EC chairman rebuffs Pheu Thai's call to sue PDRC

[BlueNoseCodger]

Exit polls indictate Pheu Thai won against the incumbent Bhum Jai Thai leader Boonjong, and against their Sohpon Zarum, also of Bhumjaithai Party, by sustantial amounts. i.e. where Pheu Thai ran against an opposition on February 2nd they won.

As to whether the Electoral Commission knows it's job or not, the Charter Court said no. The choice they made to close registrations was found to illegal.

They Failed to do their job:

Jan 4th The Election Commission said yesterday that the February 2 poll would continue as planned, with no extension for candidate registration in 28 constituencies disrupted by protesters in provinces in the South...The commission's secretary-general, Puchong Nutrawong, explained that any extension of registration would affect the schedule for 150,000 Thai expatriates overseas and another 2.5 million eligible voters registered for advance voting.

So they decided to go ahead without the registrations and the election was nulled because of this choice, so they made a choice that was illegal and so they clearly do not know their job.

They should have accepted the military offer of secure registration locations, or the police offer to clear protestors, they rejected both and closed the registration after the minimum legal duration for registrations.

[DirtFarmer]

Independent agencies my goat!

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/world/asia/thailand-election.html?_r=0

Mr. Somchai said that he and the other commissioners were in agreement: They did not oppose elections but wanted them held at an unspecified “suitable time.”

Now..when is that going to be after the idea of Democracy becomes so obfuscated ...so 2056...? Dude you will be dust...

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/world/asia/thailand-election.html?_r=0

Mr. Somchai’s lack of enthusiasm for the Feb. 2 elections, which were endorsed by royal decree last month when the government dissolved Parliament, underlines the depth of divisions in Thai society after two months of debilitating protests in Bangkok.

He said the Pheu Thai should never order the EC to work as it knew well of the duties.

He said that the EC was working on the matter on a clandestine way and has no need to inform the public every step it was doing.

Not fooling a single person... The anti-government groups physically blockaded entrances. They intimidated anyone who tried to enter, and in most cases put chains or other metal restraints on doors to back up their implied threats of harm to anyone who tried to run the advance poll, or vote in it.

This was in direct contradiction of assurances by the PDRC leader, Suthep Thaugsuban, Speaking to his supporters from the stage at a Bangkok rally, Mr Suthep promised to "oppose" any election, but never to block it. That promise was quickly forgotten, in obvious coordination, speakers at all rally sites in Bangkok and the South urged supporters to seize polling places. They were incited to stop election officials by force, and physically approach voters and "urge" them to turn around and go back home.

We all recall the photos and video...

It is impossible to connect such a basic denial of rights, closely tied with an implied threat of violence, to previous peaceful actions and promises. It is also far-fetched for Mr Suthep and supporters to urge such anti-freedom acts on the very day he bragged about writing to US President Barack Obama and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to claim his PDRC supports democracy. What a complete farce! One may be sure that if the foreign leaders read Mr Suthep's letter, they are alongside press reports of the PDRC's decidedly unfriendly actions at the polls.

Mr Suthep and his supporters not only stole the rights of fellow citizens. They seriously harmed their own cause. In addition to the no-doubt unfriendly foreign press reports, the PDRC leaders have equally ... and more ironically shot themselves in the foot by antagonizing thousands upon thousands of their own sympathizers.

Many of the would-be two million advance voters were doubtlessly waiting to vote for "none of the candidates" ...thus expressing opposition to the government and government-backed candidates on the ballot. The advance-poll blockades denied such voters their chance even to show support of the PDRC in this manner.

The Election Commission also failed its prescribed duty. Sack them all I say.. they have been most obstreperous in all of this and visibly implicit in their support and bias towards PDRC..

AS I recall...EC member Thirawat Thirarojwit was out and about out on Feb 2nd observing the blatant law-breaking and intimidation by the PDRC, and told the media, "the problem is how to solve the disputes".

That is not the duty of the EC or Mr Thirawat. The commission's only task is to hold a free, fair election. As the Constitution Court told the EC directly. If it cannot do that, it should postpone the vote.

The EC did neither. By refusing to counteract the illegal blockade, however, it became part of the unjustifiable actions. Not party to the solution only part of the problem..Sack them all.... cut off all the heads of all the snakes if you want to start clean... not by some "...clandestine way that has no need to inform the public every step it was doing."...eh Mr Somchai...? Resign... Resign Resign.. Don't dictate politics... you are a bean counter charged with putting on the "good show" in a way fair to all. For you to even comment on any of the political goings on other than directly related to your job description is specious at the very least and only sullies the waters with implications of your own bias...Best keep them "clandestine"...

