Prayut now prey to ‘wolves’ of democracy

[webfact]

Prayut now prey to ‘wolves’ of democracy

By The Nation

 

 

Elected politicians in his own party are baying for Cabinet posts – and there may be nothing the new PM can do to satisfy them

 

Beset by competing demands of elected politicians as he struggles to form a government, General Prayut Chan-o-cha is fast-learning that politics is a matter of negotiation and bargaining rather than dictating.

 

Prayut, who exploited the nation’s military to seize power from an elected civilian government five years ago, was re-appointed premier under the parliamentary system last week. The junta-sponsored charter eased his passage back to the top job with a bloc vote from the 250 senators it appointed, but Prayut now finds himself stripped of his special powers as he seeks support in the elected House of Representatives.

 

Prayut may have been nominated by the pro-junta Phalang Pracharat, but the party does not belong to him. Its MPs are entirely unconcerned with Prayut’s status as they demand seats in his Cabinet on grounds that they represent voters from their large power bases.

 

Ekarat Changlao, Phalang Pracharat party-list MP and chairman of its strategic committee in the Northeast, threatened to reconsider his collaboration with the party when it failed to hand any ministerial seats to his MPs from the region last week.

 

Meanwhile, Niphan Sirithorn, Phalang Pracharat MP from Trang province, demanded ministerial seats for his group in the South. The general election saw Phalang Pracharat win 13 seats in the South, making inroads into the traditional Democrat Party stronghold.  The group said citizens in the South had voted for Phalang Pracharat candidates because they believed the party would help them solve the problems of low rubber and oil palm prices.  

 

The two regional groups represent old but realistic political arrangements, since they claim a legitimate mandate from local voters who want action at the national level. For the MPs, Parliament and government is the forum where they can negotiate to divert resources and wealth back to their constituencies. The voters chose these MPs as the best representatives of their interests.

 

Amid this new democratic arrangement, Prayut meanwhile finds himself shorn of the status he has enjoyed for the past five years. As coup leader in 2014, he was Army chief in charge of a vast military force that then supported his absolute power as prime minister.  With special powers afforded by the junta, he dictated government personnel and actions, limited media freedom and effectively banned all political activities. Article 44 has been his iron fist with which no one can argue.

 

While that special power remains until the new Cabinet is sworn in, Prayut cannot legitimately exercise it to dictate the democratically elected politicians even within Phalang Pracharat. Prayut can no longer shut the mouths of MPs, who are free to vote or not to vote to support his government. If they vote against the party line, Phalang Pracharat could purge them. But thanks to the military-sponsored charter, if they manage to join a new party within 60 days, they can continue as MPs.

 

Without strong military back-up and his special powers, Prayut may realise that he has no leverage over the elected MPs. Meanwhile, why should they continue supporting the general in Parliament if they have nothing to give to voters in their constituencies?

 

Prayut faces what appears to be a mission impossible. His only way of handling parliamentary politics would be to adapt and evolve into the same species he has so often expressed disdain for.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30371348

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-06-19

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[Justgrazing]

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

Prayut faces what appears to be a mission impossible. His only way of handling parliamentary politics would be to adapt and evolve into the same species he has so often expressed disdain for.

And therein lies the path he must tread .. When the going gets tough and people are on his back how's he gonna respond .. Can't be threatening them as that's not how it should be done for an " elected " P M .. The bed of nails has been made now he's gotta lie on it .. 

[Puchaiyank]

This is a most interesting conundrum...politics are not his strong suit...look for fireworks from those elected MPs who have waited for years to give Prayut a taste of his own medicine...

[smutcakes]

Lucky he completed that reform he promised then and got rid of all the regional 'mafia' like figures......

[Reigntax]

Prayuth will just stage another coup, allow a new vote in 5 years and then appoint all the politicians under 44, version 2.0

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Elected politicians in his own party are baying for Cabinet posts – and there may be nothing the new PM can do to satisfy them

should be fascinating to watch this play out; indeed he once said: 'why do you want democracy ?'

[leeneeds]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The group said citizens in the South had voted for Phalang Pracharat candidates because they believed the party would help them solve the problems of low rubber and oil palm prices.

Understanding supply and demand is not in their skill set

[metisdead]

A post containing a disallowed reference to the PM has been removed. 

[Thailand]

28 minutes ago, Reigntax said:

Prayuth will just stage another coup, allow a new vote in 5 years and then appoint all the politicians under 44, version 2.0

The next coup will see Prayuth gone and more likely a much more aggressive military head seeking his time. And that may not be very long if there is any sign that there may be moves to curtail the power of the military in the future.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Never underestimate the will of the people. The Thai army is not a pro army but a conscript army. Conscripts dont like to shoot their own. In 2010 soldiers from the south was used to do the job, but this time we will have to see.

The next coup will see Prayuth gone and more likely a much more aggressive military head seeking his time. And that may not be very long if there is any sign that there may be moves to curtail the power of the military in the future.

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[Eric Loh]

1 hour ago, Reigntax said:

Prayuth will just stage another coup, allow a new vote in 5 years and then appoint all the politicians under 44, version 2.0

Don’t think it works that way. He don’t stage coup; he just follow order and doubt there are reasons now for a coup to be ordered. Also coups are stages by Army Chiefs who has direct command on the military. Prayut has no direct command. The current army chief can’t make that coup decision arbitrary. He too follow orders. 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut faces what appears to be a mission impossible. His only way of handling parliamentary politics would be to adapt and evolve into the same species he has so often expressed disdain for.

