Voters need to make the right choice: Thai analysis

[webfact]

NATION ANALYSIS
Voters need to make the right choice
Jintana Panyaarvudh
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Once again, Thai voters have come to a point where they have to decide if they should follow their heart or their head, or should even bother exercising their ballot if the election is held on February 2 as scheduled.

Of course, all Pheu Thai and its coalition supporters are clear - they will head for the ballot station to vote for their favourite parties and candidates.

But it's the anti-government protesters who are possibly confused about what they should do on that day. Some of them might follow protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban's previous edict that ballot stations should be blocked and those against this government should refuse to take part in all processes of the election. However, yesterday the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) changed its stance, saying that its followers would not block the election but would continue protesting peacefully.

As for those groups that have realised that there are other ways to support Suthep, they will most probably go to the polling booth to cast a "no vote".

Last month, The Nation spoke to some protesters at the Rajdamnoen rally site about the February 2 election and discovered that they were divided into three groups: those who will cast a "no vote"; those who will spoil the ballot; and those who will not show up at all.

Those who favour the "no vote" option explained that they wanted to use their voting right to show their disapproval of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, which still enjoys strong support in the North and Northeast.

The "no vote" option is a clear indicator that a voter exercises his or her right by going to the polling station but declares: "I vote for nobody."

This option is very significant, especially for the upcoming election, even though it could be seen as supporting the caretaker government's stance that favours an election before national reform.

According to the charter, if a constituency has just one candidate, then he or she must win at least 20 per cent of the eligible votes, and these votes need to outnumber the "no votes".

At present, 22 constituencies in the South have just one candidate each, and if these candidates fail to pass the requirements, new polls will need to be held.

In addition, a "no vote" count that is higher than the winner's number of votes in constituencies that have more than one candidate would serve as an embarrassment.

Recent opinion surveys show that most Bangkokians will exercise their balloting right in the February 2 snap election, though many refused to reveal which parties or candidates they would go for or how they would cast their ballot.

Bangkok Poll learned yesterday that 79.6 per cent of the respondents intended to cast their vote, 9.9 per cent said they preferred not to, while 10.5 per cent were still undecided.

The respondents were also split on whether the election should be held on February 2 as scheduled, with 51.5 per cent saying yes, while the rest were divided - with 28 per cent saying they wanted "reform" before the election and 20.4 per cent saying the election should be postponed.

The Suan Dusit Poll found that as many as 45.56 per cent of its respondents would most definitely cast their vote, 19.78 per cent would not and 14 per cent were still undecided.

Judging from these figures, it does not look as if Thai democracy is at stake, though the fear of violence might keep some voters at home, thus providing an opportunity for electoral fraud or stolen votes.

At this point, though, the one thing we all can hope for is that all voters make the right choice.


-- The Nation 2014-01-25

[terryp]

idiotic and a waste of time and money...95% of the 500 seats just cant be won , its simple math....the Dems are not taking part

[NongKhaiKid]

" Voters need to make the right choice ", now that's a revolutionary concept and I bet nowhere else in the world such insight exists.

[Thai at Heart]

" Voters need to make the right choice ", now that's a revolutionary concept and I bet nowhere else in the world such insight exists.

Thailand no same u countreee.

Falang no undursatan

[moonao]

The choice is either not going ahead with the election or making a stand against the undemocratic yellow shirt bullies (The Nation journalists included). Polls have already been done on this, the vast majority of Thais support the election and will vote.

Edited January 25, 2014 by moonao

[Fryslan boppe]

Its a very good thing that voters have the opportunity to vote no and/or to spoil their ballots.....That is effectively a vote for the absent PAD-Dem's and for the BKK coup-mongers agenda's......It will be very good to have such a representation as compared to other votes....The only problem may be with those who don't show up...That will also include PTP supporters who are just not into this thing...That the election proceed is the ultimate necessity....It will happen and the PAD-Dem's know it...They are already preparing the aftermath by going to their user-friendly judiciary....It is something I have seen coming. They need to know however, that any obstruction they manage via this route, especially after the voters have spoken, will be seen as a coup in another form....And will be reacted to in the same manner as if it was a flaming military, R'song type of soldier-on-civilian attack which was directed by many of the same people running to the courts, and from 2006.

Edited January 25, 2014 by Fryslan boppe

[worgeordie]

Big choices to be made ,take the 500 Bhts or not ?

There might be an election of a kind, then it will

be null and void, resulting in even more tax payers

money been wasted !

regards Worgordie

[virtualtraveller]

It's an expensive waste of time but maybe necessary for the country to have some official numbers on all this. If more than 50% of the voters in large swathes of the country vote no or 'no-show' then we have a referendum result for reform then election. It's a given that Isarn will all show up to vote, they've been 'told' to. Their opinion counts less because they let themselves be 'told what to do'.

[ramrod711]

At present, 22 constituencies in the South have just one candidate each, and if these candidates fail to pass the requirements, new polls will need to be held.

And, while these polls drag on and on, will anyone compromise just a little and pay the farmers for their rice, before the entire industry collapses?

[noitom]

The article starts off with headline that "voters need to make the right choice: Thai analysis." But it starts out with two colorful tables and lots of red checkmarks and "problems." It's hard to think of a better way to turn off potential voters than to do a dump of all the problems with the election.

[ChrisY1]

The opinion journalists are writing too many pieces nowadays....!

