Thai Election Commission goes ahead with Feb 2 election

[webfact]

Election Commission goes ahead with Feb 2 election
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Dec 21 – The Election Commission (EC) announced yesterday to go ahead with a snap poll on February 2 amid escalating calls for national reform before such an election.

EC chairman Supachai Somcharoen said after meeting with caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra that the EC did not offer to mediate among different factions in light of political conflicts.

He said the prime minister and election commissioners agreed that an election is essential and should be held fairly but the EC would not give its opinions whatsoever.

Five election commissioners share the same opinions on an election and would not suggest a public forum to discuss the issue, he said.

He said Ms Yingluck inquired if the election budget would be sufficient and wanted to ensure safety and conveniences to voters on the election day.

Somchai Srisuthiyakorn, one of the election commissioners, said different quarters in society should jointly resolve the political tension with dialogues.

The prime minister promised to do her best to solve the problem and said she has been aware of the people’s sentiment, he said.

Puchong Nutrawong, EC secretary general, said the EC has mapped out a contingency plan to relocate the election registration site in case the location is blocked by anti-government protesters.

Candidate applications are scheduled daily, Monday through Friday next week for the February 2 nationwide poll. The Thai-Japanese Stadium at Din Daeng is the registration location.

He said the EC will definitely not move to an army building as reported and did not request additional security personnel.

Meanwhile, Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul urged all factions to hold talks amid political uncertainty and chaos.

He said the EC is not empowered to organise a political dialogue, urging leaders of political parties and election commissioners to jointly find a resolution at the Sukosol Hotel tomorrow afternoon.

“We don’t have much time. If everything goes on smoothly, we can apply for candidacies on Monday,” he said.

“We want political parties to agree and promise that the election, if held, will be in accordance with the law and traditional practice.” (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-12-21

[webfact]

ELECTION COMMISSION
Polls to go ahead: EC
The Nation


Caretaker PM Yingluck Shinawatra, left, meets with Election Commission members yesterday to discuss the February 2 election. Also present were, from left, Justice Minister Chaikasem Nitisiri, EC chairman Supachai Somcharoen as well as EC members Boonsong

Election agency has backup plans if site besieged by protesters; many Democrat MPs say they won't run

BANGKOK: -- After a meeting with caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the Election Commission (EC) maintained yesterday that the registration of candidates for the February 2 general election would start on Monday, as planned.

Meanwhile, more than 70 former Democrat MPs from Bangkok and the South have decided not to contest the election.

EC member Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said the registration venue - Kilawet Stadium at the Thai-Japan Youth Centre - would be well protected by police to ensure the registration process would not be interrupted. He said if the venue was besieged by protesters, a new location would be designated to register election candidates.

And if the registration of candidates could not start, the EC would consider whether to expand the period in which to do this.

Yingluck and members of her Cabinet, including caretaker Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul and caretaker Justice Minister Chaikasem Nitisiri, met with the five new election commissioners at the EC head office yesterday afternoon. The meeting lasted more than an hour and was followed by a press conference, hosted by the commission.

The caretaker prime minister refused to talk to reporters after the meeting, saying that the EC members would explain details in their press conference.

At that conference, EC member Thirawat Thirarojwit said both sides agreed the next election was significant and that there was a need to ensure it was free and fair. He also said the caretaker PM offered to provide sufficient funding for holding the election and for security.

Thirawat said the EC simply wanted political reconciliation ahead of the ballot. "The election day should not become a day of big chaos or confusion," he said.

Somchai said the EC found that many voters were not in the mood to go to an election, mainly because of the current conflict.

Chaikasem, the caretaker justice minister, said there would be no postponement of the poll.

The EC had earlier suggested reconsidering the election date because of the growing political tension.

Meanwhile, more than 70 former Democrat Party MPs, most from Bangkok and the southern provinces, decided not to contest the next general election, a senior party source said yesterday.

They consist of more than 90 per cent of Democrat MPs from its two major strongholds, and more than 60 per cent of the party's constituency MPs.

The former MPs said they would not seek re-election even if the Democrat Party decided to contest the next election, according to the source, who said the ex-MPs made their decisions after heavy lobbying by Suthep Thaugsuban, leader of the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee.

Suthep leads a protest movement to pressure the caretaker Cabinet to resign and postpone the election to make way for political reform.

The source said that with most former Democrat MPs planning to boycott the election, other party colleagues were likely to follow suit.

The party is due to convene a meeting today and contesting the election will be a key item on the agenda.

A survey of all Democrat branch heads found that all of them disagreed with the party contesting the election, former MP Sirichok Sopha said.

