Thai Democrat MPs' resignation catches international attention

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POLITICS
Democrat MPs' resignation catches international attention
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Democrat MP's announcement of their mass resignation has caught foreign attention, with reports by at least 3 international news agencies - BBC News, Al Jazeera, and Singapore's asiaone.

Other agencies like Wall Street Journal and Fox News carry an article by Associated Press - "Thai crisis deepens as opposition quites Parliament".(http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304744304579245672151694690 and http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/12/08/thailand-main-opposition-party-announces-mass-resignation-from-parliament)

Appearing in the BBC report, "The government, despite all the criticisms made of it, still holds a clear majority in parliament, and is likely to win another election, its sixth in succession, if the prime minister does decide to call one, says the BBC’s Jonathan Head in Bangkok." (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25289453)

"Yingluck’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"," said asiaone. (http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/thai-opposition-mps-quit-final-showdown-looms)

From Aljazeera’s report: "The mass resignation is a largely symbolic move as parliament and government can continue to operate, Al Jazeera’s Wayne Hay, reporting from Bangkok, said. ... Opposition politicians and demonstrators were also reportedly seeking support from the military to topple Yingluck’s government." (http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2013/12/201312895121163210.html)


-- The Nation 2013-12-09

[Prbkk]

Thailand, with so much that's good to offer, known increasingly as the land of lunatic politicians, drug trafficking, tourist scams, sex tourism, tourist deaths, road accidents, voodoo economics. abuse of labour. Can it go any lower?

[briboy]

Thailand, with so much that's good to offer, known increasingly as the land of lunatic politicians, drug trafficking, tourist scams, sex tourism, tourist deaths, road accidents, voodoo economics. abuse of labour. Can it go any lower?

well isn't science pointing to BKK slowly sinking under its weight

[londonthai]

resignation catches attention for all bad reasons:

"is likely to win another election, its sixth in succession"

"want to suspend the country’s democracy in favour of an unelected "

"Opposition politicians and demonstrators were also reportedly seeking support from the military"

[GentlemanJim]

Appearing in the BBC report, "The government, despite all the criticisms made of it, still holds a clear majority in parliament, and is likely to win another election, its sixth in succession, if the prime minister does decide to call one, says the BBC’s Jonathan Head in Bangkok." (http://www.bbc.co.uk...d-asia-25289453)

Yingluck is not the only one that needs replacing. The BBC could do with some replacements also. I think it can be seen from the table below that without the Brumjaithai party selling it's soul to the devil Thaksin for their coalition and seats in power then the PTP would certainly NOT be considered to have a 'commanding majority' as Jonathan Head seems to think.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_general_election,_2011

Edited December 9, 2013 by GentlemanJim

[Halion]

Appearing in the BBC report, "The government, despite all the criticisms made of it, still holds a clear majority in parliament, and is likely to win another election, its sixth in succession, if the prime minister does decide to call one, says the BBC’s Jonathan Head in Bangkok." (http://www.bbc.co.uk...d-asia-25289453)

Yingluck is not the only one that needs replacing. The BBC could do with some replacements also. I think it can be seen from the table below that without the Brumjaithai party selling it's soul to the devil Thaksin for their coalition and seats in power then the PTP would certainly NOT be considered to have a 'commanding majority' as Jonathan Head seems to think.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_general_election,_2011

I totally agree, and I would have thought that it behoves the BBC to raise their game significantly and also include the reason behind why and how the PTP have garnered support.

Mr Jonathan Head comments are myopic and biased which is less than I expect from the BBC

[kingstonkid]

One thing that is not mentioned is the fact that in all the past bi-elections although the PT put their best candidate forward they lost in seats that have strong red flavour.

I live in a predominately red area and can tell you most people going in town to protest are going the the monument or chang wattana.

The big issue for the PTP is that the little people are starting to realize that life is not better.

UDD is the power behind the PTP and even their support of YS is fading the only issue is that the PTP is the only game in town for them.

[SaamBaht]

If the Dems could appeal to a wider voting public...if, if, if...

[Scott]

An inflammatory post has been deleted. Please exercise care in your choice of words in describing others.

