Pheu Thai says Suthep's threat to name new PM a 'modern-day coup'

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POLITICS
Govt in legal fightback
The Nation


Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Phuangrach is one of the Cabinet members taking part in a water-pouring rite for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at the Police Cadet School in Nakhon Pathom yesterday

Pheu Thai says Suthep's threat to name new PM a 'modern-day coup'

BANGKOK: -- The ruling Pheu Thai Party and politicians in power yesterday pressed for legal action against anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, who had threatened last weekend to nominate a new prime minister after gaining what he termed "sovereign" status.

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit approached the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) yesterday, accusing Suthep and other anti-government protest leaders of sedition. He said Suthep's threat was part of a plot to overthrow the government in a "modern-time coup".

The spokesman also said he would later this week petition the Constitutional Court against Suthep and others over the matter.

DSI director general Tarit Pengdith said yesterday that he believed Suthep and other protest leaders had committed insurrection, in violation of Article 113 of the Penal Code.

Suthep, secretary general of the People's Democratic Reform Committee, announced on Saturday that if the anti-government movement managed to "seize sovereignty back to the people" and gained "sovereign" status, he would nominate a new prime minister for royal endorsement in his capacity as "the people's medium".

He said a "people's assembly" would then be set up to reform the country by amending the Constitution and relevant laws, before a new election would be organised.

Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday said Suthep's remarks had led to questions because his claim of sovereign status was not lawful.

People could not simply set up a cabinet or a legislative assembly, she said, adding, "We have to follow the law if we want to have credibility in the international community."

The premier also said she believed Army commander-in-chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha, in his capacity as deputy director of the Internal Security Operations Command, already had a standpoint in regard to Suthep's claim of sovereign status.

"I think he should [already] have a standpoint [on this]. In fact, he should know how to react in this case. The security sector should act even-handedly. No question is needed; I think he has the answer in his mind," Yingluck said.

The Army had earlier filed police complaints when red-shirt supporters of the government raised the idea of dividing the country and declaring "independence" for the northern part of Thailand.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador Kristie Kenney yesterday met Yingluck, who is also the defence minister, for about 40 minutes at the Defence Ministry to discuss the current political situation. Also present was Daniel Russel, the US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs. Russel handed the PM a letter from US Secretary of State John Kerry, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said.

Kerry expressed concern over the current political situation and said the US government hoped there would be no coup in Thailand, Surapong said.

The foreign minister said yesterday that he would have Suthep's statement translated into English, and would send the translation to all foreign embassies in Thailand.

"Suthep has already faced a charge of sedition, and what he said [most recently] clearly underlines his wrongdoing," Surapong said.

Pheu Thai yesterday issued a statement calling on the people, relevant state officials and independent agencies not to cooperate with Suthep about his threat to seize power from the government.

The ruling party said the authorities should take legal action against him.

"The Pheu Thai Party sees an election as the country's best solution. We call on the Election Commission and the government to issue a law for a new election to be organised as soon as possible," said Bhokin Bhalakula, a senior legal expert of the party.

Labour Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, who heads the government's Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order, yesterday said that Suthep's remark about sovereign status was tantamount to committing political suicide. His plan was clearly an act of sedition, he added.

Caretaker Deputy Commerce Minister Nuttawut Saikuar, a red-shirt leader, yesterday called on the Army chief to make it clear whether he would tolerate Suthep's action.

"If Suthep is successful, will the Army chief allow Suthep to appoint himself to have the highest power in the country?" he said. "Will the Army chief be ready to report himself to Suthep and lead the Army to be under Suthep's command, unconditionally?"


-- The Nation 2014-04-09

[WoopyDoo]

Is this even news any more?

The difference between Suthep and this soon to be ex-government is that Suthep doesn't give a donkey's dump what the PTP are threatening to do to him... He is way above them as far as 'moral high ground' is concerned.

In contrast, the PTP are crapping themselves more and more every day as their demise creeps ever closer.

Suthep, secretary general of the People's Democratic Reform Committee, announced on Saturday that if the anti-government movement managed to "seize sovereignty back to the people" and gained "sovereign" status, he would nominate a new prime minister for royal endorsement in his capacity as "the people's medium".

