Thai activists push for PM to quit as confidence vote looms

[webfact]

People protest over the Thai government's handling of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and to demand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha's resignation, in Bangkok, Thailand, September 3, 2021. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Several thousand people gathered in Bangkok to call for the resignation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Friday, one day before lawmakers hold a no-confidence vote over his government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Protests against Prayuth have gathered steam since late June as university students who sought his removal last year return with broader support from other political groups and people angered by a worsening coronavirus situation.

 

Speaking in parliament on the last day of a house censure debate, in which lawmakers challenged the premier and five ministers over their handling of the crisis, Prayuth said on Friday that he would neither resign nor call a snap election.

 

"Even though Thailand is not the best at handling COVID-19, it isn't the worst," he told parliament.

 

"We have handle it to the best our ability by all those concerned," he said.

 

A big rally is planned for Saturday when parliament is due to hold the censure vote. This is expected to go Prayuth's way because of his coalition's clear majority in the house.

 

Former army chief and 2014 coup leader Prayuth and his ministers have rejected the opposition's allegations of corruption, economic mismanagement and a bungled coronavirus response.

 

The overwhelming majority of Thailand's 1.24 million cases and 12,374 deaths came after April, following a year of successful containment. It has since been hit by the Alpha and Delta variants and has struggled to get hold of enough vaccines.

 

Activists vowed to defy coronavirus ban on big gatherings and stage street protests daily until Prayuth leaves office.

 

"People have died from his failure to deal with COVID-19, from his complacence, arrogance and from not listen to people's voices, making it difficult for people to live," student activist Wanwalee Thammasattaya told Reuters.

 

More than 600 people face protest-related charges for various violations in July and August, police said on Friday.

 

(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Martin Petty and Raissa Kasolowsky)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-09-04

 

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[RichardColeman]

When you actually see pictures like this, it makes you wonder who actually voted for him ........... not that it matters I guess when you can rig the seating.

 

 

[zzaa09]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

When you actually see pictures like this, it makes you wonder who actually voted for him ........... not that it matters I guess when you can rig the seating.

 

 

That the deceptive key to all the elective processes - cheating, false manipulation and sleight-of-hand. If that fails, military strong arming and coups of a higher blessing are quite acceptable. 

[Thaiwrath]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"We have handle it to the best our ability by all those concerned," he said

And that is one of the reasons why the majority of the country is now against you,

The "best of your ability" was nowhere near good enough, reeks of gross incompetence, nepotism and corruption, and has left a mostly unvaccinated country in a state of disrepair !

Edited September 3, 2021 by Thaiwrath

[zzaa09]

1 minute ago, Thaiwrath said:

And that is the reason why the majority of the country is now against you,

The "best of your ability" was nowhere near good enough, reeks of gross incompetence, and has left a mostly unvaccinated country in a state of disrepair !

They keep different delusions.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

When you actually see pictures like this, it makes you wonder who actually voted for him ........... not that it matters I guess when you can rig the seating.

 

 

His buddies.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

"We have handle it to the best our ability by all those concerned," he said.

Your ability is well below par.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Prayuth said on Friday that he would neither resign nor call a snap election.

So he knows the outcome already, firmly entrenched and protected.

[nobodysfriend]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Activists vowed to defy coronavirus ban on big gatherings and stage street protests daily until Prayuth leaves office.

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

"People have died from his failure to deal with COVID-19, from his complacence, arrogance and from not listen to people's voices, making it difficult for people to live,"

 

 

Yes , they protest against the government and it's measures against Covid .

But it is just gatherings like this that enable the Virus to spread further .

They say that the government did not do enough , but what are they doing ?

Me too , I think it is time for the government to be replaced by another government who won unbiased and free elections , but the Virus does not care about governments ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[malibukid]

Thailand was late in rolling out the vaccine and not joining Covax because the choose to take a gamble to produce their own version and fatten the coffers of certain people.  money before well  being of the Thai people.  what is there to debate.

[zzaa09]

19 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

 

 

 

Yes , they protest against the government and it's measures against Covid .

But it is just gatherings like this that enable the Virus to spread further .

They say that the government did not do enough , but what are they doing ?

Me too , I think it is time for the government to be replaced by another government who won unbiased and free elections , but the Virus does not care about governments ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's all quite whimsical - this is where all the spikes have their origins.

[chang1]

12 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

 

 

 

Yes , they protest against the government and it's measures against Covid .

But it is just gatherings like this that enable the Virus to spread further .

