Strategies, betrayals and backroom deals as Thai election race begins

[webfact]

 

Registration of constituency candidates nationwide on Monday (April 3) marks the official start of the May 14 general election, as candidates and their parties will now have to comply with electoral law.

 

The national vote was called after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha dissolved the House of Representatives on March 20, just three days before the Lower House completed its four-year term.

 

The Election Commission has announced it is ready to organize the five-day candidate registration, which starts on Monday and ends on Friday.

 

Election officials held final rehearsals over the past weekend to register candidates contesting for 500 MP seats – 400 from constituencies and 100 from the party list. Candidates and parties have been cautioned they will be subject to electoral law and penalties once candidates are registered.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/strategies-betrayals-and-backroom-deals-as-thai-election-race-begins/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-04-03

 

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[spidermike007]

Even if Shinawatra wins, which looks likely, until the Thai people can figure out a way to get rid of those 250 extremely toxic, corrupt and heinous, army appointed senators, it is doubtful the opposition would be able to form a government. If the army gets voted out, it will be a ridiculous scenario for these clowns to remain in power. Something drastic needs to be done to solve this. 

 

The Thai army is useless, does nothing for the people and seems to serve no function other than to devour enormous resources and consume oxygen. 

[KannikaP]

34 minutes ago, webfact said:

Election officials held final rehearsals over the past weekend to register candidates

Rehearsals to do what....put someone's name on a piece of paper.

[DaveE13]

26 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Even if Shinawatra wins, which looks likely, until the Thai people can figure out a way to get rid of those 250 extremely toxic, corrupt and heinous, army appointed senators, it is doubtful the opposition would be able to form a government. If the army gets voted out, it will be a ridiculous scenario for these clowns to remain in power. Something drastic needs to be done to solve this. 

 

The Thai army is useless, does nothing for the people and seems to serve no function other than to devour enormous resources and consume oxygen. 

My girlfriend in Bangkok and her friends and work colleagues are all excited they think its the end of the idiot. I'm visiting her around the  time of the election  I think she going to be a bit upset and annoyed that the kicking these ex Army fools will get at the polls. They will  still be in charge.  It really can't be right and she never normally gets too bothered with politics. You know how thais can be, before she used to shrug her shoulders and say this Thailand nothing change. This time they all think it's now time for change.   Sad it really is 

[herfiehandbag]

8 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Rehearsals to do what....put someone's name on a piece of paper.

Registration is a vital precursor to the "election process".

 

Once a candidate is registered with the electoral commission they are basically controlled by a "government agency", which hugely assists in the at times necessary business of "sifting" a candidates background to ensure he or she is acceptable.

 

The actual voting bit is often peripheral to a candidate's prospects of election. Candidates can have their candidacy blocked, or be barred, disqualified and or banned from political activity both before and after voting once registered.

[DaveE13]

7 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Registration is a vital precursor to the "election process".

 

Once a candidate is registered with the electoral commission they are basically controlled by a "government agency", which hugely assists in the at times necessary business of "sifting" a candidates background to ensure he or she is acceptable.

 

The actual voting bit is often peripheral to a candidate's prospects of election. Candidates can have their candidacy blocked, or be barred, disqualified and or banned from political activity both before and after voting once registered.

Yes my old mun used to work for local council in a London Borough and was involved in a lot of these rehearsals. It's important to get it right 

[2baht]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

The Thai army is useless, does nothing for the people and seems to serve no function other than to devour enormous resources and consume oxygen. 

Oh come on! Their purpose in life is to protect the rich hi-so of Thailand!

[KiChakayan]

19 minutes ago, DaveE13 said:

It really can't be right and she never normally gets too bothered with politics. You know how thais can be, before she used to shrug her shoulders and say this Thailand nothing change. This time they all think it's now time for change.   Sad it really is 

The Thai people, yes, as R. McNamara said when he tried to speak Vietnamese: "the little duck, he wants to lie down".

[2baht]

I expect a fierce battle for control of the trough!

[zzaa09]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Even if Shinawatra wins, which looks likely, until the Thai people can figure out a way to get rid of those 250 extremely toxic, corrupt and heinous, army appointed senators, it is doubtful the opposition would be able to form a government. If the army gets voted out, it will be a ridiculous scenario for these clowns to remain in power. Something drastic needs to be done to solve this. 

