Thai Court Will See 'Absentee Voting' Parliament Videos

[webfact]

Court will see 'absentee voting' Parliament videos

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Chuwit Kamolvisit, an outspoken MP and leader of the opposition Rak Prathet Thai party, said yesterday that he had collected six videos of MPs voting on behalf of absent colleagues that he would submit as evidence to the Constitution Court.

He will seek the court's ruling on both voting in the name of others during the parliamentary debate on charter amendments and the constitutionality of the amendment bill.

However, he will wait until the amendment bill is passed before petitioning the court.

"After voting in the final reading, I will submit all the clips to the Constitution Court. I have no intention of killing the constitutional amendment," he said.

six videos

Besides the two videos the media saw on Tuesday, he had four more showing MPs from the Pheu Thai and Democrat parties voting with their neighbours' ID cards. The acts were recorded during the first and second readings of the charter amendment bill.

"This is a matter of principle and parliamentarians have to follow the code of conduct. Company employees get fired when they punch the time clock for their co-workers. Doing that is a severe offence for company staff," he said.

On the eighth day of the debate on charter changes yesterday, Parliament President Somsak Kiartsuranond, who is also Speaker of the House of Representatives, assigned Parliament secretary-general Pitoon Pumhirun to set up a fact-finding committee from the two houses. The results of its probe into Chuwit's charges should be known within a week, he said.

The overall vote is not an issue, as each of the approved amendment clauses was supported by more than 300 parliamentarians, he said.

"I don't think the whole amendment will be affected. This is a case of personal ethics."

Earlier in yesterday's debate, MPs from the government and opposition, as well as senators, called for an inquiry into allegations made by some parliamentarians.

Pheu Thai MP Jirayu Huangsap rose to defend his colleague who was photographed extending his hand to the panel in front of a seat behind his. Jirayu said his team found that the panel had no slot for an ID card.

He called on Bangkok Senator Rosana Tositrakul to apologise if it is found later that the photo she showed had caused a misunderstanding and damaged the reputation of Parliament.

Pheu Thai MP Wiwatchai Hotrawaisaya said he was the MP in Rosana's photo, but he was just stretching and not voting for someone else.

Rosana called for a probe, saying she believed Chuwit's videos were clear proof of what had happened.

Pheu Thai MP Worachai Hema admitted that some MPs and senators had asked their colleagues to press a button on their seats to confirm their presence when there was a call for voting, while they were returning to the meeting chamber.

"No parliamentarians can be glued to their seats for the whole day. They have to take breaks and take turns leaving all the time. So sometimes MPs and senators press the 'present' button for their colleagues," he said.

Opposition Democrat MP Somboon Uthaiwiankul suggested that the matter be referred to the Constitution Court to rule whether it resulted in voiding the constitutional amendment.

Somsak said that in the future, parliamentarians should protest immediately when they see anyone voting on behalf of others so that the voting result could be corrected.

PM: we'll punish offenders

Outside the chamber, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Parliament should check out the claims of improprieties and that her Pheu Thai Party had measures to punish offenders.

Pheu Thai MP Pracha Prasopdee said that during a vote on a bill in March, someone voted on behalf of Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva.

"My question is whether Abhisit was in Parliament at the time," he said.

There were also some attempts to obstruct the government-sponsored constitutional amendment, he said.

-- The Nation 2012-04-26

relates topic:

Chuvit claims MPs 'voted for absent colleagues'

Full story:

[pipo1000]

The overall vote is not an issue, as each of the approved amendment clauses was supported by more than 300 parliamentarians, he said.

From which how many were present?

[Hyponeros]

What someone voting for someone else???? You mean like proxy vote?

But hold on! This is legal in most civilized countries! Is it not the case in Thailand or is someone trying to make more noise than the porn watching MP case will do?

[JohnAllan]

I doubt there are ever even close to 300 MPs present at one and the same time, so somewhat difficult to measure their support, or otherwise. And of those that are present, safe to assume that many of them are either asleep, watching porn, or sending SMSs/making calls. As for personal ethics: MPs + ethics = oxymoron.

[JohnAllan]

What someone voting for someone else???? You mean like proxy vote?

But hold on! This is legal in most civilized countries! Is it not the case in Thailand or is someone trying to make more noise than the porn watching MP case will do?

Pre-proposed and approved, yes, but not when the voter is supposedly there in person.

[JohnAllan]

What someone voting for someone else???? You mean like proxy vote?

But hold on! This is legal in most civilized countries! Is it not the case in Thailand or is someone trying to make more noise than the porn watching MP case will do?

