Election Day In Thailand

[Jai Dee]

From The Nation - Breaking News:

Thai Rak Thai candidate in Chumphon's Constituency 1 fails: unofficial results

Unofficial results Monday morning showed that Thai Rak Thai candidate in Chhumphon's Constituency 1 failed to win the required 20 per cent of votes from all eligible voters and was likely to be declared a failed candidate.

Thawat Burinwattana is the one-horse candidate and is required by the laws to win at least 20 per cent of votes from all eligible voters there.

But he won only 10,359 votes while up to 51,206 cast no-vote in the Sunday election.

_____________________________________________________________________

29 one-horse Thai Rak Thai candidates in sourthern provinces appear to fail

It appears that up to 29 candidates of Thai Rak Thai Party from 41 constituencies with one-horse candidates in southern provinces failed to gather the required 20-per-cent of votes from eligible voters in each constituency.

Unofficial results Monday morning showed that only 12 of 41 one-horse candidates of Thai Rak Thai managed to gather the required 20-per-cent of votes.

The Election Commission will have to hold sub-sequent elections for constituencies where the one-horse candidates fail to earn votes up to 20 per cent of votes from eligible voters but the same candidates would have to run and no new candidates can apply.

[lampard10]

Cut this <deleted>.............does anyone know the bloody result?

Sorry JD. We posted at the same time

Edited April 3, 2006 by lampard10

[jdinasia]

that's about 80 so far? that couldn't beat Mr Nobody?

[Neeranam]

Cut this <deleted>.............does anyone know the bloody result?

It's on the telly now.

[sriracha john]

Man votes in blood as protest

From correspondents in Bangkok

April 03, 2006

A LAW professor pricked his finger with a toothpick to mark his ballot in blood in protest at Thailand's election.

Yossak Kosayanon, who teaches law at a Bangkok university, had to jab his finger several times to draw enough blood to mark his ballot – which was counted as valid, the Bangkok Post reported.

.... sounds like a law professor... what a wuss... LOL... try to make a big bold political statement in such a sissy manner... they need a crazed Philosophy prof to do it in a manly way, eg. gash his forehead open with a boxcutter

"The toothpick is symbolic," Mr Yossak said.

" Symbolic of what, Prof? over-eating law professors?"

"The election commission is like a giant with a baton, but refuses to use it to deal with irregularities. Instead, the agency helps those in power pick their teeth," he said.

"???... needs work, Prof... needs work"

Mr Yossak said he originally planned to cut his finger with a paper cutter and leave a bloody fingerprint but his wife convinced him that could upset others, the paper reported.

She also discouraged him from waiting until it was his "time of the month" and then using the little leakage helper" to make his mark.

Meanwhile police said they had charged six people with tearing up their ballots in protest, including an 81-year-old man who apparently misheard an election official instruct him to fold the ballot three times.

"After subduing the extremely violent geriatric invalid with four nightsticks, the police... [cont. on page 3]"

An election commission official said intentionally destroying ballots carried a penalty of up to a year's jail, 20,000 baht ($US515) fine and a five-year bar from voting.

SrJ - keep up the good work mate - but stop sucking up to the m0ds....

sorry for the bit of a suck up... guess I'm just too used to doing it with the Thai police

Your posts have made me laugh hard a lot of times over the past 2 years, Stu....

Thank you for that...

This article is right out of MAD magazine....

Alfred would be proud of it....

[sushiman]

Give them some time to count, so far I'm quite impressed how well organised the "counts"

are going ahead.

Here is Bangkok (they seam to always be the first ones nearly finished)

- BKK: Big "No Votes" plus here

- South: guess similar

- Upcountry (rest) maybe vice-versa than Bangkok, with a victory for TRT I assume

Nation:

Source - Nation 3. April 2006:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/specials/election/

Enjoy your lunch folks!

Edited April 3, 2006 by sushiman

[Jai Dee]

Mr. Abhisit has indicated that the outcome of the election will make PM to rethink his political path

Democrat Party Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva (อภิสิทธิ์ เวชชาชีวะ) has indicated that the outcome of the general election will have an influence on Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s political path in the future. He said that Dr. Thaksin has to reconsider whether or not he should continue his political role as many people have chosen to vote for no party in the election yesterday.

As the vote counts in Bangkok and the South have shown in favor of “No Vote”, Mr. Abhisit said that this has represented the views of people toward the premier and his Thai Rak Thai Party.

