Anti-govt protesters in Bangkok disrupt poll registration

[webfact]

Protesters disrupt poll registration
The Nation



Pheu Thai registers at 4am but others forced to lodge police complaints

BANGKOK: -- Anti-government protesters yesterday managed to interrupt the first day of candidate registration for the February 2 election, which demonstrators have vowed to disrupt as they push for national reform by a people's council.

Hundreds of protesters began to besiege the Thai-Japanese Sports Stadium, the candidacy registration venue in Din Daeng area, on Sunday night. They blocked six gates to the stadium.

The process of party-list candidate registration had yet to be completed, election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn said at a press conference along with his four commission colleagues after the blockade by protesters.

Somchai said all submitted documents needed to be verified, and Election Commission (EC) members had not endorsed the registration, plus political parties had yet to make registration payments.

However, the EC announced that 34 political parties were regarded as submitting their party-list applications before 8:30 am on the first day for registration. They were all eligible for lot drawing to allocate party-list numbers.

EC chairman Supachai Somcharoen said representatives from nine parties managed to enter the compound, including the ruling Pheu Thai Party and its coalition Chart Thai Pattana, and Chart Pattana Party, because they arrived early at 3-4am.

He said 24 other parties could not reach the venue and they filed complaints at Din Daeng police Station to notify their intention to contest in the party-list election, while another party filed a complaint at the Police’s Crime Suppression Division. Even the five commissioners could not enter the compound.

"We closely monitored the situation. We tried to get into the building but they told us that no guarantee for safety so we decided not to walk through the crowd," Supachai said.

Somchai reaffirmed the EC would neither move registration to another venue nor extend the registration period as scheduled for registration of party-list candidates, currently due to end on Friday, at the stadium.

Somchai said the EC would meet every day to evaluate the situation and set a date for the draw, which will be conducted before all political parties and the media.

Meanwhile, People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) leader Suthep Thaugsuban has a plan to prolong the anti-government rally well after New Year's Day and possibly until the election day, according to a source from the PDRC, who asked not to be named. They would celebrate the season at the Democracy Monument, the source said.

Suthep's strategies would include instigation of chaos to create the picture of a failed state, the source alleged.

On Sunday night, EC secretary-general Puchong Nutrawong sent a letter to inform political parties that if their representatives arrived and could not enter the venue to register party-list candidates by 8.30am yesterday, they should file complaints at Din Daeng police station or the Crime Suppression Division to be entitled for the draw for election numbers.

Puchong said the draw had to be held at the stadium unless there was a violence incident. The EC could announce it was shifting to another venue. However, as a secretary general of the EC, he had yet to file complaints against the protesters for obstructing the candidacy registration, as he needed solid evidence to prove that.

Chart Thai Pattana candidate Somsak Prissananantakul told TNN news channel that the chaos at the registration site was a new phenomenon in Thai political history. It was the first time that candidates faced difficulty in registering. He voiced concern that constituency candidates scheduled to register on from December 28-January 1 would give up, if they feared of their security.

A number of the protesters at the stadium later left to surround Din Daeng police after hearing that political parties went to file complaints at the police station.

Many media personnel were also prevented from getting in or out of the stadium after 6am. About 40 were eventually able to leave at about 2pm and the rest released at 4.30pm.

After the close of registration yesterday, Chumpon Junsai, a PDRC leader, told the protesters to move from Din Daeng police station to continue to surround the Thai-Japanese stadium.

People convicted of hampering the registration of political party candidates face up to five years in jail or a fine up to Bt10,000, Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) spokesman Pol Maj Gen Piya Uthayo said yesterday. He said people who obstruct EC officials from carrying out their duty would face up to two years in jail and a Bt40,000 fine and those block MP candidates would be committing an offence against others' liberty. That was a violation of Article 309 of the criminal code.

Army deputy spokesman Col Winthai Suwaree said Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha issued an instruction to deploy 390 military officials to keep the peace at the Thai-Japanese centre since Sunday night at the request of CAPO after yesterday's dramas.


-- The Nation 2013-12-24

[Publicus]

Thailand is catching up to the West.

It's now to the point of 1920s Italy, Mussolini and his fascist governing council.

Congratulations to Thailand for its progressive movements.

[Nibbles48]

It's so nice to see that the PT party are being given preferential treatment by the supposedly neutral EC.

