Democrats up in arms over Prayut proposal

By THE NATION

Junta leader Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has proposed the voting ballot show no party logos and names and bearing only candidate numbers.

 

Party explores legal action as PM suggests excluding party names, symbols from ballots.

 

THE DEMOCRAT PARTY is looking at legal means to deter the junta leader’s proposal to remove political parties’ symbols and names from ballots, fearing it will cause confusion among voters. 

 

This unprecedented proposal by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was met with objections from politicians and critics, who believe the absence of symbols and names will only benefit the pro-junta Phalang Pracharat Party, as many well-known politicians are running under its banner.

 

Democrats held a discussion yesterday and said the party’s legal department would check the issue and work on trying to stop anything that could prevent free and fair elections. 

 

Democrat Party spokesman Thana Chiravinij said yesterday that the removal of names and party symbols will not just give one party an advantage, but will also cause confusion among voters, especially among the senior citizens and the illiterate. 

 

This confusion may even discourage these voters from turning up, he said, adding that it is the Election Commission (EC)’s job to ensure every citizen exercises his or her right to vote. 

 

However, proponents of the proposal argue that it will be easier for the EC to only show candidate numbers on the ballot and leave out other details because candidates from the same party this time will not share the same number. 

 

However, Thana called on the EC to put public interest ahead of its own convenience. 

 

General Prayut’s proposal has also raised questions about whether the junta is meddling with the election. 

 

Thana pointed out that Prayut should never have been part of the meeting between the ruling National Council for Peace and Order and party representatives on Friday and should have distanced himself from the election process altogether. 

 

He said this was especially important, considering the fact that the prime minister has the absolute power to appoint or remove members of independent agencies like the EC. 

 

Meanwhile, former election commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said on Facebook yesterday that this was an old trick to get voters to choose candidates whose names they were most familiar with, adding that voters may not realise that these candidates were now with Phalang Pracharat.

 

“The only party benefiting from this will be the one that has stolen former MPs from other parties,” Somchai wrote. 

 

He added that removing logos and party names can lead to further complications, as this move may lead to a lawsuit or the election being voided, because having a ballot without party symbols and names violated the Constitution. 

 

Onus on EC

 

The former EC member also implied that if the election ends up being unsuccessful, then the current seven EC members may be held responsible for wasting the over Bt5-billion budget earmarked for the national poll. 

 

Politicians and critics echoed these concerns, including Pheu Thai key leader Sudarat Keyuraphan, Democrat member Alongkorn Ponlaboot and political scientist Sirote Klampaiboon.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30360101

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-12-10

EC warned new ballots could lead to possibility of election being nullified

 

 

As resentments among political parties and politicians grow against the new poll ballot design, a former election commissioner has warned the Election Commission that the forthcoming election could end up being declared null and void.

 

The new ballots, designed by the EC, only show the numbers and names of the candidates without the names and logos of their parties.

 

In his Facebook post on Sunday, former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, labelled the EC’s new ballot design as a “shallow and simplistic joke” that would benefit the party which has “sucked” many former MPs into its fold — an apparent reference to the pro-regime Palang Pracharat party.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/ec-warned-new-ballots-could-lead-to-possibility-of-election-being-nullified/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-12-10

Another tip acquired on the Thai-Cambodia hotline ? ☎️

"...General Prayut’s proposal has also raised questions about whether the junta is meddling with the election..."

 

Raised questions? Raised questions?

 

 

The Junta/Prayut started cheating with the coup and have been cheating ever since.

 

They are cheating cheaters who cheat.

 

Raised questions?

 

 

Comedy gold!

 

 

9 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...General Prayut’s proposal has also raised questions about whether the junta is meddling with the election..."

 

Raised questions? Raised questions?

 

 

The Junta/Prayut started cheating with the coup and have been cheating ever since.

 

They are cheating cheaters who cheat.

 

Raised questions?

 

 

Comedy gold!

 

 

Yep.

Doing everything in their power to tip the scales significantly.

To be expected.

 

 

My popcorn and Ya Dong at the ready.

Prime entertainment.

