Elections in Thailand, maybe, but still in the middle of a muddle

[webfact]

Elections in Thailand, maybe, but still in the middle of a muddle

BY Elliot Brennan

 

This is meant to be the year that Thailand’s junta finally rolls out elections, but already the government has been backtracking, plagued by one corruption scandal after the next. Among these is the trouble Prawit Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, is in for not declaring more than a million dollars’ worth of luxury watches he says were borrowed from friends. Indeed, Wongsuwan’s defence is emblematic of the borrowed time the current coup-installed government has been living on. 

 

Perhaps to shake the unshakeable string of scandals, on Tuesday it was announced that local elections would be held this year, and that a meeting to discuss dates for the general election would be held. While it was previously assured the general election would take place before November, it is increasingly likely it will be pushed out for a fifth year, to 2019.

 

Amid the ongoing calls for swift elections, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has channelled the language of US President Donald Trump, saying he is putting “Thailand first” and that he will decide when elections are to be held. In a move that augurs poorly for transparency in an election year, General Prayut erected a cardboard cutout of himself to answer journalists’ questions.

 

Full story: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/elections-thailand-maybe-still-middle-muddle

 

-- The Interpreter 2018-03-01

[yellowboat]

Muddle meaning a waste of time with no progress. 

Edited March 1, 2018 by yellowboat

[joebrown]

Prayut erected a cardboard cutout of himself to answer journalists questions. This reaction is from a man who declared himself a 'politician'. Well I suppose there is a plus side to this. Cardboard cutouts can't sing and don't spout blatant lies.

[Eligius]

This junta has NOT been a 'muddle': from the start it knew very clearly what its draconian, repressive and long-term goals must be and it has consistently implemented them. Calling them a 'muddle' is to minimise the well-plotted (and continuing) shredding of nascent Thai liberty and democracy.

 

A few weeks ago I was sounding out a fascist professor from Chulalongkorn, who was celebrating the fact that 'at last the military have learned how to do a coup' - in other words, oppress, suppress, repress - and don't let go of all that power once it has been gained (stolen). 

 

This junta is not a 'muddle'. It is national menace.

 

 

Edited March 1, 2018 by Eligius

[petermik]

Its quite simple really....the left hand does not know what the right one,s doing

[YetAnother]

18 minutes ago, Eligius said:

This junta has NOT been a 'muddle': from the start it knew very clearly what its draconian, repressive and long-term goals must be and it has consistently implemented them. Calling them a 'muddle' is to minimise the well-plotted (and continuing) shredding of nascent Thai liberty and democracy.

 

A few weeks ago I was sounding out a fascist professor from Chulalongkorn, who was celebrating the fact that 'at last the military have learned how to do a coup' - in other words, oppress, suppress, repress - and don't let go of all that power once it has been gained (stolen). 

 

This junta is not a 'muddle'. It is national menace.

 

 

agreed;in a perverse sort of way, you could credit the real powers-that-be here (with no public presence) with successfully defanging the highly oppositive political atmosphere pre coup;

of course it is temporary and the root causes for the ideologic conflict have not been addressed, so they get a Big Fail for that

[RichardColeman]

Thai dictionary : 

Maybe - please see definition of 'if'.

If = please see definition of 'could'

Could - please see definition of 'maybe'

[Tilacme]

To be taken with a pinch of salt.

[jonstarjon]

19 hours ago, petermik said:

Its quite simple really....the left hand does not know what the right one,s doing

Agreed but they are both beating up and down to a healthy beat.

[Odysseus123]

 Puppet play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PatOngo]

On ‎1‎/‎03‎/‎2018 at 5:49 AM, webfact said:

Elections in Thailand, maybe, but still in the middle of a muddle

Situation normal!

[kolkolkol]

On 3/1/2018 at 10:57 AM, joebrown said:

Prayut erected a cardboard cutout of himself to answer journalists questions. This reaction is from a man who declared himself a 'politician'. Well I suppose there is a plus side to this. Cardboard cutouts can't sing and don't spout blatant lies.

I can imagine they would hirethe country's best campaign manager, who would suggest an innovative idea like that.