Thaksin Calls All Cabinet Members To His Home At 18:30 Sunday

[george]

Bangkok Post SMS News alert:

"PM Thaksin calls all cabinet members to his home for meeting at 18:30, denies cabinet reshuffle but refuses to give purpose of meeting."

[stumonster]

game of "soggy sayo" maybe ...

[Thaising]

Because major general Chamlong has turn the table on him, that's why thaksin have to recall all his favorite mouth & foot soldiers to works out some strategies to counter this coming saturday rally.

[Maejo Man]

With Chamlong hopping the fence the game is heating up, the next few weeks will be extremely interesting to say the least

[marquess]

Ah and there was me hoping that he might possibley be announcing his resignation!

Edited February 19, 2006 by marquess

[billd766]

Ah and there was me hoping that he might possibley be announcing his resignation!

Are we only dreaming.......................................?

[TAWP]

Maybe he was going to prove he was a man in bed afterall...and wanted them all to be there in person to witness it. One to many laughter at his boosting in the men's-club made him finally snap...

Edited February 19, 2006 by TAWP

[bulmercke]

Chamlong's open and very vocal criticism is a TERRIBLE blow for Toxin.

Chamlong holds great respect, no just among Bangkok's disenchanted middle-class, but also more importantly, among ordinary folk up-country.

Just what Mr. T didn't need!

[alexth]

I would SOOO wish to see the clown behind the bars, a clown that is being called a prime minister, a filthy police officer from Chiang Mai placed as prime mkinister, I would more likely vote for a BG to be a prime minter than this bugger

[Bung]

Are you sure he wasn't holding a busy bee around his yard?

You know, a few beers and a bbq in return for cleaning up his yard?

[britmaveric]

Dinner most likely!

[Jai Dee]

The Government Calls for a Joint Sitting of Parliament to Discuss Political Developments

The government will ask for a special joint sitting of Parliament to be held early next month to listen to opinions of MPs and senators on the current political and social conflicts in the country, as well as to clarify its stance on various issues affecting the government.

The move was a result of the special cabinet meeting held last evening and attended by almost all members of the cabinet, at the Prime Minister's private residence on Charan Sanit Wong Rd.

Mr. Surapong Suebwonglee(์สุรพงษ์ สืบวงศ์ล), spokesman to the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that yesterday's cabinet meeting was held primarily to discuss the current political situation and the widely conflicting reports pertaining to the crises, in which many citizens may have been confused due to the twisting of facts by certain groups. Therefore the cabinet has resolved to hold a special meeting of both Houses to address these issues and receive factual reports concerning the problem.

Also at the press conference, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam (วิษณุ เครืองาม) responded to the current political upheaval by stating that the society is confused. Therefore, the cabinet was specially called to discuss possible solutions within the framework of the Constitution that can also be taken to restore understanding in the society. Yesterday’s meeting agreed to ask the Parliament President to open an extraordinary session sometime in early March.

According to Mr. Wissanu, in the past, three such joint sessions had been held, to address such issues as the southern unrest, narcotics, and poverty.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 20 Febuary 2006

[Tarragona]

Chamlong holds great respect, no just among Bangkok's disenchanted middle-class, but also more importantly, among ordinary folk up-country.

I don't think that's quite right. Chamlong never really connected with ordinary country folk and so could n't expand his political base outside Bangkok. Also, the suggestion put around by certain parties that he was partly to blame for the bloodshed in 1992 damaged his standing.

Edited February 20, 2006 by Tarragona

[Jai Dee]

Prime Minister leaves the date and time for the joint session of both Houses to the decision of Parliament President

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has assigned the Parliament Speaker the task of designating the date and time to hold the joint meeting of the Houses to discuss problems regarding state administration.

Prime Minister Thaksin said the Cabinet will tomorrow approve the joint session between the House of Representatives and the Senate, in conferring on the problems in state administration. President of the Parliament Bhokin Bhalakula (โภคิน พลกุล) will then determine the date and time of the session, which would not involve voting. As for whether the joint session would help tone down the political intensity at the moment, the premier said this can not yet be answered. However he affirmed that the government will carry out its duty within the framework of the Constitution.

