Thailand's Election Commission Probes Pitha's ITV Shares

[h90]

35 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

I don't dispute that they are active but a media company? Not without media content and if they're no longer broadcasting that ain't happening.

because it is registered as media company. I got told the law is very strict....Media company but currently not working as media company is no excuse.

Big question is why didn't he sell it a long time ago...that law is well known...I guess made to block people like Thaksin. Or not having the situation like Berlusconi in Italy.
Irrelevant small amount of an non active company was clearly not meant but the law is the law.....

[bradiston]

11 minutes ago, Dogmatix said:

The media company Thanathorn was banned for having shares in had no business at all but doing media was in its articles and memorandum of association.  That was good enough to ban someone who was a threat to many heads deep in the trough.  How come Pita didn't learn from that.

I had the same reaction when I first read about it. Is it really possible he could have overlooked such a possibly damning holding? How? With all those surrounding him, and as you say the precedent of what happened to Thanatorn, remaining silent?

[MrJ2U]

Don't you have the feeling this is preordained?

 

Pryutt and his mafia have been awfully quiet while losing badly.  

 

 

[redwood1]

I think just Pitha wanting to do away with the brewing monopolies is enough to do him in.......Untold billions of baht stand to be lost.....So Any any reason at all will be a good enough reason to keep him out of office...

[Eric Loh]

21 minutes ago, bradiston said:

I had the same reaction when I first read about it. Is it really possible he could have overlooked such a possibly damning holding? How? With all those surrounding him, and as you say the precedent of what happened to Thanatorn, remaining silent?

Pita has done everything by the book including informing the NACC of his family trust shares. I am sure Thanatorn as party founder has given him good advice. EC has to accept the complaint and duty bound to investigate Remain to be seen whether the EC will have an impartial investigation or will act based on political expediency. 

[Eloquent pilgrim]

34 minutes ago, h90 said:

No in a usual democracy the parliament elect the Prime Minister who does not need to be from the party that was strongest

Complete and utter nonsense. The UK is a usual democracy, and after an election, the leader of the political party that wins the most seats, becomes the Prime Minister. Nothing whatsoever to do with being elected by parliament; how do you make this stuff up ?

[IamNoone88]

This is a litmus test for his ability to be PM. If he loses and then gets disqualified over a breach of very clear rules then he would unlikely be a capable leader to weather the ongoing onslaught of Thai politics for the next few years. If he left himself vulnerable like this at the start with all the legal advisors around him ... then it is a self-inflicted mistake. I hope not .... but you can yield no ground in this game.

[RichardColeman]

Let's face it , we all knew that the public would win the election over the army - we also knew that the dirt digging by the losing junta would try and destroy any chance of any free government  - expect more dirt on more people within a couple weeks

[bradiston]

25 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Pita has done everything by the book including informing the NACC of his family trust shares. I am sure Thanatorn as party founder has given him good advice. EC has to accept the complaint and duty bound to investigate Remain to be seen whether the EC will have an impartial investigation or will act based on political expediency. 

But that's what I mean. He's leaving his political career in the hands of an establishment leaning, if not controlled, body. Why? Why take that chance? And why possibly betray/remove the wishes and dreams of millions of Thais in the process? If they rule him out, he's only himself to blame.

Edited May 29, 2023 by bradiston

[Accidental Tourist]

So let the red shirts on the street again, and the military will stay in power...old song for nearly 100 years now

[h90]

30 minutes ago, Eloquent pilgrim said:

Complete and utter nonsense. The UK is a usual democracy, and after an election, the leader of the political party that wins the most seats, becomes the Prime Minister. Nothing whatsoever to do with being elected by parliament; how do you make this stuff up ?

Not in Austria, Germany, Italy etc.....the strongest can try first if they fail the second tries and that is not law....For example in Austria the president said if the ultra right get the most votes he'll ask the second strongest party to form a government (without them). Not nice but normal. I recall some years back the third party had the Prime Minister. Other countries also took complete outsider.
The majority in parliament decide normally (without appointed Senators)

[TigerandDog]

1 hour ago, h90 said:

No in a usual democracy the parliament elect the Prime Minister who does not need to be from the party that was strongest. Can be from a small one can be an outsider.
That is complete OK. Only the Senators are an abnormality.

You need to make this comment clearer. When you refer to "a usual democracy" are you referring only to Thailand (555) or a real democracy. If you are referring to a real democracy (the USA is NOT a real democracy) your statement couldn't be further from the truth. In a real democracy the Prime Minister is the leader of the party/coalition with the majority of seats in the lower house of the parliament.

[Eric Loh]

15 minutes ago, bradiston said:

But that's what I mean. He's leaving his political career in the hands of an establishment leaning, if not controlled, body. Why? Why take that chance? And why possibly betray/remove the wishes and dreams of millions of Thais in the process? If they rule him out, he's only himself to blame.

K Pita is the eldest son in the family and upon his dad’s demise, he was entrusted as a trustee and manage the assets for the benefit of the trust’s beneficiaries It is a very normal legal arrangement. You making a conclusion of Pita’s behavior 

based on the allegation from a former member of the military party. 

