Thaksin Scores Over Newin In Sakon Nakhon By-election

[Journalist]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/06/22...cs_30105703.php

The Bhum Jai Thai Party yesterday faced its first ever contest and tasted bitter defeat in the by-election in Sakon Nakhon's third constituency. The result indicated former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's influence in the region remains high.

The election was regarded as a struggle between Thaksin, who backed the Pheu Thai Party, and his ex-right hand man Newin Chidchob, who defected to set up his own Bhum Jai Thai Party. Earlier, many political observers had tipped Bhum Jai Thai would win the election.

However the Newin-backed party made mistakes. Pheu Thai Party picked a young and active candidate, Anurak Boonsol, while Bhum Jai Thai settled for Pitak Chantarasri, who is in his 60s as their candidate.

Anurak -in her 40s and a former director of a private college, presented a fresher image to Pitak.

The Sakon Nakhon's third constituency is indeed the stronghold of Pheu Thai, not Bhum Jai Thai - since Anurak's husband, Pongsak Boonsol, is a former member for the constituency who was disqualified by the Election Commission.

Voters in Sakon Nakhon also rejected Bhum Jai Thai's aggressive campaign style using state mechanisms to threaten voters, while Pheu Thai adopted a humble tactic begging for votes from local residents. Former prime minister Thaksin made personal phone calls to the canvassers. "It was very impressive for the canvassers. The former premier Thaksin called them directly on their cell phones," an observer said.

Many Thaksin relatives, including his brother Payap Shinawatra and his younger sister Yingluck Shinawatra, were in the province during the campaign.

Bhum Jai Thai's key members admitted that being with the government was not an advantage for the party.

Pheu Thai's knock-out punch to defeat Bhum Jai Thai was a leaflet attacking Newin's background and his defection. At the left corner of the leaflet is a picture of Newin hugging Thaksin and on the right a picture of Newin hugging Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. The punch line in the leaflet says "Sakon Nakhon residents- oppose the disgraceful man".

Furthermore, two bombs on Pheu Thai Party's stage were a helpful factor for the Thaksin-backed party.

Another contest round will open in Si Sa Ket between the Pheu Thai Party and a Bhum Jai Thai-backed candidate who runs in the contest next week under the name of the Chart Thai Pattana Party. The by-election in Si Sa Ket will again prove Thaksin's influence and Bhum Jai Thai's political future in the Northeastern region.

The election result in Sakon Nakhon was not simply a victory for Pheu Thai but for fugitive former Prime Minister Thaksin over a powerful man like Newin.

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[Jimjim]

Rather unfortunately, 5 years is going by way too fast and I could honestly see Thaksin being PM some day. If not him, his ex-wife as a proxy PM. I think their divorce was purely for show and to keep her out of possible trouble for some of his legal cases.

[Siripon]

When I saw Charawat doddering about, trying to plant rice, I wondered if Pumjaithai really expected to beat Pheua Thai with people like that. It may be good for the Democrats in the short term as I don't think Phumjaithai will be in such a hurry to have Parliament dissolved after this, it may give Aphisit more clout in dealing with the Newin Group Vehicles (NGV) issue.

The candidates were also mismatched, the youngish looking wife of the previous incumbent against an ageing Pumjaithai man. But no doubt, Thaksin fever is still virulent in Issan and the North. When will they develop a vaccine for that, never mind, H1N1 ?!

[Bagwan]

Merely the choosing between two evils, and selecting the lesser.

[Plus]

Hopefully that woul put a leash on Newin. On the other hand, Dems might want to reconsider the plan to get some Phea Thai MPs to vote for the government - it's a big moral booster for the opposition.

[oldsparrow]

I think the practical effect is the strengthening of the Democrat-Newin's friends gov. The Newin faction has less confidence to put up bargaining and disolution of the house.

[JoeThePoster]

Thaksin Scores Over Newin In Sakon Nakhon By-election

Oops! The brainwashing is not yet complete. We won't be seeing countrywide snap elections soon.

[KhaoNiaw]

PT were very well organized I think. In the advance voting which takes place the week before the election proper, thousands turned out (roughly 20,000 in total, as opposed to the usual 2-3,000). All the voters had the necessary paperwork completed from home. The same has happened in Sisaket before next week's election.

[catmac]

Surely anything would be better than "a friend of Newin"!

Some good news at last. Well done the PTP and the people of Sakon Nakhon!

[xminator]

PT been given all the help they would ever need from the democrats and backstabbing Newins. I also doubt Abhisit will be in a hurry to call new elections. Wonder what scam the elite will come up with next time the law says a election HAVE to be held...

[Pierrot]

A New Hope

[sriracha john]

A New Hope

yep... and it's that paragon of virtue... that wonderfully charming man, Chalerm...

alongside the victorious nominee proxy wife of the red-carded PTP...

Khao Sod newspaper

Edited June 22, 2009 by sriracha john

[JoeThePoster]

Puea Thai wins by election, H1N1, bombings in the south, railway workers strike...sigh!

The only thing that can save us now is a jolly good war with the Khmers.

[jumnien]

A happy day for democracy in Thailand!

[sriracha john]

A happy day for democracy in Thailand!

And one of its premier proponents:

Chalerm and sons...