In the previous election in 2011, the Democrats won 117 seats in the House of Representatives from constituencies and another 44 from the party-list system of proportional representation. Fifty of the constituency seats were won in the South, 24 in Bangkok, 26 elsewhere in the Central region, 13 in the North, and four in the Northeast.

All opposition Democrat MPs resigned their seats on December 8 to protest against what they described as an illegitimate House of Representatives after passage of a controversial amnesty bill. The mass resignations were followed by Yingluck's decision to dissolve the House the next day.

The Democrats yesterday sent representatives to talk with most of the main political parties, including the ruling Pheu Thai and the coalition Chart Thai Pattana, to seek their support to postpone the election.

However, Pheu Thai rejected the idea, saying the election should go ahead as planned.

"Postponing the election might make it look like the country has no rule of law," Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said, adding that the poll should go ahead and political reform be implemented afterwards.

At the Defence Council meeting yesterday, which was chaired by caretaker Defence Minister Yingluck, she asked the top brass to remain politically neutral in the run-up to the election to avoid possible criticism or allegations of bias, ministry spokesman Colonel Thanathip Sangsawang said.

All the top commanders of the armed forces were ready to support the election authorities if requested, the spokesman said.

But Yingluck is unlikely to join the Pheu Thai team when candidates register for the election, according to a source from the ruling party. She will focus instead on making trips to the provinces, particularly the North and Northeast. Pheu Thai leader Charupong Ruangsuwan will lead the party's team to register, the source said.


-- The Nation 2013-12-21

[soi41]

"The caretaker PM refused to talk to reporters after the meeting, saying that the EC members would explain in their press-conference"

In other words, she didn't understand, what actually took place! (Again!)

[NongKhaiKid]

All this Yes, No and Maybe nonsense brings to mind the old idea of not being able to organise a drinking session in the place where the drink is produced.

[15Peter20]

I would imagine the election is going ahead because it is entirely in line with the current constitution.

[binjalin]

"The caretaker PM refused to talk to reporters after the meeting, saying that the EC members would explain in their press-conference"

In other words, she didn't understand, what actually took place! (Again!)

unfair and she was completely right as it was not for her to comment and the EC would have taken it very badly as it was for them to announce what their decision was after the meeting

[Nibbles48]

Basically she passed on orders from Dubai, and told the EC that elections must go ahead.

Unfortunately for Yingluck and the EC there is very little chance of these elections being held without some form of reform first. I would go as far as to say they have an 80% chance of being scrapped. If they do go ahead, they will be so disrupted they will be almost certainly be called off or the result will not be accepted and the protests will probably intensify to the point that the whole place will go up in big style.

Thaksin possibly wants this scenario. I doubt he can ever come back here and so would prefer Thailand descend into a bloody civil war ... in his name.

[brewsterbudgen]

Basically she passed on orders from Dubai, and told the EC that elections must go ahead.

Unfortunately for Yingluck and the EC there is very little chance of these elections being held without some form of reform first. I would go as far as to say they have an 80% chance of being scrapped. If they do go ahead, they will be so disrupted they will be almost certainly be called off or the result will not be accepted and the protests will probably intensify to the point that the whole place will go up in big style.

Thaksin possibly wants this scenario. I doubt he can ever come back here and so would prefer Thailand descend into a bloody civil war ... in his name.

You seem quite excited about the prospect. Let's hope wiser heads prevail - and at the moment Yingluck is acting far more wisely than her rabid counterpart.

[Nibbles48]

"The caretaker PM refused to talk to reporters after the meeting, saying that the EC members would explain in their press-conference"

In other words, she didn't understand, what actually took place! (Again!)

unfair and she was completely right as it was not for her to comment and the EC would have taken it very badly as it was for them to announce what their decision was after the meeting

She was at the meeting, a meeting that SHE called.. So it is HER business to comment.

She won't comment without a script prepared by big bro.

Also, she should comment as to WHY she is holding a meeting at all... with an EC that is supposed to be 100% neutral from any political party interference.

They clearly stated before the meeting that they were not confident that elections should go ahead on Feb 2nd, then this meeting and all of a sudden there is an 'about turn'. You going to tell me she didn't influence them?

That is why she needs to comment. Everyone wants to know why she is meddling with a neutral commission.

I think this is enough to clear out the EC and have them replaced, they have now been tainted.

[Thailand]

Basically she passed on orders from Dubai, and told the EC that elections must go ahead.

Unfortunately for Yingluck and the EC there is very little chance of these elections being held without some form of reform first. I would go as far as to say they have an 80% chance of being scrapped. If they do go ahead, they will be so disrupted they will be almost certainly be called off or the result will not be accepted and the protests will probably intensify to the point that the whole place will go up in big style.

