Thanathorn to take on PRAYUT

[webfact]

Thanathorn to take on PRAYUT

By THE NATION

 

 

Democrats decide to join pro junta coalition, paving the way for election of premier and govt by the bloc

 

JUNTA CHIEF General Prayut Chan-o-cha and anti-junta politician Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit will lock horns for the top government post today.

 

The anti-junta bloc made its final decision and confirmed yesterday that Thanathorn was |eligible to be their prime minister candidate – despite the charter court suspending him from MP duties – after weeks of deliberations over four possible candidates. 

 

Three of the possible candidates – Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, Chadchart Sittipunt and Chaikasem Nitisiri – were from the core coalition leader Pheu Thai Party while Thanathorn is the leader of Future Forward Party.

 

Prayut, however, is expected to sail through easily with the pro-junta bloc having secured a majority 254 MPs, including those from key swing parties Democrat and Bhumjaithai.

 

Democrat Party yesterday decided at the last minute to join the Phalang Pracharat-led coalition. 

 

At an intra-party vote, 61 supported joining the coalition while 16 voted against it. Two members abstained from voting and one ballot was voided.

 

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai, which has the most number of MPs in the anti-junta bloc |following the March 24 general election, had earlier given way to the bloc’s second-biggest player in terms of number of MPs, in an attempt to woo votes from the Democrat Party in the PM contest. 

 

A number of Democrat MPs had been reluctant to vote for Prayut because of his status as a coup leader. Prayut led the coup which toppled an elected government in 2014. 

 

It is widely believed that MPs from outside the bloc will not support a Pheu Thai PM nominee.

 

Pheu Thai secretary-general Phumtham Wechayachai said at a press conference yesterday that the party was trying to keep its promise that it would not hanker for any political position and would dedicate its post-election efforts to rooting the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) out of politics.

 

The decision to field Thanathorn against Prayut today |encountered some opposition within Pheu Thai.

 

Northeastern MPs of the party believe that Pheu Thai should support its own candidate, especially the party’s de facto leader Khunying Sudarat. 

 

They argued that Sudarat was the reason why Pheu Thai had won the most number of MPs in the March election. She had been highlighted as the party’s face in the election campaign and the MPs did not know how to explain it to the voters if Sudarat did not represent the party in the PM contest, they argued. 

 

Defeat ‘imminent’ for anti-junta bloc

 

The bloc leader, however, also admitted to possible defeat in both government formation and the PM contest.

 

Phumtham said the current state of affairs stemmed from flawed laws and regulations that would create an unstable |government. 

 

Though the pro-junta camp could count on Senate support to secure the PM post, proceedings in Parliament would still be paralysed.

 

Such an outcome reflected the ambition of the powers that be to retain political power through the constitutional mechanism, the veteran politician said. There was no national interest in it, he added. 

 

Pheu Thai senior figure Chusak Sirinin also admitted that whoever was fielded by the anti-junta bloc for today’s contest would not be successful. Now the camp was focused on keeping the 246 MPs united as a pro-democracy front, he said. 

 

Chusak also believed that the meeting today could drag on with extensive debates over the Senate’s role in the election and |qualifications of the candidates. 

 

It was also possible that no conclusion would be reached, he said. 

 

Amid calls that PM candidates should outline their vision for the country before the vote, Thanathorn would stand by at the meeting venue in case he had to share his vision even though he has been suspended as an MP. 

 

Prayut, meanwhile, will stay away, saying he has said enough in the past five years.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30370564

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-06-05

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[Thaiwrath]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

Prayut, meanwhile, will stay away, saying he has said "enough" in the past five years.

Should be substituted with "too much", and a good example was the Friday night drivel he subjected the populace to !

[webfact]

Thai PM vote pits junta leader against rising opposition star

By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Panu Wongcha-um

 

FILE PHOTO: Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the Future Forward Party attends a news conference to form a "democratic front" in Bangkok, Thailand, March 27, 2019. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's parliamentary vote for prime minister on Wednesday will be a contest between the leader of a 2014 military coup and a rising opposition star facing two criminal charges he says stem from his stand against the junta.

 

The stark choice comes 10 weeks after a March 24 general election the opposition says was heavily weighted to favour pro-army parties.

The House of Representatives and the Senate are due to meet in a joint session to vote for a prime minister and officially restore civilian rule after more than five years of military government under Prayuth who took power in the 2014 coup.

 

Prayuth looks likely to have enough support to win and stay on as prime minister thanks to the 250 votes of the Senate, which was wholly appointed by the junta.

