Pro-junta coalition will form next government, says Suthep

By Prasit Tangprasert 
The Nation

 

File photo

 

Pro-junta political groups yesterday claimed the next election would see the rise of a new coalition while predicting the Shinawatra camp and the Pheu Thai Party would be defeated.

 

Suthep Thaugsuban, a key leader of the Action Coalition of Thailand Party (ACT), yesterday expressed confidence that the pro-military party would be a part of the next government. The upcoming election would see no outright winner, and so the only form of government possible would be a coalition, he said at a reforms-focused seminar hosted by his People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) Foundation.

 

“The most attractive party that truly represents the people [is] us, the one and only party everybody [will] love to join with to form a government,” Suthep said.

 

Asked if ACT would join Pheu Thai if the Shinawatra-backed party won the most seats, Suthep said he could confirm that Pheu Thai would not be a part of that government.

 

Suthep made the comments after former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, a figure said to be still influential in Pheu Thai, recently expressed confidence that the party would win a landslide victory in the next election.

 

“That’s what Thaksin says but this is what I say,” said Suthep, formerly a key member of Pheu Thai’s arch-rival Democrat Party and the leader of the controversial PDRC movement that paved the way for the ouster of the Pheu Thai government almost five years ago.

 

Suthep refused to answer a question on whether the ACT would join with the Democrat Party to form a government. He explained that he was no longer a Democrat and would rather not talk about his past affiliation.

 

Suthep said the ACT next Sunday would hold an assembly to vote for the party’s executives. While it is widely speculated that respected political scientist Anek Laothamatas would take the lead in the party, Suthep said it was up to party members to vote.

 

Some 500 members were expected to join this first assembly, he said.

 

Meanwhile, secretary of the so-called Sam Mitr (Three Allies) group, Pirom Pholvises, yesterday said General Prayut Chan-o-cha could be as popular as former PM Thaksin. Sam Mitr is believed to be enticing former MPs from different parties to form a political party to back Prayut in the next election.

 

Some members of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) in the Shinawatra camp strongholds such as the northeastern province of Kalasin, have also signalled they were willing to join the pro-Prayut team if it would bring improvements for the locals, Pirom claimed.

 

“Though they say the Northeast loves Thaksin, we see that some of them love Prayut, too,” Pirom said.

 

If the government showed good performance, Prayut could even become the permanent PM for the rest of his life, Pirom said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30351029

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-30

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

“Though they say the Northeast loves Thaksin, we see that some of them love Prayut, too,” Pirom said.

If the government showed good performance, Prayut could even become the permanent PM for the rest of his life, Pirom said.

 

Hmm...

 

Isn't there a word for this...? It is on the tip of my tongue but just isn't allowed to...

 

Double hmm...

 

smug faced ( insert your own expletive of choice!!!)

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

Pro-junta coalition will form next government, says Suthep

How's he know that .. Ain't even been an election yet .. Been put off a few times now .. Saying stuff like that may lead others to think that something dodgy is or will be going on .. 

57 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Isn't there a word for this...? It is on the tip of my tongue but just isn't allowed to...

 

23 minutes ago, Justgrazing said:

How's he know that .. Ain't even been an election yet .. Been put off a few times now .. Saying stuff like that may lead others to think that something dodgy is or will be going on .. 

What? Are you trying to state that there is no honesty in Thai politics? Outrageous! Now you are walking the thin line, and soon they will be forced to re-open the attitude adjustment camps.

The Northeast is flooding now, send the PM up there to see if can stop the flooding like a Thai King Kanut sporting his Thai Niyom attire

just constant diatribe from Junta,Democrats and other Democrats like this treasonous person who doesnt fool anyone by saying he is no longer a democrat. Democrat party always come to power with the help of the junta

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Suthep said the ACT next Sunday would hold an assembly to vote for the party’s executives. While it is widely speculated that respected political scientist Anek Laothamatas would take the lead in the party, Suthep said it was up to party members to vote.

 

Some 500 members were expected to join this first assembly, he said.

 

Sweet, they're all going to be prosecuted for breaking the political gatherings -ban!

 

Oh shoot.. forgot that this weasel promised not to take part in politics anymore and anything "pro-junta" isn't political anyway, so just an innocent afternoon tea session for 500 friends.

And no doubt they will still have the guns and section 44, any form of "election" would be farcical. AKA the next door neighbor.

"He explained that he was no longer a Democrat......."

 

That was very obvious since leading the mob all over Bangkok.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

f the government showed good performance, Prayut could even become the permanent PM for the rest of his life, Pirom said.

shades of Cambodia

Todays job polish my amulet.

1 hour ago, AGareth2 said:

shades of Cambodia

True, Cambodia looks more like a high school play when it comes to production of a farcical election.  Thailand is trying to put on a Broadway, West End musical.  Thailand will get slammed for the sham in the end then cry it was just all a big misunderstanding, and then they will say the world understands its unique problem.  Malaysia has triumphed with the help of jailbird Anwar. Thailand and Cambodia look hopelessly stupid in comparison. 

