Election Commission ready for new general election

[webfact]

Election Commission ready for new general election
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, Mar 22 – The Election Commission (EC) will either discuss with the caretaker government to hold a general election in 60 days or invite political parties to reach an agreement on the new balloting date after the Constitutional Court decided yesterday to annul the Feb 2 poll, according to an election commissioner.

Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said on his Facebook page yesterday that the EC would wait for an official document on the Constitutional Court’s verdict before holding a meeting among election commissioners on preparations for the next general election.

There are two alternatives in holding the next general election – the caretaker government issues a royal decree for a general election within 60 days, or the EC discusses with political parties on the suitable election date which may take longer than 60 days, he said.

He said the caretaker government will have to shoulder Bt3.8 billion for the election since it was warned against holding the balloting on Feb 2 but insisted on going ahead with it.

He was optimistic that anti-government groups’ disruption against the next election could be avoided after political parties join the pre-election talks.

Puchong Nutrawong, EC secretary general, yesterday officially informed EC members on the Constitution Court’s verdict to nullify the Feb 2 general election. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-03-22

[Bluespunk]

"He said the caretaker government will have to shoulder Bt3.8 billion for the election since it was warned against holding the balloting on Feb 2 but insisted on going ahead with it."

Just slap it on the end of the rice tab, boys.

[khwaibah]

Dream On..

[Ricardo]

I hope that there is a new election run, and that the Dems decide to take part, this time round.

Suthep has made his point, that there needs to be more work done on the Constitution, hopefully both PTP & the Dems will include that in their manifesto-promises & then participate, with a national-referendum to ratify any changes, and will call a new election once those changes are made.

It will be interesting to see the results of a fully-participating election, just how much support each party now commands, in each area.

[thesetat2013]

Sure the PDRC will agree to allow new elections. NOT!! They are already spouting to block new elections without reform first.

With the pending cases against the PTP and YL it is doubtful their names will remain in any ballot. But since YL has already been in the north vying voters for the PTP i am sure another patsy would run with the PTP approval.

The courts need to abolish these so called Democratic parties and their families. So holding any new elections will surely be another waste of time and money. They need an elected leader. But the parties involved are all crooked so nothing changes

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Pib]

He said the caretaker government will have to shoulder Bt3.8 billion for the election since it was warned against holding the balloting on Feb 2 but insisted on going ahead with it

Makes it sound like Yinluck is paying for the election out of her own pocket...she's not...she's saving her money for vote buying. It's the taxpayers footing this bill...just like the last election which was basically a Bt4B piss.

[sixfiftysevenmember]

If anyone thinks or believes that my hero Kuhn Suthep will allow another election before the reforms are put in place dream on cos it ain't goin happen!!!!

[CockneyGit]

If anyone thinks or believes that my hero Kuhn Suthep will allow another election before the reforms are put in place dream on cos it ain't goin happen!!!!

That's good to know. So the last 4 months have been for absolutely nothing..!!

[ramrod711]

He said the caretaker government will have to shoulder Bt3.8 billion for the election since it was warned against holding the balloting on Feb 2 but insisted on going ahead with it.

It would be nice if this was true, very unlikely to happen though.

[Dogmatix]

"He said the caretaker government will have to shoulder Bt3.8 billion for the election since it was warned against holding the balloting on Feb 2 but insisted on going ahead with it."

Just slap it on the end of the rice tab, boys.

The government, or rather the taxpayers, have already paid for the damned thing. The ministers should be made to pay for it personally through immediate asset confiscations. Overseas banks should be asked to hand over any assets found overseas.

[Thailand]

If anyone thinks or believes that my hero Kuhn Suthep will allow another election before the reforms are put in place dream on cos it ain't goin happen!!!!

Oh you mean he and his cronies will return to intimidation, disruption and other illegal activities as before?

[crapper3]

Sure the PDRC will agree to allow new elections. NOT!! They are already spouting to block new elections without reform first.

With the pending cases against the PTP and YL it is doubtful their names will remain in any ballot. But since YL has already been in the north vying voters for the PTP i am sure another patsy would run with the PTP approval.

The courts need to abolish these so called Democratic parties and their families. So holding any new elections will surely be another waste of time and money. They need an elected leader. But the parties involved are all crooked so nothing changes

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You say that both perties are corrupt, yet you fail to see that one of the parties are pushing for reforms before elections that will do away with corruption. While the other party has clearly stated it wants elections before the elections are made free and fair.

So what does that tell you?..... both parties are corrupt?

Surely not.

[ginjag]

If anyone thinks or believes that my hero Kuhn Suthep will allow another election before the reforms are put in place dream on cos it ain't goin happen!!!!

