Thai Election Commission Calls For Dissolution Of Democrat Party

[chainarong]

That's what happens when you illegally accept a donation of B29 Million from a single entity, in this case TPI Poline.

Them's the rules folks.

Ho Humm, here we go again , what tee shirt shall i wear next week, a third world country attitude to democrocy , now print that.

[britmaveric]

Ho Humm, here we go again , what tee shirt shall i wear next week, a third world country attitude to democrocy , now print that.

No Red, Yellow, Blue, or Black. Pick any other colour and you should be sorted.

[brahmburgers]

Who were the snipers? (Short but not sweet.) Does anybody know? Elections coming? Yes. Really soon? I seriously doubt it!

1. Thai Military

2. Red Shirts

3. Black Shirts

4. Blue Shirts

5. PAD

6. Unknown?????

Tend to think option 1 is most likely... think military meant to pick off a few reds and get panic to set in and the red shirts to retreat. It didnt quite work out as they planned.

^all speculation Jing. Personally don't think Reds have the skill to do this. This was obviously a professional and military. Some as suggest it was a faction of rogue Maj. Gen. Khattiya who red shirts kicked out a while back. (e.g. Ronin Warriors) Also heard Newin's blue shirts might be responsible as he would have gained much if they can kick the Dems out. Strangely enough - the PAD. No clue why they would side with the Red Shirts in this which seems very unlikely bed fellow.

You can't say 'nobody knows' in regard to the mysterious & dangerous snipers. The snipers themselves know, and their buddies also. You can say we will likely never know the truth as we're immersed in a country which feeds on lies.

However, you can use some basic deduction and figure the snipers are tight with the Reds. They mill among the Red crowds, that's a big indication in itself. I think they're tight with Se Daeng who has got to be one of the loosest cannons ever released by a loosely disciplined military. I can't believe Se Daeng was let out of gov't custody just before the rallies. A very stupid move which undoubtedly contributed to deaths and injuries a few days later. BTW, I wouldn't call them 'snipers' ....'agitators' would be a better term. ....complete with rubber gloves to avoid detection if their weapons get confiscated.

Edited April 12, 2010 by brahmburgers

[tracymeaw]

Its too bad Thai politics isn't followed more closely internationally. It sure is a grade A soap opera. Its hard to imagine how all of this is serving the Thai people (clearly it isn't).

Theres a very good reason why it's not followed closely internationally.

wikipedia

Censorship and media manipulation

Censorship activities undertaken by Abhisit's government included blocking foreign websites, shutting down local websites, banning publications, and manipulating television coverage. The stated rationale for most of the censorship was "national security" and "protecting the monarchy." There were reports from television news editors that manipulation of TV news coverage by Abhisit was worse than during the Thaksin government. For example, news coverage of the UDD's protests during March 2010 focused strongly on conveying the threat of impending violence, even though the protests were non-violent in planning and implementation.

[humfurry]

That's what happens when you illegally accept a donation of B29 Million from a single entity, in this case TPI Poline.

Them's the rules folks.

The Attorney-General's Office is required to decide within 30 days whether to forward the cases to the Constitution Court, which could hit Abhisit and other Democrat executives with a five-year ban if found guilty. (The Nation)

Do you assume the Dems guilty already?

Edited April 12, 2010 by humfurry

[hardy1943]

what a farce.

So they decided to step down from government and push the election commission forward to avoid losing face themselves.

It is a little smelly.

[RussellHantz]

Ironically, the current government is doing exactly the same things the Thaksin government was accused of, namely, media suppression, murdering of civilians, and massive corruption. Absolute hypocrites.

I for one am glad to see the end of Abhisit and his smug defiance.

[hardy1943]

This does sound like a forthcoming face saving exercise, I would directly compare this to what happened to Samak due to his his TV cooking shows.

Thai politics as usual.No one should be really surprised!

[cavelight]

Abhisit hoist with his own petard (a Shakespearean-derived anecdote - appropriately from Hamlet, a play packed full of bloodthirsty Machiavellian scheming and subterfuge).