Asked about Major General Chamlong Srimuang's (จำลอง ศรีเมือง) announcement of participation in the February 26th gathering of anti-government demonstrators, Prime Minister Thaksin spoke out a Buddhist phrase "Ta-tha-ta" ("ตะทาตา" มันเป็นเช่นนั้นเอง) or "that is how it is", in response to the question.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 20 Febuary 2006

[sriracha john]

It seems the discussion at the PM's pad was a bit serious:

PM Thaksin threatens sudden election

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra might dissolve parliament and call a snap election if opponents increase their pressure on him to resign, government spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee declared.

However, Mr Thaksin would not yield to the mounting calls to step down, telling a Sunday cabinet meeting that dissolving parliament could be the way out of the growing political crisis, Mr Surapong said.

“The Prime Minister said he would certainly not resign. But if he was put into a situation that he had to make any decision, he would dissolve parliament,” Mr Surapong stated.

Mr Thaksin has seen his popularity diminish among middle class Thais since his family members sold their $1.9 billion stake in Shin Corp to Temasek Holdings group of Singapore.

[dan10400]

It seems the discussion at the PM's pad was a bit serious:

anybody understand how a 'snap' election would work? time involved, etc? i guess both

parties would need time to get organized. opposition parties have issues with media access,

and it will take TRT at least a few days to re-institute fuel subsidies, hand out money, etc.

[Maestro]

anybody understand how a 'snap' election would work? time involved, etc? i guess both parties would need time to get organized. opposition parties have issues with media access, and it will take TRT at least a few days to re-institute fuel subsidies, hand out money, etc.

See Section 116 of the Thai Constitution of 1997 (assuming that this is still the currently valid version):

Section 116. The King has the prerogative to dissolve the House of

Representatives for a new election of members of the House.

The dissolution of the House of Representatives shall be made in the

form of a Royal Decree in which the day for a new general election must be fixed

within sixty days and such election day must be the same throughout the Kingdom.

The dissolution of the House of Representatives may be made only

once under the same circumstance.

--------------

Maestro

Constitution_1997.pdf

[asd]

Many confuse among thai ppl about the thai political in this present time. I can not imagine that what the end will be.

[bulmercke]

Many confuse among thai ppl about the thai political in this present time. I can not imagine that what the end will be.

"I can not imagine that what the end will be."

I can. Thaksin's eventual removal - and hopefully peacefully, without any blood shed.

[Siripon]

If Thaksin hangs on beyond the TRT proposed debate including both houses next month, it could damage his standing upcountry further as under the constitution it must be broadcast on Channel 11, Thaksin could be censured in effect on TV.

He can't just resign and hand over power to a present minister because under the constitution the Prime Minister must come from the ranks of MPs, either Party List or constituency. But once a politician becomes a cabinet member, he or she automatically loses their status as an MP. So none of the present cabinet could be PM.

So dissolution of the Parliament is a likely option, with Taksin coming back with a likely decreased majority- but he's still stained with the numerous charges of policy corruption and unethical behaviour, to put it mildly.

It's all over, Heng, do you want to wager on this? Strictly non-financial of course?

[Ned]

All the top brass in the army and police and courts are all Thaksin appointees. What are they going to do?...Simply give up their power and privileges without a struggle if their boss decides to call it quits? They won't have to worry. The Great Man isn't going anywhere and when the senate elections come up in April he will get win hands down and all the real support that he has will become apparent. Then look out!

[bulmercke]

All the top brass in the army and police and courts are all Thaksin appointees. What are they going to do?...Simply give up their power and privileges without a struggle if their boss decides to call it quits? They won't have to worry. The Great Man isn't going anywhere and when the senate elections come up in April he will get win hands down and all the real support that he has will become apparent. Then look out!

Not sure if I understand your logic regarding the forthcoming elections for The Senate; he's already got about 140 or so of them in his pocket! Nothing will really change in that department.

It's declining public support he has to worry about - a kind of emperical growth in the numbers dissatisfied with his performance and ethics.

His opponents are relatively small in number at the moment, but their ranks will surely swell in the weeks and months to come if Thaksin doesn't do something drastic pretty ###### quick!

[phuketsiam]

its a snowball effect, as Thaksin's popularity increased people jumped on the bandwagon, now its decreasing people are jumping off, he will hang on for dear life tho, can't let the licence to print money get away without a fight