Thai PM Abhisit Will Call An Early Election, Withaya Says

[webfact]

Abhisit will call an early election, Withaya says

By The Nation on Sunday

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will not stay in power for a full term - he will dissolve Parliament in April next year, Government whip Withaya Kaewparadai said yesterday.

He said if Parliament cleared the bills to amend the Constitution according to legislative procedures in February, the PM would dissolve the House in April. If Parliament did not pass the charter amendment bills in February, the PM would dissolve the House in February and call a general election in April.

"The PM has said that he would not serve a full term,'' Withaya said.

He was speaking to a meeting of Nakhon Si Thammarat MPs and Democrat Party branch executives to prepare themselves for election rallies.

Meanwhile, the opposition Pheu Thai Party will meet tomorrow to decide on punishment for a party "rebel" MP who proposed the appointment of a special House committee to amend the charter even though the party resolved against amending the Constitution, deputy party spokesman Jirayu Huangsab said.

Jirayu said some Pheu Thai Party MPs were seeking ways to expel Pheu Thai party-list MP Nikom Chaokittisopon by filing a complaint with the Constitution Court. The MPs believe that although Nikom did not break the law he violated the code of conduct and Parliament protocol.

Nikom was one of seven Pheu Thai MPs nominated as members of the Special House Committee to amend the charter, claiming he had a constitutional right to carry out his MP duty.

"Nikom does not have the right spirit. He forgot political etiquette and is intoxicated with money,'' Jirayu said.

Meanwhile, Bhum Jai Thai MP for Khon Kaen Panya Sripanya challenged the Pheu Thai Party to seek a constitutional ruling over the alleged lack of a quorum when the House voted to accept the draft of the amended Article 190 of the Constitution.

He insisted there was enough MPs for a proper quorum because Pheu Thai Party Kalasin MP Komdej Chaisiwamongkol, who sits in the House committee that checks the figures, told him during their flight together back to their home provinces the committee checked the quorum and found there were 330 votes, which was more than the 310 votes required.

Meanwhile Democrat Party spokesman Dr Buranaj Smutharaks said the party thanked parliamentarians for accepting drafts of the amended Articles 93-98 and 190 of the charter on the third reading. He said they believed this would be the first step towards resolving conflicts in the party.

-- The Nation 2010-11-28

[Robby nz]

"Nikom does not have the right spirit. He forgot political etiquette and is intoxicated with money,'' Jirayu said.

Loved that bit.

He must have been drinking with the PTP sponsor K Thaksin.

But the headline cant be right, havent the red supporters told us the PM is clinging to power by any means?

Edited November 28, 2010 by Robby nz

[whybother]

"Nikom does not have the right spirit. He forgot political etiquette and is intoxicated with money,'' Jirayu said.

Loved that bit.

He must have been drinking with the PTP sponsor K Thaksin.

But the headline cant be right, havent the red supporters told us the PM is clinging to power by any means?

I actually liked the first part of that quote.

He doesn't have "the right spirit", which basically means, he didn't do what the boss wanted, he thought about something independently and he did what he thought was best for his electorate. Can't have that, can we?

[random]

hopefully after Monday the only think abhisit will be able to call is a taxi home

[whybother]

hopefully after Monday the only think abhisit will be able to call is a taxi home

Hopefully he doesn't get banned. He's the best hope for the country.

[bushwacker]

Great ... an election ... I can hardly wait for the thousands of screaming pick-up trucks circling the streets with mega speakers in the back ... blasting out crap at the unbearable volume that would drive any sane person to run for cover. Yeah!

[Kwasaki]

hopefully after Monday the only think abhisit will be able to call is a taxi home

Hopefully he doesn't get banned. He's the best hope for the country.

Although politics in Thailand as I see has nothing to do with me it's for Thai people.

I hope he doesn't get banned either, I believe Abhisit to be an honest Prime-minister not sure about others that run along side him.

[jayjay0]

hopefully after Monday the only think abhisit will be able to call is a taxi home

Have you got a better idea. Lets hear it.

Easy to dish some one but meaningless if you don't have a better person in mind.

All you are doing is saying you don't like him but he is the best man for the job.

I agree with you. He most assuredly is the best man for the job . And I don't particularly care for him either.