He said the current political situation, including the general election, has given political lessons to both politicians and people as such occurrence has never taken place in the country's political history.

As for Dr. Thaksin’s plan for political reform, Mr. Abhisit would like Dr. Thaksin to weigh between his own thinking and other people’s opinions so that the political reform will be acceptable among the general public.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 April 2006

[jdinasia]

Now ... while our vehemently Anti PAD and Anti Boycott people are asleep off in N.A. -----------

Thaksin really WILL have to think about this ... and so will the rest of the country ....

These "No Votes" were not votes for PAD ... they were not votes for the Demos or the rest of the boycotting opposition ...... <yes opposition> ...

They were votes AGAINST Thaksin. (Or possibly votes against his one-party rule for the last year)

Another point that was proven ..... the PAD Rallies (not the opposition) in BKK did NOT piss off the electorate in Bangkok and probably DID influence a large number of people upcountry!

Hear Hear!

[Jai Dee]

Mr. Santi indicates current political situation has affected confidence of new investors

Mr. Santi Wilassakdanond (สันติ วิลาสศักดานนท์), the Vice President of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), stated that the current political situation has affected the confidence of new investors, whereas the executives of J.P. Morgan Company believe the establishment of the national government will boost confidence in the capital market.

Mr. Santi said the political turmoil has affected the decisions of new investors who do not have good understandings about Thailand’s politics. He said many countries have expressed their interest to invest in Thailand such as Japan, where many investors would like to do business in the kingdom but the political crisis has caused the Japanese investors to slow down their decision makings.

He also views that the government has always supported the investment through the economic policies. He said he is not worried about the administration of the country, but he is concerned over the instable political situation. Therefore, in order to boost the confidence of the investors, the turmoil should end soon.

In the meantime, the Managing Director of J.P. Morgan Company, Mr. Worapat Thanyawong (วรภัศ ธันยาวงษ์), talked about the establishment of the national government. He said due to the susceptibility of the capital market and the rapid movement of the capital, therefore establishing national government will be a good solution as it will ease the tension. However, he added that it depends on the leader of the country whether he is well-accepted by both Thai and foreign investors.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 April 2006

[sushiman]

Mr. Abhisit has indicated that the outcome of the election will make PM to rethink his political path

Democrat Party Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva (อภิสิทธิ์ เวชชาชีวะ) has indicated that the outcome of the general election will have an influence on Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s political path in the future. He said that Dr. Thaksin has to reconsider whether or not he should continue his political role as many people have chosen to vote for no party in the election yesterday.

As the vote counts in Bangkok and the South have shown in favor of “No Vote”, Mr. Abhisit said that this has represented the views of people toward the premier and his Thai Rak Thai Party.

He said the current political situation, including the general election, has given political lessons to both politicians and people as such occurrence has never taken place in the country's political history.

As for Dr. Thaksin’s plan for political reform, Mr. Abhisit would like Dr. Thaksin to weigh between his own thinking and other people’s opinions so that the political reform will be acceptable among the general public.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 April 2006

I just like that guy (Dee Jay Jay Dee for great updates) and especially Mr. Abhisit.

Before you all shout, he's just using the situation now, who can tell me a bit more about him??

I think he could be the tpye of leader, more modest than Thaksin, no companys to worry about during a possible PM position and all his statements so far since he's the head of the Democrat Party, really impressed me. Why not go back to the Democrats later on, when a new election with all parties can be done (as this TRT fill up elections coming up, could go on forever as it's unlikely that they can fill the house - of course they want the EC and CC to take the short-cut and

allow them to continue without a full house, which will cause more chaos than a stable goverment).

Any Democrat fans here, with some more insight (or the opposite with some reasonable critics?)

Why always TRT?

Edited April 3, 2006 by sushiman

[Insight]

Give them some time to count, so far I'm quite impressed how well organised the "counts"

are going ahead.

Here is Bangkok (they seam to always be the first ones nearly finished)

- BKK: Big "No Votes" plus here

- South: guess similar

- Upcountry (rest) maybe vice-versa than Bangkok, with a victory for TRT I assume

Nation:

Source - Nation 3. April 2006:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/specials/election/

Enjoy your lunch folks!

Thanks for the link sushiman!

[sriracha john]

From The Nation - Breaking News:

Thai Rak Thai candidate in Chumphon's Constituency 1 fails: unofficial results

_____________________________________________________________________

29 one-horse Thai Rak Thai candidates in sourthern provinces appear to fail

In 2 articles...

