Small parties name three figures they will back as new PM

[Lite Beer]

Small parties name three figures they will back as new PM
The Nation


About 30 small and little-known political parties have formed a group

BANGKOK: -- A group of 30 small and little-known political parties yesterday short-listed three prominent figures they would support as a new leader to try to lead Thailand out of the political crisis.

The parties yesterday formed a group called "United Parties for Democracy" and announced their resolution.

They resolved that they would support either Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana, a legal expert with Pheu Thai Party, Supachai Panitchpakdi, the former secretary general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, and Dr Boon Vanasin, chairman of Thonburi Hospital Group, as a candidate to become the next prime minister.

The group would invite the three to contest the next election and said it would join a discussion with the Election Commission on Tuesday about the new election date.

Meanwhile, EC secretary general Puchong Nutrawong said yesterday the Democrat Party and 63 other parties have agreed to meet the Election Commission on Tuesday.

Puchong said Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and deputy leader Chamni Sakdiseth would represent the party to join the discussion on the date for a new election.

He said so far 67 parties had sent a reply to the EC and only three stated that they would not join the discussion. They are Kasikorn Thai Party, Pua Fah Din Party, and Thai Maharat Pattana Party.

Pheu Thai leader Charupong Ruangsuwan and Bhokin Bhalakula would also join the talks, Puchong said.

He said the EC would like to hear parties' opinions before holding talks with security agencies later on when the new election should be held. He said the soonest election date could be 60 days after the government issues a new royal decree to set a new poll date.

Puchong said the EC might meet the government later this month to discuss a new election date. He said the EC Office had drafted new regulations on candidacy registration to prevent blockades like those that occurred before the February 2 election. Poll candidates may be allowed to apply via the Internet or in writing, he said.

The secretary general said the EC had filed complaints with police against protesters who blocked voting in 22 provinces and police were carrying out investigations in 19 cases.

Apart from the 19 cases, the EC also filed six complaints in six other cases with the Department of Special Investigations against people who blocked elections in Bangkok, Puchong said.

-- The Nation 2014-04-19

[Patje]

When it comes to " figures" I was thinking : Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse and Superman

[JoeThePoster]

Because we are talking about 3's, I'd recommend Curly, Moe & Larry.

[noitom]

If any of the three accept to be placed in nomination , they should craft a platform for reform and run on that platform. Those specific reform actions. It shouldn't be personality contest but a government policy contest. It is constructive that these small groups have formed a coalition and unified their intent at least to some degree. In doing so, they show considerably more leadership than either Suthep or Yingluck.

[rhythmworx]

They've all got internet in the village...if not they can do it by post.

Fingers crossed for the postman not burning his sack.

[chainarong]

How about "Thai Workers Party" Working for the Thai people, identify with the good working people of Thailand , instead of believing in a vaccum , democracy is a loosely termed word that means nothing in Thailand , therefore should not be included in any political party platform as it is not true, until you have freedom of speech there is no Democracy.

[The stuttering parrot]

So there are 67 parties?

When sutep and the dems decide to block ballot boxes he is taking away the peoples right to vote for alternative candidates to the dems and PTP .

Shame

[issanaus]

So there are 67 parties?

When sutep and the dems decide to block ballot boxes he is taking away the peoples right to vote for alternative candidates to the dems and PTP .

Shame

Yes there are a lot of small parties in Thailand

some are fronts for the PTP, some for the Dems and some are genuine

given the electoral laws it is to the advantage of the 2 major parties to have a second party in the electorate

My wife from the heart of Isaan did not vote on Feb 2 or for the Senate - I asked her why not

she said that the Dems may have disenfranchised some voters but the PTP took our votes and disempowered us with betrayal

Her word - she speaks English very well and has a relevant degree from a BBK Uni, lol

[WoopyDoo]

The Dems are only going to this EC meeting to reiterate their demand for reforms before elections... They won't join the next one unless at least the electoral reforms are complete to make them free and fair fro the first time ever in Thailand's history.

If they don't get at least this, they will boycott it.

If they join in the election without this... It is like saying that they were wrong to boycott the Feb 2nd election.... because nothing will have changed.

If a new election goes ahead, I guarantee it will be disrupted again. Maybe not by blockades, but by strategic mass 'no voting'. Which will be equally effective in preventing a government and a mandate.

If PTP manage to gather 10 million of the popular vote and there are 20 million no votes, there is no mandate to govern from the people. Also no quorum can be reached for parliament if the winning candidates in around 200 (Dem) constituencies out of the 500 can not be declared winners because they did not beat the 'no vote'.

So it will be just another waste of taxpayer's money.

[Bakseeda]

So there are 67 parties?

When sutep and the dems decide to block ballot boxes he is taking away the peoples right to vote for alternative candidates to the dems and PTP .

Shame

Shame you did not go to skool......

[renaissanc]

The 3 people are no doubt Thaksin stooges who won't propose reforms, and who will be interested more in the financial benefits of running for the PM position than helping the country.

Without reforms, nothing will change. Parliament will be full of PT who will railroad through Thaksin's policies. The Amnesty Bill will be back one day as Thaksin wants to come home. The dear chap is homesick, which only goes to show that his absurd wealth and that amassing more and more money don't make him happier. The Democrats may as well boycott the election as the government doesn't listen to them in Parliament anyway.

There will just be more street protests as Thaksin rams through his self-serving laws, clips the powers of the independent organizations, implements vote-buying populist schemes, etc. The mess will go on as long as Thaksin is alive.

