Election Unlikely This Year: PM Abhisit

[webfact]

Snap poll unlikely

By The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Government needs to restore peace and put reconciliation programmes in place: Abhisit; Curfew lifted but state of emergency retained to handle security situation, premier says

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva suggested yesterday it would now be difficult to hold a snap election this year because of the destructive riots on May 19.

The government needed to restore peace and implement its reconciliation programme before holding the next general election, Abhisit said.

However, the premier did not give any new timetable in regard to the election.

Prior to the riots, he offered to dissolve the House of Representatives in the second half of September and call an election on November 14 as part of the reconciliation programme.

During yesterday's meeting with Bangkok-based foreign diplomats and representatives of international organisations and chambers of commerce, Abhisit also said it was still necessary to use the emergency decree to run the country at this stage.

However, the government yesterday lifted the night-time curfew in Bangkok and 23 provinces, which has been imposed since May 19.

Eric John, the American ambassador to Thailand, said the US supported the rule of law and democratic measures adopted by the Thai government.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand said the Thai government had so far handled the situation relatively well and he hoped that the reconciliation road map would be put into action quickly.

Officials from the Joint Foreign Chamber of Commerce in Thailand said the recent riots had not hurt the export sector, but new investment projects were hit and it would take time to restore foreign investors' confidence.

International businessmen in Thailand had also expressed concerns about the execution of reconciliation plans, as well as the transparency of criminal investigation into those involved in the May 19 riots and arson.

Abhisit said his administration did not extend the curfew largely because security agencies were confident they could manage the situation as the emergency law was still in place and that was sufficient.

All public buses, the Skytrain and subway services in Bangkok returned to normal services yesterday.

At Government House, the premier urged foreign diplomats from 76 countries and representatives from international organisations and foreign chambers of commerce to help restore Thailand's image abroad by clarifying what had happened.

Abhisit also asked for co-operation to help disseminate the government's post-riot measures and plan for reconciliation.

During the meeting, the premier was quizzed by diplomats and other foreign representatives with regard to terrorism cases, the timeframe on investigation into alleged wrongdoers and arrest warrants against former premier Thaksin Shinawatra on terrorism charges.

Abhisit said the number of 'terrorists' among red-shirt protesters was relatively small. Most red shirts were ordinary citizens.

The emergency decree, he said, would be lifted when officials are certain the security situation was fully under control. However, the government would continue to push for enactment of a law on public gathering so protests could be handled more effectively.

Another area of concern was illegal war weapons.

"It was clear that war weapons were in the hands of people who had no rights to use them and caused loss. I am sure that if they had never had the weapons in the first place, we wouldn't have lost (any lives). From now on, we have to be more effective as far as war weapons are concerned," he said.

Foreign diplomats were also reassured that inquiries into riot and related cases would be fair, based on guidelines of the Human Rights Commission and National Anti-Corruption Commission.

The Opposition had also requested to investigate the government's and the military's handling of the crisis so a fact-finding committee would be set up soon.

The investigation should proceed quickly without any compromise, he said.

-- The Nation 2010-05-30

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[Heng]

It's time to get away from elections entirely until they install a tax based election system. The more taxes you pay, the more votes you get.

[KireB]

14 November would have been a perfect day for a fresh election. However, with the culprits of the recent terror wave still at large and the swift no-confidence vote of the PT, and with the ever self-sacriliging mister T, reconciliation is just not possible on short notice!

The reds (read mr Thaksin) were offered an early election, but chose to destroy Bangkok.

Edited May 30, 2010 by KireB

[eggomaniac]

Somebody should wtite a book,

"What Sondhi Wants, Sondhi Gets"

---

rough outline of Chapter headings

Wants Thaksin in Power - gets it

Wants Debt Forgiveness of Billions - gets it

Wants His Acountant as Head Banker - gets it

Wants Thaksin Out - Gets it

Wants Somchai Out - Gets it

Wants 111 Politicians Banned - Gets it

Wants 2 Airports Shut Down - Gets it

Wants November Elections Called Off - gets it

Wants Shady Off Shore Finances - gets it

Wants Private Jets - gets

Wants Criminal Charges Ignored - Getting It!

--------

merge maybe > ???

