Pita and his “devil may care” attitude

[webfact]

 

What is most frustrating about negotiations among the eight political parties forming the post-election coalition is what is seen as the “devil may care” attitude of its key player, the Move Forward Party, according to sources involved in the ongoing talks.

 

They said it was obvious from the very beginning that Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat was not willing to modify his party’s stand on modifying the lèse majesté law, despite heavy lobbying by its political partners.

 

“That makes the negotiations so frustrating,” said a source involved in the series of talks among the eight political parties.

 

The source told Thai PBS World that Pita is openly confident in the popular support that helped his party win the most House seats in the recent general election.

 

By Thepchai Yong

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/pita-and-his-devil-may-care-attitude/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-07-19

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

[bamnutsak]

You say "Devil may care", I say "Strength of character".

 

 

What's the point of running on a platform, on issues, and then jettisoning those just to gain power?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 19, 2023 by bamnutsak

[mfd101]

A little too much confidence & too little experience.

 

By next May they should be ready for government.

[Andrew Dwyer]

While the amount of support/votes he got from the Thai people shows they are ready for change he will always have a hard time changing the lèse majesté law especially as the Senators were put in place to protect laws such as this.

 

Power to the people, not to the dinosaurs with their greed and aversion to any change.

[flyingtlger]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

Pita Limjaroenrat was not willing to modify his party’s stand on modifying the lèse majesté law

His adamant attitude will be his down fall......

[JayClay]

4 minutes ago, flyingtlger said:

His adamant attitude will be his down fall......

Maybe. Maybe not.

 

He's clearly got the public on his side. How the public react if/when he doesn't get his way will determine his destiny.

 

Compromising on this issue and losing the support of the public would most likely weaken him to the point that he would be a lame duck prime minister. It would empower the senetors to vote against every peice of legislation proposed potentially paralysing the government. 

[ikke1959]

I am wondering what would happen if he now says I will pull back section 112 amendment and next year when the senate is gone he sends his amendment in for voting.... I think they can't block it now

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, bamnutsak said:

You say "Devil may care", I say "Strength of character".

 

 

What's the point of running on a platform, on issues, and then jettisoning those just to gain power?

 

 

Totally agree, just watch Pheu Thai's "devil may care" attitude once they secure the premiership.

 

...or Prawit's.

[mfd101]

28 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

I am wondering what would happen if he now says I will pull back section 112 amendment and next year when the senate is gone he sends his amendment in for voting.... I think they can't block it now

I'm entirely unclear what happens when the current Senate comes to an unlamented end next May. Is a new Senate then appointed? If so, by whom? Or does the Thai Parliament become unicameral (ie Lower House only)?

[bamnutsak]

Having a debate about 112 will benefit EVERYONE.

 

And the relatively minor changes suggested by MFP may ultimately bring people together.

 

And not discussing and debating this controversial issue will only further divide the Kingdom.

[Joseph98765]

48 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

I am wondering what would happen if he now says I will pull back section 112 amendment and next year when the senate is gone he sends his amendment in for voting.... I think they can't block it now

5555... I was going to say exactly the same...yeah! like every goverment...promise you something and then ... mai pen rai, I do what I want!

[Joseph98765]

So...how can we follow the decisions they are making like last wednesday? there is no tweeter to follow this hour by hour??

[spidermike007]

He is asking for only one modification of the law, which is the extreme prison sentences, and the inability to use them for political purposes. It is a very reasonable request only hard headed dinosaurs would not agree to. 

[Eric Loh]

11 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

I'm entirely unclear what happens when the current Senate comes to an unlamented end next May. Is a new Senate then appointed? If so, by whom? Or does the Thai Parliament become unicameral (ie Lower House only)?

I see that as a future sticky point. The provisional constitution for senate appointment will have to be amended for technical and legal reasons. Some of the reasons are that the key appointment entity which was the NCPO had been dissolved besides the expiration tenure of all appointed senators. The amendment has to be accepted by the House and 1/3 senate and need to be completed before next May. If the next government is to be PTP and the junta parties, there is little chance that they have the support from both houses to make radical amendment like a fully elected upper house. In the respect, we can forget about a unicameral amendment proposition.  

[Robin]

An experienced politician would have known that his policy on sect 112 was going to cause trouble with the  Senate, and kept quiet on that until he was installed in power,

Inexperience and overconfidence are not good qualities for  new PM.

[bamnutsak]

1 minute ago, Robin said:

An experienced politician would have known that his policy on sect 112 was going to cause trouble with the  Senate, and kept quiet on that until he was installed in power,

So ignoring the fact that MFP ran on monarchy reforms, you would ask Pita to now lie about his stance on 112 reforms, gain power, then turn around and push for reforms? That's crazy, I mean when you think about it.

 

I'm not even sure a 112 Reform Act would even pass the lower house. That's why all this consternation and pearl-clutching is so weird. The honest truth: the Old Guard doesn't even want to discuss potential reforms, as they are frightened that if they give an inch, the people will want a mile, or more. But a strong institution can withstand changes.

[khunPer]

Worth to remember that MFP and Pita got around 30% of the votes, the majority of seats in the House of Representatives is made up by a coalition that don't agree in all MFP's politics.

