Election Commission Resolves To Seek PPP's Dissolution

[george]

EC resolves to seek PPP's dissolution

BANGKOK: -- The Election Commission Tuesday voted unanimously to seek an order of the Constitution Court to dissolve the People Power Party.

The Election Commission Tuesday voted unanimously to seek an order of the Constitution Court to dissolve the People Power Party in connection of vote buying by its former deputy leader Yongyuth Tiyapairat.

The EC voted that the PPP had to be held responsible for vote buying committed by Yongyuth so the EC would file a suit with the Constitution Court, asking the court to dissolve the party.

-- The Nation 2008-09-02

[Tony Clifton]

[ThNiner]

:clap:

[Moonrakers]

Good news.

Although the worrying thing is whether or not Samak will bow out gracefully.

[h90]

[Tony Clifton]

Good news.

Although the worrying thing is whether or not Samak will bow out gracefully.

Samak? Grace?

The man who belched on Al Jazeera without an apology, pushed again the idea of death and fasting as the main cause of death of those poor guys in the trucks and became confrontational with the female journalist?

Kitchen GREASE maybe, definitely not grace.

Edited September 2, 2008 by Tony Clifton

[Artisi]

Couldn't happen to a nicer set of inept criminals passing themelves off as intelligent politicians who only had their own interests at heart and not the future of the country....

Good-bye and good riddance- you will only be missed by the sheep who followed you.

[JoeInSurin]

This shows that the system in place is working. Samak said he will step down if found guilty in the court system. This is how a true democracy works. What the PAD's doing is nothing but harm for Thailand.

[Artisi]

We await his announcement - but first he needs to call the prince of cowards to see if it's ok

[h90]

This shows that the system in place is working. Samak said he will step down if found guilty in the court system. This is how a true democracy works. What the PAD's doing is nothing but harm for Thailand.

That system only works because the PAD is there. (evidence: why did it need so long, why now and not 5 month ago??)

[h90]

We await his announcement - but first he needs to call the prince of cowards to see if it's ok

There is a 5 or 6 hour time difference to UK...so it will need a few more hours till the real premier wakes up.

[hammered]

So it is now up to the court and that could take some time.

[Artisi]

This shows that the system in place is working. Samak said he will step down if found guilty in the court system. This is how a true democracy works. What the PAD's doing is nothing but harm for Thailand.

That system only works because the PAD is there. (evidence: why did it need so long, why now and not 5 month ago??)

Because like "Animal Farm" the pigs were in control - remember "all animals are created equal but some are more equal than other"

[Tony Clifton]

We await his announcement - but first he needs to call the prince of cowards to see if it's ok

Hey hey hey!

It's Coward The Great.

[yumidesign]

So it is now up to the court and that could take some time.

If it ever gets to the court for decision all the PPP will do is change there name, they have already covered this by setting up a new party

[hammered]

So it is now up to the court and that could take some time.

If it ever gets to the court for decision all the PPP will do is change there name, they have already covered this by setting up a new party

Dont disagree with you. Some hope the log jam will broken though by the PPP splitting into two parties although with new funds coming to their real leader now it may not happen. It doesnt look like their are any good outcomes.

[sabaijai]

EC recommends dissolution of PPP

September 2, 2008

(BangkokPost.com) - The Election Commission (EC) announced Tuesday its decision to recommend the dissolution of the People Power party (PPP) for complicity in vote-buying by banned party executive member Yongyuth Tiyapairat in the Dec 23 general election.

EC secretary-general Sutthipol Thaweechaikarn said that the vote was unanimous.

He added that the case will be forwarded to the attorney-general, who will be asked to forward the case to the Constitution Court within 30 days.

If the attorney-general thinks differently, the two agencies will form a joint committee to review the case.

The EC began considering the PPP's dissolution after the Constitution Court ruled early July that Mr Yongyuth, former PPP deputy leader, bought votes in last year's general election and disqualified him.

[Artisi]

We await his announcement - but first he needs to call the prince of cowards to see if it's ok

Hey hey hey!

It's Coward The Great.

Sorry, didn't mean to offend - but didn't want to give too much credence.

[Jai Dee]

EC to submit PPP dissolution case to court

The Election Commission (EC) uninimously resolves to forward the dissolution case of the People Power party (PPP) to the Counstitution Court.