So that's 30 separate by-elections to held on top of the 2 billion baht they spent yesterday.

How many more... ?

[Rinrada]

Mr A has a lot to say considering his party appears to have got NO Votes.at this election...wot a way to run a menage...

[jdinasia]

add 27 or 28 in BKK ..... and several in Chonburi and Kanchanaburi and Rayong ... and quite a few in provincial Capitals across the country ..... even a couple in Chiang Mai .....

and no assurance that they get a result in the by-elections .....

[sting01]

From CNN front page story International edition today

Rural Thais -- 70 percent of the 63 million population -- turned out in force to vote for a prime minister who has given them cheap healthcare and credit during his five years in office.

I am not sure, as I am from a country reputate to be one of the last communist country, but is 70 % of the population of a country vote for one candidate, who is democratically called the winner of the election?

Please, one of you wise democratic farangs can you explain me how democraty work? Should people count, re count, re re re count as in Fl****

Edited April 3, 2006 by sting01

[Jai Dee]

From The Nation - Breaking News:

Bhokin blames press for high number of abstention votes

Thai Rak Thai Party deputy leader Bhokin Balakula Monday held negative reports by newspapers mainly responsible for the high number of abstention votes cast in the Sunday election.

Bhokhin said the party had yet to review the situation to find out why so many voters cast "no vote" votes.

But he also blamed the press for high abstention votes.

"It's clear that the printed media would not support us and cause many people to be swayed," Bhokin said.

________________________________________________________

Suranand says he accepts people's voices expressed through 'no vote'

PM's Office Minister Suranand Vejjajiva said Monday that the Thai Rak Thai Party would analyse what caused the people to become dissatisfied against the party and abstained in the Sunday election.

Suranand said he accepted the people's voices but the party would have to analyse the causes and try to correct the mistakes.

"There must be discussion in the party to find out what caused Bangkokians to change or become dissatisfied and we will map out solutions," Suranand said.

[Jai Dee]

Mr. Suranand: he is willing to hear the outcome of the election although the TRT Party will fail in this election

Executive member of Thai Rak Thai Party Suranand Vejjajiva (สุรนันทน์ เวชชาชีวะ) said that he is willing to hear the outcome of the recent election although the Thai Rak Thai Party may fail in this election. Meanwhile, he has refused to comment on the news referring to the changing of person who will take the Prime Minister post.

He said that he and his party members will hold a meeting to analyze the current political situation as many people have voted for “No Vote”. He said that the party wants every people in every region to accept the result.

However, he said that if the result obviously shows that people would like the Thai Rak Thai Party to be the government, his party will urgently reform the politic system of the country in a transparent manner.

As for the vote count which shows that the Thai Rak Thai Party candidates are unlikely to win by at least 20% of the electoral vote, he said that the matter is under the consideration of the Election Commission (EC).

Referring to the news saying that the Thai Rak Thai Party will change the person who will take the post of Prime Minister, Mr. Suranand said that his party members are discussing on the issue. However, the party has not made any decision yet, while adding that his party is also willing to negotiate with the former Opposition.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 April 2006

[sriracha john]

Give them some time to count, so far I'm quite impressed how well organised the "counts"

are going ahead.

Here is Bangkok (they seam to always be the first ones nearly finished)

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/specials/election/

Enjoy your lunch folks!

thanks for that pic, sushi...

and yes, traditionally BKK is counted first.

quite disturbing to see, by a roughly added 100,000 or so ballots tossed out. btw, the other provinces are providing even higher percentages...

Are you offering to total all the columns while we have a sandwich, sushi?

[jdinasia]

much worse than florida ... because it will not be recounts ... it will be new votes each time ....

plus that article was very poorly written (at the best) ... roughly 70% of the eligible voters voted ..... nowhere near 70% for Thai Rak Thai

[sushiman]

Are you offering to total all the columns while we have a sandwich, sushi?

I'm just having a Kebap or Kepab and don't wanna get my sticky fingers into the Nations

unofficial rapports, check the Nations they will update asap.

By the way can you toss me a Menthol Light pack?

So I think the big TRT members are now fighting soon, who can become the successor and Thaksin

will try to post his best legal Top-man on the front. I wish we had a camera to see how they will

be debatting now

Enjoy your SUN-dwich !

