A third of Thailand's appointed senators linked to military, police

 

FILE PHOTO: Live results are reflected in glasses of a supporter of Pheu Thai Party during the general election in Bangkok, Thailand, March 24, 2019. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - More than a third of Thailand's newly appointed senators have military or police backgrounds, an official document showed on Tuesday, a sign the upper house will probably vote to entrench army dominance of government five years after a military coup.

 

The 250 senators, appointed by the junta and approved on Tuesday by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, have a large say in who leads the next government under a post-coup constitution ratified in 2017.

 

"There is no denying that the Upper House will be a tool to extend the junta's power," said Piyabutr Saengkanokkul of the Future Forward Party, which opposes military rule.

 

One new senator is the brother of ruling junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, and more than a dozen were members of his cabinet, a Royal Gazette document reviewed by Reuters showed.

 

The Senate appointments come after a March 24 election that pitted the pro-army Palang Pracharat party, which seeks to keep Prayuth in power, against the opposition Democratic Front alliance that wants the military out of politics.

 

Election results published last week showed Palang Pracharat winning 115 seats in the 500-member lower House of Representatives and the opposition alliance 245 seats.

 

But the Senate may be the key to keeping Prayuth in power, as it will vote in a combined ballot with the House of Representatives to elect a new prime minister. Under previous constitutions, the House voted alone.

 

If all 250 senators vote the same way, Prayuth's party, whose allies already hold 17 seats, will have just over the majority of 376 required in the combined House-Senate vote to approve him as prime minister.

 

The Senate list includes the names of 105 people with ranks in the military or police, a Reuters count showed. Also among them were Prayuth's brother, General Preecha Chan-ocha, and a brother of deputy junta leader Prawit Wongsuwan.

 

It also included 15 former ministers in Prayuth's cabinet who resigned last week, many of them generals counted among his close aides.

 

About 26 civilian lawmakers on the list also had previous ties with the junta, having been appointed as members of the rubber-stamp parliamentary body National Legislative Assembly.

 

Reuters could not immediately reach representatives of Prayuth or Palang Pracharat to seek comment.

 

On Tuesday, the king also decreed that the next parliament will convene on May 22, the fifth anniversary of the 2014 coup.

 

The 2017 junta-backed constitution was criticized as entrenching military influence in Thai politics. Electoral rules make it nearly impossible for the opposition to overcome the Senate's vote to form its own government.

 

But the Democratic Front alliance of seven parties said it was still working to woo over parties and individual lawmakers, in a bid to deny the military party unfettered power.

 

The Democratic Front has also accused the Election Commission of manipulating seat allocations to deny it a majority in the House of Representatives.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-14

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10 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

A third of Thailand's appointed senators linked to military, police

And approximately 90% of the population will think "Oh Wow. Really?" "OK"

This is a Banana Republic, not even remotely stable, with corruption at every level of society......get used to it, it won't be changing anytime soon.

Edited May 14, 20197 yr by ocddave

Unsurprising sure, but still an utter disgrace. These people simply don't have the necessary background, experience, and skills to occupy such crucial positions within a Nation's parliament.

 

Even if the Thais didn't let this happen (indirectly), now is the time that they have to do something to resist this, but they won't. 

 

Sad and pathetic all up 

13 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Also among them were Prayuth's brother, General Preecha Chan-ocha, and a brother of deputy junta leader Prawit Wongsuwan.

 

Sickening.

What a world. A very small percentage of Thailands population, the military hierarchy, makes up a huge part of its senate. What about all the other occupations, the women, the young, the construction and farming communities? Nothing. Ruled by people who dont do their own shopping or laundry, dont even drive their own car and know nothing about life outside of a barracks. What a dismal situation. How did it ever get to this position?

It is not this one third that is important, it is the other two thirds, or more importantly their voting en bloc that is, which is what will happen. There won't be people voting by logic or conscience, just by orders, so the whole 250 could just as easily been cops and military. Some not being military is probably supposed to disguise their true nature, which will though be proven as soon as they vote.