The government could postpone the election by issuing a new Royal Decree the CC said and they also suggested the government and EC get together. That was on the 24th of January. Obfuscation by PM, push by Pheu Thai MPs and members and the elections took place.

THe EC warned after the Laksi violence where security forces couldn't protects anti-government protesters from attacking red-shirts. So how could the EC hope to 'protect' elections by calling in same said security forces?

Again, It wasn't us, it's the others to blame

Not sure the government can issue a Royal Decree...that has to come from above if I am not mistaken...and then the PM endorses it...or is it the other way around.. not sure a PM can issue a Royal Decree... but I understand what you meant I think... however ... the EC again sheds it's actual responsibility...and blamed everyone else... only highlighting further that the rule of law is non existent here... and un-enforceable and only highlights the depth corruption that is endemic everywhere.. not just in a red camp or blue camp or yellow camp... but... who is benefiting the most from creating the divisions....not the greater Thai populous for sure.. only two gangs of wolves tearing at the corpse of an ever diminishing Democratic Ideal in order to be in the right place at the right time of the inevitable sad occurrence we know to be looming (of which we cannot speak)... I only hope the Thai people will see how messed up the whole system is across the board and have the fortitude to stay the course and make the changes needed to reclaim it's proper place and respect at home and abroad... Most of the whistle blowing people that I share an office building with on Rama 4 who took days off to take the rot-fai-dai-din to Asoke and march out of the underground to take selfies at the circus in Asoke...are fed up with it and just want it to go away..and frankly don't want to discuss it... so we will see..I sure don't see any solution in the short term so I fear we all will have to dig in a bit longer... water is pretty muddy as we speak...

[Fat Haggis]

Surely that under the constitution that everyone keeps harping about given the mandate time frame for elections to be held, why would the EC have advised against it.? It would seem to me that it's because they were not ready to prepare it.

Wouldn't this mean that they're not up to the task, surely they should have had protocol and procedures in place that would let them do their jobs, as per the very constitution they're trying to uphold in that they'd be ready to go, within the mandated time frame?

It sounds like the EC have been complacent in their responsibilities for the initial fiasco, they should have been ready to hold, supervise and conduct any type of election within the 60 day time frame..

In December the EC already warned the government that circumstances were not good, that was after the Laksi violence.

It would seem that there wasn't much the EC could do to 'smoothen out any problems. The security forces already unable to properly protect innocents.

Of course some will blame the EC anyway, because surely it can't be Ms. Yingluck's fault, or that of her handpicked cabinet.

That's just EC speak for we don't know what to do mate

The EC had the ability to safeguard the voting, they should have been working from a set of protocol and procedures, they didn't in this case, they winged it, they knew what had to be done, as they have the procedures and protocol, by Royal Decree no less, and they chose not to, instead they let the PDRC run rough shot over them, they allowed the protesters to disrupt the voting stations, their own officials in some locations failed to show up.. lets get this straight, Suthep has always stated that his protests were of a peaceful nature, so the EC should not have had any reason to fear for anyone's safety or their own safety should they?

The reality was very different. They had the means to ensure the elections were able to run smoothly, they chose not to use the assets they had at their disposal.

To me, that means they didn't have a Plan B, or any other kind of contingency plan, they were fore warned days, if not weeks in advance that the PDRC would do all they could to disrupt the vote, in an attempt to nullify it.. they, the EC failed again by not sticking to the protocols and procedures, in that they didn't seek sufficient protection of the voters, or the voting stations.

The Government, for better or worse called the elections using the mandate of the constitution, in time, well according to some they were 4 days over, so it's not like the EC didn't get sufficient warning.. Fault the Government all you want, but the EC failed to deliver their end of responsibilities, and they have a cheek to tell others "Don't tell us how to do our job" well perhaps if you'd done your job more effectively in the first place, then there would not be cause for complaints

You don't fault the government then ??? prevention better than cure. do not do wrong---no need to have protests--no need for a caretaker government---

Sorry story --NO elections until after the court findings, if you did no wrong what is the problem, elections free and fair, but some sort of reform re--polling activities and dire problems for ANY illegal dealings.

Why should I fault the Government? Didn't she, under the constitution after disolving Parliament call for the required Elections to take place by following the procedures?

Don't confuse my posts for thinking the Government are the perfect choice, I'm not a supporter, but I do find it ironic that people here, who are clearly not lawyers can throw about parts of the constitution like confetti, and yet when it's in this case the EC that seem to have failed in their duty it's someone else's fault but their own lack of procedures??

It's not about court cases and all the other hurdles that are being thrown at Yingluck an Co, which as I've said before is a pretty obvious Judicial Coup ongoing.