A petard was a small bomb used to blow up gates and walls when breaching fortifications. The term has a French origin and dates back to the sixteenth century. Again rather appropriate under the circumstances. Enlightened TV members will enjoy the quote, which will sail over the heads of the "Benidorm Boys" on here without any resonance or value...

There's letters seal'd: and my two schoolfellows,

Whom I will trust as I will adders fang'd,

They bear the mandate; they must sweep my way

And marshal me to knavery. Let it work;

For 'tis the sport to have the enginer

Hoist with his own petar; and 't shall go hard

But I will delve one yard below their mines

And blow them at the moon: O, 'tis most sweet,

When in one line two crafts directly meet.

In the passage above, the "letters" refer to instructions (written by his uncle Claudius, the King) to be carried sealed to the King of England, by Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, the latter being two schoolfellows of Hamlet. The letters, as Hamlet suspects, contain a death warrant against Hamlet, who will later open and modify them to instead request the execution of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Enginer refers to a military engineer, the spelling reflecting Elizabethan stress.

Edited April 13, 2010 by cavelight

[hardy1943]

Ironically, the current government is doing exactly the same things the Thaksin government was accused of, namely, media suppression, murdering of civilians, and massive corruption. Absolute hypocrites.

I for one am glad to see the end of Abhisit and his smug defiance.

Well said this before you put them all in a barrell pull one out they all look the same.Thai politics is just look a cartoon.

Sorry the little man had to die for it.

[humfurry]

Ironically, the current government is doing exactly the same things the Thaksin government was accused of, namely, media suppression, murdering of civilians, and massive corruption. Absolute hypocrites.

I for one am glad to see the end of Abhisit and his smug defiance.

And then there are those who would say that yours is just another smug opinion.

[RussellHantz]

Ironically, the current government is doing exactly the same things the Thaksin government was accused of, namely, media suppression, murdering of civilians, and massive corruption. Absolute hypocrites.

I for one am glad to see the end of Abhisit and his smug defiance.

And then there are those who would say that yours is just another smug opinion.

Its a fact that the government are suppressing and controlling the media.

Its a fact that civilians were murdered under Abhisits leadership.

Its a fact that 4 out of 5 EC officials are accusing the government of corruption in the realm of millions of baht.

Its making the yellow shirts look increasingly foolish when their messiah boy is engaged in the same type of activities they sought to eliminate !

As for Abhsits smug defiance, even a pro-goverment newspaper, The Nation, referred to him in these terms.

[rixalex]

Ironically, the current government is doing exactly the same things the Thaksin government was accused of, namely, media suppression, murdering of civilians, and massive corruption. Absolute hypocrites.

If those accusations of the current government are true, they should consider employing the army of red / Thaksin faithful members on this forum who have spent the last 4 years dedicating themselves to defending one man from those very crimes with classics such as "yes Thaksin was guilty of massive corruption, but... <insert justification>", and "sure Thaksin may have been responsible for the deaths of innocents but... <insert justification>". These people are capable of spinning the most heinous crime into a supposed positive. Do you know who i'm talking about? No, of course not, you are new here.

I for one am glad to see the end of Abhisit and his smug defiance.

Yeah i agree. Let's get someone decent in like Newin or Chalerm.

[RussellHantz]

Ironically, the current government is doing exactly the same things the Thaksin government was accused of, namely, media suppression, murdering of civilians, and massive corruption. Absolute hypocrites.

If those accusations of the current government are true, they should consider employing the army of red / Thaksin faithful members on this forum who have spent the last 4 years dedicating themselves to defending one man from those very crimes with classics such as "yes Thaksin was guilty of massive corruption, but... <insert justification>", and "sure Thaksin may have been responsible for the deaths of innocents but... <insert justification>". These people are capable of spinning the most heinous crime into a supposed positive. Do you know who i'm talking about? No, of course not, you are new here.

I don't support any government involved in killing civilians, engaging in massive corruption and suppressing media, whether they are pro-Thaksin or Democrats or any other party for that matter.

The question now is, do you ?

[clockworkorange]

Ironically, the current government is doing exactly the same things the Thaksin government was accused of, namely, media suppression, murdering of civilians, and massive corruption. Absolute hypocrites.

