New parties backing Prayut for PM begin registering, but no pro-democracy parties seen in crowd

[webfact]

New parties backing Prayut for PM begin registering, but no pro-democracy parties seen in crowd

By Kas Chanwanpen 
The Nation

 

 

The Election Commission offices became lively on Friday morning as a crowd lined up to pre-register their new political parties, including some organisations already declaring clear stances in support of PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha keeping his job after the next election.
 

Pro-democracy group reportedly planning to enter the fray of party politics, in contrast have not yet been sighted in the pre-registration venue.

 

More than 40 groups had signed up for the initial registration kick-off on Friday as they seek official approval from the EC to be listed as a new political party.

 

The first group signing up came under the name Palang Chart Thai Party [The Thai Nation Power]. Its founding members had arrived at the EC office in the early morning hours before applications opened at 7.30am. The party would reportedly be led by Maj-General Songklod Thiprat, who formerly worked closely with the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

 

Spokesman Veera Raktham did not deny that the group would support Prayut as the next prime minister after the election. He said the party would make a future announcement after it was officially established.

 

Another of the first parties to pre-register was led by Paiboon Nititawan and called The People's Reform Party. Member Thanaphat Sukterm told reporters the group had not been formed particularly to support Prayut. Its purpose would be to reform the Sangha affairs, he said.

 

Election Commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyagorn said the large number of parties seeking registration reflected the high degree of public interest at this moment in political matters.

 

However, he noted that not all pre-registering parties would succeed in being formally approved for registration as new parties. They must meet certain basic requirements, including signing up at least 500 party members and building a Bt1 million party fund based on a ceiling capped at Bt500,000 per founder. That last condition would be difficult to meet for prospective new parties, said Somchai.

 

New parties also need to request permission from the junta to allow them to hold meetings in order to work on their required administrative work, Somchai said.

 

“Whether [the junta] will allow parties to hold the meetings as requested, or not, is something that we at the EC have no idea [about], nor how long it would take.”

 

Parties wishing to contest in the election, most likely to occur in February next year, must finish pre-registration by next month. Further delays would leave them insufficient time to proceed with other requirements, including primary voting, said Somchai.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30340020

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-02

[Ossy]

35 minutes ago, webfact said:

The first group signing up came under the name Palang Chart Thai Party [The Thai Nation Power]. Its founding members had arrived at the EC office in the early morning hours before applications opened at 7.30am. The party would reportedly be led by Maj-General Songklod Thiprat, who formerly worked closely with the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

Here we go . . . it's NCPO mk II, and led by the capable-sounding Maj-General (thinks: Mmm . . . not just a General, but a Maj-General  . . . fancy that!) Songklod Thiprat  . . . I just love that name and can't wait to see him performing his 'I don't love Prayut really' charade, once things get going.

Edited March 2, 2018 by Ossy
omisson

[MaxLee]

New parties backing Prayut for PM begin registering, but no pro-democracy parties seen in crowd BANNED

corrected this for you.... 

[DM07]

New parties backing Prayut for PM begin registering, but no pro-democracy parties seen in crowd

 

I don't understand this headline!

Surely, any party backing the honorable PM Prayut must be a pro-democracy party, no?!

Otherwise...what would the opposite make the PM?

[mercman24]

DICTATORSHIP  thriving well, you can only form a party if you vote for ME me me me me me , and they want to call that democratic, my ass

[Eric Loh]

Got to wonder why these pro Prayut parties want to register separately. Only weakened their chance in terms of resources, financing and candidates and possibility of competing against each other. Whatever it is, they will be in the Dem's backyard and further weakened their positions. These parties will not do well in PTP's backyard and looks like they will again win the next election. 

[yellowboat]

3 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Got to wonder why these pro Prayut parties want to register separately. Only weakened their chance in terms of resources, financing and candidates and possibility of competing against each other. Whatever it is, they will be in the Dem's backyard and further weakened their positions. These parties will not do well in PTP's backyard and looks like they will again win the next election. 

They all of different agendas.  They all want power and plunder for different things.  They do not care about Thailand or their fellow Thais.  They are self centered.  Again, they make the PTP look noble and on message. 

 

If the junta loses, they will pander to the unelected shills in parliament.  These are just garden variety opportunists.  One is the wife of a dead coup leader.  One can only imagine what this grand dame wants. 

