Pm Reasserts Thailand's Quick Return To Democracy

[george]

PM reasserts Thailand's quick return to democracy

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's democracy will be fully restored in the shortest time possible and the kingdom will always have an open door to welcome foreign investors, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont reaffirmed at his meeting with Australian Ambassador to Thailand William Paterson.

Extending his thanks to the Australian government for its concern for the political situation in Thailand, Gen. Surayud told the envoy who paid a courtesy call on him Thursday afternoon.that his interim government will quickly restore Thai democracy and asserted that the new constitution will be definitely promulgated within this year.

The ambassador also expressed confidence that Thailand will return to fully democratic rule in the near future, according to a statement issued by the Thai Government Spokesman's Bureau released to the media late Thursday.

Gen. Surayud told Ambassador Paterson that Thailand is still wide open for international trade and investment. Regarding government-proposed amendments to the Foreign Business Act which had earlier drawn the huge setback , the prime minister said the proposed amendments were mainly aimed to enhance the state of good governance and transparency in businesses operated by foreign entrepreneurs in the kingdom, said the statement.

The press release stated that Ambassador Paterson asked Gen. Surayud about the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula and the prime minister said he had assigned Deputy Prime Minister and Industry Minister Kosit Panpiemras to temporarily oversee Priyathorn's job prior to the minor cabinet reshuffle which is in the pipeline.

The envoy hailed Australian-Thai cooperation in trade, noting that trade between the two countries increased by 37 per cent in 2006 with Thailand gaining a trade surplus totalling US$954 million. He also described the Thai-Australian Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA) as a win-win situation for both sides which can be viewed as a good model for other countries according to the statement.

The statement said Ambassador Paterson praised Premier Surayud for his straightforward clarification on varied issues raised during the discussion, saying it shows the Thai government leader's sincerity and sends a good message to the Australian government.

--TNA 2007-03-01

[bingobongo]

right, return to democracy........stalin style.............police state here we come

THAILAND: MILITARY PROPOSES ARMY-APPOINTED DEPUTY GOVERNORS

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English....10772&par=0

[keda]

right, return to democracy........stalin style.............police state here we come

THAILAND: MILITARY PROPOSES ARMY-APPOINTED DEPUTY GOVERNORS

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English....10772&par=0

Military regimes should not be expected to eagerly hand over power, and are not the easiest to wrestle power from.

[jumnien]

If his lips are moving, he's lying. Actually, I think, for the good of Thailand and the Thai people, the military will forego those pesky elections until the global warming problem reverses itself.

[ThaiGoon]

I predict the general election will take place next year....

[sonthaya]

This sounds most of all like a bad joke

Edited March 6, 2007 by sonthaya

[baboon]

I have said it before and I will say it again. No one has ever seized power with the intention of relinquishing it volounterrily. No one. Not ever. Should be interesting to see what happens.

[wintermute]

I wonder what their definition of "democracy" is. So far it seems to me that they are planning on rewriting it with favored politicians/academics/public officials who sit well with the military junta. In that case "democracy" would just be a thinly cast veil of authoritarianism. I believe this is where Thailand is headed any constitution drafted by these knuckleheads should be thoroughly scrutinized.

[Artfullmover]

Democracy?

Thailand only seems to have a "Demcracy" system when all goes well, when it suits the players in power, and mainly to appease the western forieng governments. Most Thais dont care, along as the king has control. (which he has and also is a TRUE representative of his people).

Thailand is a "Shadow" monachy infuenced by groups of wanna be dictators and only goes with Democray when it it serves a purpose as it does.

Guess the same can be said about western governments too. Quite a few have a royals as a head of state with capitalist /facists choosing the party leaders.

Democracies first agenda is to keep the "sheep" in the dark confused , with a liitle bit of happiness with a promise of more. ( most of us are looking forward to the "promises or at least live toward hope)

Brian burke will back me up Im sure, Im sure he will soon retire in thailand, would fit right and become a leading deligate of a place like "Sin City" (Pattaya)

Edited March 6, 2007 by Artfullmover

[Plus]

I doubt Surayud would stand in his post any minute longer than necessary.

The generals will make sure that no pro-Thaksin politicians will do well in the elections. Beyond that they can work with anyone, business as usual.

So far their power rests on public's goodwill, not on guns and tanks, and they understand that very well. As long as their interests are aligned with that of the majority of people who matter in Thailand, everything will be fine.

Their version of democracy won't be all inclusive - there will be no place for Thaksin and his cohorts in Thai politics. Would it be truly democratic? Of course not, but lets be practical - would it be a better democracy than the one we had last year? Millions of people felt disenfranchised under Thaksin's rule and took to the streets because they had no other options. Under the generals that number of discontent members of society is in thousands if not hundreds.

