Thai PM calls elections as 100,000 join protests

[millwall_fan]

It is unfortunate that the poor outnumber the rich in Thailand. so unless they adopt an 18th Century British voting system where only the rich can vote, we are destined to have the reds in charge. It's a bit of a bugga this democracy malarkey isn't it?

As for the corruption issue, well the corruption is where the money is and that is predominately in the yellow camp. So democracy wins really, until a handful of people take to the streets.

What a to-do.

The reds didn't rule Britain much after the masses were given the vote, though. If Abhisit and Suthep had any brains and could box clever, they'd realise that what they need to do in a scenario where there are more poor than rich is to be more Thaksin than Thaksin: deliver rising living standards to the people and they will vote for you: If the Yellow employers had paid the 9,000 Baht minimum wage, instead of trying every dodge to get away with less, maybe there'd be less resentment now. That's what The Conservatives did in UK and they have regularly won elections. Demographically the Republicans should never win another election in the US, but they will, as long as they co-opt enough people to the middle class.

[DrTuner]

Without changes in the constitution and placing a powerful independent organisation somewhere with the power to check and punish the government for corruption powerful enough to get data on scams like the rice pledging program and punish the government if there is too much corruption Thailand will never see peace.

Something appointed by the king with teeth.. making sure politicians can go to jail and loose their ill gotten gains, this would insure that crooks had less incentive to go in politics and the country would get better and more honest leaders. When that happens problems would quickly get less. Without this its just more of the same.

I've had a novel idea about politicians for a while. They should be convicts with a death sentence, carried out when they screw up. Might just keep them in line. Working for a government ought to be a punishment, not a privilege.

Of course in Thailand the convict part is already close enough.

[SICHONSTEVE]

100,000 on the streets in a country of 50,000,000.

A small minority trying to impose their will on a large majority.

When will Bangkokians learn that Thailand is much bigger than just Bangkok?

Bangkok is not Thailand. It's a part of Thailand.

An (in excess) of 140,000 people trying to show their disdain and disgust at 200, or so, incompetents trying to rape the country through illegal and unlawful means, disregarding the courts verdicts and stamping over parliamentary rules in attempting to create a dictatorship by the back door, don't you mean!!!

[SICHONSTEVE]

It is unfortunate that the poor outnumber the rich in Thailand. so unless they adopt an 18th Century British voting system where only the rich can vote, we are destined to have the reds in charge. It's a bit of a bugga this democracy malarkey isn't it?

As for the corruption issue, well the corruption is where the money is and that is predominately in the yellow camp. So democracy wins really, until a handful of people take to the streets.

What a to-do.

I don't think Taksin is any more corrupt than anyone else who is rich and powerful, his mistake was to upset the wrong people.

Surely that avatar can't be you!!

You look far too intelligent to come out with that claptrap you have just offered up.

[DrTuner]

Every Provincial Hall in the south of Thailand is currently surrounded by protesters, it's not just a 'Bangkok thing'.

Just drove past Pattaya City Hall. Didn't see anybody there. Chonburi is Phalang Chon, Kunplome family territory. I wonder about other Eastern provinces.

[AllanB]

It is unfortunate that the poor outnumber the rich in Thailand. so unless they adopt an 18th Century British voting system where only the rich can vote, we are destined to have the reds in charge. It's a bit of a bugga this democracy malarkey isn't it?

As for the corruption issue, well the corruption is where the money is and that is predominately in the yellow camp. So democracy wins really, until a handful of people take to the streets.

What a to-do.

I don't think Taksin is any more corrupt than anyone else who is rich and powerful, his mistake was to upset the wrong people.

Surely that avatar can't be you!!

You look far too intelligent to come out with that claptrap you have just offered up.

Explain....or do you just sit and poke.

Not the brightest are we, do you really think Julian Assange would be writing on ThaiVisa?

Edited December 9, 2013 by AllanB

[a99az]

Wow! Some people just can't take a hint, even one as big as this.

[kirk0233]

 

It seems the power of the people is greater than the power of Thaksin's ill gotten gains !

 

Yes, remarkable so many in bangkok want a council to decide everything for them so they don't have to think too much or vote.

[tingtongteesood]

Bluff called and now they don't want elections but this unelected peoples council, what a pathetic bunch!

The protesters have said that elections were not enough for over a week now. So not a bluff and not a change in position on the topic.

We know where you stand then.

No democratic elections in your country I guess?

I don't think the protestors are saying no elections, they are saying no elections until the political system in this country is fixed, if you don't think it needs fixing then you are denying the obvious - history doesn't lie

It won't be fixed while anything Thaksin has anything to do with it which is why they want them gone completely.

