No law bars Prayut from joining election debate, says EC head

By THE NATION WEEKEND

 

Palang Pracharat kicks off the "30 Days, the Caravan to Save the Nation by Palang Pracharat" campaign in Chai Nat province, the country's rice bowl.

 

THERE is no law barring Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, as the PM candidate for Phalang Pracharat Party, from joining the electoral debate, the Election Commission (EC)’s deputy secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee said yesterday.

 

The EC has finished discussions with the 54 parties contesting the March 24 election in relation to debates about their public policies, which will be taped and broadcast on air from February 26 to March 4.

 

Party representatives will choose from topics set by the EC, covering the economy, social development, education, agriculture, national security and public health, before having their party leaders, PM candidates or other representatives to participate in the debate.

 

This is the first time the EC is organising the electoral debate. This time, the most controversial figure expected to be in the debate is General Prayut, who has resisted calls from other parties to step down from his prime minister’s post in the run-up to the election in order to avoid having an unfair advantage.

On Friday, Sawaeng chose not to confirm whether or not the premier could join the debate, saying only that there was no law barring him as a PM candidate from doing so.

 

Phalang Pracharat has submitted a request with the EC for clarification, asking the commission to look into the ambiguity and to rule on the extent to which the PM can participate in the race as a candidate. The request also asked if Prayut could assist with the campaign now underway, the party’s secretary-general, Sontirat Sontijirawong, said.

Sontirat has already stepped down from his post as commerce minister. 

 

EC secretary-general Pol Colonel Jarungvith Phumma said the EC has not been able to clarify anything yet and has yet to see the party’s petition. However, once it has received the petition, the EC is obliged to reply within 30 days.

 

Jarungvith said the EC needs to review the issue thoroughly, including studying related laws as well as related clauses in the Constitution.

 

Personally, he said, he cannot at this time predict how the issue will unfold. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30364586

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-02-23

"...THERE is no law barring Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, as the PM candidate for Phalang Pracharat Party, from joining the electoral debate, the Election Commission (EC)’s deputy secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee said yesterday..."

 

But, there is the (well-founded) fear of embarrassment...

 

PS

 

"...The request also asked if Prayut could assist with the campaign now underway, the party’s secretary-general, Sontirat Sontijirawong, said..."

 

Ask if Prayut could assist with the campaign underway? What do they think he has been doing with the "Mobile Cabinet Meetings" for the last year? Sightseeing?

 

PPS

 

Why is the EC only considering these questions now? There hasn't been a successful election in Thailand since 2011. Exactly what the hell have all the EC staff and commissioners been doing for 8 years? How much salary have they received during this time? How much in perks have they received? How much in foreign travel have they received? What have they been doing?

 

 

Edited February 22, 20197 yr by Samui Bodoh

5 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

THERE is no law barring Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, as the PM candidate for Phalang Pracharat Party, from joining the electoral debate, the Election Commission (EC)’s deputy secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee said yesterday.

course he said that, puppets do not defy their masters

8 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Jarungvith said the EC needs to review the issue thoroughly, including studying related laws as well as related clauses in the Constitution.

 

Personally, he said, he cannot at this time predict how the issue will unfold. 

He must be thick, because, I think everyone else can predict how it will unfold !

In Prayut's favour.

Maybe the EC should just concentrate on organizing the ballot - because the last time they did they failed miserably,

Bunch of fools pretending to be important.

I can not hear it anymore - an illegitimate government that broke every law of the land and then pardon themselves - all the illegitimate puppets they placed after the coup keep citing the law but only when it suits them ! Pathetic !

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

Even with some of the dross in the Thai political field, it would be a massacre for Prayuth, and his egg shell thin ego couldn't take it.

Would actually gain a bit of respect for him if he did go into one that was live on TV

Their favourite topic, laws. Not whats good, right, decent or morally correct. They have produced laws that suit their purpose, laws that pardon them from their criminal behaviour and laws that outlaw dissent. We now have a whole library of laws but a govt armed with S44 for when laws are not enough. Legal is not always right.

