Thailand To Open New Parliament

[webfact]

Thailand to open new parliament

by Rachel O'Brien

BANGKOK, August 1, 2011 (AFP) - Thailand's new parliament officially opened on Monday, faced with the daunting challenge of bringing stability to the kingdom after five years of political turmoil.

Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn presided over the elaborate opening ceremony in the capital Bangkok in the late afternoon, allowing the 500-seat lower house to convene for business on Tuesday.

"It is your direct responsibility as MPs to lead the country within the democratic system, for the benefit of the country and people," the prince told lawmakers during a short inauguration speech.

Within days, MPs are expected to vote in the country's first female prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra of the Puea Thai party, which on July 3 won a crushing electoral victory to take power from the pro-establishment Democrats.

Yingluck will take the helm almost five years after her brother, the deeply divisive Thaksin Shinawatra, was ousted as premier in a military coup. He now lives abroad to avoid a jail term for corruption.

Thai academic Pavin Chachavalpongpun said 44-year-old Yingluck, who is widely seen as a proxy for her brother, had shown surprising charisma since her electoral success and could become "a very capable prime minister".

But he said the challenges facing the premier-in-waiting, a political novice, are formidable.

"I think the honeymoon period of Yingluck will be very short. She has so many obstacles in front of her," said Pavin, of Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

Thailand's political landscape became increasingly polarised following the 2006 coup, with other Thaksin allies removed from power by the courts and paralysing rallies by both pro- and anti-Thaksin camps.

They culminated in mass demonstrations by his "Red Shirt" followers in Bangkok last April and May, which ended with a military assault and more than 90 people dead. Thaksin is wanted on terrorism charges linked to the unrest.

Yingluck is expected to face pressure from the Red Shirts, many of whom support Thaksin for his populist policies during his 2001-2006 rule. They are likely to demand justice over last year's violence and push for their leaders to be given key positions.

The new government will also need to appease those among the Bangkok-based elite who backed Thaksin's ouster and believe his style of leadership was authoritarian and corrupt.

Economic concerns have meanwhile been raised over the potential impact of Yingluck's vote-grabbing promises, such as a minimum wage hike and higher rice prices for farmers, which the Bank of Thailand has warned could stoke inflation.

The Commerce Ministry said Monday that inflation edged up marginally in July, but permanent secretary Yanyong Phuangrach warned against panic-buying out of concern over new policies, as "that will cause a surge in prices".

Last week, the Election Commission endorsed dozens of winning candidates from the national polls, bringing the total approved to 496 -- passing the 95 percent threshold needed by law for parliament to convene.

The vote body earlier dismissed allegations against Yingluck that banned politicians were involved in her campaign.

Yingluck has formed a dominating six-party coalition that will hold about three-fifths of the seats in the lower chamber, where MPs' first task will be to elect a house speaker, expected on Tuesday.

The Puea Thai said the party agreed on Monday to nominate a former deputy house speaker and veteran politician, Somsak Kiatsuranond, for the role.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-08-01

[webfact]

Yingluck 'faces many tricky hurdles'

By Achara Deboonme

The Nation

The July 3 election turned up with a convincing victory for Pheu Thai, but the party's strategist is convinced the road from now on will be bumpier due to high public expectations amid deep social division.

Still, with confidence that 70 per cent of election promises would be delivered, the strategist who asked for anonymity has convinced himself the party would definitely remain in power for years despite its "dark side" influences.

"The first battle will be on how to prevent Yingluck (Shinawatra, the younger sister of fugitive prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra) from being prime minister," he said, referring to the accusation of perjury and negative rumours on her birth history.

"If she rides through this and becomes prime minister, another battle could be ignited by the border conflict. We start to hear threats that if our troops are withdrawn from the conflict area along the Thai-Cambodian border, protesters will gather around Government House. This is [even if] the withdrawal is an order from The Hague," he said, shaking his head disapprovingly.

He declined to say whether these issues and criticisms over the party's economic policies were slowing the Cabinet lineup. Yet, he believed that whatever the stumbling blocks were, they were not strong enough to derail Pheu Thai.

"The voter turnout ratio [at the July 3 election] at over 70 per cent tells something. They love our policies. Even the clone could not do better, as they don't truly understand the philosophy of these policies," he said.

The strategist is convinced that of all promises made during the election campaign, at least 70 per cent would be delivered. Despite strong criticism, one policy to be implemented, no matter what, involves the minimum wage hike to Bt300 nationwide. Convincing him is the fact that the party has come up with all accommodating measures, including the corporate tax cut for profit-making firms and soft loans to small and medium-sized enterprises affected.

"Given that a fast food dish costs Bt40, how do you think low-income earners would survive? They need a pay rise," he said.

Another viable policy concerns Bangkok's mass transit, with a more integrated network and a flat fare of Bt20 per ride.

But what he liked the best was the farmers' credit card scheme. Olarn Chaipravat, a chief economist of the party, earlier said the programme would require the government's guarantee of Bt250 billion a year for those farmers who are buying fertilisers and farming materials on loans. The strategist felt this would win the hearts of many farmers.