Don't forget this is Thaksins version of reconciliation going on right now - I just don't see it

Get the auditor in to see the government books - lets expose what has really been going on for 2 years

What they are saying is that they do not want elections until Thaksin and his relatives and cronies that infest every corner of this government and state agencies are gone and then free elections which will hopefully be honest will lead to new people who will hopefully actually do their jobs and not bow to the whims and machinations of a criminal fugitive who is living in another country to avoid justice....

[jitenshaman]

100.000 only???

What a loss of face for insane Suthep

And the majority were bought from the deep south...

Sorry, "brought"

If it's only 100.000 it is a very good news. It means that there are less brainwashed extremists than I thought.

Sound people would never follow or support Suthep in his acts of treason and insurrection.

Sound people would never vote for a thug who ordered extra judicial killings and robbed the country blind. Whoops, then again, people have the wool pulled over their eyes all the time.

[CPH]

For us expats who shouldnt care a shit about Thai politics the good outcome should be a weakening of the baht in the coming monts.

[AllanB]

For us expats who shouldnt care a shit about Thai politics the good outcome should be a weakening of the baht in the coming monts.

Absolutely..........I get an extra 150 squid a month and my missus get a few hundred baht for her vote as well.

[DrTuner]

For us expats who shouldnt care a shit about Thai politics the good outcome should be a weakening of the baht in the coming monts.

Civil war has been avoided for now, baht will probably strengthen as one risk weakens. But no worries, there will be other problems ahead.

[seajae]

what we need is independant officials, thaksin needs to have an arrest warrant issued for him immediately by the judiciary, his passport revoked, an independant look at the actual thai "books" to see what has been happening with the money, the ptp if it is headed by thaksin(or through his proxy) dissolved as he is a criminal, all those mp's of red shirt/ptp persuasion that have avoided arrest with their positions put in jail, even the dem leaders need to have their trials pushed post haste as they will be proven innocent as it was a total set up by the ptp/dsi, the rice scheme abandonned immediately and the true figures revealed. Any thai politicians that are indicated in any form of graft need to be arrested and all politicians that have ever been banned for this in the past must also be removed from any form of political positions and never allowed to be a politician or adviser again. This is the only way Thailand can actually be sorted out, all the criminal/graft taking elements need to be removed. No amnesty for anyone, if you do the crime you do the time applies to all, even the common red shirts that raided Bangkok and yellows that raided the airport. Payments for votes to be outlawed(as well as bussing people to voting booths) and for the voting to be overseen by neutral countries, this should appeal to all thais no matter who they vote for as it will stop the rot and deliver more independabce as well as fairer politicians.

[DGIE]

100,000 on the streets in a country of 50,000,000.

A small minority trying to impose their will on a large majority.

When will Bangkokians learn that Thailand is much bigger than just Bangkok?

Bangkok is not Thailand. It's a part of Thailand.

It's a country of 65,000,000. Seems you too have something to learn.

...on many levels.

maybe 50,000,000 last year. This year is 65,000,000. Just not updated

[SICHONSTEVE]

For us expats who shouldnt care a shit about Thai politics the good outcome should be a weakening of the baht in the coming monts.

Absolutely..........I get an extra 150 squid a month and my missus get a few hundred baht for her vote as well.

Nice to see that your thoughts and concerns are with the people!!

You are even starting to think like Thaksin, Mr. Assange

I bet that your wife thinks that corruption is OK if it benefits her.

[DGIE]

So what else can Yingluck offer? The oppositions do not want election.

They just want to capture the seat of Prime Minister then put it in the People's Council.

Anybody can sit there

Edited December 9, 2013 by DGIE

[SICHONSTEVE]

what we need is independant officials, thaksin needs to have an arrest warrant issued for him immediately by the judiciary, his passport revoked, an independant look at the actual thai "books" to see what has been happening with the money, the ptp if it is headed by thaksin(or through his proxy) dissolved as he is a criminal, all those mp's of red shirt/ptp persuasion that have avoided arrest with their positions put in jail, even the dem leaders need to have their trials pushed post haste as they will be proven innocent as it was a total set up by the ptp/dsi, the rice scheme abandonned immediately and the true figures revealed. Any thai politicians that are indicated in any form of graft need to be arrested and all politicians that have ever been banned for this in the past must also be removed from any form of political positions and never allowed to be a politician or adviser again. This is the only way Thailand can actually be sorted out, all the criminal/graft taking elements need to be removed. No amnesty for anyone, if you do the crime you do the time applies to all, even the common red shirts that raided Bangkok and yellows that raided the airport. Payments for votes to be outlawed(as well as bussing people to voting booths) and for the voting to be overseen by neutral countries, this should appeal to all thais no matter who they vote for as it will stop the rot and deliver more independabce as well as fairer politicians.