 

Why is this tosser still relevant?

It is very easy to make one sided political predictions when your political opponants have been silenced and are not allowed to present their alternative political pathways to the public; that would just cause conflict in society..right?

 

Thailand is very soon going to have to make a big choice with significant implications for the future. 

 

An outsider, unelected PM for life. If that does not set off some serious alarm bells then quite frankly the people of this fantastic place I call home are completly complicit in their own demise and the long term conaequences that will bring.

 

Human history shows that the only way a society ends the rule of a "for life PM" is well.....with the ending of many lives.

 

 

12 minutes ago, jonclark said:

It is very easy to make one sided political predictions when your political opponants have been silenced and are not allowed to present their alternative political pathways to the public; that would just cause conflict in society..right?

 

Thailand is very soon going to have to make a big choice with significant implications for the future. 

 

An outsider, unelected PM for life. If that does not set off some serious alarm bells then quite frankly the people of this fantastic place I call home are completly complicit in their own demise and the long term conaequences that will bring.

 

Human history shows that the only way a society ends the rule of a "for life PM" is well.....with the ending of many lives.

 

 

Your exaggerating, nowhere is it said its for life. 

 

Anyway IMHO its a fight between two evils, the Shins and the junta. I don't see any winners here. 

2 hours ago, Grossman said:

this weasel promised not to take part in politics anymore

So did Thaksin.....

26 minutes ago, robblok said:

Your exaggerating, nowhere is it said its for life.

Final paragraph..??

 

And it has been sugested in previous articles as well.

 

I think Charthaipattana Party (which is pro junta) endorsed him being PM for 10 years last year as well.

 

Like yourself i see this as a battle between two entities, but the personalities of those entities are: Authoritarian rule vs democratic rule.

 

And much as i did dislike the Shins (and i wrote some pretty daming posts on em on tvf). I would have them back in  a heart beat over any junta. 

5 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

So did Thaksin.....

Lol so do all politicians.

 

A politician who doesn't make (unrealistic) promises, claims or outright lies has a very short shelf life.

Politicians just follow the money. They use their snouts to sniff out where it is likely to be found and attach themselves to the scourse.

 

The only principles they have are all of the ' what's in it for me ? ' type.

10 minutes ago, jonclark said:

Final paragraph..??

 

And it has been sugested in previous articles as well.

 

I think Charthaipattana Party (which is pro junta) endorsed him being PM for 10 years last year as well.

 

Like yourself i see this as a battle between two entities, but the personalities of those entities are: Authoritarian rule vs democratic rule.

 

And much as i did dislike the Shins (and i wrote some pretty daming posts on em on tvf). I would have them back in  a heart beat over any junta. 

So you equate 10 years to for life... I would hate to be you that is a short lifespan. (joke)

 

I would not call the Shins democratic rule at all. They broke plenty of the democratic rules and act just like the junta. Look at how Prawit his watches not investigated and stalled. Now look at how YL ignored the ombudsman on Thaksin his passports protecting the one who supplied the passports. Look at how PTP MP's voted for others and how secret votes were held when others were already send away (we are done sending the opposition away and then voting). Not to mention how YL totally ignored the pleads to investigate the G2G deals as they were fake and she only did a token investigation saying no corruption while the corruption amounted to 35 billion. Having a banned corrupt criminal as a leader (against the laws in Thailand) is also not really democratic. 

 

So no I would not call the Shins fully democratic, they are better than the junta. But still neither of them is good at all. So i stand with my opinion that both are evil. The Shins might be more democratic.. but that is not hard if you compare them with a junta. If that is their only plus point its not much. 

 

But maybe your right maybe they are the better option, at least I will have fun here at TV commenting on all their corruption scandals again while they happen. At least the PTP can be prosecuted for corruption (even though its hard to do whilst they are in power as they like every goverment will do whatever they can to stall the process even threaten people like what YL did with the rice program whistle blower).

 

So maybe your right they might be the least bad of the two. But only because some rule of law can be applied to them, the junta on the other hand is a disgrace corruption wise. 

 

27 minutes ago, jonclark said:

Lol so do all politicians.

 

A politician who doesn't make (unrealistic) promises, claims or outright lies has a very short shelf life.

Anywhere in the world.

The vile sewer dweller speaks up again. Should be in jail for treason.

