Why Thais backed a military-backed constitution

[Denim]

Current events have angered and disgusted many Thais and expts alike. 

 

Back in 2016 , following the coup a new constitution was presented to the electorate .  It was at this point that the military fixed things for themselves and their supporters so that they would easily be able to retain power. If ever an election was rigged it was this one.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37013950

 

The result of the referendum on Thailand's new constitution has left many observers around the world baffled.

Why would an electorate, denied any say over who governs them since a coup two years ago, vote to approve a charter which offers them only a semi-democracy?

A charter which was condemned by human rights groups and by the two largest political parties as a means to entrench military rule for many years to come?

 

When the UDD ( United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship ) saw what was coming they tried to establish an anti fraud center . They hoped to set up a nationwide network of centres to monitor possible fraud in the Aug 7 charter referendum. However when banners went up warning people of what was coming ...

 

 

military officials removed them. The above banner in Lampang was removed by the order of the  then Third Army commander  , who is now , unsurprisingly , one of the current 250 senators.

 

Prawit then ordered the UDD to close these fraud centers and then Prayuth then threatened the UDD with legal action :

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/30288088

 

“What do I gain if there are frauds to rig the charter draft to pass or not pass the referendum?’’ he said.

UDD leaders have said that after setting up the centre to monitor for fraud in the August 7 referendum, they would invite the United Nations, the European Union and foreign embassies in Thailand to the centre.

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said he would not allow the centre to be set up. “The referendum is our internal affairs. Why would they have to bring others in?’’ he said.

Prawit said the country had the National Anti-Corruption Commission and the Election Commission to monitor for referendum fraud.

“Please stop, I plead with you,” he said. “If the UDD still go ahead, I will take legal action. 

“Our country will be in turmoil. Then why would we have these agencies in the country? Please be confident that we want the country to move forward.’’

 

 

It is easy to see that current events are just playing out a grand plan of the military and elite to retain power against all democratic voting outcomes.

I thought back then that if ever there was a time to protest , it should have been when this phony constitution referendum was put forward.

Nothing happened and now everyone can see the results of indifference and complacency.

[Kwasaki]

Why would any retired expat care about politics in Thailand.

[Denim]

Just now, Kwasaki said:

Why would any retired expat care about politics in Thailand.

Well, clearly many do. Those who have wives and children want a brighter future for them and their grand children. Then again , if  , as a foreigner , you have spent more of your life here and paid more taxes here then in the country of your birth is it so surprising or unreasonable that after such a commitment you should not feel an attachment to the place and a concern for the society you have chosen to live in. Just because I don't have a vote and am not Thai does not mean I don't care at all about what happens here.

[Kwasaki]

3 minutes ago, Denim said:

Well, clearly many do. Those who have wives and children want a brighter future for them and their grand children. Then again , if  , as a foreigner , you have spent more of your life here and paid more taxes here then in the country of your birth is it so surprising or unreasonable that after such a commitment you should not feel an attachment to the place and a concern for the society you have chosen to live in. Just because I don't have a vote and am not Thai does not mean I don't care at all about what happens here.

My only observation was many things got better during the so called army rule and democracy doesn't seem to work in Thailand.

I see people who believe so called democracy as hypocrites.

[Denim]

9 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

My only observation was many things got better during the so called army rule and democracy doesn't seem to work in Thailand.

I see people who believe so called democracy as hypocrites.

That has not been my observation. 

 

As for democracy , hard to say if it would work in todays Thailand because clearly it is unlikely to ever again get a chance. Nobody is deluded enough to think democracy is perfect but it has the redeaming feature that if a government is performing poorly it can be voted out of office without the need of bloodshed or locking people of differing rules in prison.

[isaanistical]

14 minutes ago, Denim said:

Those who have wives and children want a brighter future for them and their grand children. Then again , if  , as a foreigner , you have spent more of your life here and paid more taxes here then in the country of your birth

Agreed. In fact having been out of UK for so long, I am denied a vote there should I ever wish to, which is ironic.

My wife, who is Thai, used to be totally apathetic about what happens here - fatalistic, more like, same as many millions of her compatriots. This time she has become really angry about the way they are being s()at on, not least because she is better informed - largely through foreign media that are not always accurate, partly because they usually omit the real source of the whole problem, which of course none of us here dare mention.

