Thai Democrats plan policies for future elections

[webfact]

Democrats plan policies for future elections
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The chief of the opposition Democrat Party's policy committee, Korn Chatikavanij, said yesterday the committee was preparing emergency, short-term, medium-term and long-term policies to be used for election campaigns in future, beyond the February 2 snap election, which the party is boycotting.

Korn said the policy proposal would be separate from that of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) although they can work in tandem.

Round-table discussions will be held across the country to get input from the public. The policy committee is composed of 15 members including politicians and people with academic backgrounds including former foreign minister Kasit Piromya and Pirayos Rahimmula.

The committee will come up with tangible plans to increase economic growth and to concretely measure it through indexes such as the GDP growth rate, level of public debt, level of debt per household and more.

The timeframe for the committee's work is between four and six months, Korn said.


-- The Nation 2014-01-07

[GazR]

More evidence of the steady overhaul of the Democrat Party under Abhisit.

Too bad that Thaksin has never had the same good intentions.

Edited January 7, 2014 by GazR

[webfact]

POLITICS
Abhisit presents blueprint for reform
The Nation

BANGKOK -- Corruption is costing Thailand about Bt300 billion per year, or two per cent of GDP, said Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva Tuesday.

He added that if there was no corruption in the country, it could have the 30 Parliament Houses, 201 BTS stations, or 5,100 large secondary schools,

Abhisit was speaking at a press conference to announce the blueprint for Thailand reform. The party spent time considering the reform measures after deciding to boycott the February 2 election.

Abhisit declared an anticorruption mechanism as the first step in a sevenpoint national reform blueprint. He said the proposal covers 20 measures, among them amending the anticorruption law so that there is no expiry time on corruption offences and examining the back tax status of politician.

While Abhisit was speaking, a man who declined to be named, blew a whistle at him. "I respect my vote. Please stop creating political speeches because your party (the Democrat Party) has never won an election," the man said. Abhisit thanked him for his intervention before the man was led from the room.


-- The Nation 2014-01-07

[chainarong]

I would have thought that applying pressure for a August election would have been more appropriate than a boycott, having the democrats out of the picture virtually hands the PTP a super home run , however the damage has been done, move on , regroup and hope you can still have elections in three years time and Thailand is not a semi totalitarian state.

[Prbkk]

Abhisit has had his 15 minutes. Time for Korn to take over and put up a decent alternative for once.

[slapout]

At least they (democrats) are taking the first step for hopefully improvement of a political machine which has been described as "needing complete overhaul". They just need to make sure they completly replace those parts that are known to be the source of most of the past maintance cost of the machine.

Is there any hope of finding a 'honest, trustworthy, savvy, qualified' politician???I guess the next question would be, are the majority of the people ready to accept this type of individual????

[Thaddeus]

While Abhisit was speaking, a man who declined to be named, blew a whistle at him. "I respect my vote. Please stop creating political speeches because your party (the Democrat Party) has never won an election," the man said. Abhisit thanked him for his intervention before the man was led from the room.

-- The Nation 2014-01-07

Quality.

[In Town]

The Democrats need international assistance to reform their party structure from top to bottom, so they can better compete in an electoral democracy. Even Suthep has come up with a few policies that would be electorally attractive, but the senior leadership of the party is so out of touch with the common people, and basic principles of political competition in a democratic state, that they have no idea what to do. When they had a reformer in the party, who wanted to increase internal democracy in the party and have primaries to find locally popular candidates they purged him from the party, and increased central control.

When Thaksin needs help he hires a political consultant, but the Democrats and the academic allies know everything (except how to win an election), so they don't need any assistance.

[Tim1980]

More evidence of the steady overhaul of the Democrat Party under Abhisit.

Too bad that Thaksin has never had the same good intentions.

Gazer seems you guess a lot

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[diehard60]

You should have been doing that when you were in office not now. Now it is like all BS. It would be good but it is too late now.

[Ulic]

Meaningful change by either party starts with getting rid of the old guard corrupt politicians. No Suthep, no Thaksin

none of the party list can have anyone that has a hint of impropriety in there background. None of this innocent until convicted

The people know who is corrupt, proving it in a court of law is more difficult. Just purge the corrupt end of story.

[Carrerakiss]

This is nothing but superficial noise designed to mitigate the assertion that, if Sutheps council comes into being, it will mark the end of any future electoral process. By getting across the idea that they are preparing for future elections, the focus of voters is moved from the loss of their vote caused by the inception of the council, and on to a "promised" election.

This is Thailand, none of the parties have any serious policies and I regret, probably never will.

[GazR]

More evidence of the steady overhaul of the Democrat Party under Abhisit.

Too bad that Thaksin has never had the same good intentions.

Gazer seems you guess a lot

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Note to Thaksin: When you pay peanuts you get monkeys like Tim1980

[jayboy]

More evidence of the steady overhaul of the Democrat Party under Abhisit.