I for one am glad to see the end of Abhisit and his smug defiance.

Well said! So much for our Mr. Clean Abhisit, and so much for all the Thaksin haters here who believed all the propaganda claiming that the present government is any more morally sound than those that went before it.

Since Abhisit got so undemocratically installed, all we have heard is an unabating stream of propaganda, harping on about how they have transformed Thai politics into a bastion of integrity, while intimidating and bullying any opposing view. The Thai people should now hold Abhisit to his high moral standards, and throw him in jail for corruption.

What a shower of disgusting hypocrites the Democrats really are!

[blackman]

sorry to burst your bubble, but is this the same Election Commission that Arisman and over 100 reds invaded and terrorised on the 5th April ?

and this ruling has come from the same EC governors who were told to make a decision before the 20th April or else !

seems to me that its possible that you might say anything to kick this political hot potato upstairs for deliberation at a later date

you might even be inclined to follow orders from someone higher up in the food chain to give certain hot headed red folks what they want for now so that they will go home and give everyone a chance to take a breath

its a sophisticated strategy and the reds will swallow it.

Veera is already declaring victory and starting the car

it will never happen though

the higher court will not agree with the EC ruling

the election commissioners will say that they ruled under duress/death threats from the reds and it will all start again with new commissioners

by that time nine months will be up and Songkran 2010 will be a memory

the mercenaries boss, SD will be dead or exiled

the mercenaries will have been rounded up, tried for murder or killed in the process of capture

Thaksin will likely be dead from cancer

Anapong will be retired somewhere quiet.

in the interim period everyone who needs/wants money in the country, from rice pickers to Generals will have been filling their pockets with the countries money topped up with Thaksins millions

there will be a general election

Abhisit will win the election outright

You do realize you should not do drug in thailand right ???

you must be smoking something to come out with a post like that

thanks for bumping the post, still smoking, heres more:

notice how almost everyone here thinks its all over for the Dems, they are out celebrating and the immediate pressure has been released?

this is a strategy that will buy some Abhisit some time

in that time, Abhisist will prove who the real protaganists were on Saturday

he will prove it was the red militia operating a false flag war.

think about this; if it was Government that employed army snipers, why not take out the leaders?

they were there to be shot at and targetted by the snipers just as easily, after all you might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb

the plan was to sacrifice a few of their own reds to create an uproar and get the publics sympathy on the red side

kill a few soldiers too but not as many, it was neccesary to create an inbalance in deaths to show that the Army were the protaganists

when it all unravels, which it will, (this is Thailand, where no one can keep a secret) and Abhisit has the time to prove it and he has that now, the nation will be shocked by what happened and grateful to Abhisit for proving it

the reds will be a spent force, even their most ardent supporters will have no stomach for their leaders killing their own to make a political point

Sa Deng will be killed evading capture, as will his mercenaries

the government will present evidence that can't be disputed by the dead men

Jutaporn will be impeached and arrested, the other Red leaders will be tried and jailed

Thaksin will die one way or another

there will be no dissolution of the Dems

the current coalition will remain in place

the constitution will be amended

the military re-shuffle will continue as planned

Anupong will be put out to grass

Abhist will appoint a new military guy who will ask how high when Abhisit says jump

there will be only be new elections when Abhisit has destroyed the Red Menace once and for all and is sure he can win and election outright.

[rixalex]

Ironically, the current government is doing exactly the same things the Thaksin government was accused of, namely, media suppression, murdering of civilians, and massive corruption. Absolute hypocrites.

If those accusations of the current government are true, they should consider employing the army of red / Thaksin faithful members on this forum who have spent the last 4 years dedicating themselves to defending one man from those very crimes with classics such as "yes Thaksin was guilty of massive corruption, but... <insert justification>", and "sure Thaksin may have been responsible for the deaths of innocents but... <insert justification>". These people are capable of spinning the most heinous crime into a supposed positive. Do you know who i'm talking about? No, of course not, you are new here.

I don't support any government involved in killing civilians, engaging in massive corruption and suppressing media, whether they are pro-Thaksin or Democrats or any other party for that matter.

