Pheu Thai decides to throw support behind iLaw ‘people’s charter’

By THE NATION

 

 

The opposition Pheu Thai Party resolved on Wednesday to back the “people’s charter” put forward by the civil group Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw).

 

Pheu Thai leader Sompong Amornwiwat called a party meeting on Wednesday morning before the Parliament began its session on voting for the draft proposed by iLaw. 

 

Sompong asked all party MPs if they were for the iLaw draft, and most of them raised their hand. 

 

MP Sutin Klangsang told the press later that his party was initially concerned that this charter draft can be seen as a violation of Article 255 of the Constitution, which states that Thailand’s administrative structure cannot change from a constitutional monarchy. 

 

However, he said, Pheu Thai is not worried about this issue anymore because Parliament president checked the draft on Monday and said it is does not violate the current charter.

 

“If we are wrong, then the first person to be charged under this matter will be the president,” he said.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30398156

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-11-18

 

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Pheu Thai seems to be the voice of reason and the only body that raises important questions in Thai politics.   The elites will need to get ahead of this if their inbred families are going to maintain control.

49 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Pheu Thai seems to be the voice of reason and the only body that raises important questions in Thai politics.   The elites will need to get ahead of this if their inbred families are going to maintain control.

 

Pheu Thai are the elites. Their history has as much, if not more, corruption in it than the current lot. 

 

They probably voted for it knowing it would be defeated so they could claim political advantage rather than moral advantage.

 

They are ALL the same.

9 minutes ago, Whale said:

 

Pheu Thai are the elites. Their history has as much, if not more, corruption in it than the current lot. 

 

They probably voted for it knowing it would be defeated so they could claim political advantage rather than moral advantage.

 

They are ALL the same.

Not in my experience.   Though flawed, they were the counter to the military and the institutions they protected. Thailand, though not free enough, was more free than under the current regime.  Business was better and people had more hope than they did after the coup and before the virus.  The last coup leader was far far better than cha cha.  He allowed Thailand to carry on, where cha cha did not. cha cha's errors have brought out the dismay in the youth of Thailand.  They seem to be the only ones that can change the country, as they have time on their side and the people in charge currently have not provided a legacy worth saving.   A little more freedom is better than a lot less.  

This situation is getting pathetic 

The party of regular people. In fair elections they would again win a landslide. 

1 hour ago, yellowboat said:

They seem to be the only ones that can change the country, as they have time on their side and the people in charge currently have not provided a legacy worth saving.   A little more freedom is better than a lot less.  

The students along with others who's businesses one by one are closing, they will join the ranks for change.

1 hour ago, pegman said:

The party of regular people. In fair elections they would again win a landslide. 

 

They've never really represented the ideals and aspirations that the younger generation leading the current calls for change and reform are looking for. 

5 hours ago, yellowboat said:

Pheu Thai seems to be the voice of reason and the only body that raises important questions in Thai politics.   The elites will need to get ahead of this if their inbred families are going to maintain control.

 

No they're not. They are the voice of the corrupt Shin family who hope to seize control of the trough for themselves. The PTP are as inbred and entitled as those they oppose.

 

Hopefully young and middle aged people see through both.

3 hours ago, pegman said:

The party of regular people. In fair elections they would again win a landslide. 

 

Doubtful. Most can now see them for what they are. The newer players on the political scene, are more likely to win. 

4 hours ago, yellowboat said:

Not in my experience.   Though flawed, they were the counter to the military and the institutions they protected. Thailand, though not free enough, was more free than under the current regime.  Business was better and people had more hope than they did after the coup and before the virus.  The last coup leader was far far better than cha cha.  He allowed Thailand to carry on, where cha cha did not. cha cha's errors have brought out the dismay in the youth of Thailand.  They seem to be the only ones that can change the country, as they have time on their side and the people in charge currently have not provided a legacy worth saving.   A little more freedom is better than a lot less.  

 

PTP ran things primarily for the benefit of the Shin family and it's lackeys. The rice scheme was a feast for the cronies to dip into too. The Shins could never win the military over, unlike their best friend Hun Sen did. But they certainly kept the police on-board.

