Thailand Poll Seemed Fair, Asian Network Observers Say

[webfact]

Poll seemed fair, Asian network observers say

By PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK

THE NATION

Officials from the Asian Network for Free Elections, which dispatched 73 observers for the election on Sunday, said yesterday the poll was mostly free and fair and "produced election results that generally seem to reflect the will of the people".

Damaso Magbual, head of the Anfrel mission to Thailand, cited at least three major issues of concern - the handling of advance voting, the printing of extra ballots and the role of the military in politics and elections.

Magbual, who is from the Philippines, said Thailand was not a "war zone" and the Army should keep to the barracks.

"This time the people have spoken loud and clear ... I think the military should think twice before they do any mischief," he said.

Anfrel's statement, which was read out by Magbual, was more tempered, saying the military "generally acted professionally and neutrally throughout the election period".

"Some exceptions to this were instances where soldiers coming to vote brought their weapons inside polling stations in clear violation of internationally accepted principles. Partisan political statements by certain prominent military gave cause for concern.

"Going forward, it is hoped that the military will continue to exercise the professional restraint they showed on election day by allowing legitimately elected leaders to govern," the statement said.

Between 500,000 to a million resident advance voters were "disenfranchised" on June 26 because the Election Commission (EC) did not "sufficiently inform voters of the need to re-register".

The EC had also printed more than 12-per-cent excess ballots and failed to adequately explain why it seemed to "violate the relevant regulation that allows at most 7-per-cent excess ballots", the statement said.

Magbual said this was regrettable because it could "lower |the perceived legitimacy of the election and can damage the perception of neutrality and competence that the public has for the institution".

Vote-buying remained a "long-term challenge for Thailand" and needed to be addressed through education, the group said.

Magbual urged the educated middle class and elite who may think poor rural and urban voters cannot make valid election choices to accept that elections are about "choices and preferences".

To deny the will of other voters was tantamount to a violation of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, he said.

-- The Nation 2011-07-06

[Crushdepth]

Vote-buying remained a "long-term challenge for Thailand" and needed to be addressed through education, the group said.

I hope they meant education of *politicians*. Until there are severe punishments for the perpetrators, this will never end. Vote buyers should simply be shot.

[ib1b4]

Vote-buying remained a "long-term challenge for Thailand" and needed to be addressed through education, the group said.

I hope they meant education of *politicians*. Until there are severe punishments for the perpetrators, this will never end. Vote buyers should simply be shot.

Up here in the area that I live (nothheast) the partys that wre handing out the most money still managed to loose at the polling booth.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

"This time the people have spoken loud and clear ... I think the military should think twice before they do any mischief," he said.

Anfrel's statement, which was read out by Magbual, was more tempered, saying the military "generally acted professionally and neutrally throughout the election period".

Excellent.. Such is the state of things, that someone stating the bloody obvious, i.e. the military staying the frack out of running the country, is 'not tempered'.

If these guys went even further out to lunch they'd hit China.

Edited July 6, 2011 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Crushdepth]

Vote-buying remained a "long-term challenge for Thailand" and needed to be addressed through education, the group said.

I hope they meant education of *politicians*. Until there are severe punishments for the perpetrators, this will never end. Vote buyers should simply be shot.

Up here in the area that I live (nothheast) the partys that wre handing out the most money still managed to loose at the polling booth.

And that makes it ok, does it?

[landofthefree]

"This time the people have spoken loud and clear ... I think the military should think twice before they do any mischief," he said.

Anfrel's statement, which was read out by Magbual, was more tempered, saying the military "generally acted professionally and neutrally throughout the election period".

Excellent.. Such is the state of things, that someone stating the bloody obvious, i.e. the military staying the frack out of running the country, is 'not tempered'.

If these guys went even further out to lunch they'd hit China.

