The New Senate Will Consist Of 150 Members

[sriracha john]

Thailand starts advance voting for senators

BANGKOK -- The two-day advance voting for senators throughout Thailand's 76 provinces started on Saturday in an atmosphere of lethargy as many eligible voters appeared to have wearied of elections.

A total of 76 senators, one for each province, will be elected during the advance voting and the official senatorial election day on March 2.

After casting his vote at a Bangkok election booth on Saturday morning, the Election Commission (EC) Chairman Apichart Sukhagganond was quoted by the Thai News Agency as saying that the panel had tried its best to encourage a turnout for the Senate election campaigns.

However, the time span or window of opportunity launching the campaigns was only two months, too short a time, and probably the public has become overtired of exercising their rights, the report said.

Apichart said he still hoped that "not less than 70 percent of eligible voters" would exercise their rights in the senatorial election.

A total of about 2.1 million eligible voters had registered to vote during the advance balloting which ends at 5:00 p.m. Sunday, said Election Commissioner Prapan Naikowit.

The senatorial election is held for the first time under the 2007 Constitution. The Senate will have 150 members, 74 appointed and the remainder elected by the public in all 76 provinces. The appointees were endorsed by the EC on Tuesday.

- Xinhua

[sriracha john]

Early Senate voting fails to excite

The Election Commission yesterday rushed to instruct its provincial committees to intensify a senate election awareness campaign after an alarmingly low turnout on the first day of the two-day advance voting. EC Chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said early voting was much quieter across the country than the advance voting in the Dec 23 general election. The Commission has one week left to raise public awareness about the senate contest which will take place next Sunday. "I have told the provincial election panels to mobilise resources to raise public awareness about the senate election." Mr Apichart said he expected a 70% voter turnout on March 2. Mr Apichart said a a series of elections had been held in past months including re-runs of Dec 23 general elections and elections of provincial administration organisations and provincial councillors in certain provinces. EC member Sodsri Sattayatham said that an absence of colourful election campaigns by senate candidates and a limited number of candidates to choose from might have dulled the atmosphere. The Senate candidates are obliged to comply with strict regulations including a requirement that they can only introduce themselves and must not have links with parties or politicians. Nirand Kulthanant, leader of a civic sector network based in Buriram, said the public did not recognise the significance of the Senate and knew that most candidates were nominees of political parties. "The candidates are nominees of politicians and the voters know who is going to win in their provinces. So several voters choose not to vote," he said.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/24Feb2008_news00.php

[Jai Dee]

BMA sets D-Day for Senatorial Elections promotion

Permanent Secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) Pongsakti Saemsan (พงศ์ศักติฐ์ เสมสันต์) spoke of his meeting with Election Commission (EC) member Praphan Naikowit (ประพันธ์ นัยโกวิท) and EC Secretary-General Suthipol Taweechaikarn (สุทธิพล ทวีชัยการ) on the promotion of the upcoming Senatorial Elections. The group convened on the concern that advanced voting for the election had much lower than expected turn outs which they faulted on the lack of information and encouragement to citizens.

The BMA has instructed all 50 district offices to heavily promote the polls that will take place this coming Sunday (March 2). The administration has ordered district authorities to take a door-to-door approach to encouraging citizens to exercise their rights as well as asking schools in each district to assist in the promotion of candidates. The BMA has set a D-Day for promotion on Friday, February 29th by which authorities should have contacted all residents in their district.

Other BMA officials and members of the EC have also been dispatched to business and social centers such as Sukhumvit road, Silom road and Siam to raise awareness of the upcoming event.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 27 February 2008

[Jai Dee]

BMA ready for senatorial election on March 2nd

Permanent Secretary for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), Phongsak Semsant (พงศ์ศักติฐ์ เสมสันต์), affirms all polling stations in Bangkok are ready for the senatorial election on March 2nd.

According to the permanent secretary, BMA has installed LCD screens in front of the City Hall to report election results at 19.00 hrs. It expects that 53% of the eligible voters will participate in the senatorial election and says complaints on electoral fraud have been reported.

Meanwhile, Director of the Pom Prap Sattru Phai (ป้อมปราบศัตรูพ่าย) district, M.L.Wina Suban (วิณา สุบรรณ), has led state officials to march from the district office to the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security as part of the campaigns on the senatorial election.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 29 February 2008

[Jai Dee]

EC expedites PR campaigns on senatorial election

Secretary-General of the Election Commission (EC) Sutthipol Thaweechaikarn (สุทธิพล ทวีชัยการ) reports that EC is expediting public relations campaigns on the senatorial election on March 2nd and expects that there will be a voter turnout of about 60%-70%.

