Thailand's Red Shirt UDD Wants To Set Up Election Watchdog Group

[rubl]

If the election comes down to who is running the more interesting campaign, then Thaksin Inc. is going to win hands down.

All day here (poor area of Bangkok) there are trucks cruising the streets full of dancing dudes and loud music -- no policies, of course -- and they are receiving an enthusiastic reception.

Are the ppl living in the area registered to vote in BKK or up country? No doubt the shows has helped secure their votes, but it's also significant where the votes are secured.

In my neck of the woods (Khet Dusit) also pickups cruising all day. My apartment block seems to house a canvasser for party 12, k. Purachai. People paying attention? I don't thinks so. Some maybe annoyed because of slow moving traffic. Around Si Yan market two days ago some '21's walking around. An interested public? Hardly. Mind you, almost no farang here, maybe that explains the lack of enthusiasm

[lungmi]

she says the reds want to send an observer to all 90,000 polling stations

my question is, where will they find 90,000 red people to do that?

Good Idea, they can guarantee the victory and Bangkok is'nt burn.

'

[jdinasia]

If the election comes down to who is running the more interesting campaign, then Thaksin Inc. is going to win hands down.

All day here (poor area of Bangkok) there are trucks cruising the streets full of dancing dudes and loud music -- no policies, of course -- and they are receiving an enthusiastic reception.

Are the ppl living in the area registered to vote in BKK or up country? No doubt the shows has helped secure their votes, but it's also significant where the votes are secured.

In my neck of the woods (Khet Dusit) also pickups cruising all day. My apartment block seems to house a canvasser for party 12, k. Purachai. People paying attention? I don't thinks so. Some maybe annoyed because of slow moving traffic. Around Si Yan market two days ago some '21's walking around. An interested public? Hardly. Mind you, almost no farang here, maybe that explains the lack of enthusiasm

My neighbors (in Chiang Mai --- and 100% Thai) were taking the Yingluck flyers off their cars and tossing them on the ground. There is one tiny red flag in the neighborhood (almost exclusively a working class neighborhood) and still scads of houses with the Thai flag on one side and the King's flag on the other side of their gates. When the Yingluck and whoever the local girls is that is running for office, truck came around. The local little bar asked them to turn down the music ...

What does all that mean? Nothing Just that even in CNX people are not that interested. I can't judge from the flags (other than that tiny red one and one house with the light blue one you see every August) how the folks around me will vote. I can guess that the ones in the apartment blocks won't vote at all though.

[janverbeem]

will the red representatives be dressed in black and carry AK47's ?

No,boxes with 500 Baht notes

[LuukKoeyKorat]

If PT plans to send observers to the polling stations, wait for the DP to send their people to observe the observers.

[themockrat]

Seems fair to me, after all Newin's blue shirts proposed the same thing a few weeks ago. In case you don't remember them, they're the friendly guys with the sticks and handguns:

[PingManDan]

And so they should

[webfact]

Red shirts to keep watch on ballots

By The Nation

The red shirts yesterday offered to help keep tabs on the distribution of ballots in order to ensure a free and fair vote after receiving an explanation on why so many were printed.

"As a civic group, the red shirts are willing to help in any way they can as vote monitors," Thida Thawornseth, acting chairwoman of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship, said yesterday.

Election Commission member Prapun Naigowit told her that under the election laws, ballots had to be printed and bound in booklets for distribution to 94,000 polling stations nationwide.

Ballots cannot be torn out of booklets ahead of voting day, so the number of ballots will not necessarily match the number of voters at each polling station.

For example, a polling station might have 801 eligible voters but the EC has to provide it booklets containing 825 ballots. Cutting the number of booklets arbitrarily might leave some voters without a ballot to cast.

Even though voter turnout is usually under 100 per cent, the EC cannot predict how many voters will actually show up. Records show that some polling stations have had a turnout of more than 95 per cent.

Meanwhile, the EC disqualified 32 party-list candidates, one of them from the Pheu Thai Party and 11 of them - the largest number - from Sport Party. All of them can appeal in the Supreme Court within seven days, or by June 9, Prapun said.

The disqualification resulted mostly from serving less than the five-year political ban imposed on them, while others related to bankruptcy cases and lack of membership status.

In printing and distributing extra ballots, the EC has to factor in three variables - the number of eligible voters, the number of absentee voters and the anticipated number of additional voters for the revised list of eligible voters.

In past elections, the number of eligible voters was always adjusted up due to discrepancies found in domicile registries.

Regarding the counting of votes and the running of polling stations, the EC will follow past practice by inviting every political party to designate representatives to watch every step of the balloting process.

For each polling zone, the EC will appoint a six-member panel to ensure voting fairness. Panel members will be drawn from the civil service and civic groups.

The EC is investigating whether two programmes on a state-run television channel breached campaigning rules after the Pheu Thai Party filed a complaint for smear involving the two programmes, he added.

Suthep Thaugsuban, secretary-general of the Democrat Party, said the EC should take action against those bent on disrupting electioneering activities, alluding to the red shirts dogging Democrats on the campaign trail.

