PM offers House dissolution and national election

[Lite Beer]

POLITICS
Yingluck offers House dissolution Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Sunday said she is ready to dissolve the House and organises a national election within 60 days as stipulated by the laws and under fair rules if that is what the majority of people wanted.

In a special televised programme, She insisted that the protesters' demand for setting up of People's Council and royally-granted prime minister were not allowed by the Constitution and still debated among academicians.

"However if the protesters and the big political party do not agree to the offers or not accept the result of the election, the political crisis would certainly be prolonged. This could be compared to the political situation in 2006 when a political party boycotted a national election which resulted in a political vacuum and eventually a coup d'etat," she said.

She apparently refers to Democrat Party that boycotted the national election in that year.

She was speaking a day before a massive rally led by former Democrat Party MP Suthep Thaugsuban, against her government, is held in Bangkok.

The government proposed a setting up of a forum to discuss about the protesters' demands, Yingluck said.

"However if the conflicts could not be settled, I propose that public referendum be set up to allow all people to decide. All political parties and protesters would accept the results of the public referendum so that all conflicts are solved

-- The Nation 2013-12-08

[TVGerry]

That's what she offered in the first place. And then the idiots in her government said the opposite. And now she's back with the same offer.

What the hell is wrong with this government? Make up your bloody minds already!

[Dogmatix]

Who can trust anything this puppet says apart from her clan members? Time for you to go shopping in Harrods for a few years missie.

Edited December 8, 2013 by Dogmatix

[jdinasia]

The headline would be more honest if it read "The PM conditionally agrees to offer house dissolution and national election IF there are no organic changes to the corruption laws first"

[GentlemanJim]

Another classic stalling technoque. First Surapong threatening to arrest everyone including the executives of Blue Sky TV and those who dared to provide toilets for protestors and now Yingluck trying to get everyone to turn around and go home. There is a MASS exodus to Bangkok from the large town where I live. My wife is desperate for us to go, luckily all flights out of 6 to BKK today are now sold out as are the trains. BKK is gonna be mighty busy tomorrow! I can only hope all international flights out of BKK are likewise fully booked and that these MP's are unable to scuttle off like rats to Dubai.

[DonThaiToMe]

Tragic that a small number of protestors are able to achieve this (if there will be new elections).

On the other hand, if there will be new elections, I think that the Suthep-team only have shot them self in the foot, and they will lose the election (again) big time!. Either way, in short term Thailand has only lost on this embarrassing show led by Suthep.

In the long term though, hopefully this farce can be a reminder that elections are held to be respected!

(Although I´m not counting on it, this is Thailand after all).

Edited December 8, 2013 by DonThaiToMe

[Lite Beer]

Sathit challenges PM to dissolve House right away

BANGKOK: -- Protest leader Sathit Wongnongtoey Sunday challenged Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to dissolve the House of Representatives right away.

Sathit was responding to Yingluck's statement that she would dissolve the House if the majority of the people want it.

Sahit said Yingluck shouid dissolve the House right away and set up a people's council to reform politics.

He added that the government has lost legitimacy so dissolution or not would make no difference.

-- The Nation 2013-12-08

[Thailand]

Obviously the majority of people do not want it as the gov was elected in to power in the first place 2 years ago + http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687232-govt-party-rejects-pm-yinglucks-resignation-house-dissolution/

Elections are due again in 2 years when the Dems will be on to another hiding, why embarrass themselves even more now.

That said, with an election now I guess if the Dems are defeated they would not object to the gov serving the remaining 2 years plus the additional 4 years the people will have mandated?

Edited December 8, 2013 by Thailand

[Thait Spot]

Obviously the majority of people do not want it as the gov was elected in to power in the first place 2 years ago + http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687232-govt-party-rejects-pm-yinglucks-resignation-house-dissolution/

 

Elections are due again in 2 years when the Dems will be on to another hiding, why embarrass themselves even more now. 

 

That said, with an election now I guess if the Dems are defeated they would not object to the gov serving the remaining 2 years plus the additional 4 years the people will have mandated?

 

Obviously?

You been following the opinion polls?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Ricardo]

PTP have told her unanimously (after their get-together a couple of days ago) that they don't think she should do it, her relative FM-Surapong has denied that it could happen, and who can guess what Big Brother or Big Sister have told her to do, but PM-Yingluck repeats her offer yet again ?

One can only hope that she shows independence and, after a big turnout tomorrow, Yingluck actually does what she says she will !

And that this is not more of the usual S-Clan spin & subterfuge, to delay things, while the 'suspended' Amesty-Bill continues to be a real possibility, into the New Year.