The question now is, do you ?

If found guilty, of course not. I don't know anybody who would, with the exception of those people i've already mentioned.

[rixalex]

Interesting to note all those who previously expressed extreme skepticism at the dissolving of the PPP, insisting that it was unfair and politically motivated, are now celebrating this as a victory for justice. How weird.

[chadintheusa]

Whether the PM is banned from politics or not he'll be unlikely to lead his party into the next election. He is now a polarizing figure, the reds hate him, and a number of his core supporters are angry that he hasn't kept Bangkok safe. He can not win another election, so whatever new party replaces the Democrats if they are disbanded would be better served by a new leader.

For the sake of the country red protest leaders who have committed crimes and bear some responsibility for the deaths last Saturday should not run for public office either. They have done incredible harm to the image of Thailand internationally and hopefully they will face a court of law to answer for what they have done.

Bringing Thaksin back would be a disaster, having a convicted criminal in the PM's office would destroy any credibility the office still holds. It would prompt more protests and more violence from the other side. The cost of such a foolish move would be dire for Thailand's future.

It is time for new people with new ideas to step forward and lead. To serve their country and not to serve themselves. To work together to heal a nation that is deeply divided. Only then can Thais have hope in the future. Leaders who are willing to get elected legitimately and serve without lining their own pockets are desperately needed. Thailand has real issues that need competent governance, new blood is needed in government house, we don't need more blood in the streets.

If Thailand cannot find these people it will lose democracy again and in all likelihood the military will run the country if there is no other choice.

[LevelHead]

Ironically, the current government is doing exactly the same things the Thaksin government was accused of, namely, media suppression, murdering of civilians, and massive corruption. Absolute hypocrites.

I for one am glad to see the end of Abhisit and his smug defiance.

Well said! So much for our Mr. Clean Abhisit, and so much for all the Thaksin haters here who believed all the propaganda claiming that the present government is any more morally sound than those that went before it.

Since Abhisit got so undemocratically installed, all we have heard is an unabating stream of propaganda, harping on about how they have transformed Thai politics into a bastion of integrity, while intimidating and bullying any opposing view. The Thai people should now hold Abhisit to his high moral standards, and throw him in jail for corruption.

What a shower of disgusting hypocrites the Democrats really are!

But be aware, the "threat" of dissolution over the Democrats is in my view simply a game by the "pure Yellow" side. They want to apply pressure to the Democrat bosses and Abhisit that IF THEY FAIL to support a pure Yellow backed coup, one which will allow them to retain in power by being "invited" into government by way of New Politics "appointed" governments, where elected politicians only are a minority and so have no control (eg the total end of all Democracy in Thailand), then if they fail to support this there will be a 5 year ban slapped on them.

The question now is, will the Democrats like TRT and PPP in the past take the ban as a slap on the face and not give in and not allow democracy to be trampled on.

Or will the senior Democrats run for cover and now join the call for a Yellow coup and Yellow based "New Politics" of a majority unelected, but appointed by the Elite, government.

This is not over, its just the beginning stage at the moment.

Reds have won nothing and Yellow have lost nothing.

[RussellHantz]

Ironically, the current government is doing exactly the same things the Thaksin government was accused of, namely, media suppression, murdering of civilians, and massive corruption. Absolute hypocrites.

If those accusations of the current government are true, they should consider employing the army of red / Thaksin faithful members on this forum who have spent the last 4 years dedicating themselves to defending one man from those very crimes with classics such as "yes Thaksin was guilty of massive corruption, but... <insert justification>", and "sure Thaksin may have been responsible for the deaths of innocents but... <insert justification>". These people are capable of spinning the most heinous crime into a supposed positive. Do you know who i'm talking about? No, of course not, you are new here.

I don't support any government involved in killing civilians, engaging in massive corruption and suppressing media, whether they are pro-Thaksin or Democrats or any other party for that matter.

The question now is, do you ?

If found guilty, of course not. I don't know anybody who would, with the exception of those people i've already mentioned.