The disruption was detrimental to the democratic process and the EC had the mandate to initiate police proceedings against the troublemakers, he said. He was also puzzled as to why the EC let terrorism suspects like Natthawut Saikua and Thaksin Shinawatra make threatening remarks aimed at shaping the campaigning.

-- The Nation 2011-06-03

[virtualtraveller]

Every group involved has the right to monitor the elections, though I think it's a bit cheap of Thida to suggest the EC are going to help cheat PTP of a victory.

Like the PAD, it's difficult to take anything the UDD says seriously, a year ago they were basically trying to overthrow a democratically elected govt (yes the process was democratic) and when offered an election they turned it down. their intentions and integrity from the start was dishonest and insincere, and when democracy denies PTP a coalition govt because they are nothing more than Thakin Inc., the UDD will likely be back on the streets conducting democracy through confrontational protest.

[KhunVee]

she says the reds want to send an observer to all 90,000 polling stations

my question is, where will they find 90,000 red people to do that?

at the 1 million rally maybe?

[timekeeper]

will the red representatives be dressed in black and carry AK47's ?

No,boxes with 500 Baht notes

lunchboxes?

[Buchholz]

Meanwhile, the EC disqualified 32 party-list candidates, one of them from the Pheu Thai Party and 11 of them - the largest number - from Sport Party. All of them can appeal in the Supreme Court within seven days, or by June 9, Prapun said.

The disqualification resulted mostly from serving less than the five-year political ban imposed on them

Turns the Pheu Thai Party candidate disqualified is Yutthapong Saengsri from Nong Khai.

He was disqualified for not being a registered member of the Pheu Thai Party.

Here's the law degree holder's photo from when he was a Pheu Thai Party MP with the 23rd House of Representatives:

http://mp.parliament.go.th/biographical/frontweb/Human_Resource/PersonDetail_Eng.aspx?Iden=8U4WrkrQ69+ZKT4LWvLlxA==

[Insight]

she says the reds want to send an observer to all 90,000 polling stations

my question is, where will they find 90,000 red people to do that?

at the 1 million rally maybe?

Reckon it should be called the 10% rally from here on.

[khaowong1]

Don't you just love Thai politics and elections. The biggest thing to remember here, is that we farangs have no say so in their politics, and our say so, that we so eagerly give out, is not wanted. They have no clue how politics and elections are run anywhere else in the world, so they think what they do is normal. When you try to explain to them that what they are doing is not normal, they lose face. After all, I believe that the first political election was held in Thailand in 1933. That's only 78 years ago. Look how long England has been having elections.. Even the U.S., look who we picked for a President. You would think we were smarter than that.

[Misterwhisper]

The bully bulldogs want to set up a watchdog? Hm, and it's going to be its OWN watchdog. How quaint. In that case those watchdoggers probably will keep a most keen eye on all activities concerning the Dems while turning the other way when violations by their beloeved brethren, the PTP, occur. We have come to know the modus operandi of those valiant fighters for democracy, haven't we?

[brianb1944]

''poacher turned gamekeeper'' and ''the fox minding the chickens'' springs immediately to mind...........

My thoughts exactly, and... I was led to believe that UDD is not a political party contesting the election? Maybe is setting itself up as an alternative Police Force

[brianb1944]

will the red representatives be dressed in black and carry AK47's ?

No,boxes with 500 Baht notes

lunchboxes?

tea boxes

[Unwisemonkey]

All parties should invite and welcome an international group to oversee them if they want to be taken seriously. It would be wise before my country (U.S.A.) decides its going to come in and liberate the Thai people. I am admittedly ignorant of a lot of nuances in Thai politics, it's just so dam_n hard to keep up with the real issues when every day there are announcements about crackdowns on tattoos of religious icons to installing flush toilets in every building. I have managed to get a general idea though and from what I see is neither party is particularly suited to the interests of the entire country. The P.A.D. is way too centralized on Bangkok, and when there is not a single building code in place to keep dirty air con evaporators from dripping on my childs head as I wish I could stroll about my neighborhood with a stroller but cannot because the sidewalks are too f'd up, and even where they are manageable,there is the Thai Version of the Hindu Holy cows: A morbidly obese street vendor hawking noodles, blocking my path and everyone else, SO SAY I THEY ARE NOT DOING THEIR JOB. If your party is going to be so centric on the capitol city then at least end the corruption that makes it so dam_n suffocating. Make building codes for the city streets that plan for street vendors and foot traffic. Make the underground taxation by the BiB legitimate and take a cut for the city's General fund while your at it to make improvements to the infrastructure. Everyone wins, the BiB get to keep their standards of living and the Thais, and tourists get street food, jobs, and a nicer city to walk in.

