Thai opposition undecided on election boycott

[webfact]

Thai opposition undecided on election boycott

BANGKOK, December 17, 2013 (AFP) - Thailand's opposition party said Tuesday it remained undecided over whether to boycott snap polls called by the government to mollify massive street protests.

A boycott would likely plunge the kingdom deeper into turmoil, after weeks of street protests against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her brother Thaksin -- an ousted billionaire ex-premier who is despised by many among the Thai middle class and Bangkok elite.

Yingluck called the February 2 election after the opposition Democrat Party resigned en masse from parliament on December 8 to join the demonstrations, which have drawn tens of thousands to Bangkok's streets.

Protesters, who are still rallying but in greatly reduced numbers, reject new elections without widespread reform to end Thaksin's influence, which they say has corrupted the kingdom's political system.

They want to establish a "People's Council" to enact reforms before elections and have called on Thailand's powerful army to back their campaign.

Despite their support for the rallies, the Democrats are split "50-50" over whether to participate in polls, spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said at a party meeting Tuesday to elect new leaders.

A boycott -- which would echo the Democrats stance in 2006 that precipitated the army coup that ousted Thaksin -- would placate street protesters, he explained, but risked "long-term damage" to the party by stepping outside of the existing political process.

Conversely, participation would see the party "lose support of the protesters," he said.

"We don't have to rush into making a decision," he added, saying December 27 is the deadline for officially listing candidates for the polls.

Incumbent Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva was re-elected unopposed at the meeting, which will also see a new executive committee formed.

New committee members were needed to replace Suthep Thaugsuban, who left his role as party deputy to lead the street protests, and the party secretary who also resigned.

"An election under the same regulations will produce the same parliament members," Suthep said in his nightly address late Monday, reiterating his demand for widespread reform before polls.

The Democrats draw on deep support among Thailand's Bangkok-based elite and middle class, who accuse the self-exiled Thaksin of years of vote-buying.

But they have not won an elected majority in more than two decades, and critics argue that the only "reforms" they are interested in are those which will propel them back to power.

Analysts say a boycott of the February elections will likely prolong the political turmoil and cripple the democratic process.

Thailand's Thaksin-aligned "Red Shirts" called Tuesday for the Democrat Party to run in the polls.

"If you boycott this election while our country is in crisis then you should not be a political party under democratic rule," movement chairwoman Thida Thavornseth told reporters.

Red Shirts have vowed to defend Yingluck's embattled government, raising the prospect of rival mass rallies if an election is held back.

Abhisit, a British-educated former prime minister, was indicted for murder last week in connection with a deadly military crackdown on mass protests by the Thaskin-aligned then opposition in Bangkok three years ago.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-12-17

[jomtienjinx2013]

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Now is the time for the Democrats to show if they have fire in their stomachs or are prepared to settle for the status quo. If the latter what did they resign for in the first place.

[Thailand]

"Conversely, participation would see the party "lose support of the protesters," he said."

So how many protestors were there in comparison to those who voted Democrat in the last election?

[Spare]

Cometh the hour, cometh the man, cometh the decision; oops. can't make the decision.

[h90]

"Conversely, participation would see the party "lose support of the protesters," he said."

So how many protestors were there in comparison to those who voted Democrat in the last election?

In the last election the Democrats had already the problem that their voter were frustrated.

The whole south is full of support for the protests. They would feel the Democrats are traitors or not different and would stay away from the election.

So Abhisit is in the situation, that whatever he does it will be wrong.

[backtonormal]

an ousted billionaire ex-premier who is despised by many among the Thai middle class and Bangkok elite.

'..and loved by many Bangkok middle class' if the reporting gets anymore one sided it will fall over

[Siripon]

"Conversely, participation would see the party "lose support of the protesters," he said."

So how many protestors were there in comparison to those who voted Democrat in the last election?

In the last election the Democrats had already the problem that their voter were frustrated.

The whole south is full of support for the protests. They would feel the Democrats are traitors or not different and would stay away from the election.

So Abhisit is in the situation, that whatever he does it will be wrong.

That's true, the whole of the south and a considerable number of Bangkokians are against running in the election.

They want reforms first.

The Democrats and anti-Thaksin folk don't trust Pheua Thai to implement any meaningful reforms.

And vice-versa, Pheua Thai don't trust Suthep and his People's Council.

