Bangkok poll triggers national wave of demand for local democracy

[snoop1130]

Calls for the right to elect governors in other provinces across the country have grown amid the immense media focus on the Bangkok gubernatorial race. (Photo by Kiratikorn Naksompop Blauw)

 

The 2022 Bangkok gubernatorial election, which saw independent candidate Chadchart Sittipunt win by a landslide, looks set to change Thailand’s politics in a big way.

 

Its impacts are now being felt not just in the capital but also in many other parts of the country.

 

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“Bangkok’s political maturity has risen significantly with this gubernatorial election and the capital looks set to become a political model for local administrations elsewhere,” said Asst Prof Dr. Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, a lecturer at Thammasat University’s Faculty of Law.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/bangkok-poll-triggers-national-wave-of-demand-for-local-democracy/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-05-27

 

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[Mavideol]

5 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

looks set to change Thailand’s politics in a big way.

unfortunately only wishful thinking as PM and his gang of cronies will find a way to disqualify anybody that threatens the outcome in their favor, same same as 2014/2018

Edited May 27, 2022 by Mavideol

[Excel]

Seems like a good democratic ideal but doubt the local mafias which control each province will allow that to happen.

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The 2022 Bangkok gubernatorial election, which saw independent candidate Chadchart Sittipunt win by a landslide, looks set to change Thailand’s politics in a big way.

One hopes so, instead of positioned officials they are freely voted into place by the public.

[JimHuaHin]

The Thai military and the powerful military-controlled Ministry of Interior (with its military/security agents in almost every Thai village) will make sure that all threats to their power, eg democracy, will be extinguished.

[Srikcir]

The political model for democracy is meaningless without decentralization (ie., within political power to the electorate) of the national police and judicial system.

 

[internationalism]

yet at the same time at elections in Pattaya, winner is the same deeply corrupted political family clan/mafia, associated with the ruling party and Prayuth. There was not a large gap some 2000 votes (some 15%) between them and runners up.

So very much depends how politically active is electorate.

It would be difficult to believe that the South, with it's local mafias, will differ much from happened in Pattaya. Even Buriram and the other provinces controlled by Bumjai Party would also not benefit. 

What is really surprising is a large presence of future forward, which is still pretty new faces party. Yet many of their followers voted tactically for the stronger candidates, to oppose tactical voting by conservatives (as in case in Bangkok).

An interesting article about Pattaya election and corruption background

https://bangkokherald.com/thailand/pattaya/more-of-same-likely-as-kunplome-pick-leads-pattaya-mayor-race/

Edited May 28, 2022 by internationalism

[BusyB]

15 hours ago, JimHuaHin said:

The Thai military and the powerful military-controlled Ministry of Interior (with its military/security agents in almost every Thai village) will make sure that all threats to their power, eg democracy, will be extinguished.

Probably.