Thaksin possibly wants this scenario. I doubt he can ever come back here and so would prefer Thailand descend into a bloody civil war ... in his name.

You seem quite excited about the prospect. Let's hope wiser heads prevail - and at the moment Yingluck is acting far more wisely than her rabid counterpart.

By a country mile!

[pkspeaker]

I would go so far as to say that there is a 80% chance you have no clue about the laws.. The military has said NO COUP, that means this country will continue to be governed by the rule of law and not a bunch facist idiots trying to overthrow the elected government via a putsch. See, there are RULES, when the house is disolved, a new election must take place within so many days and the EC must govern the election.

If the democrats want to boycot the election that is their perogative, but the election will move forward and those districts will be represented by candidates that decided to take part in the electoral process.

The question is.. why the hell wasn't this 'reform' you talk about done after the 2006 coup? The PAD was influential in drafting the post coup constitution, now they insist on scraping it and they need this new vague reform process.. it's balouny, the PAD/PDRC gimmik of haveing a 'people's council' for "8-16 months after reforms have taken place" is a trik to remove the elected government and replace it with a facist politburo, the reason they are vague about when the new elections will take place is that they plan on them never taking place, they will simply insist that the 'reforms' are not yet complete every month.

ANd of cource even if this insane council did come to power, the red shirts will simply take over some other part of the city and demand fresh elections, so Suthep's dictatorship is simply a path to violence.

Basically she passed on orders from Dubai, and told the EC that elections must go ahead.

Unfortunately for Yingluck and the EC there is very little chance of these elections being held without some form of reform first. I would go as far as to say they have an 80% chance of being scrapped. If they do go ahead, they will be so disrupted they will be almost certainly be called off or the result will not be accepted and the protests will probably intensify to the point that the whole place will go up in big style.

Thaksin possibly wants this scenario. I doubt he can ever come back here and so would prefer Thailand descend into a bloody civil war ... in his name.

Edited December 21, 2013 by pkspeaker

[Baerboxer]

I would go so far as to say that there is a 80% chance you have no clue about the laws.. The military has said NO COUP, that means this country will continue to be governed by the rule of law and not a bunch facist idiots trying to overthrow the elected government via a putsch. See, there are RULES, when the house is disolved, a new election must take place within so many days and the EC must govern the election.

If the democrats want to boycot the election that is their perogative, but the election will move forward and those districts will be represented by candidates that decided to take part in the electoral process.

The question is.. why the hell wasn't this 'reform' you talk about done after the 2006 coup? The PAD was influential in drafting the post coup constitution, now they insist on scraping it and they need this new vague reform process.. it's balouny, the PAD/PDRC gimmik of haveing a 'people's council' for "8-16 months after reforms have taken place" is a trik to remove the elected government and replace it with a facist politburo, the reason they are vague about when the new elections will take place is that they plan on them never taking place, they will simply insist that the 'reforms' are not yet complete every month.

ANd of cource even if this insane council did come to power, the red shirts will simply take over some other part of the city and demand fresh elections, so Suthep's dictatorship is simply a path to violence.

Basically she passed on orders from Dubai, and told the EC that elections must go ahead.

Unfortunately for Yingluck and the EC there is very little chance of these elections being held without some form of reform first. I would go as far as to say they have an 80% chance of being scrapped. If they do go ahead, they will be so disrupted they will be almost certainly be called off or the result will not be accepted and the protests will probably intensify to the point that the whole place will go up in big style.

Thaksin possibly wants this scenario. I doubt he can ever come back here and so would prefer Thailand descend into a bloody civil war ... in his name.

And neither do you! If PTP had governed in accordance with the rule of law then they wouldn't be in this mess now. But oh no, they put themselves above the law - lie, cheat, commit illegal acts, refuse to explain or provide information, and openly defy the courts (when it suits). Now all of a sudden they want everybody to respect the law - the same law they ignore and openly defy. All of this whilst proving to be totally inept at most things, apart from increasing corruption and benefiting enormously.

Potliburos are normal associated with the one party, communist "peoples democratic" republics like N.Korea, China and the old Easeten bloc. Not facists who like to pretend they have real parliaments.

The red shirts are a fragmented spent force despite recent attempts at rekindling them via getting the leaders back on board (wonder if cash changed hands!), stirring up the hate propaganda, and increasing promises of outstanding payments.

A considerable number of those protesting against the criminal PTP regime would equally oppose a return to a government run by the 300 families. Sadly, no one is providing them with an alternative and the current process won't deliver it.