Quite acceptable and hardly an announcement that they were doing it regardless.

It would never stand up in court.... Not like the cases against the government anyway

Then you get Yingluck commenting that he has 'claimed' sovereign status.... fruitcake or what?... Does she even know what day it is?

Pheu Thai yesterday issued a statement calling on the people, relevant state officials and independent agencies not to cooperate with Suthep about his threat to seize power from the government.

Erm.... They won't be the government will they.... they will be gone for their law breaking and corruption.

Finally... There are a lot of 'IFs' in Sutheps words, and th main one being IF the government refuses to accept the court ruling, and refuse to move.... This will happen.

Which by its very nature is no different to stealing sovereign power, once you have been ruled against and ordered to vacate your positions and you refuse.... Then you are actually in the act of stealing power, and this opens the door for it to be taken back by the people, so in effect.... Suthep is 100% correct.

[tezzainoz]

Is this even news any more?

The difference between Suthep and this soon to be ex-government is that Suthep doesn't give a donkey's dump what the PTP are threatening to do to him... He is way above them as far as 'moral high ground' is concerned.

In contrast, the PTP are crapping themselves more and more every day as their demise creeps ever closer.

Suthep, secretary general of the People's Democratic Reform Committee, announced on Saturday that if the anti-government movement managed to "seize sovereignty back to the people" and gained "sovereign" status, he would nominate a new prime minister for royal endorsement in his capacity as "the people's medium".

Quite acceptable and hardly an announcement that they were doing it regardless.

It would never stand up in court.... Not like the cases against the government anyway

Then you get Yingluck commenting that he has 'claimed' sovereign status.... fruitcake or what?... Does she even know what day it is?

Pheu Thai yesterday issued a statement calling on the people, relevant state officials and independent agencies not to cooperate with Suthep about his threat to seize power from the government.

Erm.... They won't be the government will they.... they will be gone for their law breaking and corruption.

Finally... There are a lot of 'IFs' in Sutheps words, and th main one being IF the government refuses to accept the court ruling, and refuse to move.... This will happen.

Which by its very nature is no different to stealing sovereign power, once you have been ruled against and ordered to vacate your positions and you refuse.... Then you are actually in the act of stealing power, and this opens the door for it to be taken back by the people, so in effect.... Suthep is 100% correct.

This above actions is okay if yingluck does it by refusing to vacate the seat after being legally dissmissed

But not if the people against her want to do

"Suthep would nominate a new prime minister for royal endorsement in his capacity as "the people's medium"

Okay I would like to nominate a new prime minister in My capacity as "the bread winner of a Thai Family medium"

Joe Blog would also like to nominate a new prime minister in My capacity as "the owner of a Thai business"

etc etc

so are we all guilty of treason

All thais can do this, usually through the ballot box

[chainarong]

So long as the name is not one of the current establishment or previous persons of out standing quality and is some one within the Thai community that is worthy of this position, I would be interested in hearing the name , other than that it will be business as usual in Thailand the L.O.S.

[gabruce]

I thought the point of Suthep's statement is that "if the PTP/Government attempt an illegal coup by refusing to relinquish power if they are required to by the court" .... then they would petition the king to accept an appointed caretaker (government) until reforms and elections happen. So, perhaps the question would be whether his actions in the face of an illegal coup by the PM and PTP would be another coup or a counter-coup?

[Ricardo]

"a modern day coup"

As opposed to wanting to set up a Peoples' Democratic Republic, in one part of the country, and recruiting an army to defend it ?

Which is merely an example of Red 'true democracy' in action ?

[JesseFrank]

Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Phuangrach is one of the Cabinet members taking part in a water-pouring rite for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at the Police Cadet School in Nakhon Pathom yesterday

Strange I don't see klong water with ice filled buckets or water lances to celebrate Songkran. Isn't that how it should be done then ?

[antimedia]

Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Phuangrach is one of the Cabinet members taking part in a water-pouring rite for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at the Police Cadet School in Nakhon Pathom yesterday

Strange I don't see klong water with ice filled buckets or water lances to celebrate Songkran. Isn't that how it should be done then ?

As ugly and brainless as a hat full of rear ends and she ain't much better.

