PM Yingluck: Parliament Debate On Nasa Request To Go Ahead Despite Cancellation

[webfact]

PM says Parliament debate on Nasa request to go ahead despite cancellation

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday that the proposed parliamentary debate on Nasa's request for use of the U-tapao Airport for a climate study would go ahead despite the US agency calling off its mission after a delay in Thailand's approval.

She said the Cabinet had made its decision for the debate and it would not be easy to change a Cabinet resolution.

"We will have to abide by the Cabinet resolution. I can't on my own change a Cabinet resolution," Yingluck said, adding that the Cabinet wanted to allow parliamentary scrutiny in national |interest.

Parliament is scheduled to debate the request by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration when the next House session begins on August 1.

Nasa had announced that it had to call off the airborne science mission planned for Southeast Asia this year because of the absence of necessary approvals by regional authorities in the time frame necessary to support the mission.

The prime minister said yesterday that it was likely the result of the parliamentary debate would be used for a future Cabinet decision if Nasa makes a request again next year for study over Thailand's airspace. "We will see if approval requires only a Cabinet decision or a green light by Parliament," she added.

The Cabinet had deferred its decision on the matter after mounting opposition. Critics suspected questionable deals involving ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is Yingluck's elder brother, in the negotiation over the Nasa project.

Yingluck yesterday avoided a reporter's question whether this matter should be regarded as a lesson for the government to deal with similar projects in the future to prevent loss of benefit for the country.

Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapha said he saw no need now for the parliamentary debate on the project after Nasa had cancelled its plan for this year.

He said it would be pointless for Parliament to debate the issue, as it remained unclear whether the US agency would make the same request next year.

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of Chulalongkorn University's Institute of Security and International Studies, said he had learned from a high-ranking American official that US President Barack Obama had cancelled his plan for a trip to Thailand after his participation in the East Asian Summit in Cambodia in November. He pointed to a possible connection between the president's decision and the delay in Thailand's approval for the Nasa project, leading to its cancellation.

The academic said the cancellation of Obama's trip would adversely affect Thai-US relations and cooperation.

Thai Ambassador to the US Chaiyong Satjipanon said there was no official announcement yet as to whether Obama would cancel his trip to Thailand. He said the US leader would have a tight schedule during the time when he would also be involved in campaigning for the US presidential election. ??be over by then??

Foreign Ministry spokesman Thanee Thongpakdee said ties between Thailand and the United States remained close despite the problems over the Nasa project. He said Washington respected the Thai government's decision.

Regarding a trip by the US president to Thailand, he said discussions were under way to determine the proper time.

-- The Nation 2012-06-30

[slapout]

When people are involved in suspect/illicet business activities, it is normal for them to suspect the rest of the world would think/acts like they do. No trust/honor between thieves.

To debate something that has already been canceled does seem fairly consistent to this governments realm of thinking/reasoning.

[Moruya]

Ignoring questions that the entire country wants to know the answer to is not Democratic

[theblether]

She said the Cabinet had made its decision for the debate and it would not be easy to change a Cabinet resolution.

Just absurd, absolutely absurd.

[Mosha]

Closing the stable door after the horses have bolted.

[phl]

I guess this government has no burning issues to address, so why not waste some time on discussing what is NOT going ahead. Once again great thinking

[Buchholz]

I guess this government has no burning issues to address, so why not waste some time on discussing what is NOT going ahead. Once again great thinking

It's the same sort of thinking that leads to putting indicted terrorists on the Cabinet or to think that boat propellers are going to impact a flooded river.

.

[Yunla]

Yingluck does not attend debates or speak unscripted on parliamentary matters anyway, so she is essentially saying 'the debates will go ahead but I will not be there', she should also add 'I will be having secret meetings with shadowy business cartels in hotel conference suites instead.'

The debate might as well go ahead, PTP would not have used the parliamentary time for reformist bills on rural poverty, anti-corruption bills or infrastructure development bills anyway.

For PTP parliament is just a place to hang-out while they are out on bail, so it doesn't really matter what is discussed anyway.

Edited June 30, 2012 by Yunla

[apetley]

Very strange decision.

It seems easy enough for the government to delay talking about revonciliation, something the country desperately needs to address and debate whilst at the same time being unable to cancel debating something that is not going to happen. Weird or what?

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

[Curt1591]

I guess this government has no burning issues to address, so why not waste some time on discussing what is NOT going ahead. Once again great thinking

Debating nonsense is often used to take focus off of real issues.

[Buchholz]

Very strange decision.

It seems easy enough for the government to delay talking about revonciliation, something the country desperately needs to address and debate whilst at the same time being unable to cancel debating something that is not going to happen. Weird or what?

I think you uncovered the campaign slogan for the next reincarnation of Thaksin's Party...

"Weird or what?"

.

[Reasonableman]

WOW!!!

[Lifer]

I guess this government has no burning issues to address, so why not waste some time on discussing what is NOT going ahead. Once again great thinking

Right. What have they done since being in power? Does fighting and arguing count?

[ThaiOats]

It's another ploy to fool the masses. They'll debate it and expose all the 'clean' information and then go back to finger pointing that it was the Democrat's fault for not trusting the government. So perhaps next year, if the US comes back they'll refer back to this time and say "there was nothing to worry about then, why now".

[noitom]

Where is the big Thai cheese who was pontificating that "it is not a parliamentary issue." Thais are losing out on all the benefits that more information on weather would provide. Maybe some of this information would help in preparing for rain, wind and floods. Maybe it might have been a big benefit in helping the Thai people.