Oh you mean he and his cronies will return to intimidation, disruption and other illegal activities as before?

To my mind there is no point running an election with Half of the candidates appearing or due to appear in court.

Nothing to do with the protesters trying to stop it, or who may gain from it.

It is a no no. Let's see the verdicts, then reform, new parties appear, free of corrupt persons. Here is the only way to restart.

Why try to overfill the bed pan.

[ginjag]

If anyone thinks or believes that my hero Kuhn Suthep will allow another election before the reforms are put in place dream on cos it ain't goin happen!!!!

Oh you mean he and his cronies will return to intimidation, disruption and other illegal activities as before?

Please note--"illegal activities" started well before Suthep. but you do not want the truth, it is seemingly not your style, all your machine spews out is Dems and Suthep NEVER the Shin government wrongs that fired up the uprising.

[h90]

I hope that there is a new election run, and that the Dems decide to take part, this time round.

Suthep has made his point, that there needs to be more work done on the Constitution, hopefully both PTP & the Dems will include that in their manifesto-promises & then participate, with a national-referendum to ratify any changes, and will call a new election once those changes are made.

It will be interesting to see the results of a fully-participating election, just how much support each party now commands, in each area.

There should be political reforms first and as Thaksin would never agree with any reforms that cost him power or money it won't happen...

[h90]

He said the caretaker government will have to shoulder Bt3.8 billion for the election since it was warned against holding the balloting on Feb 2 but insisted on going ahead with it.

It would be nice if this was true, very unlikely to happen though.

It does not matter if the government or the Election commission or whoever shoulders the money. At the end the taxpayer pays it....it won't come out of the private pocket of the Shinawatra clan.

[crapper3]

Sure the PDRC will agree to allow new elections. NOT!! They are already spouting to block new elections without reform first.

With the pending cases against the PTP and YL it is doubtful their names will remain in any ballot. But since YL has already been in the north vying voters for the PTP i am sure another patsy would run with the PTP approval.

The courts need to abolish these so called Democratic parties and their families. So holding any new elections will surely be another waste of time and money. They need an elected leader. But the parties involved are all crooked so nothing changes

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Actually, I think you are very wrong here.

The PDRC will definitely allow new elections. You fail to read 'between the lines' which is an essentially required skill when debating Thai politics.

The PDRC threat to disrupt a future election before reforms is a very strategic announcement. It sends out a message to Yingluck not to bully the EC in yet another snap election, by threatening to send it the same way as the last one.

They are demanding full national reforms, but of course with negotiations that would certainly be reduced to 'electoral reforms'. Why?... because they know that in a free and fair election, the Dems would stroll in based on the massive amount of voters that the PTP have lost (8 million almost).

The Dems will have a manifesto based on the national reforms which actually have many points that will extremely enhance the quality of politics and fairness for the entire country including the PTP stronghold, while the PTP won't be allowed to use their old tactics of 2011 to gain support. They will have to rely on nothing other than intelligent agendas, which will probably be laughed at nationwide seeing as ALL their past policies failed spectacularly with possible a trillion baht disappearing.

The EC will get the two side together, and do not be surprised if the PDRC downgrade their demands and settle for election overhaul to make them free of corruption. The ball will be in the PTP court to show their hand on whether they support or oppose free and fair elections. A tricky situation for them.

The Dems may even say that they will contest and if they win, oversee reforms and then dissolve parliament in two years time and hold fresh elections. I can't see the country rejecting that, and at least the reforms will be devoid of any involvement of Thaksin and the Shinawatra clan.

Suthep has played a very canny hand indeed.

Electoral reforms can be done in a week or two and the elections can still be held within the 60 days after.

Edited March 22, 2014 by crapper3

[ginjag]

I hope that there is a new election run, and that the Dems decide to take part, this time round.

Suthep has made his point, that there needs to be more work done on the Constitution, hopefully both PTP & the Dems will include that in their manifesto-promises & then participate, with a national-referendum to ratify any changes, and will call a new election once those changes are made.

It will be interesting to see the results of a fully-participating election, just how much support each party now commands, in each area.

There should be political reforms first and as Thaksin would never agree with any reforms that cost him power or money it won't happen...

I agree with you both.

Reforms have to happen weather TS likes it or not. Also he should be out of the political arena, together with his family and supporters for running an illegal government from another land, surely there is enough evidence by now to snuff him out.

Thailand needs all the disinfectant it can get to clean out the bugs that suck off it's wealth.

[crapper3]

I hope that there is a new election run, and that the Dems decide to take part, this time round.

Suthep has made his point, that there needs to be more work done on the Constitution, hopefully both PTP & the Dems will include that in their manifesto-promises & then participate, with a national-referendum to ratify any changes, and will call a new election once those changes are made.

