Members of international group to observe polling

[Lite Beer]

Members of international group to observe polling
Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- An international election watchdog will deploy some 20 observers for today's snap election, focusing mostly on the issues of people's participation and the right to vote without hindrance.

The team from the Asian Network for Free Elections (Anfrel), a pan-Asia non-profit election observing organisation, is technically a "study mission" instead of a full election observation mission, said Anfrel project coordinator for Thailand, Pongsak Chanon.

He said this was due to the decision by the Election Commission (EC) and the caretaker Yingluck Shinawatra administration to go ahead with the election just a few days ago. The team is led by Anfrel's Filipino chairperson, Damaso Magbual, Pongsak said.

Observers will come from nine countries, mostly from Asia and they will be posted in Bangkok and the surrounding provinces of Samut Prakan, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Sakhon.

One observer each will probably be dispatched to Pattani, Nakhon Ratchasima and Chon Buri provinces. No one will be sent to the North.

"We want to find out if the election is free and fair, whether universal suffrage is respected," said Pongsak, who added that he was concerned there may be violent clashes between the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) and voters, particularly supporters of the ruling Pheu Thai party.

Anfrel won't be writing a report, unlike in other elections, due to its inability to deploy a proper observer mission over a long period of time.

Pongsak said Thailand could continue to be in political limbo with a power vacuum if the EC fails to announce the election results promptly.

In a related development, the European Union will also not send any election observers but one election expert and one political expert have been assigned and they are now working on the ground, talking to various stakeholders.

-- The Nation 2014-02-02

[rheinwiese]

What could 20 people possibly observe?

6.671 polling stations in Bangkok alone and 93.305 nationwide.

[surangw]

What could 20 people possibly observe?

6.671 polling stations in Bangkok alone and 93.305 nationwide.

Like most things in Thailand, all for show.

IMHO, they better keep their heads down if they report anything negative.

[noitom]

It's a partial NGO, a study group. They are a "study mission" to see if Thailand has a free and fair election. Their small force and little if any sponsorship probably means that they will be studying in Starbucks with whoever pays the check for the coffee.

[WAERTH]

So they will be monitoring Bangkok but avoid the North, Northeast and South where corruption at voting boots is worst. Makes for a great plan

[chooka]

So they will be monitoring Bangkok but avoid the North, Northeast and South where corruption at voting boots is worst. Makes for a great plan

More chance of people being beaten to death in BKK than the north and their only crime would be exercising their right to vote.

[kikoman]

International Observers was one of the safeguard the EC needed to set up all over the country to observe if voting was fair or not , EC chose to fight the election as ordered from above instead of to prepare the nation for an election.

EC actions leading up to today's election was more an effort to postpone the election, they need to be held accountable for not properly fulfilling their job responsibilities to the whole nation, not to respond only to the orders of their masters.

A lawsuit needs to be filed against the EC for that reason, the Constitutional Court for not deciding the (5) outstanding corruption charge against the Abhisit Democrat administration of 2011, while fast tracking cases against Yingluck and the PTP, any court of the land must follow the rule of law for all the citizens of Thailand not just a chosen few!

A complete housecleaning of these government agency is drastically needed as the law of the land in Thailand, must be extended to all of its citizens regardless of political affiliation.

Cheers

[kurtgruen]

Sounds like another farce

[tezzainoz]

Today there are many blind fools who are demanding their right to vote

But what are they voting for ?

How can you vote for democracy. When their is only 1 party to vote for

Todays vote is for democracy or dictatorship

If today you vote in a government that has no opposition only one party in power it is a dictatorship not democracy

The protestors have learnt

you can good some Thais all of the time

But you can no fool all Thais all of the time

[noitom]

International Observers was one of the safeguard the EC needed to set up all over the country to observe if voting was fair or not , EC chose to fight the election as ordered from above instead of to prepare the nation for an election.

EC actions leading up to today's election was more an effort to postpone the election, they need to be held accountable for not properly fulfilling their job responsibilities to the whole nation, not to respond only to the orders of their masters.

A lawsuit needs to be filed against the EC for that reason, the Constitutional Court for not deciding the (5) outstanding corruption charge against the Abhisit Democrat administration of 2011, while fast tracking cases against Yingluck and the PTP, any court of the land must follow the rule of law for all the citizens of Thailand not just a chosen few!

A complete housecleaning of these government agency is drastically needed as the law of the land in Thailand, must be extended to all of its citizens regardless of political affiliation.

