Thai protest leaders call on caretaker government to step down

[webfact]

Protest leaders call on caretaker government to step down



BANGKOK: -- Protest leaders today called on the prime minister and her caretaker government to step down and return power to the people to establish a people’s council.

Thavorn Senniem and Sathit Wongnongtoey, former Democrat Party MPs and now leaders of the People’s Council for Democracy Reform, insisted on the resignation of the caretaker government and return the power to the people to establish the people’s council to appoint interim government to do the care-taker job.

They said that although the prime minister and the government have insisted on the role of a caretaker government until a new government is elected within 60 days as stipulated under the Constitution, this was not accepted.

Protesters wanted the people’s council to appoint a caretaker government from outsiders to do the job instead of the Yingluck’s caretaker government.

Sathit said if the Yingluck’s caretaker government stepped down, Article 7 of the Constitution could be invoked to form a government from outsiders to do the job to ensure clean election.

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/protest-leaders-call-caretaker-government-step/

-- Thai PBS 2013-12-09

[Thailand]

"- return power to the people to establish a people’s council."

An oxymoron?

[Spare]

It is the people's wish.

The people has spoken.

If Thaksin cares about the people, he should comply.

[dunque]

"- return power to the people to establish a people’s council."

An oxymoron?

Yes, it is classic fascist terminology

[dunque]

It is the people's wish.

The people has spoken.

If Thaksin cares about the people, he should comply.

I think the way it works in a democracy is that the people speak at the ballot box - so let's wait and see ok ?

[laurentbkk]

does "people" ready to handle a government ?

[oldsailor35]

How can the leader of a mere 180,000 to 200,000 rabble rousers claim to be the voice of a population of 60 million.

OK go back to the ballot boxes, but then just shut up once and for all if (when) the rabble rousers loose once again.

Edited December 9, 2013 by oldsailor35

[oldsailor35]

does "people" ready to handle a government ?

Ask "The mouth from the South" he seems to think so !

[darrendsd]

It is the people's wish.

The people has spoken.

If Thaksin cares about the people, he should comply.

I think the way it works in a democracy is that the people speak at the ballot box - so let's wait and see ok ?

Speaking at the Ballot box here means which party has offered you the most money for your vote

[sjaak327]

It is the people's wish.

The people has spoken.

If Thaksin cares about the people, he should comply.

The Thai people's voice can be heard when elections are held. Surely we want to give all elligible Thai voters the chance to let their voices heard, not a very small part of them.

[oldsailor35]

It is the people's wish.

The people has spoken.

If Thaksin cares about the people, he should comply.

I think the way it works in a democracy is that the people speak at the ballot box - so let's wait and see ok ?

Speaking at the Ballot box here means which party has offered you the most money for your vote

All sides are doing it, so why get stressed out about it. Do you really think that these rabble rousers in Bangkok are paying for everything out of their own pockets.

[darrendsd]

It is the people's wish.

The people has spoken.

If Thaksin cares about the people, he should comply.

I think the way it works in a democracy is that the people speak at the ballot box - so let's wait and see ok ?

Speaking at the Ballot box here means which party has offered you the most money for your vote

All sides are doing it, so why get stressed out about it. Do you really think that these rabble rousers in Bangkok are paying for everything out of their own pockets.

Why is exactly why I said who pays the most for the vote

[Jip99]

It is the people's wish.

The people has spoken.

If Thaksin cares about the people, he should comply.

I think the way it works in a democracy is that the people speak at the ballot box - so let's wait and see ok ?

Speaking at the Ballot box here means which party has offered you the most money for your vote

All sides are doing it, so why get stressed out about it. Do you really think that these rabble rousers in Bangkok are paying for everything out of their own pockets.

Certainly more so than the 'rabble rousers' who burned down Bangkok in 2010.

[oldsailor35]

Suthep is afraid of an open election, so he will do everything he can to stop it, simply because he knows that he is NOT the preferred person to run this country. He will continue to disrupt and stir protesters with his propaganda. They should lock him up until its all over and Thailand gets back to normal.

[Local Drunk]

How can the leader of a mere 180,000 to 200,000 rabble rousers claim to be the voice of a population of 60 million.

OK go back to the ballot boxes, but then just shut up once and for all if (when) the rabble rousers loose once again.

It's called percentages... 200,000 people willing to march against the government represents a percentage of millions of voters nationwide that agree with them. Ever read a poll?

