Thai junta leader orders end to army rule but keeps tough powers

[Barry343]

4 hours ago, pieeyed said:

How many people in his cabinet are military or ex military?

A big majority.

[Moo 2]

Regardless of your doings, on History Books you'll be classified as a Dictator, for all new generations

to read. Nothing you can do about it. I'd be worried to show that photo to toddlers, they might encounter

nightmares for the rest of their life. 

[Percy P]

5 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

Nothing has changed then. 

 

Perhaps not for you, but for tourists going about their businesses just walking the streets. Every thing is in order and peaceful.

No air port closure ,no clashes between the political colours.

As said tourists can go out with out fear . No bloodshed.

Now Thailand is overwhelmed with tourists and who benifits, The Thai people, hotels,GHouses, restaurant,your operators. So a lot has changed.

Edited July 10, 2019 by Percy P
Miss spelt word

[Eric Loh]

He seized power from an elected government, dictated his rule through intimidation for 5 years, allowed corruption to fester especially among his family, friends and allies and staged a fake election to allow him to stay in power. That's how history will remember him. 

[Percy P]

38 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Junta dressed up in pin-stripe... just the medals have gone everything else remains !

Look forward to happier times.

[Isaanbiker]

For example, giving the army and police the freedom to search, summon, and detain people for seven days as long as it is in the name of national security.

 

That sounds great! Detain people for seven days without having a reason for in the name of national security?

Unbelievable. 

Ouuch, somebody knocks at the door, aarrgh//

 

 

[FarFlungFalang]

9 minutes ago, Percy P said:

Look forward to happier times.

If you think having a lunatic holding a gun to people's head and told to do as they are told or else is the definition of good times then you must be suffering one of those brain malfunctions mentioned by the same lunatic.

[FarFlungFalang]

12 minutes ago, Isaanbiker said:

For example, giving the army and police the freedom to search, summon, and detain people for seven days as long as it is in the name of national security.

 

That sounds great! Detain people for seven days without having a reason for in the name of national security?

Unbelievable. 

Ouuch, somebody knocks at the door, aarrgh//

 

 

"Who could it be now?"

[blazes]

21 minutes ago, Percy P said:

Perhaps not for you, but for tourists going about their businesses just walking the streets. Every thing is in order and peaceful.

No air port closure ,no clashes between the political colours.

As said tourists can go out with out fear . No bloodshed.

Now Thailand is overwhelmed with tourists and who benifits, The Thai people, hotels,GHouses, restaurant,your operators. So a lot has changed.

 

I thought you might be joking, Percy, cos when you think of it, it's a laugh to think that the Thai people have suffered military rule for five years just so that we tourists can have a nice quiet time.

 

(Not sure Thailand is "overwhelmed" with tourists either!)

[Pedrogaz]

So the election was a complete and utter sham?

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha on Tuesday ordered an end to military rule before his new civilian government is sworn in

Likely there is a broader and more secret purpose in Prayut's order wherein Prayut has been told by "certain influential persons" to start acting like an elected civilian prime minister and terminate the NCPO oversight. He has not taken this action I believe out of kindness or in the spirit of democracy!

A few other specific remarks:

7 hours ago, webfact said:

He is due to become a civilian prime minister

He IS a civilian prime minister after having been endorsed as such.

In fact some politicians have called his continued use the his junta-appointed Cabinet as now illegal and perhaps might be addressed by the Constitutional Court. 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

"I won't be using Article 44 any more,"

Just yesterday he DID.

He invoked Article 44 to allow BMA-owned Krungthep Thanakhom Co Ltd. to conduct negotiations with the BTS over the Bt100 billion debt transfer and concession extension. http://www.nationthailand.com/business/30372607

I'm sure he can manage some loopholes to continue (albeit on a limited basis) to invoke Article 44. For example, projects that had begun before he became a civilian PM to simply provide continuity in "helping" accelerate those projects.  

7 hours ago, webfact said:

But the government said some orders introduced under the junta would continue: For example, giving the army and police the freedom to search, summon, and detain people for seven days as long as it is in the name of national security.

This statement to me is a "toss up" as to its legal basis.

• The army and police under military rule (aka junta government) operated under absolute power of Article 44 to ignore people's constitutional rights and liberties, ie., warrantless arrest, attitude adjustment, civilian trial by military court, indefinite detention at undisclosed places, lack of defense counsel, etc. Presumably that power goes with the dissolution of the NCPO as ordered by Prayut.

Versus

• A State of Emergency Order (SOE) by any civilian PM can be legally issued under a concern for national security. That's in the Constitution and was issued by the former Democrat PM Abhisit and former Pheu Thai Party Thaksin. But it cannot be issued by a "caretaker" government such as was the case with PM Yingluck in 2013 to protect government facilities and employees from anti-government protests and violence. She had placed herself and her government in caretaker status as per the Constitution after dissolving the Parliament and scheduling new elections which prevented her from issuing an SOE.
• An SEO allows limited violation of due process of law but not to the great extent of Article 44.  In fact a SOE is still in effect in the southern three provinces due to the insurgency and likely to remain so under civilian PM Prayut unless the parliament House threatens a PM "no-confidence" vote on its continuation.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

some of the junta orders would remain because they are necessary, but that parliament could change them.