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thailand-s-Y...l=yellow+shirts

Thailand's 'Yellow Shirts' call for premier to stand down

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Thailand's pro-establishment "Yellow Shirts" Thursday called on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to stand down, criticising his reconciliation roadmap which envisages fresh elections in November.

Edited May 30, 2010 by eggomaniac

[SomTumTiger]

Somebody should wtite a book,

"What Sondhi Wants, Sondhi Gets"

---

rough outline of Chapter headings

Wants Thaksin in Power - gets it

Wants Debt Forgiveness of Billions - gets it

Wants His Acountant as Head Banker - gets it

Wants Thaksin Out - Gets it

Wants Somchai Out - Gets it

Wants 111 Politicians Banned - Gets it

Wants 2 Airports Shut Down - Gets it

Wants November Elections Called Off - gets it

Wants Shady Off Shore Finances - gets it

Wants Private Jets - gets

Wants Criminal Charges Ignored - Getting It!

You forgot "THE JOSEPH SOLUTION" Please tell us about that again!

[bartlaz]

It's time to get away from elections entirely until they install a tax based election system. The more taxes you pay, the more votes you get.

yellows would appreciate a salary based one!!!!!!!

[cyberia]

what a bunch of crap

[basinboy]

I think the best thing Abhisit can do to get his reconcilliation road map on track is to stick to the offer of a November election. That would send a sincere and positive message to all the redshirts, who by his own admission are mostly ordinary people, not terrorists, not to mention the much larger population of the "non elites".

In doing this he would be undermining the influence of Thaksin and the core leadership group, effectively saying I offered you this early election and your leaders rejected it, the rejection lead to more deaths .... you were promised victory, you got defeat, I will keep my promise...

In his meeting with the foreign diplomats he concerntrated on rule of law issues, they were also looking for signs that moves towards reconcilliation were being made, they didn't see them.

Instead of the Premier asking them to take a positive message back to their governments, he would have come accross better if he had given them a positive message of reconciliation in action.

Of course the wrong doers have to be arrested and have their day in court, but as many others have said, " don't forget those yellow shirts at the airport"

[eggomaniac]

Somebody should wtite a book,

"What Sondhi Wants, Sondhi Gets"

---

rough outline of Chapter headings

Wants Thaksin in Power - gets it

Wants Debt Forgiveness of Billions - gets it

Wants His Acountant as Head Banker - gets it

Wants Thaksin Out - Gets it

Wants Somchai Out - Gets it

Wants 111 Politicians Banned - Gets it

Wants 2 Airports Shut Down - Gets it

Wants November Elections Called Off - gets it

Wants Shady Off Shore Finances - gets it

Wants Private Jets - gets

Wants Criminal Charges Ignored - Getting It!

You forgot "THE JOSEPH SOLUTION" Please tell us about that again!

Okay okay if you insist. Here goes. You put Thaksin and Sondhi at both ends of Lumphini Park with knives and surround the area with the soldiers. Somtumtiger is the referee. Whichever ones comes out alive is the next president.

How do you feel now, making me break a promise to myself to never, ever reveal to anybody who is a goof!?

Edited May 30, 2010 by eggomaniac

[Rideau]

What Thailand needs now is not a snap election but a constitutional amendment on politicians' asset declaration.

The current asset declaration system is a farce.

Most of these politicians are already filthy rich with big pieces of land and companies here and there.

They are required to declare asset prior to and after taking up a ministerial/MP position only. It's a total farce.

But no one cares to check if they ever paid any tax at all and where the money come from. A sure bet that over 90% of the MPs can't prove it.

[jackdawson]

the govt . won

why would they call elections ?

[Thailand]

I think the November election or even earlier would be good for the government as there is still anger and resentment at the actions of some of the militant reds-yes even here in the north! Go for it whilst they have the upper hand.

Delaying the elections would give the reds more time to regroup, create an acceptable manifesto,mount an election campaign and with their guaranteed grass roots support more than likely win if elections are delayed to next year.

Just my 2 sense.

[wasabi]

I think there is no excuse to stall elections beyond November. Abhisit looking like a flip flopper now. This is a divisive move.

[Ulysses G.]

The reds rejected the peace agreement. The elections should be held at the normal time.

