Thai Parliament: Speaker under fire over crackdown

[dickyknee]

There was a similar event not long after the new government.

If I remember rightly, it was the Speaker refusing the Opposition time to debate. I believe Abhisit assaulted a piece of parliamentary furniture - no, I don't mean Yingluck.

I thought referring to someone as a piece of furniture meant that they were there all the time.

[boomerangutang]

I know the speaker, he is a gentleman. He did the right thing in having security police in the Senate because the Democrats were out to cause trouble. Which was confirmed during the proceedings, where the Senator for Nakorn Nowhere is observed with a choke hold on a policeman. MPs and Senators should behave as gentleman or ladies and any fighting should be stopped immediately. Had the Senator not had the police at the ready to stop the violence then the parliamentary scene may have become an all out brawl similar to that which often erupts in the Korean Parliament:

The Democrats damned him because he stopped the riot and would have damned him if he hadn't.

(continued in follow up post) I know most of them. This was a joint meeting of the Senate and House Committee on the revised constitution, there are both Senators and MPs on the committee. My close friend who is a Senator can be seen in the first photograph on the Newspaper's web page at the top left next to the lady who was speaking at the time. His daughter helped draft the original constitution that they are seeking to amend. I know both Somsak and Nikom the speakers for the house and the senate, both are gentleman. I met them at my friend's daughter's wedding. The meeting started out chaired by Nikom, being the Senate Speaker, and due to an objection by the Democrats that he was biased, stepped down to let Somsak, the House Speaker take over.

If you truly know Somsak, alt=rolleyes.gif width=20 height=20> one would expect you would know that this not the Senate, but the House, and that Somsak is not a Senator, but an MP.

There was certainly no hyperbolic "riot". That's reserved for the red shirts, which include a dozen PTP MP's. As pointed out in the article, those red shirt MP's could confirm for you that there is parliamentary immunity that would preclude anyone getting arrested by the police,

I don't doubt politicians can be endearing sometimes, in private and/or social scenarios - particularly if there's a party atmosphere and/or constituents are around. I had an experience with a former Thai Minister of Agriculture. I assisted him - to sell his house. He and I both knew there was a standard 3% commission, which we had discussed prior, and we knew exactly what was due to me. When the deal was all wrapped up, at the bank, between buyer and seller, and the ex-Minister had the fistfuls of 1,000 baht notes, (all neatly wrapped in yellow bank tape), he smiled his most charming smile in my face, gave me my commission, and then briskly walked out the exit door. In the next minutes, as I counted the money, I realized he shorted me ten thousand baht. Never saw him again.

(note: edited, because quote function often screws up in this software)

Edited August 21, 2013 by boomerangutang

[Noistar]

There was a similar event not long after the new government.

If I remember rightly, it was the Speaker refusing the Opposition time to debate. I believe Abhisit assaulted a piece of parliamentary furniture - no, I don't mean Yingluck.

I thought referring to someone as a piece of furniture meant that they were there all the time.

Poetic license? (Or is it licence - never a Thai English graduate around when you need one)

[dickyknee]

There was a similar event not long after the new government.

If I remember rightly, it was the Speaker refusing the Opposition time to debate. I believe Abhisit assaulted a piece of parliamentary furniture - no, I don't mean Yingluck.

I thought referring to someone as a piece of furniture meant that they were there all the time.

Poetic license? (Or is it licence - never a Thai English graduate around when you need one)

ok, I'm thinking lampshade, closest thing i can think of to a light pole.

[dickyknee]

oops, you didn't mean Yingluck.

[hellodolly]

I know the speaker, he is a gentleman. He did the right thing in having security police in the Senate because the Democrats were out to cause trouble. Which was confirmed during the proceedings, where the Senator for Nakorn Nowhere is observed with a choke hold on a policeman. MPs and Senators should behave as gentleman or ladies and any fighting should be stopped immediately. Had the Senator not had the police at the ready to stop the violence then the parliamentary scene may have become an all out brawl similar to that which often erupts in the Korean Parliament:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ch-PTRyfOA

The there is the Italian Parliament.... Note the plentiful use of the choke hold:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2u7Osh0diM

Here's some more:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3DHKni1mu8

The Democrats damned him because he stopped the riot and would have damned him if he hadn't.

Care to tell us what started the trouble. That foolish old man will do any thing he is told to do on skype, .

Did he see a fortune teller to know before handd the Democrats were out to cause trouble.

Reality is his idea of trouble is refusing to say the pledge of allegiance to Thaksin.

[hellodolly]

What a disgusting display of dictatorship by a PTP member who, like the rest, is above it all and thinks he can do and say as he likes.

As he has already signed up as a supporter of the charter amendments how can he be impartial in running a debate ? As I understand it, in Britain for example, the Speaker does not follow his own party lines on anything but is there to adjudicate and ensure smooth running of business.

