Junta loyalists pack Senate

By KAS CHANWANPEN 
THE NATION

 

 

Armed Forces and family members of top govt members dominate; pm and his deputy mum to nepotism charge.

 

THE National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) took a major step towards retaining power by naming scores of people it patronises and who are loyal to it as constitutionally endorsed senators.

 

Of the 250 names announced yesterday for the junta-picked Senate, 104 were military or police officers –retired and in service – while other figures included former members of junta-appointed bodies who had served the post-coup regime in the past five years.

 

The move marks an about-turn for the junta, which had pledged to stay away from politics and had come to power promising to cleanse the country of corruption and nepotism. 

 

In addition to people from the Armed Forces, the senator list also included family members of junta leaders as well as close aides.

 

The list includes General Preecha Chan-o-cha, the brother of NCPO chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha; Admiral Sisthawatchara Wongsuwan, the brother of NCPO No 2 Prawit Wongsuwan; Air Marshal Chalermchai Krea-ngam, the brother of deputy PM Wissanu Krea-gnam; and former banker Som Jatusripitak, the brother of deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak.

 

According to the Constitution, the Senate can vote to help determine the country’s prime minister. Also, it has a whip hand to ensure the elected government complies with the 20-year national strategy written by the junta. 

 

When cornered by reporters yesterday that the newly-appointed Senate was no different from the so-called “spouse” parliaments of the past dominated by politicians and their family members that the current regime had vowed to fight, PM Prayut, who had handpicked the 250 senators in his capacity as the head of the NCPO, explained that the junta-appointed figures were more efficient.

 

“Make the comparison. Look how many legislations they made in the past five years. It’s more than 500. Before that, how many did they do? It’s unparalleled.”

 

Meanwhile, junta No 2 Prawit who chaired the confidential committee that pre-screened the Senate candidates before Prayut’s final selection, ignored all media inquiries about their controversial Senate picks.

 

He refused to explain why so many of the Senate nominees were military and police officers and snapped on the selection of a number of his close aides.

 

“What are you talking about?” the general said, apparently upset by the question. But when reporters started naming several officers, including his brother, Prawit dodged past the media throng, got in his car, and left Government House.

 

As soon as the Royal Gazette published the names of the 250 successful senator candidates, there was widespread criticism. Despite a wide realisation that the NCPO would rely on the Senate to retain power, the list was seen as reeking of nepotism.

 

Weng Tojirakarn, core leader of the red-shirt movement, told The Nation that the Senate was dominated by pro-coup figures. 

 

“We cannot place our hopes in them to bring back democracy,” Weng said, referring to the regime’s promise to restore better democratic rule. “Clearly, they [the senators] are here to support the NCPO and General Prayut. This is even worse than the ‘spouse parliament’.”

 

 The senator selection committee was confidential. However, Weng called on the powers that be to unmask them and scrutinise if the selection process had been just and constitutional.

 

Jade Donavanik, an adviser to the now-defunct Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC) responsible for the rules governing the selection of the Senate, admitted that the Senate composition was highly questionable.

 

However, he said the CDC had done its best to make the Senate a good mechanism in the checks and balances system. In the permanent clauses, the Senate should be cross-elected, he explained. The current situation was the result of the transitional provisions that will last five years, he said, adding that it should be the NCPO that should answer questions not the CDC.

 

Meanwhile, Seri Suwanpanont, a member of the newly elected senators who also had been in previous junta-appointed assemblies, was unfazed by the controversy over his selection.

 

“We come with responsibility as prescribed in the Constitution and other laws,” he said. “I am not concerned about anything, including the role to vote for the PM. We are already here. People will always have opinions no matter what we do. So, we have to be determined and have the courage to make a decision and do our job.”

 

Pheu Thai secretary-general Phumtham Wechayachai questioned why the junta had spent as much as Bt1.3 billion only to name its associates to the Senate. The NCPO has never disclosed the names of the selection committee members as required by the charter, he said. 

 

THE TRANSITION TO UPPER HOUSE 

 

THE junta has spent Bt1.3 billion to handpick 250 names for the Senate, most of whom helped create the ruling National Council for Peace and Order.

Now they will play the role of the junta’s guardians, by installing the new prime minister and controlling the implementation of the government’s 20-year national strategy. This handpicked Senate is a reflection of the patron-client tendencies and nepotism in the Thai political scene. 

