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Prayut urges voters to resist picking ‘the same old faces’ at election


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Prayut urges voters to resist picking ‘the same old faces’ at election

By THE NATION

 

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PM Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha meets with local politicians in Nakhon Sawan province yesterday

 

PRIME MINISTER General Prayut Chan-o-cha has urged voters to look at “different political options” at the next general election as the ruling junta prepares to meet with politicians later this month.

 

“It starts from whether you will get a government with good governance. Please vote for people whom you trust, not only those whom you’re familiar with,” Prayut told local residents of Phichit during his field trip there yesterday. 

 

“If you get the same old faces and they can’t fix anything, think about that for yourselves,” he said.

 

The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has tentatively scheduled a meeting with political parties for later this month, when the two remaining organic laws are expected to be promulgated, giving more certainty to the long-delayed election.

 

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The NCPO expects to meet both existing and new parties – some of the latter have already indicated their support for the current regime and even for the retired former Army chief to continue his premiership after the election.

 

Widely viewed as the junta’s attempt to put political parties “in order” ahead of the national vote, the meeting is the subject of concern among politicians who want it to address issues, including it being broadcast live and the lifting |of the junta’s ban on political activities.

 

The NCPO is still working on the details of exactly how and when the election will take place.

 

Prayut, meanwhile, has led his Cabinet members on a two-day visit to the lower northern provinces of Phichit and Nakhon Sawan for yet another mobile Cabinet tour. 

 

Prayut has been on nationwide tours at least once a month for more than a year to “keep in touch” with local bases and approve budgets for local development projects.

 

The cabinet tours have however, been staged amid criticism that Prayut is spending public funds to organise the trips in order to boost his political popularity among provincial residents. Last month in Buri Ram, Prayut was enthusiastically welcomed by more than 30,000 locals just a day before his Cabinet approved a costly irrigation project.

 

In Nakhon Sawan yesterday, Prayut also met with more than a dozen local former MPs and senators based in lower northern and upper central provinces from several political parties.

 

“I have only come to follow up on development projects, not to campaign for politics as people with ill intentions claim,” the premier told the locals yesterday. 

 

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Meanwhile, a key figure in the Chart Thai Pattana Party yesterday urged the junta to revise its order so political parties could accept new members as soon as possible.

 

Varawut Silapa-archa, a key adviser to the party’s leader, said the NCPO Order No 53/2017 needed to be amended to allow political parties to accept new members.

 

He warned that without any revision, the order could cause problems at the next election, particularly regarding parties fielding their candidates. Varawut explained that the new electoral law required political parties to hold primary votes among members in order to select their election candidates.

 

The politician said the law set minimum numbers of party members in holding primary voting for candidates in all 350 constituencies and many parties currently did not meet that requirement. For example, he said, Chart Thai has a little over 4,000 registered members to confirm their membership. It needs between 8,000 and 10,000, for primary voting if the party wants to field election candidates in all 350 constituencies throughout the country, Varawut said.

 

“I ask for sympathy. The NCPO should at least unlock this rule to allow political parties to accept new members now,” he said.

 

The NCPO order was issued last December as an amendment to the new Political Parties Act. The order only allowed existing political parties to have their registered members confirm their membership during the month of April. 

 

Most parties saw no more than 10 per cent of their registered members confirm their membership. The junta has not allowed political parties to accept new members since.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30347509

 
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-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-12
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PM tells 18 years old youth to go to the polls in next election

By Thai PBS

 

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Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha urged Thai youth aged 18 and upward to go to the polls in the next election and advised them not to vote for the candidates they are familiar with so they will get a government with good governance.

 

“The election in the future is important for everyone of you. Don’t say that you don’t like politics so you don’t go to the polls. Then you will get what you used to get. And it will be this way all along. Must go to the polls, everyone who is 18, whether you like it or hate it. Must go to vote. This is the first step and whether we will get a government with good governance or not.

 

Elect the people whom we trust, don’t elect because they are faimiliar, because they are not good, we must elect the other people. Isn’t it?” said the prime minister to a group of students during his visit to Bung Seefai district, Phichit province as part of the mobile cabinet meeting on Monday and Tuesday.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-tells-18-years-old-youth-go-polls-next-election/

 
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-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-06-12
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4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Why is the NCPO "working on the details of exactly how and when the election will take place"?

 

Er... Ahem... Isn't that the function of the EC?

 

The parties need to step up this criticism.

 

Everyone understands that the Junta is trying to cheat. However, there are limits on what is acceptable cheating and this kind of practice of using tax monies for political purposes is a good wedge issue to criticize with. When a crooked politician shouts words like 'the louder you shout for Prayut, the more money we get!', it does more harm that good.

 

Finally, as above, everyone expects the Junta to cheat; cheating is what they do. Political parties, in my view you need to beginning speaking up about the cheating sooner rather than later; if you accept a crooked process, then you can't complain about a crooked result later.

 

The Junta/Prayut are cheating cheaters who cheat. It is time to consider not participating (en mass) in the election if you deem it too crooked. And you need to tell the people why...

 

1. So, you positive they are cheating then?

2. 2nd photo in the OP - I can guarantee Mr P would not get that type of photo op/local cuddles in my Missus's village. Guarantee it.

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5 hours ago, webfact said:

“If you get the same old faces and they can’t fix anything, think about that for yourselves,” he said.

                                         Our sketch artist's impression of the meeting:

                                          10ee121e-feef-4ef1-9e71-2b2fd5c20504_zps

The artist is now back to work trying to draw a portrait of Prawit, with a ‘young’ face. It may keep him busy for a while...

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