6 hours ago, Denim said:

They are frantically looking for a fat lady with a good voice right now.

That counts out Prawit in a frock then.

9 hours ago, fdimike said:

We are guests in this country and I believe we should act that way.  None of us can vote here and I think it's very inappropriate to comment one way or the other in the politics of our host country..  JMHO

yet here you are

1 hour ago, h90 said:

They present it as he want to abolish it....I didn't read up what he really said. Do you have examples of overly punitive penalties....Examples that can be written without getting problems? I only know a few very old cases and that would have resulted in jail terms in my country if made against the president as well...but jail terms of months not decades like here. I recall it was also topic of a speech ............... (which I don't want to discuss....which actually supports your argument....if I am afraid of discussing something rather positive than the law is wrong)

Pita has said that he wants to specify exactly what constitutes an insult to the monarchy under 112. As currently nothing is specified, which is why a teenage girl is currently locked up and charged for insulting HM under section 112 for livestreaming somebody else painting 112 on a temple wall. An accomplice to graffiti yes, but is that an insult to the King ? He also wants limits on who can lay a complaint, to prevent it being abused as now anybody can lay a complaint against somebody they have a grudge against.

6 minutes ago, MikeN said:

Pita has said that he wants to specify exactly what constitutes an insult to the monarchy under 112. As currently nothing is specified, which is why a teenage girl is currently locked up and charged for insulting HM under section 112 for livestreaming somebody else painting 112 on a temple wall. An accomplice to graffiti yes, but is that an insult to the King ? He also wants limits on who can lay a complaint, to prevent it being abused as now anybody can lay a complaint against somebody they have a grudge against.

sounds reasonable....

2 hours ago, h90 said:

They present it as he want to abolish it....I didn't read up what he really said. Do you have examples of overly punitive penalties....Examples that can be written without getting problems? I only know a few very old cases and that would have resulted in jail terms in my country if made against the president as well...but jail terms of months not decades like here. I recall it was also topic of a speech ............... (which I don't want to discuss....which actually supports your argument....if I am afraid of discussing something rather positive than the law is wrong)

Totaly agree  why do they need to shange the 112 law leave as is but bring in new law that is if convicted of 112 law get 2 days jail max or auto pardon  therefore not changing 112 law just making a mockery of it 

1 hour ago, Purdey said:

The election went well but it ain't over till the fat lady sings.

Parties have a lot of horse-trading yet to agree on.

Some right winger are bound to raise legal cases aimed at destroying liberal MPs and their parties.

Prayut could be named premier (with senate support) in a minority government. On the other hand, he may feel too tired having realized that politics and the military are completely different animals.

I doubt the public are in the mood for yet more demonstrations in the street. That's they voted - to end that nonsense.

After such a disaster, I doubt the establishment would still support Prayut. They will put forward someone else.

12 hours ago, webfact said:

“Those senators will have a price to pay. The cost of going against the 25 million voters’ consensus will be very heavy,” Pita said without elaborating.

If Pita means what I think he means that should send a chill down the spine of army lackeys. Live inside military barracks with your spouse and kids for the next 5 years - don't even think about going out to eat or shop or visit your favorite gal at the local MP.

 

Cool, ruled with fear last 9 years did you? Pay back time.

38 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

Totaly agree  why do they need to shange the 112 law leave as is but bring in new law that is if convicted of 112 law get 2 days jail max or auto pardon  therefore not changing 112 law just making a mockery of it 

I would say....don't talk about it now, start with the laws that are important for the many people not a few activists and than eventually in a year start with that. With making it a priority they force the senators to vote against them.

27 minutes ago, candide said:

After such a disaster, I doubt the establishment would still support Prayut. They will put forward someone else.

yes easy, Thaksins daugther in a big coalition

Reported Troll posts have been removed along with a Post using a veiled reference to Thailand's Monarch. A unsubstantiated video post has also been removed.

 

4. You will not express disrespect of the King of Thailand or any member of the Thai royal family whether living or deceased. You will not criticize the monarchy as an institution. Speculation, comments or discussion of either a political or personal nature are not allowed when discussing His Majesty The King of Thailand or the Thai royal family. You will not link to or discuss any website which breaches this rule.

11 hours ago, fdimike said:

We are guests in this country and I believe we should act that way.  None of us can vote here and I think it's very inappropriate to comment one way or the other in the politics of our host country..  JMHO

To be a guest someone has to have invited you. Personally I was never invited here, I just came, and left, and came again and left again…. for many years. Then I came and made it my home. Nobody invited me so no, I’m not a guest.

11 hours ago, MrMojoRisin said:

The junta are down by 5 goals with 10 seconds left in the game.

Its over.

It’s just a matter of going through the motions now.

The outcome, however, is set in stone.

Anyone who  has lived more than a decade in Thailand knows that nothing here is set in stone.