[ikke1959]

He will be framed as he has been open with this shares, at the Nacc and the Ec and everything and there were no problems..as he could be an MP in 2016.. Now he will be an Pm and want to change and there are problems now..Of course 19th century Thailand is not open for changes only for going to the moon and the tour the France..Bad for tourism and image of the country as the world knows what is happening in the Thai "democracy" 

[Freed1948]

The military has too much say in what should be a Democracy.

[wealthychef]

6 hours ago, h90 said:

iTV is not defunct, they are still active and posting their revenue if you google it for 2021 and 2022.
Yes Army and Government runs TV+Radio station. Many of not most government run radio and TV stations. Also some military...nothing wrong with it and not banned in the constitution.

By any chance, was the constitution drafted by the army?  That would be convenient then, wouldn't it.

[GinBoy2]

You gotta love Thailand for never disappointing.

 

Break out the popcorn, although I believe I've seen this rerun multiple times before

 

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, Eric Loh said:

K Pita is the eldest son in the family and upon his dad’s demise, he was entrusted as a trustee and manage the assets for the benefit of the trust’s beneficiaries It is a very normal legal arrangement. You making a conclusion of Pita’s behavior 

based on the allegation from a former member of the military party. 

You think you're qualified to make that ruling? Go fish!

[tandor]

7 hours ago, Emster23 said:

I want to know if he also had a cooking show... did in one PM before, why not again?

Pitha Ramsay was it

[madmitch]

2 hours ago, h90 said:

because it is registered as media company. I got told the law is very strict....Media company but currently not working as media company is no excuse.

Big question is why didn't he sell it a long time ago...that law is well known...I guess made to block people like Thaksin. Or not having the situation like Berlusconi in Italy.
Irrelevant small amount of an non active company was clearly not meant but the law is the law.....

In Thailand the law is the law only when it suits certain people.

 

For example the concvicted drug smuggler serving in the last Government. 

[Mavideol]

do they probe everybody, including losers,  or just the winners

[Pink Mist]

A troll post has been removed. The current Thai constitution was not written by a children's mystery book writer.

 

Stay on topic.

[KhunLA]

Apparently the people's choice, doesn't know how to 'read instruction'.   Not sure that qualifies one to lead a govt?

[jesimps]

4 hours ago, Trevor Collins said:

Thai politics, always there to surprise you...???? 

Never surprises me, they're incredibly predictable. 

[zzaa09]

7 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Nothing wrong with it under the current constitution.......written by....??

And we tend to forget who severely tweaked the constitution [numerous instances of the last few years] and it's blessed approval - to favour the power lords. 

 

Even more so, the same circles have clearly influenced the judicial systems as well as the impartial EC in recent years.....all the while stealing the gold out the back door with their corrupted and controlling ways. 

 

If any of this petty and insignificant investigation goes sour for Pita and MF and they're declared nil and void, can't imagine how the people's voice will react. 

 

The fetid rot that has plagued Thailand for ages needs to end.

[couchpotato]

After today's revelations of the EC and possibly the Constitutional Court examining the 'Share Holding', and Sretta and Anutin accidentally bumping into each other in the UK (haha) my prediction is this.

Pita unfortunately will suffer the same fate as Thanatorn. 

Pheu Thai, Bhumjaithai, a few smaller parties (and possibly Prawits party) will form a government.  With Sretta, Anutin, Paetong all registered PM candidates, the Senate will find one of them acceptable.

Then sadly MFP will be pushed to the opposition back benches and be forgotten.

 

Also peoples voices will react, but sadly after a short while TH goes back to the status quo. 

 

(Can't predict the fate of Prayut's future and Thaksin's possible  homecoming at this time).

Edited May 29, 2023 by couchpotato

[Dogmatix]

3 hours ago, IamNoone88 said:

This is a litmus test for his ability to be PM. If he loses and then gets disqualified over a breach of very clear rules then he would unlikely be a capable leader to weather the ongoing onslaught of Thai politics for the next few years. If he left himself vulnerable like this at the start with all the legal advisors around him ... then it is a self-inflicted mistake. I hope not .... but you can yield no ground in this game.

My concern too, particularly after his predecessor got banned for exactly the same mistake. You'd have thought the party would conduct an audit of all their MP candidates shareholdings as part of the selection process. I also wonder what he was thinking in having no back up candidates for PM. What if he fell under bus - just give up the PM job to another party. He seems really bright and sincere but it makes one wonder about his common sense and political savviness.

[Zack61]

The army’s new secret weapon. Buy every opposition candidate a few shares unbeknown to them and Hey Presto not a chance in hell of ever being deposed. Shameful, especially when they are the rulers of all forms of media. 

[zzaa09]

3 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Let's face it , we all knew that the public would win the election over the army - we also knew that the dirt digging by the losing junta would try and destroy any chance of any free government  - expect more dirt on more people within a couple weeks

Free Government....?? 

What does this mean?

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, AustinRacing said:

Fair enough. The flip side of democracy is when a candidate breaks EC rules he’s held accountable. 

EC is responsible to approve candidates for office.

It did not disapprove Pitha from running for office with (I think) with a conditional caveat to wait to see if he becomes a leading candidate AFTER the election before making a final decision. Presumably, if he (as party leader) didn't place well in the election, then EC would have no issue.

That after-the-fact caveot is rigging the election and disenfranching millions of votes.

Where is the EC held responsible for performing its duty which it seems to have failed by not disqualifying Pitha PRIOR to the election.