Why Elected Thai MPs Weren't Endorsed

[webfact]

Why they weren't endorsed

By Prapasri Osathanon

The Nation

Election Commission secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn yesterday revealed the complaints that led the commission to hold back on announcing the July 3 election results for MPs-elect.

- Top Pheu Thai party-list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra: Banned politicians were involved in her election campaign and the party's "Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai does" campaign motto.

- Pheu Thai party-list MP candidates, including red-shirt leaders Jatuporn Promphan, Natthawut Saikua, Weng Tojirakarn and Kokaew Pikulthong: Detained under court order resulting in the termination of their Pheu Thai Party membership.

Jatuporn: Also not endorsed because he is being detained without bail on terrorism charges.

Pichit Chuenban: Serving a jail term over the past five years.

- Top Democrat party-list candidate Abhisit Vejjajiva: Abusing his power as prime minister by getting the Commerce Ministry to hold a fair selling items at discounted prices in Samut Prakan on the day of advance voting, asking a "subordinate" to buy votes, using amplifiers in prohibited areas and intimidation.

- Democrat party-list MP candidate Ong-art Klampaiboon: Abusing his power as former PM's office minister in charge of MCOT's unfair broadcasting of party election campaigns.

- Bhum Jai Thai party-list MP candidate Chai Chidchob: Offering free food to "influence" voters and officials related to the election.

- Bhum Jai Thai's Chai Nat MP candidate Porntiva Nakasai: Listed in the same case as Abhisit.

- New Democracy Party leader Suratin Picharn: Bankruptcy, which might affect the party's fielding of MP candidates.

-- The Nation 2011-07-14

[OzMick]

Poor old Pichit Chuenban, done time for his master, lost his law licence, and now knocked back as an MP, though how he hoped to get away with it is beyond me.

BTW has Thaksin been charged for the bribery attempt that earned Pichit his holiday? I wonder under which constitution THAT would be legal.

[RogueExpat]

- New Democracy Party leader Suratin Picharn: Bankruptcy,

It's an expensive game, playing politics.

He's antied up, lost the lot, and probably all his family member's properties as well.

[Thaddeus]

BTW has Thaksin been charged for the bribery attempt that earned Pichit his holiday? I wonder under which constitution THAT would be legal.

The next one.

[Deeral]

Corruption in Thai politics isn't the predisposition of any one party, it is rife on all sides.

what is disturbing is that these court cases and obstructive "legalities" all smack of people being pursued not so much for their "crimes" as for their political beliefs.

i'm sure the next admin will be able to launch a series of similar cases against the Democrat alliance.

However it does nothing to sort out the mess of Thai politics and democracy in Thailand.

Thailand is in the grip of a malignant Ouroborus; Unless someone takes the bull by the horn and embraces the concept of "reconciliation" then the endless cycle will continue

Edited July 14, 2011 by Deeral

[hammered]

If the charge against Yingluck is as stated why has any PTP MP been seated? It is a charge against the party surely and not against an individual. All the other reasons are because of individual circumstances.

[whybother]

If the charge against Yingluck is as stated why has any PTP MP been seated? It is a charge against the party surely and not against an individual. All the other reasons are because of individual circumstances.

Yes. I would have thought that anything at a party level would be aimed at the executives (which Yingluck isn't).

[Thaddeus]

Thailand is in the grip of a malignant Ouroborus

Just the one?

[slapout]

Thailand is progressing on the political front. The rules as observed over the past few years: money, money and physical censorship, legal/court intervention, mob rule, and finally a combo of any of the above.

The good part is that employment of the otherwise unemployable, the bad is the potential of getting the financiers into a government slot, and the ugly is a combination of the two.

[alexakap]

- Top Pheu Thai party-list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra: Banned politicians were involved in her election campaign and the party's "Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai does" campaign motto.

- Pheu Thai party-list MP candidates, including red-shirt leaders Jatuporn Promphan, Natthawut Saikua, Weng Tojirakarn and Kokaew Pikulthong: Detained under court order resulting in the termination of their Pheu Thai Party membership.

Jatuporn: Also not endorsed because he is being detained without bail on terrorism charges.

Pichit Chuenban: Serving a jail term over the past five years.

- Top Democrat party-list candidate Abhisit Vejjajiva: Abusing his power as prime minister by getting the Commerce Ministry to hold a fair selling items at discounted prices in Samut Prakan on the day of advance voting, asking a "subordinate" to buy votes, using amplifiers in prohibited areas and intimidation.