The court cases against Yingluck I'm no doubt you're refering to? Why not the court cases against Abhisit and Suthep and all the other cohorts whilst your at it, the problem is very clear, NOBODY expected Yingluck to still be where she is now,especially Suthep, who thought she'd have bailed the country by now, and he'd be sitting with a smile on his face like a Cheshire cat... but he's not, the attempt to remove her from power has hit the skids, that's now 3 weeks since the 4th March "deadline" and a considerable amount of TVF members were so confident she'd be out on her hoop, and I think that's quite funny..

I couldn't care less about her, or the PTP, but to see so many people here believe that they're the experts on Thai Constitution and all things Thai, when I don't believe for one minute the yellow supporters here would have expected her to still be the caretaker PM on the 24th March 2014..and THAT sticks in the throat of many..

I'll sit back and let time tell, I'd rather it was the Thai people themselves who voted er out of office by creating a majority result, but that's never going to happen as it's never been about what the ordinary people want, it's about what those with influence and power want, and that makes them no better than what they're trying to replace in my eyes.

[BlueNoseCodger]

The government could postpone the election by issuing a new Royal Decree the CC said and they also suggested the government and EC get together. That was on the 24th of January. Obfuscation by PM, push by Pheu Thai MPs and members and the elections took place.

THe EC warned after the Laksi violence where security forces couldn't protects anti-government protesters from attacking red-shirts. So how could the EC hope to 'protect' elections by calling in same said security forces?

Again, It wasn't us, it's the others to blame

Yingluk did offer to (link)

Bangkok: Thailand’s embattled government has offered to call off an election set for February 2 if protesters end their rallies and promise not to obstruct or boycott a new one within months. But in the latest tactic aimed at toppling the democratically elected government firebrand protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban declared that protesters would ‘‘persuade’’ people not to vote when advance polling opens at stations on Sunday. ‘‘It would be better if you do not go out because you will find we have taken over the polling stations,’’ Mr Suthep told voters.

Suthep had already rejected the election delay, so it was no suprise that he rejected the offer:

BANGKOK: -- Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has rejected a proposal of the caretaker prime minister to meet and discuss the postponement of the February 2 election as proposed by the Election Commission (EC)

Laksi? PDRC protestors were not attacked by red shirts at Laksi, PDRC were the attacker. Also the army did clear the ballot stations, only to permit the return of PDRC guards to retake control of the ballots later. So the security forces could have cleared the PDRC and freed the ballots, but the electoral commission refused their offer.

Edited March 24, 2014 by BlueNoseCodger

[ginjag]

In December the EC already warned the government that circumstances were not good, that was after the Laksi violence.

It would seem that there wasn't much the EC could do to 'smoothen out any problems. The security forces already unable to properly protect innocents.

Of course some will blame the EC anyway, because surely it can't be Ms. Yingluck's fault, or that of her handpicked cabinet.

That's just EC speak for we don't know what to do mate

The EC had the ability to safeguard the voting, they should have been working from a set of protocol and procedures, they didn't in this case, they winged it, they knew what had to be done, as they have the procedures and protocol, by Royal Decree no less, and they chose not to, instead they let the PDRC run rough shot over them, they allowed the protesters to disrupt the voting stations, their own officials in some locations failed to show up.. lets get this straight, Suthep has always stated that his protests were of a peaceful nature, so the EC should not have had any reason to fear for anyone's safety or their own safety should they?

The reality was very different. They had the means to ensure the elections were able to run smoothly, they chose not to use the assets they had at their disposal.

To me, that means they didn't have a Plan B, or any other kind of contingency plan, they were fore warned days, if not weeks in advance that the PDRC would do all they could to disrupt the vote, in an attempt to nullify it.. they, the EC failed again by not sticking to the protocols and procedures, in that they didn't seek sufficient protection of the voters, or the voting stations.

The Government, for better or worse called the elections using the mandate of the constitution, in time, well according to some they were 4 days over, so it's not like the EC didn't get sufficient warning.. Fault the Government all you want, but the EC failed to deliver their end of responsibilities, and they have a cheek to tell others "Don't tell us how to do our job" well perhaps if you'd done your job more effectively in the first place, then there would not be cause for complaints

You don't fault the government then ??? prevention better than cure. do not do wrong---no need to have protests--no need for a caretaker government---

Sorry story --NO elections until after the court findings, if you did no wrong what is the problem, elections free and fair, but some sort of reform re--polling activities and dire problems for ANY illegal dealings.

Why should I fault the Government? Didn't she, under the constitution after disolving Parliament call for the required Elections to take place by following the procedures?

