Advance voting to go ahead

[Lite Beer]

Advance voting to go ahead
The Nation

A soldier scans with his binoculars from a vantage point as protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban leads a march through Pratunam in downtown Bangkok yesterday. Security has been stepped up for the protest leaders following rumours of possible attacks targeting

BANGKOK: -- PM to meet EC on Tuesday to discuss rescheduling the February 2 election

ADVANCE VOTING for the February 2 general election will be held today amid rallies by anti-government protesters nationwide.

However, the Election Commission will meet with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Tuesday at 2pm to discuss whether next Sunday's election should be postponed.

There have been signs of looming election chaos.

People's Democratic Reform Committee secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said his colleague Chumphon Junsai was due to lead protesters to rally at Bang Bon district office this morning. Bang Bon is a stronghold of Chalerm Yoobamrung, head of the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order.

Meanwhile, Thaworn Senneam would lead a rally at Bang Kapi district office at 5am. Other destinations include Din Daeng, Phya Thai and Dusit district offices.

PDRC leader Issara Somchai said yesterday he had learnt that protesters from the Lat Phrao rally site will protest today at the Chatuchak, Bang Khen and Saphan Sung district offices, which are other venues for advance and absentee voting.

The PDRC leaders have also asked supporters in the provinces to rally at local voting venues.

In Surat Thani, protesters began setting up a rally stage yesterday afternoon, in front of Police Provincial Bureau 8's Police Training Centre in Muang district, which will be used as a polling station for advance voting.

The protesters announced their move in defiance of the emergency decree in effect in Bangkok and its adjacent provinces since Wednesday. As many as 7,000 police officers will be deployed at polling stations nationwide to allow advance voting and deter anti-government protesters, Metropolitan Police deputy chief Pol Maj-General Chanthawit Ramasuta said earlier.

PM's secretary-general Suranand Vejjajiva said yesterday the venue for the meeting between the Yingluck and the EC would be the same place as the Cabinet meeting, but that location was yet to be decided. He said Yingluck would tomorrow meet the government's legal team to consider options following the Constitutional Court's ruling that the polls can be rescheduled.

The court ruled on Friday that the polls can be rescheduled and said that this would be the joint responsibility of the caretaker prime minister and the EC chief.

EC member Teerawat Terarotwit said after an EC meeting yesterday the main issue was not deciding the poll date, but how to end the rift in society before the election.

"Is it possible for the conflicting parties to talk and take one step back? Otherwise there will be opposition even if we schedule a new date for the election," he said.

"The EC has reported all along that it is impossible to hold free and fair elections on February 2. There have been clear signs pointing to that. But the EC chairman and the other commissioners will discuss with the premier the rescheduling of the election."

He said that the advance balloting today must proceed, as the election had not been cancelled. However, there was only a slim chance for advance voting opening in 15 provinces, mostly in the South.

He said it was not clear how long the poll should be delayed. If the delay is too long, the EC might be criticised for allowing the current government to continue as caretaker for too long. However, too short a period might not solve the problems. In any case, conflicting parties and other stakeholders should come forward to talk.

A Democrat source said the party had not discussed whether to run in the election if it was postponed.

"It's not clear if the election will just be postponed, which we cannot join as we have already boycotted it, or whether the whole process will be restarted," the source said.

"The party leader always says that we must run in the election. The problem is that the atmosphere is not healthy for the election. We have to also see what the PDRC will do."

Suthep said earlier his group would not end the protest even if the election was postponed. The PDRC wanted the Yingluck caretaker government to quit to pave the way for the national reform.

Meanwhile, high-ranking source from Pheu Thai Party, who asked not to be named, said the party's stance is to still push for the election on February 2. Yingluck over the weekend would discuss with the party's prominent members on its stance in talks with the EC, the source said.

The source said postponement of the election would not be promising for the party especially when the government is facing many issues including the cases being investigated by independent agencies.

The cases include the rice-pledging scheme and the charter amendment cases. If the National Anti-Corruption Commission indicts a minister or even the prime minister, they would have to suspend from work, the source said.