I can envisage the Democrats organizing a massive vote no campaign which may well see millions voting no.

[Thailand]

"Conversely, participation would see the party "lose support of the protesters," he said."

So how many protestors were there in comparison to those who voted Democrat in the last election?

In the last election the Democrats had already the problem that their voter were frustrated.

The whole south is full of support for the protests. They would feel the Democrats are traitors or not different and would stay away from the election.

So Abhisit is in the situation, that whatever he does it will be wrong.

I can't really believe they will not contest the election, failure to do so would be completely spineless but they seem to be capable of going down that route.

At least be embarrassed having tried and failed to defeat the PTP rather than not trying at all?

[backtonormal]

"Conversely, participation would see the party "lose support of the protesters," he said."

So how many protestors were there in comparison to those who voted Democrat in the last election?

In the last election the Democrats had already the problem that their voter were frustrated.

The whole south is full of support for the protests. They would feel the Democrats are traitors or not different and would stay away from the election.

So Abhisit is in the situation, that whatever he does it will be wrong.

Paid for by their Democrat land owners...no different to the red shirts then

[thairookie]

It's CHECKMATE Democrats !

Now the Democrats are caught between a rock and a hard place. If the Democrates decide to participate in the coming Election, I wonder how they are going to "answer" to Mr Suthep ! Our Supreme Leader would be caught in no man's land.

[Spare]

"Conversely, participation would see the party "lose support of the protesters," he said."

So how many protestors were there in comparison to those who voted Democrat in the last election?

In the last election the Democrats had already the problem that their voter were frustrated.

The whole south is full of support for the protests. They would feel the Democrats are traitors or not different and would stay away from the election.

So Abhisit is in the situation, that whatever he does it will be wrong.

That's true, the whole of the south and a considerable number of Bangkokians are against running in the election.

They want reforms first.

The Democrats and anti-Thaksin folk don't trust Pheua Thai to implement any meaningful reforms.

And vice-versa, Pheua Thai don't trust Suthep and his People's Council.

I can envisage the Democrats organizing a massive vote no campaign which may well see millions voting no.

Last time PAD promote a vote "No".

The result only strengthen Thaksin wins.

[NCFC]

After the successful Amnesty Bill campaign, had the Democrats not attempted to challenge the democratic process but concentrated on other PT failures such as the rice-pledging scheme, I think they would have kept the protest momentum going and won over a lot more support. They've played their hand really badly and now Abhisit is in a no-win situation whatever way he decides to go.

[wprime]

Seems Thailand is stuck, the Democrats can't just back track and not boycott the elections because they would lose face.

[Billmont]

Hot off the press. The Daventry Evening Echo that has a circulation of over a hundred regular readers quotes a unnamed source as saying that Daventry Albion will refuse to play if drawn against Manchester United in any future FA Cup as they think they will lose. Their editor recently returned from a fact finding mission in Bangkok and said that they got the idea from the Thai Democratic Party.

[Moruya]

an ousted billionaire ex-premier who is despised by many among the Thai middle class and Bangkok elite.

'..and loved by many Bangkok middle class' if the reporting gets anymore one sided it will fall over

and detested by anyone south of Lopburi including the monkeys

[Emdog]

If Dems run, they will lose. They have far more money than Taksin and his backers, so vote buying should not be an issue. Point is voters would take money, then vote who they wanted anyway. If they don't run, they can hardly claim to wanting democracy. They are like so many bars here that raise prices because not enough customers, then wonder why even that number drops. Clueless.

[HUAHIN62]

"Conversely, participation would see the party "lose support of the protesters," he said."

So how many protestors were there in comparison to those who voted Democrat in the last election?

In the last election the Democrats had already the problem that their voter were frustrated.

The whole south is full of support for the protests. They would feel the Democrats are traitors or not different and would stay away from the election.

So Abhisit is in the situation, that whatever he does it will be wrong.

Maybe he should have thought about this before they resigned as MP's, but he was not strong enough to standup against the southern MP's. I think they all believed that the army would intervene, which didn't happen which now puts the party at risk of becoming irrelevant. If the Dems don't contest this election, Korn could fight it under a new party and he may do a better job than AV, which could make a comeback by the Dems difficult. Also how can they participate in future reforms if they are not represented in parliament? If real reforms take place that satisfy the people without the Dems involvement they could be heading for the dumpster.