[animatic]

"Nikom does not have the right spirit. He forgot political etiquette and is intoxicated with money,'' Jirayu said.

Loved that bit.

He must have been drinking with the PTP sponsor K Thaksin.

But the headline cant be right, havent the red supporters told us the PM is clinging to power by any means?

I agree that choice morsel jumped out big time.

Interesting attack on the partly departed PTP MP he only 'nominated' PTP MP's to the committee. This is not the same as appointing them. the fools are acting like they suddenly get stuck on the committee because they were nominated.

I hope the illegally put the tongs to him and he successfully sues them into dissolution for it. Their parliamentary incompetence needs reigning in big time. It's like they can't even read the rules, just fulminate if anything at all goes of message.

Edited November 28, 2010 by animatic

[Buchholz]

Jirayu said some Pheu Thai Party MPs were seeking ways to expel Pheu Thai party-list MP Nikom Chaokittisopon by filing a complaint with the Constitution Court. The MPs believe that although Nikom did not break the law he violated the code of conduct and Parliament protocol.

The six MP's from PTP have been branded the "Cobra Six" by the Chairman of the Pheu Thai Party's Ethics and Discipline Panel.

They represent a cross-section of the country with the PTP MP's from the North, Northeast, Central, and Bangkok amongst the group and include both Party-list MP's and constituency MP's.

They were denounced as shameful by the Panel Chairman and he will be seeking their banishment through petitioning the Constitution Court. The court is already deliberating on two other MP's from Pheu Thai whose banishment was earlier sought by the PTP.

A separate Pheu Thai Party MP is decrying the 2007 Constitution over this issue as it allowed MP's to vote independently and they are not required to tow the Party line as was previous and he felt that giving MP's the opportunity to vote freely was wrong.

It's also not the first time that anyone who doesn't tow the Party line and has the audacity to vote independently has been labeled "cobra."

The Nation - March 26, 2009

The nine cobras signal a major opposition split

When Thaksin Shinawatra, in his phone-in speech, publicly castigated two of his Pheu Thai Party MPs from Chiang Rai who failed to cast their votes against the Abhisit government in the censure debate last week, you knew things weren't going right. And when the two MPs had to immediately apologise and officially confirm their "loyalty" to Thaksin, you could be pretty sure that things were really going wrong.

Thaksin's no-confidence motion, which was initially aimed at undermining Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva to pave way for an early general election, has backfired. Instead, it has opened up a can of worms within the opposition.

A leading Pheu Thai Party MP from the Northeast came up with the devastating admission that at least nine opposition MPs are now leaning towards the Phum Jai Thai Party, a vital coalition partner for the Democrat-led government.

That, in effect, meant that a number of Thaksin's MPs had in fact defected. He had earlier called them "two-headed snakes."

The former premier's earlier conviction that he could control every single MP in his party is now badly shaken.

[asiawatcher]

"... Nikom does not have the right spirit. He forgot political etiquette and is intoxicated with money,'' Jirayu said."

And this from a Peu Thai member ???

[billd766]

"... Nikom does not have the right spirit. He forgot political etiquette and is intoxicated with money,'' Jirayu said."

And this from a Peu Thai member ???

And this is from the party that also has Jatuporn Promphan as a member?

Edited November 28, 2010 by billd766

[merijn]

I think that Abhisit is currently the only real choice for Thailand.

What's the alternative ??? None

[truethailand]

"Nikom does not have the right spirit. He forgot political etiquette and is intoxicated with money,'' Jirayu said.

Loved that bit.

He must have been drinking with the PTP sponsor K Thaksin.

But the headline cant be right, havent the red supporters told us the PM is clinging to power by any means?

I actually liked the first part of that quote.

He doesn't have "the right spirit", which basically means, he didn't do what the boss wanted, he thought about something independently and he did what he thought was best for his electorate. Can't have that, can we?

bit slow today only 2nd

[whybother]

"Nikom does not have the right spirit. He forgot political etiquette and is intoxicated with money,'' Jirayu said.

Loved that bit.

He must have been drinking with the PTP sponsor K Thaksin.

But the headline cant be right, havent the red supporters told us the PM is clinging to power by any means?

I actually liked the first part of that quote.

