Democrats To Form New Coalition Government

[jbowman1993]

Our Last 4 PM's

Thaksin - Convicted Felon (fugitive from justice), used his power to enrich himself and his associates to the tune of billions of baht, etc...

Surayud - Military Appointed, ineffectual leader

Samak - Convicted felon (on bail pending final appeal), loudmouth lout

Somchai - Indicted on malfeasance charges by NCCC and the Constitution Court. Oversaw the complete subjugation of the country to a mob of hand clapping Grannies.

Abhisit can't help but look good compared to these bozos. Better days are coming, I feel.

[sriracha john]

Pracha is from Puea Paendin, not from PPP.

Most of their MPs are going to vote for Abhisit, though.

Just to confuse those without a spreadsheet database tracking all of the who's who, further.

That should read: Pracha is from Puea Pandin, not from PTP.

Although Puea Pandin Party could have always been rightfully called PPP all along, thankfully it was not...to apparently avoid confusion with the People Power Party or the other PPP. Hopefully, with the demise of the PPP, the Puea Pandin Party will not now start calling itself PPP to add to further misunderstandings.

With the Puea Thai Party (PTP) thrown into the alphabet-soup of acronyms mix, it's easily understandable that any and all posters are subject to misunderstanding, typos, and miscues.

BTW, it's Showtime!

on Thai PBS channel.

Edited December 15, 2008 by sriracha john

[animatic]

He saved particular scorn for Newin Chidchob, who told Thaksin last week that their political relationship was "all over."

Squeak Squeak said the rat, as it abandoned ship, with relief !

As for the military, he said, ''We are still under a military coup'' and officers have misused the courts against him.

But Thaksin's own brother-in-law was just PM, in recent months, does Dr T now believe the strings were being pulled by anyone other-than himself, under the bought-and-paid-for government ?

And the courts main crime, was to find Thaksin guilty of something, Shock Horror ! Off with their heads !

And as for Newin and fellow renegades, ''People know they will be punished''.

One of the less-pleasant aspects of Thaksin's political career has always been that he has a problem, with anybody who disagrees with him, and this often leads to libel-cases, sackings, withrawl-of-funds, threats or demonstrations. Why can't he accept this, that free people have the right to disagree with him sometimes, and also the right to say so ?

One hopes he made this comment in a political way, speaking hopefully of the voters' response. With Thaksin, no one can be sure. In the past, he has held grudges and conducted extra-judicial harassment of business and political enemies. The political landscape remains unsettled, but fears of violence have diminished significantly in the past two weeks.

my highlighted comments above.

Let's hope that Thaksin is capable of learning, remembers his many promises to quit Thai politics, and doesn't decide to continue to promote discord. He has achieved the useful objective, of raising the issue of the poor in future Thai politics, and will be remembered for that. A peaceful change-of-government now, from a TRT/PPP/PTP-led coalition to a Democrat-led one this time, would be welcome.

One of the hall marks of Thaksin's life is that he retrenches into

his basic mind-set when the going gets tough. This is clearly not

a 'learning' mind set, but a 'win at all costs' mindset, coupled to

intention to punishment for those not seeing things his way.

Little carrots, BIG stick.

Learning implies a willingness to digest new information, like it or not,

and ADAPT to the new facts, not wail that you don't like the facts.

Or blindly punish those who bring you the facts: Shoot the messenger.

Dr. T. 2006 while in office as his cabinet starts to get defectors; paraphrased:

" I don't care if he quites my government, i am the only one here that does any work anyway."

The People from Buriram will continue to have representation in the legislature,

they will still have a say in the government, even if Dr. T. calls their leaders traitors.

They dumped Thaksin, and maybe some red-shirt factions but NOT the people up north.

Edited December 15, 2008 by animatic

[jbowman1993]

House meeting for PM election starts

The House convened its meeting at 9:30 am Monday to elect a new prime minister.

It begun with the House of Representatives secretary-general reading a royal command, which convened a special parliamentary session for the PM election.

Source -The Nation

[jbowman1993]

Some 50 red-shirted people rally outside Parliament

Some 50 red-shirted supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra gathered and rallied outside Parliament at 9:10 am Monday.

They rallied to show support for the Pheu Thai Party's bid to prevent the Democrat Party from winning the post of the prime minister.

Source - The Nation

Only 50? Looks like the end is near for sure, this time. Thank God.

[yogi]

toxin,samak,somchai and now abhisit.

thailand have seen 4 pms in just 2 years.

very impressive

[jbowman1993]

toxin,samak,somchai and now abhisit.

thailand have seen 4 pms in just 2 years.

very impressive

5 - you forgot Surayud.