[Spare]

BBC in particular has been giving less and less air time to Thailand. Are the British still mad at themselves for the failed colonization of Siam? I.e. The Siamese in those days out witted the British (and the French).

[jonclark]

BBC in particular has been giving less and less air time to Thailand. Are the British still mad at themselves for the failed colonization of Siam? I.e. The Siamese in those days out witted the British (and the French).

Indeed, I'm sure all of us can think of the thousands of bitter Brits we've met in the UK crying into their pints, lamenting the fact that the UK was unable to colonise Siam hundreds of years ago.

Ooops sorry, like you, i'm talking complete crap.

[SICHONSTEVE]

resignation catches attention for all bad reasons:

"is likely to win another election, its sixth in succession"

"want to suspend the country’s democracy in favour of an unelected "

"Opposition politicians and demonstrators were also reportedly seeking support from the military"

I would argue that an unelected peoples council is going to be better than this so-called democratic government which is not supporting the principles of democracy in the slightest with it's illegitimate actions.

I don't call it democracy when you bribe and trick people into voting for you and then act in a totally dictatorial fashion in ignoring parliament law and rules whilst dismissing the court's verdicts when it doesn't suit their hidden agenda of bringing a fugitive back to where he doesn't belong!!

Thankfully, through his (as usual) stupid actions he will never touch Thai soil again. If he just butted out of Thai politics and let capable people run the country then Thailand can deliver on it's hopes for the people.

[stoli]

Thailand, with so much that's good to offer, known increasingly as the land of lunatic politicians, drug trafficking, tourist scams, sex tourism, tourist deaths, road accidents, voodoo economics. abuse of labour. Can it go any lower?

Drug Trafficking? Thailand can not even come close to the US in this area. Same with voodoo economics. The US is the master at this. Sex tourism? Why are so many of the expats here? The cool climate? Being from the US, and still loving it, Thailand's politicians are certainly not as lunatic as the US. We have that market cornered at this time. Harry Reid is our Thaksin, and Obama is our Lingluck. Here in Thailand I do not have the government continually reaching into my pocket saying I just need a little more.

[hellodolly]

Thailand, with so much that's good to offer, known increasingly as the land of lunatic politicians, drug trafficking, tourist scams, sex tourism, tourist deaths, road accidents, voodoo economics. abuse of labour. Can it go any lower?

Yes

check out

http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2013/results/

edit

35 points lower

Edited December 9, 2013 by hellodolly

[hellodolly]

Appearing in the BBC report, "The government, despite all the criticisms made of it, still holds a clear majority in parliament, and is likely to win another election, its sixth in succession, if the prime minister does decide to call one, says the BBC’s Jonathan Head in Bangkok." (http://www.bbc.co.uk...d-asia-25289453)

Yingluck is not the only one that needs replacing. The BBC could do with some replacements also. I think it can be seen from the table below that without the Brumjaithai party selling it's soul to the devil Thaksin for their coalition and seats in power then the PTP would certainly NOT be considered to have a 'commanding majority' as Jonathan Head seems to think.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_general_election,_2011

I was watching a report on BBC about the current situation here in Thailand. It occurred to me that they did not have a reporter here in Thailand and if they did he was to pusy busy enjoying some of the more risque things Thailand has to offer than pay attention to what was going on. Even the nation checks the facts more than he did.

I did not pay attention to the BBC in 2010 but I have been led to believe when they would mention Thailand they referred to his holiness Thaksin. Soon to be canonized Thaksin.

I could have used the spell check instead I choose to just cross the word out. some thing felt rite about that honest miss spelling.

[bigbamboo]

Always look on the bright side.

Is a mass resignation of politicians anywhere really such a bad thing.....?

[kirk0233]

I suppose the antics of the politicians in Thailand are worth a few seconds on international news; but who really cares outside of Thailand what happens here? Most of the time Thais don't seem to care what happens in their own country. They don't even know their own history, just the fabricated group fantasies that are fed to them so will honor the supposed guiding lights of their corrupt civilization. They do know their place most of the time, bend to the will of the loudest voice and don't think too much, give up your vote for some baht or a people's council.