He doesn't have "the right spirit", which basically means, he didn't do what the boss wanted, he thought about something independently and he did what he thought was best for his electorate. Can't have that, can we?

bit slow today only 2nd

It's Sunday. Sorry if being an early riser offends you.

[random]

hopefully after Monday the only think abhisit will be able to call is a taxi home

Have you got a better idea. Lets hear it.

Easy to dish some one but meaningless if you don't have a better person in mind.

All you are doing is saying you don't like him but he is the best man for the job.

I agree with you. He most assuredly is the best man for the job . And I don't particularly care for him either.

so if he was to murder someone (for example) he should be allowed to carry on as there is not better option in your opinion? what a silly argument you make, only punish people that YOU consider bad.

the rules are the rules, do you think samak should have been booted out for his cooking program?

edit, how do you make the assumption that I think he is the best man for the job? clearly i never say that, he is weak, he is a puppet, he needs to go, I am sure he is wishing for the ban to get away from his controllers.

Edited November 28, 2010 by random

[random]

hopefully after Monday the only think abhisit will be able to call is a taxi home

One more think than you seem capable of? Why would Abhisit live in a taxi? He has a nice home in Soi 31 Sukhumvit.

Nice?

really?

have you seen it? I have, I wouldn't call it nice.

The best thing for thailand is for this guy to be banned from politics for 5 years and his party dissolved. rules are rules, laws are laws, they have to be used fairly, not selectively.

[whybother]

The best thing for thailand is for this guy to be banned from politics for 5 years and his party dissolved. rules are rules, laws are laws, they have to be used fairly, not selectively.

As far as the red shirts are concerned, it doesn't matter if the Democrats actually broke the law, they should be banned anyway.

[cdnvic]

Careful how you describe people. Defamation is taken very seriously in Thailand. (two posts removed)

[jayjay0]

hopefully after Monday the only think abhisit will be able to call is a taxi home

Have you got a better idea. Lets hear it.

Easy to dish some one but meaningless if you don't have a better person in mind.

All you are doing is saying you don't like him but he is the best man for the job.

I agree with you. He most assuredly is the best man for the job . And I don't particularly care for him either.

so if he was to murder someone (for example) he should be allowed to carry on as there is not better option in your opinion? what a silly argument you make, only punish people that YOU consider bad.

the rules are the rules, do you think samak should have been booted out for his cooking program?

edit, how do you make the assumption that I think he is the best man for the job? clearly i never say that, he is weak, he is a puppet, he needs to go, I am sure he is wishing for the ban to get away from his controllers.

It is a real world son. You want to play the if game. How about what if he brings world peace and prosperity for the whole world. Would you say he was the wrong man for the job?

Well that didn't happen and he didn't murder any one and Like you I don't care for the man but unlike you I can put my personal feelings aside and think of what is good for Thailand.

When you come up with a better man let us know.

In the mean time stop whining.

Well as for Samak you have said it the rules are the rules why do you bring that up. Have a little respect for the man and Capitalize his name. You are in Thailand and real or unreal they do show respect.

[millwall_fan]

If he calls an election in April that means the polling date will be in May. As a pub owner, that's about as good a time of year as any to lose 2 weekends takings.

Puea Thai will of course win. Thaksin will be amnestied, the military will step in and the whole merry-go-round-will start again.

[whybother]

If he calls an election in April that means the polling date will be in May. As a pub owner, that's about as good a time of year as any to lose 2 weekends takings.

Puea Thai will of course win. Thaksin will be amnestied, the military will step in and the whole merry-go-round-will start again.

Why do you say that Puea Thai will win? No by-election results are showing that would happen. No polls are showing that would happen. Current coaltions are showing that it wouldn't happen.

But I agree, if they win and start white washing Thaksin's crimes ...

[Maestro]

Some more posts removed for being off topic or replies to deleted posts, and more will be removed as necessary.

[TAWP]

A separate Pheu Thai Party MP is decrying the 2007 Constitution over this issue as it allowed MP's to vote independently and they are not required to tow the Party line as was previous and he felt that giving MP's the opportunity to vote freely was wrong.

The Nation - March 26, 2009

Said before, but PTP has and never will be about freedom for the people nor their MP's. It is all about control. So of course they will oppose any allowance of the MP's to actually vote according to their constituency instead of the party-line.

[stkyricesf]

Don't they close all entertainment businesses during elections? Oh please don't have elections in April, especially around Songran!