"If the election is postponed, a lot of our supporters would be unhappy. They want us to move on, not yield to Suthep. In a situation like this, we believe we won't benefit if it is postponed this time. It will benefit Suthep instead," he said, adding the election will somehow guarantee legitimacy for Pheu Thai and many are happy to support it to be the government.

Somsak Prissananantakul, an adviser to the Chart Thai Pattana Party, yesterday urged the caretaker government and the EC to urgently discuss rescheduling of the election date.

He said under the current political situation, it would be difficult to hold the election on February 2 as there were several obstructions along the election process.

Pheu Thai secretary-general Phumtham Wechayachai said the party would back a delay of the election if that was a solution to the impasse. "We need clear answers from the Constitutional Court and the EC about which articles of the Constitution protect and ensure that if the election is deferred, the government will not face legal action for dereliction of duty. The EC should also ask the PDRC if it will stop protesting and if the Democrats will run in the poll."

-- The Nation 2014-01-26

[BKK Blues Brother]

Advance voting? Is that similar to postal voting?

I have 12 family members registered at my address, that's the quickest 6000 baht i've earn't!

[jeanpierre]

Advance voting? Is that similar to postal voting?

I have 12 family members registered at my address, that's the quickest 6000 baht i've earn't!

can i buy their souls?

lucifer

[Ulic]

Sounds like more police than protesters, but none of them doing there job.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Advance voting? Is that similar to postal voting?

I have 12 family members registered at my address, that's the quickest 6000 baht i've earn't!

What ?

Your family should be able to pull at least 12,000B

[rogerdee123]

Advance voting? Is that similar to postal voting?

I have 12 family members registered at my address, that's the quickest 6000 baht i've earn't!

What ?

Your family should be able to pull at least 12,000B

Probably someone else has already voted for your family

[Scamper]

None of the comments from Pheu Thai really suggests any shift in their thinking. They assume they have the power of legislature behind them but they do not. They assume they have - as a caretaker administration - the power of an emergency decree but they do not. They assume, still, that Suthep is a singular force outside the movement, that if he were not involved the movement would collapse. It is a naive and reckless belief, though one that puts Suthep in great danger. The fact of the matter is that any movement against Suthep would cause the protest movement to run riot. And any perception of the people on the streets under attack would bring in the army in their sworn capacity to protect them. The Yingluck administration has the power of the police - under the dubious hand of Chalerm. But they do not have the power of the army. They do not have the power of parliament - that ended on December 9. They will not have the power of a parliament that has a quorum. But most of all, they do not have power over the courts, who are now embedded in all the scandals of the Yingluck administration that have now finally caught up with it.

[millwall_fan]

Its a pity that the soldier with his binoculars and his superiors couldn't expend as much energy on protecting the right of ordinary Thais to vote if they wish, as they are doing protecting the 'rights' of those who seek to prevent them.

[BlueNoseCodger]

"EC member Teerawat Terarotwit said after an EC meeting yesterday the main issue was not deciding the poll date, but how to end the rift in society before the election."

Ahh, so now the EC's job is healing rifts in society?! Because I'm pretty sure it's job is to run elections and quit making excuses for not running elections.

If you look at how the Bangkok voters went after the protestors, this is Bangkok, these are ordinary people registered to vote in Bangkok, supposidly a yellow stronghold, yet they can't raise even a tiny mob in Bangkok, on a Sunday, to prevent polling, and the voters are going after them too.

They might end up raising a mob, but not the kind they want!

Seems to me, even Bangkok is against them. Down here in the south, you don't see any PDRC protestors now. I haven't seen a single flag here all day.

[LevelHead]

What a disgrace. Here we see a female Thai voter wanting to vote, being forcefully prevented from voting. There is actual force, pulling and pushing to prevent her voting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=1qt9Ynogftk

A terrible day for Thailand when free people, voters are prevented from voting by a mob, a small minority mob using force to prevent people voting.