 

The pro-military Palang Pracharat party that nominated Prayuth and came second in the March 24 election has now formed alliances with more than a dozen partners, the party leader Uttama Savanayana said.

 

The pro-establishment Democrat Party became the latest major party to join the Palang Pracharat-led coalition late on Tuesday, likely also giving the pro-military camp a slim majority in the elected House of Representatives.

 

"Everyone wants the government to be formed quickly. Those who are working to form the cabinet must find a way to create a stable government," Prayuth said.

 

"This will not be a government of just any one party. There must be a way and the people are hopeful about the government," he said.

 

The Democratic Front will nominate upstart political star Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit of the new Future Forward Party for prime minister to face off against Prayuth, a spokeswoman said.

 

Thanathorn, 40, entered politics just last year and his party third in the March election.

 

"The seven democratic parties' coalition has jointly decided to nominate Thanathorn for the prime minister's vote tomorrow," Pannika Wanich, spokeswoman for Future Forward, told Reuters.

 

Thanathorn faces at least two criminal charges of sedition and cybercrime for allegedly aiding anti-junta protesters shortly after the coup and for a critical speech on Facebook - charges he has characterised as politically motivated.

 

The Democratic Front has said that the appointed Senate's votes give Prayuth an unfair advantage and also complained after the Election Commission changed a seat-allocation formula after the March vote to give 10 small parties one seat each, mostly at the expense of Future Forward.

 

The 10 parties have since all joined the alliance to keep Prayuth as prime minister.

 

(Editing by Robert Birsel)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-05

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[neeray]

Actions speak louder than words. I agree with Thaiwrath that he's already said too much.

Make a decision based upon his actions of the last 5 years.

 

Better yet, now that the Thai people know that he rigged the election and still failed in his bid, throw the whole darn thing out the window and start over. But this time, free and fair, and with unbiased, outside observers.

 

What an insult this election was to the Thai people; asking them to come out and vote in an election that already had a predetermined outcome (an outcome that didn't quite go as planned).

[Puchaiyank]

The only reason Thanathorn has not been molested by thugs...he is too well connected...too high profile as an hi/so individual...

 

Thanathorn won the adoration of the people...unlike some others...

[YetAnother]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut, meanwhile, will stay away, saying he has said enough in the past five years.

And done precious little that is positive for us and not self-serving

[blazes]

The only way to get things "done" in LoS is to "occupy" Suvarnabhumi, as we all discovered in 2008.  Close the country down.  Totally peaceful.  No aggro at all....

Then it was the Yellow Shirts.   Today it should be all the anti-Prayuts.

 

Don't worry, there will, as we saw in 2008, be no police or army intervention.

 

Erm, did I miss something?

[yellowboat]

The land of disappointment.   The Thai definition of a democrat:  Military strongman lap dog. 

[Prairieboy]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

254 MPs, including those from key swing parties Democrat and Bhumjaithai.

16 of the democrats voted against joining forces with the pro-Junta party so they are an unknown entity in any voting.

Edited June 5, 2019 by Prairieboy

[Orton Rd]

I know the outcome I read the book, Napoleon v Snowball ????????

[30la]

The struggle for power in recent years continues, this time with the person who promised to reconcile the Thai people at the head!

[Eligius]

I don't even bother to read such articles in full now. 'Thanathorn to take on Prayut'. What a joke. As if we are all agog and wondering who will win. As if we don't all know that Thanathorn has not got a snowball's chance in Hell of becoming the Prime Minister (at this time). 

It is all rigged, rigged, rigged - and more that I cannot (in this marvellously democratic country) even say or whisper.

 

Edited June 5, 2019 by Eligius

[TKDfella]

6 minutes ago, Eligius said:

I don't even bother to read such articles in full now. 'Thanathorn to take on Prayut'. What a joke. As if we are all agog and wondering who will win. As if we don't all know that Thanathorn has not got a snowball's chance in Hell of becoming the Prime Minister (at this time). 

It is all rigged, rigged, rigged - and more that I cannot (in this marvellously democratic country) even say or whisper.

 

And I read this morning that the Future Forward Party has claimed that several of their MP's have been offered literally millions of Baht plus a yearly 200K per year to vote for Prayut....wonder where that money would come from?

[Brickbat]

Too much money and power at stake and a nation full of gullible spineless goons. Thanathorn will probably end up like Taksin, should he cross the line

[fullcave]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Democrats decide to join pro junta

That a surprise.????????????

[malibukid]

17 minutes ago, Eligius said:

I don't even bother to read such articles in full now. 'Thanathorn to take on Prayut'. What a joke. As if we are all agog and wondering who will win. As if we don't all know that Thanathorn has not got a snowball's chance in Hell of becoming the Prime Minister (at this time). 