EC Secretary-General Suthipol Thaweechaikarn (สุทธิพล ทวีชัยการ) says EC will forward the PPP dissolution case to the Counstitution Court within 30 days via the Attorney-General. However, he says if the Attorney-General refuses to send the case to the court, a committee between EC and the Attorney-General will be set up to decide whether to move on with the case. If the committee fails to agree within 30 days whether to forward the case to the court, the EC chairman can request the court himself to review the case.

The secretary-general says the EC meeting today did not discuss whether its resolution today will escalate the rally by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and expresses his confidence that the resolution will not have an impact on the situation.

Mr Suthipol says the Bangkok governor election in October may be affected by the ongoing political turmoil which may be postponed depending on Emergency Decree and EC will discuss the matter with relevant units.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 02 September 2008

[Jai Dee]

PPP minister confident party will have time to gather evidence to plead dissolution case in court

Ministers from the People Power Party are confident that their party retains sufficient time to gather information to plead their case in court, following the Election Commission of Thailand's decision to dissolve the party.

The Deputy Minister of Transport and People Power Party member, Mr. Songsak Thongsri (ทรงศักดิ์ ทองศรี), said that a recent Cabinet meeting held by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej (สมัคร สุนทรเวช) involved explanations by officials of their reason for implementing the Emergency Decree. Mr. Songsak said that the decree would aid in returning peace and order to the nation.

In regards to the Election Commission of Thailand's verdict which calls for the dissolution of the People Power Party, Mr. Songsak said that the matter will be handled by the Constitutional Court. He said that his party still has time to gather evidence and information to plead their case. The Deputy Minister of Transport said that the court may issue a different verdict when the time comes. He adds that the Election Commission's ruling was not final and required the consensus of a court of law.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 02 September 2008

[Soontorn]

Poll agency forwards PPP dissolution to Attorney General Office

BANGKOK, Sept 2 (TNA) -- Thailand's Election Commission (EC) unanimously agreed Tuesday morning to send its decision dissolving the ruling People Power Party (PPP), led by embattled Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) for consideration.

If the attorney general and then the Constitution Court agree, the party will be disbanded over fraud charges alleged to have taken place during the general election of December 2007, EC secretary-general Sutthipol Thaweechaikarn said.

Mr. Sutthipol said the Attorney General's Office would then forward the EC's decision to the Constitution Court to make the final ruling on dissolving the PPP.

He said the OAG would first gather evidence and the process must be completed within 30 days, but if it disagrees with the EC's decision, then a joint committee between the EC and the Attorney General Office would be established and it must come up with a decision within 30 days.

The joint decision will then be forwarded to the Constitution Court for its verdict, which is final, Mr. Sutthipol said.

The PPP is facing dissolution as its deputy leader Yongyuth Tiyapairat was accused of fraud during the general election held last December which is against the election law.

Under the 2007 constitution, written by coupmaker-sponsored legal and constitutional experts, senior executives of a party which is ordered dissolved will be banned from political activities for five years while its members must find a new party within 60 days.

Members of the PPP have already registered a new political party whose headquarters is expected to be housed in a building owned by ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. (TNA)

[TAWP]

Members of the PPP have already registered a new political party whose headquarters is expected to be housed in a building owned by ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. (TNA)

simple solution - declare all of these cases to be Lease Majestete (since abusing the people and the electoral process of a country like this is clearly a direct attack upon the grand monarch that ask them to be good) and enforce capital punishment.

It's the only way to gain some headway (no pun intended) on this issue.

[Samuian]

hmmm... another blast, but Pua Padin has been formed already, the story will continue unless...as it has been said already, they ALL are send behind bars, where they belong to!

[fred2007]

Thai ruling party guilty of vote fraud

By Panarat Thepgumpanat in Bangkok

September 02, 2008 04:19pm

Article from: Reuters

THAILAND'S Election Commission recommended that the ruling People Power Party be disbanded for vote fraud, dealing a further blow to Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's shaky Coalition Government.

In a unanimous vote, the five-member commission found the PPP guilty of buying votes during last December's general election and referred the case to prosecutors, EC commissioner Sumate Uppanisakorn told Reuters.

A final ruling by the Supreme Court could take months.

If the court agrees to disband the party, up to 33 senior PPP members, including Mr Samak and Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee, would lose their jobs and be barred from politics for five years.

The case before the Election Commission stems from the guilty verdict handed down in July against a deputy PPP leader for vote fraud in December. He was banned from politics for five years.

Under the constitution drawn up by the army after a 2006 coup, an entire party can be disbanded and all of its executives barred from politics if just one member of the party's leadership is found guilty of vote fraud.