There appears to be a substantial part of the population, who want what she is promising, if she calls elections then that's a reasonable democratic thing to do, there's no automatic expectation (least of all here in Thailand) of a government running for the full four years, and she may even return to power with a coalition, and a fresh mandate for whatever platform PTP run on.

I hope for a peaceful demonstration of the peoples' wishes tomorrow, followed by Yingluck's promised legal-election, early in the New Year.

Constitutional-reform might form part of the election debate, and follow after the new government has been endorsed, within the current Constitution ?

[Thailand]

Obviously the majority of people do not want it as the gov was elected in to power in the first place 2 years ago + http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687232-govt-party-rejects-pm-yinglucks-resignation-house-dissolution/

Elections are due again in 2 years when the Dems will be on to another hiding, why embarrass themselves even more now.

That said, with an election now I guess if the Dems are defeated they would not object to the gov serving the remaining 2 years plus the additional 4 years the people will have mandated?

Obviously?

You been following the opinion polls?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Just the election results or did you miss them?

[Ricardo]

Obviously the majority of people do not want it as the gov was elected in to power in the first place 2 years ago + http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687232-govt-party-rejects-pm-yinglucks-resignation-house-dissolution/

Elections are due again in 2 years when the Dems will be on to another hiding, why embarrass themselves even more now.

That said, with an election now I guess if the Dems are defeated they would not object to the gov serving the remaining 2 years plus the additional 4 years the people will have mandated?

Just to point out that PTP has been in power for two-and-a-half years, and the next election must be held by 5th July 2015, nineteen months from now.

They're well-past the half-way mark.

And any new government would have four years only, not 4 + 2 as you suggest ?

[whybother]

Obviously the majority of people do not want it as the gov was elected in to power in the first place 2 years ago + http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687232-govt-party-rejects-pm-yinglucks-resignation-house-dissolution/

Elections are due again in 2 years when the Dems will be on to another hiding, why embarrass themselves even more now.

That said, with an election now I guess if the Dems are defeated they would not object to the gov serving the remaining 2 years plus the additional 4 years the people will have mandated?

Obviously?

You been following the opinion polls?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Just the election results or did you miss them?

The Bangkok election, the Don Muaeng election or the Chiang Mai election? All of them with swings against PTP.

PTP might get the most seats if a general election was held now, but I doubt they would get the seat majority they have now, which would mean that they would have to get the smaller parties to support them to form government like they did in 2007.

[ramrod711]

I don't know how to achieve the removal of the Shiniwatras from politics. That is Sutheps stated goal, and a worthy target. Thaksin running the country from Dubai is not right. When an MP is quoted as saying that the cabinet is having a difficult time trying to balance how much influence Thaksin should have, it is clear that he runs the show. How anyone can actually say that it is democratic is beyond me. Dissolution and elections will not rid the country of the plague that is Thaksin. Convince PTP that the gravy train will come to an end unless the whole clan is banned, then maybe democracy can work.

[apetley]

Please not another election. Have just had 6 weeks of the rolling pickups blaring out their candidate messages in a local election so another 2 months worth for a general election election would be as welcome as a turd in a swimming pool.

[worgeordie]

I think the PM would be happy to dissolve Parliament, it would get her out

of the problems with the rice scam.

Have a new election,promise more populist policies,in other words use

the Governments and the Thai peoples money to buy votes,much better

than using the parties,or big brothers money,get elected again,blame all

the loses on the previous Government,start all over again!

regards Worgeordie

[angsta]

The PM should tell them to go screw themselves The election is in 19 months, start campaigning now if you're that bothered.

[Thailand]

Obviously the majority of people do not want it as the gov was elected in to power in the first place 2 years ago + http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687232-govt-party-rejects-pm-yinglucks-resignation-house-dissolution/

Elections are due again in 2 years when the Dems will be on to another hiding, why embarrass themselves even more now.

That said, with an election now I guess if the Dems are defeated they would not object to the gov serving the remaining 2 years plus the additional 4 years the people will have mandated?

Just to point out that PTP has been in power for two-and-a-half years, and the next election must be held by 5th July 2015, nineteen months from now.

They're well-past the half-way mark.

And any new government would have four years only, not 4 + 2 as you suggest ?

19 months, two years - this is Thailand nobody counts exactly/

2 + 4 just a little subtle humor.

[jdinasia]

Tragic that a small number of protestors are able to achieve this (if there will be new elections).

On the other hand, if there will be new elections, I think that the Suthep-team only have shot them self in the foot, and they will lose the election (again) big time!. Either way, in short term Thailand has only lost on this embarrassing show led by Suthep.

In the long term though, hopefully this farce can be a reminder that elections are held to be respected!

(Although I´m not counting on it, this is Thailand after all).

They have had fairly large numbers, as well as protests in places like Khon Kaen. The alliance against the current government is fairly broad across different sectors of society as well.