It is all rigged, rigged, rigged - and more that I cannot (in this marvellously democratic country) even say or whisper.

 

hope springs eternal and sells newpapers

Edited June 5, 2019 by malibukid

[neeray]

16 minutes ago, Eligius said:

I don't even bother to read such articles in full now. 'Thanathorn to take on Prayut'. What a joke. As if we are all agog and wondering who will win. As if we don't all know that Thanathorn has not got a snowball's chance in Hell of becoming the Prime Minister (at this time). 

It is all rigged, rigged, rigged - and more that I cannot (in this marvellously democratic country) even say or whisper.

 

Perhaps it is my eternal optimism Eligius but I do believe Than has a snowball's chance.

[dave moir]

18 minutes ago, TKDfella said:

And I read this morning that the Future Forward Party has claimed that several of their MP's have been offered literally millions of Baht plus a yearly 200K per year to vote for Prayut....wonder where that money would come from?

That I can believe!

[Eligius]

9 minutes ago, neeray said:

Perhaps it is my eternal optimism Eligius but I do believe Than has a snowball's chance.

Against all logic and likelihood, I do believe that ONE DAY (maybe in 10 years' time?) Thanathorn will become Prime Minister of this country.

I have this gut feeling that this is his destiny.

 

For the time being, though - I am CERTAIN (in my own mind) that we are stuck with the militarists.

[BigC]

I don't  know anyone  that backs junta  and i am talking  about south people

 

 

[Fex Bluse]

30 minutes ago, Eligius said:

I don't even bother to read such articles in full now. 'Thanathorn to take on Prayut'. What a joke. As if we are all agog and wondering who will win. As if we don't all know that Thanathorn has not got a snowball's chance in Hell of becoming the Prime Minister (at this time). 

It is all rigged, rigged, rigged - and more that I cannot (in this marvellously democratic country) even say or whisper.

 

Same. 

 

The outcome has been a foregone conclusion since years ago. 

 

Many nationals seem to enjoy the spectacle but anyone capable of thinking knows what will happen. It's boring. 

 

They love pretending. Just like playing dress up and donning dozens of medals (for what achievements nobody knows). 

 

Rice farmers in suits, many. 

[randy723]

I have ask many and I do mean MANY Thai people if they voted for the man who ran the 2014 coup and now PM and every one of them said NO other than about 10% who said  they were afraid to answer.

[randy723]

sad but true if the junta does not get the PM job he will just throw another coup and take back the PM job as he did in 2014

[Denim]

When the dust has settled on this farce and the junta retain the power they stole I just hope no foreign governments offer any kind of congratulations. A deafening silence would be a lot more appropriate.

[Eric Loh]

1 minute ago, randy723 said:

sad but true if the junta does not get the PM job he will just throw another coup and take back the PM job as he did in 2014

The same modus operandi by the military since 1932 and still counting. Thanathorn freak them out when he said that he will end the culture of coups should he take power. He will undertake massive military reform and abolish conscription. He is damn right and unfortunately he is also a target. Thailand is slowly becoming like Myanmar with the constitution drafted by the military rulers and ruled by military generals; a pariah state.  

[Artisi]

32 minutes ago, randy723 said:

sad but true if the junta does not get the PM job he will just throw another coup and take back the PM job as he did in 2014

Phayut, cannot and never did "throw" a coup - the coup came from well above lacky Phayut. 

[neeray]

29 minutes ago, Denim said:

When the dust has settled on this farce and the junta retain the power they stole I just hope no foreign governments offer any kind of congratulations. A deafening silence would be a lot more appropriate.

Unfortunately, I can think of several foreign leaders who will probably congratulate him, one in particular who has a penchant for "strong man" leaders.

Birds of a feather .............

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Democrat Party yesterday decided at the last minute to join the Phalang Pracharat-led coalition. 

Shameful!!!

[candide]

2 hours ago, TKDfella said:

And I read this morning that the Future Forward Party has claimed that several of their MP's have been offered literally millions of Baht plus a yearly 200K per year to vote for Prayut....wonder where that money would come from?

Probably the same source that financed Suthep's protests.

[SABloke]

1 hour ago, randy723 said:

I have ask many and I do mean MANY Thai people if they voted for the man who ran the 2014 coup and now PM and every one of them said NO other than about 10% who said  they were afraid to answer.

Out of the ones who said "no" I wonder how many voted for PPRP. Remember, Prayuth was not a candidate so they technically wouldn't be lying to you.