There are other reasons for having limited democracy, too - among the body of voters there are millions and millions of "political criminals" of various degrees . Should they all be given an equal chance to have a stab at the democracy again? Most will recieve a general amnesty (those who were simply paid for votes), many will be "rehabilitated" - forced to denounce Thaksin, yet many will be back in force, as greedy and unprincipled as ever, wolves pretending to be sheep. I would permanently withdraw their voting and campaiging rights if it were possible, but it isn't.

These politicos powers will be clipped in the generals constitution, and, perhaps, it's the best short-term solution. Thailand can't come up with constitution acceptable to everyone anyway - cancerous cells need to be destroyed first.

[jbowman1993]

I doubt Surayud would stand in his post any minute longer than necessary.

The generals will make sure that no pro-Thaksin politicians will do well in the elections. Beyond that they can work with anyone, business as usual.

So far their power rests on public's goodwill, not on guns and tanks, and they understand that very well. As long as their interests are aligned with that of the majority of people who matter in Thailand, everything will be fine.

Their version of democracy won't be all inclusive - there will be no place for Thaksin and his cohorts in Thai politics. Would it be truly democratic? Of course not, but lets be practical - would it be a better democracy than the one we had last year? Millions of people felt disenfranchised under Thaksin's rule and took to the streets because they had no other options. Under the generals that number of discontent members of society is in thousands if not hundreds.

There are other reasons for having limited democracy, too - among the body of voters there are millions and millions of "political criminals" of various degrees . Should they all be given an equal chance to have a stab at the democracy again? Most will recieve a general amnesty (those who were simply paid for votes), many will be "rehabilitated" - forced to denounce Thaksin, yet many will be back in force, as greedy and unprincipled as ever, wolves pretending to be sheep. I would permanently withdraw their voting and campaiging rights if it were possible, but it isn't.

These politicos powers will be clipped in the generals constitution, and, perhaps, it's the best short-term solution. Thailand can't come up with constitution acceptable to everyone anyway - cancerous cells need to be destroyed first.

Plus, you are knocking them out of the park today. Another stellar post, in defiance of the usual diarrhea we see posted here.

[Mid]

I have said it before and I will say it again. No one has ever seized power with the intention of relinquishing it volounterrily. No one. Not ever. Should be interesting to see what happens.

nothing was mentioned about ' relinquishing power ' ,

[younghusband]

I doubt Surayud would stand in his post any minute longer than necessary.

The generals will make sure that no pro-Thaksin politicians will do well in the elections. Beyond that they can work with anyone, business as usual.

So far their power rests on public's goodwill, not on guns and tanks, and they understand that very well. As long as their interests are aligned with that of the majority of people who matter in Thailand, everything will be fine.

Their version of democracy won't be all inclusive - there will be no place for Thaksin and his cohorts in Thai politics. Would it be truly democratic? Of course not, but lets be practical - would it be a better democracy than the one we had last year? Millions of people felt disenfranchised under Thaksin's rule and took to the streets because they had no other options. Under the generals that number of discontent members of society is in thousands if not hundreds.

There are other reasons for having limited democracy, too - among the body of voters there are millions and millions of "political criminals" of various degrees . Should they all be given an equal chance to have a stab at the democracy again? Most will recieve a general amnesty (those who were simply paid for votes), many will be "rehabilitated" - forced to denounce Thaksin, yet many will be back in force, as greedy and unprincipled as ever, wolves pretending to be sheep. I would permanently withdraw their voting and campaiging rights if it were possible, but it isn't.

These politicos powers will be clipped in the generals constitution, and, perhaps, it's the best short-term solution. Thailand can't come up with constitution acceptable to everyone anyway - cancerous cells need to be destroyed first.

Surayud is I think a man of his word and, despite the difficulties he has experienced, we should give him our trust.The generals are another matter and I fear their self serving influence, especially those jostling for Sonthi's position.There are some ugly customers in this group of generals and we should have the courage to face up to this.More than that I fear for Thailand.

Plus talks about "pro-Thaksin" politicians but I think this needs to be more tightly defined since the TRT was a very broad church covering a melange of different ideological strands.Isn't there the danger of throwing out the baby with the bathwater if all politicians associated with Thaksin are excluded?Isn't there some parallel with the mistakes the Americans made in Iraq in dismantling the Baath party and Saddam's military? Remember that Thaksin and the TRT won a popular mandate and whatever view one takes of vote buying etc takes this cannot be denied.

An equally important point is that there is no conceivable basis in law, morality or other criterion for the generals to predetermine who the Thai people should choose to represent them.Obviously Thaksin is out of the picture:he might feel aggrieved but tough, politics is a hard game.The junta will certainly try to manipulate and shape the new constitution to their end, and this should be resisted.There are some encouraging signs they will not have it all their own way.

I don't think Plus has any rational basis for his figures of discontented.Who really knows, especially as political debate is severely stifled now.He might on reflection wish to rephrase "millions and millions of political criminals".I take it this is a reference to rural Thais who accepted cash from political parties, specifically TRT, but perhaps it includes politicians as well.Anyway I think Plus is right that the vicious elements in Thai politics will look to regroup after this crisis.The demise of Thaksin will not change the structural problems in Thailand that have distorted the democratic experiment.The core of the issue is the view that "the people that matter" in Thailand will always have majority voting rights, metaphorically speaking, despite the fact they are a tiny minority.Thoughtful middle class people who loathed Thaksin worry about this.

