PM Abhisit Announces Next Election Will Be Held On Nov 14

[warfie]

Amnesty will be an issue here - apart from that, I would like to hear the objections to this suggestion. It sounds better than any other alternatives we have right now.

If the red leaders reject this for want of amnesty, it'll show them up for the selfish bastards they truly are!

[Neurath]

3) The government will ensure that the media will function as a constructive tool.

By banning the opposition TV and radio channels? How can there be fair elections under such circumstances?

Good one Snoopy! So now you don't want elections? 15, 30, 90 or 180 days?

So the camp at Rajaprasong is for what?

[ChiangMaiFun]

This sounds very nice and finally unlock the situation. Also it makes really govt look like the good guys willing to compromise while the other side... Reds would be crazy to refuse after the bad days they had. However, with terrorists charges threatening and no mention of amnesty in his 5 points program, they might ask to have amnesty added as a number 6 prior to give in.

Where's the compromise?

This sounds just government BS "we're here to help you"

Abhisit is going to have to get real and act like a real leader!

Elections are due in 18 months --- Abhisit is offering 6 months and doing so publicly. That is over a year EARLY. If he acted the way MANY people wanted him to there would be a lot of blood .... (The Reds want blood and so do many of the locals in BKK and then there is the more extreme in the PAD that want it. --- Thankfully the PAD is a minority as are the reds ... and while Abhisit may lose a little support in BKK he will likely gain support upcountry.)

Funny - Abhisit said he would NEVER do this - anyhow I don't like some of this but it should be grasped as Abhisit has capitulated and reds should concentrate on trouncing him at the election - he's finished

[Insight]

Strange they could of landed a similar timeframe if they kept the originally televised negotiations up. If only they had a condition barring mobile phones to the event...

[BKK-Bangkapi]

3) The government will ensure that the media will function as a constructive tool.

By banning the opposition TV and radio channels? How can there be fair elections under such circumstances?

Perhaps you forget they were not banned - they were taken off the air for violating their charters, specifically for incitement.

All they have to do is say, oops, ok, we'll abide by the agreement we signed - which is to live by the charter, which is not onerous - they will be able to reopen their stations. Of course, after the compromise with the red shirts is finalized.

It behooves the station owners/managers to urge the red shirts to accept the compromise as soon as possible. The faster they compromise, the faster the stations will be back on the air.

I agree to that... let's imagine you are in France and suddenly an independant TV station starts to call for bringing down the Eiffell tower since this apostate construction is higher than the dome of some mosque, calls to burn down all state offices since they don't allow niqba within and calls to murder all non-believers government officials since they don't allow the preaching of the truth... don't you think it would be appropriate to bring such hatred off-air?

Edited May 3, 2010 by BKK-Bangkapi

[warfie]

Amnesty will be an issue here - apart from that, I would like to hear the objections to this suggestion. It sounds better than any other alternatives we have right now.

If the red leaders reject this for want of amnesty, it'll show them up for the selfish bastards they truly are!

[noahvail]

veen_NT

Weng on PM's proposal: It gives good signal but we have to listen to #redshirts across the country. via @adisaklive

Doesn't Weng mean "listen to #redshirts OUTSIDE OF the country". We all know there's only ONE redshirt's opinion that will count.

Guess he's "just getting on a plane" again and they can't get his answer yet.

The PM has taken over a month to come up with this "roadmap" full of "IFs". Why are the red shirts supposed to answer immediately?

I agree, and your point is well taken. Perhaps they have learned from the great mistake that Dr Weng made when he out of hand, rejected an offer at the negotiation table. There was not only no democracy in that, there was not even consultation with the other red shirt leaders.

But a reasonable person would expect to see the proposals in writing, go through them, develop questions and rebuttals, and then go through back-channels to express their concerns. Most negotiations are not done under the spectre of the tv camera. All of this takes time, and no doubt the government, by NOT setting a required date of response, is giving the red shirts time to discuss and either agree or disagree. I feel Mr Abhisit did not do himself a service by not giving a drop-dead date (affirm or the offer drops dead at a certain date). A reasonable date might have been one or two weeks hence.