 

The world's economy, political stability, and social balances were much better at the time PTP were in power. A kleptocracy relies on flushing money through the system to grease palms.  Works fine until they run out of other people's money to use. The 2.2 trillion baht loan they planned, off the books and out of scrutiny, was too greedy and transparently so. The plan to whitewash Thaksin and bring him back a hero caused more public anger than Red Bull boy's almost whitewash!

 

Thai people are getting more questioning and less servile as the generations change. They don't accept the old guards so easily and want change. They don't want to carry on with the musical chairs played by hiso elites, including the Shins, any more. 

 

PTP can try and hang on to the coat tails in the hope of some spoils, but these new movements aren't, thankfully, likely to let them lead and dominate. 

4 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

No they're not. They are the voice of the corrupt Shin family who hope to seize control of the trough for themselves. The PTP are as inbred and entitled as those they oppose.

 

Hopefully young and middle aged people see through both.

I share your sentiments regarding the young.  Though getting their terrified parents to act in public will not happen.   So you are happy with the stagnating Thailand?   A grand kleptocracy in the making.   The Shins could have been greater than Lee Kwan Yue had they just behaved, but I will have to say, they didn't.  As bad as they were, they are better than the military.  

Just now, Baerboxer said:

 

PTP ran things primarily for the benefit of the Shin family and it's lackeys. The rice scheme was a feast for the cronies to dip into too. The Shins could never win the military over, unlike their best friend Hun Sen did. But they certainly kept the police on-board.

 

The world's economy, political stability, and social balances were much better at the time PTP were in power. A kleptocracy relies on flushing money through the system to grease palms.  Works fine until they run out of other people's money to use. The 2.2 trillion baht loan they planned, off the books and out of scrutiny, was too greedy and transparently so. The plan to whitewash Thaksin and bring him back a hero caused more public anger than Red Bull boy's almost whitewash!

 

Thai people are getting more questioning and less servile as the generations change. They don't accept the old guards so easily and want change. They don't want to carry on with the musical chairs played by hiso elites, including the Shins, any more. 

 

PTP can try and hang on to the coat tails in the hope of some spoils, but these new movements aren't, thankfully, likely to let them lead and dominate. 

As bad as they were, the current regime does even less for the average Thai and the have drawn the ire of the young thankfully.   To get rid of cha cha and his army of parasites, the young will probably need the PTP's help.  Your ideals seem to be grounded in a perfect world and not Thailand.    Some your points about the shins are correct, but when facing down the Thai army and the institutions they protect,  how would they do that without the main opposition group?

9 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

I share your sentiments regarding the young.  Though getting their terrified parents to act in public will not happen.   So you are happy with the stagnating Thailand?   A grand kleptocracy in the making.   The Shins could have been greater than Lee Kwan Yue had they just behaved, but I will have to say, they didn't.  As bad as they were, they are better than the military.  

 

Thaksin certainly regarded Lee as a mentor. He tried to copy the way Lee used the law to silence critics and opponents but failed.  He had ambitions to make the Shins the Thai equivalent of the Lees and again failed. I used to have regular arguments with a British Diplomat about why the UK supported the Lees but were against Dr. M in Malaysia. The same sort of arguments could be had for supporting the Shins against the current mob here; or visa versa.

 

Politicians around the world seem to be being exposed now: for corruption, incompetence, entitled selfish behavior and for presuming themselves above the law and their electorates. A plague.

 

Interestingly, not just the young, but in many democracies, the old are also starting to act. Even in dictatorships like Belarus. 

 

Things have to change - not sure what the answer is, but the current political models around don't seem to deliver the answer for the vast majority of people in the world. 

10 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

As bad as they were, the current regime does even less for the average Thai and the have drawn the ire of the young thankfully.   To get rid of cha cha and his army of parasites, the young will probably need the PTP's help.  Your ideals seem to be grounded in a perfect world and not Thailand.    Some your points about the shins are correct, but when facing down the Thai army and the institutions they protect,  how would they do that without the main opposition group?

 

Most Thais I know supported the 2014 coup and wanted a Shin regime they saw as thoroughly corrupt out. The final straw for many was the attempted whitewash and the shannigans around the votes in parliament.

 

Those people are now very disappointed with the current regime, and want change. They don't want Thaksin, or any of the crowd, back running things either.

