Prayut allowed to continue mobile Cabinet meetings

By THE NATION

 

 

EC TO REVIEW APPROPRIATENESS OF PM HOLDING WEEKLY TV SHOW ONCE HE JOINS THE FRAY AS AN ELECTORAL CANDIDATE

 

THE ELECTION Commission (EC) announced yesterday that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha can still hold mobile Cabinet meetings despite political parties and members of the public saying it gives him an unfair advantage in the election.

 

He has already been added to a pro-junta party’s list of PM candidates.

 

EC deputy secretary-general Nat Laosisavakul said yesterday that General Prayut, in his capacity as premier, can continue performing his public administration duties, including holding mobile Cabinet meetings in different provinces.

 

Given the blurred line between working on a field trip and conducting an electoral campaign, Nat admitted that there was a matter of ethical appropriateness to be considered.

 

He said Prayut’s responsibility as prime minister was one thing and ethics was another. However, the agency would have to review whether this was against the law, he added.

 

The agency remains unsure about what decision it should make in relation to Prayut’s weekly television address.

 

It is still not clear if Prayut can continue with the programme or if it will have to be stopped once he becomes a PM candidate, Nat said.

 

Nat met with Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam yesterday to discuss the roles and responsibilities of state servants during the upcoming election. It was speculated that the two might also discuss what Prayut could or could not do when he becomes an official electoral candidate.

 

The development came after the pro-junta Phalang Pracharat announced on Wednesday that they would invite the coup leader to run as its PM candidate.

 

Party leader Uttama Savanayana will hand the formal invitation to Prayut in person today.

 

Though Prayut has yet to give a clear answer, he did say yesterday that he has until February 8 to make a decision. He thanked the party for its invitation.

 

Prayut has faced criticism that these moves have been planned from the very day he staged the coup. However, he has denied having such ambitions.

 

“I have seen many problems in the past five years. So, I think I need to carry on if the people want me to carry on,” he said. “This is up to the people, not me.”

 

Prayut has also steadfastly refused to give up power in the lead-up to the election, though his potential status as a prime ministerial candidate has stirred up controversy.

 

Critics say the election may not be free and fair if Prayut continues to hold on to his position, as he will have the advantage of using state resources to woo voters, along with a personal communication channel through his weekly TV show.

 

In addition to Prayut, Phalang Pracharat also resolved on Wednesday that its leader Uttama and Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak would be on their PM list.

 

Somkid is currently in Japan for meetings with investors. He said yesterday that he had not been contacted by the party but would consider their nomination once he returned to Thailand.

 

He added that he hoped Prayut would accept the invitation to top the ticket. Given that Thailand is in the middle of a significant transition, Prayut will be a perfect PM candidate, he said.

 

In a related development, the regime’s arch-rival, Pheu Thai Party, yesterday was pressing to have Phalang Pracharat declared an illegitimate party.

 

Pheu Thai lawyer Kriangkrai Leekitwatana said he would again ask the EC today about his complaint that Phalang Pracharat’s status might be questionable, since it was registered last November by Uttama before he had legally become a party member.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30363328

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-02-01

4 minutes ago, webfact said:

Prayut has faced criticism that these moves have been planned from the very day he staged the coup. However, he has denied having such ambitions.

 

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

He said Prayut’s responsibility as prime minister was one thing and ethics was another.

And never the t'wain shall meet .. 

43 minutes ago, webfact said:

saying it gives him an unfair advantage in the election.

All the advantages have been placed in the senate ,

travelling cabinet meetings is now just cream 

50 minutes ago, webfact said:

THE ELECTION Commission (EC) announced yesterday that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha can still hold mobile Cabinet meetings despite political parties and members of the public saying it gives him an unfair advantage in the election.

the sham continues; EC is his puppet; anyone really think they would oppose him ?

Mobile Cabinet meetings ? .... you mean they actually did get the 5G in Thailand after all ?!!

2 hours ago, webfact said:

THE ELECTION Commission (EC) announced yesterday that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha can still hold mobile Cabinet meetings despite political parties and members of the public saying it gives him an unfair advantage in the election.

An 'unfair advantage' is the only advantage he's ever likely to get. Apart from the usual threat of intimidation he's used before.

This is surely a joke, EC say Prayut allowed to continue mobile cabinet meetings.

As he controls/ dictates what the EC can or cannot do, of course they say he is allowed, they darent do other wise.