[Genericnic]

With the current government, Thailand is learning an ugly truth about democracy - a democratically elected government is no guarantee that it will be competent or immune to corruption. This is true throughout the world but is especially true here if, as polls in Thailand have found, people are willing to accept corruption as a matter of course, especially if it benefits them personally. Thais are learning firsthand the truth of the famous quote, generally misattributed to de Tocqueville, that "Every nation gets the government it deserves." - Joseph de Maistre, Letter 76, on the topic of Russia's new constitutional laws (27 August 1811); published in Lettres et Opuscules.

David

[sjaak327]

How can the leader of a mere 180,000 to 200,000 rabble rousers claim to be the voice of a population of 60 million.

OK go back to the ballot boxes, but then just shut up once and for all if (when) the rabble rousers loose once again.

It's called percentages... 200,000 people willing to march against the government represents a percentage of millions of voters nationwide that agree with them. Ever read a poll?

Yet many more millions aren't represented by these numbers. Surely these people have the right to voice their opinion. Which by calling elections, is precisely what they can do.

[Stradavarius37]

How can the leader of a mere 180,000 to 200,000 rabble rousers claim to be the voice of a population of 60 million.

OK go back to the ballot boxes, but then just shut up once and for all if (when) the rabble rousers loose once again.

Eyes bad? There are at least half a million out today. Red shirt counting LOL - when 100,000 Red shirts come out, its 1 million, when 1 million Thais protesting Thaksin come out, its 100,000.

[samtam]

Whoever is supporting Suthep must be very powerful. How else can you explain the ease with which a "mob" of 100-200k have managed to get a government with a large majority to resign? The interim government concept is outside the constitutional framework, but then again, so are coup d'états. What has taken place over the last 5 weeks leading up to today's announcement is a coup d'état, but without the obvious source of the military. But a nod and a wink and a deal has been done. This "People's Council" is gaining traction, and it might well be the plan; Suspension of the constitution until the issues of voting have been resolved, and throw in a bit of a purge for the corruption and huge losses from the rice pledging and other populist schemes that have cost the country dear, and hey presto, GDP temporarily screwed, but problem solved. An election on the same basis as previously is really a non-starter.

[sjaak327]

How can the leader of a mere 180,000 to 200,000 rabble rousers claim to be the voice of a population of 60 million.

OK go back to the ballot boxes, but then just shut up once and for all if (when) the rabble rousers loose once again.

Eyes bad? There are at least half a million out today. Red shirt counting LOL - when 100,000 Red shirts come out, its 1 million, when 1 million Thais protesting Thaksin come out, its 100,000.

It seems the other side is doing the same thing, two weeks ago the biggest turnout was estimated as being less than 200.000 yet Suthep claimed there were over a million people.

[Local Drunk]

With the current government, Thailand is learning an ugly truth about democracy - a democratically elected government is no guarantee that it will be competent or immune to corruption. This is true throughout the world but is especially true here if, as polls in Thailand have found, people are willing to accept corruption as a matter of course, especially if it benefits them personally. Thais are learning firsthand the truth of the famous quote, generally misattributed to de Tocqueville, that "Every nation gets the government it deserves." - Joseph de Maistre, Letter 76, on the topic of Russia's new constitutional laws (27 August 1811); published in Lettres et Opuscules.

David

de Tocqueville's Democracy in America was mandatory reading when I was at University...

[stickyrice2000]

It is the people's wish.

The people has spoken.

If Thaksin cares about the people, he should comply.

You mean your people. What about other people? They are not Thais and their voices do not count because it does not comply with yours. Is that it?

[stickyrice2000]

It is the people's wish.

The people has spoken.

If Thaksin cares about the people, he should comply.

You mean your people. Other people are not Thais and their voices do not count because they are no complied with yours. Is that it?

[JetsetBkk]

I think the way it works in a democracy is that the people speak at the ballot box - so let's wait and see ok ?

Speaking at the Ballot box here means which party has offered you the most money for your vote

All sides are doing it, so why get stressed out about it. Do you really think that these rabble rousers in Bangkok are paying for everything out of their own pockets.

Why is exactly why I said who pays the most for the vote

Not always so. I know people who take money from both candidates and vote how they wish.

[cmsally]

There are essentially 2 power blocs. Although one seems happier to go through the democratic process than the other. You have to weigh one against the other and neither are perfect. But the fact that one wants to adopt an appointed government seems to be a potential worry and a dangerous opportunity for a power vacuum.

