New Thai senators will have some big decisions to make

[webfact]

ANALYSIS
New senators will have some big decisions to make
ATTAYUTH BOOTSRIPOOM
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE MARCH 30 half-Senate election will be a ballot with huge significance for the Pheu Thai political camp, as the first job for the new senators could be to remove caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from her post in relation to the rice-pledging scheme.

Some 77 Senate seats are up for grabs after the term of the current elected senators ends, while 73 appointed senators are due to end their term in the next three years.

If the new 77 elected senators possess political opinions similar to current conservative appointed senators, the Pheu Thai Party may struggle to maintain their foothold in the Thai political arena.

One possible scenario is the chance that the new senators will decide on an impeachment case against 308 MPs and senators who last year sought to amend the constitution in relation to how senators are elected. Most of the 308 are affiliated with Pheu Thai. Only three of 73 appointed senators sided with the Pheu Thai camp in sponsoring the charter amendment bills.

The March 30 half-Senate election also stands as a testing ground for the two rival camps after weeks of political conflict that has plunged the country into a downward spiral of recession, civil strife and threatens to split the country.

Although the February 2 election has not been completed, it can't fully be used as an indicator on which side eligible voters back as the poll was marred by protests and disruption by the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).

The March 30 senate election is unlikely to face the same scenario because the PDRC has no aim to block this ballot - or at least they have not declared such as yet.

Apart from their powerful capacity to remove political office holders from their posts, senators are tasked with appointing and removing members of independent organisations such as the Constitutional Court and the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

If any political camp is able to gain control of the Upper House, under the charter it would require votes from three-fifths of the senators to impeach anybody.

In urban areas, factors that help senators win seats vary from past achievements, fame, to their personal calibre. But in rural areas, winning factors continue to be linked with canvassers who are normally local leaders and the same opinion leaders as canvassers for MP candidates.

This means it cannot be free from politics. If Pheu Thai can maintain its political base and backing of local leaders, the party could continue to maintain significant support in the Senate.


-- The Nation 2014-03-04

[JoeThePoster]

Benz or BMW ?

[JRSoul]

Let's see, a PM who doesn't attend parliament, a chair who doesn't attend committee meetings, an expensive policy known to be corrupt in its first version, and B800 billion that disappeared down a black hole. Could that be negligence?

Edited March 3, 2014 by JRSoul

[Mister Fixit]

Let's see, a PM who doesn't attend parliament, a chair who doesn't attend committee meetings, an expensive policy known to be corrupt in its first version, and B800 billion that disappeared down a black hole. Could that be negligence?

There's just a chance ... If there was any logic in Thailand.

[Dr Bruce]

"In urban areas, factors that help senators win seats vary from past achievements, fame, to their personal calibre. But in rural areas, winning factors continue to be linked with canvassers who are normally local leaders and the same opinion leaders as canvassers for MP candidates."

What a load of rubbish, the sanators from the urban areas are what is left of the old guard and are voted in by the Dems, the senators from the rural areas are voted in by the more polically aware rural voters who want democracy. The contitution imposed on the country after the last coup ensures that the old gaurd remains in charge of the senate by packing it half full with apointed people who always vote against PTP.

[TheClog]

Has anyone thought of leaving the elected senators in place, and holding elections on the currently appointed senators.

[JRSoul]

"In urban areas, factors that help senators win seats vary from past achievements, fame, to their personal calibre. But in rural areas, winning factors continue to be linked with canvassers who are normally local leaders and the same opinion leaders as canvassers for MP candidates."

What a load of rubbish, the sanators from the urban areas are what is left of the old guard and are voted in by the Dems, the senators from the rural areas are voted in by the more polically aware rural voters who want democracy. The contitution imposed on the country after the last coup ensures that the old gaurd remains in charge of the senate by packing it half full with apointed people who always vote against PTP.

"the more polically aware rural voters" Is that compared to urban voters, or other rural voters?

If the former, how do rural voters get to be more politically aware than urban voters? Are there better and more varied news sources in the villages, or is it that they get red propaganda without anything to confuse them?

If the latter, who do the less informed rural voters vote for?

Or was it just a casual lie that was noticed?

Edited March 4, 2014 by JRSoul

[skills32]

Has anyone thought of leaving the elected senators in place, and holding elections on the currently appointed senators.

You are aptly named.

If you are going to comment on current affairs then at least find out something about them.

What you have asked is what part of this is all about.

GEEESH.