5 minutes ago, colinneil said:

This is surely a joke, EC say Prayut allowed to continue mobile cabinet meetings.

As he controls/ dictates what the EC can or cannot do, of course they say he is allowed, they darent do other wise.

Yup, absolutely. The EC are just waiting to be 'told' what to say.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

there was a matter of ethical appropriateness to be considered.

That little matter hasn't held them back in the past and seems unlikely to do so now. There was no ethical problem with stopping all discussion over the new constitution, jailing anyone against it and banning dissent. There was no ethical problem in jailing one person out of hundreds who shared a BBC article. An NLA stuffed full of military and acting as a parliament hasn't caused an ethical problem so why worry about an unfair advantage of extra TV time or electioneering passed off as cabinet meetings. The only intent now is winning, how doesn't matter. 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut Chan-o-cha can still hold mobile Cabinet meetings

Electioneering using the taxpayer's money - nothing wrong there! ????????

3 hours ago, webfact said:

“I have seen many problems in the past five years. So, I think I need to carry on if the people want me to carry on,” he said.

 

He has seen but not rectified any problems !! Carry on ?? Don't bother pal...

10 minutes ago, Lungstib said:

That little matter hasn't held them back in the past and seems unlikely to do so now. There was no ethical problem with stopping all discussion over the new constitution, jailing anyone against it and banning dissent. There was no ethical problem in jailing one person out of hundreds who shared a BBC article. An NLA stuffed full of military and acting as a parliament hasn't caused an ethical problem so why worry about an unfair advantage of extra TV time or electioneering passed off as cabinet meetings. The only intent now is winning, how doesn't matter. 

And even if you can't find a law to enforce for your own self-interest, just make one up:

'Eating a sandwich with political intent':

 

4 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

He has seen but not rectified any problems !! Carry on ?? Don't bother pal...

It is a right 'Carry On' - up the Kyber.

We know Prayut must be scared of the police. He promised to reform them, but has done nothing whatsoever.

One more kick into the groins of the Thais. One more mouthful of spittle launched into their faces.

 

But in many ways the Thais deserve all of this (by not having the guts and grit to oppose any of it). There are still people who support Prayut - I was speaking to a Thai friend yesterday (educated - a medic) who says he will vote 'ONLY for Prayut'. And there are even young educated people who do not want to support either Thanathorn's Future Forward Party (the only ray of hope for Thailand at the present time, in my opinion) or Pheua Thai. One Western-educated young university lecturer (a pleasant 28-year-old Thai lady) told me yesterday that she used to be a supporter of Prayut, but now she is not sure whom to vote for - but definitely not Thanathorn or Pheua Thai.

 

I give up!

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The agency remains unsure about what decision it should make in relation to Prayut’s weekly television address.

 

It is still not clear if Prayut can continue with the programme or if it will have to be stopped once he becomes a PM candidate, Nat said.

Jesus, just stop it please!

There is a God if there is no more Friday waffling.

And television repairmen countrywide see a huge drop in work & earnings, as people stop damaging their own tv's by throwing various objects at the screen.

Quote

Prayut allowed to continue mobile Cabinet meetings

corrected:

Prayut allowed himself to continue mobile Cabinet meetings

The only people who can stop those are the voting people of Thailand.  Let's hope these are the final days of less than nimble minded autocracy. 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut allowed to continue mobile Cabinet meetings

So presumably the PM's electioneering caravan continues on it's merry way handing out even more populist Thai Niyom money to the provincial leaders who are then able to have an influence over where the people's votes go. And still the PM treats his people as fools as he plays childishly coy about his participation with the Palang Pracharath Party.

This junta controlled election is a farce and as crooked as any election could possibly be. 

1 hour ago, yellowboat said:

The only people who can stop those are the voting people of Thailand.  Let's hope these are the final days of less than nimble minded autocracy. 

And if they want to go that far road more than 60 days they have said now, they have a total of 150 days after that to count the ballots themselves before releasing the results they won with complete victory. These guys are too powerful. 

17 hours ago, webfact said:

Given the blurred line between working on a field trip and conducting an electoral campaign, Nat admitted that there was a matter of ethical appropriateness to be considered.

The fox guarding the hen house has admitted there is an ethics problem! So one has to believe that the EC knows opposing Prayut would be a costly push from the trough while any direction other than Prayut would probably be met with a work around, sort like an invocation of 44.