Mr Sutthipol says EC has adjusted the campaigns to reach more voters and requested the Ministry of Labour to allow their employees to vote on March 2nd. EC has also called on the Ministry of Transportation to facilitate passengers traveling to polling stations.

The secretary-general says further that 89% of people EC has called confirmed that they will vote in the senatorial election on March 2nd.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 29 February 2008

[sriracha john]

Thaksin a factor in senatorial race

Return of ousted PM turns up heat in low-key election

Tomorrow's Senate election is likely to be a sleepy one, as indicated by the poor turnout for advance voting. But in Bangkok, where the race is expected to be fierce, voters cannot seem to escape the fever generated by the return of Thaksin Shinawatra. The former prime minister, it seems, will continue to be a major factor for voters.

Senate election rules prohibit candidates from openly claiming affiliation with political parties.

Of the 505 candidates, 35 are competing in Bangkok. Each of the 76 provinces will elect one senator. Another 74 senators were appointed last month.

Like the rest of the country, one of the major complaints from Bangkok voters is that they have never heard of many candidates.

Only four in Bangkok are well known - People's Alliance for Democracy member Rosana Tositrakul, Rangsit University economics dean Anusorn Thamajai, former constitution court judge Manit Witthayatem and songwriter Nitipong Hornak.

Supporters of Anusorn and Nitipong will likely reject Rosana, a consumer-rights advocate, who was elected to the last Senate along with 17 others from Bangkok.

Anusorn, known for his anti-coup stance, is popular in some business circles. His stance towards Thaksin is unclear. In fact, Anusorn's campaign posters stress he is "neutral and just" and will carry out his duties "creatively".

Nitipong may attract votes from those fed up with the continuing political division. Manit is a former Constitutional Court judge with a pro-Thaksin voting record. The most high-profile vote was that against a proposal to nullify the May 2006 general election.

With only a short time before voting, some prominent people were making last-ditch attempts to endorse candidates.

Former senator Jon Ungpakorn sent out emails in support of Rosana. "Although I may not agree with Rosana on every topic, Rosana is an honest person, straightforward and can't be bought. She dares to challenge those who abuse power," he wrote.

Political website Fah Diew Kan ran a casual poll in which members overwhelmingly chose Anusorn. Anusorn led Rosana by nearly 30 percent, or 51.43 per cent to 22.86 per cent. But, given that many voters feel disenfranchised by the new Constitution - which requires half the Senate be selected - political division and a low turnout for advance voting, the outcome is far from certain.

- The Nation

=============================================================

Coincidentally, Thaksin's brother, Payap Shinawatra, who is an MP in the Lower House:

will have his wife, Porutai Shinawatra, running in the Upper House Senate race for Chiang Mai:

Thaksin is certainly getting his "Houses" in order.

[sriracha john]

Senate voting under way

Turnout was expected to be light and peaceful, with most of the candidates not well known and barred by law from any type of normal political campaigning. In Bangkok there were 35 candidates for the sole senate seat. Among them, Rosana Tositrakul, a consumer rights activist, was perhaps the best known. The senate is designed to be a neutral body to counterbalance the elected Lower House. Its mandate is appoint ombudsmen and judges, to screen laws, investigate government policies and impeach ministers should a corruption case be brought against them by the National Counter Corruption Commission.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/tops...s.php?id=126251

[sriracha john]

Thailand holds senatorial election

Senatorial election in Thailand kicked off on Sunday morning around 76 provinces nationwide. Each province will have one elected senator, together with 74 appointed others to fill the 150-seat Senate (or Upper House).

About 500 candidates around the country, over 30 of them in the capital Bangkok, have registered to run in the senatorial election.

The 74 appointees, who have been selected by an appointed seven-member panel under Election Commission (EC) earlier this month, and the 76 electees will form the first Senate under the new 2007 Constitution, which was drafted by a committee and passed a national referendum last August. Under the new Constitution, a senator serves for a six-year term.

- Xinhua

[sriracha john]

Thailand holds Senate elections

BANGKOK, Thailand - Thais went to the polls Sunday to vote in the country's first elections for the upper house of Parliament since a 2006 military coup ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The 76 members of the Senate to be elected, one from each of the country's provinces, will join 74 others already appointed by a committee made up of judges, the Election Commission and the heads of various independent agencies.