It will be interesting to see the results of a fully-participating election, just how much support each party now commands, in each area.

There should be political reforms first and as Thaksin would never agree with any reforms that cost him power or money it won't happen...

I agree with you both.

Reforms have to happen weather TS likes it or not. Also he should be out of the political arena, together with his family and supporters for running an illegal government from another land, surely there is enough evidence by now to snuff him out.

Thailand needs all the disinfectant it can get to clean out the bugs that suck off it's wealth.

Surely another reason for electoral overhaul, which would include any party suspected of being controlled by Thaksin or his clan must have their candidates removed from the ballot with immediate effect.

EC should also have a committee set up to scrutinize any election campaign policies that favour only a certain set of voters and not the country as a whole.. General elections should be for the benefit of the entire nation not a certain portion of the country. Any populist policies to be banned so that party can not put it through parliament.

Of course evidence of vote buying, intimidation and vote manipulation via village elders etc to be heavily screen with any evidence of infraction resulting in that party candidate for the relevant constituency being removed from the ballot with immediate effect.

[larsjohnsson]

If anyone thinks or believes that my hero Kuhn Suthep will allow another election before the reforms are put in place dream on cos it ain't goin happen!!!!

The mad man is your hero??? Edited March 22, 2014 by larsjohnsson

[crapper3]

I hope that there is a new election run, and that the Dems decide to take part, this time round.

Suthep has made his point, that there needs to be more work done on the Constitution, hopefully both PTP & the Dems will include that in their manifesto-promises & then participate, with a national-referendum to ratify any changes, and will call a new election once those changes are made.

It will be interesting to see the results of a fully-participating election, just how much support each party now commands, in each area.

There should be political reforms first and as Thaksin would never agree with any reforms that cost him power or money it won't happen...

I agree with you both.

Reforms have to happen weather TS likes it or not. Also he should be out of the political arena, together with his family and supporters for running an illegal government from another land, surely there is enough evidence by now to snuff him out.

Thailand needs all the disinfectant it can get to clean out the bugs that suck off it's wealth.

The broken record again .How about banning the serial killers of the dem party Along with the fruitcake serial killer . obsession about a government getting advice is crazy

What do you mean about 'serial killers'?

Is that a direct accusation made on a public forum of the Democrat party and Suthep being murderers?

Please expand on that, as I have a few email addresses I can send your assertions to and see what they make of them.

[ginjag]

I hope that there is a new election run, and that the Dems decide to take part, this time round.

Suthep has made his point, that there needs to be more work done on the Constitution, hopefully both PTP & the Dems will include that in their manifesto-promises & then participate, with a national-referendum to ratify any changes, and will call a new election once those changes are made.

It will be interesting to see the results of a fully-participating election, just how much support each party now commands, in each area.

There should be political reforms first and as Thaksin would never agree with any reforms that cost him power or money it won't happen...

I agree with you both.

Reforms have to happen weather TS likes it or not. Also he should be out of the political arena, together with his family and supporters for running an illegal government from another land, surely there is enough evidence by now to snuff him out.

Thailand needs all the disinfectant it can get to clean out the bugs that suck off it's wealth.

The broken record again .How about banning the serial killers of the dem party Along with the fruitcake serial killer . obsession about a government getting advice is crazy

Thaksin broke his own record, this was a Shin government that wronged badly --your blaming the dems for money missing, so you condone stealing-says a lot for your morals.

Edited March 22, 2014 by ginjag

[Gunna]

If anyone thinks or believes that my hero Kuhn Suthep will allow another election before the reforms are put in place dream on cos it ain't goin happen!!!!

Oh you mean he and his cronies will return to intimidation, disruption and other illegal activities as before?

" intimidation, disruption and other illegal activities as before"

Didn't you realise that it is PT, UDD & Redshirts that do most of that

[Thailand]

If anyone thinks or believes that my hero Kuhn Suthep will allow another election before the reforms are put in place dream on cos it ain't goin happen!!!!

Oh you mean he and his cronies will return to intimidation, disruption and other illegal activities as before?

To my mind there is no point running an election with Half of the candidates appearing or due to appear in court.

Nothing to do with the protesters trying to stop it, or who may gain from it.

It is a no no. Let's see the verdicts, then reform, new parties appear, free of corrupt persons. Here is the only way to restart.

Why try to overfill the bed pan.

What do you suggest in the interim, a "Peoples Council" perhaps?

Irrespective of whether or not the government actions sparked the current crisis it could have been resolved by an election free of disruption, intimidation etc contested by all parties, that was never on the table for the obvious reasons.