Edited April 3, 2006 by sushiman

[Thaible]

He still will win in a landslide, and the PAD are still laughable. You hardly need 50% to still be considered a landslide. But I did think it was stupid of him to make that 50% promise.

Huh?

"you hardly need 50% to still be considered a landslide? HUH No ... you don't ... you need 50% plus 1 vote to "Win" .... a landslide takes alot more .... and less well ... it is called losing

A landslide is beating the other parties by a lot, and that TRT has easily done.

again ... huh? there ARE NO OTHER parties here .... winning so many seats that you cannot be censured is a landslide ... 50% +1 vote is a win ... Losing most of the constituencies in places that voted for you 1 year before is an embarassment. If Thaksin thought he won again by a landslide he'd be crowing from the rafters now ... instead ... last night he snuck out without even personally cancelling a press-conference he called

I wasn't going to comment on this election, but I just have to say this: How many people think that Thaible works for TRT?

If I were working for TRT, I wouldn't be spending time posting on farang message boards. But nice try in silencing any pro-Thaksin support.

Edited April 3, 2006 by Thaible

[bulmercke]

Anyone else planning a "goodbye" party this week?

It's on - the moment Thaksin's off - whenever that is -

[sushiman]

Anyone else planning a "goodbye" party this week?

It's on - the moment Thaksin's off - whenever that is -

Gullivar Bar - Sukhumvit Soi 5 - Friday Evening 20'00pm? I will sure join!

But let's not celebrate to early as they actually still can stick to their overall winning points,

well was not to difficult to win their own "Snap-Erections"

but fair point the other oppositions didn't wann join them, but I think in this case they did the right thing. Rather a view weeks mess, and a hopefully more less corrupt goverment (I'm sure people will be more careful now) in the nearby future.

But sure they are in a big mess now, but I'm optimistic as soon Thaskin resigns, there will be more talks than monologues and self dictatoral leadership.

Edited April 3, 2006 by sushiman

[Insight]

Anyone else planning a "goodbye" party this week?

It's on - the moment Thaksin's off - whenever that is -

Gullivar Bar - Sukhumvit Soi 5 - Friday Evening 20'00pm? I will sure join!

But let's not celebrate to early as they actually still can stick to their overall winning points,

well was not to difficult to celebrate their own "Snap-Erections"

Yeah, best not count the chickens just yet. Looking pretty optimistic though....

[TokyoT]

While on the surface the BKK results appear to be bad news for TRT, as currently only 8 (1,2,14,15,24,25,34,36) of the 36 TRT candidates secured 50% of the vote, I can not find a single TRT candidate that was not able to secure at least 20% of the vote in BKK. So it looks like technically they all would be awarded the seats?

Now will the TRT be willing to accept the seats where no votes had more than TRT votes?

Or

Will they view the large number of “no vote” votes as something that really needs to be delt with and be willing to discuss Mr. Thaksin leaving?

Should be interesting to hear what the TRT have to say in this evening’s press conference.

[Jai Dee]

Vote was a 'warning': Abhisit

Initial tallies of ballots from a snap election held Sunday had the ruling Thai Rak Thai party trailing with "no votes" in Bangkok, sending a warning to embattled caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, an opposition leader said Monday.

"This is a warning from the people," said opposition Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva. "This is something strange and new, to have so many no votes.

Thaksin, in pre-election speeches, vowed to stay on as prime minister if his party wins more than half the votes cast on Sunday.

"Thaksin has to consider how he will move forward," Abhisit told a press conference Monday morning.

In the February 2005 general election, the ruling party won more than 30 of Bangkok's constituencies. Backing from Bangkok, Thailand's capital and home to the country's middle and upper classes, is deemed crucial to a government's stability.

Common political wisdom has it that while the rural areas elect governments, Bangkok overthrows them.

Sunday's snap election was unique in Thailand's political history because all three opposition parties boycotted the polls to protest what they called the prime minister's abuses of his populist appeal.

The opposition urged their supporters to tick the "no vote" box on their ballots as a protest vote against Thaksin.

Without the opposition parties in the race, Sunday's snap election was essentially a one-horse race with only Thai Rak Thai candidates contesting more than half the country's 400 constituencies.

Under the constitution, a single candidate must win at least 20 per cent of the eligible votes in his or her constituency to win. With many no votes cast in Bangkok and the southern provinces, it was expected that there will need to be several rounds of elections, delaying the opening of parliament indefinitely and possibly leading to a constitutional crisis.