Don't confuse my posts for thinking the Government are the perfect choice, I'm not a supporter, but I do find it ironic that people here, who are clearly not lawyers can throw about parts of the constitution like confetti, and yet when it's in this case the EC that seem to have failed in their duty it's someone else's fault but their own lack of procedures??

It's not about court cases and all the other hurdles that are being thrown at Yingluck an Co, which as I've said before is a pretty obvious Judicial Coup ongoing.

The court cases against Yingluck I'm no doubt you're refering to? Why not the court cases against Abhisit and Suthep and all the other cohorts whilst your at it, the problem is very clear, NOBODY expected Yingluck to still be where she is now,especially Suthep, who thought she'd have bailed the country by now, and he'd be sitting with a smile on his face like a Cheshire cat... but he's not, the attempt to remove her from power has hit the skids, that's now 3 weeks since the 4th March "deadline" and a considerable amount of TVF members were so confident she'd be out on her hoop, and I think that's quite funny..

I couldn't care less about her, or the PTP, but to see so many people here believe that they're the experts on Thai Constitution and all things Thai, when I don't believe for one minute the yellow supporters here would have expected her to still be the caretaker PM on the 24th March 2014..and THAT sticks in the throat of many..

I'll sit back and let time tell, I'd rather it was the Thai people themselves who voted er out of office by creating a majority result, but that's never going to happen as it's never been about what the ordinary people want, it's about what those with influence and power want, and that makes them no better than what they're trying to replace in my eyes.

With 2 or 3 attempts to try to tell me you are not a follower didn't convince me. ESPECIALLY when you were answering to Yinglucks court business you immediately referred to Abhisit and Suthep---WHY ?? for what reason, we were on the subject of the accused and my reason to say Thailand should sort out all guilty parties before any elections because of courts and chaos in the streets--protesters--- and the red shirts waiting for war AGAIN if anyone does wrong to a SHIN. Thailand needs time to collect it'self together sort out the debris. Why yellow supporters again ??? there are others you know.

Remember who is throwing out and flouting the law--Yingluck. she has to be tried first, before elections. along with anyone else guilty. I am not rooting for any party, just wrong and justice.

[BlueNoseCodger]

Thank goodness that the EC is no longer allowing itself to be bullied by people like Prompong. The EC is a constitutionally empowered agency. The administration is beholden to listen to them - not the other way around.

.

And who exactly do you think the EC is accountable to then? Or maybe you think the EC can do what it likes and is not accountable to anyone.

Did you mean the same as the PTP government(?). They think that they can do just as THEY want and are not accountable to anyone.

The PTP government, indeed ANY government are accountable to ALL of the Thai people and NOT just those who voted for them and there are more people that did NOT vote for the PTP than those who did.

edited for bad writing. If only I could buy a computer that could spell properly because my fingers can't, that's for sure.

.

No, it's a simple enough question. To whom is the EC accountable?

They can be sacked by the Senate (and they are originally approved by the Senate), but the coup of 2006 made the senate half unelected, and the way the EC has played this, the Senate is out for election too. Leaving only a coup-half-Senate in power.

Which is why the coup senate is quickly trying to eject the Senate leader, and the NACC is trying to get impeachment against Yingluk while the coup-senate is in power.

It takes time to impeach, so I'm expecting the EC to delay the Senate vote*, but regardless the coup-senate can suspend Yingluk while deciding to impeach. So they might try for that, then try to pick a PM to stand in her place.

Effectively a coup-senate would pick a coup-PM. Perhaps they'll dress him up as a 'neutral', but it would simply be an administrative coup.

Prayuth would then be expect to quell the inevitable dissent from those pesky voters.

* I assume they'll withhold the count.

Edited March 24, 2014 by BlueNoseCodger

[pmugghc]

What a bizarre turn of events.

Whilst everyone is blaming everyone for the failed election. No one dares to.put the blame actually on the protesters.

I can only surmise that the EC doesn't want to point a finger at the PDRC so that they will be free to protest again.

Truly astonishing logic.

I await the "car had an accident" of Thai logic. The election prevented itself.

Who's duty is it to uphold security for the election? The EC? The military? No, it's the police's duty. If anyone should be sued it's the police for failing to do its duties on so many levels.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ginjag]

What a bizarre turn of events.

Whilst everyone is blaming everyone for the failed election. No one dares to.put the blame actually on the protesters.

I can only surmise that the EC doesn't want to point a finger at the PDRC so that they will be free to protest again.

Truly astonishing logic.

I await the "car had an accident" of Thai logic. The election prevented itself.

Who's duty is it to uphold security for the election? The EC? The military? No, it's the police's duty. If anyone should be sued it's the police for failing to do its duties on so many levels.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Impossible, far too busy collecting monies for no crash hats.