[djjamie]

This highlights further why an appointed Senate is essential to Thailand's democracy. The people appointed to the senate were not usually professional politicians. They had actually done something with their lives. They don't have constituencies to worry about or elections to win. They spend their time seriously reviewing legislation. Rural voters will vote for whoever their local leader tells them to vote for. In other words it will be PTP affiliated. It will not be based on a profession background or a broad spectrum of the the population or a representation of a minority group. It will be another PTP politician in disguise voted in by a narrow easily manipulated voter base.

An appointed senate reflects diversity of the Thai people. Women, visible minorities are too often poorly represented if senators are elected. PTP despise the voice of minority groups. The Deputy PM called minority groups garbage.

Improving Policy. An appointed senate could help ensure that policy is based on a wider variety of input based on compromise and consensus among diverse perspectives. PTP hate this fact. They want complete control.

Balancing Power. An appointed senate serves as a check on the concentration of power in the hands of the PM. PTP hate this. They want complete control.

The senate boasts a compliment of professionals. The rural elections will effectively eliminate their valuable expertise from the political process. The appointed senators are economists, scientists, businessmen, judges, lawyers, professors, engineers, social workers, doctors, public servants and consumer advocates. Many would be unwilling to campaign and would have their seats filled by PT puppets. The Senate would effectively become a mirror image of the PTP. People argue it is DEM inclined now. I refute that. It isn't. It is rationally inclined. The supporters also argue that being elected thus PT inclined is better. That is an irrational and undemocratic argument.

When you have people telling supporters to raise an army of 600 000 people, to disobey the courts unless the decision suits their agenda, to burn coffins in front of courts, that tell their supporters to "eliminate" the opposition, that laugh and cheer when opposition supporters are murdered by terrorists, would you trust those people to vote in a senator that is the right person for the job or a person that the UDD / PTP want you to vote for.

Exactly.

[Fryslan boppe]

"...as the first job for the new senators could be to remove caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from her post in relation to the rice-pledging scheme"

Some wishful thinking by PAD-Dem's and misdirection by their anti-Democracy crowd.

The coup-mongers trying to use the rice-pledging scheme as cover. Trying to misdirect and disguise their self-serving anti-democracy power grab.

They tried the Amnesty thing originally, and have gone through various other attempts to place their unelectable power-grabbing motive within an issue orientation. A slam against one's intelligence, if they think people don't see through this..........

Little does this anti-Democracy crowd realise that all issues can be parliamentarized. Using them for coup-mongering purposes just clarifies who they are.

Edited March 4, 2014 by Fryslan boppe

[daboyz1]

"...as the first job for the new senators could be to remove caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from her post in relation to the rice-pledging scheme"

Some wishful thinking by PAD-Dem's and misdirection by their anti-Democracy crowd.

The coup-mongers trying to use the rice-pledging scheme as cover. Trying to misdirect and disguise their self-serving anti-democracy power grab. They tried the Amnesty thing originally, and have gone through various other attempts to place their unelectable power-grabbing motive within an issue orientation. A slam against one's intelligence, if they think people don't see through this..........Little does this anti-Democracy crowd realise that all issues can be parliamentarized. Using them for coup-mongering purposes just clarifies who they are.

How many usernames are you going to register here?

[JRSoul]

"...as the first job for the new senators could be to remove caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from her post in relation to the rice-pledging scheme"

Some wishful thinking by PAD-Dem's and misdirection by their anti-Democracy crowd.

The coup-mongers trying to use the rice-pledging scheme as cover. Trying to misdirect and disguise their self-serving anti-democracy power grab. They tried the Amnesty thing originally, and have gone through various other attempts to place their unelectable power-grabbing motive within an issue orientation. A slam against one's intelligence, if they think people don't see through this..........Little does this anti-Democracy crowd realise that all issues can be parliamentarized. Using them for coup-mongering purposes just clarifies who they are.

So the PM has no responsibility for her government's policies?

BTW I do realise that the rice scam was her brother's policy that she was told to adopt. That doesn't diminish her responsibility, if we can agree it exists.

[lostinsurin]

"...as the first job for the new senators could be to remove caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra from her post in relation to the rice-pledging scheme"

Some wishful thinking by PAD-Dem's and misdirection by their anti-Democracy crowd.

The coup-mongers trying to use the rice-pledging scheme as cover. Trying to misdirect and disguise their self-serving anti-democracy power grab. They tried the Amnesty thing originally, and have gone through various other attempts to place their unelectable power-grabbing motive within an issue orientation. A slam against one's intelligence, if they think people don't see through this..........Little does this anti-Democracy crowd realise that all issues can be parliamentarized. Using them for coup-mongering purposes just clarifies who they are.