A new constitution enacted last year made the 150-member Senate a body divided between appointed and elected members.

Thaksin, who returned from exile Thursday, was not eligible to vote because he was banned from political activities for five years after a court found him guilty of electoral fraud.

The Senate has the power to remove Cabinet members, to appoint and remove the commissioners of independent state organizations, and to approve laws passed by the lower house.

In the December election for the 480 members of the lower House of Representatives, the majority were won by the Thaksin-allied People's Power Party. It now leads a six-party coalition government.

Sunday's elections came four days after Thaksin returned to Thailand from 17 months in self-imposed exile following the coup. His homecoming was widely seen as a return to the center of Thai politics.

- Associated Press

[sriracha john]

What voter base is he appealing to???

Senate election poster

It reads: Good thoughts will lead to good deeds. No. 29 - Nitipong “Dee” Hornak - Bangkok Senate candidate No. 29

- courtesy of 2bangkok.com

[sriracha john]

Sorry Nitipong (above)... your appeal wasn't quite enough...but good grief, it was good enough for 2nd place...

Exit poll: Rosana wins senator seat in Bangkok

Rosana Tositrakul is expected to win senator seat in Bangkok, according to an exit poll conducted by Assumption University. According to the poll, Rosana got 43.5% of votes, followed by Nitipong Hornak who got 13% and Anusorn Thammachai who got 11%. The poll questioned 18,459 voters in Bangkok

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=126260

[sriracha john]

EC to have unofficial result of senate election tonight

The Election Commission (EC) expects to have the unofficial result of the senate election at around 10 PM today (March 2nd).

Election Commissioner Prapan Naikowit said the EC last night received more than 10 complaints related to vote-buying and other election activities. However, he says the overall situation is still in order, and no violent situations have occurred.

Mr. Prapan says the EC has encouraged people to exercise their voting right while educating them on the process of voting. In addition, senate candidates have been introduced to residents in their respective areas. The EC has also stressed that today’s senate election is very significant to the country, as it is the first senate election following the enforcement of the 2007 Constitution, and the elected senators will take office for six years.

- ThaiNews

[sriracha john]

The Sole New Senator Representing All Of Bangkok...

Rosana Tositrakul

Short, and impressive, bio from Bangkok Post here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/nextgen/rosana.html

which contains:

Rosana is also well known for her political activism as an advocate of non-violence. However, it is her anti-corruption campaign that has made her a household name.

[sriracha john]

Rosana has uphill task ahead

Anti-graft activist Rosana Tositrakul's landslide Senate election victory in Bangkok yesterday came as little surprise.

Her name and past record stood out from the list of 35 relatively obscure candidates competing for the single seat.

Many voting for Rosana said they wanted her in the Senate to ensure it operated as a system of checks and balances for the government, and society.

Starting out as a health and consumer-rights activist in the 1980s, Rosana emerged as one of the country's leading graft fighters when she led some 30 civic groups in the campaign against corruption at the Public Health Ministry between 1998 and 2003.

For the first time in Thailand, a politician at the ministerial level was found guilty and jailed for corruption.

She and her consumer groups' victory in halting the privatisation of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand two years ago, and a recent triumph in the Supreme Administrative Court against PTT propelled her further into the public limelight.

Rosana become synonymous with accountability, transparency and checks and balances.

By unofficial count last night, Rosana had polled more than 740,000 votes, representing nearly 50 per cent of the turnout.

She won by a large margin over musician and showbiz tycoon Nitipong Hornak, the runner-up who polled some 220,000 votes.

Bangkok voters said Rosana had the guts to compete in the election, instead of seeking a short cut to power by getting appointed to the Senate, as other activists had done.

Under the Constitution, only 76 of the 150-member upper house are elected, while a committee handpicked the rest.

However, Rosana's candidacy was not without criticism. Some progressive anti-coup academics and activists opted to tick "No Vote", instead of for Rosana. They see her as a key ally of the People's Alliance for Democracy that campaigned to oust Thaksin Shinawatra and invited the military to intervene.

Others call Rosana a hypocrite for accepting a position on the board of MCOT, the company privatised from the Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand.

Despite her landslide, Rosana is realistic and knows she will be in a minority in the Senate. She asked voters not to abandon her once she begins the task of scrutinising the government.

Indeed, amid the current gloomy atmosphere, people cannot afford to stop being involved once they leave the polling station.

