Senators who abstained from voting told to quit, coalition parties told to stay together

[webfact]

 

Supporters of the Move Forward party have issued a statement, urging senators, who abstained from voting in last Thursday’s joint sitting of the parliament to select the prime minister, to resign and calling on the eight coalition parties to remain united to fulfill their pledges to the people.

 

The statement also calls on the Thai people to join forces with them in their struggle to effect change in Thai society.

 

The statement was read at the Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre at the end of the rally, initiated by Arnon Nampa, a member of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights and former leader of the anti-establishment Ratsadon group.

 

In his speech to the demonstrators, Arnon warned that any coalition party which breaks away from the alliance will be branded “dictators”.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/senators-who-abstained-from-voting-told-to-quit-coalition-parties-told-to-stay-together/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-07-17

 

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[Artisi]

Shouldn't that be - traitors? 

[ikke1959]

As Prauyth appointed these senators is the new Government not able to do so?? A new group of senators and problems are solved.. The ones now in parliament have nothing to do with the new elections as showed already.. 

[brucegoniners]

Agreed. Make a decision. That's BS.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Supporters of the Move Forward party have issued a statement, urging senators, who abstained from voting in last Thursday’s joint sitting of the parliament to select the prime minister, to resign

More chance of snow this year.

[h90]

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

As Prauyth appointed these senators is the new Government not able to do so?? A new group of senators and problems are solved.. The ones now in parliament have nothing to do with the new elections as showed already.. 

yes next appointment is 2024....

[RichardColeman]

Maybe voting should be linked to pay - you do not vote as required you simply lose that months pay - they'd be standing in front of the voting line every time after that. 

 

In all honesty,  if Pita gets in the whole voting for anything is going to be chaos anyway, the senators could block any proposition with just 126 opposition MP's. Democracy simply cannot work with that 250 holding the guillotine rope 

[jacko45k]

18 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Maybe voting should be linked to pay - you do not vote as required you simply lose that months pay - they'd be standing in front of the voting line every time after that. 

 

 

But they did vote... they voted 'Abstain', they were not marked absent. The tragedy is that their votes are even required... and that abstention carries the same result as a NO vote. 

It's a stitch up.

[Artisi]

4 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

But they did vote... they voted 'Abstain', they were not marked absent. The tragedy is that their votes are even required... and that abstention carries the same result as a NO vote. 

It's a stitch up.

An engineered stitch-up. 

In my opinion they should keep putting Pita forward, if it results in no possible chance of a result, call a new election, the result should be the same or a greater vote for the MF party, that should drive the point home to these unelected bloodsucking riff-raff. 

[jaywalker2]

3 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

As Prauyth appointed these senators is the new Government not able to do so?? A new group of senators and problems are solved.. The ones now in parliament have nothing to do with the new elections as showed already.. 

No, they serve for 5 years.

[herfiehandbag]

38 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Maybe voting should be linked to pay - you do not vote as required you simply lose that months pay - they'd be standing in front of the voting line every time after that. 

 

In all honesty,  if Pita gets in the whole voting for anything is going to be chaos anyway, the senators could block any proposition with just 126 opposition MP's. Democracy simply cannot work with that 250 holding the guillotine rope 

As I understand it, at present, the only effective (if not explicitly defined) veto which the Senate holds is in voting for the Prime Minister's post. Those voting powers, and this the veto, expire when the Senate's term expires in May 2024.

 

5 minutes ago, Artisi said:

An engineered stitch-up. 

In my opinion they should keep putting Pita forward, if it results in no possible chance of a result, call a new election, the result should be the same or a greater vote for the MF party, that should drive the point home to these unelected bloodsucking riff-raff. 

There is therefore a waiting game to be played, the present government or something reliably close to it to remain in place until the new Senate is appointed, and it's powers/ voting powers adjusted. Then, hey ho, we'll have a new election.

[jacko45k]

1 minute ago, herfiehandbag said:

As I understand it, at present, the only effective (if not explicitly defined) veto which the Senate holds is in voting for the Prime Minister's post. Those voting powers, and this the veto, expire when the Senate's term expires in May 2024.

And please help me..... what then would the process be to select a PM? Could it go ahead without a Senate, taking votes only from the lower house, or would we have to have a new Senate selected first?

[bamnutsak]

And what about the Senators who chose not to attend this most important session of Parliament during their term?

 

Thailand’s four armed forces’ chiefs to skip PM voting due to jobs elsewhere

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/politics/40029296

 

 

Note that there were quite a few other ex-officio Senators who missed this vote. Shameful.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 17, 2023 by bamnutsak

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

And please help me..... what then would the process be to select a PM? Could it go ahead without a Senate, taking votes only from the lower house, or would we have to have a new Senate selected first?

When the new Senate is in place, as things stand at present it will have no powers to vote on the selection of a Prime Minister, that will be entirely in the hands of the lower house, no matter how hostile they are.

 

That is why I expect them to play for time, in order to put in place a 3 part "fix".

 

Part 1: to appoint the new Senate along the lines of the old one, cronies, political allies and senior military people.

 

Part 2: a constitutional amendment which keeps the Senate's role in selecting a Prime Minister.

 

Part 3: a further extension of the Senate's voting rights, which allows influence (control) over certain government measures, I suggest these may include budgets, the military and reform/ change to certain laws.

 

Now this is supposition of course, but put yourself in the shoes of the ruling elite. There is a large, predominantly young opposition movement which is not going to go away. They need to be kept from power at all costs. It needs to be done, as it is at the moment, under a veneer of constitutional process/respectability.

 

That is why a waiting game, buy time to sort this out before allowing fresh elections; and hope that they can keep the lid on any protest movement.

 

It is also, bitter pill as it may prove to be, why perhaps they may allow Pheu Thai (suitably emasculated of course) some limited role in government, even including a return for Thaksin.

 

Conspiracy theories some may shout, but it was all written without a tinfoil hat!

Edited July 17, 2023 by herfiehandbag

[Pouatchee]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

In his speech to the demonstrators, Arnon warned that any coalition party which breaks away from the alliance will be branded “dictators”.

brave new world... or is it? seems like they are employing the same kind of tactics that they are denouncing. been saying it since the beginning. plus ca change plus cest la meme chose

[jacko45k]

20 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

 

 

Part 1: to appoint the new Senate along the lines of the old one, cronies, political allies and senior military people.

 

Part 2: a constitutional amendment which keeps the Senate's role in selecting a Prime Minister.

 

Part 3: a further extension of the Senate's voting rights, which allows influence (control) over certain government measures, I suggest these may include budgets, the military and reform/ change to certain laws.

 

 

 

 

Part 1.

Prior to a new Senate being established, could the lower house get a PM selected, appointed and up and running?

 

Part 2. Does a new Senate alone have the power to push through a new constitutional amendment?

 

Part3: Same as 2.