[Eric Loh]

3 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

They all of different agendas.  They all want power and plunder for different things.  They do not care about Thailand or their fellow Thais.  They are self centered.  Again, they make the PTP look noble and on message. 

 

If the junta loses, they will pander to the unelected shills in parliament.  These are just garden variety opportunists.  One is the wife of a dead coup leader.  One can only imagine what this grand dame wants. 

You said it all. All have their own self interest and only opportunist. Kind of carpetbagger who will exploit the eventualities for their own purposes. PTP does look noble and democratic compare to these garden varieties. 

[Thailand]

A very similar scenario to the 2014 "elections" the fix is coming in early.

[Eligius]

Surprise, surprise (not!) - no pro-democracy parties registering.

 

And there will still be people, not least on Thaivisa - even now, after all we have been through with Suthep Thug, all the BKK shut-downs and hassle, the lies about 'reform', 'ending corruption', and the junta, with its daily deceit, lies and autocracy - there will still be those naive enough (or on the payroll enough?) to cheer on this new bunch and tell us: 'They are trying to clean up Thai politics'.

 

Oh dear - it gets really exasperating living here sometimes. BUT I do note that the majority of Thais I come into contact with (from all social strata) are not (any longer - or never were) in love with the Democracy Destroyers. People have seen and experienced in their own person what Dinosaurs do when they rule a country - and how unfree we all feel and in fact are. 

 

China has just banned Orwell's 'Animal Farm'. Thailand beat them to it years ago - by effectively banning 'Nineteen Eighty-Four'. The FEAR of these tinpot cowards - fear of what would happen when people are allowed to read the REAL agenda of power-maniacs - is plain for all with more than two brain cells in their head to see ...

[BuckBee]

Thought buck banana didn't want stay as pm and to be honest he not up to the job, made a big mess of the show to date :-/

Surely someone better can prevail !

If he did get in it would be a long term disaster and lead to future protests, they need get rid of these dinosaurs and find new political talent rather than elite mafia and military clowns of past and present ...

 

Edited March 2, 2018 by BuckBee

[holy cow cm]

Same as Russia as it looks. Putin wants to stay forever too. Come to think of it, another P man. 

[JAG]

2 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Got to wonder why these pro Prayut parties want to register separately. Only weakened their chance in terms of resources, financing and candidates and possibility of competing against each other. Whatever it is, they will be in the Dem's backyard and further weakened their positions. These parties will not do well in PTP's backyard and looks like they will again win the next election. 

If Pheu Thai is banned from standing, sufficiently late in the day to prevent an alternative/replacement from standing (would anyone be surprised) these parties will fill the political landscape. The electoral choice will then be between half a dozen virtual clones, with the party list seats being shared out amongst them.

Hey presto, overwhelming parliamentary support for a certain General. And if the really good job comes vacant in the meantime (we cannot be privvy to when it will do so, and we should council caution in the matter) then I'm sure that there will be a suitable stand in (sorry, candidate)?

 

Gives a whole new meaning to the expression "win win"!

[Eric Loh]

9 minutes ago, JAG said:

If Pheu Thai is banned from standing, sufficiently late in the day to prevent an alternative/replacement from standing (would anyone be surprised) these parties will fill the political landscape. The electoral choice will then be between half a dozen virtual clones, with the party list seats being shared out amongst them.

Hey presto, overwhelming parliamentary support for a certain General. And if the really good job comes vacant in the meantime (we cannot be privvy to when it will do so, and we should council caution in the matter) then I'm sure that there will be a suitable stand in (sorry, candidate)?

 

Gives a whole new meaning to the expression "win win"!

I am sure PTP has an alternative registered party on a standby or friendly party they will accommodate them. They have been down

this road before with TRT and PPP dissolved and MPs banned. Somehow they always bounced back and I am sure they anticipated the establishment’s dirty tricks this time. 

 

These small parties are cash strapped and don’t attract many suitable members and usually don’t do well. They will not made much impact

in the next election.  It is the middle size parties that may sell out democracy again. 

