All parties ‘must stand on equal ground’ when time is right for election campaigning, PM insists

By Wasamon Audjarint 
The Nation

 

file photo

 

All political parties will have to stand on equal ground in terms of undertaking political campaigns ahead of the general election currently promised for early next year, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Tuesday.

 

“They will have to consider regulations by the National Council for Peace and Order,” Prayut said at his weekly press briefing. “The NCPO already watches out, just in case. We won’t benefit anyone in particular.”

 

He was referring to tentative moves by the Action Coalition for Thailand Party, whose prominent co-founder Suthep Thaugsuban plans to make provincial tours to promote the party.

 

“Any parties’ trips have to be permitted beforehand. We’ll have to see how and where they go to speak. If they only speak in private places, that’s fine,” the PM added.

 

The NCPO froze all party activity, as well barring any political activities consisting of five or more people, soon after the May 2014 coup, which means the ban has now been in place for more than four years.

 

The junta has always insisted on the need to maintain order as the reason to legitimise prolonging the ban on political party activity, despite existing enforcement of the political party law.

 

Prayut said on Tuesday that more relaxations should be seen once the MP election law is also in place.

 

The draft law, which awaits royal endorsement, is far from being in effect as the junta-appointed legislators agreed to delay its effectiveness for another 90 days after its eventual publication in the Royal Gazette.

 

According to the Constitution, the election must be organised within five months of all four laws essential to the holding of a general election being in effect.

 

This makes Prayut’s earlier promise of a national poll in February seem unlikely to be fulfilled, as the MP election bill should have been published no later than June in order to keep up with the timeline.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30351671

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-8-7

and some parties are more equal than others; guess who, don't sue!

The military has appointed MP's.  But Suthep won't use them.  He's to much of a fair and honest person for that. 

42 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

According to the Constitution, the election must be organised within five months of all four laws essential to the holding of a general election being in effect.

Not enough time to effectively campaign. 

 

44 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The junta has always insisted on the need to maintain order as the reason to legitimise prolonging the ban on political party activity, despite existing enforcement of the political party law.

It is because people in the junta do not like scrutiny and debate.  They are cowards.

Is there any point in even responding to any of it.

Let the news media make him happy and just cease taking his photo, but also stop reporting what he says.

He said no more fake news.

Fine by me.

I'm the "BOSS" and I say what you must do and not!

One had 4 years to rally, all other will not have any time...yup...seems about "equal ground" to me!

OK, so what are his policies?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. How about this for 'equality'. 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. 10+0=10,9+1=10,8+2=10......As along as he (and his followers) start from 10 and the others from 0, he'll stay on the higher side of 'equality'. Equality is not the same as 'fairness to all'.

Reminds me of the old joke, but with a twist. All the Thailand Political groups simultaneously died and found themselves in hell up to their chins in poo. They looked up and saw that the Big P was there still in control and that everyone was truly in a same Equality stage as he had said while in the real world. They all smiled and said wow, this is unbelievable. Just at that moment an order came from P saying: all right, break time is over for all you renegades, get back on your heads. 

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“The NCPO already watches out, just in case. We won’t benefit anyone in particular.”

..., but maybe you would obstruct some others specifically?

Meanwhile the Junta campaign all around the country with their so-called "mobile cabinet meetings" giving out goodies wherever they go, as well as having as much broadcasting time on TV every week as they like to spread all their Government propaganda and then they have the cheek to prohibit any political meetings of more than 5 people by their future opponents in the election.  Further, they have extreme measures in force to prevent any serious criticism of their policies or performance, saying that they come from "bad people" or from misinformed people who are trying to create unrest and misunderstandings, when in fact it is the Government itself which is the past-master at that.

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

“We won’t benefit anyone in particular.”

Can lies ever become more blatant than this?

Coming from a man that has campaigned under a disguise if a stupid Niyim bla bla rah rah