[Scamper]

Wow ! What a difference a day makes. The EC says that postponing the election ( it had been done once before ) might be a good idea, and that an even better idea is to forge an agreement among all parties to go forward. Sounds sensible. Then a meeting with Yingluck, and all that changes. A complete about-face - on all levels ! Doubtless this was due to the extraordinary communicative command she has demonstrated time and time again - in debates and in interviews. Her ability to really get down to the heart of a matter in no uncertain terms - a reputation founded on complete disclosure. She simply won them over with her eloquence ! But what if Pheu Thai is the only party that wishes to contest ? Has that prospect even entered their minds ? Does this really solve anything ? And if the Democrats do not decide to participate - the election may very well take place. But the result - a parliament without an opposition ! How in the world will Suropong sell that ?

[fab4]

"The caretaker PM refused to talk to reporters after the meeting, saying that the EC members would explain in their press-conference"

In other words, she didn't understand, what actually took place! (Again!)

Really? I didn't read that in the OP. Can you point out where that "thought process" (if I have to dignify such a thing with a name) came from, based on what particularly? Could you expound upon the previous occasions, when according to you, that this has happened? No?

[tingtongteesood]

Basically she passed on orders from Dubai, and told the EC that elections must go ahead.

Unfortunately for Yingluck and the EC there is very little chance of these elections being held without some form of reform first. I would go as far as to say they have an 80% chance of being scrapped. If they do go ahead, they will be so disrupted they will be almost certainly be called off or the result will not be accepted and the protests will probably intensify to the point that the whole place will go up in big style.

Thaksin possibly wants this scenario. I doubt he can ever come back here and so would prefer Thailand descend into a bloody civil war ... in his name.

You seem quite excited about the prospect. Let's hope wiser heads prevail - and at the moment Yingluck is acting far more wisely than her rabid counterpart.

First off you are a <deleted> for implying someone would be excited by a civil war. Secondly, if anyone is 'rabid' then surely it is Thaksin who is like a rabid dog that has bitten Thailand on the balls and refuses steadfastly to let go no matter what Thailand tries...?

[tingtongteesood]

I would go so far as to say that there is a 80% chance you have no clue about the laws.. The military has said NO COUP, that means this country will continue to be governed by the rule of law and not a bunch facist idiots trying to overthrow the elected government via a putsch. See, there are RULES, when the house is disolved, a new election must take place within so many days and the EC must govern the election.

If the democrats want to boycot the election that is their perogative, but the election will move forward and those districts will be represented by candidates that decided to take part in the electoral process.

The question is.. why the hell wasn't this 'reform' you talk about done after the 2006 coup? The PAD was influential in drafting the post coup constitution, now they insist on scraping it and they need this new vague reform process.. it's balouny, the PAD/PDRC gimmik of haveing a 'people's council' for "8-16 months after reforms have taken place" is a trik to remove the elected government and replace it with a facist politburo, the reason they are vague about when the new elections will take place is that they plan on them never taking place, they will simply insist that the 'reforms' are not yet complete every month.

ANd of cource even if this insane council did come to power, the red shirts will simply take over some other part of the city and demand fresh elections, so Suthep's dictatorship is simply a path to violence.

Basically she passed on orders from Dubai, and told the EC that elections must go ahead.

Unfortunately for Yingluck and the EC there is very little chance of these elections being held without some form of reform first. I would go as far as to say they have an 80% chance of being scrapped. If they do go ahead, they will be so disrupted they will be almost certainly be called off or the result will not be accepted and the protests will probably intensify to the point that the whole place will go up in big style.

Thaksin possibly wants this scenario. I doubt he can ever come back here and so would prefer Thailand descend into a bloody civil war ... in his name.

The problem is that laws are only enforced here when it suits the fugitive. When he doesn't like it, the rules are forgotten about, so much so that his government thinks they are above the law and can do whatever the hell they want which is WHY people are protesting now. So wake up and smell the coffee Mr. red shirt idiot...

[brewsterbudgen]

First off you are a <deleted> for implying someone would be excited by a civil war. Secondly, if anyone is 'rabid' then surely it is Thaksin who is like a rabid dog that has bitten Thailand on the balls and refuses steadfastly to let go no matter what Thailand tries...?

The problem is that laws are only enforced here when it suits the fugitive. When he doesn't like it, the rules are forgotten about, so much so that his government thinks they are above the law and can do whatever the hell they want which is WHY people are protesting now. So wake up and smell the coffee Mr. red shirt idiot...

"<deleted>", "idiot" - you really have no argument left so resort to petty insults. Pathetic really, but then painting Thaksin as the bogeyman is far easier, even if most of us supporting democracy in Thailand have no time for him either.