[Denim]

If Pheu Thai manage to win any future sham election by a clear majority ( very unlikely considering how the junta have gone to great pains to prevent any one party dominating Thai politics ) then all these junta fluffers will be out protesting again like the good flunkies they are. Then once again the patriotic and disinterested junta will be obliged to intervene again to prevent the country ' tearing itself apart '

 

It is surprising , given the military's professed disinterest in vulgar politics , that they have had more coups than most people can keep up with. A strange kind of disinterest.

[RichardColeman]

17 hours ago, mercman24 said:

DICTATORSHIP  thriving well, you can only form a party if you vote for ME me me me me me , and they want to call that democratic, my ass

Time to trade mark

 

Dictomocracy

[jayboy]

It's just a snapshot but my contacts with the Bangkok middle class suggest there is a strong constituency supporting Prayuth as an "outside" PM.Obviously I don't like it and much more importantly it would be dreadful news for Thailand.But it's pointless pretending that the support isn't there.

[klauskunkel]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

They must meet certain basic requirements, including signing up at least 500 party members and building a Bt1 million party fund based on a ceiling capped at Bt500,000 per founder. That last condition would be difficult to meet for prospective new parties, said Somchai.

Difficult to meet? Well, Somchai, I believe any new political party that professes its unconditional love for the PM General is worth a couple of watches, don't you?

[Krataiboy]

Divide and rule.

[eliotness]

17 hours ago, Eligius said:

Surprise, surprise (not!) - no pro-democracy parties registering.

 

And there will still be people, not least on Thaivisa - even now, after all we have been through with Suthep Thug, all the BKK shut-downs and hassle, the lies about 'reform', 'ending corruption', and the junta, with its daily deceit, lies and autocracy - there will still be those naive enough (or on the payroll enough?) to cheer on this new bunch and tell us: 'They are trying to clean up Thai politics'.

 

Oh dear - it gets really exasperating living here sometimes. BUT I do note that the majority of Thais I come into contact with (from all social strata) are not (any longer - or never were) in love with the Democracy Destroyers. People have seen and experienced in their own person what Dinosaurs do when they rule a country - and how unfree we all feel and in fact are. 

 

China has just banned Orwell's 'Animal Farm'. Thailand beat them to it years ago - by effectively banning 'Nineteen Eighty-Four'. The FEAR of these tinpot cowards - fear of what would happen when people are allowed to read the REAL agenda of power-maniacs - is plain for all with more than two brain cells in their head to see ...

I was in South Africa when certain books were banned. Most English speakers nevertheless managed to get a copy.  Only difference here is trying to get a copy written in Thai.  Maybe an idea for Thaksin to go into the printing business !!!

[Srikcir]

16 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

These small parties are cash strapped

Why would that be?

Who would know?

Prayut often alleges Thaksin of secretly funding anti-military political campaigns. Why cannot that not be allegedly in reverse?

 

The current government has little to no transparency and accountability while having full access to the Thai treasury and state resources; and as a military organization has its own financial resources apart from federal funding that appear also not to be transparent or accountable to the Thai public. There are also other elitist entities whose wealth is similarly nontransparent. One could further speculate the potential for pro-military foreign party assistance that might benefit from a continued Prayut/pro-mililtary government.

Small parties needn't be pro-military either if the intent is to use them to drain off votes from PTP. That was in part I believe the true purpose of the MMA electoral system. The scenario then for Prayut is a Parliament House too splintered to form an anti-military coalition, drawing a pro-military Senate into the PM selection process. Voila.

[jayboy]

Why would that be?
Who would know?
Prayut often alleges Thaksin of secretly funding anti-military political campaigns. Why cannot that not be allegedly in reverse?
 
The current government has little to no transparency and accountability while having full access to the Thai treasury and state resources; and as a military organization has its own financial resources apart from federal funding that appear also not to be transparent or accountable to the Thai public. There are also other elitist entities whose wealth is similarly nontransparent. One could further speculate the potential for pro-military foreign party assistance that might benefit from a continued Prayut/pro-mililtary government.
Small parties needn't be pro-military either if the intent is to use them to drain off votes from PTP. That was in part I believe the true purpose of the MMA electoral system. The scenario then for Prayut is a Parliament House too splintered to form an anti-military coalition, drawing a pro-military Senate into the PM selection process. Voila.

Your final paragraph succinctly summarizes the grand strategy of the old order and the rigged military constitution is built to bring about this scenario.But will it work?


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