Previous precedents bode ill for Feb 2 election

[webfact]

Previous precedents bode ill for Feb 2 election
CHANON WONGSATAYANONT
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE STATE of emergency would appear to be bad news for the upcoming election on February 2 - if an example is to be seen in past states of emergency imposed by other countries.

There are not many examples of an emergency decree covering the period of a scheduled election. One instance occurred during the 2007 Bangladeshi political crisis, when chief adviser Iajuddin Ahmed of the caretaker government announced a state of emergency. He later announced his resignation as chief adviser and postponed the scheduled election to a later date.

In the United States, seven states have a mechanism for postponement of scheduled elections in the event of a state of emergency.

International media outlets are uncertain whether the same would apply in Thailand. Many, including the BBC, Reuters and The Economist, reported that the Election Commission (EC) wanted to delay the election and to seek a ruling from the Constitutional Court on whether such a delay was possible.

However, Al Jazeera TV reports that despite the announcement of the emergency decree, the elections would proceed as planned.

Australia's ABC News quoted Charupong Ruangsuwan, caretaker interior minister, as saying the vote should go ahead and the EC should not use the state of emergency as an excuse to seek the postponement of the poll.

There is a possibility the election might be postponed following the emergency decree as in previous cases. But in the current situation, the result remains unclear.


-- The Nation 2014-01-23

[Siripon]

This election is doomed without a doubt.

Constituencies with no candidates.

Constituencies with only one candidate who must win 20% of the vote.

A shortage of up to 100,000 officials.

12 million voters may vote no.

It's a waste of public money.

Reform first, vote later (next year).

[dukeandduke]

As opposed to future precedents?

[whybother]

They say precedents (multiple) bode ill, but can only find one example?

[terryp]

Thailand is a failed state, the corruption is rooted far too deep and sadly the Thai voters have been far too complacent for far too long....this will take decades to sort out and it will take many deaths. Thais need to stop this kreng Jai bullshi£ wake up to the real World and stop taking payment for rich man votes ...they deserve the Country that is rotten from its core.

[Kilgore Trout]

Thailand is a failed state, the corruption is rooted far too deep and sadly the Thai voters have been far too complacent for far too long....this will take decades to sort out and it will take many deaths. Thais need to stop this kreng Jai bullshi£ wake up to the real World and stop taking payment for rich man votes ...they deserve the Country that is rotten from its core.

Thailand is state with many failings but not a failed state. Save that term for places like Somalia, Haiti etc.

[jackr]

this will take decades to sort out

Generations.

[Siripon]

It will take less than 5 years once Thaksin really leaves politics.

[EricBerg]

It looks like the era of shina is coming to an end. Now the first integer and decent people should start filling the vacuum, some will emerge. The change will come gradually. More and more people partake in the political discussion. This will encourage them to follow up their views in daily life. Small corruption will be exposed more easily. Large scale corruption from the shina's will be brought into the open.

When people actually will have to serve prisontime for it others will think twice before stealing from the state. Then hunt own the missunderstood fugitive. Take away his diplomatic Thai passport and put out an international arrest warrant. Only if crimes are punished people will stop to commit them.

[Suradit69]

As opposed to future precedents?

You beat me to it.

[Suradit69]

Thailand is a failed state, the corruption is rooted far too deep and sadly the Thai voters have been far too complacent for far too long....this will take decades to sort out and it will take many deaths. Thais need to stop this kreng Jai bullshi£ wake up to the real World and stop taking payment for rich man votes ...they deserve the Country that is rotten from its core.

Thailand is state with many failings but not a failed state. Save that term for places like Somalia, Haiti etc.

the corruption is rooted far too deep and sadly the Thai voters have been far too complacent for far too long.

Oh please spare us the pontificating. The do-nothing corrupt epicenter of the world is more likely to be found in Washington DC or Brussels. The fact that many people refuse to see that (and there are fewer and fewer still that blind) is the example of complacency for which you're searching.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Suradit69

[jollyman]

This election is doomed without a doubt.

Constituencies with no candidates.

Constituencies with only one candidate who must win 20% of the vote.

A shortage of up to 100,000 officials.

12 million voters may vote no.

It's a waste of public money.

Reform first, vote later (next year).

