TAWP Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 How the EU offendsElection "observers" are a bitter pill for many Thais to swallow. Election monitors are a step too far. So the European Union is kind enough to tempt us with the offer of the century - sending some 200 poll watchers to keep our democracy from being derailed again. For a lot of people, this supposed kindness is simply too much to swallow. It is no surprise then that patriotic blood has been boiling after news came of the EU proposing to the government a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which could clear the way for it to "observe" the upcoming general elections slated for Dec 23. The terms of the MoU have yet to be spelt out, but the EU and the government are already locking horns over two words - observe and monitor. The government has insisted the EU can only observe and it is in no position to negotiate for a monitoring role. But the underlying question here is not when or how but if the EU poll watchers should be allowed in. Continued: http://www.bangkokpost.net/topstories/tops...s.php?id=121272 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEFLMike Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 As stated yesterday, the EU should put it's own house in order first, before noseying into Thailand's affairs. Gravy Train, noseyparkers, and nincompoops in Brussels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
womble Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 Something to hide, the junta have. It would seem so. Very easy to call the nationlistic card. and it works extremely well in Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColPyat Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 As stated yesterday, the EU should put it's own house in order first, before noseying into Thailand's affairs.Gravy Train, noseyparkers, and nincompoops in Brussels Regarding elections - the EU's house is well in order. And given how the referendum was handled, in which opponents were arrested during the run up and their campaign material confiscated, there is a need for outside observers to ensure free and fair elections. We also have a rather strange situation where 35 provinces are still under martial law, and outside of the 3 southern most provinces, there simply is no sufficient reason for upholding martial law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chownah Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 (edited) What's the problem...I think that ALL democratic countries should form a union of election observers and they should observe elections in ALL countries....starting with the US just to show a good example. I think this could be a real benefit for emerging democracies....then they would have a way to keep their elections fair and it would not be seen as some extreme case..it would be business as usual. The result would be fairer elections world wide I guess. In short, my view is that international election observers should be a part of every national election the world over....it should be business as usual...standard operating procedure. Chownah Edited September 1, 2007 by chownah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEFLMike Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 Still no reason for the EU to poke it's nose in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColPyat Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 Still no reason for the EU to poke it's nose in. If Thailand want to continue to benefit from investment of EU countries, than maybe a more diplomatic and less nationalistic approach would be advisable. It's not that foreign countries have no other choices in the region. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 Global Village ........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_Traveller Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 If memory serves, the British have invited observers to General Elections for some time now. This is viewed as part and parcel of a modern democracy. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adjan jb Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 (edited) If memory serves, the British have invited observers to General Elections for some time now. This is viewed as part and parcel of a modern democracy.Regards Sounds like a good idea. But EU was not invited. Typical white arrogance. Edited September 1, 2007 by adjan jb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 Typical white arrogance. may I recommend some research into EU demographics ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adjan jb Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 Typical white arrogance. may I recommend some research into EU demographics ? I've seen from the inside. The EU is mainly populated by white people and, as a political entity, it's quite arrogant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 Demographics of the European Union white people ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adjan jb Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 Demographics of the European Unionwhite people ?? Wikipedia is not and has never been a reliable source. Which of the following countries is not mainly populated by white people ? Austria Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Spain Slovakia Slovenia Sweden United Kingdom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 which is , is a shorter list beware the generalisation is the point . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adjan jb Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 which is , is a shorter list beware the generalisation is the point . Mai ko chai. That's the complete list. 27 countries. Phom pai seu beer Archa. Sawatdee Khap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadish_sweetball Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 What's the problem...I think that ALL democratic countries should form a union of election observers and they should observe elections in ALL countries....starting with the US just to show a good example. I think this could be a real benefit for emerging democracies....then they would have a way to keep their elections fair and it would not be seen as some extreme case..it would be business as usual. The result would be fairer elections world wide I guess.In short, my view is that international election observers should be a part of every national election the world over....it should be business as usual...standard operating procedure. Chownah Excellent point, and such a system being implemented equally, would make it more difficult for manipulative factions in whatever country, to refuse... although of course some countries who believe they have nothing to learn or improve, might still do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColPyat Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 If memory serves, the British have invited observers to General Elections for some time now. This is viewed as part and parcel of a modern democracy.Regards Sounds like a good idea. But EU was not invited. Typical white arrogance. Typical racist crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuestHouse Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 When the response is to call to Nationalism then it begs the question (as has been noted above) what are they hiding - Nationalism, it is famoulsly said, being the last refuge of a scoundral. However, I can't understand the Farangs here getting so hot under the collor, defending a system and a nation in which they are not citizens and have no rights Stokholm syndrome perhaps?