I am very pleased to see that in this fair election my prediction of a Pheu Thai Landslide win was right despite all of the Thai Visa posters ( I wont name you because you know who you are)that said there was no chance of this. Despite my pre election offer of a discussion after the election I haven't heard anything from any of them, perhaps a Farrang loss of face issue?I think a lot of Farrang Abhisit supporters are very out of touch with the Thai people and their beliefs. Most Thai people are not the rich corrupt elite in Bangkok. I hope Thaksin can come back soon and run the country again, he did a great job before and the Military have been shown to be out of touch with Thai people by throwing him out. I don't think they will dare stage a coup again as the International community would not allow them to go against the will of the majority of the Thai voters. Well done Pheu Thai and for bringing stability back to Thailand.

[Seri]

"This time the people have spoken loud and clear ... I think the military should think twice before they do any mischief," he said.

Anfrel's statement, which was read out by Magbual, was more tempered, saying the military "generally acted professionally and neutrally throughout the election period".

Excellent.. Such is the state of things, that someone stating the bloody obvious, i.e. the military staying the frack out of running the country, is 'not tempered'.

If these guys went even further out to lunch they'd hit China.

I am very pleased to see that in this fair election my prediction of a Pheu Thai Landslide win was right despite all of the Thai Visa posters ( I wont name you because you know who you are)that said there was no chance of this. Despite my pre election offer of a discussion after the election I haven't heard anything from any of them, perhaps a Farrang loss of face issue?I think a lot of Farrang Abhisit supporters are very out of touch with the Thai people and their beliefs. Most Thai people are not the rich corrupt elite in Bangkok. I hope Thaksin can come back soon and run the country again, he did a great job before and the Military have been shown to be out of touch with Thai people by throwing him out. I don't think they will dare stage a coup again as the International community would not allow them to go against the will of the majority of the Thai voters. Well done Pheu Thai and for bringing stability back to Thailand.

to my recollection, most members of this forum did predict a landslide victory for PT. they also predicted that the priority of PT was to whitewash thaksin which is already on course even though a week ago they said an amnesty was out of the question. as for your offer of a discussion, i don't see the need for that since we are on an internet forum.

glad to hear you are pleased though.

[landofthefree]

"This time the people have spoken loud and clear ... I think the military should think twice before they do any mischief," he said.

Anfrel's statement, which was read out by Magbual, was more tempered, saying the military "generally acted professionally and neutrally throughout the election period".

Excellent.. Such is the state of things, that someone stating the bloody obvious, i.e. the military staying the frack out of running the country, is 'not tempered'.

If these guys went even further out to lunch they'd hit China.

I am very pleased to see that in this fair election my prediction of a Pheu Thai Landslide win was right despite all of the Thai Visa posters ( I wont name you because you know who you are)that said there was no chance of this. Despite my pre election offer of a discussion after the election I haven't heard anything from any of them, perhaps a Farrang loss of face issue?I think a lot of Farrang Abhisit supporters are very out of touch with the Thai people and their beliefs. Most Thai people are not the rich corrupt elite in Bangkok. I hope Thaksin can come back soon and run the country again, he did a great job before and the Military have been shown to be out of touch with Thai people by throwing him out. I don't think they will dare stage a coup again as the International community would not allow them to go against the will of the majority of the Thai voters. Well done Pheu Thai and for bringing stability back to Thailand.

to my recollection, most members of this forum did predict a landslide victory for PT. they also predicted that the priority of PT was to whitewash thaksin which is already on course even though a week ago they said an amnesty was out of the question. as for your offer of a discussion, i don't see the need for that since we are on an internet forum.

glad to hear you are pleased though.

Wrong check out the comments I got on this thread:

In Topic: Fugitive Ex-Leader Thaksin Dominates Thai Election

[Seri]

I am very pleased to see that in this fair election my prediction of a Pheu Thai Landslide win was right despite all of the Thai Visa posters ( I wont name you because you know who you are)that said there was no chance of this. Despite my pre election offer of a discussion after the election I haven't heard anything from any of them, perhaps a Farrang loss of face issue?I think a lot of Farrang Abhisit supporters are very out of touch with the Thai people and their beliefs. Most Thai people are not the rich corrupt elite in Bangkok. I hope Thaksin can come back soon and run the country again, he did a great job before and the Military have been shown to be out of touch with Thai people by throwing him out. I don't think they will dare stage a coup again as the International community would not allow them to go against the will of the majority of the Thai voters. Well done Pheu Thai and for bringing stability back to Thailand.

to my recollection, most members of this forum did predict a landslide victory for PT. they also predicted that the priority of PT was to whitewash thaksin which is already on course even though a week ago they said an amnesty was out of the question. as for your offer of a discussion, i don't see the need for that since we are on an internet forum.

glad to hear you are pleased though.

