Thai parties wait impatiently for lift on political activities ban

[webfact]

Parties wait impatiently for lift on activities ban

By THE NATION

 

file photo

 

PARTIAL FREEDOM PROMISED NEXT MONTH SO POLITICIANS CAN PREPARE FOR ELECTIONS

 

POLITICIANS hope the government will finally ease the ban on political activities now that the plan to hold elections between February and May is starting to take shape and the junta’s road map to democracy is nearing an end.

 

Democrat Party’s deputy leader Ongart Klampaiboon said yesterday his party would not ask the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to lift the ban right away, as the council knows what it should do to lead the country to democracy.

 

He also said the NCPO should be responsible for any consequences.

 

Political activities and assemblies have been banned since the junta took over in 2014. The ban has been justified as a move to avoid political turmoil.

 

Meanwhile, the junta has said it would partially lift the ban next month so parties can prepare for the upcoming elections.

Full freedom, however, will not be restored until every electoral legislation goes into effect for security and peacekeeping purposes, the junta said.

 

Ongart, however, said he did not see any signs of unrest breaking out.

 

“Everybody wants the country to return to democracy. Polls show that people want to vote. Nobody wants disorder anymore,” he said.

 

“Parties and politicians have been preparing to get back to work under a democratic rule. I don’t think anybody would want to create conflict. It would just not be acceptable to the public.”

 

Kosol Patama, former Pheu Thai Party MP for Nakhon Ratchasima, said his party was waiting for the NCPO to lift the ban as soon as possible, adding that Pheu Thai’s movements were always being closely watched by the authorities.

 

Once assembly is allowed, the party will select new executives, including a leader who will be nominated as a candidate for the premier’s post, he said.

 

Meanwhile, Kosol said, the party was working on its policies, adding that Pheu Thai is confident it |will keep its seats and gain even more in its stronghold in the Northeast.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30353000

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-08-27

[Samui Bodoh]

"...PARTIAL FREEDOM PROMISED NEXT MONTH SO POLITICIANS CAN PREPARE FOR ELECTIONS.."

 

Partial freedom? When you allow another entity to decide how much freedom you have, you do not have any.

 

"...POLITICIANS hope the government will finally ease the ban on political activities now that the plan to hold elections between February and May is starting to take shape and the junta’s road map to democracy is nearing an end..."

 

"The plan to hold elections... is starting to take shape..."

 

While I would very much like to see the Thai people vote in a free(ish) and fair(ish) election (they won't be completely free and fair, and everyone knows that), the devil is ALWAYS in the details. What specifically are the rules? What specifically can you do and not do? Can you criticize the Junta? Can you criticize the... er... 'regime' of the last four years? What is the specific timetable for events?, Etc etc etc. Given the mendacity of the Junta over the last four years, I would be deeply suspicious and wary of what is to come.

 

The entire purpose of the election is to grant legitimacy to the victor. Granting legitimacy to the Junta through an unfair process is the worst possible outcome and should be avoided at any cost, up to and including a boycott.

 

 

[bluesofa]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

adding that Pheu Thai’s movements were always being closely watched by the authorities.

As were Prawit's, when he had his medical malfunction in Ubon a few weeks ago.

 

[meechai]

2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...PARTIAL FREEDOM PROMISED NEXT MONTH SO POLITICIANS CAN PREPARE FOR ELECTIONS.."

 

Partial freedom? When you allow another entity to decide how much freedom you have, you do not have any.

 

The entire purpose of the election is to grant legitimacy to the victor. Granting legitimacy to the Junta through an unfair process is the worst possible outcome and should be avoided at any cost, up to and including a boycott.

 

 

Hope I am wrong but watching Prayut campaigning under various BS terms & listening to him say how "political parties" say they want him to stay on as PM<sic>

I do not see the possibility of anything remotely fair coming out of any staged election

 

Once he is declared the new voted for PM I think all hell will finally break loose. It has been pent up for 4 years now by the Thai's

 

I am happy our now yearly 3 month visit will be up before the election

We left in 2016 after living many years in Thailand but could tell this Junta is different &

under different circumstances that we cannot talk about here

[Cadbury]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Parties wait impatiently for lift on activities ban

That should read....... "all Parties except the Junta Party wait impatiently.........."

The Junta Party election campaign has been in full swing for many months as evidenced by The PM's electioneering caravan roaming the country under the guise of mobile Cabinet meetings.

He has the the full use of the government civil service to support his campaign and the bottomless bucket of Thai Niyom money which he throws around when the rent-a-crowds clap and cheer.

[yellowboat]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Democrat Party’s deputy leader Ongart Klampaiboon said yesterday his party would not ask the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to lift the ban right away, as the council knows what it should do to lead the country to democracy.

 

He also said the NCPO should be responsible for any consequences.

Double talk.  They will lose as always.   They really are totally self serving and they wonder why they are not liked in Chiang Mai or the north east.  

[Dave67]

I'm bursting with anticipation to these M Fs out of office

[sammieuk1]

Hands up who wants to be a future embezzler?

[baboon]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Democrat Party’s deputy leader Ongart Klampaiboon said yesterday his party would not ask the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to lift the ban right away, as the council knows what it should do to lead the country to democracy.

Please, sir, yes, sir, anything you say, sir...'

They'll continue doing exactly what they want because of invertebrates like you, begging and scraping for a few crumbs from the table.

[Lupatria]

If people are waiting for something to happen over a period of 4 years, one can hardly call them impatient.

[Srikcir]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

including a leader who will be nominated as a candidate for the premier’s post, he said.

I doubt "premier" was specifically referred to by Patama. In print this is only the second time I've seen the head of government in Thailand referred to as "premier" (the first was yesterday) in English translation. "Prime Minister" seems to be the typical translation in Thai Visa articles. Just as has "Deputy Prime Minister" - when has one seen "Deputy Premier?"

 

While the two titles (Prime Minister vs Premier) are literally synonymous, it seems that in Communist countries one does not refer to "Prime Minister" as head of government but rather "Premier." Perhaps because of the nature of a Communist premier's appointment as head of government by an unelected political cabal (ie., politburo) versus prime minister by elected public officials. Following these thoughts I wonder as an explanation for this anomaly in translation of titles if The Nation has a new journalist from China?

[MaxLee]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Parties wait impatiently for lift on activities ban

They can wait 4ever