Cheers

Great points. As an example of decisive action - Mikhail Saakashvili the former Georgian president for 8 years sacked the entire Georgian police force because of corruption and rebuilt the entire police force with newly recruited cops and enforced regulation. The Thai EC, ConstitutionalCourt, and most other so called government checks and balances institutions should all be fired and restarted for the same corrupt reasons. Corrupted beyond repair. In those cases, you start over with a clean sheet of paper.

[Mentors]

Do they observe in Surat Thani too? No one can vote here. No ballots - nothing.

[Soutpeel]

What could 20 people possibly observe?

6.671 polling stations in Bangkok alone and 93.305 nationwide.

They will be observing the polling stations closest to the 5 star hotel they have been put in

[MMarlow]

Today there are many blind fools who are demanding their right to vote

But what are they voting for ?

How can you vote for democracy. When their is only 1 party to vote for

Todays vote is for democracy or dictatorship

If today you vote in a government that has no opposition only one party in power it is a dictatorship not democracy

The protestors have learnt

you can good some Thais all of the time

But you can no fool all Thais all of the time

The blind fool has posted. "Only one party to vote for", where did you get that incorrect information from?

[Somtamnication]

Easy day for them. No one will show up in this democratic country.

[binjalin]

Today there are many blind fools who are demanding their right to vote

But what are they voting for ?

How can you vote for democracy. When their is only 1 party to vote for

Todays vote is for democracy or dictatorship

If today you vote in a government that has no opposition only one party in power it is a dictatorship not democracy

The protestors have learnt

you can good some Thais all of the time

But you can no fool all Thais all of the time

what are you gibbering about? there are many parties to vote for

the only fool is your uneducated post

[h90]

What could 20 people possibly observe?

6.671 polling stations in Bangkok alone and 93.305 nationwide.

And it is like the last time, not all are observer. Non speaks Thai......

And the don't look into vote buying or cheating.

So it is clear where this comes from.....Well done Robert....

[darren84310]

I think these organisations know it's a hopeless task, so they are sending a token gesture.

[Jack Mountain]

What could 20 people possibly observe?

6.671 polling stations in Bangkok alone and 93.305 nationwide.

They read TV and watch it ...

[gabruce]

So they will be monitoring Bangkok but avoid the North, Northeast and South where corruption at voting boots is worst. Makes for a great plan

It makes sense depending on the assumptions they make. Assume that the North is NOT corrupt and that the elections will be free and unhindered there. No coercion, vote-buying, stuffing, stealing ballots, fake voters etc. Second assumption is that all of the problems are in Bangkok and the south. Ergo, only check out the south. Oh yes, there will be action in Bangkok and the south by protestors, of some form or other, so they will have something to write about. It probably also fits their world view of what they want and expect to see. So see, logical.

[gabruce]

Today there are many blind fools who are demanding their right to vote

But what are they voting for ?

How can you vote for democracy. When their is only 1 party to vote for

Todays vote is for democracy or dictatorship

If today you vote in a government that has no opposition only one party in power it is a dictatorship not democracy

The protestors have learnt

you can good some Thais all of the time

But you can no fool all Thais all of the time

The blind fool has posted. "Only one party to vote for", where did you get that incorrect information from?

Be sensible and at least a little honest. There is only 1 major party running in this election. There are quite a few constituencies with no one registered as a candidate (only a "vote no" is possible?) and quite a few constituencies with only a single candidate. Sorry I don't have exact numbers. There are lots of smaller parties, however they don't have candidates everywhere. So, while technically true that there is more than one party, there is only one major party running in this election. Of course, the election is a bit of a waste since it cannot produce enough MP's (unless someone has some trick in their bag), minor detail. If I'm wrong, which alternate party could be considered a major party and also have the potential of electing a majority of the MP's?

[Dogmatix]

If Jonathan Head of the BBC is observing the elections, that should be good enough for the entire free world with no need for Anfrel or any other silly sounding acronym.

[binjalin]

Today there are many blind fools who are demanding their right to vote

But what are they voting for ?

How can you vote for democracy. When their is only 1 party to vote for

Todays vote is for democracy or dictatorship

If today you vote in a government that has no opposition only one party in power it is a dictatorship not democracy

The protestors have learnt

you can good some Thais all of the time

But you can no fool all Thais all of the time

The blind fool has posted. "Only one party to vote for", where did you get that incorrect information from?