24 minutes ago, robblok said:

So you equate 10 years to for life... I would hate to be you that is a short lifespan. (joke)

 

I would not call the Shins democratic rule at all. They broke plenty of the democratic rules and act just like the junta. Look at how Prawit his watches not investigated and stalled. Now look at how YL ignored the ombudsman on Thaksin his passports protecting the one who supplied the passports. Look at how PTP MP's voted for others and how secret votes were held when others were already send away (we are done sending the opposition away and then voting). Not to mention how YL totally ignored the pleads to investigate the G2G deals as they were fake and she only did a token investigation saying no corruption while the corruption amounted to 35 billion. Having a banned corrupt criminal as a leader (against the laws in Thailand) is also not really democratic. 

 

So no I would not call the Shins fully democratic, they are better than the junta. But still neither of them is good at all. So i stand with my opinion that both are evil. The Shins might be more democratic.. but that is not hard if you compare them with a junta. If that is their only plus point its not much. 

 

But maybe your right maybe they are the better option, at least I will have fun here at TV commenting on all their corruption scandals again while they happen. At least the PTP can be prosecuted for corruption (even though its hard to do whilst they are in power as they like every goverment will do whatever they can to stall the process even threaten people like what YL did with the rice program whistle blower).

 

So maybe your right they might be the least bad of the two. But only because some rule of law can be applied to them, the junta on the other hand is a disgrace corruption wise. 

 

 Totally agree with your sentiments on previous administrations and the current one.

 

Joking aside I feel that when the secratary of the three allies group starts making statements about PM for life and you consider who this rather murky group are openly aligned to and their strategy of poaching opposition heavy weights.

 

The final play is quite clear. Weaken the oposition to such a degree that it can no longer functìon and you have as the only viable option  (with a bit of window dressing to make it seem legitimate and palatable) a PM for life. And the upper house of senators will support this as......yep the PM appointed them and they are mainly military men. 

 

And that ensures the PTP never, ever, comes back. And what was the aim of the coup? To absolutly bury PTP and the Shins.

1 hour ago, lensta said:

 

Why is this tosser still relevant?

Some sort of election is inevitable, sooner or later. However much the junta ducks and dived, bribes and bullies, wriggled and rigs things, it remains quite possible that they will not win the support needed to retain power, even allowing for the epic gerrymandering they are currently engaged in.

 

In the topsy turvy world of Thai politics, in the event of a government being elected which is ill disposed towards the desires and requirements of the very small cabal, and their (paid for) loyal supporters amongst the establishment, who see themselves as the entitled rulers of the country,  it is necessary to have someone to lead a movement to oust that government. Suthep has the ability to appeal to the affluent (Bangkok) middle class, and has influence and commands support amongst many in the south. He is the man seen (proven) to be able to do this.

 

Think of him as the political equivalent of the night soil collectors of Victorian Britain. Tainted, oderous, best kept at least at arms length but a necessary evil with useful if unsavoury skills.

1 hour ago, robblok said:

Your exaggerating, nowhere is it said its for life. 

 

Anyway IMHO its a fight between two evils, the Shins and the junta. I don't see any winners here. 

    'If the government showed good performance, Prayut could even become the permanent PM for the rest of his life, Pirom said.   '

 

Not 10 years but LIFE. A paler version of Mugabe who managed 37 years at the helm of his sinking country.

Off topic a bit. but over in darkest Africa in 3rd world Zimbabwe, they are having a general election today, 8 months after  the dictator Mugabe was removed from power following a soft military coup orchestrated by his right hand man Em,erson Mnangagwa.

In that light, it makes Thailand's situation look far worse. 4 years after a coup and the coup leader/ P.M. wants to be PM again..

hey this thread has started to be deflected by a few of the yellow shirt youtube link posters without staying on topic. I wont ignore because its a comedy seeing their posts. But is happening more and more

 

in Iran leading up to the 1979 revolution, exiled popular leader, dumbing down of population to brainwash call it guided democracy, huge corruption and entitlement by civil service, huge corrupt contracts with foreign countries ie, mass state surveillance and arresting any dissidents

 

Uncanny the similarities

 

i dont expect to read anything from the 'other' parties this media is just a press release for the junta

31 minutes ago, ratcatcher said:

    'If the government showed good performance, Prayut could even become the permanent PM for the rest of his life, Pirom said.   '

 

Not 10 years but LIFE. A paler version of Mugabe who managed 37 years at the helm of his sinking country.

Off topic a bit. but over in darkest Africa in 3rd world Zimbabwe, they are having a general election today, 8 months after  the dictator Mugabe was removed from power following a soft military coup orchestrated by his right hand man Em,erson Mnangagwa.

In that light, it makes Thailand's situation look far worse. 4 years after a coup and the coup leader/ P.M. wants to be PM again..

Would hate to see Prayut  PM for life, what a scary thought. But this is not something that the current constitution allows, he would have to be voted in all the time.. ( i think that is what they mean for life). Otherwise they are suggesting establishment of democracy completely. 

3 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

shades of Cambodia

 

Xi Jinping springs to mind... Everyone wants to be like China these days (well leaders with ideas above their stations) ?