Rosana and a few good men in Parliament still need our support.

- The Nation

[sriracha john]

Thaksin a factor in senatorial race

Coincidentally, Thaksin's brother, Payap Shinawatra, who is an MP in the Lower House:

will have his wife, Porutai Shinawatra, running in the Upper House Senate race for Chiang Mai:

Thaksin is certainly getting his "Houses" in order.

Perhaps Thaksin isn't as much as factor as was thought.... or if he was, it was a negative way...

Poor Porutai Shinawatra didn't get elected Senator... in her and Thaksin's home province...

and an anti-Thaksin PAD supporter was elected in the most populous province, Bangkok.... in a landslide... whereas Poor Porutai didn't even break into the top 3....

EC reveals unofficial tally of Senatorial votes

The Election Commission (EC) has revealed unofficial tallies of the national Senatorial Election which took place throughout yesterday. Initial counts in Bangkok placed Miss Rossana Tohsritrakool as the landslide winner, securing 724,429 votes, followed by Mr. Nittiphong Hornak with 210,625 votes and Mr. Anusorn Thamjai with 189,502 votes.

Chiang Mai province in the North saw Mr. Choochai Lertpongadisorn on top with 166,950 votes, seconded by Mr. Sarawut Sae-Tiaw winning 134,675 votes, who was followed by Mr. Sawasd Srisuwandee with 81,776 votes.

In the Norteastern province of Nakornratchasima Mr. Sumeth Sripong was the most voted with 452,974 votes followed by Mr. Anuwat Kanachan who took 251,718 votes in the one day poll.

In the Southern province of Narathiwat Mr. Muhamarosdi Botoh gained 118,530 points while in Yala province Mr. Thuan-Abdullah Daohmariyah headed with 58,369 votes.

- ThaiNews

Edited March 3, 2008 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

"Now which candidate was it that I wanted to vote for??? Was it 12 or 21??? Mai loo.. Luem..."

The older, more senile Samak...

PM forgets who to vote for in senate race

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his wife Surat went to vote for the upper house Senate election on Sunday morning at polling station near his residence in Bung Kum district. The couple reportedly walked to the station. But he forgot who he was going to vote for. He went into the voting booth, came out again to check the lists, and went back into the booth to mark his ballot.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=126254

Edited March 3, 2008 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Billionaire criminal defendant #1 voting for Auntie Porutai:

Billionaire criminal defendant #2 voting for Auntie Porutai:

Billionaire criminal defendant #3 voting for Auntie Porutai:

Edited March 3, 2008 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Billionaire criminal defendant voting for who-gives-a-rats-ass-about-his-side-of-the-family-more-importantly-who-do-I-have-the-most-business-dealings-with.

Edited March 3, 2008 by sriracha john

[Plus]

Samak has forgotten who to vote for and had to come out of the booth to check his candidate's number.

[sriracha john]

More on the Lady that represents the 10 million (give or take a half-dozen million) people of Bangkok as it's lone Senator...

Profile

Rosana Tositrakul, 55, ran in the April 2006 Senate election. She polled 118,332 votes, the fourth highest among candidates in Bangkok. Her election, and that of the other winners, was never endorsed. The vote was nullified by the junta that staged a coup in September of that year.

Rosana is the Director of the Confederation of Consumer Organisations, Secretary-General of the Thai Holistic Health Foundation and Manager of the Komol Kheemhong Foundation. She is a Director of MCOT and a law-reform committee member.

Rosana was among those who gathered 50,000 signatures required to launch an investigation into the 1.4 Billion Baht Public Health Ministry drugs and medical supplies procurement scandal that lead to the investigation of former Public Health Minister Rakkiat Sukthana for graft. He was sentenced to 15 years in jail and had 233 Million Baht in assets seized. *It was unprecedented... THUMBS UP on that one, Rosana*

Rosana was prominent in the anti-Thaksin Shinawatra movement.

She was a leader of the campaign against the privatisation of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand. The campaign led to the Administrative Court nullifying its sale.

Another campaign against the listing of PTT led to the court last year splitting PTT's assets between the company and the government.

Rosana graduated in journalism and mass communications from Thammasat University.

She has written and translated books on Buddhism, social work and members of the anti-corruption crusade. *English to Thai translations of entire books, including the works of Gandhi*

She was a member of the National Economic and Social Advisory Council in 2006. The Social Venture Network honoured her this year.