Not when the voter is there in person. Toilet visits, cat naps and playing around with mobiles doesn't qualify as absent.

[Thai at Heart]

What a joke of a system.

[phiphidon]

a

Besides the two videos the media saw on Tuesday, he had four more showing MPs from the Pheu Thai and Democrat parties voting with their neighbours' ID cards.

resulting in

PM: we'll punish offenders

Outside the chamber, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Parliament should check out the claims of improprieties and that her Pheu Thai Party had measures to punish offenders.

and Abhisit said "......................................................................................................"

[OzMick]

"Pheu Thai MP Wiwatchai Hotrawaisaya said he was the MP in Rosana's photo, but he was just stretching and not voting for someone else."

It seems what he is stretching is the truth.

[OzMick]

a

Besides the two videos the media saw on Tuesday, he had four more showing MPs from the Pheu Thai and Democrat parties voting with their neighbours' ID cards.

resulting in

PM: we'll punish offenders

Outside the chamber, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Parliament should check out the claims of improprieties and that her Pheu Thai Party had measures to punish offenders.

and Abhisit said "......................................................................................................"

I'm sure Yingluk's measures would be a very nasty slap on the wrist with a feather. But I doubt that the Constitution Court will take that in to consideration when the look into the cases. i await your claims of "judicial coup".

[h90]

Thaksin decides

the proxy government does it

the proxy-proxy parliament votes for it

the proxy-proxy-proxy MP press the button

[Skywalker69]

a

Besides the two videos the media saw on Tuesday, he had four more showing MPs from the Pheu Thai and Democrat parties voting with their neighbours' ID cards.

resulting in

PM: we'll punish offenders

Outside the chamber, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Parliament should check out the claims of improprieties and that her Pheu Thai Party had measures to punish offenders.

and Abhisit said "......................................................................................................"

I'm sure Yingluk's measures would be a very nasty slap on the wrist with a feather. But I doubt that the Constitution Court will take that in to consideration when the look into the cases. i await your claims of "judicial coup".

Not that he is going to hang him self?? Doubble standard?

[theanimaster]

Typical pieces of turd who make billions in corruption yet can't even drag their pathetic selves to 'the office'. But who cares? The rich don't -- their businesses and lives don't revolve around the petty government I guess... middle-class and the poor are just too complacent and unable to think, thanks to how the government rigged the educational system. AS I've always said -- at this moment, the only thing the government cares about is milking its own people. Certainly not advancing the nation.

[Buchholz]

"Pheu Thai MP Wiwatchai Hotrawaisaya said he was the MP in Rosana's photo, but he was just stretching and not voting for someone else."

It seems what he is stretching is the truth.

unexpectedly..... him and the Pheu Thai Lawsuit Coordinator are filing charges...

.

[Buchholz]

Pheu Thai MP Files Defamation Charge against 2 Senators, 1 Democrat MP

A Pheu Thau MP filed a defamation complaint with the police over accusations that he casted a vote for his party's absent colleagues during the charter amendment debate.

Pheu Thai Party Spokesperson Prompong Nopparit, Pheu Thai MP for Bangkok Jirayu Huangsup and Pheu Thau MP for Sisaket Wiwatchai Hotrawaisaya held a joint conference, saying they filed a complaint with police at the Dusit police station against three politicians for alleging that Wiwatchai casted a vote on behalf of their absent colleagues during the charter amendment debate during the House meeting on Wednesday.

The three politicians sued are senators Rosana Tositrakul and Somchai Sawaengkan, as well as Opposition Democrat MP Boonyod Sooktinthai.

Prompong defended Wiwatchai that he was simply resting his arm on his backseat and was not reaching backwards to vote for his absent colleague, as his colleague's seat was vacant at that time.

In addition, the microphone was not turned on and the two seats were separated by a walkway in the middle.

He noted that the issue must be thoroughly investigated as it could discredit Wiwatchai and also tarnish the parliament's reputation.

The Pheu Thai Party spokesperson further said that the new scandal might be aimed at diverting public attention from an earlier scandal involving Democrat MP Nat Banthatthan, who was caught by an anonymous photographer looking at a nude image on his mobile phone.

-- Tan Network 2012-04-26

[h90]

"Pheu Thai MP Wiwatchai Hotrawaisaya said he was the MP in Rosana's photo, but he was just stretching and not voting for someone else."

It seems what he is stretching is the truth.

unexpectedly..... him and the Pheu Thai Lawsuit Coordinator are filing charges...