The carrot and the stick: the carrot is compromise, reconciliation, and candid addressing of the valid points that the red shirts brought up.

The stick is the IF - if they don't go along, meaning either continue negotiation or accept, then the big stick will come out.

I think Mr Abhisit has done a fine job of weathering the storms of criticism due to his **perceived** inaction. It will be interesting, again, to see how this all plays out.

[TheOldWolf]

This sounds very nice and finally unlock the situation. Also it makes really govt look like the good guys willing to compromise while the other side... Reds would be crazy to refuse after the bad days they had. However, with terrorists charges threatening and no mention of amnesty in his 5 points program, they might ask to have amnesty added as a number 6 prior to give in.

Where's the compromise?

This sounds just government BS "we're here to help you"

Abhisit is going to have to get real and act like a real leader!

Elections are due in 18 months --- Abhisit is offering 6 months and doing so publicly. That is over a year EARLY. If he acted the way MANY people wanted him to there would be a lot of blood .... (The Reds want blood and so do many of the locals in BKK and then there is the more extreme in the PAD that want it. --- Thankfully the PAD is a minority as are the reds ... and while Abhisit may lose a little support in BKK he will likely gain support upcountry.)

Funny - Abhisit said he would NEVER do this - anyhow I don't like some of this but it should be grasped as Abhisit has capitulated and reds should concentrate on trouncing him at the election - he's finished

When did he say that? I have never read about it or heard about it (in english)

[quasimodo]

Amnesty will be an issue here - apart from that, I would like to hear the objections to this suggestion. It sounds better than any other alternatives we have right now.

If the red leaders reject this for want of amnesty, it'll show them up for the selfish bastards they truly are!

Lets not forget the driving force behind these protests was Thaksin wanting his money back. Can he wait that long?

[Neurath]

Thai PM says ready to hold November elections under roadmap

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Thailand's prime minister said Monday he was ready to hold elections on November 14 to end a tense standoff with opposition protesters, subject to certain conditions under his reconciliation roadmap.

"If all five goals are achieved ... the election can be held on November 14," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in a nationally televised address.

-- ©Copyright AFP 2010-05-03

Published with written approval from AFP.

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

IF..........the biggest word in the English dictionary

Indeed the IF word i am sure it will take longer as in 9-12 months and after the Military reshuffle

He needs to make it definate otherwise just hot air!

Very well observed. So if the army drags their feet on the reshuffle ...or the investigators don't come up with results of the April 10 clashes, etc ...that will be enough reason for no elections to be held.

"So if the army drags their feet on the reshuffle"

You really don't understand much about this do you?

[whybother]

Can't see the red leaders getting Amnesty the PM has been firm on this he wants people charged and investigations to continue.

I think Abhisit is the one that will be looking for amnesty. Remember the Democrats face dissolution and by the time the next election comes in November, Abhisit will likely be banned from politics for 5 years for election fraud.

Abhisit might be banned, along with the executive of the Democrats, but that doesn't mean an election will be called or that the reds will get back into power.

The PTP were still in government after the PPP were banned. They could have called elections, but decided to go for a vote for PM instead. Ofcourse leading to Abhisit being elected PM.

The current coalition could still hold the majority after the disbanding of the Democrats.

[kratiam]

I think the timing and content of this speech are just about right!

If the reds don't respond in a positive manner, then i feel that the government would have international backing for sending in the troops to break down the reds camps,

I also think that if the reds refuse these terms, they will have committed political suicide, and may find themselves out on a limb.

FF

Exactly...nail on head!

[silk]

3) The government will ensure that the media will function as a constructive tool.

By banning the opposition TV and radio channels? How can there be fair elections under such circumstances?

now is now and then is then, wait and see before you judge

[TheBarbarian]

Bizarre. Abhisit behaves like Than Shwe. The media must have a constructive role (hence only report what is positive for the government). I do not even like to mention his first point. Too many people are locked up because they were framed. His road map is something that must be only acceptable for himself. Nobody can take the aforementioned serious at all.

let's see if this enemy of the free press will allow websites and tv to reopen so people get decent an unbiased information.