- Democrat party-list MP candidate Ong-art Klampaiboon: Abusing his power as former PM's office minister in charge of MCOT's unfair broadcasting of party election campaigns.

- Bhum Jai Thai party-list MP candidate Chai Chidchob: Offering free food to "influence" voters and officials related to the election.

- Bhum Jai Thai's Chai Nat MP candidate Porntiva Nakasai: Listed in the same case as Abhisit.

- New Democracy Party leader Suratin Picharn: Bankruptcy, which might affect the party's fielding of MP candidates.

What a nice zoo of so-called "leaders" rule this country....Bravo! Keep ruling!!

[wolfmanjack]

Bhum Jai Thai party-list MP candidate Chai Chidchob: Offering free food to "influence" voters and officials related to the election.

wasn't there a complaint against Yingluck for giving away food also?

[Zolt]

EC has to tread carefully there. After a big win like this, invalidating the election would plunge the country in chaos.

As for Yingluck, I don't see how the charges above would affect her own nomination. Is there any record of her personally claiming to be a substitute for Thaksin? Also a clearer definition of "campaigning" is necessary. If a banned politician, responding to a journalist's questions, says something positive about her, is he "campaigning" for her? This part of the law doesn't make much sense too. If a banned politician is engaging into political activity by campaigning for someone, should't he be the one to bear the blame. Unless you can prove a link with whoever he's campaigning for - Else Thaksin could have engage in an active campaign to promote Abhisit's qualities , and boom!

As to why it is her that the EC has singled out Yingluck, it's fairly simple: it is her that was named in the complaint that they received. Them being the good bureaucrats they are, they probably have done nothing so far but to acknowledge that there is a complaint, and that it was filed according to proper procedure. Experience has shown that for them to actually look into the charges will take most of a year.

My question: can someone be PM without being elected as MP?

Edited July 14, 2011 by Zolt

[OzMick]

Corruption in Thai politics isn't the predisposition of any one party, it is rife on all sides.

what is disturbing is that these court cases and obstructive "legalities" all smack of people being pursued not so much for their "crimes" as for their political beliefs.

i'm sure the next admin will be able to launch a series of similar cases against the Democrat alliance.

However it does nothing to sort out the mess of Thai politics and democracy in Thailand.

Thailand is in the grip of a malignant Ouroborus; Unless someone takes the bull by the horn and embraces the concept of "reconciliation" then the endless cycle will continue

Well if you are silly enough to put on your party list people that are facing prosecution on serious charges, expect to reap the problems. The red shirt crew may have political beliefs, but they also committed crimes - the former is no excuse for the latter.

A would-be PM about to be charged with perjury might also expect to have a few credibility problems - actually she has them before the charges are laid.

[jayboy]

If the charge against Yingluck is as stated why has any PTP MP been seated? It is a charge against the party surely and not against an individual. All the other reasons are because of individual circumstances.

Who knows? I understand the EC will meet next week and hopefully we will see these cases unblocked.No need for anyone to get too steamed up now.But the world is watching.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/14/world/asia/14thailand.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

[animatic]

Corruption in Thai politics isn't the predisposition of any one party, it is rife on all sides.

what is disturbing is that these court cases and obstructive "legalities" all smack of people being pursued not so much for their "crimes" as for their political beliefs.

i'm sure the next admin will be able to launch a series of similar cases against the Democrat alliance.

However it does nothing to sort out the mess of Thai politics and democracy in Thailand.

Thailand is in the grip of a malignant Ouroborus; Unless someone takes the bull by the horn and embraces the concept of "reconciliation" then the endless cycle will continue

More likely being pursued in several cases for lack of any moral structure or ethics.

Reconciliation is an Oxymoron in this case.

Reconciliation = I get my way and my opponent loses.

Of course if they actually use the rule of law to do it, then at least that can be seen as progress, vs, doing it with no legal basis at all just force and intimidation.

Edited July 14, 2011 by animatic

[jdinasia]

If the charge against Yingluck is as stated why has any PTP MP been seated? It is a charge against the party surely and not against an individual. All the other reasons are because of individual circumstances.

Yes. I would have thought that anything at a party level would be aimed at the executives (which Yingluck isn't).

The PTP has its own issue with Thaksin's involvement but he spoke up directly for his sister too.

[Zolt]

Well if you are silly enough to put on your party list people that are facing prosecution on serious charges, expect to reap the problems. The red shirt crew may have political beliefs, but they also committed crimes - the former is no excuse for the latter.