It seems that a large number of people do not understand how either governments nor elections are supposed to work particularly under the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy.

The assumption that PTP would win again in a big way is very probably not accurate. I would suspect something like the 2007 election results with a smaller gap between parties disputing the elections and a required coalition government where smaller groups are actually listened to. During this entire crisis have you seen or heard of ANY group meeting of the coalition partners currently in place? No. Have you seen or heard of minor coalition partners suggesting alternatives to PTP rule? (If you have paid attention, then yes.)

Does any of the media even pretend that any party in the government coalition mattters other than PTP? No.

Will YL who sits as the chair of the government body regarding Human Trafficking answer any questions about the recently emerged scandal? No

Rice pledging scheme answers? No.

Flood control answers? no

As Defense minister what has she done? Nothing.

Did she speak out against the last minute changes in the amnesty bill and denying the opposition even the chance at debating those changes to get the objections into the parliamentary record? No

Did she blame everything on the PTP MP's yes, Is she one of them Yes. Does she then take the out, I am the PM they did it on their own. Yes.

Is the country in more debt now than before? Yes

Is there a written plan for the 2.2 TRILLION baht? No

Could this list go on for pages? Yes.

When the government runs roughshod over the system, denies the courts validity, and works for the benefit of bringing back the PM's brother in a way that absolves him of his conviction, and whitewashes all the other cases against him, and tries to eliminate 2500+ corruption cases, etc etc etc .. it is not acting as a democracy. So why pretend?

[Thailand]

Obviously the majority of people do not want it as the gov was elected in to power in the first place 2 years ago + http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687232-govt-party-rejects-pm-yinglucks-resignation-house-dissolution/

Elections are due again in 2 years when the Dems will be on to another hiding, why embarrass themselves even more now.

That said, with an election now I guess if the Dems are defeated they would not object to the gov serving the remaining 2 years plus the additional 4 years the people will have mandated?

Obviously?

You been following the opinion polls?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Just the election results or did you miss them?

The Bangkok election, the Don Muaeng election or the Chiang Mai election? All of them with swings against PTP.

PTP might get the most seats if a general election was held now, but I doubt they would get the seat majority they have now, which would mean that they would have to get the smaller parties to support them to form government like they did in 2007.

I agree the PTP will remain in power whenever the election is held, with a coalition if necessary.

Edited December 8, 2013 by metisdead
30) Do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes, added emoticons, or altered wording.

[Thait Spot]

 

Obviously the majority of people do not want it as the gov was elected in to power in the first place 2 years ago + http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687232-govt-party-rejects-pm-yinglucks-resignation-house-dissolution/

 

Elections are due again in 2 years when the Dems will be on to another hiding, why embarrass themselves even more now. 

 

That said, with an election now I guess if the Dems are defeated they would not object to the gov serving the remaining 2 years plus the additional 4 years the people will have mandated?

 

Obviously?

You been following the opinion polls?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

 

 

Just the election results or did you miss them?

 

Yes. 2 million people unable to vote due to an administrative error and the yellow shirts "no" vote skewed it. Despite that the PTP still didn't get the majority of the vote.

Anyway, that was more than 2 years ago and with greater internet access, the populous is now able to see the lying and cheating of the PTP and recent opinion polls reflect this

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[GrantSmith]

So, in a nutshell: Stop the protests and the PM dissolveS the parliament, go into caretaker mode and have new elections in 45 days...

But remember, you have to stop protesting first..

And they're also the Government that has said there's nothing wrong with "white" lies..

Seems legit

[Ricardo]

Obviously the majority of people do not want it as the gov was elected in to power in the first place 2 years ago + http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/687232-govt-party-rejects-pm-yinglucks-resignation-house-dissolution/

Elections are due again in 2 years when the Dems will be on to another hiding, why embarrass themselves even more now.

That said, with an election now I guess if the Dems are defeated they would not object to the gov serving the remaining 2 years plus the additional 4 years the people will have mandated?

Just to point out that PTP has been in power for two-and-a-half years, and the next election must be held by 5th July 2015, nineteen months from now.

They're well-past the half-way mark.

And any new government would have four years only, not 4 + 2 as you suggest ?

19 months, two years - this is Thailand nobody counts exactly/

2 + 4 just a little subtle humor.

Subtle humour is always welcome !

But my accountancy-training taught me that 19 does not equal 24, or anything like it, I'm afraid.

[jdinasia]

I agree the PTP will remain in power whenever the election is held, with a coalition if necessary.

Or another party could form the coalition government,

I would not be surprised to see many if not all of the other parties join in a non-Dem led coalition and invite the Dems and PTP (if they still exist) to participate, That result, though not being good for fighting corruption, would give a weak Unity government a chance.