I bet nobody else were allowed to register at that time seeing as the commission venue was closed, leaving many other parties unable to register after opening time. Seems to me that YL going there for a meeting generating a turnaround in attitude from the EC, from NOT being confident in a Feb 2nd election... to being VERY confident... Looks like YL went there with the specific intention of letting them know how much her brother Thaksin was offering them.

Another reason these elections can not go ahead. Clear out this new EC, they are tainted already.... didn't take long did it?

[gabruce]

Interesting. They didn't go in because someone (the police?) told them they couldn't guarantee their safety. I can't guarantee your safety if you decide to cross the street. Were the demonstrators threatening to harm the commissioners? Did they actually prevent anyone from entering, or did they merely intimidate them by being there? Did they just look and there's a crowd here, so better not go in? No way of knowing from this article. Too bad. Clarity would be nice.

[soi41]

It's so nice to see that the PT party are being given preferential treatment by the supposedly neutral EC.

I bet nobody else were allowed to register at that time seeing as the commission venue was closed, leaving many other parties unable to register after opening time. Seems to me that YL going there for a meeting generating a turnaround in attitude from the EC, from NOT being confident in a Feb 2nd election... to being VERY confident... Looks like YL went there with the specific intention of letting them know how much her brother Thaksin was offering them.

Another reason these elections can not go ahead. Clear out this new EC, they are tainted already.... didn't take long did it?

[lostinsurin]

It's so nice to see that the PT party are being given preferential treatment by the supposedly neutral EC.

I bet nobody else were allowed to register at that time seeing as the commission venue was closed, leaving many other parties unable to register after opening time. Seems to me that YL going there for a meeting generating a turnaround in attitude from the EC, from NOT being confident in a Feb 2nd election... to being VERY confident... Looks like YL went there with the specific intention of letting them know how much her brother Thaksin was offering them.

Another reason these elections can not go ahead. Clear out this new EC, they are tainted already.... didn't take long did it?

Now now Nibbles don't get yourself worked up again

[Costas2008]

gabruce, on 24 Dec 2013 - 09:14, said:

Interesting. They didn't go in because someone (the police?) told them they couldn't guarantee their safety. I can't guarantee your safety if you decide to cross the street. Were the demonstrators threatening to harm the commissioners? Did they actually prevent anyone from entering, or did they merely intimidate them by being there? Did they just look and there's a crowd here, so better not go in? No way of knowing from this article. Too bad. Clarity would be nice.

According to an article, yesterday, they did go in and registered as the yellow guards outside were sleeping

[binjalin]

do they know how many nations are desperate to get elections? and this country fights to abandon them? utter madness

[tingtongteesood]

I am just going to cut and paste as I can't be bothered to keep retyping the same thing.

Some of you just don't get it do you....The problem is the square faced fugitive Thaksin. Suthep wants the Shin regime ended. If Thaksin and his sister, his other sister, his brother in law etc. are all still where they are now, then it is another rigged election they can't lose and what is the point ? Thaksin's brown nosers have been banned for electoral fraud 3 times in the past and the entire government is made up of Thaksin's cronies who have lied and cheated for years to be where they are and would continue to do so in order to further inflate their bank balances at the expense of the rest of the Thai people. When Thaksin and the rest of the cronies are out, then there is a slim chance there may be a possibility of getting a fair election result...It isn't that Suthep doesn't want an election at all - he wants an election to be fair and not rigged by the Shin gang. There can never be a fair election when the Shin's are involved as demonstrated by the 3 electoral fraud bans of recent years..

[moonao]

^ and i was wondering why some posters are sounding like broken records, now i know why... cut and paste !

[fab4]

Interesting. They didn't go in because someone (the police?) told them they couldn't guarantee their safety. I can't guarantee your safety if you decide to cross the street. Were the demonstrators threatening to harm the commissioners? Did they actually prevent anyone from entering, or did they merely intimidate them by being there? Did they just look and there's a crowd here, so better not go in? No way of knowing from this article. Too bad. Clarity would be nice.

Would you walk in to the stadium if you were in their shoes? Are you not aware that this is a slightly different situation than crossing the street. The Commissioners are known, their faces have been in the press, and they would not exactly be welcome by sutheps followers. It doesn't need more "clarity" if you just apply a bit of common.

[fab4]

It's so nice to see that the PT party are being given preferential treatment by the supposedly neutral EC.

I bet nobody else were allowed to register at that time seeing as the commission venue was closed, leaving many other parties unable to register after opening time. Seems to me that YL going there for a meeting generating a turnaround in attitude from the EC, from NOT being confident in a Feb 2nd election... to being VERY confident... Looks like YL went there with the specific intention of letting them know how much her brother Thaksin was offering them.