"This deals directly with the dignity issue. Before, they had to go to the middlemen, begging for purchases on loan. Now, they can flash the credit cards for wanted items," he said.

Against criticism that the party buys votes with populist policies, he argued the party gives equal focus to the revenue side. All policies must induce growth in the economy, he said, so that future returns can match up with spending now.

He noted that the Democrat-led party stimulated the economy through its Bt2,000 cheques, but the Pheu Thai Party was not giving away freebies. What's required is a tweaking of the government budget, and elevating villagers' self-esteem.

For example, the Village Fund introduced under the first Thaksin administration was financed through the budget allocated for rural development. But instead of devising spending programmes, the central government handed over the power to villagers.

No matter how worrisome the border issue, he thinks it is necessary for Thailand to end its conflict with Cambodia. He noted that the issue at hand is the conflict over offshore petroleum exploration in the Gulf of Thailand, not control over a Hindu temple, the Preah Vihear. To him, there must be ways to undo the repeated wrongs.

Noppadol Pattama, former finance minister in the Somchai administration, played the wrong tactic in defending himself over the alleged betrayal [in the temple negotiations], as he should have referred his action to the Surayud government's resolution over the issue. Making things worse was the willingness of some politicians to play tough in this issue for votes at home, ahead of the election.

"Peace involves an economic cost. Without war, there are plenty of opportunities. We may need to revisit the talk over offshore territory that has been stalled for years… We'll overcome the obstacles," he said.

On the deep social rift? He said it would take decades to end debate over issues like what Thais learnt from the October 6 massacre. To end this, rewinding time is necessary but that is not easy. For now, Pheu Thai will concentrate on issues at hand, one by one.

-- The Nation 2011-08-01

[webfact]

Thai crown prince opens new parliament

BANGKOK, August 1, 2011 (AFP) - Thailand's crown prince formally opened the new parliament on Monday at an elaborate ceremony in the capital, broadcast live on national television.

The 500-seat lower house, where allies of ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra have a majority, now faces the formidable task of reconciling the divided nation after five years of political turmoil.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-08-01

[hammered]

Time to move on we hope, but how long before the first big controversy or clash or demo or coup or maybe more to the point how long before the first bunch of dissolution cases hit the courts?

[animatic]

Time to move on we hope, but how long before the first big controversy or clash or demo or coup or maybe more to the point how long before the first bunch of dissolution cases hit the courts?

October, unless the Jatupron issue heats up next week.

I have worries about December for sure.

[hammered]

Time to move on we hope, but how long before the first big controversy or clash or demo or coup or maybe more to the point how long before the first bunch of dissolution cases hit the courts?

October, unless the Jatupron issue heats up next week.

I have worries about December for sure.

Reshuffle (Sept/Oct) time has to be the first point of tension as long as government formation goes smoothly.

[ozzieman05]

Reminds me of an old war movie

where they ask all the cut throat criminal soldiers in jail to form a group to attack the Germans behind the lines

Some work out

But most are just thugs and it is only time before they show there real colours

[siampolee]

But what he liked the best was the farmers' credit card scheme. Olarn Chaipravat, a chief economist of the party, earlier said the programme would require the government's guarantee of Bt250 billion a year for those farmers who are buying fertilisers and farming materials on loans. The strategist felt this would win the hearts of many farmers.

"This deals directly with the dignity issue. Before, they had to go to the middlemen, begging for purchases on loan. Now, they can flash the credit cards for wanted items," he said.

Whilst the cause is admirable one does wonder if the farmers are aware that credit cards are like loaded guns ?

In the wrong hand and the wrong use crippling debt injuries will be incurred, those debts have to be serviced just the ame as the debt to the middleman, all that's happening is the REBRANDING of "Debt Bondage".

[whybother]

But what he liked the best was the farmers' credit card scheme. Olarn Chaipravat, a chief economist of the party, earlier said the programme would require the government's guarantee of Bt250 billion a year for those farmers who are buying fertilisers and farming materials on loans. The strategist felt this would win the hearts of many farmers.

"This deals directly with the dignity issue. Before, they had to go to the middlemen, begging for purchases on loan. Now, they can flash the credit cards for wanted items," he said.

Whilst the cause is admirable one does wonder if the farmers are aware that credit cards are like loaded guns ?

In the wrong hand and the wrong use crippling debt injuries will be incurred, those debts have to be serviced just the ame as the debt to the middleman, all that's happening is the REBRANDING of "Debt Bondage".

What???? Do they have to pay it back???? Do they know that????

[Rinrada]

Khun Yingluck.....Chok dee na krup

[whybother]

Khun Yingluck.....Chok dee na krup

According to the fortune teller, she'll need it.

Problems with the trade unions in a few months (probably because she'll back track on her minimum wage increase promise).

Problems in a couple of years from people trying to do her harm (maybe the red shirts by then).