Democrats accuse TRT of destroying the country’s democracy

BANGKOK: -- The struggling opposition Democrats have had a further set back with several MPs deserting them to join the governing Thai Rak Thai.

In response, leading Democrats have accused the TRT of stealing its MP’s and threatening the country’s democratic system.

A senior Democrat, Jurin Laksanavisit, said the defections had weaken the opposition parties’ ability to monitor the government's performance and initiate a censor debate if necessary.

Under the constitution the opposition needs at a quarter of the MPs to lodge a censure motion.

The prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has said Thai Rak Thai's ambition is to win more than 400 seats in the next parliament, out of a total of 500.

The next general elections are scheduled to be held in early 2005.

This would make the TRT the biggest political party in the country.

Currently, there are total 473 MPs in the lower house and a 119 signatures are needed to support a censure debate.

TRT controls more than 376 parliamentarians, while the Democrats have 124 MPs, after the recent defections to the TRT.

While the opposition can still move a censure motion, further defections to the government could jeopardise this, Mr.Jurin said.

The TRT has said that five of the Democrat's MPs in the three southern-most provinces of Yala, Narathiwat, and Pattani, which have been swept by unrest and violence since the beginning of the year, will soon join the party.

-- TNA 2004-08-06

In response, leading Democrats have accused the TRT of stealing its MP’s and threatening the country’s democratic system.

The TRT has said that five of the Democrat's MPs in the three southern-most provinces of Yala, Narathiwat, and Pattani, which have been swept by unrest and violence since the beginning of the year, will soon join the party.

It's still amazing to me that MPs may defect to the opposition halfway a parlementarian term. In the meantime betraying the people who voted for them.

Politicians already have a bad reputation but the Thai system beats all, while offering institutionalized opportunities to betray the people of Thailand.

Said Already.. THAT"S UP THE BUTT

TRT and Taksin want one party rule. Many other countries have tried that sort of system - Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, China, North Korea, etc... Other countries, such as Mexico and India, had one party that was so powerful that for all intents and purposes they only had one party. Eventually, after decades of stagnation and corruption, the Mexicans and Indians realized that without a political choice, there would be no accountability and voted an opposition party into power.

Despite criticism of the TRT from both the King and the Thai Buddhist Church, Thais continue to vote with their pocketbooks rather than their heads. Thailand is bucking the worldwide trend and moving backwards politically!

errrrrr..... The Thai Buddhist Church?

errrrrr.....  The Thai Buddhist Church?

[quote

I think he was referring to "Wat Sa-matta-u"; "Wat Ya-duing"or of course the one all the tourist see "Wat tu-se"]

It's still amazing to me that MPs may defect to the opposition halfway a parlementarian term. In the meantime betraying the people who voted for them.

Why does the image of rats deserting a sinking ship suddenly come to mind...?

errrrrr..... The Thai Buddhist Church?

To be pedantic, 'church' originally meant 'to do with the lord' (as in kyrie eleison 'Lord, have mercy upon us.' Do we not have the phrase 'the Lord Buddha', as in Thai พระพุทธเจ้า /[H]phra [H]phut[H]tha [F]jao/ ?

And of course, Chamlong Srimueang was seen as the leader of the 'church wing' of Palang Dharma.

Asic....you know what he means........