How Thailand's coup leader kept power through election

By Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat

 

FILE PHOTO: Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha arrives to the weekly cabinet meeting at Government House in Bangkok, Thailand May 28, 2019. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/File photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - When Thailand's former army chief, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, was confirmed as prime minister by parliament on Wednesday, he completed his transition from coup leader to head of a civilian government under a system that all but guaranteed his victory.

 

The junta that seized power nearly five years ago had banned political activity, suppressed debate, restricted the media and detained dissidents until just months before the March 24 general election.

 

Prayuth also benefited from the upper chamber Senate, with its 250 members, having been appointed entirely by the junta.

 

In a further boost for Prayuth, the Election Commission changed a seat distribution formula after the March poll for the 500-member lower house, effectively reversing a projected majority for the anti-junta Democratic Front.

 

"The new script has the rules in the junta's favour … and the referees are also on their side to keep them in power," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

 

Still, even with such built-in advantages, the opposition Pheu Thai party won most seats in the House of Representatives. The pro-military Palang Pracharat - set up essentially to support Prayuth's foray into civilian politics - came second.

 

The Senate votes secured Prayuth his premiership, but his new government will be an unstable coalition with only a four-seat majority in the lower house and a determined Democratic Front of seven parties seeking to end military dominance.

 

That will likely make it difficult to pass legislation and leave the government vulnerable to no-confidence votes.

 

"With the rules that they had shaped in their favour ... even then they did not do that well," Thitinan said

 

'SAFEGUARD THE NATION'

Prayuth's Palang Pracharat party bristles at any suggestion the new government it leads is anything but a reflection of the will of the people.

 

"We already had a democratic election, so you cannot say that this is somehow an extension of his power from before," party deputy spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said of Prayuth.

 

"This is an extension of the aim to safeguard the nation, religion and monarchy, rather than an extension of the dictatorial power," Thanakorn said.

For many traditionalists, a military-linked government is acceptable because the army is seen as the ultimate guarantor of stability and the traditional power structures.

 

Last month, King Maha Vajiralongkorn was officially crowned in elaborate ceremonies, succeeding his father who had reigned for 70 years until his death in 2016.

 

After two coups in a decade, this year's election was the military's attempt to rid politics once and for all of the influence of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose affiliated parties - promoting some hugely popular pro-poor policies - had won four elections, Prajak Kongkirati, a political scientist at Thammasat University told Reuters.

 

"This coup is unlike previous coups when the military intervened, then stepped back. This time, they came in to reorganize things and stay for the long haul," Prajak said.

 

"So what they needed to do is to have elections and manipulate the results."

 

Under a new constitution, the Senate - previously an elected body - is appointed in a process controlled by the junta and - for the first time in two decades - gets to vote in a prime minister in combination with the lower house.

 

The make-up of the House of Representatives has also been changed - from 375 directly elected seats to 350 - and the allocation of the remaining 150 "party seats" changed from a simple proportional system to a complex formula that allocates seats a "value".

 

The stated aim is to give a voice to smaller parties and prevent dominance by one big party - as had happened in the past with pro-Thaksin parties.

 

Still, when the results of the election were counted, the opposition Democratic Front, led by the Thaksin-allied Pheu Thai and the new Future Forward Party, projected it would win a majority of 254 seats in the House.

 

LONG TERM POWER?

However, the Election Commission then said it would delay release of the results of the 150 "party seats" until after the May 4 coronation of King Vajiralongkorn.

 

When the party seats were finally released last month, the Election Commission had changed the allocation formula and given 10 small parties one seat each, mostly taken from Future Forward. The 10 parties soon announced an alliance with Palang Pracharat.

 

The new seat allocation denied the Democratic Front its projected House majority, which would at least have given them the power to block legislation or stage a no-confidence vote.

 

And while some predict that Prayuth's unwieldy 19-party coalition won't survive a year, others are not so sure.

 

Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of the faculty of political science at Ubon Ratchathani University, said he does not expect any major changes for four or five years because the military won't give up power easily.

 

"By allowing the military to infiltrate all aspects of the political mechanism, it allows them to maintain power in the long term," Titipol said.

 

(Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Robert Birsel and Gareth Jones)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-06

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Muang Thai is still not a democracy.  With the rigged and stolen elections the ****** military junta effectively stays in power. If we would deduct the Senate and the 10 stole seats that the corrupt EC gave to 1 seat wonder parties,  Prayut would not have a majority coalition or a seat to sit on. Clearly the Thai people are not fairly represented and don't want him. But he is here and remains here for now. 

"So what they needed to do is to have elections and manipulate the results."

 

If the writers of this article are in Thailand, they should consider leaving quickly before they have to face a trumped up sedition charge.

How?

 

Fear and intimidation. He also controls the people with the guns.

Thailand future is looking dim.  

2 hours ago, webfact said:

completed his transition from coup leader to head of a civilian government under a system that all but guaranteed his victory.

consitution was a farce, referendum was a farce, election a farce, this is what we get

Absolute cheating, absolute rigging, absolute corruption retains power absolutely.

59 minutes ago, stickyrice2000 said:

Thailand future is looking dim.  

nonsense  ..... thailand continues to develop with a multitude of projects ongoing, exports are up and the economy will continue to tick along as it has done fore the past decades.