How far is he prepared to move the goalposts to try and guarantee his win ?

Any Thai with any common sense, would definitely vote against him, taking into account his numerous, deceitful tactics.

The wolf wrapped in sheep’s clothing,

comes to mind

May as well just have Praytuth name on the voting slip as that is the only thing that will count, has to be obvious to even the dumbest of the dumb!

25 minutes ago, Thaiwrath said:

How far is he prepared to move the goalposts to try and guarantee his win ?

Any Thai with any common sense, would definitely vote against him, taking into account his numerous, deceitful tactics.

 

Common sense is a foreign concept!

Ridiculous proposal. And indeed, why is Prayuth meddling with this ? Free and fair elections, yeah right.

void is better than delay

or 

rigging

They are trying everything to rig the election but they won't succeed

3 hours ago, harada said:

Another tip acquired on the Thai-Cambodia hotline ?

 

2 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Common sense is a foreign concept!

On a car journey yesterday, a (farang) friend and I were being tested on our knowledge of Thai vocabulary by our (Thai) spouses. I suggested that there was no Thai translation of 'common sense'. The ladies agreed, and offered 'mai pen rai ' as the nearest equivalent!

Edited December 10, 20187 yr by Stupooey
Repetition

How blatantly stupid and shameful.  These are people who are trying to brand themselves with the voters they wish to serve.  A logo is part of that branding.  Just shows the room temperature IQ's of those in uniform, and that is why they are not good at branding, debating, bearing scrutiny or governing a country.

Deary me , after all the populist handouts , walkabouts ,baby cuddling and gerrymandering , they are still not confident about putting their vaunted popularity to the test.

 

Why not just cut to the chase Henry Ford style and have a ballot with just Prayuths name on it.

 

Even then he would still worry about losing.

Election could be null and void.
It's not beyond the imagination to conclude that this is the desired result.
It would mean another extended period of junta control.
But "not their fault"!


Sent from my H4133 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

6 hours ago, webfact said:

the election being voided

By what agency that's not under NCPO power and/or influence?

What agency cannot have its personnel removed arbitrarily under Article 44 (see also Article 265 of the 2017 Constitution) without cause and due process of law?

The Constitutional Court can merely say that the design layout of the ballot is a matter for the NLA (all appointed by the NCPO) and not a violation of the constitution and all parties will be treated equally by not having their name on the ballot.

How about voting by colour of ballot paper - red, yellow, green etc. But only if enough RED papers are printed.  

22 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

How about voting by colour of ballot paper - red, yellow, green etc. But only if enough RED papers are printed.  

Wow … the mind boggles … with 105 different parties, the ballot paper trays would stretch half-way down the street. Let me know if it happens, BB, so the father-in-law can get his paper mill going again.

This get funnier by the day.

What a load of 'ballots'. I keep saying it...the junta will do want they, when they blah blah. Why don't they just say Thailand is not a democracy anymore...change the name to Thahaland (short for Thahaanland) alternatively, erasing the the 'T' might be more precise.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Junta leader Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has proposed the voting ballot show no party logos and names and bearing only candidate numbers

This imaginative electoral contrivance has Wissenu's name written all over it. Things must be getting desperate for the PM to pull this one out of his box of sneaky tricks.

The next obvious announcement will be that candidate numbers will be drawn from a hat which would certainly mean by the luck of the draw and sleight of hand he would end up getting No. 1. No flies on these boys!

And for the convenience, and preventing confusion for the voters we supply duly completed ballots at hand. Everyone using these will be rewarded with 500 baht.

Edited December 10, 20187 yr by Lupatria

What a farce-this guy

Straight away the coming election could already be called a sham.

13 hours ago, webfact said:

..........could end up being declared null and void.

I think some powerful interests would like that.

Seems reasonable to me. If you don't know who is on which party you are not invested enough in the political process to form an opinion. Just voting for the candidate with the "right " party symbol just falls short in my opinion. 

They have no shame...what an obvious con attempt. Kangaroo justice system, government and everything else. I hope the Thais wake up sometime.

In other news, all Puea Thai candidates have changed their first name to Thaksin.