[sriracha john]

Parliament votes for new Prime Minister Monday; result uncertain

BANGKOK, Dec 15 (TNA) – Thailand's Parliament will meet to elect a new prime minister this morning but until now there is uncertainty as to who would be Thailand's 27th prime minister.

The current opposition Democrat Party was confident that its Oxford-educated leader Abhisit Vejjajiva will be elected the country's head of government.

The Democrat Party reaffirmed that it has obtained more than 250 votes from its party and four other parties plus a faction of the now defunct People Power Party to form a new coalition government.

Unfortunately, an ailing Democrat member of parliament Sombat Sithikornwong from Nonthaburi, who was expected to attend the House session in a wheel chair because he was in hospital, died early Monday morning.

However, parties loyal to the legacy of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra also claimed to have enough votes to name their candidate, Pracha Promnok, leader of Puea Pandin party, to the top spot.

A breakaway faction from the dissolved People Power Party led by veteran Buri Ram politician Newin Chidchob, the "Newin's Friends Group" and four former government coalition parties -- Chart Thai Pattana (formerly Chart Thai), Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana, Puea Pandin and Phum Jai Thai (formerly the Matchimathipataya party) -- have reaffirmed their support for Mr Abhisit.

The Puea Thai Party said it would not send any candidates to contest in the vote for prime minister and expressed confidence that their candidate for premier, Puea Pandin leader Pol. Gen. Pracha, would gain more votes than Mr Abhisit.

Puea Thai is a new party set up recently to absorb People Power Party (PPP) legislators forced to seek a new political home when the Constitution Court on December 2 dissolved the PPP and two allies in the coalition -- Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya -- due to fraud conducted during last December's general election.

Pracharat party leader Sanoh Thienthong was expected to propose former National Police Chief Pracha as prime minister and if he wins, a national government including all political parties would jointly form the government.

The Democrat Party which disagreed with Mr. Sanoh's idea would go ahead with its plan to propose Mr. Abhisit.

It said if Mr. Abhisit fails to become prime minister, the Democrat will again be the opposition party, not join a national government as proposed by Mr. Sanoh.

Parliament is scheduled to vote at 9.30am Monday.

Metropolitan police commissioner Pol. Lt-Gen. Suchart Muankaew said eight companies of police officers have been deployed at Parliament.

Although Gen. Suchart is optimistic that there will be no violence there between pro- and anti-government protesters (as each side will be there to boost morale for their candidates nominated for the post rather than to act against their rivals), he said the police will be stationed both inside and outside the Parliament compound to ensure that no untoward incident erupts.

The government supporters "the red-shirt group" planned to gather at the gates of Parliament to block MPs from entering the premises to vote.

Four of the eight police companies were sent to Parliament on Sunday while the rest were on standby and ready to give help, he said. In addition, three fire trucks were parked at Parliament.

Edited December 15, 2008 by sriracha john

[jbowman1993]

December 14, 2008.

9.45 am : Chai asks the chambre to stand in one-minute silence for Democrat MP Sombat Suthikornwong who passed away on Monday morning.

Source - The Nation

Less we forget, a Democrat MP died this morning, from an illness. RIP

[jbowman1993]

7 new party-list MPs take oath

Seven new party-list MPs took an oath Monday morning after the House convened its meeting to elect a new prime minister.

They are new party-list MPs moved up from their party's lists to replace former executives of three dissolved parties.

The Nation

[jbowman1993]

From The Nation Political Blog

Dec 15, 9 am: Good morning. A friend of mine, a die-hard home-based PAD who didn't join the protests called late last night and said she didn't know how she could sleep. (So I suggested she go to the web and read this updates) Hope most of you didn't have the same trouble.

Anyway, it promises to be a thrill, although we don't wake up to see shocking news reports on TV or websites. Latest counts have Phue Thai in command of around 206-210 MPs, and the Democrats remain confident that Abhisit would beat Pracha by about 40 votes.

Abhisit has arrived, smiling and looking every bit someone who will have his biggest day. My humble pie is ready.

Dec 15, 9.30 am: House speaker Chai is declaring the special House session open. There are 437 MPs eligible for the vote. All but around a dozen have arrived and signed in.

Gossip of the day: We have heard from one source that Thaksin had been calling many MPs my himself over the weekend, and during the phone talks, he made this plea to everyone: Please save my life. Please save my life.

[wayfarer108]

From The Nation Political Blog

Dec 15, 9 am: Good morning. A friend of mine, a die-hard home-based PAD who didn't join the protests called late last night and said she didn't know how she could sleep. (So I suggested she go to the web and read this updates) Hope most of you didn't have the same trouble.

