Arisman disqualified from February 2 election

[webfact]

Red-shirt co-leaders disqualified from the February 2 election

BANGKOK: -- Red-shirt core members Arisman Pongruangrong and Charun Ditthaapichai are among 87 party-list candidates disqualified by the Election Commission.

The two red shirts who were ranked the 75th and 93rd respectively on the Pheu Thai’s party-list candidates and two other Pheu Thai candidates, Pol Gen Viroon Puensaen and Thavorn Triratnarong and Supachai Jaisamut of Bhumjai Thai party were disqualified to contest the February 2 election because they failed to exercise their voting right.

Election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn said that most of the disqualified candidates did not either exercising their voting right or whose party memberships were less than 30 days.

However, he said that the disqualified candidates could take their cases to the attention of the election division of the Supreme Court.

Aside from the disqualification to contest the forthcoming polls, the failed candidates may face punishment and banned from voting for up to ten years.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/red-shirt-co-leaders-disqualified-february-2-election/


-- Thai PBS 2014-01-07

[CelticBhoy]

"Arisman Pongruangrong among 87 party-list candidates disqualified by the Election Commission."

He'll probably fly with that . . . . .

[ChrisY1]

Good news.....none of these people should ever be able to nominate!

[newcomer71]

Great job! Everyone whoever had some implication in any dirty business, crime and corruption should be banned for life to be eligible to run for elections.

[Pikeybkk]

Great job! Everyone whoever had some implication in any dirty business, crime and corruption should be banned for life to be eligible to run for elections.

there will be no one left then!

[GeorgeO]

Great job! Everyone whoever had some implication in any dirty business, crime and corruption should be banned for life to be eligible to run for elections.

Finally, an understanding of the real purpose behind the demand for reforms. I am all for expelling from politics, and bringing to justice, anyone who is found to be skimming from the nation's wealth, and that's goes for any member of any party...!!

[JRSoul]

The only reason this low-life isn't in jail is that his co-defendants have parliamentary immunity as a reward for their criminal actions in 2010, all thanks the criminal running PTP.

This attempted listing appears to be a sop to the less intelligent of the red horde; anybody with any political knowledge would know that he was unable to vote last election as he was in Cambodia, avoiding arrest and publicly brown-nosing the other criminal.

[rreddin]

Good news.....none of these people should ever be able to nominate!

No problem. He will be made Deputy Prime Minister following the precedent of Suthep.

[JRSoul]

Good news.....none of these people should ever be able to nominate!

No problem. He will be made Deputy Prime Minister following the precedent of Suthep.

DOH! The PM and DPMs are first of all MPs. Arisman just missed the cut, I guess they'll have to give his seat to his wife (again) so that he doesn't miss out on the spoils.

What shall it profit a man if he gains a fortune and spends the rest of his life in jail (hopefully)?

[Maha Sarakham Marty]

Good news.....none of these people should ever be able to nominate!

No problem. He will be made Deputy Prime Minister following the precedent of Suthep.

DOH! The PM and DPMs are first of all MPs. Arisman just missed the cut, I guess they'll have to give his seat to his wife (again) so that he doesn't miss out on the spoils.

What shall it profit a man if he gains a fortune and spends the rest of his life in jail (hopefully)?

Thank you for correcting the glaring error of the obviously unaware.

[Bkungbank]

They should have handicap and LGBT candidate to represent verity back ground of the nation .

[Robby nz]

Wonder if that will be enough to bring the reds out to threaten and intimidate the EC ?

If they did then couple it with PT,s intimidateory threat to sue the EC over candidates not being able to register in the south and it would make PT about a popular with the EC as they are with the constitution court and the rice farmers.

Coming to a bookstore near you.

A history of the PTP.

How to make enemies and antagonize people.

[hellodolly]

Unbelievable any of them would try to run for office and they don't even know what it takes to be eligible to be put on the list of candidates. Defiantly meet the low standards required to be a cabinet minister or a rep of any kind with the PTP

[Thait Spot]

They should have handicap and LGBT candidate to represent verity back ground of the nation .

LGBT will only be contesting bi-elections

[haroldc]

[kkerry]

Wonder if all the democrats who aren't contesting the current election will be voting now...

[slapout]

Meanwhile the PM ( PT, on break caretake) keeps repeating, "If you dissapprove of this government, vote us out". When you cheat on the sign up to field canidiates, what are the PT plans for the vote ballets, their count, etc?????

If ever there was a case for demanding proof of being innocent instead of the legal system having to provie guilt, this group (PT) may be making history.

[xminator]

Does this mean a whole lot of democrats will have problems running in the election after feb 2nd? Or will we see Mark sneak into a voting boot so he can run for the next elections if their fellow hotheads run out of steam?

[Maha Sarakham Marty]

Does this mean a whole lot of democrats will have problems running in the election after feb 2nd? Or will we see Mark sneak into a voting boot so he can run for the next elections if their fellow hotheads run out of steam?

In a thread on a slimeball red shirt leader being disqualified, comes the inevitable,

But, but, but Abhisit...