Here we have a totally biased PTP Speaker who will ensure he and his party do get what they want and don't dare expect partiality. Any doubts this is becoming more of a dictatorship are remove completely by situations like this.

Thailand a democracy, even a young one, I thnk not.

Sorry but the U.S. system is different as regards the Senate voting. Systems vary. Two speakers from each side? Maybe not enough but equal nonetheless. Otherwise you have a filibuster, which the U.S is, unfortunately very familiar with in the Congress, especially regarding the Republicans.

Last time I checked NongKhiKid said nothing about the U S system. He mentioned Briton which has a similar system to Thailand.

I take it you are a PTP red shirt supporter trying to get away from the reality by dragging in a completely unrelated item.

[hellodolly]

This is not a police state here," a Democrat shouted.

Increasingly over time, it certainly appear as though that's exactly what Thailand is...

Though to be fair, during their time in power, the Democrats had their own efforts leading in that direction.

Assuming your comments about the Democrats are correct (and we're back in the 'they did it so we can' arena), they didn't have a parliamentary majority to ensure they could do whatever they wanted, un-opposed.

A big difference

Not even in the same ball park,

[MrSlatersParrot]

a man who couldn't lie straight in bed,

Nice turn of a phrase...

usually refers to Abhisit

[waza]

The Thai psyche is apathy, they are a nation of followers. Till now they have followed the status quo and all dissidence was political. But as the effects of a corrupt draconian government eat there way in to mainstream Thai society the government will have need for greater controls to combat these adverse outcomes. They have all ready started with indoctrinating society with red education, mass media and social network controls and enforcement with the security forces.

Thailand is now a POLICE STATE...

Todays Paraliment

Tomorrows Parliment

No one can get in

except them

How will it look tomorrow?

Edited August 21, 2013 by waza

[mikemac]

Don't worry too much about the current state of affairs regarding the PTP using the police to silence their opponents.

Won't be long before the police, army, the general population, and perhaps even the redshirt terrorists turn on the PTP and tear them to shreds.

Like Christmas it something to look forward to.

[Noistar]

It's just a shame that the Government, apparently of/for the people, is using its majority to further party goals, rather than do things to improve the country.

I'll bet they're all Buddhists - ie visit monks at the temples to make offerings.

Clearly PTP do not care about their country and people. Bit like my comment about Farang - it's only the money.

The line will be drawn

[Noistar]

I know the speaker, he is a gentleman. He did the right thing in having security police in the Senate because the Democrats were out to cause trouble. Which was confirmed during the proceedings, where the Senator for Nakorn Nowhere is observed with a choke hold on a policeman. MPs and Senators should behave as gentleman or ladies and any fighting should be stopped immediately. Had the Senator not had the police at the ready to stop the violence then the parliamentary scene may have become an all out brawl similar to that which often erupts in the Korean Parliament:

The there is the Italian Parliament.... Note the plentiful use of the choke hold:

Here's some more:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3DHKni1mu8

The Democrats damned him because he stopped the riot and would have damned him if he hadn't.

Care to tell us what started the trouble. That foolish old man will do any thing he is told to do on skype, .

Did he see a fortune teller to know before handd the Democrats were out to cause trouble.

Reality is his idea of trouble is refusing to say the pledge of allegiance to Thaksin.

I won't attempt to hack your post around - I have enough trouble with this app as it is!

"Did he see a fortune teller to know before handd the Democrats were out to cause trouble"?

Exactly what I was thinking. Methinks he's telling porkies

[Siripon]

As a Democrat MP said yesterday, why bother having a Senate if it's going to be a copy of Parliament? Brothers and sisters, children of MPs will be able to stand indefinitely, selection of members of indepenedent organisations will be a cosy affair.

The beginning of the end of democracy in Thailand.

[dcutman]

I think the Thai police uniform really needs to keep up with the times here in LOS.

Any of these styles seems much more fitting.

You have included a photograph of what appears to be a British Soldier in a Scots Guard's Uniform, along side what looks like a Nazi Uniform. Please explain yourself!

No offense meant to the British Robertson468. Please read the second sentence in my post. It was meant only to suggests a style/color change, more fitting the RTP's current behavior, and support for this PTP/Red Shirt Govt's growing dictatorship.

[dcutman]

I think the Thai police uniform really needs to keep up with the times here in LOS.

Any of these styles seems much more fitting.

You have included a photograph of what appears to be a British Soldier in a Scots Guard's Uniform, along side what looks like a Nazi Uniform. Please explain yourself!

Double post.

Edited August 22, 2013 by dcutman

[Noistar]

As a Democrat MP said yesterday, why bother having a Senate if it's going to be a copy of Parliament? Brothers and sisters, children of MPs will be able to stand indefinitely, selection of members of indepenedent organisations will be a cosy affair.

The beginning of the end of democracy in Thailand.

Assuming Thai democracy was ever more than democratic elections.

Parliamentary democracy in name only.