Politics by numbers

By Pradit Phulsarikij 
Nation Graphics

 

 

With the next election expected to be held on February 24, the general public and eligible voters can anticipate a new-look Parliament and government after a much-awaited national vote.

 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30358723

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-17

So, a third of all the seats are NCPO appointees (read Prayut puppets), meaning this will not be a return to true democracy, and the junta are not going to have to cheat all that much, only needing a quarter of the actual elected seats to vote with them to remain in control.

Thais aint  good  at numbers

as with many things here, we expats are asking too much of thai to have any real 'true democracy'; they simply are not capable of that as they have so much difficulty governing themselves

42 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Politics by numbers

How many snouts will fit in the trough at each sitting?

No matter what happens, this crowd will pull whatever stunt they need to hang on to power.

They have got used to having their snouts in the trough, and will not relinquish that easily.

Edited November 17, 20187 yr by colinneil

26 minutes ago, colinneil said:

No matter what happens, this crowd will pull whatever stunt they need to hang on to power.

They have got used to having their snouts in the trough, and will not relinquish that easily.

Might not be Prayut. Technically he seem to rule himself out as party PM nomination according to the 90 days party membership rule and the election to be held on 24 Feb. He has just another 4-5 days to state his political intention and join a party to qualify the 90 days requirement. The caveat is of course the junta can delay the election to accommodate him. I don’t think he will risk the backlash from the citizen if he become an outside PM. 

2 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Might not be Prayut. Technically he seem to rule himself out as party PM nomination according to the 90 days party membership rule and the election to be held on 24 Feb. He has just another 4-5 days to state his political intention and join a party to qualify the 90 days requirement. The caveat is of course the junta can delay the election to accommodate him. I don’t think he will risk the backlash from the citizen if he become an outside PM. 

They will delay another 90 days so he is fine and so they can make newer political parties to crush Pheua Thai

55 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

They will delay another 90 days so he is fine and so they can make newer political parties to crush Pheua Thai

Or do their usual and simply ignore any law they find inconvenient.

1 hour ago, baboon said:

Or do their usual and simply ignore any law they find inconvenient.

Or they gerrymander the constituencies. Actually happen today after Prayut use 44 for the EC to finalize the constituencies. The previous process of public hearing has now been dumped and the EC is legally able to gerrymander with no oversight. The cheating starting early and in earnest. 

Or they gerrymander the constituencies. Actually happen today after Prayut use 44 for the EC to finalize the constituencies. The previous process of public hearing has now been dumped and the EC is legally able to gerrymander with no oversight. The cheating starting early and in earnest. 

Who cares about constituencies actual votes are more important now. I for one am really curious how things will work out vote wise.

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7 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Might not be Prayut. Technically he seem to rule himself out as party PM nomination according to the 90 days party membership rule and the election to be held on 24 Feb. He has just another 4-5 days to state his political intention and join a party to qualify the 90 days requirement. The caveat is of course the junta can delay the election to accommodate him. I don’t think he will risk the backlash from the citizen if he become an outside PM. 

He won't run for office, he simply lacks the courage. However the outsider PM route is still wide open for him. And that seems to be exactly what he is aiming at. In order to make this a reality, PTP needs to be dissolved or prevented from contesting the elections. And even if that works, I doubt the outsider PM route will be possible for him. unless they rigg the election results..

5 hours ago, baboon said:

Or do their usual and simply ignore any law they find inconvenient.

Article 44 could be a kiss of death at any given moment. 

10 hours ago, darksidedog said:

So, a third of all the seats are NCPO appointees (read Prayut puppets), meaning this will not be a return to true democracy, and the junta are not going to have to cheat all that much, only needing a quarter of the actual elected seats to vote with them to remain in control.

Sure, to expected, as that's how it was planned. 

Why bother with a free and popular election when an influential majority of seats have been pre-arranged by sanctioned appointments. 

 

 

Aside from this parade of shenanigans, little is mentioned regarding the local, Amphoe, and Provincial elective process - much more valuable than the national scene.

Edited November 17, 20187 yr by zzaa09

10 hours ago, kannot said:

Thais aint  good  at numbers

I fail to see why people are worried about the numbers. Thais can count as well as anyone else. The NCPO is sending out teams of soldiers to educate Thais about the democratic process. This worked brilliantly in the 2016 Constitutional referendum. The correct numbers were received.

 

I have no doubt that once again the correct numbers will be received.

10 hours ago, YetAnother said:

as with many things here, we expats are asking too much of thai to have any real 'true democracy'; they simply are not capable of that as they have so much difficulty governing themselves

True democracy [whatever that is] doesn't really exist anywhere....

13 minutes ago, tomta said:

I fail to see why people are worried about the numbers. Thais can count as well as anyone else. The NCPO is sending out teams of soldiers to educate Thais about the democratic process. This worked brilliantly in the 2016 Constitutional referendum. The correct numbers were received.

 

I have no doubt that once again the correct numbers will be received.

As you know, a democratic process/stipulation contradicts oligarchical rule.

 

It will not be particularly enlightening or interesting to see who wins this election, given the conviction shown on these pages that that it is fixed (which it probably is).

 

But then this is the first election of the "New Era".

 

And It is the post election period which will provide the "surprises".

 

Contrary to the dearest wish of the regime, the future will be anything but "fixed".

 

 

54 minutes ago, Enoon said:

 

It will not be particularly enlightening or interesting to see who wins this election, given the conviction shown on these pages that that it is fixed (which it probably is).

 

But then this is the first election of the "New Era".

 

And It is the post election period which will provide the "surprises".

 

Contrary to the dearest wish of the regime, the future will be anything but "fixed".

 

 

Nothing new towards this era. 

Of course, there is the proverbial flavour change of Kool-Aid that are available and easily taken.

12 hours ago, rooster59 said:

the general public and eligible voters can anticipate a new-look Parliament and government after a much-awaited national vote.

Frankenstein comes to mind with this electoral voting system.