Visiting German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier says that the Thai Constitutional Court’s decision to acquit the former Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat of violating electoral law sends a message to the international community and serves as a conciliatory signal domestically.

 

“On one hand, this is a message to the international community. On the other, it is also an internal conciliatory signal,” Steinmeier said during a joint press conference with Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin at Government House on Thursday.

 

On Wednesday, Pita was cleared of holding shares in a media company while standing for parliament. The ruling ended eight months of political uncertainty for Pita, who had been suspended from his MP status pending the ruling.

 

Caption: German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (L) meets with Pita Limjaroenrat, opposition politician from the Move Forward party, for talks. Pita’s progressive Move Forward Party (MFP) was the surprise winner of the parliamentary elections in May 2023, but he was not elected head of government. //dpa

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2024-01-26

 

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The court should not be commended. They should be questioned why it has taken so long, why wasn't it immediately thrown out?

It was well known and could be easily checked that ITV was no longer any sort of media company and had not been for many years. If I remember correctly, the shares are worthless and it is not even possible to sell them.

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Visiting German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier says that the Thai Constitutional Court’s decision to acquit the former Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat of violating electoral law sends a message to the international community and serves as a conciliatory signal domestically.

Where was his voice last year?????

 

A diplomatic  undertone of criticism disguised as praise for the current government here I think.

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

this is a message to the international community.

It is certainly a message, what is arguable is what the message is.   

as hotchilli  said () where was his voice when it happen? 

Now he is a dollar short and a day late. 

 

51 minutes ago, sirineou said:

It is certainly a message, what is arguable is what the message is.   

as hotchilli  said () where was his voice when it happen? 

Now he is a dollar short and a day late. 

 

I don't agree.

It's good that a President of an important EU country will give a comment just to encourage the govt. to go on paving the way for a change and also to encourage Pita not to give up on his way to change the country as the people's voice. Also it's a sign what EU would expect from Thailand in the future .🙏

That he apparently MET with Pita - as in the photo above - is both surprising and a bold step from the point of view of polite international relations and the fact that Steinmeier is a head of state, not of government.

If only the World leaders had stood up when the Unelected Junta installed 250 senators changed the will of the people. It should have been condemned by all when it was happening and Thailand and its new coalition of Evil should've been openly shunned.

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

It's good that a President of an important EU country will give a comment just to encourage the govt. to go

Did not say that it is not good, though it certainly was not good for Pita when he was being robbed of his election. 

My point is that it would be better to speak  up when someone is being robbed, that to express pleasure that the victim is no longer  being robbed after the deed. . 

1 hour ago, newbee2022 said:

Also it's a sign what EU would expect from Thailand in the future .🙏

And a sign of what Thailand can expect from Germany .

Platitudes after the fact .

All that Mr Steinmeier is doing is playing both sides.

"Pita seems to be back, better say something nice in case he gains power"  

1 hour ago, sirineou said:

Did not say that it is not good, though it certainly was not good for Pita when he was being robbed of his election. 

My point is that it would be better to speak  up when someone is being robbed, that to express pleasure that the victim is no longer  being robbed after the deed. . 

And a sign of what Thailand can expect from Germany .

Platitudes after the fact .

All that Mr Steinmeier is doing is playing both sides.

"Pita seems to be back, better say something nice in case he gains power"  

It's a fact that none of the recent presidential visitors dared to comment Thailand's politics. So now we have someone and you're not happy. 🥴.

Every little step will help. And going the way of democracy, human rights, equal rights, no discrimination.....that will help to have a foot into EU market easily. And I reckon that it is what the German President wants to express.🙏

28 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

It's a fact that none of the recent presidential visitors dared to comment Thailand's politics. So now we have someone and you're not happy.

Again 

N ot said I am not happy, I just would had been happier if the acted earlier before the damage was done, 

30 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

It's a fact that none of the recent presidential visitors dared to comment

Is because they did not know which way the wind was blowing. 

 

32 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Every little step will help. And going the way of democracy, human rights, equal rights, no discrimination.....that will help to have a foot into EU market easily.

Couldn't agree more.

34 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

reckon that it is what the German President wants to express.

Before they go out in the morning, politicians stick their thumb out the window to see which way the wind blows. I am afraid Mr Steinmeier is no different, this opinion come from having lived long enough to have seen many of them. 

This is not cynicism it is as it should be, if I was him I would have done the same thing, his primary job is not the well being of Thailand, it is the best possible for Germany, he did not know how this thing would play out, or even if Pita was indeed guilty.

For him it was the prudent thing to do, 

But certainly not the courageous thing to do.