 

The Thai army is useless, does nothing for the people and seems to serve no function other than to devour enormous resources and consume oxygen. 

Well said, Mike.

 

 

 

A side note: I must say, after long observations, that the Thai parliamentary system/procedure is a very odd duck that is geared and design to ensure the stodgy ruling elite their place. Requires radial infrastructural changes.....and that's just for starts.

[bamnutsak]

It's probably going to come down to ten or fewer MPs, and/or a coalition slapped together involving a few of the smaller parties. The payoff for them will be IMMENSE.

 

PPRP/UTN/BJT have presumably whipped several scenarios, including both "legal" and "potentially not illegal" actions, to insure that after the dust settles they form the next government.

 

Prayut did tell us he had a "twenty-year" plan, shortly after he assured us that there would NOT be a coup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2023 by bamnutsak

[spidermike007]

38 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

Well said, Mike.

 

 

 

A side note: I must say, after long observations, that the Thai parliamentary system/procedure is a very odd duck that is geared and design to ensure the stodgy ruling elite their place. Requires radial infrastructural changes.....and that's just for starts.

And if that is not possible the people of Thailand need to stage their own coup. 

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, 2baht said:

Oh come on! Their purpose in life is to protect the rich hi-so of Thailand!

This does seem to be an accurate assessment. Considering the geopolitical environment, I cannot see another function for the highly toxic and utterly useless Thai army. 

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, DaveE13 said:

My girlfriend in Bangkok and her friends and work colleagues are all excited they think its the end of the idiot. I'm visiting her around the  time of the election  I think she going to be a bit upset and annoyed that the kicking these ex Army fools will get at the polls. They will  still be in charge.  It really can't be right and she never normally gets too bothered with politics. You know how thais can be, before she used to shrug her shoulders and say this Thailand nothing change. This time they all think it's now time for change.   Sad it really is 

These clowns have presided over a dramatic drop in quality of life, and the well being of the average Thai. 

 

These guys are toxic, corrosive, corrupt, ineffective, incompetent, untrustworthy, very bad for the nation, and virtually assure a rotten future for the nation, a drop to 75th place in GDP, and increasing irrelevance. They have already turned Thailand from the tiger of SE Asia, to a sorry, rabid, whiny, anemic alley cat.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

as candidates and their parties will now have to comply with electoral law.

Time will tell.

[kingstonkid]

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Even if Shinawatra wins, which looks likely, until the Thai people can figure out a way to get rid of those 250 extremely toxic, corrupt and heinous, army appointed senators, it is doubtful the opposition would be able to form a government. If the army gets voted out, it will be a ridiculous scenario for these clowns to remain in power. Something drastic needs to be done to solve this. 

 

The Thai army is useless, does nothing for the people and seems to serve no function other than to devour enormous resources and consume oxygen. 

The challenge that I see is if the PT win then they get to set who the Cabinet people are.  They decide who the mportant working people under the PM will be.

 

It is then up to the PM and the party in power to get along enough to get things done in the house.

 

is it me or does it seem like 

 

[RichardColeman]

Very unusual to see a poor politician !

[madmitch]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

These clowns have presided over a dramatic drop in quality of life, and the well being of the average Thai. 

 

These guys are toxic, corrosive, corrupt, ineffective, incompetent, untrustworthy, very bad for the nation, and virtually assure a rotten future for the nation, a drop to 75th place in GDP, and increasing irrelevance. They have already turned Thailand from the tiger of SE Asia, to a sorry, rabid, whiny, anemic alley cat.

Say what you think, Mike. Don't hide your opinions!

[zzaa09]

9 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

This does seem to be an accurate assessment. Considering the geopolitical environment, I cannot see another function for the highly toxic and utterly useless Thai army. 

Only one reason, historically, for the standing military presence. 

Doesn't take too much deduction.

Edited April 3, 2023 by zzaa09

[zzaa09]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Very unusual to see a poor politician !

Universal - the world over.

[Andycoops]

As the Chinese etc have stated, everything is for sale in Thailand and I quote.

[Andycoops]

Thailand the world hub of backhand deals...