[Mrgk]

But most of all, they do not have power over the courts, who are now embedded in all the scandals of the Yingluck administration that have now finally caught up with it.

It is revealing that the supposed opponents of 'corruption' are also on average slavish devotees of the Thai courts, quite possibly one of the most destructively corrupt institutions in Thai society.

[pipkins]

Reading the media that counts. Most voting went smoothly. They didnt stop that much and now voters are outside stations demanding that they re-open.

One just did, so that is light at the end of the tunnel we pray. Good on all Thais who had the courage to brave this mob.

They did more damage to Sutheps Putch than the guys who shot the student leader.

Don't need the violence. Just need Suthep out now

[pipkins]

If you look at the Nation pic top of thread you will see how short the march was yeasterday. IT finishes at the bridge back of shot so is 150m long at most.

Also of note, and we reported this before. There were not many people to greet it. To make the roads appear full, mob members were running ahead and lining it for him

Not much support left there

[millwall_fan]

What a disgrace. Here we see a female Thai voter wanting to vote, being forcefully prevented from voting. There is actual force, pulling and pushing to prevent her voting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=1qt9Ynogftk

A terrible day for Thailand when free people, voters are prevented from voting by a mob, a small minority mob using force to prevent people voting.

What an amazing piece of footage and what an amazingly brave woman.

[LevelHead]

What a disgrace. Here we see a female Thai voter wanting to vote, being forcefully prevented from voting. There is actual force, pulling and pushing to prevent her voting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=1qt9Ynogftk

A terrible day for Thailand when free people, voters are prevented from voting by a mob, a small minority mob using force to prevent people voting.

What an amazing piece of footage and what an amazingly brave woman.

She is brave ! and a great advert for Thai Democracy that she goes and tries to vote.

The sad thing is the very bad advert for Democracy from a mob using force to stop her.

Thailand has tens of millions people who want to vote and less than 50,000 now trying to stop them.

[LevelHead]

Pictures today of another voter having force used against them by whistle mob PDRC protestors.

His right as a Thai citizen to vote freely and fairly being denied by the use of force against him.

Source of the photo's is @CMPOLIVE

@cmpolive

The Center for Maintaining Peace and Order : CMPO

Thailand · facebook.com/capopolice

The photo description is in Thai script which I am not allowed to post on this English only site. You can check out the source.

.My understanding and opinion is this posting, of course, nothing more.

Edited January 26, 2014 by LevelHead

[Suriya4]

Pictures today of another voter having force used against them by whistle mob PDRC protestors.

His right as a Thai citizen to vote freely and fairly being denied by the use of force against him.

There is no description.

Please don't speculate.

It could be anything.

[LevelHead]

The good news is that lots of these people have been photographed and can be taken to court and face up to 5 years in jail for preventing people from voting.

Unless of course the PDRC gets into power or some other silent coup and then all the protestors in 2013 and 2014 will get defacto amnesty by way of no prosecution, which is the normal yellow way, in my opinion of course.

You do not need amnesty if nobody ever convicts you of anything.

All in my opinion of course.

[hands22]

Pictures tell a thousand words. Now, how do I forward these pictures of Thai being forcefully prevented to vote to Obama? No need for long letters.

[LevelHead]

Pictures tell a thousand words. Now, how do I forward these pictures of Thai being forcefully prevented to vote to Obama? No need for long letters.

Youtube should have of video's tonight of voters being prevented from voting by the use of force.

The PDRC people have used force, they have obstructed by using force and also padlocking gates closed.

This is blatant obstruction and undeniable.

But of course, Suthep will no doubt in my opinion claim no force was used and nowhere was blocked. he will likely claim the protestors were just having a sit down rest and never touched anyone and he is unsure why the EC shut down polling stations.............

In my opinion of course.