- The Nation

=================================================================

Compared to the current Cabinet staffings, she's like a blast of fresh air from an oxygen tank during one of Bangkok's more polluted days...

[sriracha john]

CORRECTION: The Thaksin clan did not vote in Thaksin's home province of Chiang Mai (which might explain Auntie Poruthai's loss there), but instead voted in Bangkok... where their votes might have helped the PAD supporter win by a landslide...

Wife, children of Thaksin vote in upper house polls

Ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra did not go to vote in senate election on Sunday after his political rights are revoked following the dissolution of Thai Rak Thai political party. His wife Potjaman went to vote alone at polling station in Dusit district in the morning. Their three daughters went to vote in Bang Phlad district. Daughter Pinthongta refused to tell the media whether Thaksin is in Bangkok. Meanwhile, pop diva Saranrat "Lydia" Wusutthithada said she would go play golf with Thaksin after casting her ballot. She added that she and her family will have dinner with the ex-premier in

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=126259

===========================================================================

Interesting that Lydia is back on the scene...

Here's a shot of her with a putter and some balls ready for a round of ???:

Here's what she might wear in the evening for dinner:

A truly diverse night OR day sort of woman...

Edited March 3, 2008 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Speaker: Appointed or elected?

The Senate is poised to face a major battle as appointed and elected senators prepare to elect their speaker.

An appointed senator yesterday argued for one of his colleagues to lead the upper chamber, while his elected counterpart said someone from the elected ranks would be more appropriate for the job. Senator-appointed Prasarn Maruekapitak said he saw two top contenders emerging from the 74 appointees - retired military officer Lertrat Ratanawanit and retired judge Prasopsuk Boondet.

"The Senate should prove itself to society as a neutral body and its speaker should be seen as a non-partisan figure," he said. He voiced support for Prasopsuk on the grounds of his political neutrality.

Senator-elect Siriwat Kraisin said the position of speaker should go to one of the 76 elected senators. "I believe an elected office holder is more ready to answer to society than appointees," he said, and urged both appointed and elected senators to work out a roadmap to restore the integrity of the Senate before picking the speaker.

Lertrat said it was too early to speculate on the issue before all 150 senators could meet and get to know one another.

"The majority of senators are senior figures, many are older than 60, and I think they can form their own conclusion who should be the speaker," he said, adding he had met with 61 senators to sound out their working agendas but did not talk about the leadership of the upper chamber.

He dismissed speculation that senators were forming cliques aiming to fight for the domination of the upper chamber, denying also that he was lobbying to become the speaker himself.

- The Nation

[sriracha john]

Social activist wins Bangkok senatorial election

BANGKOK – Leading social activist Rosana Tositrakul on Sunday pledged to perform 'checks and balances duties' regarding the government to the utmost of her ability after an unofficial senatorial election result found she scored a landslide victory in the Bangkok election.

According to the latest election count, she received over 700,000 votes, outpacing the first runner-up, Nitipong Hornak, by more than 300,000 votes.

Ms. Rosana said she had been rather unsure whether she would win in the senatorial race because potential winners often scored more than 500,000 votes.

But when she became aware of getting over 700,000 votes, she had to thank the people who gave their trust to her.

The activist said she believed all votes she received are simple scores counted transparently, without manipulation.

When the official results are certified, Ms. Rosana said, she would attend to her duties in applying a check-and balance awareness in regard tio the government, to ensure it administers country in a more transparent manner.

She also vowed to do her duty in the Parliament in a concrete manner and called on all people to work and help together for the interest of the country.

"I have introduced myself (a lot) as the senator candidate during the past 21 days and found Bangkokians had lost trust and felt fed up with politics.

"I have won the senatorial election partly because I have experience in checking (at least) some irregularities," she said.

Ms. Rosana said she was not concerned with becoming a senator when the new government is led by Samak Sundaravej.

"Good politics must have good governance. The checks and balances system must be maintained together with the administration. So, I think the government will give me an opportunity to work for the maximum benefit of the country," she said.

- TNA

[sriracha john]

Meanwhile, pop diva Saranrat "Lydia" Wusutthithada said she would go play golf with Thaksin after casting her ballot. She added that she and her family will have dinner with the ex-premier in

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=126259

===========================================================================

Interesting that Lydia is back on the scene...

Here's a shot of her with a putter and some balls ready for a round of ???:

Here's what she might wear in the evening for dinner:

A truly diverse night OR day sort of woman...

A quite disappointing turn of events for Lydia and Thaksin's plans... apparently security concerns intervened...

