Junta leader favoured as Thai parliament convenes to vote for new PM

[webfact]

Junta leader favoured as Thai parliament convenes to vote for new PM

By Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Panarat Thepgumpanat

 

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha attends the 2019 National Anti-Trafficking in Persons Day at a Convention Center in Bangkok, Thailand, June 5, 2019. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Both houses of Thailand's parliament convened on Wednesday for the first time since a 2014 coup to choose either the ruling junta leader or a rising opposition star to be the Southeast Asian nation's next prime minister.

 

The vote will officially restore civilian rule after more than five years under junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is nominated to stay in power by a coalition led by the pro-army Palang Pracharat Party.

 

The retired general is considered to have a heavy advantage over Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, a charismatic political upstart nominated by the opposition Democratic Front of seven parties that want to remove the military from politics.

 

The vote for prime minister, who will form the next government this month, comes 10 weeks after a March 24 general election the opposition says was heavily weighted to favour pro-army parties.

 

Each parliamentarian will be called on by the house speaker to verbally vote for either candidate. It could be hours before they start voting.

 

A new prime minister will need at least 376 votes, or more than half the parliament. That includes 500 members in the lower House of Representatives elected in the March election and 250 senators, who were all appointed by the junta.

 

Neither the opposition nor Palang Pracharat's side officially has a majority in the lower house, with 246 seats and 203 respectively.

 

Palang Pracharat gained the Democrat Party as a new ally on Tuesday and that would likely also attract the Bhumjaithai Party, which holds 51 seats but hasn't officially declared an alignment with either side.

 

Former Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva resigned from his post as a member of parliament earlier on Wednesday, saying he could not break a pre-election promise and vote along with his party to support Prayuth.

 

"We have seen abuse of state power ... The (junta's) extension of power is not just rhetoric, it is reality," Abhisit said.

 

The Democratic Front has said the appointed Senate's votes give Prayuth an unfair advantage and urged senators to vote in line with the will of the people.

With the backing of the Senate, Prayuth could easily gain enough votes to stay in power.

 

The junta will remain in power until a new Cabinet is sworn in.

 

(Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat, Panarat Thepgumpanat, Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by Kay Johnson and Paul Tait)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-05

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[Chang_paarp]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

Junta leader favoured as Thai parliament convenes to vote for new PM

This is meant to be a surprise?

[Bluespunk]

21 minutes ago, webfact said:

The retired general is considered to have a heavy advantage over Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit,

He sure does, it’s called the army...

[4MyEgo]

 

 

 

Edited June 5, 2019 by 4MyEgo

[Bluespunk]

22 minutes ago, webfact said:

Former Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva resigned from his post as a member of parliament earlier on Wednesday, saying he could not break a pre-election promise and vote along with his party to support Prayuth.

Good man. 

[BobBKK]

3 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Good man. 

At last he did something Honorable. 

[Chazar]

31 minutes ago, webfact said:

The vote will officially restore civilian rule

NO it  wont it  BLOODY WELL WONT!!!

[Chazar]

9 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Good man. 

Lets  all the others who will vote for prayut off  the  hook  now then!!

[Chazar]

34 minutes ago, webfact said:

Democrat Party

Should be renamed  "filthy lying scum party" imo.

[Eligius]

'The junta will remain in power until a new Cabinet is sworn in.'

And the junta forces will remain in power AFTER the 'new Cabinet' is sworn in, too!

[Chazar]

35 minutes ago, webfact said:

called on by the house speaker to verbally vote

Right so  you have to stand up and say who you want...............must be the crappest system ever  how about a secret  ballot  vote where there is NO pressure to vote for the current dog.

[Eligius]

5 minutes ago, Chazar said:

Right so  you have to stand up and say who you want...............must be the crappest system ever  how about a secret  ballot  vote where there is NO pressure to vote for the current dog.

Right!

Given the, er, shall we say 'authoritarian', intolerant and unforgiving nature of Prayut, daring to stand up in open assembly and defy him - reject him - is pretty brave. 

Even greater bravery will be called for in the coming months, when things are going to get very messy and nasty ...

 

Edited June 5, 2019 by Eligius

[Just1Voice]

This sham vote was rigged from the start. This whole so-called election has been a sham from Day One. 

[keith101]

53 minutes ago, webfact said:

The Democratic Front has said the appointed Senate's votes give Prayuth an unfair advantage and urged senators to vote in line with the will of the people.

With the backing of the Senate, Prayuth could easily gain enough votes to stay in power.

 

Wasn't it was Prayuth who chose the majority of the Senate from the armed forces just to get those votes ?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

57 minutes ago, webfact said:

The vote will officially restore civilian rule after more than five years

 

Tell that to all the army generals, etc. in power who will continue running the country just the same as they have these past years.

 

[tifino]

 

"oh! Mr P'Khun Thanathorn...

 

DUCK!!! "

 

 

[legend49]

So why was money and time wasted on an election that has shaped no change?

[AGareth2]

2 minutes ago, legend49 said:

So why was money and time wasted on an election that has shaped no change?

smoke and mirrors

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Palang Pracharat gained the Democrat Party as a new ally on Tuesday and that would likely also attract the Bhumjaithai Party, which holds 51 seats but hasn't officially declared an alignment with either side.

 

So after all the posturing and maneuvering, these two parties are once again going to sell out the voters who elected them and their seats???

[tifino]

2 minutes ago, legend49 said:

So why was money and time wasted on an election that has shaped no change?

Premier's Perpetual Insurance Premium

[Eligius]

2 minutes ago, legend49 said:

So why was money and time wasted on an election that has shaped no change?

As EVERYTHING in Thailand (particularly 'official' Thai 'culture'), it is all about face/semblance/pretence over substance and reality.

Now Prayut can tell the world: 'I am the democratically elected leader of Thailand - no need for any trade bars or any bias against me or my country'.

And the iniquitous West will go along with it all!

[Solinvictus]

Which way?

Edited June 5, 2019 by Solinvictus

[DLock]

How embarrassing for the Little General.

 

Gave himself a 250 seat head start and still had to resort to horse trading to make up the coalition numbers.

 

The Thai people have been betrayed yet again....what a sad indictment of Thai politics.

 

 

[OKF]

May I recommend to wait and see what will happen today. To me it is not made out yet. I believe Thanathorn is nearer to it then ever before....just wait and see

[bluesea]

Ah! Gommer Piles Favorite Saying SURPRISE SURPRISE SURPRISE

[miamiman123]

The General never turns gray? His hair is blacker than mine at 25!

 

[30la]

1 minute ago, miamiman123 said:

The General never turns gray? His hair is blacker than mine at 25!

 

Try with color!

[yellowboat]

1 hour ago, legend49 said:

So why was money and time wasted on an election that has shaped no change?

For the sake of a little general's ego.  Sure the Donald and other heads of state will call him and congratulate him on his hard fought "win".  It is non substantive face for Thai officialdom and a win for fear and complacency.   Thailand's loss is its neighbor's gain. 

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmmm.... well what a surprise?

[spidermike007]

Was there ever any question about this? The 250 bought and paid for senators assured this outcome. 

 

Thailand is going to continue to move backwards on multiple fronts. The gross incompetence, neglect, apathy and recklessness of the army will assure that. Woe is Thailand and it's people.