Edited April 9, 2014 by antimedia

[harkish]

So Suthep thinks he is the sovereign? Might come as news to some of his supporters. Has anybody noticed what a nutter he is turning out to be, and wondering whether the cure they have been pushing for might be worse than the disease?

[Thait Spot]

So, if this is a modern day "coup" then what crime does cheating in the house votes and preventing opposition debate constitute?

The same thing - seizing unilateral power.

[Robby nz]

The army wont give them a military coup.

The judicial coup crap in wearing very thin so now we have a 'modern day coup'

Hope this 'modern day coup' isnt going to be the new excuse to bring out the armed reds.

[Tatsujin]

The operative words in his statement were "IF" and "THEN" which were clearly missed out by all the pro-Govt supporters.

"IF" the PM and caretaker Govt are convicted, and "IF" the caretaker Govt refuses to relinquish power (as they have already stated they will do by ignoring any rulings by any of the Courts or NACC), "THEN" Suthep will petition the King to appoint an interim PM.

It can't be a coup if the caretaker Govt refuses to step down as they will no longer have the right to govern and someone else needs to be appointed to take over.

Nowhere does it state that Suthep will "take over" running the country under his sole control, someone else will be appointed to do so and authorized/approved by HM.

[rickirs]

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

So, if this is a modern day "coup" then what crime does cheating in the house votes and preventing opposition debate constitute?

The same thing - seizing unilateral power.

If you want to see opposition debate in Parliament, you have to have opposition in Parliament.

Suthep and the PDRC had decided last year that such civilized congressional debate cannot be effective because the PTP populist policies are supported by the majority of Thailand's constituents and he will not prevail. In democracy that's the consequence of being a minority party that cannot (or in PDRC's case will not) attract the majority constituents to their side. By choosing to vacate the parliament and not participating in the new elections, Suthep has conceded all legitimate, democratic government power to the PTP. That is not a seizure of political power by the PTP.

Instead Suthep has chosen strategies to seize for himself political power outside of a democratic electorial system, at least until such time he can "reform" (aka "fix") the electorial system to guarantee Democrat's return to legitimate power.

[Baerboxer]

Love the way YL keeps saying "we must abide by the law"

The girl's got a sense of humor and satire.

If only she and her gang obeyed the law, hadn't lied and cheated then they wouldn't be in this mess!

Perhaps she'll start by looking at extraditing known convicted fugitives, who also have numerous other charges waiting to be tried. Perhaps she'll finally answer the Ombudsman and explain the passport her cousin illegally issued to her criminal fugitive brother.

What a joke!

I'm sure the US officials are perfectly aware of the lies PTP spout.

[Thait Spot]

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

So, if this is a modern day "coup" then what crime does cheating in the house votes and preventing opposition debate constitute?

The same thing - seizing unilateral power.

If you want to see opposition debate in Parliament, you have to have opposition in Parliament.

Suthep and the PDRC had decided last year that such civilized congressional debate cannot be effective because the PTP populist policies are supported by the majority of Thailand's constituents and he will not prevail. In democracy that's the consequence of being a minority party that cannot (or in PDRC's case will not) attract the majority constituents to their side. By choosing to vacate the parliament and not participating in the new elections, Suthep has conceded all legitimate, democratic government power to the PTP. That is not a seizure of political power by the PTP.

Instead Suthep has chosen strategies to seize for himself political power outside of a democratic electorial system, at least until such time he can "reform" (aka "fix") the electorial system to guarantee Democrat's return to legitimate power.

Complete rubbish - as evidenced by legal outcomes over the past few months over the voting and debate. Illegal

There has not been parliament without the Dems.

PDRC is not a political party

The majority of voters did not vote for PTP

[Thait Spot]

The army wont give them a military coup.

The judicial coup crap in wearing very thin so now we have a 'modern day coup'

Hope this 'modern day coup' isnt going to be the new excuse to bring out the armed reds.

At this rate the only way the PTP will get the coup they long for will be if someone does a chop job on Chalerm's vile pink Bentley

[rubl]

The army wont give them a military coup.

The judicial coup crap in wearing very thin so now we have a 'modern day coup'

Hope this 'modern day coup' isnt going to be the new excuse to bring out the armed reds.