They're all starting to rave on.......

[diehard60]

It is really a shame that the democrats are boycotting this ellection. They might of had a real good chance of winning for the first time in over ten years. That move they made was really dumb on their part. God help Thailand because the people following suthep will not.

[icommunity]

Ya, of course

Voters need to make the right choice

[diehard60]

It's an expensive waste of time but maybe necessary for the country to have some official numbers on all this. If more than 50% of the voters in large swathes of the country vote no or 'no-show' then we have a referendum result for reform then election. It's a given that Isarn will all show up to vote, they've been 'told' to. Their opinion counts less because they let themselves be 'told what to do'.

You are so wrong about isan. They want their vote to count. They will vote because it is THEIR RIGHT as a Thai citizen not because someone told them to. Suthep is tell people not to vote - now what is that?

[diehard60]

" Voters need to make the right choice ", now that's a revolutionary concept and I bet nowhere else in the world such insight exists.

Thailand no same u countreee.

Falang no undursatan

hahahaha - you must be a farong.

[diehard60]

idiotic and a waste of time and money...95% of the 500 seats just cant be won , its simple math....the Dems are not taking part

Right and that is their own fault. they sould not have boycotted the ellection. They might have had a good chance this time.

[Scamper]

Scanning the list on the chart provided here is a very sober experience. The elections here have all had enormous controversies even under the " best " of circumstances, although some were merely papered over. The possibilities for infractions and ballot irregularities this time around are incalculable.

[rreddin]

The article starts off with headline that "voters need to make the right choice: Thai analysis." But it starts out with two colorful tables and lots of red checkmarks and "problems." It's hard to think of a better way to turn off potential voters than to do a dump of all the problems with the election.

How many Thais read newspapers and how many of them read English language newspapers and of them how many read the Nation? Answers not many, even less and fewer still. Conclusion: this piece of drivel is not aimed at the Thai electorate.

[miseryguts]

I wouldn't call those in the list 'potential problems' I would call them 'likely problems'.

[Halion]

Until this country understands that they should vote based on intellect and not on emotion of partisan demographics there can be little consensus. There are a myriad of articles proclaiming that the Thai people should love each other and put their differences aside. I have absolutely no idea as to what such proclamations are supposed to achieve as part of the instability of this country is due to the fact that the average Thai vote is based on self interest and and/or partisanship and not political and economic stability, development and judicial equality. The Thai vote is subjected to significant misrepresentation and media manipulation. Events over the past decade have only served to further polarize an already fragmented nation and the political fog that is omnipresent distorts the determination of tangible truth for the majority of the population..

Whatever the outcome of the current unrest, I see little progress being made unless the Thai people themselves hold their chosen representatives to a far higher standard than before and that the judicial system ensures that manipulation ,malfeasance and tardiness are dealt with to the full extent of the law.

[kimamey]

Personally I think that everyone should cast their vote as I believe it's compulsory in Thailand. It may give a better idea of people's views as the Dems aren't taking part. Those that aren't happy with the government and want to send a message to the PTP can now do so by using a no vote without risking the Dems winning which may be what would stop them normally.

Edited January 25, 2014 by kimamey

[kimamey]

idiotic and a waste of time and money...95% of the 500 seats just cant be won , its simple math....the Dems are not taking part

Right and that is their own fault. they sould not have boycotted the ellection. They might have had a good chance this time.

Not necessarily. I get the impression that there aren't as big a proportion of floating voters in Thailand. Most probably vote one way all the time and wouldn't consider changing regardless of the policies, assuming they know what they are.

[nakhonandy]

idiotic and a waste of time and money...95% of the 500 seats just cant be won , its simple math....the Dems are not taking part

Right and that is their own fault. they sould not have boycotted the ellection. They might have had a good chance this time.

Not necessarily. I get the impression that there aren't as big a proportion of floating voters in Thailand. Most probably vote one way all the time and wouldn't consider changing regardless of the policies, assuming they know what they are.

Where I live they just don't believe that the policies will be carried out, not dissimilar to western beliefs there.

I agree most will vote the same as always so the Dems have no chance, hence the boycott.

[bigbamboo]

'Election plobrems' are always bad news in this part of the world.

[tingtongteesood]

It's an expensive waste of time but maybe necessary for the country to have some official numbers on all this. If more than 50% of the voters in large swathes of the country vote no or 'no-show' then we have a referendum result for reform then election. It's a given that Isarn will all show up to vote, they've been 'told' to. Their opinion counts less because they let themselves be 'told what to do'.

You are so wrong about isan. They want their vote to count. They will vote because it is THEIR RIGHT as a Thai citizen not because someone told them to. Suthep is tell people not to vote - now what is that?

Of course a lot of the farmers don't really care who wins and what else they do as long as they keep getting 40% more than their rice is really worth and can continue draining the tax payers money and keep dragging the country further and further down the rabbit hole. 'As long as I gain from it screw the rest of you' seems to be an all too common attitude here. A great many Thais don't seem to care about the well being of the economy and the country in general at all. Very sad.

[tx22cb]

IMHO, I think Voters always make the "right" choice - that is, "right" for the individual voters.

To observers, it might be silly, or a mistake, or unintelligent, or uneducated, or a travesty, even idiotic.

These observers are wrong - these observers are petulantly placing the blame on and/or belittling the voters who vote for the "other" party.

The Voter is always right = the public is never wrong.