Fancy being a member of the 'people's council' - oh I forgot, us farangs don't understand Thai politics and are not allowed to take part.

[OKF]

like in your country....

[Prbkk]

Amazing Thailand !!!

That is disgusting..these rabble rousing anti democratic yellow shirts...oh it must be the old dear in the yellow shirt giving the fingers salute.

It's quite obvious that these are agents of the "third hand". They didn't fool me for even a minute

[SICHONSTEVE]

like in your country....

Really!!!

3 British electoral law provides for the citizens of nearly fifty Commonwealth countries, British Dependent Territories, and the Republic of Ireland to vote in both local and general elections in the UK. The Representation of the People Act, 1918, provided that only British subjects could register as electors. However, the term “British subject” included any person who, at that time, owed allegiance to the Crown, regardless of the crown territory in which they were born. This included Commonwealth citizens and has never been revised.

[OKF]

if you would be 'Thai Subject' you could get involved here....so what r u talking about?

[SICHONSTEVE]

Amazing Thailand !!!

That is disgusting..these rabble rousing anti democratic yellow shirts...oh it must be the old dear in the yellow shirt giving the fingers salute.

It's quite obvious that these are agents of the "third hand". They didn't fool me for even a minute

Watch out for the white and blue haired ones with the walking sticks - they can be deadly in wielding them like 'The three musketeers'!!!

[SICHONSTEVE]

if you would be 'Thai Subject' you could get involved here....so what r u talking about?

I was referring to a farang not being allowed the vote in Thailand!!

[Trembly]

Yingluck seemd really shaken in her latest speech. Her voice was a bit hoarse and had that crackling quality of someone who has either just been crying or is about to cry, she kept dropping the formal 'r' and she had to make a real effort not to rush through the speech at times. I actually felt sorry for her as I listened.

[Muhendis]

I neither support The Reds or the Yellows, but really can people count. I think that there is at least more than a million people on the streets today. was taking the bts to check out the turnouts and God! At Silom, Sukhumvit and Saphan Kwai etc the crowds were enormous.

Those TV members who are pro red......why do u guys just don your red shorts and go out and tell ur views to the protesters.

Do not advise non-Thai "guests" to get involved with Thai politics.

Better to advise to look at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/10/world/asia/thailand-protests.html?_r=0 for a balanced assessment.

[Muhendis]

Yingluck seemd really shaken in her latest speech. Her voice was a bit hoarse and had that crackling quality of someone who has either just been crying or is about to cry, she kept dropping the formal 'r' and she had to make a real effort not to rush through the speech at times. I actually felt sorry for her as I listened.

Good acting......

[jackrich]

Every Provincial Hall in the south of Thailand is currently surrounded by protesters, it's not just a 'Bangkok thing'.

Just drove past Pattaya City Hall. Didn't see anybody there. Chonburi is Phalang Chon, Kunplome family territory. I wonder about other Eastern provinces.

Just more yellow shirt dramatics. If its 100,000 people that means 5 million. If its 2 people it means "surrounded".

[ratcatcher]

Yingluck seemd really shaken in her latest speech. Her voice was a bit hoarse and had that crackling quality of someone who has either just been crying or is about to cry, she kept dropping the formal 'r' and she had to make a real effort not to rush through the speech at times. I actually felt sorry for her as I listened.

Good acting......

So the good lady has a future in Thai soaps? She has the looks but not the years.

[millwall_fan]

I have said it before and will say it again - Most of the so called PTP/redshirt supporters on this forum are trolls ! I refuse to believe that it is possible to have so many misguided people in any one place at any one time. If I am wrong then I made a big mistake moving to Thailand and starting a family. alt=thumbsup.gif pagespeed_url_hash=1443177670 width=25 height=19>

It's odd that we foreigners seem to mirror the debate the Thais are having themselves. You think Red supporters on here are trolls - I find it very hard to believe that you aren't a troll. How can you support a ruling Chinese/Thai elite that would like to kick out all foreigners (except themselves of course) and allow the power of their money to rule Thailand as it has for a 100 years. The Shins will be gone in a few years, once the people realise they aren't real socialists: then the dems will be the Tories/Republicans, anxious to maintain the status quo. Jutaporn and Veera will be the socialists seeking to tax the rich until the pips squeak and the Shins will be wishy-washy liberals with no constituency.

"Chinese Thai elite" --- by that you mean Thaksin, right?

That's the main reason they hate him so much. a renegade.