That's true only to the extent that about 50 NCPO Orders were passed by the junta-appointed NLA last year as LAWS. These specific orders had administrative and legislative affect, although allegedly no affect on the judiciary. 

Yes, Parliament can revoke or amend these "NCPO laws" if the pro-military House coalition can maintain a majority vote. Apart from enticing pro-military party defections to gain the House majority, the problem for opposition House coalition is that this is one more involved distraction from their own legislative agendas for their constituencies.

[Krataiboy]

Sounds like the putative PM needs a little "attitude adjustment" to help him understand the difference between living in a democracy and an autocracy.

 

Only then will he be fit for purpose.

[connda]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

"These orders did not cause problems, they were done to fix problems."

Such as the pesky little problem of unconstrained democracy? 

[lvr181]

An end to military rule? How 'convenient'. He will rule knowing that the Army is likely to back him. Prawit (his mentor) in the background to ensure they rule the country.

 

And the PM (with the help/blessing of Prawit) has his mates from the class of (?) in strategic positions, so that their 'clique' will retain control.

 

AKA Thai "democracy"! ????

[spiroinusa1]

I love it here. Have a daughter, Thai wife, Thai people are great but on the government side you have a military General (no matter what he calls himself) with a military mindset and a bunch of dubious (in my opinion) economic advisers so I doubt this economy is going to grow significantly with bad infrastructure, low exports, few projects for renewable energy, terrible waste management system,over development in tourist areas, bad education system and basically a slow growth policy with a large amount of bureaucrats  many of who are not productive (yes it is a job and at least that is good).  

[outsider]

2 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

He seized power from an elected government, dictated his rule through intimidation for 5 years, allowed corruption to fester especially among his family, friends and allies and staged a fake election to allow him to stay in power. That's how history will remember him. 

 

A super-apt description of this... this... whatever it is you want to call 'it'. What you wrote should be the opening introductory lines about him in Wikipedia. It is short, concise and accurate - easy to understand, even for his kindergarten mates.

 

[mserror]

Aspirational goals for Thailand: free speech, democracy, rule of law.

 

[yellowboat]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

For example, giving the army and police the freedom to search, summon, and detain people for seven days as long as it is in the name of national security.

Martial law ????

[blazes]

42 minutes ago, Duck J Butters said:

If your implication is that electing Trump was 2 steps backwards for the USA then you are grossly mistaken and do not understand why the American people put Trump in office. America currently suffers from the sickness of “cultural identity”. Everyone wants to be seen as special. Every group has to be “equal” to or preferably better than its neighbors and fights for their “special” rights. If anyone has something that someone else wants, this person is painted as a racist, sexist, elitist or worse. This divisive “me first” attitude is tearing the fabric of American culture apart and is causing it to self-destruct in a fireball of competing ideologies. Diversity has led, inexorably, to anarchy.

 

Enter mankind’s savior, the most useful idiot of all, Donald J. Trump. Not the sharpest tool in the shed but definitely:  right place, right time. The American people see that their country is collapsing, they see corrupt warmongering politicians with false promises and nothing ever changing, they understand that something drastic must be done to stop the liberal elites and Lugenpresse that are trying to globalize America and the world. 

 

People are sick of the media’s subservience to political correctness and the safe space culture that is further being enforced upon us by Silicon Valley’s “thought police” and social media juggernauts such as Mark Zuckerburg’s evil creation called Facebook. People see an America which has become dangerously totalitarian and not a whole lot different than Thailand or China. Freedom of thought is close to dead in America. It’s either "get in line" with the liberal agenda or be ostracized and out of a job. The future looks very Orwellian.

 

Trump was essential and it is imperative that he is elected again in 2020 or America, and likely the world, are all doomed. All empires eventually collapse but not without a fight. There is still hope for America and that is because of The Donald.

 

Sadly, a lot of people just don’t get it as they have been brainwashed by a lifetime of liberal indoctrination and soy-boyification. Donald J. Trump is one of the greatest things to have ever accidentally happened to the American people and he will go down in history as one of America’s greatest presidents. Perhaps even the savior of humanity. I genuinely believe this. Not trolling.

 

Excellent.  All too rarely we see on TV a mind that is clear and able to express itself well.  I hope you contribute many more. 

I like in particular your reference (in "useful idiot") to one of history's greatest game-changers.

[ttrd]

10 hours ago, Creasy said:

Same same, but different.

…. and with a new twist … ????

[mal2018]

7 hours ago, YetAnother said:

probably thinks hypocrisy is a virtue

Well, it is the second letter of Thailand.

Have fun filling in the rest:

T_

HYPOCRISY 

A_

I_

L_

A_

N_

D_

 

Sorry no prizes. 

[alzack]

Would you buy a used car from this man

[FarFlungFalang]

19 minutes ago, alzack said:

Would you buy a used car from this man

How about a used and abused country?

[Humpy]

TIT......... that's 'This is Thailand'  !!

