Prayut dismisses election rally, warns law-breaking protesters

[connda]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

“They can demand all they want but the law is the law,” Prayut said during a press briefing. “There will be an election early next year, no sooner than that. We will have to progress according to the readiness of related laws.”

What the PTB fail to grasp is that those who are protesting don't accept the validity of laws created by an unelected cabal and forced upon the populace without the consent of the people.
Granted, the PTB can enforce these 'laws' at the point of a gun, and they are.  However, the people on the other end of that threat of violence and imprisonment are obviously willing to sacrifice themselves for a higher ideal.  What wins in the end?  That's a coin toss imho.  Time will tell.  It's an age old question that has played itself out many times in the past.

[Jonmarleesco]

'“They cannot march, whether they support or oppose us.'

 

I doubt that supporting the junta would generate any action.

 

'They will just cause conflict and upset the economy,” Prayut said.'

 

Both areas of expertise that are reserved for the government. Though I'm far from sure how a march could upset the economy.

[metisdead]

A post in which the quoted content had been altered has been removed. 

[Srikcir]

21 hours ago, webfact said:

They will just cause conflict and upset the economy,” Prayut said.

Let's look at the Preamble to the 2017 Constitution¹ in part which addresses the reason for regime change (underlined emphasis added):

• Despite annulment, amendment, and promulgation of Constitutions on several occasions for the purpose of more appropriate administrative organization, the administration has not become stable or orderly owing to various problems and conflicts. Sometimes there have been constitutional crises with no solutions and partial causes thereof were attributed to the people who ignored or disobeyed administrative rules, corrupted or distorted power or did not recognize their responsibility to the nation and the public resulting in ineffective law enforcement.
•  ...the more explicit and comprehensive recognition and protection of the rights and liberties of Thai people by holding the rights and liberties as the principle and the restriction of rights as the exception, however provided that the exercise of these rights and liberties must be within the rules to protect the general public. The provisions that the State shall be responsible to the people, and vice versa, and the placement of mechanisms to strictly prevent, monitor and eradicate corruption and misconduct - all are for the purpose of preventing leaders or officials of no morals, ethics and good governance from taking power in the administration of the country or exercising their power arbitrarily.

The current government's executive and legislative branches as direct surrogates of the NCPO, had they had been in place prior to the May 2014 coup instead of the Yingluck regime, would have been justifiably targets for which this Preamble addresses.

 

As it is, the NCPO caused an initial 1-2 year's extensive damage to the economy, increased income inequality, damaged the national reputation, exacerbated political and social conflict, and made extensive use of unaccountable arbitrary powers.

 

Should Prayut look into the mirror of recent history, he will see himself and his government as subjects of the same justifications for regime change. That viewpoint appears now to be accelerating among the Thai electorate.

 

¹ Unofficial translation provided by the Office of the council of State

 

[Eligius]

3 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Let's look at the Preamble to the 2017 Constitution¹ in part which addresses the reason for regime change (underlined emphasis added):

• Despite annulment, amendment, and promulgation of Constitutions on several occasions for the purpose of more appropriate administrative organization, the administration has not become stable or orderly owing to various problems and conflicts. Sometimes there have been constitutional crises with no solutions and partial causes thereof were attributed to the people who ignored or disobeyed administrative rules, corrupted or distorted power or did not recognize their responsibility to the nation and the public resulting in ineffective law enforcement.
•  ...the more explicit and comprehensive recognition and protection of the rights and liberties of Thai people by holding the rights and liberties as the principle and the restriction of rights as the exception, however provided that the exercise of these rights and liberties must be within the rules to protect the general public. The provisions that the State shall be responsible to the people, and vice versa, and the placement of mechanisms to strictly prevent, monitor and eradicate corruption and misconduct - all are for the purpose of preventing leaders or officials of no morals, ethics and good governance from taking power in the administration of the country or exercising their power arbitrarily.

The current government's executive and legislative branches as direct surrogates of the NCPO, had they had been in place prior to the May 2014 coup instead of the Yingluck regime, would have been justifiably targets for which this Preamble addresses.

 

As it is, the NCPO caused an initial 1-2 year's extensive damage to the economy, increased income inequality, damaged the national reputation, exacerbated political and social conflict, and made extensive use of unaccountable arbitrary powers.

 

Should Prayut look into the mirror of recent history, he will see himself and his government as subjects of the same justifications for regime change. That viewpoint appears now to be accelerating among the Thai electorate.

 

¹ Unofficial translation provided by the Office of the council of State

 

Absolutely superb post, Srikcir! You nailed it! Wow: those statements in the new Constitution apply so perfectly to the present bunch of criminals that it is almost laughable that the same bunch were responsible for composing this document (via their academic henchmen). Take just one statement: ''the rights and liberties as the principle and the restriction of rights as the exception': under Prayut, the total decimation of rights has become the norm, and the allowance of any exercise of civil/ political rights the exception.

 

The trouble is (and these quotes from the Constitution and the Prayut regime illustrate it perfectly) that in Thailand 'laws' are not worth the paper they are written on. They are observed, twisted or broken as suits the Powers That Be and, if one is a coup leader, one will NEVER be hauled up before a court of justice and sent to jail for a long, long time. Law in Thailand is grand-sounding words written on official-looking paper. Its connection to Thai reality? In practice - NONE WHATSOEVER !

[chama]

The protesters probably know the election will never take place this year. It really shouldn't anyway, it should have been held a year or two ago. But they also know if they don't keep the pressure on the election will not take place at all. Pressure needs to be applied and hopefully snowball. If Prayut hopes to steal this election he needs to have it before the animosity grows to the degree that erodes all of his potential support. Thailand has a history of letting itself drift into perilous positions but then remarkably purging the affliction. Will the current junta be next with all of its carefully picked and placed political supporters?