14 hours ago, fdimike said:

We are guests in this country and I believe we should act that way.  None of us can vote here and I think it's very inappropriate to comment one way or the other in the politics of our host country..  JMHO

You are rather missing the point of this forum. These are observations by foreigners as to how the democratic process could be improved in Thailand, if and when  that is what the Thai people want. 

15 hours ago, fdimike said:

We are guests in this country and I believe we should act that way.  None of us can vote here and I think it's very inappropriate to comment one way or the other in the politics of our host country..  JMHO

It's called free speech. Thankfully free speech will be accepted more under the coalition that seeks to boot out the mafia.

9 hours ago, SpanishExpat said:

Pita has balls of steel and that’s great! They learned from the mistakes Thanathorn made last time with Move Forward.

 

You simple can’t discuss rational with those dinosaurs in charge. His strategy won’t change Thailand completely in one month or more one year, but will be fundamental for the future.

 

and for everyone thinking the next coup is around the corner. Things have changed within the last 10 years. The young generation wants a modern Thailand, isn’t afraid to fight for that, they are educated and can’t be manipulated to the extent the older generation has been in the past.

"...educated..."  My 17 year old granddaughter and her friends are now well capable of good insightful focused discussion on these subjects. 

8 hours ago, ChrisKC said:

Guests come and go! I am not a guest, I am resident as many of us here are for many years and whatever the politics are we are subject to them  and have to live with them.

That entitles us to comment on them, understanding as foreigners we can't change anything in the voting process!

"easy to come up with such a comment, if you don’t face hurdles like for example the non-existent pension system in Thailand which makes you fully dependent on your kids or you simply have to work until you die."

 

I work here and have lived here for more than 15 years - I respect your point of view but don't agree with you. We do not vote and have no rights to change Thailand at all. If your children are citizens when they come of age they can vote as they feel is correct.

 

Not sure what the work until you die comment meant normally we save and invest responsibly to have a retirement income. Unless you work as a volunteer or in a job that pays very lowly...

This is exactly why the unelected PM set up the senate like he did, those in power are reluctant to give up that power. I think the problem is not the senators, but who controls the senators. Power corrupts people. What is the difference between the Myanmar and the Thai Juntas? I think very little.

 

21 hours ago, h90 said:

I would say....don't talk about it now, start with the laws that are important for the many people not a few activists and than eventually in a year start with that. With making it a priority they force the senators to vote against them.

I would say do talk about it now.  The doors have been forced open and the public wait for real change.  They want the issues that have held the country back to be addressed while  excitement and hope are fresh.  It is not the wishes of a few activists.

The suits and appeasers, the compromisers and business interests will crowd in soon enough.  Strike now!

39 minutes ago, greeneking said:

I would say do talk about it now.  The doors have been forced open and the public wait for real change.  They want the issues that have held the country back to be addressed while  excitement and hope are fresh.  It is not the wishes of a few activists.

The suits and appeasers, the compromisers and business interests will crowd in soon enough.  Strike now!

than it may happen

a) The senator vote against him and there is a coalition without MF

b) he gets the vote...there is an endless discussion and demonstration.......and other things don't get done.

 

The majority of people want a good life, want to have a chance to get rid of their debts at the bank. Want to have a good salary, want to have good schools. 112 really does not matter for 99%....People worry on the 20th that there is too much month left at the end of their salary and that they need to hide their car as they are 2 month back in the payments. They don't worry that they just now want to post something on Facebook that violets 112. Minimum salary might be.

On 5/18/2023 at 4:51 AM, fdimike said:

We are guests in this country and I believe we should act that way.  None of us can vote here and I think it's very inappropriate to comment one way or the other in the politics of our host country..  JMHO

You have a lot to learn Grasshopper.

An off topic post has been removed.

On 5/17/2023 at 7:04 PM, NemoH said:

Go research people. Pita just revealed his coming policies in Thai interview - casinos, legalising n taxing prostitution, abolishing lese majestic n legalising more drugs and more LGBTQ rules just like USA (his dream country) seems like destroying everything in the present Thai society .. build back better ????. 

Go see who Pita and his group are …and who you are supporting -  it could be a case of out of the frying pan into the fire … 

You mean the guys who overwhelmingly were chosen by people in an election where the incumbent had all the advantages and are still trying to invalidate the result? The people saw who he was, and saw very clearly who the other people who stole power the last 8 years and are still trying to do so are and chose. That's democracy. You don't seem to like it. No wonder, your views reveal that you're similarly Mesozoic in your opinion. By the way, you're aware that it was the incumbent government who legalized the drugs, right?

You're an old man shaking his fist and yelling at the kids to get off his lawn.

On 5/18/2023 at 3:27 PM, h90 said:

I would say....don't talk about it now, start with the laws that are important for the many people not a few activists and than eventually in a year start with that. With making it a priority they force the senators to vote against them.

Problem is that there are young kids serving long (and in some cases, incredibly long) sentences in jail because of this law.

people sense injustice here and seem to feel that some change is needed