Protests planned to demand poll in 2018

[rooster59]

Protests planned to demand poll in 2018

By The Sunday Nation

 

 

ACTIVISTS DECLARE ‘ROAD MAP’ OF ANTI-JUNTA PROTESTS TO RESTORE DEMOCRACY

 

PRO-DEMOCRACY groups have proclaimed the beginning of a series of peaceful protests that will take place throughout February and March as a prelude to a larger demonstration in May to ask for a return to the democratic path with a general election.

 

The Democracy Restoration Group (DRG) said yesterday at a press conference at Thammasat University that the group would launch a series of demonstrations starting with today’s public gathering of the Startup People Thailand group in Nakhon Ratchasima.

 

It will take place at a public plaza in front of the province’s Thao Suranari statue.

Meanwhile, prominent student activist Rangsiman Rome said there would be many public gatherings in upcoming months to send a signal to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) that political power belongs to the people. There was no other way to persuade the junta to arrange the election and return the power to the people, he said.

 

Rangsiman urged every citizen, regardless of their political affiliation, to participate.

 

He said that after the Nakhon Ratchasima demonstration today, there would be a gathering at Thammasat University next Saturday at 3pm, where there would be “some surprises” for the NCPO. The DRG would then campaign on the evenings of March 10 and March 24, but the locations of these events had not yet been decided.

 

“We will take a break in April to get ready for the larger social movement in May. We are planning to stage a protest every Saturday, before we will gather for a large demonstration from May 19 to May 22 at an area near Thammasat University or Democracy Monument at Ratchadamnoen Avenue. This will be the fourth anniversary of the coup d’etat by the NCPO,” he said.

 

“We are considering this as the people’s road map to democracy.”

 

Another student activist, Siriwit Seritiwat, said that Prime Minister and junta leader General Prayut Chan-o-cha continually promised the international community that Thailand would have a democratic election, but had always postponed the date. For this reason, the people have to stand up and announce that it is already time for an election.

 

“We would like to emphasise that we are campaigning for everyone’s benefit to get rid of the power of the NCPO. This is a matter of public interest and our demonstrations will not violate anybody else’s freedom. Our demand is to stop the NCPO from hanging on to power and push forward for an election this year,” Siriwit said.

 

“Our enemies are only PM Prayut and deputy PM General Prawit Wongsuwan.”

 

Meanwhile, police say they are going after people who they claim are causing confusion on social media to encourage innocent people to join politically-motivated activities.

 

National police chief General Chaktip Chaichinda has instructed officers to take strong action against anyone who violates the computer crime laws, said Pol Colonel Krissana Patcharern, the deputy police spokesman.

 

According to Krissana, old video clips, pictures and messages of various protests have been re-edited to create an impression that anti-government demonstrations are happening now.

 

“These ill-intentioned groups intend to instigate unrest by abusing social media, which is in violation of the computer crime law,” he said, adding that the authorities would bring the lawbreakers to justice.

 

Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry’s spokesman insisted that deputy premier General Prawit Wongsuwan would not resign from his current posts amid growing public pressures following the scandal over his possession of luxury watches.

 

Spokesman Lt-General Kongcheep Tantrawanich said Change.org’s collection of more than 80,000 signatures calling for Prawit to quit would not lead to Prawit’s resignation. Kongcheep said there were supporters of Prawit wanting him to continue his work, but the government is also listening to dissidents wanting the deputy premier and defence minister to resign.

 

Meanwhile in Khon Kaen yesterday, a representative of the People Go Network, Nimit Tian-udom, announced the successful conclusion of the 450-kilometre “We Walk” long march to campaign on the issues of state welfare, food security, communal rights, and democracy.

Nimit urged all citizens to take more steps to walk away from the fear of state oppression and retake their right to participate in the country’s development.

 

“Our friendship walk has shown how democracy can still be relished on the road by the people,” Nimit said. “Amid the callous crackdown, the looting of our voting rights, we were made aware that many friends along the way share with us the same ideas. And they shall rise up to uphold popular democracy; their voice shall never fade away from the road.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30339115

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-18

[Thailand]

Going to need much bigger jails and more judges, or simply arrest without charge. That should light the blue touch paper.

[debate101]

Take a good luck--these brave young people are real heroes, which are rare in today's world, and the future of Thai politics.

[cornishcarlos]

3 minutes ago, debate101 said:

Take a good luck--these brave young people are real heroes, which are rare in today's world, and the future of Thai politics.

 

Heroes for sure... Future of Thai politics ?? Too much nepotism to allow young, fresh minds into government...

[debate101]

2 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

Heroes for sure... Future of Thai politics ?? Too much nepotism to allow young, fresh minds into government...

I take that back. They are the present of Thai politics.

[greenchair]

I love that song, 

"It's now or never"

 

[Samui Bodoh]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

“These ill-intentioned groups intend to instigate unrest by abusing social media, which is in violation of the computer crime law,” he said, adding that the authorities would bring the lawbreakers to justice.