2 minutes ago, Lungstib said:

What a world. A very small percentage of Thailands population, the military hierarchy, makes up a huge part of its senate. What about all the other occupations, the women, the young, the construction and farming communities? Nothing. Ruled by people who dont do their own shopping or laundry, dont even drive their own car and know nothing about life outside of a barracks. What a dismal situation. How did it ever get to this position?

Yeap, but they won't be working for construction workers and farmers, etc. They'll be working for same type of people they are. The rich and elite. 

56 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

If all 250 senators vote the same way,

Well we might see 249 to 1 occasionally I guess, but otherwise I think its bloc vote is pretty much a given. All of them are puppets with votes. Why else would they be there?

Edited May 14, 20197 yr by ThreeEyedRaven

Almost wouldn't mind if, for no other reason, some of the military "squared away" housekeeping habits would rub off on the rest of the country.   I used to enjoy a ride through the local Army or Air Force base, like a holiday for the eyes.  Weeds are trimmed, roads are clean, no big piles of rubbish alongside them.   A tidy look and feel to it for the most part, and then I drive out the gate back into the BSS (Big Shit Sandwich).  ????

Time to get some 3 piece camouflage suits made for these appointees..

53 minutes ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

Well we might see 249 to 1 occasionally I guess, but otherwise I think its bloc vote is pretty much a given. All of them are puppets with votes. Why else would they be there?

We can call the "bloc" by their party name, "Bootlickers".

1 hour ago, z42 said:

Even if the Thais didn't let this happen (indirectly), now is the time that they have to do something to resist this, but they won't. 

 

Sad and pathetic all up 

 

As I recall, last time the people "did something to resist", a bunch of them got shot on the streets of BKK.

 

 

Thailand gets more confusing. Did the PM not just kick around the police for influence peddling between a judge and a policeman? The expression "I am Chokes friend" seems to be taking on a new meaning. 

 

????

 

1 hour ago, z42 said:

Unsurprising sure, but still an utter disgrace. These people simply don't have the necessary background, experience, and skills to occupy such crucial positions within a Nation's parliament.

 

Even if the Thais didn't let this happen (indirectly), now is the time that they have to do something to resist this, but they won't. 

 

Sad and pathetic all up 

Go help the cause on the front line then, pal. Get your backside into the jungle, start recruiting, arm your revolutionaries, train them and instill your doctrine, create your own anti junta songs with that classic feel that only the best propaganda songs possess, resist, resist, resist, plan your attacks and when they least expect it go and take the capital. 

 

Che was a farang in Cuba and look what he became! You too could have your face on t shirts that are being sold around the world in H&M. z42 forever the revolutionary.

 

Seriously, it's boring hearing things like your comment. How many revolutionaries have been found in the Mekong with bellies full of concrete or arrested in Vietnam and not been heard from in the past few months? Your everyday people on the streets wants to live the best they can.

18 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

As I recall, last time the people "did something to resist", a bunch of them got shot on the streets of BKK.

 

And when they failed to do anything, they just disappear.

However to put it in context, the number of people killed attempting to regain their democracy is the same as about 3 days of road deaths.

And why is this news as it was entirely expected. Actually I expected it to be 2/3 military. What is surprising is that police are in on it. Normally the 2 don’t float together, but these cops must be a different sort of breed Of yes men. 

1 hour ago, z42 said:

Even if the Thais didn't let this happen (indirectly), now is the time that they have to do something to resist this, but they won't. 

They "wont" protest or they "can't" have you not noticed what happens to those who do protest?

Afraid that the situation has been put beyond the common folk being able to do anything, "western" influence needed?

42 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

As I recall, last time the people "did something to resist", a bunch of them got shot on the streets of BKK.

 

The 2010 redshirt protests had massively violent and provocative overtones, and were orchestrated by forces loyal to Thaksin, who incidentally had mercenaries and ex military guys openly in the red shirt areas.

 

This time it's vastly different, the Junta (the army) has not fulfilled the mandate it set itself , be it unity, restoring democracy, eradicating graft) and is just about to take the reins of power through a questionable legislative branch, after the dirtiest election in living memory, and shielded by a constitution forced through in farcical circumstances.