[jdinasia]

This sounds very nice and finally unlock the situation. Also it makes really govt look like the good guys willing to compromise while the other side... Reds would be crazy to refuse after the bad days they had. However, with terrorists charges threatening and no mention of amnesty in his 5 points program, they might ask to have amnesty added as a number 6 prior to give in.

Where's the compromise?

This sounds just government BS "we're here to help you"

Abhisit is going to have to get real and act like a real leader!

Elections are due in 18 months --- Abhisit is offering 6 months and doing so publicly. That is over a year EARLY. If he acted the way MANY people wanted him to there would be a lot of blood .... (The Reds want blood and so do many of the locals in BKK and then there is the more extreme in the PAD that want it. --- Thankfully the PAD is a minority as are the reds ... and while Abhisit may lose a little support in BKK he will likely gain support upcountry.)

Funny - Abhisit said he would NEVER do this - anyhow I don't like some of this but it should be grasped as Abhisit has capitulated and reds should concentrate on trouncing him at the election - he's finished

CMF --- I seem to remember that Abhisit has been open to compromise since the beginning of this protest and in fact offered 9+ months just over a couple of months ago. He has shortened the offer to 7.5 months from that original time frame.

[Redsunset]

This has been such a God dam_n waste of time... now why in the world couldn't Abhisit have said "six months" six weeks ago??!!! What has changed that he can cut the deal now, but could not cut the deal before??????

I am stunned by the IDIOCY of this entire episode.

[TheBarbarian]

I see that it is an "IF" this roadmap cannot and should not be accepted by the opposition. Burma has easier rules. Keep on fighting I would say.

[MisterBeetle]

THE NATION: PM: I have heard you fully. I just can't accept the 15-day House dissolution demand.

Is this guy serious? The red shirts have been offering 90 days (3 months) for over 2 weeks now. But Abhisit is still twisting it down to 15 days?

Abhisit is obviously a little more serious about solving problems than you snoopy.

Geez give a dog a bone and he tries and takes your hand!

Why can't you just sit down, be quiet and wait till the Elections?

[wayfarer108]

THE NATION: PM: I have heard you fully. I just can't accept the 15-day House dissolution demand.

Is this guy serious? The red shirts have been offering 90 days (3 months) for over 2 weeks now. But Abhisit is still twisting it down to 15 days?

You need to pay closer attention to your facts. He's not talking about House dissolution, rather elections. The Reds offered 30 days for House dissolution, then two months for election. He is responding to their initial demand.

You should chill and accept that a good compromise has been reached. I am within earshot of Rajprasong and it is very clear that your fellow Reds have accepted.

[gl9999]

This sounds very nice and finally unlock the situation. Also it makes really govt look like the good guys willing to compromise while the other side... Reds would be crazy to refuse after the bad days they had. However, with terrorists charges threatening and no mention of amnesty in his 5 points program, they might ask to have amnesty added as a number 6 prior to give in.

Where's the compromise?

This sounds just government BS "we're here to help you"

Abhisit is going to have to get real and act like a real leader!

Elections are due in 18 months --- Abhisit is offering 6 months and doing so publicly. That is over a year EARLY. If he acted the way MANY people wanted him to there would be a lot of blood .... (The Reds want blood and so do many of the locals in BKK and then there is the more extreme in the PAD that want it. --- Thankfully the PAD is a minority as are the reds ... and while Abhisit may lose a little support in BKK he will likely gain support upcountry.)

Funny - Abhisit said he would NEVER do this - anyhow I don't like some of this but it should be grasped as Abhisit has capitulated and reds should concentrate on trouncing him at the election - he's finished

Yes yes he capitulated. Now run back to your hole and wait for the elections.

If the Red Shirts accept this, everyone wins. Red, yellow, everyone. But if you want to see it as capitulation, then there's a thing to say about being a gracious winner.

Personally, knowing how selfish Thaksin is, I have he feeling he might tell his dogs 'NO'. Then I'll tune into Thai PBS and watch the tanks crush you idiots.