A would-be PM about to be charged with perjury might also expect to have a few credibility problems - actually she has them before the charges are laid.

That was actually a big dilemma for the PT leadership. If they kicked Jatuporn and co from the party list, they risked losing some of the Red Shirt vote and creating division within the party. Balancing that against the risk to lose 3-4 party list seats on the EC ruling, they probably decided to take their chances with the EC. Jatuporn should have voluntarily stepped down from running, or they should have kept him on the party list but right at the bottom.

As for Yingluck, I think it's simply hard to find anyone in Thai politics who doesn't have some dirt on him. Abhisit was as squeaky clean as any Thai politician could ever hope to be, and now even he's got problems. Plus these charges on perjury were known from the beginning. If the EC didn't bar her from running in the first place, it's a bit late to do it now, isn't it?

Anyway, I'm not saying I support Yingluck or anything, but a large majority of the voters have shown that they do. Ignoring that would destroy this country at that point.

[DaveHKT]

If the charge against Yingluck is as stated why has any PTP MP been seated? It is a charge against the party surely and not against an individual. All the other reasons are because of individual circumstances.

Who knows? I understand the EC will meet next week and hopefully we will see these cases unblocked.No need for anyone to get too steamed up now.But the world is watching.

http://www.nytimes.c...ner=rss&emc=rss

As published by the NYT

"supporters of Mr. Thaksin's Pheu Thai party"

[jayboy]

As published by the NYT

"supporters of Mr. Thaksin's Pheu Thai party"

Hmm interesting first post.

I think you will find that most international media outlets actually have no particular brief for one party or the other in Thailand.The New York Times report does identify some worrying aspects of judicial intervention in Thailand, but other respected journals have taken much the same line.The usual approach of the unelected elite and their supporters is to make unsubstantiated attacks on the newspaper or the journalists involved.Hardly ever does one see reasoned criticism, possibly because their case is so weak.

Specifically I don't think the NYT has come out in support of the PTP.However the PTP has just won a general election rather convincingly so it would be natural for leading newspapers in civilised countries to deplore the grimy and undemocratic judicial frivolities we now see happening in Bangkok - doomed to failure I suspect.However if the unelected elites are too stupid to see sense they, having fanned up the flames they will reap the hurricane (to mix metaphors)

[hammered]

If the charge against Yingluck is as stated why has any PTP MP been seated? It is a charge against the party surely and not against an individual. All the other reasons are because of individual circumstances.

Who knows? I understand the EC will meet next week and hopefully we will see these cases unblocked.No need for anyone to get too steamed up now.But the world is watching.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/14/world/asia/14thailand.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Good NY Times article. The mentioned Thai Rath editorial was quite interesting too.

[rubl]

If the charge against Yingluck is as stated why has any PTP MP been seated? It is a charge against the party surely and not against an individual. All the other reasons are because of individual circumstances.

Who knows? I understand the EC will meet next week and hopefully we will see these cases unblocked.No need for anyone to get too steamed up now.But the world is watching.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/14/world/asia/14thailand.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Good NY Times article. The mentioned Thai Rath editorial was quite interesting too.

Interesting the article mentions the bizarre 'Ms. Yingluck cooking' charge, no mention of 'ex-PM Abhisit cooking though'. Were they both acquitted, or only Ms. Yingluck?

Edited July 14, 2011 by rubl

[DaveHKT]

As published by the NYT

"supporters of Mr. Thaksin's Pheu Thai party"

Hmm interesting first post.

I think you will find that most international media outlets actually have no particular brief for one party or the other in Thailand.The New York Times report does identify some worrying aspects of judicial intervention in Thailand, but other respected journals have taken much the same line.The usual approach of the unelected elite and their supporters is to make unsubstantiated attacks on the newspaper or the journalists involved.Hardly ever does one see reasoned criticism, possibly because their case is so weak.

Specifically I don't think the NYT has come out in support of the PTP.However the PTP has just won a general election rather convincingly so it would be natural for leading newspapers in civilised countries to deplore the grimy and undemocratic judicial frivolities we now see happening in Bangkok - doomed to failure I suspect.However if the unelected elites are too stupid to see sense they, having fanned up the flames they will reap the hurricane (to mix metaphors)

The post was not being critical of the NYT article but rather to illustrate an example of the term being used by the international media.

[whybother]

If the charge against Yingluck is as stated why has any PTP MP been seated? It is a charge against the party surely and not against an individual. All the other reasons are because of individual circumstances.