[GrantSmith]

Does this mean a whole lot of democrats will have problems running in the election after feb 2nd? Or will we see Mark sneak into a voting boot so he can run for the next elections if their fellow hotheads run out of steam?

Do you understand how the voting system works here in Thailand on Election Day? One can walk in, have their name marked off and cast the "no vote" option.

[rickirs]

Great job! Everyone whoever had some implication in any dirty business, crime and corruption should be banned for life to be eligible to run for elections.

Finally, an understanding of the real purpose behind the demand for reforms. I am all for expelling from politics, and bringing to justice, anyone who is found to be skimming from the nation's wealth, and that's goes for any member of any party...!!

Many anti-Pheu Thai Party commenters seem to be reading way too much into these disqualifications. They just failed to exercise their voting right. No one was expelled for any injustice, crimes, corruption, etc. Since these candidates can take their cases to the attention of the election division of the Supreme Court, they may still be in the election. So a little premature to shout a victory.

[JRSoul]

Great job! Everyone whoever had some implication in any dirty business, crime and corruption should be banned for life to be eligible to run for elections.

Finally, an understanding of the real purpose behind the demand for reforms. I am all for expelling from politics, and bringing to justice, anyone who is found to be skimming from the nation's wealth, and that's goes for any member of any party...!!

Many anti-Pheu Thai Party commenters seem to be reading way too much into these disqualifications. They just failed to exercise their voting right. No one was expelled for any injustice, crimes, corruption, etc. Since these candidates can take their cases to the attention of the election division of the Supreme Court, they may still be in the election. So a little premature to shout a victory.

I'm sure the court will be sympathetic to an alleged terrorist who fled to Cambodia to avoid arrest, and now out on bail, his case delayed because his co-defendants were granted political immunity by another fugitive.

BTW the EC were firmly of the opinion that his co-defendants should not have been allowed on the PTP party list last election, considering disbanding PTP because of their inclusion.

[Scamper]

Many will be surprised ( but in retrospect, perhaps not ) that Arisman was even sneaked into the party list. As the man who called for gasoline canisters to be brought into Bangkok, decided subsequently to become a monk, and is now setting off to buy his own airline company with 11 million baht ( don't ask ! ) has already been through quite the Walter Mitty journey. So it seems with such a resume, for his disqualification to come from something like this perhaps shows more than anything that the system doesn't really work quite as well on the big stuff, but has got the small stuff down pat.

[mrtoad]

Arisman, along with Nattuwhat, Thida, Weng, Chalerm, Sanoh, Yingluck, Kwanchai, Jatuporn, Surapong, Plod et al should be disqualified full stop. However this joke of a party list always mean they get a seat.

[spirit47]

What about the other 99%....No sorry, the EC is a joke

[kimamey]

Does this mean a whole lot of democrats will have problems running in the election after feb 2nd? Or will we see Mark sneak into a voting boot so he can run for the next elections if their fellow hotheads run out of steam?

I thought voting was compulsory here. Is there a box to mark if you don't want any of the candidates or can you just spoil your ballot?

[MikeOboe57]

Does this mean a whole lot of democrats will have problems running in the election after feb 2nd? Or will we see Mark sneak into a voting boot so he can run for the next elections if their fellow hotheads run out of steam?

I thought voting was compulsory here. Is there a box to mark if you don't want any of the candidates or can you just spoil your ballot?

You can vote for "none of them".

[EyesWideOpen]

What is wrong with this country ???? How can a simple act such as encouraging the red buffaloes

to come in from the villages and burn down Bangkok stop you from holding public office??

Irony button is now...........off.

[tx22cb]

Does this mean a whole lot of democrats will have problems running in the election after feb 2nd? Or will we see Mark sneak into a voting boot so he can run for the next elections if their fellow hotheads run out of steam?

Not only Dems, but anyone who does not vote this 2/2/14 election will be disqualified from holding office next time (in 2016?), unless they have compelling reasons (see below).

Abhisit is a consummate wordsmith. He has been careful not to say "boycott this election" - that would be hypocrisy.

He merely says "he does not support holding these elections".

Hence Dems and protesters have 3 choices if they do not want to disqualify themselves in 2016:

a) go to the booths and vote on 2/2 (hey, we're Democrats, we support the democratic process, sort of)

b ) more subtly, register for early voting (if, say, they will not be in BKK on 2/2) and quietly vote on 26/1 out of the limelight

c) to absolutely not vote at all, make sure they are NOT in BKK (exempli gratia) on 2/2, get proof (hotel receipt, airline tickets, etc) and subsequently submit reasons why you were not able to vote (I was overseas, a letter from my boss saying I had to work in Phuket on 2/2, I was in hospital et cetera).

C) is what Arisman et al will endeavour to do, to get them re-instated onto the party lists. This is perfectly allowed by law.

Edited January 7, 2014 by tx22cb

[Maha Sarakham Marty]

I thought voting was compulsory here. Is there a box to mark if you don't want any of the candidates or can you just spoil your ballot?

1. Spoiling a ballot is illegal.

2. There is a specific box on the ballot itself where a person can cast a no vote (as in, none of the above).

3. Voting is compulsory.