[Crushdepth]

I think there is no excuse to stall elections beyond November. Abhisit looking like a flip flopper now. This is a divisive move.

The flip floppers were the people on stage in red t-shirts who kept adding new demands when their conditions were met. Bad behaviour should be punished, not rewarded.

[whybother]

How does the government start reconciliation when the red shirts deny all wrong doing?

They deny that any of them were violent or armed and they deny that they burned buildings. Yet, there is clear evidence of all of these.

Until the red shirts admit that some of their group are criminals, the general red shirt populace will continue as if they did nothing wrong and will only see the government as killers.

The only thing that the government could have done to stop any deaths from occuring was to step down, and this would have gone against all democratic principles that the red shirts said they were supposedly fighting for. Minority violent mobs should not be able to force a legitimate government to step down. The fact that the red shirts were unable to accept this puts responsibility for the deaths and injuries on their heads.

IMO, the government should call elections early next year, but only if the red shirts can show some semblance of control over the next year.

[Humungus]

I think there is no excuse to stall elections beyond November. Abhisit looking like a flip flopper now. This is a divisive move.

There is no reason to call an election in November. Instead of ending the protests the reds tried to burn down Bangkok, why should that be rewarded with early elections? The focus now should be on helping those left jobless due to the reds rioting. There is also time needed to let both sides cool down. Perhaps some political education is in order so that everyone really understands how the Thai Parliamentary system works and how a legitimate government comes to be. When all parties can safely campaign in every province it will be a sign that elections can take place. The PM has until late 2011 to get things in order.

[Humungus]

How does the government start reconciliation when the red shirts deny all wrong doing?

They deny that any of them were violent or armed and they deny that they burned buildings. Yet, there is clear evidence of all of these.

Until the red shirts admit that some of their group are criminals, the general red shirt populace will continue as if they did nothing wrong and will only see the government as killers.

The only thing that the government could have done to stop any deaths from occuring was to step down, and this would have gone against all democratic principles that the red shirts said they were supposedly fighting for. Minority violent mobs should not be able to force a legitimate government to step down. The fact that the red shirts were unable to accept this puts responsibility for the deaths and injuries on their heads.

IMO, the government should call elections early next year, but only if the red shirts can show some semblance of control over the next year.

You don't need their admission of guilt. Instead put them on trial and if they want to keep denying responsibility from a prison cell they are welcome to do it. Political discussion is fine, but those who incite violence and arson should be arrested and put on trial before it gets to the same point it did last time. Reds need to stop hatin, and start participatin. Come up with a clear election platform and reject violence as a means to seize power.

[h90]

I think the best thing Abhisit can do to get his reconcilliation road map on track is to stick to the offer of a November election. That would send a sincere and positive message to all the redshirts, who by his own admission are mostly ordinary people, not terrorists, not to mention the much larger population of the "non elites".

In doing this he would be undermining the influence of Thaksin and the core leadership group, effectively saying I offered you this early election and your leaders rejected it, the rejection lead to more deaths .... you were promised victory, you got defeat, I will keep my promise...

In his meeting with the foreign diplomats he concerntrated on rule of law issues, they were also looking for signs that moves towards reconcilliation were being made, they didn't see them.

Instead of the Premier asking them to take a positive message back to their governments, he would have come accross better if he had given them a positive message of reconciliation in action.

Of course the wrong doers have to be arrested and have their day in court, but as many others have said, " don't forget those yellow shirts at the airport"

You don't need a positive message to people who anyway vote who pay them more.

Make the election as late as possible, let Newin fill his pocket with corruption and he will buy a lot votes in the Thaksin areas.

[thailife69]

How does the government start reconciliation when the red shirts deny all wrong doing?

They deny that any of them were violent or armed and they deny that they burned buildings. Yet, there is clear evidence of all of these.

Until the red shirts admit that some of their group are criminals, the general red shirt populace will continue as if they did nothing wrong and will only see the government as killers.

The only thing that the government could have done to stop any deaths from occuring was to step down, and this would have gone against all democratic principles that the red shirts said they were supposedly fighting for. Minority violent mobs should not be able to force a legitimate government to step down. The fact that the red shirts were unable to accept this puts responsibility for the deaths and injuries on their heads.

