Speculation is mounting that Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha’s hand may be forced to act before May 22nd to successfully cut off the passage of organic voting laws and also avoid defeat in a no-confidence vote against the government. This comes as his arch-foe, politically speaking, Captain Thamanat Prompow was selected to a leadership position of the New Economics Party at its Extraordinary General Meeting on Friday in Bangkok (inset bottom right) and also with signs of increasing restlessness within the Bhumjaithai Party led by leader Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (inset top left) which is hoping that any new election will see it gain ground and emerge as one of Thailand’s biggest parties.

 

by Joseph O' Connor

 

MP and New Democratic Party leader, Suritan Pichan, predicts that General Prayut will dissolve the House of Representatives before it reconvenes on May 22nd next sparking a General Election in June or July this year. It comes as the PM’s arch-foe, Captain Thamanat Prompow, on Friday, took up a key position within the leadership of the lately revived New Economics Party which on paper remains a supporter of the coalition.

 

Thailand could find itself plunged into a General Election in the next two months with a poll likely in June or July as speculation mounts that Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha will act before parliament is due to resume on May 22nd when the main goal of opposition parties will be to pass a series of organic laws which will significantly alter the political balance of power coming at a time when the government and the prime minister face voter fatigue and unpopularity due to a continuous economic malaise since coming to power in 2019.

 

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The chances of a General Election being called in Thailand before parliament reopens on May 22nd next are rising given a confluence of circumstances and factors which have emerged.

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2022/03/19/general-election-may-be-called-by-may-22nd/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2022-03-19

 

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Beats me why anyone would wish to vote, apart from the monetary incentive of course. The system is more rigged than ever and there's no way that any of the more progressive parties are going to be allowed to form a government.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The chances of a General Election being called in Thailand before parliament reopens on May 22nd next are rising given a confluence of circumstances and factors which have emerged.

We live in hope.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand could find itself plunged into a General Election in the next two months

The optimal words in that sentence are 'General' election ! 

Would also be convenient for this band of immoral and corrupt ragamuffins if they could restrict peoples rights further during the election period by extending yet again the bogus state of emergency.  

Nothing really has changed since the days of Phibul and Sarit 70 years ago, except nowadays there is no American money involved due to the US' collapse of their Indochina "policy" and their loss of the Vietnam war some 45+ years ago. 

22 May is, unless they rewrite the constitution (again), the day. The PM may not sit for longer than eight years - two terms of four years each. Now, that of course is a matter of interpretation as some voices claimed that the sitting government got "democratically" elected in March 2019 and hence that's when the clock started. Others said, the military coup d'etat of May 2014 is the starting day of Prayut and his cronies. As Prayut got officially endorsed by the Head of State, it is safe to assume, that his official term started in May 2014 - hence May 2022 would be his last month. 

I do not expect any surprises, it might be a nasty battle and lots of vote buying again. One icon is  Anutin, who might have some continued interests in getting more infrastructure projects for his family's construction business. His present term saw the pocketing of the extension of Bangkok airport at 50+ billion Baht; there are plenty of other ideas like railway links to please the Chinese needs from Nong Khai to the Gulf of Thailand and other rail dreams on the East-West corridor.
Then there is an unfinished, personal, vendetta with the magician, whose luggage left Bangkok containing flour and landed in Sydney where the content had turned into an illegal substance. His four years of Australian prison sentence do not count in Thailand and hence he can enlist himself as a candidate - apparently. The last election short-changed 6+ million voters who chose a futuristic  party with office holders who had not reached the dinosaur stage just yet. But, as the story goes, the party and its MPs were illegalized and a repetition of the voting was considered not necessary.  

It will be an interesting year but the cake is being cut and distributed by the guided present and new leaders of the land. It will have no influence on the non-Thai side so get ready for yet another fantastic roadshow - again. As long as there is no hope of a decent educational system for everybody based on abilities rather than financial considerations, there will not be any changes anytime soon. Those changes would have to be invoked by the very same people who benefit of the status quo. 

I - for one - look forward to the next entertaining findings, such as the submarines without engines on order and the dire need to upgrade the air force with new planes. Another chapter will be written by the dead horse in the race called Thai Airways - well, never a dull moment in lalala land ???? 

5 hours ago, SheikYabodyline said:

Beats me why anyone would wish to vote, apart from the monetary incentive of course. The system is more rigged than ever and there's no way that any of the more progressive parties are going to be allowed to form a government.

......of the more progressive parties? 

Which might those be?

1 hour ago, Sydebolle said:

Then there is an unfinished, personal, vendetta with the magician, whose luggage left Bangkok containing flour and landed in Sydney where the content had turned into an illegal substance. His four years of Australian prison sentence do not count in Thailand and hence he can enlist himself as a candidate

Isn't it fantastically ironic that this guy may be their downfall.  ????

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The chances of a General Election being

rigged are 100%.

1 hour ago, hughrection said:

Isn't it fantastically ironic that this guy may be their downfall.  ????

My thoughts, exactly, brilliant ???? 

 

And the current odds for a free and fair election are- apparently no bookies are taking bets as they consider the result to be a foregone conclusion.

43 minutes ago, mikebell said:

rigged are 100%.

I'm just interested in HOW they will rig it this time.

Make sure that all opposition and potential candidates are locked up;

Will the Nut be the next PM?

29 minutes ago, baboon said:

I'm just interested in HOW they will rig it this time.

Cash, trash or bash opposition, imprison , intimidate, kill like all repressive regimes

Edited March 19, 20224 yr by RubbaJohnny

A post with a trolling image as well as oversized font has been removed.

7 hours ago, hotchilli said:

We live in hope.

Are you ready for PM Anutin? 

6 hours ago, mikebell said:

rigged are 100%.

Expected.

Same as it ever was.