15 Million Votes Is Not An Excuse For Charter Change: Thai Opinion

[webfact]

15 Million Votes Is Not an Excuse for Charter Change

Many Pheu Thai Party leaders, such as Chalerm Yoobamrung and most recently, Nattawut Saikuer, have claimed that the government has the legitimacy to amend the Constitution, which is to be introduced to Parliament next month, because it is what the 15 million people who voted for them in the previous general election want.

It is widely known that the Pheu Thai-led administration is trying to change the Charter in order to absolve former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of his crimes and to return 46 billion baht seized from him.

The Pheu Thai Party's claim of legitimacy on the 15 million votes has been strongly criticized as an attempt to exploit the past July 3 election results. The government must be reminded that the current Constitution was approved by more than 14 million voters in a national referendum.

The Pheu Thai Party needs to realize that its voters consist of various kinds of people. Some of them were supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra while others may prefer the party's proposed populist policies or simply want the first female Thai premier. It must also be admitted that a large number of Pheu Thai votes were bought off with cash or other incentives.

However, given the turn out of 35 million in the last election from the total eligible voters of 45 million or Thailand's population of over 63 million, the Pheu Thai Party's claim that its 15 million voters is the country's majority is groundless and nothing more than a political ploy.

The Pheu Thai-led administration also needs to answer why it is so determined to change the Charter while the country is currently facing many challenges, particularly the severe economic and social problems caused by the flood disaster. This is not only counter-productive but also may lead to a new round of political conflict stemmed from an attempt to benefit only one person.

Taken from Editorial Section, Naewna Newspaper, Page 3, December 27, 2011

Translated and Rewritten by Kongkrai Maksrivorawan

Please note that the views expressed in our "Analysis" segment are translated from local newspaper articles and do not reflect the views of the Thai-ASEAN News Network.

-- Tan Network 2011-12-28

[Joeb]

How many of those 15 million even thought about changing the constitution when they voted. I would suspect that the vast majority were voting for the 300 Baht wage and rice pricing scheme, with a goodly number voting for Thaksin's return.

[Hyponeros]

Does that mean that in a Thai style democracy the majority has no legitimacy????

"The Pheu Thai Party's claim of legitimacy on the 15 million votes has been strongly criticized as an attempt to exploit the past July 3 election results."

What does that mean???? The elected government cannot rule or what?

Criticized by whom?

What none-sense was written here again! So what is next? The army is the only one allowed to rule??? Oh, right, we had this one already!!!!

[whybother]

Does that mean that in a Thai style democracy the majority has no legitimacy????

"The Pheu Thai Party's claim of legitimacy on the 15 million votes has been strongly criticized as an attempt to exploit the past July 3 election results."

What does that mean???? The elected government cannot rule or what?

Criticized by whom?

What none-sense was written here again! So what is next? The army is the only one allowed to rule??? Oh, right, we had this one already!!!!

Having a majority of seats in parliament does not give them the right to change the constitution with out a referendum. They didn't get a majority of votes in the election which is what is needed to pass a referendum for making changes to the constitution.

[tlansford]

besides being standard-biased-fare from TANN, their journalists need to learn how to count and do simple math... or just read the actual election results.

However, given the turn out of 35 million in the last election from the total eligible voters of 45 million or Thailand's population of over 63 million, the Pheu Thai Party's claim that its 15 million voters is the country's majority is groundless and nothing more than a political ploy.

valid votes, 32.5 million

PTP votes 15.7 million

and then there is :

The government must be reminded that the current Constitution was approved by more than 14 million voters in a national referendum.

I am pretty certain the current gov't does not need to be reminded of the conditions under which the current constitution was approved.

[lungmi]

I am pretty certain the current gov't does not need to be reminded of the conditions under which the current constitution was approved.

2/3 THIRD of the legislative can amend the constitution. (International standard). Thailand is far away. Combodia not. UN made it. The misuse is another subject.

[animatic]

They have enough of a mandate to run the county for the moment, but not close to enough for a charter rewrite mandate, even if every single voter voted with that intention, which is hardly the case.

[FarangKyAy]

This Constitution have been "approved" by a referrendum weirdly conducted ;

- compaigning for the "No" was if not strictly "prohibited", it was actually highly not recommended by the army

- the "Yes" campaign was strongly supported by Army statement such as "vote yes or else .... we pick any previous Constitution that we will amend as we wish without submitting to people approval"

What was their mandate at this time?

Without being partisan of one side or the other, it might be good to have more elected people in Senate (instead of selected ones)

The rule that could conduct to a party dissolution if one member of the direction is caught for corruption or vote buying is quite unheard of (ban and punish the one who is corrupted and his culprits, not the whole party)

The voting system helps more small party to access to Parliament but on the other side except in case of landslide victory, it requires deals to form a majority and a government, thus making them instable.

Looks like as if it has been designed to reduce government stability, making it weaker whereas Bureaucraty and Army retain significant power...

Edited December 28, 2011 by FarangKyAy

[Footloose1949]

If, and since the last time the Constitution was changed, it was done as a consequence of a national referendum, any changes to it, should also only be made, if another national referendum, proves that the people want it to be changed.

If such a fundamental change is made due to the 'reasoning' used to justify allowing this to happen, it's I would have thought, a very, very dangerous precedent which could then be used to 'justify' other important pieces of legislation, denying the public a say in other things too.

[anterian]

" the current Constitution was approved by more than 14 million voters in a national referendum. Yes, a forced approval, "accept this constitution or we will chose one ourselves", the army quote!

[Anon999]

besides being standard-biased-fare from TANN, their journalists need to learn how to count and do simple math... or just read the actual election results.

Taken from Editorial Section, Naewna Newspaper, Page 3, December 27, 2011

Translated and Rewritten by Kongkrai Maksrivorawan

Please note that the views expressed in our "Analysis" segment are translated from local newspaper articles and do not reflect the views of the Thai-ASEAN News Network

Try reading the credits in future!

and then there is :

The government must be reminded that the current Constitution was approved by more than 14 million voters in a national referendum.

I am pretty certain the current gov't does not need to be reminded of the conditions under which the current constitution was approved.

Knowing the laws under the current constitution doesn't mean the government will not endeavour to circumvent them for their own best interests and benefit.

Edited December 29, 2011 by Anon999

[sbk]

besides being standard-biased-fare from TANN, their journalists need to learn how to count and do simple math... or just read the actual election results.

However, given the turn out of 35 million in the last election from the total eligible voters of 45 million or Thailand's population of over 63 million, the Pheu Thai Party's claim that its 15 million voters is the country's majority is groundless and nothing more than a political ploy.

valid votes, 32.5 million

PTP votes 15.7 million

I am doing the math and don't see how 15.7 million is a clear majority out of 32.5 million?

[bendejo]

Hey, those votes cost good money!

That poor guy put all that effort into scheming a way to get the most money, then got caught and has had to suffer, wandering from country to country in a private jet, spending untold amounts on bogus passports, and even more on a faux politicial liberation movement that could very well plunge his beloved homeland into civil war, and then all that money to have his sister elected as his stand-in.

Sheesh!