Too bad that Thaksin has never had the same good intentions.

Possibly he wasn't under quite the same pressure as Abhisit since despite military coups, directed judicial intervention and a military rigged constitution, the Thai people continued to have faith in parties very closely associated with Thaksin.Successive general elections speak for themselves.

[Tim1980]

More evidence of the steady overhaul of the Democrat Party under Abhisit.

Too bad that Thaksin has never had the same good intentions.

Gazer seems you guess a lot

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Note to Thaksin: When you pay peanuts you get monkeys like Tim1980

and day dreamers like You?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[Thailand]

While Abhisit was speaking, a man who declined to be named, blew a whistle at him. "I respect my vote. Please stop creating political speeches because your party (the Democrat Party) has never won an election," the man said. Abhisit thanked him for his intervention before the man was led from the room.

-- The Nation 2014-01-07

Quality.

Man with a whistle, can only be one person!

[Mentors]

Why not just founding a REAL POLITICAL PARTY with a REAL Program for benefit the people? Thailand need such one without shadows behind the curtain

[wave]

The real story here is the guy who stood up with the Respect My Vote banner. There is a video on youtube showing it.

Interestingly he got a round of applause....this is at a Democrat party press conference.

It would appear that boycotting the Election is not universally supported by the Democrats.....

Really what is the point of the Dems announcing policies for future Elections that they may or may not stand in.

It appears that they are somehow trying to make themselves relevant, but why should the electorate take these policy proposals seriously when they boycott the elections.

They really need to reform themselves and become a functioning opposition. They really don't seem to get it.

All they do is preach to the converted when the real challenge for them is too win votes from PTP.

Edited January 7, 2014 by wave

[Rich teacher]

Thai Democrats plan policies for future elections

Chair stealing, paper throwing, abstaining from voting, not contesting elections, resigning en masse, vilifying and jailing opponents, shutting down opposition media, instigating street mobs... Go the Dems!

[MunterHunter]

Thai Democrats plan policies for future elections

Chair stealing, paper throwing, abstaining from voting, not contesting elections, resigning en masse, vilifying and jailing opponents, shutting down opposition media, instigating street mobs... Go the Dems!

Apart from the voting/election parts - you could just as easily be talking about PTP/Thaksin.

[icare999]

You should have been doing that when you were in office not now. Now it is like all BS. It would be good but it is too late now.

you really think even if their is an election that will be it First theirs only a 50/50 of their being an election on 2nd feb Second if their is since they can't get 95% of MP's then their wont be any parliament and so no permanent government until new elections third they are facing an umber of legal hurdles as to weather they should be disbanded and a number of other hurdles fourth even if they manage to struggle on for a couple more months after all that Suphet is not going away nor are protests and not least if it gets very ugly which it could then army will and has a duty to take over.

Wake up and smell the coffee as they say

[Mudcrab]

You should have been doing that when you were in office not now. Now it is like all BS. It would be good but it is too late now.

you really think even if their is an election that will be it First theirs only a 50/50 of their being an election on 2nd feb Second if their is since they can't get 95% of MP's then their wont be any parliament and so no permanent government until new elections third they are facing an umber of legal hurdles as to weather they should be disbanded and a number of other hurdles fourth even if they manage to struggle on for a couple more months after all that Suphet is not going away nor are protests and not least if it gets very ugly which it could then army will and has a duty to take over.

Wake up and smell the coffee as they say

maybe smell the roses?

[phantomfiddler]

When the Democrats took over after the Shinawatras were thrown out I for one was delighted, and expected them to reverse some of the anti-farang laws that had been introduced by thaksin. To my amazement, nothing happened. In their reassignment of party policy they have to realise that many in this country have grievances, including redshirts and those who choose to live here as civilised productive members of society, and do something to better their lot. Let,s be real, since the dynasty got into power it has become a total mess, both socially and economically, as shown by the riots in Bangkok and the blocking of highways up north due to non-receipt of promised payment, and I for one believe there will be no peace while they are present and in power. The line-up for the next election is clearly a joke and cannot go forward without certainty of further troubles. The thaksin dynasty is so corrupt it has to go, but if the democrats are to replace them they must address the problems of the non elite in order to prosper. Alternatively promise the rural masses (the power vote) the world, and watch Thailand go bust with unsustainable policies.

Edited January 8, 2014 by phantomfiddler

[dukebowling]

Meaningful change by either party starts with getting rid of the old guard corrupt politicians. No Suthep, no Thaksin

none of the party list can have anyone that has a hint of impropriety in there background. None of this innocent until convicted

The people know who is corrupt, proving it in a court of law is more difficult. Just purge the corrupt end of story.

Not trying to be religious, but can't resist the appropriate comment here:

He who is free of sin, cast the first stone...

Who has the right to determine these things without a fair trial?

[dukebowling]

The Democratic candidates better at least vote in the elections or they will be in eligible to run in the next one...