IMO, the government should call elections early next year, but only if the red shirts can show some semblance of control over the next year.

Wonder who will control the yellows, the blues, the whites, the pinks. Color blindness is the only solution. It's so much better than tunnel vision.

[h90]

I think there is no excuse to stall elections beyond November. Abhisit looking like a flip flopper now. This is a divisive move.

He is not stall elections!

The regular schedule by the constitution (no matter if you take the current or the previous) is end of 2011.

[jdinasia]

I think there is no excuse to stall elections beyond November. Abhisit looking like a flip flopper now. This is a divisive move.

There is no 'flip-flop' involved here .... The offer of early elections was based on cooperation from the reds. Instead of cooperating they failed to cooperate and failed to leave. They then fought the military and burned BKK.

Yes things need to move forward but they the current issues need to be resolved first and that includes dealing with the terrorists.

[husskydog]

I think there is no excuse to stall elections beyond November. Abhisit looking like a flip flopper now. This is a divisive move.

The flip floppers were the people on stage in red t-shirts who kept adding new demands when their conditions were met. Bad behaviour should be punished, not rewarded.

I know this is slightly off topic.....but i was in the company of the g/f sister last night, who lives and works in samut prakan(she is thai), this topic came up for various reasons, but one thing she did say was that Seh Daeng was shot by a farrang sniper paid for by the goverment to silence Seh Daeng.....very seriously she confirmed that this was common knowledge (rumour?) amongst thais in bangkok and she is even a P.A.D suporter...anyone else heard that?

[animatic]

If the Red Leaders hadn't rejected the deal when it was fairly on the table,

I would say this is bad to not hold the snap election. But they did and chose to

destroy Bangkok instead. Their actions made it impossible to have anything

vaguely resembling a free and fair snap election this year.

And with the threat from them of guerrilla warfare ongoing,

no chance an election could be held till the situation calms

or the official end of the MP's Parliamentary terms comes.

Some may not like it, but this is the more prudent decision,

the reds had the brass ring and dropped it in the gutter.

Now they must live with it.

Edited May 30, 2010 by animatic

[citizen49a]

I think there is no excuse to stall elections beyond November. Abhisit looking like a flip flopper now. This is a divisive move.

There is no 'flip-flop' involved here .... The offer of early elections was based on cooperation from the reds. Instead of cooperating they failed to cooperate and failed to leave. They then fought the military and burned BKK.

Yes things need to move forward but they the current issues need to be resolved first and that includes dealing with the terrorists.

I suppose technically you are right. The reds were holding out for a more advanced timetable for the

elections, and for other assurances, to make sure that the whole thing wasn't just a sham. The government

decided to clear them out rather than negotiate any further. So I guess the reds lose. They had an offer,

such as it was, and they elected to hold out for something better. I guess that's just the way it goes, sort

of like a business deal that you negotiated just a little too hard on, and lost completely.

No one to blame but yourself, so the best thing to do is just to move on and try to learn from it.

This was a lot more significant than a business deal, though. I don't think the parties who 'lost' this negotiation

are going to just move on and try to learn a lesson from it.

For the moment, the current regime holds all the cards, or thinks it does. It can choose from a number of different

approaches and attitudes towards the vanquished reds, one of which is to ignore the fact that deep fissures and

simmering resentments were laid bare for all to see not long ago, and it appeared that more than a few of the people

expressing those sentiments were willing to sacrifice quite a bit to see them addressed.

Whether they were communists or maoists or just rabble rousers, a number ended up sacrificing their lives to the

effort to see them addressed. They may have been fools, or scoundrels, or saints, but now they're dead, and a lot

of people saw them die and remember it.

Elections would be problematic. Who knows what the reds might do? The only thing certain is that if given the

opportunity to vote for any candidate they desired, it's likely that the government would be yet again placed in

the position of finding an excuse to annul the results of an election. The regime now seems to want to act as

if nothing really happened, and everything can just go on as before. If they had to annul the results of another election

so soon I think it would quickly become apparent that something fairly significant has changed, and that

it will be difficult to proceed as before for some time.

So maybe this is a good decision. Maybe they can just make this all go away if they ignore it and refuse to speak of it again.