They say that the government did not do enough , but what are they doing ?

Me too , I think it is time for the government to be replaced by another government who won unbiased and free elections , but the Virus does not care about governments ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe it shows how desperate they are for change. Covid is probably one of the smaller risks they are taking. 

At least they are doing something, you want change but have you done anything to help at all? Easy to criticise, much harder to actually do something. 

Why not show some support instead of nit picking?

[dallen52]

Didn't they have a group hug and decided Cha Cha is the man?

 

Or at least in government circles.

The devil you know!!

 

Public Opinion still get rid of him.

[sammieuk1]

Even though Thailand is not the best at handling COVID-19, it isn't the worst," he told parliament.

Just look at North Korea... 

 

"We have handle it to the best our ability by all those concerned," he said.

Our percentage took a lot of haggling ????

[chang1]

9 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

It's all quite whimsical - this is where all the spikes have their origins.

All? Nothing to do with migrant workers, songkran and any of the other clusters found? 

[Tonypandy]

25 minutes ago, chang1 said:

Maybe it shows how desperate they are for change. Covid is probably one of the smaller risks they are taking. 

At least they are doing something, you want change but have you done anything to help at all? Easy to criticise, much harder to actually do something. 

Why not show some support instead of nit picking?

Absolutly, to many whingers who only concern is protecting themselves from the virus when so many Thais are in a much worst position. 

[Surasak]

"We have handle it to the best our ability by all those concerned," he said.

 

I am quite sure my latest great grand daughter could not have done worse, and she is only 4 days old.

[crazykopite]

If a million people take to the streets there is a very small chance he would get the message otherwise it’s a waste of time 

[EricTh]

If you call 12,000 deaths in Thailand a calamity, compare that to all the other 45 countries that are worse than Thailand in terms of number of deaths.

 

Do you see the people there calling their government to step down?

 

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

 

Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam all have worse figures than Thailand.

Edited September 4, 2021 by EricTh

[brianthainess]

5 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

When you actually see pictures like this, it makes you wonder who actually voted for him ........... not that it matters I guess when you can rig the seating.

 

 

He was not voted for as a PM he was 'chosen'. He had already got Future forward party banned.

[mikesalaugh]

We all know he is not capable to run a government.

Another coup? - Would that be for the better or for the worse?

 

Is it better the devil you know than the devil you don't know?

 

I'm not judging what is the best or worst scenerio, just asking the question - Who will take his place?

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Do you see the people there calling their government to step down?

Oh every day!

[fvw53]

5 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

When you actually see pictures like this, it makes you wonder who actually voted for him ........... not that it matters I guess when you can rig the seating.

 

 

...in this past of the world we have also elections in Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Singapore ...where the same people rule since independence.

[johnarth]

if footballers can run around without spreading corvid why carnt everybody else, there is no logic any more it is one or the other as in the old days

[BangkokReady]

16 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Do you see the people there calling their government to step down?

It's quite obvious that most of the people calling for the PM to step down are the same anti-government protestors as before.   They just found a new angle that they think will help them get what they want.

 

The chances of anything changing simply because Prayuth steps down are pretty slim.

[kennw]

1 hour ago, chang1 said:

Maybe it shows how desperate they are for change. Covid is probably one of the smaller risks they are taking. 

At least they are doing something, you want change but have you done anything to help at all? Easy to criticise, much harder to actually do something. 

Why not show some support instead of nit picking?

I worry about the alternative, could it be "out of the frying pan into the fire"

 

[mikesalaugh]

3 minutes ago, kennw said:

I worry about the alternative, could it be "out of the frying pan into the fire"

 

Yes, be careful what you wish for. You might just get it!

[Robin]

If the mob wont change, they will have to offer a new leader who can inspire the population and convince them that he can lead 
Thailand out of this crisis.   

That has been Thailand's problem for years;  There is no leader with the ability to take charge of the country, just opportunists who want to feather their own nests.

[JohnHans]

Its more to do with removing a puppet, the Covid crisis is a good occulta rerum agendarum ordinem.

[EricTh]

43 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

It's quite obvious that most of the people calling for the PM to step down are the same anti-government protestors as before.   They just found a new angle that they think will help them get what they want.

 

The chances of anything changing simply because Prayuth steps down are pretty slim.

I can understand if the protestors quote high corruption cases, misuse of government funds as the reasons but Covid cases should definitely not be used as a case when more advanced countries with much more financial resources like Japan and UK are doing much worse than Thailand.

 

Edited September 4, 2021 by EricTh