Who knows? I understand the EC will meet next week and hopefully we will see these cases unblocked.No need for anyone to get too steamed up now.But the world is watching.

http://www.nytimes.c...ner=rss&emc=rss

Good NY Times article. The mentioned Thai Rath editorial was quite interesting too.

Interesting the article mentions the bizarre 'Ms. Yingluck cooking' charge, no mention of 'ex-PM Abhisit cooking though'. Were they both acquitted, or only Ms. Yingluck?

Yingluck had a complaint lodged regarding her cooking. I don't believe Abhisit did. It was mentioned by some with "But Abhisit ... ".

[jayboy]

The post was not being critical of the NYT article but rather to illustrate an example of the term being used by the international media.

Sorry but I don't understand the part beginning "but rather".

[whybother]

The post was not being critical of the NYT article but rather to illustrate an example of the term being used by the international media.

Sorry but I don't understand the part beginning "but rather".

Let me help ...

Dave highlighted a phrase used by the NYT that illustrates how some in the international media see the Pheu Thai party.

[hammered]

As published by the NYT

"supporters of Mr. Thaksin's Pheu Thai party"

Hmm interesting first post.

I think you will find that most international media outlets actually have no particular brief for one party or the other in Thailand.The New York Times report does identify some worrying aspects of judicial intervention in Thailand, but other respected journals have taken much the same line.The usual approach of the unelected elite and their supporters is to make unsubstantiated attacks on the newspaper or the journalists involved.Hardly ever does one see reasoned criticism, possibly because their case is so weak.

Specifically I don't think the NYT has come out in support of the PTP.However the PTP has just won a general election rather convincingly so it would be natural for leading newspapers in civilised countries to deplore the grimy and undemocratic judicial frivolities we now see happening in Bangkok - doomed to failure I suspect.However if the unelected elites are too stupid to see sense they, having fanned up the flames they will reap the hurricane (to mix metaphors)

The last statement is the big one and the one a lot of locals are talking about. The Thai Rath editorial and even Tulsathit's "mind boggling" comment on the ECs questioning of the red shirt leaders qualifications would suggest that at least some fellow travellers are no longer in any mood to follow let alone cheerlead a dash to the edge, and on a lower level I cant find a single Dem supporter who supports machinations to derail the election winners.

[hammered]

Yingluck had a complaint lodged regarding her cooking. I don't believe Abhisit did. It was mentioned by some with "But Abhisit ... ".

The Yingluck cooking complaint was lodged a while back and the EC has cleared her already. The Abhisit complaint is more recent and hasnt been looked at yet if you want the purely technical stuff

[whybother]

Yingluck had a complaint lodged regarding her cooking. I don't believe Abhisit did. It was mentioned by some with "But Abhisit ... ".

The Yingluck cooking complaint was lodged a while back and the EC has cleared her already. The Abhisit complaint is more recent and hasnt been looked at yet if you want the purely technical stuff

Not according to the OP.

- Top Democrat party-list candidate Abhisit Vejjajiva: Abusing his power as prime minister by getting the Commerce Ministry to hold a fair selling items at discounted prices in Samut Prakan on the day of advance voting, asking a "subordinate" to buy votes, using amplifiers in prohibited areas and intimidation.

[rubl]

Interesting the article mentions the bizarre 'Ms. Yingluck cooking' charge, no mention of 'ex-PM Abhisit cooking though'. Were they both acquitted, or only Ms. Yingluck?

Yingluck had a complaint lodged regarding her cooking. I don't believe Abhisit did. It was mentioned by some with "But Abhisit ... ".

"As for the complaint made by the Nakorn Ratvhsrima Election Commission, claiming that Yingluck violated the election law as she cooked Chinese noodles and distributed them to her supporters, the election Commissioner, Sodsri Sattayatham, compared Yingluck's case to Abhisit's, when he cooked the Thai sweet, 'Kanom Krok', during his campaign."

"Democrat Party spokesman Buranaj Smutharaks says he opposes an Election Commission investigation into allegations that Yingluck Shinawatra, likely the next prime minister, broke the election law by giving food to voters."

http://asiancorrespondent.com/59648/will-yingluck-be-prevented-from-becoming-pm-because-of-her-cooking/

[DaveHKT]

The post was not being critical of the NYT article but rather to illustrate an example of the term being used by the international media.

Sorry but I don't understand the part beginning "but rather".

Does this read better?

"The post was not being critical of the NYT article, just pointing out the term used in their article".