[catch104]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

 

What is most frustrating about negotiations among the eight political parties forming the post-election coalition is what is seen as the “devil may care” attitude of its key player, the Move Forward Party, according to sources involved in the ongoing talks.

 

They said it was obvious from the very beginning that Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat was not willing to modify his party’s stand on modifying the lèse majesté law, despite heavy lobbying by its political partners.

 

“That makes the negotiations so frustrating,” said a source involved in the series of talks among the eight political parties.

 

The source told Thai PBS World that Pita is openly confident in the popular support that helped his party win the most House seats in the recent general election.

 

By Thepchai Yong

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/pita-and-his-devil-may-care-attitude/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-07-19

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

he was elected with a very, very clear message of what his top agenda was, and the peoples of thailand agreed. That's it, end of negociation...

 

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

“That makes the negotiations so frustrating,” said a source involved in the series of talks among the eight political parties.

He ran his race on what he believed the people wanted and what is needed to be done to rid Thailand of the dinosaurs.

Why would he bend in the wind?

You're either with him or against change.

 

[bamnutsak]

10 minutes ago, khunPer said:

Worth to remember that MFP and Pita got around 30% of the votes, the majority of seats in the House of Representatives is made up by a coalition that don't agree in all MFP's politics.

Then any proposed legislation modifying 112 would fail to pass.

 

And, BTW, the Constitutional Court would strike down any changes within 24 hours were it to pass.

 

 

[damian]

If one thing he has at least exposed the whole system for what it is (an absolute fraud) and stoked the fire for change. I am sad he will not get the opportunity this time but absolutely loving the fact he is making them squirm and bristle. I think dropping the various bills for reform and the 272 senate was a master stroke to further stoke the fires. 

[Docno]

You might say "stubbornness". Or you might say "integrity" or "commitment". But "devil may care attitude" doesn't fit. He clearly does care ... about the platform he was voted in on. 

[Jackbenimble]

1 hour ago, bamnutsak said:

So ignoring the fact that MFP ran on monarchy reforms, you would ask Pita to now lie about his stance on 112 reforms, gain power, then turn around and push for reforms? That's crazy, I mean when you think about it.

 

I'm not even sure a 112 Reform Act would even pass the lower house. That's why all this consternation and pearl-clutching is so weird. The honest truth: the Old Guard doesn't even want to discuss potential reforms, as they are frightened that if they give an inch, the people will want a mile, or more. But a strong institution can withstand changes.

this is much closer to whats actually going on. His request to reform the Lese Majeste is a smoke screen - the senate dont want to remove their noses from the gravy train "without good reason".......and why would they if we're being honest? The lifestyle it affords them is coveted, they want to be assured they wont suddenly be left high & dry. 

Banning Pita isn't a long term solution to the more pressing issue of how to allow the winners of the election taking up their rightful position without losing everything. 

There is also the spectre of a certain former PM lurking in the background, they fear him and with just cause. He has some scores to settle.

[kentrot]

His stance on les Majeste is only 1/2 of his battle. The other half is his plan to deal with the monopoly that exists. And we all know which company he is referring to , and the power they exert everywhere - including the Senate where the pay is not much compared to what they can accept as "favours" ...

He got 71% of the popular vote which was boosted by a large influence of young voters who are ready for change --- or else ! 

Senate of Thailand วุฒิสภา Wutthisapha
Length of term	5 years
Salary	President: ฿119,920/m Vice President: ฿115,740/m Members: ฿113,560/m
Elections
Voting system	Appointed by Royal Thai Armed Forces (since 2017)

Edited July 19, 2023 by kentrot

[Purdey]

Too many young people cheering him has led Pita to believe everyone supports him. But rural old people are very conservative and still support the status quo. Frankly, I think a political party can create new policies after it gains power, thus not contradicting anything.

[Taboo2]

He is an immature kid with no experience and definitely no street smarts.  He has not clue about the "Game".  

 

Hoped he learnt his lesson!

[damian]

5 minutes ago, Taboo2 said:

He is an immature kid with no experience and definitely no street smarts.  He has not clue about the "Game".  

 

Hoped he learnt his lesson!

On the contrary. I think he knows the game very, very well. It's just difficult to play when know one else follows the rules including his own team (as in coalition) members. 

[scorecard]

4 hours ago, JayClay said:

Maybe. Maybe not.

 

He's clearly got the public on his side. How the public react if/when he doesn't get his way will determine his destiny.

 

Compromising on this issue and losing the support of the public would most likely weaken him to the point that he would be a lame duck prime minister. It would empower the senetors to vote against every peice of legislation proposed potentially paralysing the government. 

Yes, but changing the constitution/laws from appointing senators to electing senators is very very difficult, and the current powers (still in place) won't relinquish these powers easily.

 

Some will say, why can't the senators be voted out? But there is no voting involved, they are all appointed by a force which is, unfortunately, imovable, and which believes the military has a right to control the country.

 

I don't like to say this but I'm more and more fearing that severe violence and blood shed will eventually be the 'force' that is needed to gain change. Hope notof course.

[RamblingOn]

5 hours ago, mfd101 said:

A little too much confidence & too little experience.

 

By next May they should be ready for government.

Staying with his voters is the most important thing for him to do.

[phetphet]

Will they now ban him long enough that he cannot even lead MF at the next election?