 

Six military /police members were named as senators based solely on their position, namely Defence Ministry’s permanent secretary-general General Natt Intrachroen, Supreme Commander General Pornpipat Benyasri, Army chief General Apirat Kongsompong, Navy chief Admiral Luechai Ruddit, Air Force chief Air Chief Marshall Chaiyapruk Didyasarin and National Police chief Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda. 

 

Sorted by different categories as follows

 

By sources

- Former NLA        71

- Former Cabinet members        17

- Former Reform Steering Committee    24

- Former NCPO        5

- Picked up by position        6

- Nepotism of junta leaders        4

 

By profession

- Military         90

- Police        14

- Diplomat         3

- Business executive        4    

 

By Gender 

- Female         26

- Male         224

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30369402

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-05-15

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 R.I.P. Thailand 

High-ranking officers from armed forces, police account for over 100 newly appointed senators

By The Nation

 

General Preecha Chan-o-cha

 

Many of the newly appointed senators are from the ruling junta and people close to its key figures.

 

Some of the new Senate’s members sat in the committee tasked with nominating senatorial candidates to be selected by the National Council for Peace and Order.

 

These include General Tanasak Patimapakorn, Admiral Narong Pipattanasai, Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong and Police General Adul Sangsingkeo, who recently left the Cabinet shortly before their appointment as Upper House members.

 

The full list of 250 newly appointed senators was announced in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday.

 

More than 100 of them are retired or active high-ranking officers from the armed forces and the police, including 70 from the Army, 12 from the Navy, eight from the Air Force and 12 from the Royal Thai Police.

 

Many new senators are family members of people in power. 

 

These include General Preecha Chan-o-cha, who is the younger brother of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha; Air Vice Marshal Chalermchai Krea-ngam, who is the younger brother of Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam; Admiral Sitsawat Wongsuwan, who is the younger brother of Deputy Premier and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan; and Som Jatusripitak, who is the elder brother of Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak.

 

Fifty of the 250 senators were selected from occupational representatives, six are ex-officio members from the military and police, and 194 are from candidates nominated by the selection committee.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30369393

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-05-15

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this is an absolute disgrace

All future hopes of democracy and  a better future for Thailands now gone. A sad time indeed. The Thai people only have themselves to blame.

25 minutes ago, unamazedloso said:

All future hopes of democracy and  a better future for Thailands now gone. A sad time indeed. The Thai people only have themselves to blame.

 

All future hopes of democracy and a better future via civil means are now gone.

 

This always had to be.

 

Just as what comes next has to be.

 

 

The fallout from this is going to be epic. When does the war start?

So this is Prayuts idea of bringing happiness to the people.

Such a sad time for Thailand, more cronies getting their snouts in the trough.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Armed Forces and family members of top govt members dominate; pm and his deputy mum to nepotism charge.

thailand is lost;  please no more talk of democracy here ; total fraud

The end game is Military hardware buildup, and a nuculear plan...Fragile male ego in Combat camoflauge clothes...

2 hours ago, Enoon said:

 

All future hopes of democracy and a better future via civil means are now gone.

 

This always had to be.

 

Just as what comes next has to be.

 

 

Totally agree with you, Enoon (above).

 

But what 'has to come' will not come yet. The Thais will need to hurt a lot, lot, LOT more first before they actually DO anything - in numbers that matter.

 

It's so very sad to see a beautiful and (generally) friendly people who have been so ground down and terrorised that they have actually (nearly all) lost their backbone ...

 

Edited May 14, 20197 yr by Eligius

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

So this is Prayuts idea of bringing happiness to the people.

Such a sad time for Thailand, more cronies getting their snouts in the trough.

Government and establishment-approved cronyism will definitely bring happiness to the people. Perhaps as much as 1% of Thailand will be very happy.

The other 99 should be happy for them.

Edited May 14, 20197 yr by canuckamuck

And there you have it folks, that's how it's done, without even the slightest whimper! Free and fair!

10 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

And there you have it folks, that's how it's done, without even the slightest whimper! Free and fair!

And our Government Ministers, Ambassadors and Trade Missions will .... sup and share from the same poisoned trough. Cos the Thai Police and Military control them too. 

"Meanwhile, junta No 2 Prawit who chaired the confidential committee that pre-screened the Senate candidates before Prayut’s final selection, ignored all media inquiries about their controversial Senate picks.