How many usernames are you going to register here?

I hope many as he makes a lot of sense.

[noitom]

Retribution, payback, new payoff channels.

[tx22cb]

"while 73 appointed senators are due to end their term in the next three years"

Does anyone know who appoints the appointed senators (i.e. the process)?

[smedly]

where would we be without a constitution and a senate - PTP tried for months to negate both and look were they have ended up - power to the people

[expat888]

Thai politics is just high drama that goes no where. It's exhausting to watch while expecting something to actually happen.

One step forward, ten steps back.

[Scamper]

The new Senate is almost inevitably going to be faced with impeachment cases. The rice scheme will be central. Three-fifths is a pretty high bar, as it should be. More than anything, the viability of the system will be tested, and as to whether corruption indeed leads to a measurable political price.

Edited March 4, 2014 by Scamper

[virtualtraveller]

Lets not forget, the elected senators are done so on the basis of one per province. This is definitely not very democratic since it's not proportionately representative. So 8 million Bangkokians - the more educated of the population - get to choose 1 senator, the 300,000 people of Mukdahan get to choose 1. Immediate and obvious flaw which is why Peua Thai's attempt to make it 2 per province, non appointed, wasn't much of an improvement. It's fairly obvious which political camp this would favour. All these 'democracy through elections' apologists forget this.

[rickirs]

Maybe someday there will be a way to constitutionally elect all Senators. That would seem to provide for a more accountable and transparent government than with half being appointed. What political party wouldn't want more accountable and transparent government? But I certainly can understand Democrat's opposing such a measure as it would support the one man-one vote concept that they seem so adverse to.

[SICHONSTEVE]

"In urban areas, factors that help senators win seats vary from past achievements, fame, to their personal calibre. But in rural areas, winning factors continue to be linked with canvassers who are normally local leaders and the same opinion leaders as canvassers for MP candidates."

What a load of rubbish, the sanators from the urban areas are what is left of the old guard and are voted in by the Dems, the senators from the rural areas are voted in by the more polically aware rural voters who want democracy. The contitution imposed on the country after the last coup ensures that the old gaurd remains in charge of the senate by packing it half full with apointed people who always vote against PTP.

I'm sure that they will be fair, look at all of the evidence and come to the correct decision!!!!

I bet the PTP wished that they hadn't tried to remove them now!!!!!.

[bigbamboo]

Let's see, a PM who doesn't attend parliament, a chair who doesn't attend committee meetings, an expensive policy known to be corrupt in its first version, and B800 billion that disappeared down a black hole. Could that be negligence?

I hope your not referring to Bootica, the brave and fearless defender of Thai democracy.

Edited March 4, 2014 by bigbamboo

[soalbundy]

where would we be without a constitution and a senate - PTP tried for months to negate both and look were they have ended up - power to the people

more like,look where the Thai people have ended up,......power to nobody

[soalbundy]

Let's see, a PM who doesn't attend parliament, a chair who doesn't attend committee meetings, an expensive policy known to be corrupt in its first version, and B800 billion that disappeared down a black hole. Could that be negligence?

I hope your not referring to Bootica, the brave and fearless defender of Thai democracy.

Bodica.........and she ended up committing suicide,or so the Romans say

[soalbundy]

Aaaaah, where would we be without good governance...........right here

[seajae]

the ptp will be sh*tting bricks with the senate elections as they will not get anywhere near their northern support of previous years, only the dyed in the wool reds, all the farmers are realizing they are being taken for a ride so may well vote differently this time meaning that the ptp are very likely toast. This is why they are trying so desperately to get their numbers up so they can avoid being jailed for corruption etc,. Thailand couldnt ask for a better result but watch the red/ptp appologists in here start claiming it is a set up and a "judicial coup", democracy in action is not what they want.

Edited March 4, 2014 by seajae

[SICHONSTEVE]

the ptp will be sh*tting bricks with the senate elections as they will not get anywhere near their northern support of previous years, only the dyed in the wool reds, all the farmers are realizing they are being taken for a ride so may well vote differently this time meaning that the ptp are very likely toast. This is why they are trying so desperately to get their numbers up so they can avoid being jailed for corruption etc,. Thailand couldnt ask for a better result but watch the red/ptp appologists in here start claiming it is a set up and a "judicial coup", democracy in action is not what they want.

Bearing in mind that only 3 out of 75 of the appointed senators supported the amnesty bill, it should be a shoe-in to get the PT impeached (at least the 300 odd supporters of the bill + Yingluck and some other ministers for the great rice scam fiasco)!!!