Anyway, it promises to be a thrill, although we don't wake up to see shocking news reports on TV or websites. Latest counts have Phue Thai in command of around 206-210 MPs, and the Democrats remain confident that Abhisit would beat Pracha by about 40 votes.

Abhisit has arrived, smiling and looking every bit someone who will have his biggest day. My humble pie is ready.

Dec 15, 9.30 am: House speaker Chai is declaring the special House session open. There are 437 MPs eligible for the vote. All but around a dozen have arrived and signed in.

Gossip of the day: We have heard from one source that Thaksin had been calling many MPs my himself over the weekend, and during the phone talks, he made this plea to everyone: Please save my life. Please save my life.

... or I'll take yours.

That's the way I heard it, straight from one of the family members of an MP.

[Koo82]

The handsome Ab- got 214 voices.

[sriracha john]

Thai Parliament convenes to vote in new prime minister

Bangkok - Thailand's Parliament opened an extraordinary session Monday to vote in a new prime minister after the last premier and much of the cabinet lost their posts in a court ruling.

The vote was expected to be close between the two nominated candidates, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and the Puea Paendin Party's leader, Police General Pracha Promnok.

'It will be a close call,' said Kraisak Choonhavan, a senior Democrat Party member.

Last minute jockeying to win support from members of Parliament has been intense, in keeping with Thailand's long history of 'money politics.'

Thai newspapers reported that lawmakers had been offered as much as 50 million baht (1.4 million dollars) to skip Monday's session to avoid voting for Abhisit.

About 400 'red shirts,' or followers of Thailand's fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, gathered at Parliament Monday morning to put pressure on its members to vote for Pracha.

The Democrats, who have been in opposition since Thaksin and his Thai Rak Thai party romped to victory on the back of a populist platform in the January 2001 general election, claimed to have won the support of four smaller political parties and a breakaway faction from the former People Power Party, which led the last government and came to power on a pro-Thaksin platform.

But the coalition lineup fell apart Sunday when Pracha - head of the Puea Paendin Party, which supposedly supported the Democrats - accepted a nomination to contest the premiership.

It is unclear how many members of Parliament Pracha actually controls within his own party, which holds 27 seats.

'The Puea Paendin is a hydra with many heads,' Kraisak said. 'The leader actually only controls four to five people.'

Pracha claims to control at least 16 of his own members of Parliament, which might be enough to secure him the premiership with the backing of the Puea Thai, a reincarnation of the now defunct People Power Party, and the Phracharaj Party.

There are fears that if Pracha becomes the next prime minister, Thailand's political impasse would continue and the street protests that undermined the last government would be resumed.

The PAD has promised to return to the streets if the next government is run by a Thaksin proxy. The last government was headed by Somchai, Thaksin's brother-in-law.

Thaksin has been sentenced to two years in jail on a corruption charge and now lives in self-imposed exile but remains a central player in Thailand's political drama.

- DPA / 2008-12-15

[sriracha john]

It's worth noting that the Chief Advisor and a financier of the Puea Pandin Party is the fugitive Vatana Asavahame:

Former Deputy Interior Minister Sentenced to 10 Years Imprisonment

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=2153738

[sriracha john]

Current MP vote count for PM

Abhisit - 97

Pracha - 87

[jbowman1993]

Pracha arrives for meeting late

By 9:40 am Monday, after House speaker Chai Chidchob opened the special session of the House, Puea Pandin Party leader Pracha Chidchob has not arrived yet.

Source - The Nation

Pracha votes for himself

Puea Pandin Party leader Pracha Promnok voted for himself during the roll-call PM voting at 10:20 am Monday. He did not abstain in a traditional practice.

Source - The Nation

Classy to the end...

Edited December 15, 2008 by jbowman1993

[tig28]

The aim was to get rid of Thaksin's band of thieves.

Hi animatic

Without doubt this was ONE aim ....... but I think you are being a little disingenuous by continuously shouting this ..... whilst seldom (never) mentioning the other less admirable aims.

The unfortunate reality is that under current conditions the nation shall benefit by the installation of the Democrats to government. Unfortunately it takes real optimism to dream that this Democrat line-up shall perform any better than their predecessors. The debts owed and the deals made by the Democrats to re-achieve power shall certainly hobble the party like never before. And "before" was never that good!!

Whilst Abhisit provides an attractive figure head I must wonder WHO shall actually be calling the shots. . Military---Media Mogul or Other? Oh ---- I know ..... a majority committee made up of : "socially active -- non political --- professionals."

[Journalist]

BTW, it's Showtime!

on Thai PBS channel.