Even if PTP got 36% of the seats and the closest other party only got 30% it does not guarantee a PTP led government, Remember PTP rode into power in 2011 with just under 50% but on the backs of the 2010 protest deaths, a small "no" vote campaign, and the red political machine that is not as firmly pro-Thaksin as in the past.

Frankly if there are new elections I expect them to not be able to seat a government, leading to another situation like 2006. 2 failed elections would likely result in a coup.

I am still predicting the military or the courts to deal with the current government, but elections under the current system could be just as bad as a military coup and perhaps worse.

[MikeOboe57]

The PM should tell them to go screw themselves The election is in 19 months, start campaigning now if you're that bothered.  

That is what Abhisit should have told the red rabble in 2010.

Sent from my GT-N5100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Chippen Dong]

change the laws to make it a requirement for a general election every two years then dissolve. that new law would then also short sheet coups and may reduce the incidence of street protests.

but she will still win it anyhow.

or perhaps a revolving election with part selected rotating electorates going to the polls every 6 months or so.

Edited December 8, 2013 by Chippen Dong

[khunken]

Personally I like the referendum suggestion better - if it's not just more BS.

If, as some fortune-tellers on this thread 'know', PTP are likely to win another (bought) election, then why don't they just go ahead and call one? I rather suspect that PTP are afraid that their majority might be a lot less and the lucrative B360bn & B2.2tn pots of gold could be seriously re-examined. After all, Thaksin, instructed them not to have a referendum over a constitution re-write in case they might lose.

[Lite Beer]

Thai PM offers election to end political crisis

BANGKOK, December 8, 2013 (AFP) - Thailand's embattled premier said Sunday she was willing to call an election to end the political crisis gripping the country -- but only if protesters seeking her overthrow accept the result.

Bangkok is bracing for another major anti-government demonstration on Monday, with protest leaders vowing a final showdown in efforts to topple Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and curb the political influence of her brother Thaksin.

The kingdom has been rocked by several episodes of political bloodshed since Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon-turned-premier, was ousted by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago.

His sister's government has been shaken by more than a month of rolling rallies by demonstrators, sometimes numbering in their tens of thousands, who want to suspend the country's democracy in favour of an unelected "People's Council".

Yingluck on Sunday renewed her offer of elections if the protesters -- a mix of royalists, middle class Thais and other Thaksin opponents -- agree to respect the democratic process.

"The government is ready to dissolve the house if the majority wants it," she said in a televised address, noting that under the kingdom's laws an election would have to be held within 60 days.

"If protesters or a major political party do not accept that or do not accept the result of the election, it will just prolong the conflict," she said.

The protest leaders have said that they would not be satisfied with new elections, leaving the two sides locked in a stalemate that risks scaring off foreign investors and tourists.

"An unelected government would affect the country's reputation and stability," Yingluck warned. "If protesters want that, it should be asked whether it is the desire of the majority."

Tensions remain high in the kingdom following several days of street clashes last week between police using tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets against rock-throwing demonstrators.

The unrest has left five people dead and more than 200 injured in Bangkok.

Demonstrators and police in Bangkok have observed a temporary truce since Wednesday for the 86th birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who is treated as a near-deity by many Thais.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has called for a final push on Monday to bring down the government, describing it as "judgment day".

The former deputy premier, who now faces an arrest warrant for insurrection, has vowed to surrender to the authorities unless enough people join the march to the government headquarters.

Thailand's political conflict broadly pits a Bangkok-based middle class and royalist elite backed by the military against rural and working-class voters loyal to Thaksin.

The former premier went into exile in 2008 to avoid jail for a corruption conviction which he says was politically motivated.

The government's own "Red Shirt" supporters plan their own rally on Tuesday in the ancient capital of Ayutthaya north of Bangkok.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-12-08

[mimithewoof]

What in the world makes you guys think that a change to the Dems, however it comes about, would make any difference at all to the basics of the way this country is run?

My take is that all that would happen is that the incomers would have a great time changing just about everything this government has done, with no more success than the present incumbents and a great deal of confusion over policies. There has to be a reason why the Dems have such a poor record in 20 years of elections - I know what I think but would hesitate to speculate on other posters' beliefs.

And for those who favour a military coup - remember last time? Another **** - up in a brewery.

The entire ongoing chaos reminds me of the English Civil War (1642-1652), fought between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians, during which the P's initially won and formed a 'Commonwealth' before being thrown out by the Royalists a few years later. As usual, the English peasants were the losers - all the way through the war.

I'm just not sure who's which in this conflict...

[Thait Spot]

Now, all that it takes to return to peace is for the Shinawatra family to couple this offer with a vow to exit Thai politics for ever more!