Wissanu sees Article 44 as solution to problems faced by political parties

By WASAMON AUDJARINT 
THE NATION

 

DEPUTY PM Wissanu Krea-ngam

 

DEPUTY PM Wissanu Krea-ngam hinted yesterday that the government might temporarily allow political parties to seek new members so that they can keep up with the election timeline. Absolute power under Article 44 could be invoked to clear the hurdle.

 

Wissanu met with legislators, charter drafters and the Election Commission yesterday to seek solutions to problems arising from NCPO Order 53/2560, which amends the Political Party Act.

 

The meeting ended without yielding a solution but Wissanu said that drafting a new bill or enacting an Article 44 order were options that would now be proposed to PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha.

 

“All procedures take time but Article 44 might be the least time-consuming,” Wissanu said.

 

“It’s the best solution as of now, as it will not violate any other law,” agreed Election Commission (EC) secretary-general Pol Colonel Jarungwit Phumma, who also attended yesterday’s meeting.

 

The brainstorming session followed urgent pleas by political parties for changes to the primary voting system as they fear they might not be able to get organised in time for the election, which, after several delays, is scheduled for next February.

 

Their biggest concern is that they need to obtain a large number of new members. The new regulations require contesting parties to select their MP candidates using primary votes, and to do this they must have sufficient members in each contesting constituency to proceed with the primary vote.

 

The longstanding major parties have lost many of their previous members who did not “verify” themselves within the one-month period of April as per the junta’s order No 53/2017. That month had many public holidays.

 

Under the order, the parties are no longer allowed to seek new members.

 

Speaking prior to the meeting, Jarungwit said that one possible solution, apart from using Article 44, is that the parties could decrease the number of constituencies where they contest.

 

“We’ll also have to enable parties to seek new members,” he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30347785

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-15

It has certainly been a god sent for the junta !

1 hour ago, webfact said:

DEPUTY PM Wissanu Krea-ngam hinted yesterday that the government might temporarily allow political parties to seek new members so that they can keep up with the election timeline. Absolute power under Article 44 could be invoked to clear the hurdle.

so the normal channels don't work; nice law-making; they trip over their own feet

They are flummoxed. They need to look like they are going to have a fair election, but they can't bring themselves to allow it to happen. 

They might as well just tell us who the winners are and skip the election all together.

44 used to hurry up the delay in a free vote, 

I am amazed.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

All procedures take time but Article 44 might be the least time-consuming,” Wissanu said.

Feb?

what year now?

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The brainstorming session

Good old Article 44 to the rescue. What would the PM and Thailand do without it. It has been reported that about 150 Article 44 orders have so far been enacted ranging from appointments to dismissals to spending unauthorised money to shafting the Shins and to stealing gold mines. 

This is Thai junta governance at it's best. The NCPO makes an order preventing political parties from recruiting members. When the boofheads realise that that might cause problems they resort to the PM's beloved Article 44 to clear up the mess.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"The brainstorming session....."

I would have thought that having brains would be a pre-requisite to participating in such a process.

They have tried so hard to write a constitution that results in an election they can 'win' their efforts have devised a system that doesn't allow an election at all. Now they will use a law that shouldn't exist since the constitution became effective to clear up the mess their other laws have created. Devious to the point of dumb.

So they are going to temporarily lift the ban on political activity so they can get enough candidates for the election, and then they will ban the political activity again. This will be a fascinating election.

 "......the parties could decrease the number of constituencies where they contest."

 

They really don't want any meaningful opposition so now they are even suggesting political parties limit the number of seats they can win themselves. Remarkable that he can actually speak this be whilst maintaining a straight face.

These incompetents spend the better part of 4 years crafting a constitution and organic election laws, and still can't hold an election without section 44 interference? You really can't make this stuff up.