[lannarebirth]

This sounds very nice and finally unlock the situation. Also it makes really govt look like the good guys willing to compromise while the other side... Reds would be crazy to refuse after the bad days they had. However, with terrorists charges threatening and no mention of amnesty in his 5 points program, they might ask to have amnesty added as a number 6 prior to give in.

Where's the compromise?

This sounds just government BS "we're here to help you"

Abhisit is going to have to get real and act like a real leader!

Elections are due in 18 months --- Abhisit is offering 6 months and doing so publicly. That is over a year EARLY. If he acted the way MANY people wanted him to there would be a lot of blood .... (The Reds want blood and so do many of the locals in BKK and then there is the more extreme in the PAD that want it. --- Thankfully the PAD is a minority as are the reds ... and while Abhisit may lose a little support in BKK he will likely gain support upcountry.)

Funny - Abhisit said he would NEVER do this - anyhow I don't like some of this but it should be grasped as Abhisit has capitulated and reds should concentrate on trouncing him at the election - he's finished

I know you can't grasp this fact, but this dialogue that he proposes, this transformation of Thai politics and society is WHY Abhisit is there in the first place. He is fighting both Red AND Yellow elements to pull it off. It's like an epic scripted drama. The speech he gave tonight he might have prepared it before he was PM. The Reds were a necessary condition of delivering that speech, because he can't sell it to the Yellows otherwise. Get it?

Edited May 3, 2010 by lannarebirth

[IMA_FARANG]

A good compromise...but it will never happen.

Why? Because the Red Shirts do not want a compromise solution. They certainly do not want the government to do anything that will actually help the poor Issan farmer because that is where their core membership is drawn from. The Red Shirts do not want a solution to the political crises because if there is a real solution the Red Shirts lose all the support they get from the dissatisfied Issan farmers. If the Red shirts lose that support, they have no real political program to offer...they in fact have nothing to offer but more protests. The power of the Red Shirts comes from anger toward the governemnt. If that anger drops, they lose their support. The real reason for the Red Shirts movement is to bring back Thaksin. Anything else, such as "helping the poor" is just a lie they use to disquise their real purpose...to restore Thaksin to power.

If you don't believe me now...go right ahead. But you will see that the Red Shirts will find some good reason not to accept this or any compromise. Disruption is their bread and butter, it legitimises their protests. Without disruption, the Red Shirts have no reason for protest. Without the protests they have no way to mobilize their followers. Without mobilizing the poor farmers to protest the Red Shirs lose theri reason for existance. Therefore any compromise is not in the real interests of the Red Shirts.

My prediction: the Red Shirts will find some "reason" to reject this or any compromise offered to them. Why? Because without protests the Red Shirts have no reason to exist as they do now. You will see.

[keepsamuiclean]

This sounds very nice and finally unlock the situation. Also it makes really govt look like the good guys willing to compromise while the other side... Reds would be crazy to refuse after the bad days they had. However, with terrorists charges threatening and no mention of amnesty in his 5 points program, they might ask to have amnesty added as a number 6 prior to give in.

Where's the compromise?

This sounds just government BS "we're here to help you"

Abhisit is going to have to get real and act like a real leader!

Elections are due in 18 months --- Abhisit is offering 6 months and doing so publicly. That is over a year EARLY. If he acted the way MANY people wanted him to there would be a lot of blood .... (The Reds want blood and so do many of the locals in BKK and then there is the more extreme in the PAD that want it. --- Thankfully the PAD is a minority as are the reds ... and while Abhisit may lose a little support in BKK he will likely gain support upcountry.)

Funny - Abhisit said he would NEVER do this - anyhow I don't like some of this but it should be grasped as Abhisit has capitulated and reds should concentrate on trouncing him at the election - he's finished

Finished??? He is just starting! And this with a mixture between the famous "Thai way" and the knowledge of other "cultures".

[Neurath]

Can't see the red leaders getting Amnesty the PM has been firm on this he wants people charged and investigations to continue.

I think Abhisit is the one that will be looking for amnesty. Remember the Democrats face dissolution and by the time the next election comes in November, Abhisit will likely be banned from politics for 5 years for election fraud.

Well, we will all just have to sit and wait to see what the ruling is, won't we. Nothing wrong with hoping for what one hopes for, eh...