Thats good to know, I most certainally wouldn't like to see you do the same things as those people you have already mentioned.

[LevelHead]

Interesting to note all those who previously expressed extreme skepticism at the dissolving of the PPP, insisting that it was unfair and politically motivated, are now celebrating this as a victory for justice. How weird.

Do not get ahead of yourself.

What was seen as 'unfair" was that both the PPP and Democrats had solid evidence against them in 2008, however only the PPP got red carded (disbanded) but the Democrats who should have been disbanded in 2008 were given just a "yellow" card (nice colour choice) which was a slap on the wrist.

That is what was unfair, to disband one but not the other back in 2008.

[Thai at Heart]

What Anupongs kids?

Can't they be shoe horned into a political party, buy votes like crazy but avoid the courts. So Thaksin can't get back, and stability is achieved.

If the point of the issue is to find a political answer that keeps a coup out of possibility, who has a better idea.

[chantorn]

Seems like corruption is an everyday occurence in thai politics. Even Abhisit is not squeaky clean. Is anyone?

Mark is absolutely 100% clean. He will be dragged down by his peers. So sad. He is such a handsome guy, and I will also love and support him.

I don't know about Thaksin. He may be guilty or just being dragged down by this peers, somthing you have to decide on your own. However the big different is that Thaksin is old, short, square face, ugly, and no decent girl will go out with him. The only ggod about him is that he is rich, which I doubt he is still rich now. Maybe his skypr credit is running low, cannot affort to top up, hence cutting the nightly viedo link to weekly.

[chantorn]

so it's game over then is it?

Beautiful timing, now they cannot hold back dissolution till the September military promotion rounds are over, which is why they have been desperately seeking to cling to power for the next 6 months.

I can see the next role for the puppet Abhisit is going to be the fall guy for the Saturday Massacre. The army can correctly assert they were only obeying orders, having clearly warned of the fearful consequences of sending them in against the democracy protesters.

I share the same view. Poor mark will be made the scapegoat. Poor Mark.

[rixalex]

Interesting to note all those who previously expressed extreme skepticism at the dissolving of the PPP, insisting that it was unfair and politically motivated, are now celebrating this as a victory for justice. How weird.

Do not get ahead of yourself.

What was seen as 'unfair" was that both the PPP and Democrats had solid evidence against them in 2008, however only the PPP got red carded (disbanded) but the Democrats who should have been disbanded in 2008 were given just a "yellow" card (nice colour choice) which was a slap on the wrist.

That is what was unfair, to disband one but not the other back in 2008.

Unless the two cases were exactly identical, dishing out different degrees of punishment in itself doesn't make it unfair. To make that claim one would have to have closely examined all the evidence that was presented in both the cases and to have studied relevant laws. Have you done that?

[Jerrytheyoung]

Mark is clean?

Who is responsible for the action of Army Snipers? Who have given the Green light to engage them in action?

[rixalex]

As for Abhsits smug defiance, even a pro-goverment newspaper, The Nation, referred to him in these terms.

Russell Hantz... now there's a smug man...

[clockworkorange]

Interesting to note all those who previously expressed extreme skepticism at the dissolving of the PPP, insisting that it was unfair and politically motivated, are now celebrating this as a victory for justice. How weird.

What's more interesting rix is that you started off with an anti-corruption stance against Thaksin, ignoring all the corrupt people like Saprang, Newin, Banharn, and the generals that installed Abhisit into his job. Then you morphed into an anti-corruption stance against all sides, justifying Mr. Clean Abhisit's usurping of Thaksin's elected position job as part of your anti-corruption agenda, while dodging discussion of Abhisit's seedy cronies as off-topic.

And now, the Democrat party has been exposed as corrupt on a massive scale, and the Electoral Commission has recommended its dissolution.

Apart from arguing for its own sake, please decide just what it is that you really believe in.

Edited April 13, 2010 by clockworkorange

[clockworkorange]

As for Abhsits smug defiance, even a pro-goverment newspaper, The Nation, referred to him in these terms.

Russell Hantz... now there's a smug man...

Resorting to personal attacks eh, rix? face it - you have painted yourself into a corner