He refused to explain why so many of the Senate nominees were military and police officers and snapped on the selection of a number of his close aides.

“What are you talking about?” the general said, apparently upset by the question. But when reporters started naming several officers, including his brother, Prawit dodged past the media throng, got in his car, and left Government House."

 

Says it all right here. The leader of the screening committee unable to answer for his decisions. 1.3 billion baht to ask "What's your kid brother's name again?"

4 hours ago, webfact said:

 

By Gender 

- Female         26

- Male         224

At least they've put an end to sexism in the government

1 hour ago, mok199 said:

The end game is Military hardware buildup, and a nuculear plan...Fragile male ego in Combat camoflauge clothes...

Sad and expected.  cha cha's brother will probably be shining shoes elsewhere, as, if memory serves, he was in hot water for not showing up for meetings.  Dark days to come.  

      S 

      H

      A

SHAM

H

A

M

Many of us on these threads warned - months, if not years, ago - not to legitimise a fake 'election'. But the people did not listen (including the politicians).

The whole sorry and blatantly obvious pretence of a restoration of democracy should have been opposed and voiced down, over and over again, by the mass of the Thai people.

Instead - they let all of it happen - and are still letting it happen. They stood by, watched the plotters plotting the people's undoing - and then hurried off to support that wicked scheme in their millions - instead of saying 'NO TO LIES AND DECEPTION' in their MILLIONS.

 

Well, when you make your own bed - you then have little choice but to lie on it ...

anybody surprised? best way to stay in power for the next decades

 

north-korea STYLE

Bringing peace and happiness to the Thai people and some extra zeros To the bank balance of all the thieving cronies.

 

LOL Thailand.

never change from being a third world laughing stock

The senate house is officially the 4th wing of the Royal Thai Army. 

Be nice to see what the junta fans on here have to say in response. The usual twaddle I should imagine.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“Make the comparison. Look how many legislations they made in the past five years. It’s more than 500. Before that, how many did they do? It’s unparalleled.”

Of course it is you dunce! It's easy to pass legislation when you only need one reading and everyone votes in favour...every...single....time. ???? (Yes, I know, there were always one or two abstentions, and three or four "no" votes to make it seem legit, but you get my point) 

19 minutes ago, Eligius said:

Many of us on these threads warned - months, if not years, ago - not to legitimise a fake 'election'. But the people did not listen (including the politicians).

The whole sorry and blatantly obvious pretence of a restoration of democracy should have been opposed and voiced down, over and over again, by the mass of the Thai people.

Instead - they let all of it happen - and are still letting it happen. They stood by, watched the plotters plotting the people's undoing - and then hurried off to support that wicked scheme in their millions - instead of saying 'NO TO LIES AND DECEPTION' in their MILLIONS.

 

Well, when you make your own bed - you then have little choice but to lie on it ...

Aye, I have little time for all these buyer's remorse articles when the same media cheerleaded the coup, were silent about the tyranny and barely raised an eyebrow at the clearly rigged constitution and election. Too late to start complaining at the end of the whole lengthy process...

Edited May 15, 20197 yr by baboon

Junta loyalist pack senate? Wow, didn't see that one coming!

Wow - Thailand is getting as corrupt and messed up as Western countries.

 

At least all of the corruption, vote rigging etc is out in the open here.

 

Don't be surprised if the most corrupt countries on the planet, the USA and Israel, now condemn Thailand for being corrupt ????

Who would've thought.

 

Edited May 15, 20197 yr by dinsdale

30 minutes ago, Eligius said:

Many of us on these threads warned - months, if not years, ago - not to legitimise a fake 'election'. But the people did not listen (including the politicians).

The whole sorry and blatantly obvious pretence of a restoration of democracy should have been opposed and voiced down, over and over again, by the mass of the Thai people.

Instead - they let all of it happen - and are still letting it happen. They stood by, watched the plotters plotting the people's undoing - and then hurried off to support that wicked scheme in their millions - instead of saying 'NO TO LIES AND DECEPTION' in their MILLIONS.

 

Well, when you make your own bed - you then have little choice but to lie on it ...

Talking with a friend in Thailand today, she said "the poor and the disabled get 500 baht from the government each month so they voted accordingly". As I told her, where I come from, we call 500 baht "chicken feed".