[Trembly]

Surely that under the constitution that everyone keeps harping about given the mandate time frame for elections to be held, why would the EC have advised against it.? It would seem to me that it's because they were not ready to prepare it.

Wouldn't this mean that they're not up to the task, surely they should have had protocol and procedures in place that would let them do their jobs, as per the very constitution they're trying to uphold in that they'd be ready to go, within the mandated time frame?

It sounds like the EC have been complacent in their responsibilities for the initial fiasco, they should have been ready to hold, supervise and conduct any type of election within the 60 day time frame..

Of course they have procedures and protocols. That's why they asked for a few months to get prepared, which is the usual flash-to-bang time for snap elections in most countries.

Not forgetting that they usually have about 4 years notice. This time Yingluck gave them less than 2 weeks!

Edited March 24, 2014 by Trembly

[almafudd]

What a Joker, it is the main duty to overlook the election process and raise the voice if something goes out of control and not to come up with comments 2 month after the election. The comments from now could be easily made 3 month ago and Thailand could have saved a lot of money. Still ( but that is my humble opinion) the group around K Suthep is responsible for the failure of the election as they blocked the registration and finally the election process.

And now what is the result more month of K YS leadership? An election which will further split the Nation?

I only hope the God will rain brain and this time may be more people will not use the umbrella.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

"I only hope the God will rain brain and this time may be more people will not use the umbrella."

Try again in English this time...

[Trembly]

He said “don’t try to teach us what to do, we know our duties”.

So there was no need to get the CC involved at any stage in making rulings about the election because the EC didn't know. You knew you could order security forces to guard polling stations but you didn't and polling did not take place on the same day. You were then going to reschedule dates for voting at the stations where this did not take place but the CC ruled this out and nullified the election.

Mmm, sure looks like the EC had a real handle on the situation. Pompous ass.

Didn't chalerm advertise that he has appx 200,000 police to protect the polls?

hasn't chalerm been paying up to appx 600,000 police 700 baht per diem in addition to their normal salary during that time?

How many billions of baht was spent by chalerm to protect the people and the polls?

My guess would be with everything chalerm said he was going to do to make sure the polling went smoothly, the EC did not feel it was necessary to ask for more police to protect the polls. after all 600,000 police that were supposedly paid should have been enough.

(the numbers of police are off of the top of my head from memory. If you want exact figures then look it up yourself.)

Interestingly enough, a boy from my village in Chiang Rai is now a policeman and was sent to Bangkok in riot gear for the protests.

I found out yesterday that of the 700 Baht per diem they only see a few hundred.

[almafudd]

So what's HE going to do to prevent a repeat of the last election fiasco? Seeing as he's telling everyone not to tell him how to do his job?

If there's any blockading of the next election, then he needs to be thrown out of office (hopefully it's a few stories high too) he has a moral duty to protect these election sites then, as well as the voting public..

Failure this time is NOT an option!!

" thrown out of office (hopefully it's a few stories high too)"

Welcome to democratic justice FAT HAGGIS style.

[almafudd]

Exit polls indictate Pheu Thai won against the incumbent Bhum Jai Thai leader Boonjong, and against their Sohpon Zarum, also of Bhumjaithai Party, by sustantial amounts. i.e. where Pheu Thai ran against an opposition on February 2nd they won.

As to whether the Electoral Commission knows it's job or not, the Charter Court said no. The choice they made to close registrations was found to illegal.

They Failed to do their job:

Jan 4th The Election Commission said yesterday that the February 2 poll would continue as planned, with no extension for candidate registration in 28 constituencies disrupted by protesters in provinces in the South...The commission's secretary-general, Puchong Nutrawong, explained that any extension of registration would affect the schedule for 150,000 Thai expatriates overseas and another 2.5 million eligible voters registered for advance voting.

So they decided to go ahead without the registrations and the election was nulled because of this choice, so they made a choice that was illegal and so they clearly do not know their job.

They should have accepted the military offer of secure registration locations, or the police offer to clear protestors, they rejected both and closed the registration after the minimum legal duration for registrations.

Still beating that old drum BNC?

When will you learn...

[rickirs]

"the EC was working on the matter on a clandestine way and has no need to inform the public every step it was doing."

Oh good grief, transparency and accountability is for someone else, not for the EC. They must operate in secrecy lest anyone think they are incompetent or worse. I bet if Yingluck had said something similar she would be instantly derided with abuse of power and corruption. Does no agency operate in Thailand without double standards?

[robblok]

Thank goodness that the EC is no longer allowing itself to be bullied by people like Prompong. The EC is a constitutionally empowered agency. The administration is beholden to listen to them - not the other way around.

