Lawmakers Can Now Skip Sessions For ‘Private Business’

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter

 

  

National Legislative Assembly members chat with each other on Jan. 25.

 

BANGKOK — Junta appointees serving in the interim parliament can skip work to tend to their businesses so long as they file a leave of absence, a top lawmaker said Friday.

 

Although a newly approved ethics code bans members of the National Legislative Assembly, or NLA, from prioritizing personal affairs over duty, exceptions can be made because they still have to tend to their own careers – unlike full-time politicians in an elected government, assembly chairman Pornpetch Wichitcholchai said.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2018/02/16/lawmakers-can-now-skip-sessions-private-business/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2018-02-16

How's that war on corruption getting on?

Taking a leaf out of the Ex Police Chiefs book, treating their main job as a sideline, while they get up all sorts of nefarious activity on the side making illicit gains.

Conflict of interest?....What conflict of interest???

8 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Taking a leaf out of the Ex Police Chiefs book, treating their main job as a sideline, while they get up all sorts of nefarious activity on the side making illicit gains.

Yep, and then engineering  the law to further their gains. No corruption there!

Just now, webfact said:

unlike full-time politicians in an elected government, assembly chairman Pornpetch Wichitcholchai said.

Well, they've been employed longer than the previous elected officials, so they seem more "full time" to me 

25 minutes ago, webfact said:

unlike full-time politicians in an elected government,

That says it all, really. So the generals and other assorted military men appointed to be NLA members are NOT full-time politicians, although they now govern the country? And if they are not full-time government members, are they at least full-time generals? Or is that a side line also?

 

With that fantastic exception from the "newly approved ethics code", if I were a junta member (and to save paperwork) I'd simply file a single leave of absence notice that would read something like: "This is to inform the National Legislative Assembly that I am going to be absent permanently, as is my good right under the current directive."  

37 minutes ago, baboon said:

How's that war on corruption getting on?

I guess its lost and will only get worse if they now allow people to skip sessions and still pay them. Stupid stupid stupid. 

2 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

That says it all, really. So the generals and other assorted military men appointed to be NLA members are NOT full-time politicians, although they now govern the country? And if they are not full-time government members, are they at least full-time generals? Or is that a side line also?

 

With that fantastic exception from the "newly approved ethics code", if I were a junta member (and to save paperwork) I'd simply file a single leave of absence notice that would read something like: "This is to inform the National Legislative Assembly that I am going to be absent permanently, as is my good right under the current directive."  

Not completely true.... those full time politicians were often also not there for voting. Everyone remembers the scandal of the PTP minister with multiple voting cards (was caught on camera) and then said they were all his (impossible). As far as I know nothing much happened about that. But this is worse now its legal not to show up. 

37 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Taking a leaf out of the Ex Police Chiefs book, treating their main job as a sideline, while they get up all sorts of nefarious activity on the side making illicit gains.

Sounds more like they are taking a lead from elected Members of Parliament in England.  At least we can be sure that British MPs would never get up to any nefarious activity on the side making illicit gains. right ?

19 minutes ago, robblok said:

Not completely true.... those full time politicians were often also not there for voting. Everyone remembers the scandal of the PTP minister with multiple voting cards (was caught on camera) and then said they were all his (impossible). As far as I know nothing much happened about that. But this is worse now its legal not to show up. 

Aren't you glad you jumped ship when you did! At least you can continue posting on here with your credibility intact...

2 minutes ago, NeoDinosaw said:

Sounds more like they are taking a lead from elected Members of Parliament in England.  At least we can be sure that British MPs would never get up to any nefarious activity on the side making illicit gains. right ?

'Elected' Members of Parliament being the watchword. At least the public can deride them without fear of being charged with sedition and kick them out once they have had enough. No comparison at all, in fact.

1 minute ago, baboon said:

Aren't you glad you jumped ship when you did! At least you can continue posting on here with your credibility intact...

I am not going to defend the indefensible, i made a big fuzz about the PTP guys voting for others (totally illegal)  and now they make it legal to skip sessions (crazy if they are still paid for it). I am not sure how it goes for voting. 

 

I am against corruption and misuse of power, was fed up with it with the PTP and now the junta does the same things why would I defend them while i attacked the PTP for the same things. 

 

I just had hope things would change..not anymore. But i was so fed up with the PTP and their corruption that i found the coup justified to finally punish them for their corruption and arrogance. I never expected them to stay so long as it never happened in recent history. 

 

Anyway whoever comes in power next will do the same stuff and it will go on forever. 

Only the guy who knows where the rubber stamp is needed anyway.  They are an abomination to representative government.   There presence is only cosmetic.   

So on the payroll and don't have to do anything, i wonder how deep that pond is.

They sure look happy in the photo.

 

It is vitally important that a bunch of rubber stampers be kept as contented as possible.

 

 

1 hour ago, robblok said:

I am not going to defend the indefensible, i made a big fuzz about the PTP guys voting for others (totally illegal)  and now they make it legal to skip sessions (crazy if they are still paid for it). I am not sure how it goes for voting. 

 

I am against corruption and misuse of power, was fed up with it with the PTP and now the junta does the same things why would I defend them while i attacked the PTP for the same things. 

 

I just had hope things would change..not anymore. But i was so fed up with the PTP and their corruption that i found the coup justified to finally punish them for their corruption and arrogance. I never expected them to stay so long as it never happened in recent history. 

 

Anyway whoever comes in power next will do the same stuff and it will go on forever. 

 

I hope note is taken of what you say and that people stop referring to the past.

 

 

Edited February 16, 20188 yr by Enoon

I doubt it takes very long to negotiate a timepiece loan. 

12 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

And the guy in the background scratching his head probably thinks: "Hmmm... what to do with all that free time? Perhaps I should go on a hunting trip or start collecting luxury watches. No, wait! I'll borrow 300 million baht from a brothel owner and invest it in the stock market.  All that governing is too tiresome anyway for those few measly bucks I am being paid."

As long as we can have an us law and a them law, everything should work perfectly. 

Wondered why they don't show parliament on TV very often, the chamber is always empty.

Thats the lawmakers for you, hence no laws. Do as you like.

6 hours ago, baboon said:

How's that war on corruption getting on?

How should I know, I'm on a leave for private business.

They are having fun...it seems...not working at all . Just for Dear leader's orders.

21 hours ago, webfact said:

exceptions can be made

thai lawmakers making exceptions for themselves; add that to 'thainess'

19 hours ago, Tilacme said:

So on the payroll and don't have to do anything, i wonder how deep that pond is.

It's not a pond, it's a cesspit!

Their Mia Nois and Giks must be happy.

On 2/16/2018 at 12:43 AM, robblok said:

I am not going to defend the indefensible, i made a big fuzz about the PTP guys voting for others (totally illegal)  and now they make it legal to skip sessions (crazy if they are still paid for it). I am not sure how it goes for voting. 

 

I am against corruption and misuse of power, was fed up with it with the PTP and now the junta does the same things why would I defend them while i attacked the PTP for the same things. 

 

I just had hope things would change..not anymore. But i was so fed up with the PTP and their corruption that i found the coup justified to finally punish them for their corruption and arrogance. I never expected them to stay so long as it never happened in recent history. 

 

Anyway whoever comes in power next will do the same stuff and it will go on forever. 

Seems like this works to the junta's advantage. If no one is paying attention, showing up for votes, and otherwise doing the jobs they were elected to perform it is much easier to continue to form the dictatorship.