Octobrists are in power, but still committed to advancing democracy?

[webfact]

Many of the activists who participated in the October 1973 student uprising have managed to return to the corridors of power after the May 14 election this year, but they continue to face major challenges in achieving the democracy they dreamed of half a century ago.

 

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, one of the student activists of the uprising generation who are widely known in Thailand as “Octobrists”, is now playing a key role in driving the democratization agenda after nearly a decade of a military-backed regime under Prayut Chan-o-cha.

 

Phumtham, who always says that he will never give up the fight for democracy, has been assigned to chair a committee to study the frame of reference for the amendment of the junta-sponsored 2017 Constitution. He later picked a 35-member ad hoc panel consisting of legal experts, politicians and political activists to explore possibilities and ways to arrange such a referendum. The Constitutional Court had ruled in March 2021 that the current charter could not be amended without a referendum.

 

The opposition Move Forward Party and a civic group, iLaw — which had previously submitted more than 200,000 signatures calling for a new constitution — are staying out of the panel as they disagree with the government’s method. Parit Wacharasindhu, spokesman of the Move Forward Party, said his party wanted a completely new constitution written by elected drafters.

 

The ruling Pheu Thai Party has promised an amendment of the charter to make it more democratic, but compromised with the establishment elite on leaving Section I and II on maintaining the current form of Thailand as a unitary state as well as the privileges and roles of the monarchy untouched.

 

The term Octobrist originally stems from the October Manifesto issued by Russian Tsar Nicholas II in 1905 to grant certain civil liberties. Thai scholar Kanokrat Lertchoosakul from Chulalongkorn University first used the term to describe the student activists who participated in political movements during the period from the uprising of October 14, 1973 and the massacre in Thammasat University on October 6, 1976. Her Ph.D thesis explained how the people of this generation had managed to play a significant role in Thailand’s political changes over the past decades.

 

By Thai PBS World’s Political Desk

TOP Picture: Some of the Octobrists in power (from left) Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, PM’s Secretary General Prommin Lertsuridej, Pheu Thai MP Chaturon Chaisang and Pheu Thai MP Adisorn Piengkes

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-10-14

 

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[KhunLA]

And they're not even Russian ... ????

[Srikcir]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Constitutional Court had ruled in March 2021 that the current charter could not be amended without a referendum.

The Constitutional Court was silent wasn't it when the NCPO junta unilaterally abolished the 2007 Constitution and replaced it with a new Interim Charter in 2014 without any people's referendum? 

In Thailand it's not the rule of law but the rule of power. And that power does not lie in the sovereignty of the Thai people. 

[KhunLA]

8 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

The Constitutional Court was silent wasn't it when the NCPO junta unilaterally abolished the 2007 Constitution and replaced it with a new Interim Charter in 2014 without any people's referendum? 

In Thailand it's not the rule of law but the rule of power. And that power does not lie in the sovereignty of the Thai people. 

Try to keep up ... there was a referendum, and it was 'voted' in:

 

more source if needed

[Flying Saucage]

All verbal commitments for democracy become meaningless if a government signs this treaty. It will be the end of all freedom, the end of democracy. And almost all governments seem to be willing to do so.

 

This is a speech of a lawyer at the European parliament, so it should be allowed to be pisted here.

 

Wonder where the Thai government stands here.

 

 

 

[kingstonkid]

Noting will be touched that the mlitary elite do not want touched.  asnything that the MFP or pre sell out PheuThai would want isnot going to be touched.  

 

Senators are safe.

112 is safe.

mlitary rule is safe

[Dogmatix]

They all sold their souls to the devil years ago when they signed up with Thaksin. Now that is even more apparent after the double cross of MFP and their eagerness to jump into bed with the uncle parties just to get power and money.  

[Geir Rasch]

7 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Try to keep up ... there was a referendum, and it was 'voted' in:

 

more source if needed

And the instability and sporadic violence was part of the armys plan to take power. Other than Suthep there was not much instability and violence.

[spidermike007]

PT has done exactly as commanded. Be quiet, obey, go along with the toxic army, and do not make any waves, nor try to move the nation forward. 

 

They sure have fallen mightily from their once lofty position. 

[KhunLA]

7 hours ago, Geir Rasch said:

And the instability and sporadic violence was part of the armys plan to take power. Other than Suthep there was not much instability and violence.

????

[mikebell]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

He later picked a 35-member ad hoc panel consisting of legal experts, politicians and political activists to explore possibilities and ways to arrange such a referendum.

34 of his mates all wanting free lunches; travel; accommodation; in the name of democracy!  As if 35 Thais could ever agree on anything to benefit others.

[zzaa09]

17 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

PT has done exactly as commanded. Be quiet, obey, go along with the toxic army, and do not make any waves, nor try to move the nation forward. 

 

They sure have fallen mightily from their once lofty position. 

Indeed.

It appears that a few understand how things are working and have historically operated. 

[Bunny Silverhand]

I wouldn't bet much on those guys honestly.

Our old farts went from hippie revolutionaries to cynical relics.

Pita was the only way forward (kinda) and he is out.

Goodbye Thai democracy.

See you in a couple of decades... Maybe.

[herfiehandbag]

9 hours ago, mikebell said:

34 of his mates all wanting free lunches; travel; accommodation; in the name of democracy!  As if 35 Thais could ever agree on anything to benefit others.

Absolutely - should asked the army to do it.

 

Of course you could have widened the base of the inquiry by co-opting a few civil servants and prominent businessmen.