.

And who exactly do you think the EC is accountable to then? Or maybe you think the EC can do what it likes and is not accountable to anyone.

Funny guy, of course an EC cant be accountable to a government that would mean its not un partial. The EC of course is accountable when they break the laws and then you can go to the constitution court. But no way a government can tell an EC what to do its an independent organisation that works with a framework of laws.

Those red sighted posters seem to have a big problem with the independent agencies that cant be controlled by the Shin dictatorship.

[robblok]

He said “don’t try to teach us what to do, we know our duties”.

So there was no need to get the CC involved at any stage in making rulings about the election because the EC didn't know. You knew you could order security forces to guard polling stations but you didn't and polling did not take place on the same day. You were then going to reschedule dates for voting at the stations where this did not take place but the CC ruled this out and nullified the election.

Mmm, sure looks like the EC had a real handle on the situation. Pompous ass.

Didn't chalerm advertise that he has appx 200,000 police to protect the polls?

hasn't chalerm been paying up to appx 600,000 police 700 baht per diem in addition to their normal salary during that time?

How many billions of baht was spent by chalerm to protect the people and the polls?

My guess would be with everything chalerm said he was going to do to make sure the polling went smoothly, the EC did not feel it was necessary to ask for more police to protect the polls. after all 600,000 police that were supposedly paid should have been enough.

(the numbers of police are off of the top of my head from memory. If you want exact figures then look it up yourself.)

Interestingly enough, a boy from my village in Chiang Rai is now a policeman and was sent to Bangkok in riot gear for the protests.

I found out yesterday that of the 700 Baht per diem they only see a few hundred.

Guess Charlem and others skim off the rest. Red wealth distribution steal from others.

[BlueNoseCodger]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Yup, the fault lies completely with the PDRC and the EC. One failed in its duty due to interference from the other.

"Don't tell us how to run a failed election, we know what we are doing!"

It failed because of the ignorance and stupidity of Yingluck and her ex-govt. She forced the elections to go through....

Where in the constitution does it say that the government can postpone an election once the date is set.

You do realise the potential long term ramifications of giving that power to a government.

Why should the vote be postponed because a minority of place may not vote. That is minority report legalese. You can't know exactly which areas won't vote, if you dont try to vote. It is not down to the govenment to say,

Ahhh, boo hop we heard some place won't vote, so we cancel the election. That is the first and simplest turn to dictatorship.

The CC did not give that power to the government. It said that if the government AND the EC agreed then it could be postponed. That is what checks and balances are all about.

As to the question of whose fault it was? I would say it is both the protesters that blocked the election and PT's fault for obvious reasons.

Whose fault? From the horses mouth:

Election commissioner in charge of elections Somchai Srisuthiyakorn has asked to be replaced citing his failure to stage the February 2 election properly and effectively.

Make no mistake, PDRC may be breaking all kinds of laws trying to block elections, but the EC's job is to push back against that. The police offered to clear protestors and were rejected, the army offered secure location for registrations and were rejected.

EC did not push back, instead choosing to negotiate, when the constitution says it has a duty and nothing in that is negotiable.

He's portraying it as lack of competence, but it was clearly malicious. He was told repeatedly of his duty and he did otherwise to try to accomodate Suthep's anti-democracy demands.

Edited March 24, 2014 by BlueNoseCodger

[wolfmanjack]

He said “don’t try to teach us what to do, we know our duties”.

So there was no need to get the CC involved at any stage in making rulings about the election because the EC didn't know. You knew you could order security forces to guard polling stations but you didn't and polling did not take place on the same day. You were then going to reschedule dates for voting at the stations where this did not take place but the CC ruled this out and nullified the election.

Mmm, sure looks like the EC had a real handle on the situation. Pompous ass.

Didn't chalerm advertise that he has appx 200,000 police to protect the polls?

hasn't chalerm been paying up to appx 600,000 police 700 baht per diem in addition to their normal salary during that time?

How many billions of baht was spent by chalerm to protect the people and the polls?

My guess would be with everything chalerm said he was going to do to make sure the polling went smoothly, the EC did not feel it was necessary to ask for more police to protect the polls. after all 600,000 police that were supposedly paid should have been enough.

(the numbers of police are off of the top of my head from memory. If you want exact figures then look it up yourself.)

Interestingly enough, a boy from my village in Chiang Rai is now a policeman and was sent to Bangkok in riot gear for the protests.

I found out yesterday that of the 700 Baht per diem they only see a few hundred.

the rest must get shared by chalerm and the rest of the higher ups along the chain of command.

if this protest goes on much longer we might want to buy stock in the company that makes mercedes benz.