.

and if he pressed the button by mistake it was just a honest mistake,,,,

[animatic]

Thaksin decides

the proxy government does it

the proxy-proxy parliament votes for it

the proxy-proxy-proxy MP press the button

And the proxy for the proxy-proxy-proxy MP presses the button

when the actual MP is in the can, out to lunch, being the bagman, or visiting the Mia noi.

And then has the usual responce when getting caught :

"Pheu Thai MP Files Defamation Charge against 2 Senators, 1 Democrat MP"

Oh, the picture liehens, it is not real, I am not the man,

and you can't say anything I don't like, I have a lawyer.

Yadda Yadda Yadda. Tap dance wildly and grimace.

Edited April 26, 2012 by animatic

[GentlemanJim]

a

Besides the two videos the media saw on Tuesday, he had four more showing MPs from the Pheu Thai and Democrat parties voting with their neighbours' ID cards.

resulting in

PM: we'll punish offenders

Outside the chamber, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Parliament should check out the claims of improprieties and that her Pheu Thai Party had measures to punish offenders.

and Abhisit said "......................................................................................................"

Take it up with the journo's that didn't ask him.................jeez some people make this a tiring site sometimes.

[TAWP]

These people...

[whybother]

What someone voting for someone else???? You mean like proxy vote?

But hold on! This is legal in most civilized countries! Is it not the case in Thailand or is someone trying to make more noise than the porn watching MP case will do?

Where is it legal for politicians to have proxy votes?

[whybother]

The Pheu Thai Party spokesperson further said that the new scandal might be aimed at diverting public attention from an earlier scandal involving Democrat MP Nat Banthatthan, who was caught by an anonymous photographer looking at a nude image on his mobile phone.

Why would Chuwit be wanting to divert attention for the girlie picture issue?

[phiphidon]

a

Besides the two videos the media saw on Tuesday, he had four more showing MPs from the Pheu Thai and Democrat parties voting with their neighbours' ID cards.

resulting in

PM: we'll punish offenders

Outside the chamber, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said Parliament should check out the claims of improprieties and that her Pheu Thai Party had measures to punish offenders.

and Abhisit said "......................................................................................................"

Take it up with the journo's that didn't ask him.................jeez some people make this a tiring site sometimes.

You are aware of the ignore option, aren't you. Must be hard for you having to read an opposing post every now and then.

[OZEMADE]

Abhisit may now be in hot water if the new video shows him absent during voting.

Abhisit has been accused of having someone vote on his behalf during a meeting last march.

He was allegedly absent when the house voted on an amendment to the Land Transport Act.

If this is true then he would have a case to answer and it would make him no better than what a lot of other people have accused Yingluck of doing.

Not being present during meetings?

[billd766]

I am sure that the electronic vote is recorded with a date and time group and stored somewhere accessible.

So if the records were pulled it would show who voted on what and what time of day.

From that it wold be easy to see if ANY MP was there and if in fact they had "voted" while being elsewhere then they should be suspended pending an enquiry. It should apply to ALL members irrespectiionve of their party OR their position.

After all that is why they became MPs, to represent their constituents, wasn't it?

[katana]

Clip of MP Bunyot Sukthinthai allegedly using someone else's card. He claims it was his and was required to use the microphone. He'd left it behind after moving seats to be next to MP for Samut Songkhram, MIss Rangsima Rotratsami.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2k38jMVmjo

Edited May 5, 2012 by katana

[TAWP]

Time to add finger-print requirement for voting...

[animatic]

Time to add finger-print requirement for voting...

Easy enough to do.

I prefer a finger prick Blood Test too.

Then they can earn a little pain for each vote cast...

maybe they'll consider their votes more if it hurts to do it!

Maybe DNA testing too to make sure they are human

and not weasels or monitor lizards.

Edited May 5, 2012 by animatic

[TAWP]

Another benefit with blood-test would be that they could combine in a drug-test in there too...

[sparebox2]

Abhisit may now be in hot water if the new video shows him absent during voting.

Abhisit has been accused of having someone vote on his behalf during a meeting last march.

He was allegedly absent when the house voted on an amendment to the Land Transport Act.

If this is true then he would have a case to answer and it would make him no better than what a lot of other people have accused Yingluck of doing.

Not being present during meetings?

No wonder Mark is so quiet about this.

[sparebox2]

"Pheu Thai MP Wiwatchai Hotrawaisaya said he was the MP in Rosana's photo, but he was just stretching and not voting for someone else."

It seems what he is stretching is the truth.

"the two seats were separated by a walkway in the middle" he must have long arms.