New rules ‘worry’ former members of established parties

By The Nation

 

The current political party law has damaged the existing parties’ membership bases and the country’s efforts to restore democracy, according to Nikorn Chamnong, director of Chat Thai Pattana Party.

 

Chat Thai Pattana expects fewer than 10 per cent of its previous 24,000-strong members to re-register as members under the current law, which Nikorn said is not designed to promote the country’s political development via stronger political parties.

 

He said his party had responses from only 1,000 members wanting to re-register as members under the new law after the party had sent registered mail to more than 24,000 members. The deadline for membership re-registration is tomorrow.

 

Nikorn said the law requires members of existing parties to re-register their membership by paying a membership fee. “Many old members are worried about the new rules and have opted not to re-register their membership at this stage,” he said, adding that other parties had faced the same problem since the law was aimed at reducing the role and influence of existing parties in the next election.

 

Overall, Nikorn said, only 400,000 out of the four million members of the established political parties were expected to re-register their membership, resulting in a complete shake-up of the political party system.

 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha suggested that there was nothing wrong about the government’s and National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)’s attempts to attract influential figures to join its bid for the next election.

 

The government’s duty was to hold the next election to return the country to its democratic path, so every party concerned should work together to achieve the objective, he said. He noted that bringing in former politicians to join the government’s mission for the next election was not unusual and voters would have the final say on who get their votes.

 

Several former political groups have publicly expressed their interest in fielding candidates for the next poll under several political banners in the hope of supporting Prayut’s return as prime minister.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30344210

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-04-29

At this rate, there will be only one party contesting the election... 

The old parties have been crippled and the new parties will be crippled unless they are Junta supporters !!

Then Big P will say, well you wanted an election, we've had an election and I'm the winner.... Now, back to your rice paddies and let me continue feeding at this lovely big trough..

Basically even if there was some form of "election" anytime soon it is nailed on who is going to be in power, the fix is well and truly in,sad!

The current political party law has damaged the existing parties’ membership bases

 

I believe that was the idea. Meanwhile, man-child is giving money away faster than they can print it. Not even any attempt anymore to disguise the sham. Abhisit must be constipated with rage right now but he kind of has himself to blame.

27 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

under the current law, which Nikorn said is not designed to promote the country’s political development via stronger political parties.

he is a little late to the party (sic), we have known this for the most recent past years; for all the across-the-board stupidity we see here, the thais in the backrooms concocted a brilliant strategy vis-a-vis neutering political parties

40 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

The current political party law has damaged the existing parties’ membership bases and the country’s efforts to restore democracy, according to Nikorn Chamnong, director of Chat Thai Pattana Party.

Okay.

 

The question is; what are you going to do about it?

 

THAT is what matters.

 

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Okay.

 

The question is; what are you going to do about it?

 

THAT is what matters.

 

What is worrisome is their shock and dismay that this is happening.  You would think with all the endowed fortune tellers in Thailand, they would have seen all these shenanigans coming.   Then again protesting is and was against the law, so what to do ? Passive passivity will ruin Thailand.  Where is that 25 year old ?  The country needs his guidance badly.  

Okay, you worried.

Now what?

8 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Okay.

 

The question is; what are you going to do about it?

 

THAT is what matters.

 

 

Maybe the political parties should be asking why so few of their former "members" appear interested in registering?

 

Nah, of course they won't!

2 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Maybe the political parties should be asking why so few of their former "members" appear interested in registering?

 

Nah, of course they won't!

If I was a member of a former political party, I might well not re-register.

 

Why?

 

Firstly the landscape is so changed that former loyalties might well not persist.

 

Secondly I would want to see which of the emerging political parties/leaders best reflect my political beliefs/interests.

 

Thirdly I would profoundly resent the whole process being guided as well as the suggestion that the political pathway is to some extent constitutionally pre-ordained.

 

If the guiding lights were men of genius like the United States Founding Fathers - Washington,Franklin,Jefferson,Hamilton Madison etc the third factor would be less of a concern.But that's not the case in Thailand: in fact they are pretty appalling specimens, intellectual and moral pygmies.

6 minutes ago, jayboy said:

If I was a member of a former political party, I might well not re-register.

 

Why?

 

Firstly the landscape is so changed that former loyalties might well not persist.

 

Secondly I would want to see which of the emerging political parties/leaders best reflect my political beliefs/interests.

 

Thirdly I would profoundly resent the whole process being guided as well as the suggestion that the political pathway is to some extent constitutionally pre-ordained.

 

If the guiding lights were men of genius like the United States Founding Fathers - Washington,Franklin,Jefferson,Hamilton Madison etc the third factor would be less of a concern.But that's not the case in Thailand: in fact they are pretty appalling specimens, intellectual and moral pygmies.

 

The point being that none of that is likely to occur to the existing political parties. Their 'members" haven't been recruited on the basis of your second point. Loyalties to local political power barons and their extended families who dish out positions and wealth to those who support them. And who change sides/beliefs at the drop of a hat.