Wrong check out the comments I got on this thread:

In Topic: Fugitive Ex-Leader Thaksin Dominates Thai Election

i checked your link and only rixalex believed the polls were misleading.

anyway, i'm not going to share links to show a single post to prove my point. there have been enough topics and enough comments about thaksin and his clique coming back to power and what it will mean in the long run.

[wackysleet]

In Topic: Fugitive Ex-Leader Thaksin Dominates Thai Election

i checked your link and only rixalex believed the polls were misleading.

anyway, i'm not going to share links to show a single post to prove my point. there have been enough topics and enough comments about thaksin and his clique coming back to power and what it will mean in the long run.

Actually it's what you and others THINK it means, probably much of what we have had from the last non elected government, nothing much, but funny how at election time they made promises that should/could have been implemented at the start but were not, definitely a case of the carrot and the stick, plenty of stick not a lot of carrot though.

Perhaps you Democrat supporters who never mention about the rampant corruption in the recent government which according to Mr. Abhisit is getting worse under his leadership {what an admission}. Understand this, politicians in this country are corrupt, not all but significant numbers to have a diverse effect on the country and this will not change in our lifetime.

[ginjag]

Vote-buying remained a "long-term challenge for Thailand" and needed to be addressed through education, the group said.

I hope they meant education of *politicians*. Until there are severe punishments for the perpetrators, this will never end. Vote buyers should simply be shot.

After reading the report and a host of violations mentioned, what were they there for ??? only to report on the fairness ??? Quote seemed fair !!!!!! like not sure ?? were they sleeping.??

they reported re vote buying--army interference--no instructions for 1 million voters--(lost votes) so every thing was O.K. and no problems.

electioneering handing out millions of bht is or should be a totally banned election. if the monitors report it, and it's a known fact-how can it be a fair election. WHO KNOWS how the vote would have turned out if this didn't happen. How on earth can it be fair when it is being co-ordinated by outside interference that should be against the law. These things were known well before hand and it was not stopped. Brazenly handing money for favours in near all areas is illegal proving the lawless society.

Police doing their job as per rule, could stamp on the village headman, But alas no.

It's now time that this Issan lawlessness is stopped. Here life is FREE STYLE thats what Thai people say when you ask them. Mai pen rai.

[themockrat]

Vote-buying remained a "long-term challenge for Thailand" and needed to be addressed through education, the group said.

I hope they meant education of *politicians*. Until there are severe punishments for the perpetrators, this will never end. Vote buyers should simply be shot.

Up here in the area that I live (nothheast) the partys that wre handing out the most money still managed to loose at the polling booth.

And that makes it ok, does it?

From what I read everywhere, even on Thai forums, Bhumjaithai and the Democrats handed out 500 Baht, Puea Thai 200 Baht.

[NovaBlue05]

Vote-buying remained a "long-term challenge for Thailand" and needed to be addressed through education, the group said.

I hope they meant education of *politicians*. Until there are severe punishments for the perpetrators, this will never end. Vote buyers should simply be shot.

Seems a bit harsh.......Should the voters accepting the coin be shot as well?

[NovaBlue05]

From what I read everywhere, even on Thai forums, Bhumjaithai and the Democrats handed out 500 Baht, Puea Thai 200 Baht.

Interesting, I'll have to check with the Sister in Law to see how much the Democrats were paying in Nong Bua Lamphu. Seems a bit of a poor investment however unless you can check the ballot before it is cast to make sure you got what you paid for