Perhaps these generals will get their way.I don't know.What I do know that there will not be a permanent settlement.That can only be achieved with a genuine democratic spirit,justice, and compassion for the less privileged.In the end time and gravity always prevail.

[Plus]

Plus talks about "pro-Thaksin" politicians but I think this needs to be more tightly defined since the TRT was a very broad church covering a melange of different ideological strands.Isn't there the danger of throwing out the baby with the bathwater if all politicians associated with Thaksin are excluded?

There has been plently of time given for rats to leave TRT. Plenty of talks about generals making deals with Somsak or Somkid or whoever. I think only "hardliners" and politically insane will stand until the end. Then the water can be safely thrown out - no big loss. There's no de-TRTsation of Thailand in any meaningful sense. Some actaully complain that generals were too soft on TRT.

An equally important point is that there is no conceivable basis in law, morality or other criterion for the generals to predetermine who the Thai people should choose to represent them.

It's a hard fact of life. Someone ALWAYS has to choose who other people are allowed to vote for, EVERYWHERE in the world.

I don't think Plus has any rational basis for his figures of discontented.Who really knows, especially as political debate is severely stifled now.He might on reflection wish to rephrase "millions and millions of political criminals".I take it this is a reference to rural Thais who accepted cash from political parties, specifically TRT, but perhaps it includes politicians as well.

Yes, I meant politicians and all their hangers on. All their canvassers, all their active supporters. All that system. People who simply took cash or bags of rice in exchange for their votes should also be punished, IMO. I want that clause inserted in the new chapter - to make vote selling illegal, at least for symbolic value.

We don't see any popular discontent with the junta. Nothing on the scale of anti Thaksin protests. It's pretty obvious.

The core of the issue is the view that "the people that matter" in Thailand will always have majority voting rights, metaphorically speaking, despite the fact they are a tiny minority.Thoughtful middle class people who loathed Thaksin worry about this.

AH, but I think last year middle classes showed, again, that they are they are the only social group whose opinion matters, their numbers, dedication, integrity, perseverance - it all mattered. Phony pro-Thaksin "rent a mob" crowds didn't matter.

The coup would have never happened without PAD protests, let alone be welcomed by the population.

What I do know that there will not be a permanent settlement.That can only be achieved with a genuine democratic spirit,justice, and compassion for the less privileged.In the end time and gravity always prevail.

We have no idea where this democracy thing will lead the world and what exactly will prevail in the long term. When Americans wrote their constitution they had no idea that democracy would be turned into a giant marketing exercise. Policies would become products that could be sold only through advertising, that politicians would not lead but simply follow opinion polls and various lobbyists. This situation didn't exist when Churchill said that famous "democracy is the worst system of government" thing. As western democracies mature, voter apathy grows. Only half the people bother to vote nowdays.

If the US government was able to persuade its people to go to war with Iraq under completely false pretenses, what are the chances of Thai government being accountable to its people? If Tony Blair still sits in his office, what are the chances that Thais will ever get a more transparent and honest governemnt than the UK?

On the other hand, everyone worships Chinese now.

I just don't see democracy as we knew it will triumph all over the world in the end. Not in my lifetime. Rather the opposite will happen.

[ThaiGoon]

Plus, you are knocking them out of the park today. Another stellar post, in defiance of the usual diarrhea we see posted here.

[blaze]

I just don't see democracy as we knew it will triumph all over the world in the end. Not in my lifetime. Rather the opposite will happen.

Kind of like Europe in the 30s? Latin America in the sixties? Africa in the seventies?

A truly brave new world awaits.

I know (or at least, I hope) that the operative phrase in your post is democracy 'as we know it'. What will this new kind of democracy that you see triumphing look like? Is this coup a welcomed harbinger of your anticipated international rejection of democracy?

Given your perceived failure of demcracy, not only in Thailand, but it appears, universally, do you think that the regime is making a mistake by even thinking of returning parliament to the people? That Thailand would do better to simply institutionalize military governance for the long haul?

Edited March 7, 2007 by blaze

[Dakhar]

Well, I got a kick out of the statement that forieng investors are always welcomed!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whew, you guys can gues about democracy, but we all know the validity of the above statement.

Edited March 7, 2007 by Dakhar

[SawWow]

In the days when 5 baht got you a day pass. No passport was needed nor looked at on either side. I stumbled in to a country known as Lao People's Democratic Republic. What an eye opener that was.

Currently the Constitution of Thailand was abrogated on 19 September 2006, the interim constitution promulgated on 1 October 2006; coup leaders have promised a new constitution by mid 2007.

Good luck.

Please see “Government pulls plug on Thailand's only private television station”

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=109695

Edited March 7, 2007 by SawWow