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

No law bars Prayut from joining election debate

 

There may not be a law preventing Uncle Number One from entering a debate. But his radioactive ego is, as we see almost daily, more important than any so-called law. A normal debate involves listening and he hasn’t listened to anyone (except maybe the voices) in years…do we really expect him to start now?

 

Edited February 23, 20197 yr by Hayduke

43 minutes ago, z42 said:

Even with some of the dross in the Thai political field, it would be a massacre for Prayuth, and his egg shell thin ego couldn't take it.

Would actually gain a bit of respect for him if he did go into one that was live on TV

Yes. Notice that the 'debates' are going to be pre-recorded - so lots of opportunity to edit out any bits where someone freezes, or messes up, or rants and raves, or loses the plot ....!

Can you imagine intelligent and articulate Thanathorn in a live , no-holds-barred debate with Prayut? It would be a steamroller running over a gnat!

Would never be allowed, of course.

 

Edited February 23, 20197 yr by Eligius

We can only hope to see the little general get his back side handed to him in a debate.   

Prayut is just a lot smarter then you guys give him credit for. He has finally realized (or his keepers) that to put him in a debate would make sure he would never get any votes given that he can't control his temper and can't debate.

 

Would be fun to see him lose a debate and lose his cool.

Thanathorn is the only one who would go direct combative head to head with him as he is younger generation at heart and some of the old stuff he just doesn't care about. He has no respect for him, so why would he respect him I mean. For the others maybe not as it is still against Thai culture to cross going eye to eye or higher than the Phu Yai. Almost treasonable. 

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

No law bars Prayut from joining election debate, says EC head

except the law of Coherent Rhetoric

Not relevant to topic

Edited February 23, 20197 yr by holy cow cm

14 minutes ago, robblok said:

Prayut is just a lot smarter then you guys give him credit for. He has finally realized (or his keepers) that to put him in a debate would make sure he would never get any votes given that he can't control his temper and can't debate.

 

Would be fun to see him lose a debate and lose his cool.

Rather see him lose a lot more than just a debate

No law should bar anyone from debate so long as its an honest debate, at the end, for someone who denied for six weeks that there would ever be a coup,  who actually cares what Prayut has to say. 

He is a master of debates is he not????

Well of course there are no laws barring the junta at all. If there was they've changed them a while back...or change them now, ha!

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

No law bars Prayut from joining election debate

Why bother to be involved in debates with his political opposition when Prayut is allowed to conduct his daily political monologues on TV at government expense.

Should there be public debates by his political opposition without his direct participation, Prayut can use his daily TV appearances and his 33 Cabinet members to do a one-sided unchallenged counter-debate.

Yup.... Because Thailand has so many 'laws' but NOT of importance as in this case.............

In many countries, Parliament is dissolved when an election is called. This lot seem to be passing new laws like they're going out of fashion right now. Plus Prayut has his free Friday night spot to tell the populace how fantastic his Government has been, allowing him free reign when other parties are told not to criticise. 

 

I don't speak Thai but a debate involving Prayut and real politicians would be quite fun to watch! 

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

No law bars Prayut from joining election debate

Prayut Chan-o-cha participate in a debate? They must be joking. He couldn't carry on a debate with anyone with more intelligence than Winnie the Poo. 

He talks in cliches till the cows come home, he can't answer questions so he asks his own questions and he constantly changes the subject to talk about himself and his "achievements". 

It would be nothing short of hilarious to watch him try to debate anything with anyone. Bring him on please..... please!

 

I've yet to meet anyone that would vote for him

5 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I've yet to meet anyone that would vote for him

My Mrs loves him as do many in this particular part on Isaan. I just keep my mouth shut when they discuss politics.

Edited February 23, 20197 yr by emptypockets