.

 

The deadline for passage of the law is today, 60 days after the bill was submitted by charter drafters. The majority of the law-vetting committee insisted that without an enforcement delay, political parties would have difficulty making arrangements in time.

 

There were several arrangements that political parties had to make to ensure their eligibility to run in the elections, the legislators argued. For instance, they had to hold primary elections and handle member registrations as required by law, they said.

 

Seree Suwanpanon, a member of the committee, reiterated there were many things political parties had to get done before the election. The amendment to give them 90 extra days was well considered and aimed at helping the parties, he said. “There wouldn’t be enough time if we stuck to the previous stipulation. Parties wouldn’t be able to field candidates and then they would just blame us for having neglected this,” Seree said.

 

He also insisted the enforcement delay had not been ordered by the junta, calling it “a rational choice”.

 

Some legislators, such as Taweesak Sukawatin, proposed that enforcement of the law be delayed for 120 days. That would ensure not only the political parties but also Election Commission would have time to prepare for the poll, he said. The EC might face new challenges such as online campaigning, he said, adding that 120 days would be better as it would not be too tight, reducing the pressure.

 

Meanwhile, a minority of the vetting committee – mainly from the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) – stuck to their view that the immediate enforcement of the election law would still give political parties enough time. CDC member Prapan Naigovit said the CDC considered 150 days provided for all sectors, as stipulated in the Constitution, was already flexible and sufficient for everyone to get ready for the national poll. Previous charters provided only 90 days, he added.

 

Aside from the controversial delay in the enforcement, the NLA meeting yesterday also spent considerable time debating whether to ban people failing to exercise their voting rights from working in some areas in the government sector such as in Parliament. Some said the punishment would encourage voters to turn up while others viewed it as an infringement of rights. Some legislators argued that “no” vote could be a form of political expression, too.

 

They should not be punished for such an action, they said. Another heated debate surrounded the stipulation on whether to allow recreation activities as part of the election campaign. One side said it could lead to vote buying and corruption, while the other pointed out that it was an incentive to draw people to participate in politics.

 

Meanwhile, Democrat Party deputy leader Ong-art Klampaiboon said there was a hidden agenda behind the legislators’ postponement of the MPs election law’s enforcement. He added that the move by the committee vetting the bill was “unusual”. “People disagree with the postponement because they suspect a hidden agenda,” the veteran politician said, adding that “this cunning plot” was not necessary, as the new law could be allowed to take effect normally.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30337206

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-01-26

[Bluespunk]

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

DEMOCRAT LEADER SEES ‘HIDDEN AGEND

It’s not hidden at all

 

The current govts agenda is quite clear. 

 

Delay, delay, delay.    

 

Avoid, being the end goal. 

Edited January 26, 2018 by Bluespunk

[Bluespunk]

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

Wissanu yesterday said Prayut had “just made a remark” when speaking about the tentative election schedule during his visit to the United States in October last year.

Ah huh...

[DM07]

No firm commitment to hold polls in Nov

 

Really?
No there's a surprise, if there ever was one!

 

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had not signed any treaty committing him to hold the next election in November this year.

i see, so we should totally disregard anything he says

[baboon]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Wissanu yesterday said Prayut had “just made a remark” when speaking about the tentative election schedule during his visit to the United States in October last year.

No, he stated categorically that there would be an election in November you lying hound.

Edited January 26, 2018 by baboon

[robblok]

Come on again ... it gets boring

 

Make way for others to feed of all the corruption money. That is what being in goverment is all about in Thailand.

[realenglish1]

Of course I have been waiting for this It is totally expected Nothing new hear folks Your rights have been stripped away from you

 

No elections

[Megasin1]

LMAO 

[Bob12345]

And thats the problem with a non-elected government over an elected one. They both have the same goal, getting rich, but at least the elected government has to make an effort every 4 years to stay at their feeding spot. With every election they can be removed without bloodshed while history shows that no military government leaves without considerable problems arising.

[rkidlad]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Some lawmakers suggested a longer period of postponement while others opposed any delay.

Oh, yea. I bet they were screaming at each other. I can imagine how passionate the ones who opposed the delay were. 

[Oziex1]

The military rule in Myanmar can be traced back to a coup in 1962, although Aung San Suu Kyi is the head of government she shares power with the military generals who have not given up their power.