[fab4]

He said “don’t try to teach us what to do, we know our duties”.

So there was no need to get the CC involved at any stage in making rulings about the election because the EC didn't know. You knew you could order security forces to guard polling stations but you didn't and polling did not take place on the same day. You were then going to reschedule dates for voting at the stations where this did not take place but the CC ruled this out and nullified the election.

Mmm, sure looks like the EC had a real handle on the situation. Pompous ass.

Didn't chalerm advertise that he has appx 200,000 police to protect the polls?

hasn't chalerm been paying up to appx 600,000 police 700 baht per diem in addition to their normal salary during that time?

How many billions of baht was spent by chalerm to protect the people and the polls?

My guess would be with everything chalerm said he was going to do to make sure the polling went smoothly, the EC did not feel it was necessary to ask for more police to protect the polls. after all 600,000 police that were supposedly paid should have been enough.

(the numbers of police are off of the top of my head from memory. If you want exact figures then look it up yourself.)

Interestingly enough, a boy from my village in Chiang Rai is now a policeman and was sent to Bangkok in riot gear for the protests.

I found out yesterday that of the 700 Baht per diem they only see a few hundred.

the rest must get shared by chalerm and the rest of the higher ups along the chain of command.

if this protest goes on much longer we might want to buy stock in the company that makes mercedes benz.

Ah more apocryphal "corruption" stories. Everybody's got one but all lacking in one detail - proof. But hey who needs that when you can post that the Shinawatra family are stealing all the money from the treasury and nobody on here queries it - all you get is "likes". But do remember, if you're going to follow the rule, it only works for one side.

[rubl]

The government could postpone the election by issuing a new Royal Decree the CC said and they also suggested the government and EC get together. That was on the 24th of January. Obfuscation by PM, push by Pheu Thai MPs and members and the elections took place.

THe EC warned after the Laksi violence where security forces couldn't protects anti-government protesters from attacking red-shirts. So how could the EC hope to 'protect' elections by calling in same said security forces?

Again, It wasn't us, it's the others to blame

Yingluk did offer to (link)

Bangkok: Thailand’s embattled government has offered to call off an election set for February 2 if protesters end their rallies and promise not to obstruct or boycott a new one within months. But in the latest tactic aimed at toppling the democratically elected government firebrand protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban declared that protesters would ‘‘persuade’’ people not to vote when advance polling opens at stations on Sunday. ‘‘It would be better if you do not go out because you will find we have taken over the polling stations,’’ Mr Suthep told voters.

Suthep had already rejected the election delay, so it was no suprise that he rejected the offer:

BANGKOK: -- Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has rejected a proposal of the caretaker prime minister to meet and discuss the postponement of the February 2 election as proposed by the Election Commission (EC)

Laksi? PDRC protestors were not attacked by red shirts at Laksi, PDRC were the attacker. Also the army did clear the ballot stations, only to permit the return of PDRC guards to retake control of the ballots later. So the security forces could have cleared the PDRC and freed the ballots, but the electoral commission refused their offer.

1. Yingluck 'offered' to call of elections a day after the CC ruled that her government could issue a new Royal Decree and to sort things out with the EC. Ms. Yingluck organised a meeting with the right people on what to do while still being her sweet and reasonable self voicing 'we want to help THailand'. The meeting with the right people told her to go forward with the elections and as usual she came out with "we were told so". Don't blame her, she was willing, any day, any time as long as all those nasty anti-government protesters would go home and stop mentioning the blanket amnesty bill which brought all this on her.

As for Laksi , PDRC was being attacked by red-shirts, the popcorn shooter came to help. you can find the info here on TV,just search. The security forces were also involved that day.

[rubl]

the rest must get shared by chalerm and the rest of the higher ups along the chain of command.

if this protest goes on much longer we might want to buy stock in the company that makes mercedes benz.

Ah more apocryphal "corruption" stories. Everybody's got one but all lacking in one detail - proof. But hey who needs that when you can post that the Shinawatra family are stealing all the money from the treasury and nobody on here queries it - all you get is "likes". But do remember, if you're going to follow the rule, it only works for one side.

Which reminds me, the EC had asked the CMPO to explain some 2 billion Baht expenses. How does that proceed now that CMPO has been dissolved and the CAPO is in charge again?

[fab4]

The government could postpone the election by issuing a new Royal Decree the CC said and they also suggested the government and EC get together. That was on the 24th of January. Obfuscation by PM, push by Pheu Thai MPs and members and the elections took place.

THe EC warned after the Laksi violence where security forces couldn't protects anti-government protesters from attacking red-shirts. So how could the EC hope to 'protect' elections by calling in same said security forces?