[TPI]

A happy day for democracy in Thailand!

And one of its premier proponents:

Chalerm and sons...

Just a little VX gas...nobody would notice...policemens wives could sleep at night knowing their husbands would come home?

[basjke]

A happy day for democracy in Thailand!

And one of its premier proponents:

Chalerm and sons...

I was trying to calculate how many years of jail I saw in 1 picture but I lost the count somewhere.

Oh they are politicians you say.

[Plus]

So a wife of a guy caught for buying votes wins an election, and Thaksin makes personal phone calls - what a day for democracy indeed!

Will these people ever learn anything?

[baht&sold]

Yes, let's go back to Puea Thai, Thaksin, Chalerm et al who cynically indebted poor people like indentured bond-slave servants whilst allegedly reaping hundreds of thousands of baht in return for each couple hundred baht 'invested' per vote. Thaksin who did diddly squat to improve education for the poor (the last thing this lot would want), announced 30 baht healthcare and walked away to applause without a plan leaving an already poor system in complete tatters. Thaksin who 'perfected' rice and crop pledging 'schemes' which allegedly only enriches cronies, middlemen and politicians NOT poor farmers.

Let's go back to a Thaksin regime which brought in early closing times, proposed alcohol bans, stepped up pressure on visa-runners, created the 'Elite' program which is now in a sea of red, etc, etc.

One could go on for days about all Mr Thaksin's past 'accomplishments' (style of which Newin would like to continue as it's a proven self-serving, self-win formula).

The ONLY good thing to come from this by (buy?) election is Newin's faction may have to at least 'pretend' to heed the Dems repeated requests for transparency in Newin's BJ projects (bus schemes, airport expansion, rice and crop pledging, 'toxic' herbs, etc, etc, etc)

Suffice to say, despite the Dems winning far more by-elections earlier this year, the Reds/Puea Thai will now be bolstered to really raise Cain in the upcoming rallies in support of the Thaksin family business/party (conveniently just ahead of Mr Thaksin's court date for confiscation of his 76 billion frozen baht;)

[animatic]

It backs off Newin a notch and makes Abhisits job a bit easier.

It says little or nothing about political change in the N.E. or Thaksin's ambitions.

These have been crystal clear for sometime.

It also shows the ineffectiveness of the 5 year ban vs big money.

Regardless if PTP can do well in it's strongest strong holds,

that is not the nation as a whole. PTP is still ineffective in

actual opposition and governance.

[marshbags]

It backs off Newin a notch and makes Abhisits job a bit easier.

It says little or nothing about political change in the N.E. or Thaksin's ambitions.

These have been crystal clear for sometime.

It also shows the ineffectiveness of the 5 year ban vs big money.

Regardless if PTP can do well in it's strongest strong holds,

that is not the nation as a whole. PTP is still ineffective in

actual opposition and governance.

Thaksin was able to bribe about 10 kamnan and village chiefs and in turn he was always going to win the electorates votes that come under their particular areas.

It would also happen in my Moo Ban, that,s for sure, along with numerous others in the North / North East in any forth comming elections or other proposed and very important legislation at local level.

I agree this result should and give cetain partners a much needed wake up call while making the coalition stronger and perhaps more determined to make things work and make a difference.

So as to give those supporters a bigger incentive to vote against Thaksins whatever party / parties otherwise come the next election it will be " as you were " and the letting off the hook big time for all those already implicated in corruption ect. ect.

Especially Thaksin who would become even more corrupt and even more dangerous next time around if it ever were to happen.

You aint seen nothing yet as too the levels this scum can lower down too and god help the majority who will be outside the ring of thieving, unprincipled benefactors, should it be allowed to pass.

Here we have a fugitive on the run outside the country, being allowed to bribe, manipulate and in efffect determine the outcome of election / elections and to really rub the smelly brown stuff in the nose of the majority of true lovers of Thailand and it,s institutions, using his ill gotten gains.

I note that he has a very serious call to answer too and hopefully this will make it impossible for him to become the PM anytime soon come what may.

marshbags

Edited June 22, 2009 by marshbags

[DP25]

Surely anything would be better than "a friend of Newin"!

Except for "a friend of Thaksin"

[Samuian]

So a wife of a guy caught for buying votes wins an election, and Thaksin makes personal phone calls - what a day for democracy indeed!

Will these people ever learn anything?

Nope - all they want back to power and here seem to be a bundle

of people who support these de facto thieve clans!

just looking at some of the evidence, hard to imagine why!

[Oberkommando]

Another step closer to the return of the Great One.

[Insight]

Another step closer to the return of the Great One.

People describing even Barak Obama in such a way would be cause for concern.

[samgrowth]

Thaksin is still #1?

[ratcatcher]

Thaksin is still #1?

Number One what?

[animatic]

Thaksin is still #1?

Number One what?

Number One at having the oder of #2

Edited June 22, 2009 by animatic

[jumnien]

Looks like this latest election is ruffling the feathers of our local yellow shirts. Watch for news of airport closures!

[G54]

Thaksin Scores Over Newin In Sakon Nakhon By-election

Oops! The brainwashing is not yet complete. We won't be seeing countrywide snap elections soon.

Yes, the 're-educating' of the 'lower species' does not seem to have had much of an effect in this particular election.