 

Something for Thailand to look forward to.

[grumbleweed]

Tell us something not so obvious, like night follows day

[baboon]

38 minutes ago, realenglish1 said:

Of course I have been waiting for this It is totally expected Nothing new hear folks Your rights have been stripped away from you

 

No elections

But it is worse than that. No elections AND they are laughing right into the peoples' face about it. Baiting them, taunting them. Still, if that is what the public will put up with, that's their lookout.

[Katipo]

Popularity declining, so postpone election to try to turn things around. Reality however is that this is far more likely to make people even more suspicious of the regime's motives, leading to even further decline. Result, which we are beginning to see already, more and more draconian laws and restrictions in place to weaken any and all types of opposition.

[yellowboat]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The deputy PM said foreign countries should understand that logic “unless they pretend not to get it”.

We all know who the pretenders are.  They wear nice suits, speak Thai, and talk about reconciliation, reform and Thai style democracy.

[Colabamumbai]

As credible as a van driver with a base ball bat, or cardboard cutouts.

[Docno]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

"he did not think a delay could be viewed as “breaking a promise”. The deputy PM said foreign countries should understand that logic “unless they pretend not to get it”."

 

"Earlier, the US and the European Union separately called on the Thai government to comply with the road map and the November schedule promised by Prayut."

I guess the Nation is just pretending not to get it... 

[sammieuk1]

The watch and trinket haul  is still to small for any distractions from the main task and giving the people any choice is of no importance what so ever in true coup junta military take over fashion it always ends the same .

[soalbundy]

Don't be alarmed by any military columns in Bangkok, just practicing, nothing sinister, believe me.

[Surasak]

As its an illegal government anyway, what rights do they have? Other than those of dictators of course.

[AGareth2]

How much do these guys get paid?

they just voted to extend their pay packet

[Stoker58]

The Thai people have exactly the government they deserve.

[Eligius]

7 minutes ago, Stoker58 said:

The Thai people have exactly the government they deserve.

In my more despondent moments, I tend to agree with you; but I still don't like seeing a whole people treated so utterly disgracefully, contemptuously and tyrannically.

Edited January 26, 2018 by Eligius

[TKDfella]

'The deputy PM said foreign countries should understand that logic “unless they pretend not to get it”.' I suggest Mr. DPM that you first study some Logic and get to know what it means; then study some Truth and understand that; so that you can see where YOUR honesty is. It ain't there at all is it? I would suggest you know little, if anything at all, about all three.

[Mickmouse1]

Well ,it makes sense to allow all involved enough time to prepare and campaign .Very Rational.

Do not push your luck or else.

?

[TKDfella]

10 minutes ago, Eligius said:

In my more despondent moments, I tend to agree with you; but I still don't like seeing a whole people treated so utterly disgracefully, contemptuously and tyrannically.

I wouldn't feel too bad because the government will bring out the guns if they see fit. People know this (recent events where police outnumbered peaceful marchers) but I am curious as to just how far will people let go this way.

Edited January 26, 2018 by TKDfella

[choff56]

27 minutes ago, Stoker58 said:

The Thai people have exactly the government they deserve.

Probably better.

[Chris Lawrence]

Its a numbers game, but as Gomer says:

 

[EnlightenedAtheist]

1 hour ago, Docno said:

"he did not think a delay could be viewed as “breaking a promise”. The deputy PM said foreign countries should understand that logic “unless they pretend not to get it”."

Ah! "THEY" pretend not to get it"!

 

Not that this would be something that the PM would know anything about, of course! But, ... I agree with the PM on this one.True, it could be a 40 years delay, making 4 years look like ... a slight delay. It is all relative.

 

Once I had one of those pro-yellow shirt Thais, educated in the US, tell me that I would be stupid to NOT buy his car.

 

Interesting opening move! Clever, bastard! 

 

The only way I could beat him was to declare myself "stupid"! 

 

This way, he would win both ways. If I don't buy, I am stupid and it is my fault. I am the loser. And if buy, I am not (and he is the winner).

 

Some of them absolutely cannot take a loss. So they devise ways to make others be and feel stupid if they lose. 

 

Clever, but twisted like a psychopath blaming the victim of his or her crimes.