Be sensible and at least a little honest. There is only 1 major party running in this election. There are quite a few constituencies with no one registered as a candidate (only a "vote no" is possible?) and quite a few constituencies with only a single candidate. Sorry I don't have exact numbers. There are lots of smaller parties, however they don't have candidates everywhere. So, while technically true that there is more than one party, there is only one major party running in this election. Of course, the election is a bit of a waste since it cannot produce enough MP's (unless someone has some trick in their bag), minor detail. If I'm wrong, which alternate party could be considered a major party and also have the potential of electing a majority of the MP's?

I don't accept this at all - there are 54 parties standing and ONE who refuses to do so and support the fascists

it is entirely wrong to demean the smaller parties - THIS is there chance to gain votes it is wrong to say "only one party to vote for" as they can vote "no" too

[Scamper]

By and large, the electoral delegations sent here are pretty few and far between. The Asian delegation seems to stand alone. There will be plenty of international correspondents, of course. But what they will see is but the surface. In-depth analysis will again be all but scanty.

[SOTIRIOS]

...one would guess that their role is to 'endorse and validate' this 'one horse race'....

....can this still be considered a democracy....???

[Fryslan boppe]

I don't recall the reasons, but this ANFREL group was thoroughly discredited the last election...I think they were an extension of Elitists in order to cast their interpretation on things. Their top dog was a PAD-Dem if I recall....I remember accompanying some Poll watchers to meet with these people prior to the last election in the lobby of a local hotel, and when it was realized they were from ANFREL, the meeting was immediately cancelled.

Edited February 2, 2014 by Fryslan boppe

[tomross46]

Today there are many blind fools who are demanding their right to vote

But what are they voting for ?

How can you vote for democracy. When their is only 1 party to vote for

Todays vote is for democracy or dictatorship

If today you vote in a government that has no opposition only one party in power it is a dictatorship not democracy

The protestors have learnt

you can good some Thais all of the time

But you can no fool all Thais all of the time

The blind fool has posted. "Only one party to vote for", where did you get that incorrect information from?

Be sensible and at least a little honest. There is only 1 major party running in this election. There are quite a few constituencies with no one registered as a candidate (only a "vote no" is possible?) and quite a few constituencies with only a single candidate. Sorry I don't have exact numbers. There are lots of smaller parties, however they don't have candidates everywhere. So, while technically true that there is more than one party, there is only one major party running in this election. Of course, the election is a bit of a waste since it cannot produce enough MP's (unless someone has some trick in their bag), minor detail. If I'm wrong, which alternate party could be considered a major party and also have the potential of electing a majority of the MP's?

Old wine new bottle.

[Bakseeda]

So they will be monitoring Bangkok but avoid the North, Northeast and South where corruption at voting boots is worst. Makes for a great plan

More chance of people being beaten to death in BKK than the north and their only crime would be exercising their right to vote.

Pray tell me .. WHAT gives them the right to vote.... the 500 baht note in their back pocket...Haha..

[chooka]

So they will be monitoring Bangkok but avoid the North, Northeast and South where corruption at voting boots is worst. Makes for a great plan

More chance of people being beaten to death in BKK than the north and their only crime would be exercising their right to vote.

Pray tell me .. WHAT gives them the right to vote.... the 500 baht note in their back pocket...Haha..

Oh please. What gives any person in any country the right to vote?

Are you intoxicated?

A Democracy gives the person the right to vote.

[tingtongteesood]

International Observers was one of the safeguard the EC needed to set up all over the country to observe if voting was fair or not , EC chose to fight the election as ordered from above instead of to prepare the nation for an election.

EC actions leading up to today's election was more an effort to postpone the election, they need to be held accountable for not properly fulfilling their job responsibilities to the whole nation, not to respond only to the orders of their masters.

A lawsuit needs to be filed against the EC for that reason, the Constitutional Court for not deciding the (5) outstanding corruption charge against the Abhisit Democrat administration of 2011, while fast tracking cases against Yingluck and the PTP, any court of the land must follow the rule of law for all the citizens of Thailand not just a chosen few!

A complete housecleaning of these government agency is drastically needed as the law of the land in Thailand, must be extended to all of its citizens regardless of political affiliation.

Cheers

If a lawsuit should be brought against anyone it is Taksin for causingn this whole mess due to his spiteful megalomaniacal obsession. Secondly it should be brought against the caretakers for what they have done to this country and also for bumbling on ahead with a pointless waste of time and money all in an effort to save face. Time they faced the reality, big brother isn't coming back here, ever !