You're really trying hard, it's a pleasure to watch.

It's sometime that will happen sooner or later. There are 2 scenarios, if the Democrats are indeed dissolved:

1. The Democrats are dissolved before the elections. What will happen to the election date? Will the Democrats participate in the elections with a new party?

2. The Democrats are dissolved after the elections. If they win, we'll be at the same point again. They can't rule if they're dissolved. What then? New elections again?

I'm just saying, as long as the case against the Democrats isn't resolved, the elections will just create even more problems, either way. So the Constitution Court should really pick up their feet and resolve it before the elections.

1. Yes

2. They move to a stalking horse party. You know, like PPP to PTP

But it would be best for the constitutional court to decide the issue before November.

[Redsunset]

I get the funny feeling, Abhisit cut the deal with the reds BEFORE he went on air... maybe they will accept it.... and then Abhisit will look like a hero. But in my eyes he is an incompetent leader who doesn't have a clue how to handle a crisis. I'm stunned by the incredible waste of time this whole thing is.... I mean we, the people have suffered.... people have died, just to have the Prime Minister cut a deal from 9 months to 6 months that he could have done at the start of all this?! What the hel_l is going on??????

[473geo]

Some of you guys are just not too quick on the uptake

Abhisit has just kicked the stool out under the opposition.........

The opposition must go away and start a creditable election campaign............or simply melt away

Abhisit has set himself up for a good chance of winning the 14th Nov election..........

Now is a man who has out thought most of the people on this forum going to be reasonably sure his party will not be dissolved......before he makes his call to hold an election?

I guess we'll just have to wait and see...... .

[bangkokrick]

The Government are playing a fantastic strategy here. First the offer new ID cards and a free ride home to the ones that want to leave the protest. Then they announce a very reasonable compromise in the road map. The majority of red shirts will accept this as a victory. The hard liners will not. The numbers drastically reduce and the women and children leave.

The door is wide open to use force to arrest the hard liners. Good plan by the Government in my opinion. The reds and Thaksin have once again been out flanked by the Government. Abhisit will come out of this, smelling of roses and the red leaders will be seen by the world for what they are. Thaksin's mercenaries.

Cheers, Rick

[Redsunset]

Some of you guys are just not too quick on the uptake

Abhisit has just kicked the stool out under the opposition.........

The opposition must go away and start a creditable election campaign............or simply melt away

Abhisit has set himself up for a good chance of winning the 14th Nov election..........

Now is a man who has out thought most of the people on this forum going to be reasonably sure his party will not be dissolved......before he makes his call to hold an election?

I guess we'll just have to wait and see...... .

Abhisit has a snowball's chance in hel_l of being re-elected... I'd even vote for Chavalit before I voted for Abhisit.... both are useless....

[MisterBeetle]

This has been such a God dam_n waste of time... now why in the world couldn't Abhisit have said "six months" six weeks ago??!!! What has changed that he can cut the deal now, but could not cut the deal before??????

I am stunned by the IDIOCY of this entire episode.

6 weeks ago, i don't think anyone realized how blown out the whole red shirt "sit in" would be.

At least now we can see some sort of compromise, unfortunately of course, we still have to hear back from the red thugs.

Idiocy yes, I seem to recall a thrashy american movie with that title.

[TheBarbarian]

This has been such a God dam_n waste of time... now why in the world couldn't Abhisit have said "six months" six weeks ago??!!! What has changed that he can cut the deal now, but could not cut the deal before??????

I am stunned by the IDIOCY of this entire episode.

Abhisit does not say at all that there will be new elections. There will be elections only when HE feels that the opposition has met all his demands. This means that their TV cannot broadcast an opposing voice, they may not criticize anyone, they must agree on the appointments of people close to a 90 year old man to lead the country for another 4 years. No deal I would say If I were a protest leader. Maybe if he announced elections without the IF it would make a good starting point for negotiations. This is just a disguise. ifd the army starts gunning down people in full view of numerous embassies and headquarters of multinationals he can say: Well I have offered them elections. If you read the statement well he does not offer any dissolution now, he MIGHT BE offering it when the reds kiss his ass.