Ah, but at least Thailand has done it again, gained a position as "hub of any type of coups"

[Dogmatix]

I was relieved to learn in the response of the fake allegation about her piles of luggage at the airport that Yingluck will stay to defend democracy till the last second.

I feared that she might flee the country before her conviction in the Supreme Court for Political Office Holders like her brother. It's good to know we will be able to see pictures of her behind bars. Prison chic might take off in Thailand.

[Scamper]

The point Suthep was making in his foolish remarks was to address the dilemma of what would happen if Yingluck and the Pheu Thai administration refused to accept the verdicts of the Constitutional Court and the National Anti-Corruption Commission. It is not that Surapong, Chalerm, Nattawut and their supporters are unaware of the context. They're purposefully ignoring it. They are purposely ignoring the context. Indeed, in two weeks we will all see - won't we ? - just how eager Pheu Thai, Thaksin, and the UDD greet, embrace, and accept these verdicts. They will greet them with joy and accept and respect the rulings and adhere to them. Won't they ?

Yeah, right. So that is the very core of the matter, isn't it ? What would happen in the event of an administration of the day defying a constitutionally empowered court and its ruling ? Not one Pheu Thai supporter - not a single one - will address this key question. But in two weeks, they'll have to, because that ruling will be upon us. And then it will be very interesting what they will say. How will they defend the Yingluck administration if it chooses to ignore a judicial ruling, that would potentially ask it to step down ? What if the administration sparked a constitutional crisis by refusing to adhere to a Constitutional Court ruling ? What then ?

" Labour Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, who heads the government's Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order, yesterday said that Suthep's remark about sovereign status was tantamount to committing political suicide. His plan was clearly an act of sedition, he added. Caretaker Deputy Commerce Minister Nuttawut Saikuar, a red-shirt leader, yesterday called on the Army chief to make it clear whether he would tolerate Suthep's action. "

You mean the tolerance that both Chalerm and Nuttawut exhibited when Ko Tee advocated secession ? You mean the tolerance that was extended to both Mr. Nattawut " I will take responsibility, my brothers " Saikuar and the minister for the interior, Charapong - for their endorsement at a UDD rally of a UDD platform that included secession ? You mean tolerance for an openly secessionist movement within the UDD - a movement that Chalerm claimed there was no evidence of whatsoever ? You mean that kind of tolerance ?

Just checking.

[Pimay1]

I was relieved to learn in the response of the fake allegation about her piles of luggage at the airport that Yingluck will stay to defend democracy till the last second.

I feared that she might flee the country before her conviction in the Supreme Court for Political Office Holders like her brother. It's good to know we will be able to see pictures of her behind bars. Prison chic might take off in Thailand.

I was happy to see it was a rumor also but I figured it was as she stated "I will die on the battlefield fighting for democracy"

[tingtongteesood]

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

So, if this is a modern day "coup" then what crime does cheating in the house votes and preventing opposition debate constitute?

The same thing - seizing unilateral power.

If you want to see opposition debate in Parliament, you have to have opposition in Parliament.

Suthep and the PDRC had decided last year that such civilized congressional debate cannot be effective because the PTP populist policies are supported by the majority of Thailand's constituents and he will not prevail. In democracy that's the consequence of being a minority party that cannot (or in PDRC's case will not) attract the majority constituents to their side. By choosing to vacate the parliament and not participating in the new elections, Suthep has conceded all legitimate, democratic government power to the PTP. That is not a seizure of political power by the PTP.

Instead Suthep has chosen strategies to seize for himself political power outside of a democratic electorial system, at least until such time he can "reform" (aka "fix") the electorial system to guarantee Democrat's return to legitimate power.

Oh come on, that's bullshit and most of us know that !

The Dems were denied their rights in parliament, even being forcibly removed by the police at one point and having the so called 'government' creep around behind their backs, lieing and trying to pass amnesty bills without telling them, refusing them the right to have their say.

As for the rest of your comments, the Dems quit parliament out of protest and PT lost any legitimacy they had when they broke the laws, went against the constitution and refused to accept the ruling of the constitution court.

So why not trying to find out the truth before you post pure lies and make yourself look bad ?