 

There comes a time where threats of actions and arrests lose their validity and/or credibility; members who were here during Suthep's 'rent-a-mob' times will remember that many people simply laughed off the PTP government's threats after a while.

 

I get a sense that Thai people are rapidly losing their fear of the Junta, despite all the powers it still holds. And once a government (or Junta in this case) loses its credibility, it doesn't get it back.

 

The problem is that few things are more dangerous than a wounded animal...

 

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Meanwhile, police say they are going after people who they claim are causing confusion on social media to encourage innocent people to join politically-motivated activities.

that is against some law ? 'creating confusion' is illegal ? police making up their own laws; that is a sad state of affairs

[metisdead]

A post containing an off topic music video has been removed as well as a reply. 

[coulson]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Amid the callous crackdown, the looting of our voting rights, we were made aware that many friends along the way share with us the same ideas. And they shall rise up to uphold popular democracy; their voice shall never fade away from the road.”

Sounds like one of the PM's poetry outings.

 

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

“We are considering this as the people’s road map to democracy.”

Seems more thought out than the other elusive road map

 

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

“Our enemies are only PM Prayut and deputy PM General Prawit Wongsuwan.”

Heavy words

[yellowboat]

Reneging on promises, protecting badly behaving cronies and threatening good people with jail time.  These things would incense any decent people.  Too bad people in power love money more than decency, fairness or integrity.  Thailand is truly becoming a police state. 

[Hayduke]

The people clamoring for an election seem, on some level, to believe that it will be an honest one. They further seem to think an election will produce some sort of answer to the country’s problems. Sadly, given the history and stated aims of the Junta, this seems very unlikely.

 

The army has clearly decided that they and they alone, will run the country. Any highly choreographed election-type ‘event’ will be more of a photo op than any real vote.

 

The Junta parasites have a death grip on their host and no sham election will change this.  They will only be supplanted when other opportunists of their own tribe conspire to oust them…and then begin the cycle over again.

 

 

Edited February 18, 2018 by Hayduke

[Ricardo]

It will be interesting to see how the government now reacts, to people who are only calling for something to happen, which the PM has already promised the World ?

 

Perhaps it may encourage him to deliver on what he has promised.

 

One can only hope so.

 

 

[candide]

36 minutes ago, Hayduke said:

The people clamoring for an election seem, on some level, to believe that it will be an honest one. They further seem to think an election will produce some sort of answer to the country’s problems. Sadly, given the history and stated aims of the Junta, this seems very unlikely.

 

The army has clearly decided that they and they alone, will run the country. Any highly choreographed election-type ‘event’ will be more of a photo op than any real vote.

 

The Junta parasites have a death grip on their host and no sham election will change this.  They will only be supplanted when other opportunists of their own tribe conspire to oust them…and then begin the cycle over again.

 

 

I agree with you. Here's the way I see it happening.

Phase 1 elected PM: it will not happen because the system is designed to prevent it (I don't think the Dems and PT P will make an alliance)

Phase 2 unelected PM: there are two scenario

(1) the Junta makes an alliance with the Dems to elect Prayuth

(2) the Dems don't want to make an alliance, there is no 2/3 majority for an unelected PM. The Junta declares that political parties lack any sense of responsibility and are ill-intentioned. It remains in power to save the nation from chaos.

[mtls2005]

It may be too late but turning the "government" over to a perceivably neutral civilian interim government may be the only solution? 

 

It is truly amazing that with absolute power, and self-granted amnesty, the Junta still was unable to successfully follow their gerrymandered 'roadmap' to democrazy.

 

Their efforts to "Shinawatra-proof" the future only meant that they have made things, ultimately, much, much more precarious.

 

 

[baboon]

53 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Reneging on promises, protecting badly behaving cronies and threatening good people with jail time.  These things would incense any decent people.  Too bad people in power love money more than decency, fairness or integrity.  Thailand is truly becoming a police state. 

It isn't becoming a police state, it IS a police state. However it is fortunate they are a bit crap at enforcing it...

[yellowboat]

56 minutes ago, baboon said:

It isn't becoming a police state, it IS a police state. However it is fortunate they are a bit crap at enforcing it...

Well yeah, that is why it is almost a police state.  The intent is there, but buffoonery, corruption and laziness are stopping them from achieving a full police state.   Would also like to believe that there are some good civil servants that find all this appalling as well and are not fully complicit.  

Edited February 18, 2018 by yellowboat

[baboon]

6 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Well yeah, that is why it is almost a police state.  The intent is there, but buffoonery, corruption and laziness are stopping them from achieving a full police state.   Would also like to believe that there are some good civil servants that find all this appalling as well and not fully complicit.  

I have watched some excellent panel discussions on YouTube. Despite what some posters - I am not including you - seem to think, there are a good number of Thais of substance. However they have a rotten system detrmined to remain rotten, against them.

[Mickmouse1]

Now they will march on the streets protesting and calling for that election encouraging others to get in and cause trouble etc etc then a state of emergency will be declared resulting in postponing the election.This Scenario is in place?