I could comment further on the PAD's desire to only allow people living in Bangkok vote but I want to rant on the red shirts too... When I first started learning about the Red shirts agenda one year ago. I sort of had some compassion for them. Sure, they absolutely made my first month in Thailand a nightmare. Everything I wanted to see in BKK was shut down by them. I can handle that though. I understand the strategy of choosing a place to protest against political unfairness. However I and my family got caught right by the hospital that they blocked off and were intimidating the staff. We were doing some business down in that area to get papers for my girls to have citizenship in Thailand and we decided to get out of there. Needless to say we had trouble getting out. no one was purposefully blocking our exit but it was difficult. That and the sharpened bamboo and tire barricades being set up for a battle that did eventually take place. I closed my mind to anything the red shirts might have to say good or bad. People in BKK were dying that day and these ignorant animals were blocking emergency vehicles from taking sick people to get better. And then trying to burn down the same city... I mean c'mon the very first rule of revolution is endear yourself to the masses!

So my point is after all that is neither of these two parties are not a good choice for Thai people. You have a fire on one hand, and a frying pan in the other.

[sbk]

Off topic posts deleted,. If you can't post without getting personal then you will find your posting rights suspended.

[OzMick]

I have another great idea for UDD - have Khun Thaksin appointed as Manager of the Thai Reserve Bank.

[OzMick]

If every party is allowed to appoint observers, which party will the UDD be representing? Final proof UDD=PTP=Thaksin?

[themockrat]

If every party is allowed to appoint observers, which party will the UDD be representing? Final proof UDD=PTP=Thaksin?

Are we really still looking for proof that Thaksin runs the Puea Thai party? Or that Newin (cough, banned from politics, cough) runs the Bumjaithai party? Or that the Democrat party is run by the army?

We know the sky is blue, so let's stop looking for proof that the obvious is, well ...obvious.

[scorecard]

So we'll have red shirts at all polling stations keeping things 'fair'?

Marvellous idea.

"true democracy" strikes again !

Doesn't Khun Thida realise, that some non-Reds might be just a tad intimidated, to see a Red-Shirt watching their every move, as they come to cast their votes ? Does she not remember that non-secret balloting has been a problem in previous elections ? Can she not just support the EC in their efforts to try to raise political-standards, they've banned cheating-MPs from several parties, they deserve support & encouragement from anyone who really wants to see a fairer system here.

But perhaps that's why she sees a need to try to pressure them, wouldn't want them to do their jobs too well, now that some of her colleagues are standing under the Pheu Thai banner, would they ?

Personally, I'd welcome international-monitors, but do understand that this is about as likely as DL returning to serve his time !

I guess your asking the question "Does she have a balanced view of what should be monitored, how to monitor, ensure that nobody feels intimidated, no double standards therefore all transgressions reported and all acted on, etc etc?"

[Who, me ?]

If every party is allowed to appoint observers, which party will the UDD be representing? Final proof UDD=PTP=Thaksin?

Are we really still looking for proof that Thaksin runs the Puea Thai party? Or that Newin (cough, banned from politics, cough) runs the Bumjaithai party? Or that the Democrat party is run by the army?

We know the sky is blue, so let's stop looking for proof that the obvious is, well ...obvious.

I think that the correct wording should be" are we still looking for proof that Thaksin runs the UDD and the Puea Thai party".

[Buchholz]

If every party is allowed to appoint observers, which party will the UDD be representing? Final proof UDD=PTP=Thaksin?

Are we really still looking for proof that Thaksin runs the Puea Thai party?

Taking into account that you joined last week, it's understandable that you missed the literally thousands of posts made month after month over the past year that absolutely refuted the connections between the three entities.

It's further understandable that posters may sometimes wish to reiterate, what you consider as the obvious, from time to time as a pre-emptive measure for those dozens and dozens of posters who made those refutations in the past to not repeat them now or in the future.

.

Edited June 4, 2011 by Buchholz

[davidkia]

i don't understand why so many of our expats are against the red shirts after all the man in power now did not get there without the army , don't forget it, also another thought he was educated in THe united Kingdom , england and they are past master's of telling anything but the truth and can keep a face like nothing has happened maybe thats what you lern when you go to top instistution to be educated in the UK!

[jdinasia]

If every party is allowed to appoint observers, which party will the UDD be representing? Final proof UDD=PTP=Thaksin?

Are we really still looking for proof that Thaksin runs the Puea Thai party? Or that Newin (cough, banned from politics, cough) runs the Bumjaithai party? Or that the Democrat party is run by the army?

We know the sky is blue, so let's stop looking for proof that the obvious is, well ...obvious.

I think that the correct wording should be" are we still looking for proof that Thaksin runs the UDD and the Puea Thai party".

The coughing should start with Thaksin the *cough cough banned and convicted politician ....--- and coughing about Newin now (instead of when he was the de facto leader of the "Friends of Newin" faction of the PPP is a bit hypocritical ...

The Army obviously doesn't run the Dems ... but sadly I think the army is still far too independent from government control. Something truly needs to be done about the oath of office.

[Buchholz]

i don't understand why so many of our expats are against the red shirts after all the man in power now did not get there without the army , don't forget it, also another thought he was educated in THe united Kingdom , england and they are past master's of telling anything but the truth and can keep a face like nothing has happened maybe thats what you lern when you go to top instistution to be educated in the UK!

I'll grant you points on originality.

This is the first I've seen Brit-Bashing as a means of demeaning Abhisit.