 

This isn't about 1 man's ego, this is about the whole country being taken (technically legally) for the next 20 years at least.

 

Too many Thais don't seem to understand just how damaging this will be for their country... But they soon will, and by then it will be too late

I'd like somebody to go in front of the senate in full fruit salad sixty star general outfit and shout "ATTENTION!". Then count the heads. If it's anything under 99.99999% standing rigid as a good soldier should I'd be surprised. Well ok as rigid as a Thai can be. Noodlish.

1 hour ago, z42 said:

The 2010 redshirt protests had massively violent and provocative overtones, and were orchestrated by forces loyal to Thaksin, who incidentally had mercenaries and ex military guys openly in the red shirt areas.

 

This time it's vastly different, the Junta (the army) has not fulfilled the mandate it set itself , be it unity, restoring democracy, eradicating graft) and is just about to take the reins of power through a questionable legislative branch, after the dirtiest election in living memory, and shielded by a constitution forced through in farcical circumstances.

 

This isn't about 1 man's ego, this is about the whole country being taken (technically legally) for the next 20 years at least.

 

Too many Thais don't seem to understand just how damaging this will be for their country... But they soon will, and by then it will be too late

 

It's always different. 

 

Except what happens when you get hit by a bullet.  Doesn't really matter which despot is giving the order to shoot.  Red bullets, yellow bullets, army bullets, PTP bullets, they all do the same.

 

Now that all the Senators are endorsed by the most powerful man in Thailand, I assume everyone will have to accept it, or find themselves confronting Lese Majeste laws.

And do you think the ones that are not directly linked will go against those that are linked?

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

It's always different. 

 

Except what happens when you get hit by a bullet.  Doesn't really matter which despot is giving the order to shoot.  Red bullets, yellow bullets, army bullets, PTP bullets, they all do the same.

 

So you don't turn up. When the Pooyais declare their visit to your locale, stay away in droves. Don't argue, just don't be there. Let them set up a stage and bellow to an empty field. Violence they can handle. But to be completely ignored? Where do they go from there? 

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

"There is no denying that the Upper House will be a tool to extend the junta's power,"

 

10 hours ago, ZeVonderBearz said:

Go help the cause on the front line then, pal. Get your backside into the jungle, start recruiting, arm your revolutionaries, train them and instill your doctrine, create your own anti junta songs with that classic feel that only the best propaganda songs possess, resist, resist, resist, plan your attacks and when they least expect it go and take the capital. 

 

Che was a farang in Cuba and look what he became! You too could have your face on t shirts that are being sold around the world in H&M. z42 forever the revolutionary.

 

Seriously, it's boring hearing things like your comment. How many revolutionaries have been found in the Mekong with bellies full of concrete or arrested in Vietnam and not been heard from in the past few months? Your everyday people on the streets wants to live the best they can.

Ghandi resisted.  Your pointing to violence as a solution is rather silly.  Even in China, the government does worry about what the people think and accommodates them sometimes.  Thai government worries about the outside world.  If Thais want the military out of their lives, they will have to say something, argue and demand debates.  Sadly, there has not been enough of that.  Fear has gripped the country.

This is starting to sound more and more like USA Trump’s appointees- poorly qualified but “good friends”.

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The 250 senators, appointed by the junta and approved on Tuesday by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, have a large say in who leads the next government under a post-coup constitution ratified in 2017.

The fix is in for the future of Thailand.. kiss democracy goodbye... dictatorship is now being firmly put in place as is the generations of pro-junta families future secured.

One giant step back for freedom!

Not too dissimilar to the Roman senate over 1000 years ago. Sad to see it is still common nowadays. 

21 hours ago, aqua4 said:

 

Thailand gets more confusing. Did the PM not just kick around the police for influence peddling between a judge and a policeman? The expression "I am Chokes friend" seems to be taking on a new meaning. 

 

????

 

 

21 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

And why is this news as it was entirely expected. Actually I expected it to be 2/3 military. What is surprising is that police are in on it. Normally the 2 don’t float together, but these cops must be a different sort of breed Of yes men. 

It's a big trough and room for both police and army.