[Siam Simon]

hopefully after Monday the only think abhisit will be able to call is a taxi home

Have you got a better idea. Lets hear it.

Easy to dish some one but meaningless if you don't have a better person in mind.

All you are doing is saying you don't like him but he is the best man for the job.

I agree with you. He most assuredly is the best man for the job . And I don't particularly care for him either.

so if he was to murder someone (for example) he should be allowed to carry on as there is not better option in your opinion? what a silly argument you make, only punish people that YOU consider bad.

the rules are the rules, do you think samak should have been booted out for his cooking program?

edit, how do you make the assumption that I think he is the best man for the job? clearly i never say that, he is weak, he is a puppet, he needs to go, I am sure he is wishing for the ban to get away from his controllers.

It is a real world son. You want to play the if game. How about what if he brings world peace and prosperity for the whole world. Would you say he was the wrong man for the job?

Well that didn't happen and he didn't murder any one and Like you I don't care for the man but unlike you I can put my personal feelings aside and think of what is good for Thailand.

When you come up with a better man let us know.

In the mean time stop whining.

Well as for Samak you have said it the rules are the rules why do you bring that up. Have a little respect for the man and Capitalize his name. You are in Thailand and real or unreal they do show respect.

I do like Abhisit the politician, and I hope he sticks around. And I agree with your opinion that he had little or no input into the carnage of April and May. But either "the rules are the rules" or it's "a real world son". The two viewpoints are mutually exclusive.

[cdnvic]

Back on topic please

[Maestro]

I have deleted some more off-topic posts and the replies to them.

[kennalder]

Great ... an election ... I can hardly wait for the thousands of screaming pick-up trucks circling the streets with mega speakers in the back ... blasting out crap at the unbearable volume that would drive any sane person to run for cover. Yeah!

I agree. You can hear these trucks from 5 times the distance you can hear an ambulance. But then the ambulance siren is not much louder than the ice cream vendor's.

Amazing Thailand.

[webfact]

ELECTION

PM supports early poll but date uncertain

By The Nation

Says bid to rewrite Article 190 isn't a move to bypass scrutiny by MPs

The prime minister has reaffirmed his commitment to call an early election although he remains uncommitted on whether the poll date can be finalised by February.

"I confirm about the poll hinged on normalcy, completion of the charter rewrite and no economic difficulties," Abhisit Vejjajiva said in his weekly address yesterday.

Abhisit said the upcoming by-election, scheduled for next month, was a good sign about readiness for a national election.

Commenting on the proposed charter amendments, he said last week's vote to activate the charter rewrite was a first step to defuse what he viewed as a political time-bomb related to charter provisions.

"The political divide will persist as long as there is no mechanism to reconcile outstanding differences," he said, voicing hope that government-sponsored amendments would help end the inconclusive debate on the charter.

He said the panel headed by Sombat Thamrongthanyawong made conclusions about amending the charter as part of the reconciliation process and that his government subsequently pushed for the charter rewrite based on the Sombat panel's report.

By limiting the charter changes to two issues, this would pave way to overcome the volatility.

He said the country would not embark on drastic changes to the charter following the defeat of two other drafts - one known as the weng Tojirakarn bill, which triggered turmoil in 2007 because it wanted to bring back the suspended 1997 charter, and another sponsored by coalition lawmakers who want to revamp the electoral system.

In rebutting criticism about the government's push to amend the framework on international negotiations, the prime minister said he had no hidden agenda to bypass legislative scrutiny on negotiations involving sovereignty and national boundaries.

He said he duly noted concern raised by Senator Kamnoon Sithi-saman that the government's bill to amend Article 190 might have been mistakenly written to remove the minutes of boundary negotiations from being vetted by legislators.

He said this was not the intention of his government and that he had instructed relevant authorities to recheck the wording of the amendment in question.

He pledged to drop the amendment if it could be construed as bypassing legislative scrutiny.

He said the sole purpose of amending Article 190 was to clarify the wording to facilitate international negotiations which got stalled because bureaucrats were uncertain on how to comply with the provision.

The government just wanted to sort out the classification of international agreements, he said, dismissing claims his government aimed to keep legislators out of boundary talks with Cambodian officials.

-- The Nation 2010-11-29