Election Rules Bent Against The Poor: Grassroots Parties

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Election Rules Bent Against The Poor: Grassroots Parties

By Pravit Rojanaphruk, Senior Staff Writer

 

Image: Commoner Party

 

BANGKOK — The viability of two new political parties seeking to represent historically disenfranchised voters was in doubt Wednesday, with representatives saying the new election rules are biased against the poor.

 

Commoner Party spokesman Pakorn Areekul said changes to the certification process may prevent it from fielding candidates in the promised elections, while Kean Party leader Sombat Boonngam-anong said it would be unlikely to meet funding and membership requirements.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2018/11/07/election-rules-bent-against-the-poor-grassroots-parties/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2018-11-07

[seajae]

if it was very easy to start up a political party you would have every tom dick and harry doing it, a political party has to have some semblance of well being. While it may restrict the poor from forming parties in most instances they would not have the mental capacity/knowledge to be able to run them or set fiscal as well as other policies due to lack of education/schooling anyway. A thousand baht is not a huge sum of money, if people are serious about starting a political party then they should be able to put in to it, if they are so caught up in starting one then let them pay for those that cant, thats what happens in other parties and why you have their "boss"

[zzaa09]

They fear real populist peasant rebellions and "grassroots" movements of the like.

Historic precedence.

[Dumbastheycome]

On 11/7/2018 at 1:46 PM, seajae said:

if it was very easy to start up a political party you would have every tom dick and harry doing it, a political party has to have some semblance of well being. While it may restrict the poor from forming parties in most instances they would not have the mental capacity/knowledge to be able to run them or set fiscal as well as other policies due to lack of education/schooling anyway. A thousand baht is not a huge sum of money, if people are serious about starting a political party then they should be able to put in to it, if they are so caught up in starting one then let them pay for those that cant, thats what happens in other parties and why you have their "boss"

I agree. Those rural  "poor" alluded to are most likely the elderly with minimal education. As such are not properly qualified to be "founding" members of a political Party. Any Political Party  hopeful/s should at outset have some presented ideology capable of attracting founding members who are qualified in all possible manner including having the not so substantial amount of a thousand  baht. Having established any such  Party there is then  nothing to stop the poor from supporting it regardless.

I am curious to learn if  individual independent hopefuls are restricted.