A leopard cannot change it's spots, he will try to dictate as he has always done.

He cannot negotiate, he cannot reason, he cannot take criticism, he will make a mes until they vote him out with a "no confidence motion.

[boonrawdcnx]

“Meanwhile, why should they continue supporting the general in Parliament if they have nothing to give to voters in their constituencies?”

Not even The Nation can be so naive that they believe any of these flip-flopping, spineless “politicians” are in it to do anything for their voters! They have neither an ideology, integrity or a shred of honesty and are in it for one reason and one reason only - to raid the countries coffers! Corrupt to the core these scoundrels want to fill their pockets with as much as they can while they can while they throw some scraps to the people now and then and pretend to represent them.

 


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[rkidlad]

19 minutes ago, boonrawdcnx said:

“Meanwhile, why should they continue supporting the general in Parliament if they have nothing to give to voters in their constituencies?”

Not even The Nation can be so naive that they believe any of these flip-flopping, spineless “politicians” are in it to do anything for their voters! They have neither an ideology, integrity or a shred of honesty and are in it for one reason and one reason only - to raid the countries coffers! Corrupt to the core these scoundrels want to fill their pockets with as much as they can while they can while they throw some scraps to the people now and then and pretend to represent them.

 


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Yes, there's an interesting article about how a minor party, who got about 60,000 votes, campaigned on the stance of being against dictatorial rule and wanted the current regime gone. They ended up joining Prayut. When the leader of that party was asked why he went the opposite route, he said, and I quote, "I was just talking. Saying anything to get into parliament first". 

 

I wouldn't trust any of these rats as far as I could throw them. The huge irony being that populist policies were supposed to be a thing of the past, but they used the populist policy of 'Prayut out' to garner votes which ended up keeping him in. 

[neeray]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Beset by competing demands of elected politicians as he struggles to form a government, General Prayut Chan-o-cha is fast-learning that politics is a matter of negotiation and bargaining rather than dictating.

Pretty much sums up this sad situation.

That's hardly what I call "returning happiness to the people".

This has become just about as much of a clown show as what we're seeing daily on two other continents.

[connda]

So, cardboard cutout politics will no longer work?  

 

 

[spidermike007]

4 hours ago, Thailand said:

The next coup will see Prayuth gone and more likely a much more aggressive military head seeking his time. And that may not be very long if there is any sign that there may be moves to curtail the power of the military in the future.

And if that happens, expect the youth to rise up. We may see Hong Kong style protests, and a very angry public. At this point, the army is despised by most of the nation. In a very big way. They have outlived their usefulness to the nation to such an extent. The army is now a burden to nearly every person in the land. 

[spidermike007]

Amid this new democratic arrangement, Prayut meanwhile finds himself shorn of the status he has enjoyed for the past five years.

 

That in and of itself is an amazing thing. Prayuth is going to have a very hard time dealing with the negotiations, and wheeling and dealing. Remember, he is a man who is not used to being questioned. He has a very delicate ego, and very thin skin. Not much self esteem, it would appear. So, this next five years may be far less enjoyable for him, without his unassailable authority. I hope it is extremely unpleasant for him. He deserves that, after what he has done to this nation. 

[holy cow cm]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut may have been nominated by the pro-junta Phalang Pracharat, but the party does not belong to him. Its MPs are entirely unconcerned with Prayut’s status as they demand seats in his Cabinet on grounds that they represent voters from their large power bases.

Yeah, it's all about who gets the rewards, and so far they have little to none. No true loyalty. 

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayut can no longer shut the mouths of MPs, who are free to vote or not to vote to support his government. If they vote against the party line, Phalang Pracharat could purge them. But thanks to the military-sponsored charter, if they manage to join a new party within 60 days, they can continue as MPs.

 

Let the purging begin to help the MP's incite ole big loud mouth's slander and rants against them who he probably considers infidels against the holy Junta and elite. His persona of feeling superior to all will back fire on him and he may just go into a fetal position calling out for his mommy.

[RichardColeman]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

job with a bloc vote from the 250 senators it appointed

And imagine his power without them !

[yellowboat]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

His only way of handling parliamentary politics would be to adapt and evolve into the same species he has so often expressed disdain for.

No, He will remain the species we all hate: authoritative tinpot.  He will do whatever it takes to keep Thailand a banana republic and paradise for the chosen few.  We can only hope his regime falls apart, unable to cope with more ethical provocateurs.

[Chang_paarp]

Maybe his mates will oblige him with a new coup.  That would take all this politics business out of his hands.

[Benmart]

Sadly, he is just another of a long line of ineffective, self-serving figureheads; joined by numerous failed states around the world. His history will most likely be religated to the dusty, seldom visited section of the loosers library.

[candide]

On 6/19/2019 at 2:20 AM, Eric Loh said:

Don’t think it works that way. He don’t stage coup; he just follow order and doubt there are reasons now for a coup to be ordered. Also coups are stages by Army Chiefs who has direct command on the military. Prayut has no direct command. The current army chief can’t make that coup decision arbitrary. He too follow orders. 

Actually, if there is a new coup, it may well be against Prayut.