EC ‘brave’ to send Thai Raksa Chart to Constitutional court, says former commissioner Somchai

By Kas Chanwanpen 
The Nation

 

Thai Raksa Chart Party holds an election rally at Lan Khon Muang plaza in front of Bangkok City Hall on Friday.

 

While others have criticised the Election Commission’s decision to take the Thai Raksa Chart Party to the Constitutional Court to seek dissolution, former commissioner Somchai Sriwatanayakorn on Friday hailed the agency’s “courage”. Taking the case to the court at a later date could have brought about much political confusion, he said.

 

Speaking to the public forum “Thai Raksa Chart Party’s Possible Dissolution” held at Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand, Somchai said the EC commissioners may have put themselves at risk and could have to take responsibility for an “undesirable outcome” by rushing to take the case to court.

 

Drawing on his experience as a former commissioner, Somchai noted that should normally take from 15 to 30 days or more for a sub-committee to work through a case before the commission could make a decision.

 

Somchai said a case that took only one or two days for a decision, as occurred over Thai Raksa Chart’s possible dissolution, was rare. However, by not using a sub-committee to help determine the case, the EC could be putting themselves at risk, he added.

 

 

 

Public criticism has been largely focused on the commission, with commentators arguing that it demonstrated discrimination against the anti-junta party, and had skipped steps in a proper process in a rush to get the party dissolved.

 

Somchai disagreed, and suggested that the sooner the case ended, the better.

 

The rush meant that the Court could bring down a verdict before the March 24 election, he said, and that would be the “best scenario”. The case would be ended without any further questions, the former commissioner said.

 

If the verdict to dissolve Thai Raksa Chart was instead issued after the election, much turmoil would ensure, Somchai said. He raised two additional scenarios.

 

In his first and “most difficult” scenario, the judgement could come after the election but before the EC endorsed the election results. Nobody would know for sure how to proceed or what to do with the votes already cast for the dissolved party, or whether a by-election should be held, he said.

 

And in a final scenario, the Court’s verdict would be issued after the EC’s endorsement of the election outcome. This could lead to political uncertainty as the successful MP candidates could rightfully claim their titles but would have to seek affiliation with other parties, said Somchai.

 

The difficulty in that scenario would lie with the choices made by the successful candidates, said Somchai. Would they move to other pro-democracy parties or would they change sides, Somchai wondered.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30365050

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-02

"...EC ‘brave’ to send Thai Raksa Chart to Constitutional court, says former commissioner Somchai..."

 

What a load of crap.

 

What 'Somchai' calls brave, I call a "Political Hit Job".

 

"Brave' would have been banning Prayut for abusing tax-payer monies for such a long time with the "Mobile Cabinet Meetings" which, by some strange coincidence, happen to occur in every contested seat/area in the country.

 

"Brave" would have been banning Prayut's party for holding an outrageous fund-raising dinner with government officials and HUGE amounts of unaccounted for cash.

 

"Brave" would be banning Suthep and his paid henchmen for helping to overthrow the last elected government and blocking an election.

 

"Brave" would have been blocking Prayut because he led a coup.

 

"Brave" would have been standing up and saying that the 'new' election system is designed to ensure that one party doesn't win as they have for the last several elections.

 

"Brave" would have been to ban the military from even approaching within 200 Feet of a ballot box.

 

I guess that Somchai and I have a different view on what is "brave"...

 

PS the last successful election in Thailand was in 2011. What have the EC Commissioners and staff been doing for the last 8 years? How much salary have they collected in that time? How much foreign travel did they take part in during those years? How much money was paid in perks for all those years?

 

It would be "Brave" to impart that information to the public...

 

 

Edited March 1, 20197 yr by Samui Bodoh

17 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

former commissioner Somchai Sriwatanayakorn on Friday hailed the agency’s “courage”.

how pompous, and patheticly so

Brave Sir Robin ran away.
Bravely ran away away.

When danger reared it's ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled.

Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about
And gallantly he chickened out.

Swiftly taking to his feet,
He beat a very brave retreat.
Bravest of the brave, Sir Robin!

If this EC was truly brave they would have:

• not submitted their application for the EC as long as the NCPO has absolute power over all civilian affairs;
• rejected their nomination by an appointed NCPO committee;
• rejected their appointment by an appointed NCPO NLA;
• resigned en masse at the first instance of interference brought by the NCPO;
• publicly condemned the NCPO for retaining absolute power throughout the electoral process;
• etc.