[JAG]

None of the comments from Pheu Thai really suggests any shift in their thinking. They assume they have the power of legislature behind them but they do not. They assume they have - as a caretaker administration - the power of an emergency decree but they do not. They assume, still, that Suthep is a singular force outside the movement, that if he were not involved the movement would collapse. It is a naive and reckless belief, though one that puts Suthep in great danger. The fact of the matter is that any movement against Suthep would cause the protest movement to run riot. And any perception of the people on the streets under attack would bring in the army in their sworn capacity to protect them. The Yingluck administration has the power of the police - under the dubious hand of Chalerm. But they do not have the power of the army. They do not have the power of parliament - that ended on December 9. They will not have the power of a parliament that has a quorum. But most of all, they do not have power over the courts, who are now embedded in all the scandals of the Yingluck administration that have now finally caught up with it.

And of course the views of the electorate, who elected them, and whose opportunity to deliver a verdict on them would be denied by those whom you so enthusiastically endorse counts for the cube root of sod all!

Keep it up, its verbose bullshit that is beginning to sound like a scratched record, but it obviously amuses you!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[BlueNoseCodger]

What a disgrace. Here we see a female Thai voter wanting to vote, being forcefully prevented from voting. There is actual force, pulling and pushing to prevent her voting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=1qt9Ynogftk

A terrible day for Thailand when free people, voters are prevented from voting by a mob, a small minority mob using force to prevent people voting.

If there had been 100 voters there, they'd have easily got past that lot. It's only because she was alone that they could prevent her getting through.

Shocking.

[millwall_fan]

What a disgrace. Here we see a female Thai voter wanting to vote, being forcefully prevented from voting. There is actual force, pulling and pushing to prevent her voting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=1qt9Ynogftk

A terrible day for Thailand when free people, voters are prevented from voting by a mob, a small minority mob using force to prevent people voting.

What an amazing piece of footage and what an amazingly brave woman.

She is brave ! and a great advert for Thai Democracy that she goes and tries to vote.

The sad thing is the very bad advert for Democracy from a mob using force to stop her.

Thailand has tens of millions people who want to vote and less than 50,000 now trying to stop them.

This deserves to 'go viral' do share it as widely as possible. I place this woman on a par with the man who fronted out the tanks on Tiananmen Square some 25 years ago (for those of you old enough to remember that!).

[millwall_fan]

What a disgrace. Here we see a female Thai voter wanting to vote, being forcefully prevented from voting. There is actual force, pulling and pushing to prevent her voting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=1qt9Ynogftk

A terrible day for Thailand when free people, voters are prevented from voting by a mob, a small minority mob using force to prevent people voting.

If there had been 100 voters there, they'd have easily got past that lot. It's only because she was alone that they could prevent her getting through.

Shocking.

The trouble is not many people vote at each polling station on pre-election weekend . now next weekend could be a different story.

[LevelHead]

The PDRC will get desperate, in my opinion, if and when YL tells them the elections go ahead - do your job and ensure elections take place.

So it will get interesting before next weekend I think.

[hands22]

That woman is a very brave lady. I salute her. I won't have the guts to do that.

[DGIE]

Advance voting? Is that similar to postal voting?

I have 12 family members registered at my address, that's the quickest 6000 baht i've earn't!

What ?

Your family should be able to pull at least 12,000B

It may cheaper this time around because there are not many buyers

[tingtongteesood]

The good news is that lots of these people have been photographed and can be taken to court and face up to 5 years in jail for preventing people from voting.

Unless of course the PDRC gets into power or some other silent coup and then all the protestors in 2013 and 2014 will get defacto amnesty by way of no prosecution, which is the normal yellow way, in my opinion of course.

You do not need amnesty if nobody ever convicts you of anything.

All in my opinion of course.

Of course there are hundreds of red shirts yet to be dealt with first not to mention the terrorist leaders such as Nuttawat, Jatuporn and Arisman and the dear leader fugitive in the desert. WHEN THEY have ALL been prosecuted and are serving sentences under the law, then the current protestors can join the queue.....Agreed ? Or will we get more gross hypocrisy from the red side ?

[espinoza]

Advance voting? Is that similar to postal voting?

I have 12 family members registered at my address, that's the quickest 6000 baht i've earn't!

You, lousy dog, who paid you ??? Liar.