Anyway the US taxpayers are better off not having their money spent trying to help Thais when it should be spent on Americans and helping the good old USA.

[ballpoint]

It wouldn't surprise me if the debate on this; as to whether the decision needs full parliamentary approval, or just the cabinet go ahead, ends up being used as a precedent for a number of far more major decisions. Therein could lie her eagerness to debate a dead horse, so to speak.

[jamstock]

I think the point of the debate is to discuss whether or not this should be allowed to happen in the future. So in that sense it isn't a waste of time.

[bigbamboo]

I suppose it will make a useful filler in between reconciliation debates.... give certain MPs the chance of a bar break.

[Buchholz]

I think the point of the debate is to discuss whether or not this should be allowed to happen in the future. So in that sense it isn't a waste of time.

With the myriad of issues needing to be addressed, it makes no sense whatsoever to not prioritize the debate schedule and place items that ARE going to happen first.

.

[ballpoint]

I think the point of the debate is to discuss whether or not this should be allowed to happen in the future. So in that sense it isn't a waste of time.

With the myriad of issues needing to be addressed, it makes no sense whatsoever to not prioritize the debate schedule and place items that ARE going to happen first.

.

Ahh, but they can plead that what happened now shouldn't be allowed to happen again, so best to just give more power to the cabinet and bypass parliamentary debate altogether.

[Bill662]

Fact No.1# Last time democrats won PM election was over a decade ago

Fact No.2# Only one democrats PM came from election by majority (chuan leekpai)

[phl]

Fact No.1# Last time democrats won PM election was over a decade ago

Fact No.2# Only one democrats PM came from election by majority (chuan leekpai)

and what does that have to do with the price of banana's?

[Buchholz]

Fact No.1# Last time democrats won PM election was over a decade ago

Fact No.2# Only one democrats PM came from election by majority (chuan leekpai)

Any "facts" you know that relate to the wholly unnecessary NASA debate on a project that is not happening?

oh, and..

.

[metisdead]

A post has been removed due to possible violation of copyright and non compliance of fair use. It is generally accepted, but not written into law, that quoting the first two or three sentences of an article and giving a link to the source is considered “fair use” and not a violation of copyright.

[rubl]

I don't want to add to ongoing polarisation, let me say that first. Secondly I'm a bit surprised as for the absence of comments by some other illustrious members. It might be that in general posters feel that a PM abiding by her cabinet resolution and saying "I can't change their decision' and furthermore a PM avoiding questions from reporters for the firstumpteenth time in her first year in office doesn't deserve any further remarks. Obviously [sic] those (remarks) are saved for when less important issues are discussed in parliament, like charter amendment, reconciliation bills, additional budgets for important figures projects and the like. Please someone remind me, how many billion THB have been spent on the Rice Price Pledging scheme since it started on the 7th of October 2011 and how those expenses can be detailed as in directly trickled to the farmers the project was supposed to help.

Edited July 1, 2012 by rubl

[Skywalker69]

Yingluck does not attend debates or speak unscripted on parliamentary matters anyway, so she is essentially saying 'the debates will go ahead but I will not be there', she should also add 'I will be having secret meetings with shadowy business cartels in hotel conference suites instead.'

The debate might as well go ahead, PTP would not have used the parliamentary time for reformist bills on rural poverty, anti-corruption bills or infrastructure development bills anyway.

For PTP parliament is just a place to hang-out while they are out on bail, so it doesn't really matter what is discussed anyway.

For PTP parliament is just a place to hang-out while they are out on bail, so it doesn't really matter what is discussed anyway.

The Parliament seems to be a place to get drunk and watch porn. Maybe thats why the PM never goes there?

[EyesWideOpen]

I have said this before and I will say it again. For a country that is absolutely obsessed with

" saving face" , I am not really why they are so quick to lose face with absurd decisions like this one.

Option 1 > The government is so stupid they do not realize what this looks like

Option 2 > Sheer arrogance. Tell the buffaloes whatever the government wants, and laugh about it over drinks that night.

There are serious issues facing this country, and debating an issue that has already been decided is bordering on criminal usage of parliamentary time. I love the weather, food and girls here. But this government is just damned annoying. Is there some way to change it ?? :-)

[animatic]

Let's continue debating opening and closing the barn door

after the whole farm full of live stock has bolted.

Hello fools it was seasonally time sensitive

and you've dithered past that window of opportunity.

[animatic]

I have said this before and I will say it again. For a country that is absolutely obsessed with

" saving face" , I am not really why they are so quick to lose face with absurd decisions like this one.

Option 1 > The government is so stupid they do not realize what this looks like

Option 2 > Sheer arrogance. Tell the buffaloes whatever the government wants, and laugh about it over drinks that night.

There are serious issues facing this country, and debating an issue that has already been decided is bordering on criminal usage of parliamentary time. I love the weather, food and girls here. But this government is just damned annoying. Is there some way to change it ?? :-)

The public typically gets the government it deserves,

and in this case, they apparently don't realize what they deserve....yet.

[phl]

Let's continue debating opening and closing the barn door

after the whole farm full of live stock has bolted.

Hello fools it was seasonally time sensitive

and you've dithered past that window of opportunity.

Someone should suggest to put on agenda a debate about Suva airport, if the country needs one

Do not be bothered by the fact that its already built years ago, lets debate it anyway.

May be can come to an agreement, country does not need it, demolish it and debate again to rebuild a new one.

That should keep them busy for a few years and fill up enough pockets