Thai newspapers have reported that the PPP is preparing for the worst and lining up a new "shell" party to admit all its MPs, who could try to cobble together another coalition government. If that failed, another election - the fourth in four years - would almost certainly follow.

Mr Samak, who has rejected demands by leaders of a 100-day old street protest that he resign, declared a state of emergency in Bangkok today after overnight clashes between pro and anti-government protesters killed one person and injured 34.

The PPP won the most votes in the December election, due largely to continuing support for Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted as prime minister in the 2006 coup.

Mr Thaksin skipped bail last month and went into exile in London rather than face a corruption trial involving him and his wife. State prosecutors have begun the lengthy process of trying to extradite him.

Edited September 2, 2008 by Jai Dee
Formatting edited for better legibility

[basjke]

This shows that the system in place is working. Samak said he will step down if found guilty in the court system. This is how a true democracy works. What the PAD's doing is nothing but harm for Thailand.

Wait until Samak reply's that the remarks about his step down were misunderstood and that he never said it that way.Then you know how the system works in thailand.It would not be the first time.

[fred2007]

This shows that the system in place is working. Samak said he will step down if found guilty in the court system. This is how a true democracy works. What the PAD's doing is nothing but harm for Thailand.

Wait until Samak reply's that the remarks about his step down were misunderstood and that he never said it that way.Then you know how the system works in thailand.It would not be the first time.

I guess I know that, I have been here long enough

[RubbaJohnny]

Wont be so funny if they ask all the falngs to leave

[fred2007]

Wont be so funny if they ask all the falngs to leave

I put my hands up, I go tomorrow and so will my wife she is thai and getting very much pis;;ed up

of the way things are going in Thailand

[fred2007]

<H1 style="MARGIN: auto 0cm">'Talks, not force' to end Thai crisis</H1>By staff writers and wires

September 02, 2008 05:50pm

Article from: </IMG>

THAILAND'S powerful army chief says the military will try to negotiate a peaceful end to anti-government protests and would not use force against activists besieging the premier's office.

"Our methods will be to improve understanding among Thais and make everyone aware that there can still be a peaceful solution through negotiations,'' General Anupong Paojinda said.

He said soldiers deployed to the protest site around the Government House complex would not carry firearms, but would have shields, batons, teargas and water cannons to prevent further clashes between supporters and opponents of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.

"I can ensure to every person in the press that police and the Thai military will not use violence to any civilian by any means,'' Gen Anupong said.

One person was killed and dozens were injured during the night as a week of mass protests calling for Mr Samak's resignation spilled over into bloodshed.

Gen Anupong also ruled out the possibility of staging a new coup.

"There is no possibility of a coup. We must turn to the parliamentary mechanism,'' he said.

"If we use military means to solve this problem, that would not be acceptable. This door is totally shut,'' he said.

Under the sweeping emergency powers announced by Mr Samak, all public gatherings in Bangkok are banned as well as media reports that "undermined public security".

However, no curfew was imposed on the city of 10 million.

Mr Samak, who vowed never to bow to a street campaign to push him from power, said the security action would be restrained and not last more than a few days.

"I did this to douse the fire, not to cause a fire," he said at a news conference at a military headquarters today.

Mr Samak faced a new threat today when the Election Commission recommended his ruling People Power Party (PPP) be disbanded for vote buying in December's general election.

It could be months before the courts give their ruling, but if they agree with the Commission, Mr Samak and other top party leaders could be banned from politics for five years.

At Government House, leaders of the protest movement that has occupied Mr Samak's official compound for the past week vowed to stay behind their barricades of razor wire and car tyres.

Some schools and shops were shut in Bangkok but traffic flowed, with no major security presence or tanks in the streets.

The airport, the main gateway for millions of tourists visiting one of Asia's top holiday destinations, remained open.

But tourism, a major employer, could take a short-term hit as Australia, South Korea and Singapore issued travel warnings, with others likely to follow.

- AFP, Reuters

[kurtgruen]

Hopefully the beginning of the end for the Thaksin/Samak Regime.

With luck, the constitution will stay in place, the PPP disolved, a new election called and even so this may seem like "same old thing", vote buying could eventually be eliminated over the course of the next 5 or 10 elections....or maybe I am being optimistic :-(

The PPP is getting caught with both hands in the cookie jar. If they get disolved by the courts, that might encourage more honest scared people to come forward and speak out against vote buying and corruption. It's hard to stick your head out and expose corruption, when you feel that nothing will change anyways :-(

Lets hope that this conflict in Bangkok stays peaceful.