You have the choice of power politics with election which hopefully might mature and at least pay lip service to the worth of the electorate. If my understanding is correct this could bring things forward in a less haphazard way.

The other choice is looking more like a feeding frenzy over the power positions who are so likely to be occupied with dividing the spoils they are unlikely to even realise that an electorate exists. Well actually if they have their way they won't even need to worry about an electorate. That scenario seems to be a potential recipe for instability and confusion, all the more so as they will assume they have the "right" to play things out well out of view.

Both sides are obviously corrupt and the fact that anyone can think the Democrats and Suthep et al are otherwise is rather sad. Some people should do some more reading.

Edited December 9, 2013 by cmsally

[aussieinthailand]

How can the leader of a mere 180,000 to 200,000 rabble rousers claim to be the voice of a population of 60 million.

OK go back to the ballot boxes, but then just shut up once and for all if (when) the rabble rousers loose once again.

It's called percentages... 200,000 people willing to march against the government represents a percentage of millions of voters nationwide that agree with them. Ever read a poll?

It seems you put more weight into poll's taken rather than an election result. You ever read an election result? so yes, "it's called percentages"

and a greater percentage of people prefer the current government...

[ginjag]

How can the leader of a mere 180,000 to 200,000 rabble rousers claim to be the voice of a population of 60 million.

OK go back to the ballot boxes, but then just shut up once and for all if (when) the rabble rousers loose once again.

It's called percentages... 200,000 people willing to march against the government represents a percentage of millions of voters nationwide that agree with them. Ever read a poll?

It seems you put more weight into poll's taken rather than an election result. You ever read an election result? so yes, "it's called percentages"

and a greater percentage of people prefer the current government...

No NO 48% BEFORE preferred this regime. the other % your talking about sided with them to get in the trough.

I posted before what % do this regime expect now ???? with out the hangers on smaller parties they raked in the trough. with out them now they would be useless.

[gerrythepoet]

Thaksin was at the UN when the coup ousted him out.

If Yingluck attends Nelson Mandela's funeral will Suthep

raise the stakes with his revolutionary council?

[kurtgruen]

I see it this way...

No matter what the outcome the poor, on both sides, will still be poor. They are being used as expendable pawns, in a chess game. Nothing will get better for them, no matter which one of the two sides, has power. With the following exception:

If they happen to have a friend or benefactor, who's side seizes power, those benefits may in fact trickle down to them.

Thailand, compared to a lot of other Nations around the World, is still a land of opportunity. If, as a Thai person, you are healthy, don't drink, don't do drugs and don't gamble, chances are, with hard work and a little bit of planning ,you can still get ahead in this Country, no matter who is in power.

A lot of poor people, I see around me, are poor, not because of external circumstances, but rather because of their own actions and reactions to situations.

As for the protests, these are mostly educated people who are out there protesting and attempting to overthrow the Government. There is a reason for this. They are not just out there, for the fun of it.

You may think that Democracy is the best system in the world, but there are a lot of people, who disagree. After all, most of us, were born and raised (and brainwashed) in a democratic system, so it only comes natural, to think that it is the best, or only system that works (even so it doesn't)

Why not let Thailand experiment with an alternative form of Government. After all, Thailand belongs to Thai People. All Thai People, not just the ones getting bought at elections, in the rural areas and Thaksin strongholds, like Chiang Mai.

Personally, I am here, because I could not stand, living in North America anymore. The last thing I want to see, is our twisted values, pushed on Thai People.

Having another election in 60 days, would not solve anything. Anyone who thinks is would, is very naive. Of course, I am not naive either. I believe, that Thaskin will hang on to power by any means possible. He has an unquenchable thirst for power and in my opinion is a very dangerous man. It wasn't just corruption. Many innocent people lost their lives, under Thaskin's rule. I will never forget, that he wiped out a whole village of men, women and children, in his "War on Drugs". I will never forget the crimes of his henchmen, piling live people, on top of each other, bound, in the back of trucks and then driving, until most of them were dead.

There are many reasons, why people want to get rid of Thaskin and his clan.

Sometimes, I feel in necessary, to post a bit, about his crimes against Humanity, "Lest we forget", even so I am not Thai People.

[ginjag]

Thaksin was at the UN when the coup ousted him out.

If Yingluck attends Nelson Mandela's funeral will Suthep

raise the stakes with his revolutionary council?

Yingluck asked was his name Horatio ?????