Maybe the reds will forget all about it. I don't know. I've been coming to Thailand for over 25 years, so I realized long

ago that it wasn't some utopia, but it has always seemed special to me in a way that it would take to long to express here.

Until recently, that is. There's no fool like an old fool, as the saying goes, but any fool, and especially an old fool,

prefers to be permitted to indulge his folly. I won't be able to do that anymore, because where ever I go in Thailand

I won't be able to delude myself that there's some fundamental harmony underlying everything and tying everyone

together. Because there's not. They can smile all they want, but underneath it all the only thing that holds this place

together is the iron hand of the regime.

[animatic]

I think there is no excuse to stall elections beyond November. Abhisit looking like a flip flopper now. This is a divisive move.

The flip floppers were the people on stage in red t-shirts who kept adding new demands when their conditions were met. Bad behaviour should be punished, not rewarded.

I know this is slightly off topic.....but i was in the company of the g/f sister last night, who lives and works in samut prakan(she is thai), this topic came up for various reasons, but one thing she did say was that Seh Daeng was shot by a farrang sniper paid for by the goverment to silence Seh Daeng.....very seriously she confirmed that this was common knowledge (rumour?) amongst thais in bangkok and she is even a P.A.D suporter...anyone else heard that?

Common rumor.

And of course blame it on a farang,

then no one can think thais... yada yada yada.

[ETatBKK]

How does the government start reconciliation when the red shirts deny all wrong doing?

They deny that any of them were violent or armed and they deny that they burned buildings. Yet, there is clear evidence of all of these.

Until the red shirts admit that some of their group are criminals, the general red shirt populace will continue as if they did nothing wrong and will only see the government as killers.

The only thing that the government could have done to stop any deaths from occuring was to step down, and this would have gone against all democratic principles that the red shirts said they were supposedly fighting for. Minority violent mobs should not be able to force a legitimate government to step down. The fact that the red shirts were unable to accept this puts responsibility for the deaths and injuries on their heads.

IMO, the government should call elections early next year, but only if the red shirts can show some semblance of control over the next year.

You don't need their admission of guilt. Instead put them on trial and if they want to keep denying responsibility from a prison cell they are welcome to do it. Political discussion is fine, but those who incite violence and arson should be arrested and put on trial before it gets to the same point it did last time. Reds need to stop hatin, and start participatin. Come up with a clear election platform and reject violence as a means to seize power.

try to put it into the reds supporter perspective ( and I am not ). from their one-sided 'emotional' propaganda, all reds beleive that the red leaders are right and the government is wrong, no matter how government propaganda clarified. yet, reds are not intelligently identify the fine line between the political discussion, the violent riot and arson. putting the red leaders in the cells certainly trigger another level of extremism.

the next election will the critical tipping point for Thai political development, hope it is a forward development. IMO if not this November, then should be earliest possible !

[Humungus]

I think there is no excuse to stall elections beyond November. Abhisit looking like a flip flopper now. This is a divisive move.

The flip floppers were the people on stage in red t-shirts who kept adding new demands when their conditions were met. Bad behaviour should be punished, not rewarded.

I know this is slightly off topic.....but i was in the company of the g/f sister last night, who lives and works in samut prakan(she is thai), this topic came up for various reasons, but one thing she did say was that Seh Daeng was shot by a farrang sniper paid for by the goverment to silence Seh Daeng.....very seriously she confirmed that this was common knowledge (rumour?) amongst thais in bangkok and she is even a P.A.D suporter...anyone else heard that?

It's common knowledge in Thailand that ghosts haunt just about everywhere. Common knowledge and common sense are different things. I am always amused when someone's gf's sister is a source for classified government info. Thais love rumors, how many Thais told you that Thaksin was dead?

[Capealava]

It's time to get away from elections entirely until they install a tax based election system. The more taxes you pay, the more votes you get.

Where are you from North Korea. Troller

[Honolulu]

This is not good news.

In my HO, the government should hold a "snap" election ASAP. If they wait until the scheduled time(2011) the "reds' will just argue that the current Gov't will influence, or otherwise corrupt the outcome. This move, in no way, addresses the "split" that currently exists in the Kingdom.

But I,m just a stupid farang, so what do I know.