The opposition and a Bangkok-based mass movement against the embattled premier that staged nearly daily demonstrations demanding Thaksin's resignation during the election campaign claimed that Thailand is in need of a new round of political reforms to safeguard the democratic system against populist premiers in the future. - (dpa)

Source: Bangkok Post - 3 April 2006

[cmcarrent]

Just saw Taxin on The Nation News, walking into a Government Building while bombarded with questions by a bunch of reporters.

Taxin blabbered something like:

- Oh...the election votes outcome was as he had expected...nothing alarming about that...

- Wait for the Exit-Poll and I'll have the solution ready for everone...

- We are willing to negotiate with the PAD...

- All was expected and nothing to worry about...

Um...nothing he said sounds like he's gonna "Step-Aside"...

[sriracha john]

Are you offering to total all the columns while we have a sandwich, sushi?

I'm just having a Kebap or Kepab and don't wanna get my sticky fingers into the Nations

unofficial rapports, check the Nations they will update asap.

By the way can you toss me a Menthol Light pack?

So I think the big TRT members are now fighting soon, who can become the successor and Thaksin

will try to post his best legal Top-man on the front. I wish we had a camera to see how they will

be debatting now

Enjoy your SUN-dwich !

hmm.. my making a sandwich lost out to the moo yang/kao ne-ow motorcyclist going past the front door...

thanks for totalling the columns in the meantime...

and yes... we have to wait for the nation-wide totals.... if their over 50 or not to be definitive...

and THEN, if over 50% no ... we have to worry about what other similar historical despots have done and their common last-minute desperate clingings to the top spot...

[Jai Dee]

Election upholds constitution and people's power:TRT

BANGKOK, April 3 (TNA) - Thailand's general election on Sunday upholds the constitution and people's power, according to a Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party executive and secretary-general of caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Dr. Prommin Lertsuridej.

Dr. Prommin said Sunday night that the TRT Party is pleased with the development--that the country's constitution and the Thai people's power through electoral rights are sustained amid differences in opinions among people in the society.

"Whatever the election results will be, the development is an achievement of our country's democracy and the TRT Party is happy with that," he said.

Dr. Prommin called for a spirit of national reconciliation after the election to forge ahead with the second-round political reform and national development with the participation of all parties concerned.

"From now on, all conflicting parties should turn to a reconcilable mode for the sake of societal and national benefits," he urged.

Dr. Prommin acknowledged that the caretaker prime minister would be willing to consider all proposed ideas from all parties to achieve the national reconciliation.

Meanwhile, a senior academic from Chulalongkorn University, Prof. Prayad Hongthongkam, suggested that to achieve the national conciliation, parties involved in the political turmoil before the Sunday's election should all sacrifice, not just the caretaker premier himself--as demanded by his opponents and the oppostion.

"For instance, if the caretaker prime minister decided to suspend his political role despite his party's victory in the snap election. He is considered a gentleman making a significant sacrifice for the national reconciliation. Other parties should also make a gentleman gesture by ending their anti-government movements to bring peace and order back to the society and to join forces in forging ahead the political reform, which will be followed by a new general election run by various political parties," said Pror. Prayad.

Unofficial vote counts so far have shown that the TRT Party will win the Sunday's election despite a number of vote abstentions in several constituencies, particularly those in Bangkok and the South.

Mr. Thaksin's TRT Party was only major political party contesting in the election with some small minior parties, as the former three main oppostion parties, including the Democrat, the Chart Thai and the Mahachon Party, boycotted the early poll.

Mr. Thaksin said that he would not accept the premiership if his TRT Party won less than 50 per cent of the total vote. (TNA)--E002

[bulmercke]

BREAKING NEWS

PM prepares for national reconciliation - THE NATION -

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Monday that he is ready to consider proposals for national reconciliation to

end two months of political turmoil, one day after controversial elections.

"I am ready to accept any proposals on how to achieve national reconciliation,"Thaksin told reporters as he arrived at his party headquarters

fora meeting.

"I don't want to make any comment about the strong 'no vote' in Bangkok. I already knew that was going to happen," he said.

Thaksin said he had not yet decided on his next move, but said he would give a television interview later Monday.

With most seats in Sunday's election uncontested, the main challenge to Thaksin's party was the "no vote" option that allows voters to cast a blank ballot.

Partial returns cited by local television indicated that while Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT) would win all 36 seats in Bangkok, the "no vote" outnumbered the TRT votes in 26 of those districts.