Again, It wasn't us, it's the others to blame

Yingluk did offer to (link)

Bangkok: Thailand’s embattled government has offered to call off an election set for February 2 if protesters end their rallies and promise not to obstruct or boycott a new one within months. But in the latest tactic aimed at toppling the democratically elected government firebrand protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban declared that protesters would ‘‘persuade’’ people not to vote when advance polling opens at stations on Sunday. ‘‘It would be better if you do not go out because you will find we have taken over the polling stations,’’ Mr Suthep told voters.

Suthep had already rejected the election delay, so it was no suprise that he rejected the offer:

BANGKOK: -- Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has rejected a proposal of the caretaker prime minister to meet and discuss the postponement of the February 2 election as proposed by the Election Commission (EC)

Laksi? PDRC protestors were not attacked by red shirts at Laksi, PDRC were the attacker. Also the army did clear the ballot stations, only to permit the return of PDRC guards to retake control of the ballots later. So the security forces could have cleared the PDRC and freed the ballots, but the electoral commission refused their offer.

1. Yingluck 'offered' to call of elections a day after the CC ruled that her government could issue a new Royal Decree and to sort things out with the EC. Ms. Yingluck organised a meeting with the right people on what to do while still being her sweet and reasonable self voicing 'we want to help THailand'. The meeting with the right people told her to go forward with the elections and as usual she came out with "we were told so". Don't blame her, she was willing, any day, any time as long as all those nasty anti-government protesters would go home and stop mentioning the blanket amnesty bill which brought all this on her.

As for Laksi , PDRC was being attacked by red-shirts, the popcorn shooter came to help. you can find the info here on TV,just search. The security forces were also involved that day.

As for Laksi , PDRC was being attacked by red-shirts, the popcorn shooter came to help. you can find the info here on TV,just search

The official source for rubl, confirmed

[rubl]

1. Yingluck 'offered' to call of elections a day after the CC ruled that her government could issue a new Royal Decree and to sort things out with the EC. Ms. Yingluck organised a meeting with the right people on what to do while still being her sweet and reasonable self voicing 'we want to help THailand'. The meeting with the right people told her to go forward with the elections and as usual she came out with "we were told so". Don't blame her, she was willing, any day, any time as long as all those nasty anti-government protesters would go home and stop mentioning the blanket amnesty bill which brought all this on her.

As for Laksi , PDRC was being attacked by red-shirts, the popcorn shooter came to help. you can find the info here on TV,just search. The security forces were also involved that day.

As for Laksi , PDRC was being attacked by red-shirts, the popcorn shooter came to help. you can find the info here on TV,just search

The official source for rubl, confirmed

A reply to suggest a poster uses only a single source of information and therefor may have a limited, biased view of things. A reply aimed at annoying said poster --> confirmed

Edited March 25, 2014 by rubl

[billd766]

So what's HE going to do to prevent a repeat of the last election fiasco? Seeing as he's telling everyone not to tell him how to do his job?

If there's any blockading of the next election, then he needs to be thrown out of office (hopefully it's a few stories high too) he has a moral duty to protect these election sites then, as well as the voting public..

Failure this time is NOT an option!!

You know and have conveniently forgotten that he warned Yingluck prior to the Feb 2, that they did not have time or enough manpower to run a smooth election.

SHE rebuffed his warning. Trying to be clever rushing through the election the same as steamrollering that bill in the house, both failed. She like her brother loves abusing their power.

I think you need to read what I wrote again, I'm talking about the NEXT election, I don't care about the last one, that's done and dusted, I clearly said what's he going to do to prevent the fiasco of the last one, not the time frames, but the protection of the ballot boxes, voting stations and the voters, EC officials did a runner last time, and locked places up.. especially when the PDRC have openly stated they're going to do the same again..

What is he going to do to prevent that from happening ?, if he does nothing, he's derelict in his duty, he should be taking this to the same courts that voided the last election to ensure that voting is allowed to take place without any obstructions, but he won't because the outcome of the election will more than likely not favour the PDRC, and for everyone who keeps stating that the PTP/UDD are a spent force and no longer have the same pulling power, or popular support really need to put it to the test and let the next election run without any interruptions, and then we'll see who's left standing.. If it's the majority that keeps Yingluck in power, then accept it, same if it goes the opposite way, personally if the PTP/UDD were to retain power, I still think Yingluck would need to step away and fade away like a dog turd.. start afresh, with a visionary leader, IF they can find one!!

Let the elections run unimpeded, this is the only way in which to gauge public opinion. The public voice is the one that should be heard, and that public extends well beyond Bangkok!!

The public voice also extends far beyond Issan. In fact it extends across the WHOLE of Thailand.