Was he talking about his rainrockets?

[jbowman1993]

The aim was to get rid of Thaksin's band of thieves.

Hi animatic

Without doubt this was ONE aim ....... but I think you are being a little disingenuous by continuously shouting this ..... whilst seldom (never) mentioning the other less admirable aims.

The unfortunate reality is that under current conditions the nation shall benefit by the installation of the Democrats to government. Unfortunately it takes real optimism to dream that this Democrat line-up shall perform any better than their predecessors. The debts owed and the deals made by the Democrats to re-achieve power shall certainly hobble the party like never before. And "before" was never that good!!

Whilst Abhisit provides an attractive figure head I must wonder WHO shall actually be calling the shots. . Military---Media Mogul or Other? Oh ---- I know ..... a majority committee made up of : "socially active -- non political --- professionals."

After years of ugly figureheads, I'll take what I can get.

[sriracha john]

Current MP vote count for PM:

Abhisit - 137

Pracha - 113

[Journalist]

A Glimpse at 2 Candidates

Source - Bkk Post

Abhisit Vejjajiva

Biography

Born: 3 August 1964, in Newcastle, England - Father: Dr Athasit Vejjajiva - Mother: Dr Sodsai Vejjajiva - Spouse: Assistant Professor Dr Pimpen (Sakuntabhai) Vejjajiva - Lecturer at the Faculty of Science's Department of Mathematics, Chulalongkorn University - Children: Prang and Pannasit

Professional Experience

Prior to 1992:

- Special lecturer in Economics at Oxford University

- Lecturer at Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy (rank second lieutenant)

- Lecturer at Thammasart University's Faculty of Economics

abridged

1998: Knight Grand Cordon of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand

1999: Knight Grand Cordon (Special Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant

International recognition

• One of 100 Global Leaders for Tomorrow, by World Economic Forum 1992

• One of 20 Leaders for the Millennium Politics & Power, by Asiaweek magazine 5 November 1999

• One of 6 up and coming leaders for Asia, Time magazine 6 October 1997, New Voices for New Asia

Nice CV, but distinctly lacking in real jobs*. He's managed to get to age 44 without any hard graft and early mornings, beyond the greasy pole of politics.

*Apart from his spell as a teacher of course.

I notice that his Mother and Father and wife all have the same surname. A little aristocratic cousin-ly inbreeding perhaps like the Roosevelts ? ....just a coincidence? Or something more??

Edited December 15, 2008 by Journalist

[imcominsoon]

LIVE ..

http://www.manager.co.th/Home/news1/astv120new.html

[konangrit]

Abhisit - 200

Pracha - 159

[sriracha john]

Current MP vote count for PM:

Abhisit - 202

Pracha - 161

[quiksilva]

Abhisit leads 180 to 150 at 10:43 am

40 more needed or we face another 15 days...

[sriracha john]

Current MP vote count for PM:

Abhisit - 224

Pracha - 189

The minimum of 219 needed has been met and Abhisit is Thailand's 27th Prime Minister.

by a bit more than Chalerm's predicted 8 to 10 votes.

*Cue new thread

Edited December 15, 2008 by sriracha john

[shawndoc]

222 vs 189

Is this all that was needed?

[animatic]

The aim was to get rid of Thaksin's band of thieves.

Hi animatic

Without doubt this was ONE aim ....... but I think you are being a little disingenuous by continuously shouting this ..... whilst seldom (never) mentioning the other less admirable aims.

The unfortunate reality is that under current conditions the nation shall benefit by the installation of the Democrats to government. Unfortunately it takes real optimism to dream that this Democrat line-up shall perform any better than their predecessors. The debts owed and the deals made by the Democrats to re-achieve power shall certainly hobble the party like never before. And "before" was never that good!!

Whilst Abhisit provides an attractive figure head I must wonder WHO shall actually be calling the shots. . Military---Media Mogul or Other? Oh ---- I know ..... a majority committee made up of : "socially active -- non political --- professionals."

Several of their "less admirable" aims were directly tied to aim one.

And it's global parent of reducing corruption in government.

Sure they over reached and sure their grasp of real-politic and political science is fuzzy at best,

But at least they are not just sitting complacently and saying;

let them steal all they want we don't care.

ALL governments here are done through horse-trading, TRT 1 included.

Everyone expects their pound of flesh in return. So nothing new in that.

In one way paying them cash towards personal/re-election use, may be BETTER

than policy promises you can't keep.... causing fractious coalition infighting.

As one posted above,

compared to the last 4-5 governments it should likely be a breath of fresh air.

Edited December 15, 2008 by animatic

[Artisi]

Good result.