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meadish_sweetball Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 Possibly, but only if you'd add a 'c' between 'Sto' and 'kholm'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tijnebijn Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 I think it was just a check from the EU .No matter if the Thais agreed or not . To understand what the real intensions are from the Junta. There are saying this and that , but in the reality work very different . There are many expatriates in this country , which countries of them have treaties with Thailand. I think the EU wants to know how late it is over here . I reckon they know now what we new allready for a long time , TIT and Thai only for T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimjim Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 [quote name='Mid' post='1510709' date='2007-09-01 Wikipedia is not and has never been a reliable source. Actually, even though it's a wiki, it's mistakes are quickly cleared up. It's pretty well respected these days. I've found it quite reliable for virtually everything I've looked up on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MungoGubbins Posted September 1, 2007 Share Posted September 1, 2007 [quote name='Mid' post='1510709' date='2007-09-01 Wikipedia is not and has never been a reliable source. Actually, even though it's a wiki, it's mistakes are quickly cleared up. It's pretty well respected these days. I've found it quite reliable for virtually everything I've looked up on it. I'm very dubious about Wiki, the write up on Thaksin was either an autobiography, or part of some gooey eyed memoir written by his Mum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimsKnight Posted September 2, 2007 Share Posted September 2, 2007 Agreed, a few dodgy leaders on wiki that are given the 'rose-tinted' glasses treatment. You try amending it to the even-groove. It gets changed to suit wiki! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisspursbkk1 Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 Demographics of the European Unionwhite people ?? Wikipedia is not and has never been a reliable source. Which of the following countries is not mainly populated by white people ? Austria Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Spain Slovakia Slovenia Sweden United Kingdom Yes and which main serving ones are not populated by a mix? If you look at the goverments of France, Britian etc your see there goverments are fairly mixed with a balance according to there countrys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man River Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 As stated yesterday, the EU should put it's own house in order first, before noseying into Thailand's affairs.Gravy Train, noseyparkers, and nincompoops in Brussels Regarding elections - the EU's house is well in order. And given how the referendum was handled, in which opponents were arrested during the run up and their campaign material confiscated, there is a need for outside observers to ensure free and fair elections. We also have a rather strange situation where 35 provinces are still under martial law, and outside of the 3 southern most provinces, there simply is no sufficient reason for upholding martial law. Just curious. Did the EU simply decide unilaterally that this would be right for Thailand and make a direct approach, or were they invited by someone (group) to talk to the government about acting as observers/monitors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 I tend to think it was not such a wise move of the EU to offer to be monitors/observers. At least it wasn't wise to make such an offer public. Most everyone knows the pitfalls of elections in Thailand--the problem of vote buying etc. The press is relatively free and will most likely report any "abnormalities" that occur. Overall, the country has been organizing and holding elections for a very long time and need little assistance. The main problem is that even if the "abnormalities" are reported, there is little that can be done about it. You really can't get the country to say, OK, we'll do it again. Plenty of people will be watching and the losers will let us know what was unfair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 What's the problem...I think that ALL democratic countries should form a union of election observers and they should observe elections in ALL countries....starting with the US just to show a good example. I think this could be a real benefit for emerging democracies....then they would have a way to keep their elections fair and it would not be seen as some extreme case..it would be business as usual. The result would be fairer elections world wide I guess.In short, my view is that international election observers should be a part of every national election the world over....it should be business as usual...standard operating procedure. Chownah Totally agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColPyat Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 Just curious. Did the EU simply decide unilaterally that this would be right for Thailand and make a direct approach, or were they invited by someone (group) to talk to the government about acting as observers/monitors? What do i know - i am not a EU diplomat. Thailand though has a lot more to lose by offending the EU than the EU by offending Thailand. If the EU is not assured of stability in Thailand, then it will advice its corporations to be careful with investment here. The only thing i know is that the mood towards Thailand's future stability in foreign embassies is lower than it was in decades, and promotion tours of the present government have seemingly not achieved their aim of assuring the rest of the world of its stability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiksilva Posted September 3, 2007 Share Posted September 3, 2007 [quote name=Mid' post='1510709' date='2007-09-01 Wikipedia is not and has never been a reliable source. Actually, even though it's a wiki, it's mistakes are quickly cleared up. It's pretty well respected these days. I've found it quite reliable for virtually everything I've looked up on it. I'm very dubious about Wiki, the write up on Thaksin was either an autobiography, or part of some gooey eyed memoir written by his Mum. Find out for yourself using the Wikiscanner website. This is the one that was featured in several news stories recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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