Caretaker PM Yingluck asserts election will resolve conflicts

[JohnP1752]

Everyone on YL's side was hoping for a high voter turnout, but it was never going to happen, especially with the gun fights the night before the election. You would have to be a brave person to risk getting shot just to vote. The army has accepted it can't do the coup thing at the moment because that will most likely end in a blood bath and split the army. Suthep and the courts realise that they have to play the game better because the world is watching, thats why he begrudgingly let the election go through. So the corrupt courts must find an internationally acceptable reason to annul the election, although this is risky too. I think the best solution would be to remove the LM law, but thats not going to happen.

Edited February 4, 2014 by JohnP1752

[Prbkk]

All credit to her. She's faced down Suthep and his thugs well. 80% of the country voted and probably overwhelmingly in PTP's favor. Thailand has chosen. Not oligarchy but democracy. That's a huge step forward.

80% of the country voted? Are you serious? Where did you get this figure? Even Yingluck knows better than to make a statement like this.

It was approx. 26% in Bangkok and upcountry they were lucky to get 50 %. Some places it was zero.

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If you are making that point to suggest a lack of legitimacy, look to the UK where NO govt could ever claim to be legitimate if high voter turnout is said to be one of the required features in a democratic system. In the case of Thailand it is REMARKABLE that so many turned out, given the threats and actual violoence. This election result is real and legitimate

[smedly]

PM satisfied with yesterday’s polls

She is obviously a lady that is easy to satisfy

Let me do that box thingy again, that was fun

[JohnP1752]

Low turnout...........

Let's see.....

1) voter intimidation

2) major party boycotting the elections

Some turnout figures:

Udon, Ubon and Chiang Mai 55%

Surin 50%

Was that because of intimidation? And the major party IN the election has received ~10 million votes by THEIR OWN estimate. what a stunning victory, what an overwhelming mandate!

No intimidation there, it was no opposition, they were always going to win in these places. They will likely increase their majority in this election as they had no competition, the Democrats decision to boycott will likely come back to bite them.

Edited February 4, 2014 by JohnP1752

[louse1953]

I just had to click on the headline, because it made me laugh

What makes me laugh even more is that some of you are actually buying her crap.

If she is lucky, the elections will by null and void, before she actually has to say, how view people have voted PT and how low the actual voter turnout was. Of those who did vote, a lot of them voted none of the above.

Meanwhile, Khun Suthep and Bangkok, keep on rocking to tunes of Pong Phat and other great musicians, who donate their time and risk there life, in order to help bring this Government down. My buddy and his Thai girlfriend, who live in Bangkok, have been down there for the past few nights and he said, it's an awesome party, with many friendly people, great bands and awesome food.

Thai's will take any excuse to party.

[rixalex]

This election result is real and legitimate

In theory yes, but in practice, perhaps not. Comes down to perception. A few years ago Abhisit was the real and legitimate PM but there were those who felt the way in which he had become PM wasn't right. That was their perception and they would not accept him no matter how much the parliamentary process was explained to them.

The situation now with this general election will I suspect be much the same. PTP may well be shown to be the real and legitimate government, based on the voting, but there will be those who will point to things, like for example the terribly low turnout, and not accept them. Ignoring those people is one way to go, but how that works in the long run is another matter.

You'd really think, for the sake of the country, that PTP would consider a change of PM, wouldn't you? Is it really so important to them to have a Shinawatra at the top? Could they not govern with someone else in that position? Yingluck says she'll do whatever she has to for the good of the country. So let someone else lead. It would put a lot of pressure on the opposition to get off the streets and start participating in the political process once again. OK, PTP supporters may be upset but perhaps they should just be grateful, with some of the stunts they pulled before dissolving parliament, that they are still allowed to govern. In other political systems, I doubt they would.

[Old Man River]

All credit to her. She's faced down Suthep and his thugs well. 80% of the country voted and probably overwhelmingly in PTP's favor. Thailand has chosen. Not oligarchy but democracy. That's a huge step forward.

80% of the country voted? Are you serious? Where did you get this figure? Even Yingluck knows better than to make a statement like this.

It was approx. 26% in Bangkok and upcountry they were lucky to get 50 %. Some places it was zero.

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If you are making that point to suggest a lack of legitimacy, look to the UK where NO govt could ever claim to be legitimate if high voter turnout is said to be one of the required features in a democratic system. In the case of Thailand it is REMARKABLE that so many turned out, given the threats and actual violoence. This election result is real and legitimate

Actually, I wasn't making the point about legitimacy, but ok, now given their alleged scams, how will they keep the economy afloat?

The World Bank's estimates on the cost and loss on YL 's rice program are eye opening.

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[virtualtraveller]

All credit to her. She's faced down Suthep and his thugs well. 80% of the country voted and probably overwhelmingly in PTP's favor. Thailand has chosen. Not oligarchy but democracy. That's a huge step forward.

Ahem! Which news have you been reading. Voter turnout, 45%, possibly 55% when bi-elections held. Minus no votes and a minority would have elected the next govt. Wait for results but early indications are that PTP will get far less than 15 million. Thailand has chose to show the Shinawatras the door. That's a huge step forward. No Shin Oligarchy.

[getthaid]

The election had to take place, otherwise democracy would have lost. However the election itself solves nothing.

There is a lot of hard work ahead; corruption needs to be tackled, the moronic rice scheme has to be ended, the abuse of the law either as a weapon against opponents or something to be ignored at convenience cannot continue, the ridiculous idea of a blanket amnesty that includes fugitive and in country criminals has to be seen for the farce it is, there needs to be a serious attempt to find a resolution of the war in the south, PT needs to create an education policy that focuses upon education not flashy gimmicks, govt policies that involve economists and not populists who understand little or nothing about economic policy are essential, all of these and more need to be dealt with a manner that benefits Thailand and not just those parts that are behind any particular party.

If not, this will just start again. The last few weeks have shown where the misuse of power leads. An election gives you the right to govern, it also obliges you to govern for all and to govern in a legitimate inclusive manner. I hope PT have learned that lesson if nothing else.

I have my doubts but I still do have hope.

Good post.

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