Another reason these elections can not go ahead. Clear out this new EC, they are tainted already.... didn't take long did it?

You're now rapidly becoming a parody of yourself. It's not edifying.

[Spare]

I am just going to cut and paste as I can't be bothered to keep retyping the same thing.

Some of you just don't get it do you....The problem is the square faced fugitive Thaksin. Suthep wants the Shin regime ended. If Thaksin and his sister, his other sister, his brother in law etc. are all still where they are now, then it is another rigged election they can't lose and what is the point ? Thaksin's brown nosers have been banned for electoral fraud 3 times in the past and the entire government is made up of Thaksin's cronies who have lied and cheated for years to be where they are and would continue to do so in order to further inflate their bank balances at the expense of the rest of the Thai people. When Thaksin and the rest of the cronies are out, then there is a slim chance there may be a possibility of getting a fair election result...It isn't that Suthep doesn't want an election at all - he wants an election to be fair and not rigged by the Shin gang. There can never be a fair election when the Shin's are involved as demonstrated by the 3 electoral fraud bans of recent years..

I think Suthep only want an election that he wins.

[bkkfaranguy]

I am just going to cut and paste as I can't be bothered to keep retyping the same thing.

Some of you just don't get it do you....The problem is the square faced fugitive Thaksin. Suthep wants the Shin regime ended. If Thaksin and his sister, his other sister, his brother in law etc. are all still where they are now, then it is another rigged election they can't lose and what is the point ? Thaksin's brown nosers have been banned for electoral fraud 3 times in the past and the entire government is made up of Thaksin's cronies who have lied and cheated for years to be where they are and would continue to do so in order to further inflate their bank balances at the expense of the rest of the Thai people. When Thaksin and the rest of the cronies are out, then there is a slim chance there may be a possibility of getting a fair election result...It isn't that Suthep doesn't want an election at all - he wants an election to be fair and not rigged by the Shin gang. There can never be a fair election when the Shin's are involved as demonstrated by the 3 electoral fraud bans of recent years..

I think Suthep only want an election that he wins.

Yes his response is right out of the Suthep playbook of propaganda and he has been brainwashed, try to point out the other side and you will get a hatefull response.

While some of the above might be true it is only part of the situation, the situation is basically one side, the rich elites from Bangkok would not be able to win a election whether it is fair or not, they have raped and pillaged the North for centuries and there are many more of the rich elite families than the Thanksin family, that are far more corrupt. They want this power back along with there corrupt payoffs and are willing to send this country into a civil war if need be because they are greedy and power hungry.

To the majority of Thailand thaksin is the least of 2 evils, sure Suthep wants a fair election as he sees it as long as what they pass laws that only the highly educated are allowed to vote thus fixing the vote in there favor! What is going on is just another attemped coup by the Rich elites to regain control!

[diehard60]

It's so nice to see that the PT party are being given preferential treatment by the supposedly neutral EC.

I bet nobody else were allowed to register at that time seeing as the commission venue was closed, leaving many other parties unable to register after opening time. Seems to me that YL going there for a meeting generating a turnaround in attitude from the EC, from NOT being confident in a Feb 2nd election... to being VERY confident... Looks like YL went there with the specific intention of letting them know how much her brother Thaksin was offering them.

Another reason these elections can not go ahead. Clear out this new EC, they are tainted already.... didn't take long did it?

I suppose what the protesters did was good to block the registration? That sounds like going to a dictatorship to me. I guess you dont know what is really going on. It is ALL PERSONAL between suthep and Thaksin, nothing more nothing less.

[diehard60]

It's so nice to see that the PT party are being given preferential treatment by the supposedly neutral EC.

I bet nobody else were allowed to register at that time seeing as the commission venue was closed, leaving many other parties unable to register after opening time. Seems to me that YL going there for a meeting generating a turnaround in attitude from the EC, from NOT being confident in a Feb 2nd election... to being VERY confident... Looks like YL went there with the specific intention of letting them know how much her brother Thaksin was offering them.

Another reason these elections can not go ahead. Clear out this new EC, they are tainted already.... didn't take long did it?

I suppose what the protesters did was good to block the registration? That sounds like going to a dictatorship to me. I guess you dont know what is really going on. It is ALL PERSONAL between suthep and Thaksin, nothing more nothing less.