Army troops possibly assigned to watch election sites: Thailand

[webfact]

Army troops possibly assigned to watch election sites
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Jan 9 – Soldiers may be deployed at polling booths for security during the Feb 2 general election, the Election Commission (EC) announced today.

Suthep Promwas, EC deputy secretary general in charge of public participation, said the agency has closely monitored the political situation and mapped preparations which may involve assigning military personnel to guard some polling sites.

He admitted that the EC will be extra cautious in conducting the nationwide election.

In case the number of registered candidates is less than 95 per cent of the total number as required by the Election Law, the EC will gradually resolve the problem.

It has been speculated that a number of candidates for the Feb 2 election will lose their eligibility following the Constitution Court’s ruling that they had unlawfully passed a draft charter amendment.

The EC today invited candidates in 33 Bangkok constituencies to an oath-taking ceremony during which they vowed to contest the election with honesty, transparency and fairness, and avoid mud-slinging and vote-buying.

Ninety-six of 168 candidates showed up for the event which was jointly organised by the EC and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

Veera Yeephrae, Bangkok election director, said only one of the 168 candidates in Bangkok’s 33 constituencies was disqualified for the upcoming poll.

The candidate from Palang Sahakorn Party will be allowed seven days to lodge a petition, he said.

Mr Veera said police are responsible for providing security to candidates during their campaigns.

He said the EC has provided 50 locations for the advance election on January 26. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-01-09

[Clint1965]

Give it up already.

The army have said they don't agree with the elections, and I doubt very much they will be prepared to protect it. That would be largely seen as taking the government's side.

But I think there is a very good chance that the army will be preoccupied elsewhere on Feb 2nd.... hint hint

[PatOngo]

The EC today invited candidates in 33 Bangkok constituencies to an oath-taking ceremony during which they vowed to contest the election with honesty, transparency and fairness, and avoid mud-slinging and vote-buying.

Don't tell me........they all agreed...............

[dinom]

The EC today invited candidates in 33 Bangkok constituencies to an oath-taking ceremony during which they vowed to contest the election with honesty, transparency and fairness, and avoid mud-slinging and vote-buying.

Don't tell me........they all agreed...............

..."Ninety-six of 168 candidates showed up for the event"...leaving 72 candidates not taking the oath.

[Scamper]

The composition of the new parliament ought to be a hoot. 28 constituencies without a candidate. That alone will make parliament constitutionally unable to convene. Then there are the hundreds of candidates that may be disqualified following the NACC's investigation. Then there will be the expected electoral irregularities that always happen in elections that will lead to investigations. Then there will be the scores of " no " votes in the South and parts of Bangkok that will eclipse the leading candidate, thereby nullifying the results of those constituencies. Then there is the real question as to whether all the polls will be able to be even accessed in all parts of the country. And then there is the question as to what the police will do at those polling stations if they are not, and as to whether any such altercations will result in election irregularities. And finally, there is the army. But there are also the rulings of the Constitutional Court. With all those hurdles, one would have to be a profoundly unrealistic optimist in the Pheu Thai party to think that this government has any chance of surviving.

[chainarong]

I am not a great fan of the Thai military, even though I know some commanders, but the police are just a useless mob of corrupt rabble , that its hard to know which way to turn, not many options to choose from I'm afraid , the army has powerful friends and they respect that friendship , long time expats will know who I refer to

[FangFerang]

I think the military, surprisingly, will make both sides sit down and hammer out an agreement (not anytime soon, of course).

I think we might be seeing the military being the voice of reason for the first time in human history. After staging many coups, they will have learned that stability has a pricetag, and that price is compromise. I may be wrong, of course, but I hope I am right. Many lives would be saved, if both sides must craft an agreement that keeps things stabile here. Foreign investment is pulling out from Thailand like hookers from a burning brothel. They need to stop that. Someone needs to stop that. It is not a small world anymore, Kuhns Yingluck and Suthep. The world market is watching. There is accountability, no matter how many red shorts people wear or how many plastic whistles are blown. Thailand does not exist in a vacuum. The world's countries are interdependent now, and if you choose to ignore that interdependence you are sacrificing your future... Of course all thinking people want Thai people to find Thai solutions to Thai problems. No one questions that right, if they even have one brain cell to share between triplets. Thais are and should always be sovereign.

Make your moves, do whatever you have to do to claim a victory, but please stop abusing your own people.

Please.

I hope I am right about the military.

Sincerely,

Me.

[bangon04]

The EC today invited candidates in 33 Bangkok constituencies to an oath-taking ceremony during which they vowed to contest the election with honesty, transparency and fairness, and avoid mud-slinging and vote-buying.

Don't tell me........they all agreed...............

Thainess at its very best

[Ulic]

My question is how would Suthep react if the Red shirts act exactly as he is acting now.

Would he resign both his council, and interim government council, or would he go straight to live ammunition

and say it is for the good of the country. Looks more and more like the military will/should take over

and run things.

[rickirs]

The army can have its opinion (and most of the negative opinion seems to come from RETIRED army officers) about the election but it is not within the army's authority to oppose or interfer with the parliamentary system of which the elections are a part. It tried that in 2010 and didn't work too well for Thailand and may have embarrassed the Kingdom. Its role in protecting (yes protecting!) the election polls is reasonable and appropriate in the tradition of a democratic process, regardless of the position of political parties supporting or opposing the electorial process. It maintains political nuetrality, and should the police fail in their ability to protect the public and their property as is their role, a widening peacekeeping role for the army to ensure public safety should ensue, again as a nuetral force. Obviously, this is not the army that Suthep wants.