The EC's "bravery" is not colored by red (courage) but by the color yellow.

Man , they really like these dog and pony shows don't they.

 

Can't get enough of 'em.

 

Considering the cause of all this ' courage ' and ' bravery '  it is not unreasonable to say that it is already a case of ' the needle and the damage done '

 

Regardless of any outcome , the claimed raison d'etre of the whole junta establishment has been seriously undermined.

Its claims of loyalty and duty to protect seem to be seriously at odds with the cause of all this foaming at the mouth.

 

 

4 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...EC ‘brave’ to send Thai Raksa Chart to Constitutional court, says former commissioner Somchai..."

 

What a load of crap.

 

What 'Somchai' calls brave, I call a "Political Hit Job".

 

"Brave' would have been banning Prayut for abusing tax-payer monies for such a long time with the "Mobile Cabinet Meetings" which, by some strange coincidence, happen to occur in every contested seat/area in the country.

 

"Brave" would have been banning Prayut's party for holding an outrageous fund-raising dinner with government officials and HUGE amounts of unaccounted for cash.

 

"Brave" would be banning Suthep and his paid henchmen for helping to overthrow the last elected government and blocking an election.

 

"Brave" would have been blocking Prayut because he led a coup.

 

"Brave" would have been standing up and saying that the 'new' election system is designed to ensure that one party doesn't win as they have for the last several elections.

 

"Brave" would have been to ban the military from even approaching within 200 Feet of a ballot box.

 

I guess that Somchai and I have a different view on what is "brave"...

 

PS the last successful election in Thailand was in 2011. What have the EC Commissioners and staff been doing for the last 8 years? How much salary have they collected in that time? How much foreign travel did they take part in during those years? How much money was paid in perks for all those years?

 

It would be "Brave" to impart that information to the public...

 

 

Nobody will ever explain this better.

Perfectly worded.

+1.

Could not say it better myself.

Post of the month - and it's only the 2nd of March.

Ta velly much.

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Somchai said a case that took only one or two days for a decision, as occurred over Thai Raksa Chart’s possible dissolution, was rare. However, by not using a sub-committee to help determine the case, the EC could be putting themselves at risk, he added.

  

Perhaps ex-EC commissioner was being sarcastic when he said that the EC was brave. Judging from precedent, the court should throw out the case. But there again the court is known for making judgement based on political expediency for the incumbent. 

Gawd,it's getting worse.

 

Do these people ever not talk in doublespeak?

Is there a single one of the 65-70 million who is capable of any sort of honesty?

 

So we have a bunch of sycophants that is being hailed as brave for their sycophantic act by a former member of the same club. Let's just say he didn't quite convince me.

The EC is now the Junta’s B..... aka slave....


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they want a medal

everyone has got one+

Firstly, this party would be banned in almost any country since its financial support is from a fugitive on the run from justice. Secondly,  its PM choice was pretty obviously unacceptable to everyone.

Blaming the Junta for everything is pretty pathetic and shows ignorance of true Thai politics.

This from a man who used every excuse he could think of to stall a mandatory, and approved election just to help his buddies screaming for a coup. Disgraceful person

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2 hours ago, gamini said:

Firstly, this party would be banned in almost any country since its financial support is from a fugitive on the run from justice. Secondly,  its PM choice was pretty obviously unacceptable to everyone.

Blaming the Junta for everything is pretty pathetic and shows ignorance of true Thai politics.

Wot a larf.

 

It get's better every day.

Firstly, this party would be banned in almost any country since its financial support is from a fugitive on the run from justice. Secondly,  its PM choice was pretty obviously unacceptable to everyone.
Blaming the Junta for everything is pretty pathetic and shows ignorance of true Thai politics.

Not really, as in almost every country, Thaksin's conviction is not being taken seriously. 10 years after being convicted he can freely travel anywhere but Thailand. Since you mention justice, Thailand has been run for almost five years by people that committed high treason, and the only reason justice cannot touch them is because they placed themselves above the law.

The junta is afraid of Thaksin's electoral popularity there really is nothing more to it.

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A post of a profane manner has been removed.