 

These are mainly middle aged professionals, university educated, family people. Once that group gets impassioned change is possible. And they are starting. Add that to impassioned youth and just maybe,,,,

 

The current opposition aren't actually much use in bringing real change. Rather like in other countries too.

3 hours ago, pegman said:

The party of regular people. In fair elections they would again win a landslide. 

 

Which is why the present government will never allow fair elections.

13 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

 your points about the shins are correct, but when facing down the Thai army and the institutions they protect,  how would they do that without the main opposition group?

It depends what PTP expect to get out of it. If they want to run the government and expect, as before, popular participation to be restricted to simply going out to vote for them every few years, then I guess alternative opposition options will continue to appear.  

Just now, Baerboxer said:

Most Thais I know supported the 2014 coup and wanted a Shin regime they saw as thoroughly corrupt out. The final straw for many was the attempted whitewash and the shannigans around the votes in parliament.

Yes, and now Thailand is paying for it, because they allowed the army to take over, unlike last time.  The shins were gangsters.  The army thinks of itself as noble, Camelot like.   Gangsters are far easier to negotiate with than those who think of themselves a majestic.  Like I said, you are thinking in terms that are not in the realm of current reality.  Without the largest opposition party, military rule will be difficult to get rid of.  Your Bangkok friends probably do what mine do:  say one thing and do another.   

Just now, Baerboxer said:

Most Thais I know supported the 2014 coup and wanted a Shin regime they saw as thoroughly corrupt out. The final straw for many was the attempted whitewash and the shannigans around the votes in parliament.

Yet the 2014 coup, which "most Thais you know supported" was ultimately triggered (although it had long been in the planning) by the realisation that Pheu Thai was well on course for another decisive victory. Perhaps the coup, which "most Thais you know supported", was not that universally well received. Th absolute mess, which the regime spawned by that coup has reduced the country to, economically, socially and constitutionally is a result of that coup.

 

Now if the election had proceeded, and Pheu Thai had (as seemed likely) won and formed a government, would we be in such a mess today? Personally I think that they would have coped better, and not have done so much damage to the "little people's economy". Would the younger generation's progressive movement (built around Thanathon Chuengrungrueangkit and his Future Forward Party) have emerged? I think yes, it reflects both virulent opposition to the post coup regime, and a general deep rooted objection to the "status quo" by a generation who have effectively educated themselves politically using new media and forms of communication. I  suspect by now it would be a major challenge to Pheu Thai, and quite possibly in some form of coalition with them. So many lost opportunities for the people of Thailand, young and middle aged!

 

All hope is not lost - any group, who going to a demonstration in the full expectation of being blasted by water cannon, arm themselves with large yellow inflatable toy ducks get my vote - if only for a brilliant "<deleted> take"!

3 hours ago, KhaoNiaw said:

 

They've never really represented the ideals and aspirations that the younger generation leading the current calls for change and reform are looking for. 

Well there is going to have to be a collision between the young people and the folks in the north east and north. Neither group can do this on their own.

1 hour ago, herfiehandbag said:

 

Which is why the present government will never allow fair elections.

Theres never been a fair election in Thailand, vote buying is a national hobby.

 

 

1 hour ago, herfiehandbag said:

 

Which is why the present government will never allow fair elections.

True, which is why there will need to be a wide, popular uprising to push them out. 

33 minutes ago, pegman said:

Well there is going to have to be a collision between the young people and the folks in the north east and north.

 

Typo I assume; collusion rather than collision?

5 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

No they're not. They are the voice of the corrupt Shin family who hope to seize control of the trough for themselves. The PTP are as inbred and entitled as those they oppose.

 

Hopefully young and middle aged people see through both.

 

But, but, but...

14 hours ago, Salerno said:

 

Typo I assume; collusion rather than collision?

No, in fact auto correct messed up coalition and my edit missed it. 

22 hours ago, pegman said:

Well there is going to have to be a collision  coalition between the young people and the folks in the north east and north. Neither group can do this on their own.

The students (and working professionals) in Chiang Mai are all for the students protesting in BKK.  They have had a couple of smaller protests in CM but the group doesn't know what to do at this point from what I'm hearing.

7 hours ago, pegman said:

No, in fact auto correct messed up coalition and my edit missed it. 

 

Ah, "coalition" ... yes, much better way to put it.