Somewhere over the rainbow

[firestar]

"Election Commission (EC) wanted to delay the election and to seek a ruling from the Constitutional Court on whether such a delay was possible."

The current Commission is the 3rd set of commission, appointed on 20 September 2006 (immediately after the 2006 Thai coup d'état ). Wikipedia.

hmmm.....

.

Edited January 23, 2014 by firestar

[focus27]

They say precedents (multiple) bode ill, but can only find one example?

Interesting that the Nation failed to mention Bangladeshi elections last month (Jan 2014). The violence was not due to a state of emergency, but the boycotting of the election by opposition parties and the subsequent government use of the army to quell protesters. You can investigate the whole story online, but this does not bode well for Thailand as anger from Dem supporters may come to a head.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladeshi_general_election,_2014

[Cricketnut]

This election is doomed without a doubt.

Constituencies with no candidates.

Constituencies with only one candidate who must win 20% of the vote.

A shortage of up to 100,000 officials.

12 million voters may vote no.

It's a waste of public money.

Reform first, vote later (next year).

ahh don't worry its all been solved if you believe the papers!

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 8.2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[bigbamboo]

Never mind historical precedents, I want a considered, expert opinion.

So what do the fortune tellers say?

[Cricketnut]

This election is doomed without a doubt.

Constituencies with no candidates.

Constituencies with only one candidate who must win 20% of the vote.

A shortage of up to 100,000 officials.

12 million voters may vote no.

It's a waste of public money.

Reform first, vote later (next year).

Somewhere over the rainbow

A land that I dreamed of failing in front of my eyes.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 8.2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Cricketnut]

Never mind historical precedents, I want a considered, expert opinion.

So what do the fortune tellers say?

Go to your Astrologist outside your soi

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 8.2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Scamper]

As the former chief judge of the Supreme Court said yesterday - the imposition of the state of emergency is an illegal act, because such powers are not invested in a caretaker administration. Like the concluding scene in 2001 : A Space Odyssey - where the astronaut is - one-by-one - dismantling the capabilities of the computer, HAL - the Yingluck administration is now busy dismantling freedom - bit by bit, until there is nothing left but a mirrored image of itself. As there has never been before a state of emergency issued a week and a half before an election by a caretaker administration in this country - and almost never in the modern history of the free world, the long-sought election will in fact produce a parliament that cannot convene whatsoever. No matter - there is a state of emergency in place until March - and this administration clearly has no plans on going anywhere. By then the freedom of the media will be but a distant memory. And Pheu Thai will do what it has always done. Made up the rules as it goes along.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Scamper

[Jonmarleesco]

'... Al Jazeera TV reports that despite the announcement of the emergency decree, the elections would proceed as planned.' Inside information, perhaps?

[Jingthing]

Thailand is a failed state, the corruption is rooted far too deep and sadly the Thai voters have been far too complacent for far too long....this will take decades to sort out and it will take many deaths. Thais need to stop this kreng Jai bullshi£ wake up to the real World and stop taking payment for rich man votes ...they deserve the Country that is rotten from its core.

Thailand is state with many failings but not a failed state. Save that term for places like Somalia, Haiti etc.

I agree but Thailand is definitely showing warning signs of possibly becoming a failed state.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[HerIndoors]

Thailand is a failed state, the corruption is rooted far too deep and sadly the Thai voters have been far too complacent for far too long....this will take decades to sort out and it will take many deaths. Thais need to stop this kreng Jai bullshi£ wake up to the real World and stop taking payment for rich man votes ...they deserve the Country that is rotten from its core.

I have to agree.

Thailand and the Thais have no one to blame but themselves for this ridiculous impasse where a culture of graft and corruption is tolerated at all levels of society. As was succinctly commented upon in ‘the other’ paper…it’s OK so long as you don’t step over the line. ..which Thaksin has done. I have watched village and local elections where the winner is the one with the deepest pockets (similar to the west I might add), so it’s no wonder the Thai political system is dysfunctional. I am probably not alone in thinking that with some outside help, over time and with a better education system Thailand may be able to embrace something that resembles a democracy. Until then this perpetual cycle of power for power sake and poo yai mentality will be the slippery slide to nowhere for a country and people who deserve better. They just need to get their heads out of their a&s#s and recognise that they are incapable of doing it alone.