[alzack]

11 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

How about a used and abused country?

spot on he's used and abused Thailand and  not leaving any time soon

[Eric Loh]

2 hours ago, Duck J Butters said:

If your implication is that electing Trump was 2 steps backwards for the USA then you are grossly mistaken and do not understand why the American people put Trump in office. America currently suffers from the sickness of “cultural identity”. Everyone wants to be seen as special. Every group has to be “equal” to or preferably better than its neighbors and fights for their “special” rights. If anyone has something that someone else wants, this person is painted as a racist, sexist, elitist or worse. This divisive “me first” attitude is tearing the fabric of American culture apart and is causing it to self-destruct in a fireball of competing ideologies. Diversity has led, inexorably, to anarchy.

 

Enter mankind’s savior, the most useful idiot of all, Donald J. Trump. Not the sharpest tool in the shed but definitely:  right place, right time. The American people see that their country is collapsing, they see corrupt warmongering politicians with false promises and nothing ever changing, they understand that something drastic must be done to stop the liberal elites and Lugenpresse that are trying to globalize America and the world. 

 

People are sick of the media’s subservience to political correctness and the safe space culture that is further being enforced upon us by Silicon Valley’s “thought police” and social media juggernauts such as Mark Zuckerburg’s evil creation called Facebook. People see an America which has become dangerously totalitarian and not a whole lot different than Thailand or China. Freedom of thought is close to dead in America. It’s either "get in line" with the liberal agenda or be ostracized and out of a job. The future looks very Orwellian.

 

Trump was essential and it is imperative that he is elected again in 2020 or America, and likely the world, are all doomed. All empires eventually collapse but not without a fight. There is still hope for America and that is because of The Donald.

 

Sadly, a lot of people just don’t get it as they have been brainwashed by a lifetime of liberal indoctrination and soy-boyification. Donald J. Trump is one of the greatest things to have ever accidentally happened to the American people and he will go down in history as one of America’s greatest presidents. Perhaps even the savior of humanity. I genuinely believe this. Not trolling.

As a non American, I can’t fairly comment on your assessment of Donald Trump. However from an outsider view, perhaps you can help me understand why you think he is the greatest president when he ignore climate change, prefer the alliance of dictators rather than allies, decide on a personal trade crusade against China and throwing the world economic into a tailspin and tore the Iran agreement when other signatories see progress on the nuclear curtailment. He is promiscuous, lies a lot and make racist remarks which is how I see him. Am I wrong to make my assessment of him. 

[sambum]

"some of the junta orders would remain because they are necessary, but that parliament could change them."

 

Oh yeah? A bit like saying that Thailand could win the FIFA World Cup!

[candide]

2 hours ago, Duck J Butters said:

If your implication is that electing Trump was 2 steps backwards for the USA then you are grossly mistaken and do not understand why the American people put Trump in office. America currently suffers from the sickness of “cultural identity”. Everyone wants to be seen as special. Every group has to be “equal” to or preferably better than its neighbors and fights for their “special” rights. If anyone has something that someone else wants, this person is painted as a racist, sexist, elitist or worse. This divisive “me first” attitude is tearing the fabric of American culture apart and is causing it to self-destruct in a fireball of competing ideologies. Diversity has led, inexorably, to anarchy.

 

Enter mankind’s savior, the most useful idiot of all, Donald J. Trump. Not the sharpest tool in the shed but definitely:  right place, right time. The American people see that their country is collapsing, they see corrupt warmongering politicians with false promises and nothing ever changing, they understand that something drastic must be done to stop the liberal elites and Lugenpresse that are trying to globalize America and the world. 

 

People are sick of the media’s subservience to political correctness and the safe space culture that is further being enforced upon us by Silicon Valley’s “thought police” and social media juggernauts such as Mark Zuckerburg’s evil creation called Facebook. People see an America which has become dangerously totalitarian and not a whole lot different than Thailand or China. Freedom of thought is close to dead in America. It’s either "get in line" with the liberal agenda or be ostracized and out of a job. The future looks very Orwellian.

 

Trump was essential and it is imperative that he is elected again in 2020 or America, and likely the world, are all doomed. All empires eventually collapse but not without a fight. There is still hope for America and that is because of The Donald.

 

Sadly, a lot of people just don’t get it as they have been brainwashed by a lifetime of liberal indoctrination and soy-boyification. Donald J. Trump is one of the greatest things to have ever accidentally happened to the American people and he will go down in history as one of America’s greatest presidents. Perhaps even the savior of humanity. I genuinely believe this. Not trolling.

No. The USA are not like Thailand of China. It can currently be observed how well the constitution has been designed in order to prevent various tentative abuse of power. 

 

As for endoctrination and lack of tolerance, it is definitely on the side of the the alt-right, Tea party, evangelists and other supporters of Trump.

[hottrader77]

14 hours ago, Creasy said:

Same same, but different.

same old greedy fideling going on but under different laws

14 hours ago, madmitch said:

Dear Reuters, did you have to choose such an obnoxious photograph of Thailand's beloved leader?

 

<<<<Removed post edited out >>>>

Edited July 10, 2019 by metisdead

[chainarong]

What a load of Croc