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayuth also benefited from the upper chamber Senate, with its 250 members, having been appointed entirely by the junta.

 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

had banned political activity, suppressed debate, restricted the media and detained dissidents until just months before the March 24 general election.

Just a real fair and square, honest, forthright democratic election. (sarcasm intended)

1 hour ago, stickyrice2000 said:

Thailand future is looking dim.  

But the future is bright for the government's business elite friends who happen to have big envelopes. Not forgetting the multitudes of ass lickers and the trough snorters they bribed to keep him in power.

15 minutes ago, steven100 said:

nonsense  ..... thailand continues to develop with a multitude of projects ongoing, exports are up and the economy will continue to tick along as it has done fore the past decades.

 

I guess you missed the other current thread about exports being "down".

26 minutes ago, steven100 said:

nonsense  ..... thailand continues to develop with a multitude of projects ongoing, exports are up and the economy will continue to tick along as it has done fore the past decades.

 

Thank you for your input, General. 

Edited June 5, 20197 yr by harada

45 minutes ago, steven100 said:

nonsense  ..... thailand continues to develop with a multitude of projects ongoing, exports are up and the economy will continue to tick along as it has done fore the past decades.

 

While it's true that economy partially depends on the government's policies but it also depends on the global economy.

 

Look at China, China's economy was booming during the last few decades to spearhead into the second largest  economy but the recent Trump's move has put a dent on their economy.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 5, 20197 yr by EricTh

3 hours ago, webfact said:

For many traditionalists, a military-linked government is acceptable because the army is seen as the ultimate guarantor of stability and the traditional power structures.

And those 'traditionalists' are packed into the 'independent' organisations that made this possible and the senate. The population, however, contains fewer and fewer of them due to the large number of youth who see quite clearly that this small group of old men and lining their pockets at the countries expense. FFP's instant popularity was all about the under 30's who fed up with having no say in the way this country is run. These people are not going away. Corruption in its most chilling form of "you help me, I help you, we all benefit together" has once again won the day.

Let's just hope that the Opposition can do everything in their power to cripple and hamstring the militarists.

A forlorn hope, I know.

But in lieu of a popular uprising (which ain't going to happen - please don't tell me 'wait until after x, y, z' - all those 'wait untils' have long since been exhausted and disproven) - the beautiful land of Thailand is stuck with an abomination.

 

 

Edited June 6, 20197 yr by Eligius

4 hours ago, webfact said:

he completed his transition from coup leader to head of a civilian government under a system that all but guaranteed his victory.

 

That system is called "corruption" !

4 hours ago, webfact said:

How Thailand's coup leader kept power through election

By Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat

Brilliant article. Clearly states what's been said on this forum by many people, many times. The outcome of the election would go to the junta one way or another. They knew they would lose if it wasn't rigged. Everybody knows this to be a fact.

Money and guns.

6 hours ago, webfact said:

We already had a democratic election,

no  you  didnt you lying turd

3 hours ago, Eligius said:

Let's just hope that the Opposition can do everything in their power to cripple and hamstring the militarists.

A forlorn hope, I know.

But in lieu of a popular uprising (which ain't going to happen - please don't tell me 'wait until after x, y, z' - all those 'wait untils' have long since been exhausted and disproven) - the beautiful land of Thailand is stuck with an abomination.

 

 

Be hopeful. The opposition has 244 seats and therefore have the numbers to initiate a vote of no confidence debate against the PM. They only require two-fifths vote against the PM and one-fifth against an minister. If some of the Dem MPs break party line, the opposition bloc can master a majority of one-half of the house to be successful. Prayut and his goons will have to keep their noses clean which I doubt they can.  

7 hours ago, webfact said:

We already had a democratic election, so you cannot say that this is somehow an extension of his power from before," party deputy spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said of Prayuth.

 

"This is an extension of the aim to safeguard the nation, religion and monarchy, rather than an extension of the dictatorial power," Thanakorn said.

Surely he didn't keep a straight face when he said that??

6 hours ago, neeray said:

 

Just a real fair and square, honest, forthright democratic election. (sarcasm intended)

????

2 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Be hopeful. The opposition has 244 seats and therefore have the numbers to initiate a vote of no confidence debate against the PM. They only require two-fifths vote against the PM and one-fifth against an minister. If some of the Dem MPs break party line, the opposition bloc can master a majority of one-half of the house to be successful. Prayut and his goons will have to keep their noses clean which I doubt they can.  

S44 to the rescue.

1 minute ago, ocddave said:

S44 to the rescue.

Cant according to the constitution. Has to be rescinded after government formed. If he hold on, it will be cannon fodder for protest and Parliament uprising 

2 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Cant according to the constitution. Has to be rescinded after government formed. If he hold on, it will be cannon fodder for protest and Parliament uprising 

LMAO!

4 minutes ago, ocddave said:

LMAO!

Actually I hope he keep it and ignite a cause for protests. I will wager against his temptation to use his old style of intimidation. 

10 hours ago, webfact said:

"We already had a democratic election, so you cannot say that this is somehow an extension of his power from before," party deputy spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said of Prayuth.

Stretching the boundaries of credibility to the very limit with that one Wang .. 

Land of the false smile.

well I would say that 400 tanks, 250,000 armed men and a fleet of warships had a little bit  to do with it.  

His new song will be a remake of "I lived a Dream."