He [Thaksin] is believed to be staying at either a safe house in a classy part of the Sathorn area or at another house owned by a little-known relative. He had been scheduled to play golf with pretty singer Saranrat "Lydia" Wisuthithada, at a course in the Bang Bor area of Samut Prakan, but Thaksin was forced to call it off after his security men spotted an army of reporters and photographers at the venue.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/04Mar2008_news24.php

[sriracha john]

EC endorses 70 elected senators

The Election Commission has so far endorsed the victories of 70 elected senators.

The endorsement allowed the upper chamber to convene its first meeting a there are already 144 senators or 96 per cent of 150 Senate seats.

EC Chairman Apichart Sukkhakhanon said the EC had yet to endorse winning candidates from Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Sawan, Phetchabun, and Sakaew.

- The Nation

=======================================

Was pleased to learn the one Senator representing all of Chonburi province is one of Sriracha's own... born and bred.

[sriracha john]

Backing off the numbers above a smidge...

10 provinces hold up Senate endorsement

The Election Commission has yet to endorse the results of Sunday's senatorial race in 10 provinces pending a review of alleged electoral fraud.

"Most fraud cases are about payments or gift-giving," EC Secretary-General Suthiphon Thavee-chaigarn said.

The EC yesterday endorsed the results for 66 provinces, including Rosana Tositrakul's win in Bangkok. Suthiphon was confident the EC should be able to fill 95 per cent of the 150 seats, or 143 senators, to complete the quorum for the opening of the Senate by next week.

- The Nation

[sriracha john]

After most senators endorsed, race for Speaker's job starts

The race for the Senate Speaker post has begun following the EC's endorsement of more than 95% of a total of 150 appointed and elected senators, paving the way for the upper house to convene its first meeting. Two appointed senators have already emerged as contenders. They are former Appeals Court Chief Judge and former Council of State member Prasobsook Boondech, and former Defence Ministry Inspector-General Lertrat Rattanawanich. A group of 20 senators has invited Prasobsook to discuss with them the Speaker's qualifications and responsibilities, and agreed to support him as a candidate for the post. Prasobsook said the group agreed that the right man for the job should be a legal expert with seniority and someone who was decisive. Another group of senators has reportedly planned to nominate Gen Lertrat, who missed the chance to be Defence Permanent Secretary during the Thaksin Shinawatra administration prior to the 2006 coup. They planned to seek support from elected senators with close connections to political parties. Auditor-General Jaruvan Maintaka, who sat on the committee that selected 74 members of the new Senate, yesterday urged senators to elect someone who is a legal expert and truly politically neutral to the Speaker's job.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/06Mar2008_news07.php

[pulsevogn]

...and so it turns out the only person replying to himself is Sriracha John, with everything else censored out...

[Plus]

He doesn't reply to himself, he posts news clippings.

No one else has got anything to say.

Have you, pulsevogn?

[sriracha john]

A warning to Thaksinocracy

THAI RATH daily said Ms Rosana Tositrakul's victory in last Sunday's Senate race reflected the thinking of middle class Bangkokians who want to see the country return to democracy

The first Senate election under the 2007 Constitution on March 2 came and went quietly without incident. Nationwide, about 55.6% of eligible voters, 44.9 million people, came out to vote for 76 senators, one from each province. In Bangkok, about 40% of eligible voters cast their ballots, noted a Thai Rath editorial. The bright spot in this election, said Thai Rath, was the overwhelming victory of Rosana Tositrakul in Bangkok. Rosana's victory reflected the thinking of middle class Bangkokians who want to see the country return to democracy, with the executive branch being effectively monitored and the Senate truly neutral and independent. Thai Rath said Rosana was the most outstanding candidate among the 35 vying to be elected Bangkok senator. She is widely known as an activist - against corruption and for good governance, and keen on putting an effective monitoring system in place. In the past she was instrumental in exposing excessively expensive drug and medical equipment procurement by the Public Health Ministry, which resulted in the imprisonment of the elected minister, for reasons of corruption and power abuse. The overwhelming margin of victory for Rosana, a staunch and original opponent of Thaksinocracy, could be interpreted to mean that people in Bangkok would like to see the Senate act as a truly independent body. The Senate screens the appointments of candidates for appointment to independent governmental organisations. A rubber stamp Senate had been roundly condemned in the previous Thaksin administration for making the 1997 Constitution's checks and balances mechanism toothless.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/08Mar2008_news97.php