It was the disclosure some years ago about the truth of that problem that started getting my wife (and her peers) angry, and that will never be healed until there is action.

BUT: it is clear that serious protest action would be bloody and costly in terms of lives, and it is not difficult to see why so few Thais are prepared to go to those lengths. I for one don't wish to see my wife killed by Men in Black.............

[sirineou]

Usually when military goverment have referendums, they get 110%  of the vote.  

[sirineou]

IMO the referendum is unconstitutional and thus illegal , since it was held by an illegally elected   goverment.At Least I think military  coups are illegal in Thailand as they are in most countries in the world. 

BUT TIT

[Kwasaki]

18 minutes ago, Denim said:

That has not been my observation. 

 

As for democracy , hard to say if it would work in todays Thailand because clearly it is unlikely to ever again get a chance. Nobody is deluded enough to think democracy is perfect but it has the redeaming feature that if a government is performing poorly it can be voted out of office without the need of bloodshed or locking people of differing rules in prison.

Yeah I have just judged my opinion on what's happen in our village and when out riding on bike outings where roads have been surfaced.

 

I guess things will change eventually the way Thailand is governed as different generations evolve.

[Denim]

21 minutes ago, sirineou said:

Usually when military goverment have referendums, they het 110%  9f the vote.  

I actually started this thread on account of a short chat I had with an expat I bumped into in the car park at Big C a few days ago. ( He had parked next to me and was waiting for his wife ) . He commented about the 250 senators being hand picked and not elected. This much he knew. But he did not know why this had been allowed and what mechanism was the cause. I informed him and he said interesting, he would google it. We then went our separate ways.

 

it occured to me that anyone who has only been here a few years would likely not know about this rigged referendum that gave a very thin veneer of democracy and decency to those that had seized power by armed force.

 

At the time , I asked Thai friends if they had indeed voted for this current consitution. To my surprise they replied yes.

Asked why , they replied that it had been widely disseminated by those who had seized power that without a new constitution there would be no further elections or return to civilian rule. Thus , believing they were facilitating this return they had voted to accept this constitution without thinking too deeply about the consequences.

 

 

 

[Kwasaki]

2 minutes ago, sirineou said:

IMO the referendum is unconstitutional and thus illegal , since it was held by an illegally elected   goverment.At Least I think military  coups are illegal in Thailand as they are in most countries in the world. 

BUT TIT

Did you prefer the Red shirts and Yellow shirt fighting one and other and road barricades.

[Denim]

3 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Did you prefer the Red shirts and Yellow shirt fighting one and other and road barricades.

I think this is one of the reasons Move Forward did so well in the election. Everybody was sick of this red yellow stalemate. They genuinely want to ' move forward ' 

 

Clearly , that is not going to be allowed to happen .

[bob smith]

45 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

My only observation was many things got better during the so called army rule and democracy doesn't seem to work in Thailand.

I see people who believe so called democracy as hypocrites.

....and it's my observation is its usually people like yourself, probably no wife or kids here? that come out with such ignorant statements..

 

people care because they want to see thai people progress and get themselves out of this military infused political deadlock. and those with wives and children here care even more. Open your mind a bit please.

[sirineou]

2 minutes ago, Denim said:

I asked Thai friends if they had indeed voted for this current consitution. To my surprise they replied yes.

I had a conversation with my wife , when she told me that they were fiving money for people to go vote for a particular candidate. I said "Take the money. and then vote for whomever you want" 

She replied, "I cant do that they know who I vote for"

Regardless of whether the know or not, Thai people are convinced that they know . which is why military goverment referendums always get a very large percentage of the vote. To be honest If I had to vote, I would also vote yes on the outside chance that they some how know what I voted.   

[sirineou]

7 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Did you prefer the Red shirts and Yellow shirt fighting one and other and road barricades.

It is not a matter of preference but a matter of law. If the military was interested in stopping unlawful behaviour by the Red or and Yellow shirts , They should have stooped the behavior rather than themselves also engage in unlawful behaviour .

Two wrongs have never made a right

[metisdead]

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