Personally, I do not care who runs the country as long as it is the people's choice.Then perhaps we can get back to what they call in Thailand, normality, for at least a year or two.

[BlueNoseCodger]

I hope that there is a new election run, and that the Dems decide to take part, this time round.

Suthep has made his point, that there needs to be more work done on the Constitution, hopefully both PTP & the Dems will include that in their manifesto-promises & then participate, with a national-referendum to ratify any changes, and will call a new election once those changes are made.

It will be interesting to see the results of a fully-participating election, just how much support each party now commands, in each area.

No PDRC have already said they'll block the polls, the Charter Court decision lets PDRC block elections by blocking far fewer polls now. Democrats have already said they won't stand again if the Court ruled that way. Somchai Srisuthiyakorn is still in the Electoral Commission, he'll be up to his tricks again.

So to have a vote, they need to organize a vote without the EC and Suthep and courts to block it.

However if there is no Dissolution decree in force then there is no election and if there's no election, Yingluk still has 2 years as PM, so this is moot. The EC cannot stay in power forever simply by blocking the vote.

[ginjag]

If anyone thinks or believes that my hero Kuhn Suthep will allow another election before the reforms are put in place dream on cos it ain't goin happen!!!!

Oh you mean he and his cronies will return to intimidation, disruption and other illegal activities as before?

" intimidation, disruption and other illegal activities as before"

Didn't you realise that it is PT, UDD & Redshirts that do most of that

I have asked this question many times with negative answers, They do not NEVER want to realize the facts. Talking to them is like Peeing against head wind, I agree partly with what Thailand is saying but to condone corruption and not recognize wrongs in the first place--The fact is why is there disruption, these posters are not interested only following the reds and their masters.

[toybits]

I sincerely wonder why the EC would even say this when they are clearly not in control of anything? They will just be wasting the people's money if they allow protesters to disrupt the election process once more. Furthermore, the Constitutional Court has set a very bad precedent by saying the disruption in the 02 Feb 2014 election was null and void because the election could not be completed in one day. That means that any group - regardless of color could probably do the same thing - over and over ad nauseum...

I find this very hypocritical...

[ginjag]

I sincerely wonder why the EC would even say this when they are clearly not in control of anything? They will just be wasting the people's money if they allow protesters to disrupt the election process once more. Furthermore, the Constitutional Court has set a very bad precedent by saying the disruption in the 02 Feb 2014 election was null and void because the election could not be completed in one day. That means that any group - regardless of color could probably do the same thing - over and over ad nauseum...

I find this very hypocritical...

The courts should have suspended the government from governing until it has verdicts of the alleged crimes against the state. No elections would have been organized, no money wasted.

Prevention better than cure, TAKE note Yingluck, no mass wrongs you are still in government for your next 2 years. BUT you chose another path---YOUR problem not EC not Suthep. not the DEMS it was self inflicted.

[Scamper]

The EC's decision to make this announcement through facebook says more than anything else. To put it bluntly, the EC had to climb mountains to be able to even talk to the former Yingluck administration directly. Mostly, they didn't succeed. Unless that relationship improves, expect a lively discussion between them through facebook. Another thing to note, the EC is the only one at this point broaching the idea of another election. Pheu Thai hasn't breathed a word. There are two possibilities. One : They don't know what to do ( which means of course that Thaksin doesn't ). Two : Set the UDD loose and see what happens. The problem with the second option is that nobody knows what would ensue from that. But such choices underscore a clear point - Thaksin is faced with a dwindling number of options. He is far, far away from the position he was in on October 13, when his " revised " amnesty bill was made public. His reality is very much different from what he had envisioned it would be five months ago.

[oldsailor35]

Sure the PDRC will agree to allow new elections. NOT!! They are already spouting to block new elections without reform first.

With the pending cases against the PTP and YL it is doubtful their names will remain in any ballot. But since YL has already been in the north vying voters for the PTP i am sure another patsy would run with the PTP approval.

The courts need to abolish these so called Democratic parties and their families. So holding any new elections will surely be another waste of time and money. They need an elected leader. But the parties involved are all crooked so nothing changes

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You say that both perties are corrupt, yet you fail to see that one of the parties are pushing for reforms before elections that will do away with corruption. While the other party has clearly stated it wants elections before the elections are made free and fair.

So what does that tell you?..... both parties are corrupt?

Surely not.

Putting Suthep anywhere near anti corruption is like putting the fox in charge of the hen house. When in power Khun Suthep was probably the greatest corruptor of all time. He had to resign his Agricultural ministry portfolio in order to avoid empeachment. That says a lot for him does'nt it. It amazes me to see people in here that obviously do not know just how corrupt Suthep was when he had his snout in the ministerial trough.