 

Getting real political parties, with real manifestos, polices, democratic hierarchies and rules and actually having to canvass and win over party members is completely new and alien to them. No wonder they're moaning. Although I doubt that is the aim of those orchestrating the changes.

Edited April 29, 20188 yr by Baerboxer

6 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

The point being that none of that is likely to occur to the existing political parties. Their 'members" haven't been recruited on the basis of your second point. Loyalties to local political power barons and their extended families who dish out positions and wealth to those who support them. And who change sides/beliefs at the drop of a hat.

 

Getting real political parties, with real manifestos, polices, democratic hierarchies and rules and actually having to canvass and win over party members is completely new and alien to them. No wonder they're moaning. Although I doubt that is the aim of those orchestrating the changes.

You make some good points.It would be nice if the "guiding lights" could set a good example - but it's deja vu all over again.

8 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Okay.

 

The question is; what are you going to do about it?

 

THAT is what matters.

 

Likely nothing as all parties that are NOT in lockstep with the pre-ordained party and its leader are hamstringed by the new regulations as the OP illustrates. 

As others have posted, it will be a one horse race with all other potential contenders being window dressing for the illusion of free and fair elections (as intended from the beginning). 

1 hour ago, jayboy said:

Secondly I would want to see which of the emerging political parties/leaders best reflect my political beliefs/interests.

Of course if you're not a member of the party you cannot participate in primary elections for party candidates. So your interests and political beliefs might not be best represented.

10 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Okay.

 

The question is; what are you going to do about it?

 

THAT is what matters.

 

Good Point

2 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Maybe the political parties should be asking why so few of their former "members" appear interested in registering?

 

Nah, of course they won't!

Honest answer ; Would you pay a subscription for a service you know has zero chance of succeeding ?

11 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

At this rate, there will be only one party contesting the election... 

The old parties have been crippled and the new parties will be crippled unless they are Junta supporters !!

Then Big P will say, well you wanted an election, we've had an election and I'm the winner.... Now, back to your rice paddies and let me continue feeding at this lovely big trough..

No different to some communist countries which have elections but with only one party listed on the ballot paper.

And that's even before vote pampering, intimidation, vote buying, ballot box stuffing, misrecording  and general polling booth tampering comes into play.

Remember, the PM has a war chest of public money including the Thai Niyom funds at his disposal plus all his civil servants to help with his campaign; whether they want to or not.

Edited April 29, 20188 yr by Cadbury

11 hours ago, YetAnother said:

he is a little late to the party (sic), we have known this for the most recent past years; for all the across-the-board stupidity we see here, the thais in the backrooms concocted a brilliant strategy vis-a-vis neutering political parties

I know what you mean, YetAnother, and basically agree with you  - but I would not be so generous as to praise these scumbags who have ripped to pieces the Thais' political liberties. If you hold ABSOLUTE POWER (as the junta and their minions do), then it is the easiest thing in the world to tear up a Constitution, write a new one, add a new 'law' to suit your clique, re-arrange the rules to suit your own bunch - any 21-year-old of reasonable brains and Western-university-level education could do it - provided he had zero conscience and zero ethics.

 

So no: I personally will not call any of these scumbags clever or skilful in the slightest degree. If you can do anything you want (literally) and nobody can oppose you, anything you want to do, anything you want to twist to your advantage, can and will be done most easily.

 

No impressive brains are required - just moral degenerates and sociopaths!

 

 

Edited April 29, 20188 yr by Eligius

47 minutes ago, Eligius said:

I know what you mean, YetAnother, and basically agree with you  - but I would not be so generous as to praise these scumbags who have ripped to pieces the Thais' political liberties. If you hold ABSOLUTE POWER (as the junta and their minions do), then it is the easiest thing in the world to tear up a Constitution, write a new one, add a new 'law' to suit your clique, re-arrange the rules to suit your own bunch - any 21-year-old of reasonable brains and Western-university-level education could do it - provided he had zero conscience and zero ethics.

 

So no: I personally will not call any of these scumbags clever or skilful in the slightest degree. If you can do anything you want (literally) and nobody can oppose you, anything you want to do, anything you want to twist to your advantage, can and will be done most easily.

 

No impressive brains are required - just moral degenerates and sociopaths!

 

 

Agreed. In fact I suspect one of the reasons Prayuth was installed was because the powers that be know he's a moron that will do their bidding. They couldn't possibly install someone with a brain, education and a conscience because that simply wouldn't have worked. The man-child was a perfect fit. I expect his only demand was that he be allowed to recruit his own team for the job, and they needn't have worried about that because he went and hired Dumbo as his right-hand man. The mafia family man-child has recently brought into the fold are also not a cause for concern because although they might possess a brain cell between them, they are purely mercenary and couldn't care less whose interests they represent, as long as they benefit.

On 4/29/2018 at 2:37 PM, Baerboxer said:

Maybe the political parties should be asking why so few of their former "members" appear interested in registering?

It is fairly simple.  As I understand it the government requires them to pay a fee!  So, why register?  They can still vote for whomever they please as long as it is for the pro-junta party!

Edited April 30, 20188 yr by metisdead
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