[sawadee1947]

The 3 people are no doubt Thaksin stooges who won't propose reforms, and who will be interested more in the financial benefits of running for the PM position than helping the country.

Without reforms, nothing will change. Parliament will be full of PT who will railroad through Thaksin's policies. The Amnesty Bill will be back one day as Thaksin wants to come home. The dear chap is homesick, which only goes to show that his absurd wealth and that amassing more and more money don't make him happier. The Democrats may as well boycott the election as the government doesn't listen to them in Parliament anyway.

There will just be more street protests as Thaksin rams through his self-serving laws, clips the powers of the independent organizations, implements vote-buying populist schemes, etc. The mess will go on as long as Thaksin is alive.

"as long as Thaksin is alive"......I think he's quite healthy

and reforms???? For what benefit? For the leaders? Yes! But for the people? Probably not. There is a proverb: Fish stinks from the head....

[Scamper]

It may appear that too many people are cramming on to Pheu Thai's stage. But - on closer inspection, one of those proposed is none other than Pongthep Thepkanjana, who is part of Thaksin's trusted inner circle.Therefore, this clearly leaves the door open for Thaksin, and as such ought to be viewed as not quite the independent proposal as it might appear to be.

[bigbamboo]

No wonder they're 'small' parties, they have no idea.

Where's the Shinawat on their ;list?

[Stan7444]

The 3 people are no doubt Thaksin stooges who won't propose reforms, and who will be interested more in the financial benefits of running for the PM position than helping the country.

Without reforms, nothing will change. Parliament will be full of PT who will railroad through Thaksin's policies. The Amnesty Bill will be back one day as Thaksin wants to come home. The dear chap is homesick, which only goes to show that his absurd wealth and that amassing more and more money don't make him happier. The Democrats may as well boycott the election as the government doesn't listen to them in Parliament anyway.

There will just be more street protests as Thaksin rams through his self-serving laws, clips the powers of the independent organizations, implements vote-buying populist schemes, etc. The mess will go on as long as Thaksin is alive.

"as long as Thaksin is alive"......I think he's quite healthy

and reforms???? For what benefit? For the leaders? Yes! But for the people? Probably not. There is a proverb: Fish stinks from the head....

The only reforms that politicians wish are those that give them the advantage to win elections by legal means and not necessarily "fair" means. Just the same as in the US when different political parties want to "redistrict" voting areas to give their own party an electoral advantage. Here they use the excuse of "reforms" to eliminate corruption in Thailand, but like to know who really believes corruption could ever be eliminated here since it is in this country's DNA. There is corruption in almost every country in this world, so the objective of "eliminating" corruption is an unachievable goal in any event and good only when speaking on a stage in front of protestors. It seems to be the unstated job of politicians regardless of country to manipulate the people which voted for them for personal benefit in many cases, as is apparently the case with the Senate Leader in the US Harry Reid who is supporting kicking a rancher off land he and his family has worked for 100 years just so Mr. Reid can do his private deal with the Chinese to construct a solar farm on this land.

Great quote from Ronald Reagan: "If it moves, tax it, if it keeps moving regulate it, if it stops moving subsidize it".

[bulekee]

I propose the Full Moon Party,they get lots of support.

[Thai at Heart]

The Dems are only going to this EC meeting to reiterate their demand for reforms before elections... They won't join the next one unless at least the electoral reforms are complete to make them free and fair fro the first time ever in Thailand's history.

If they don't get at least this, they will boycott it.

If they join in the election without this... It is like saying that they were wrong to boycott the Feb 2nd election.... because nothing will have changed.

If a new election goes ahead, I guarantee it will be disrupted again. Maybe not by blockades, but by strategic mass 'no voting'. Which will be equally effective in preventing a government and a mandate.

If PTP manage to gather 10 million of the popular vote and there are 20 million no votes, there is no mandate to govern from the people. Also no quorum can be reached for parliament if the winning candidates in around 200 (Dem) constituencies out of the 500 can not be declared winners because they did not beat the 'no vote'.

So it will be just another waste of taxpayer's money.

What makes you believe that the no vote figures will be that high, if there is no threat of violence towards the voters?

I think you might get a bit of a shock if you believe that.

[h90]

So there are 67 parties?

When sutep and the dems decide to block ballot boxes he is taking away the peoples right to vote for alternative candidates to the dems and PTP .

Shame

In NST the PTP party MP won with 18 votes while the one and only opposition to it received 0 votes (not even he voted himself)...that shows the overwhelming support for elections....

[wwest5829]

The 3 people are no doubt Thaksin stooges who won't propose reforms, and who will be interested more in the financial benefits of running for the PM position than helping the country.

Without reforms, nothing will change. Parliament will be full of PT who will railroad through Thaksin's policies. The Amnesty Bill will be back one day as Thaksin wants to come home. The dear chap is homesick, which only goes to show that his absurd wealth and that amassing more and more money don't make him happier. The Democrats may as well boycott the election as the government doesn't listen to them in Parliament anyway.

There will just be more street protests as Thaksin rams through his self-serving laws, clips the powers of the independent organizations, implements vote-buying populist schemes, etc. The mess will go on as long as Thaksin is alive.

"as long as Thaksin is alive"......I think he's quite healthy

and reforms???? For what benefit? For the leaders? Yes! But for the people? Probably not. There is a proverb: Fish stinks from the head....

The only reforms that politicians wish are those that give them the advantage to win elections by legal means and not necessarily "fair" means. Just the same as in the US when different political parties want to "redistrict" voting areas to give their own party an electoral advantage. Here they use the excuse of "reforms" to eliminate corruption in Thailand, but like to know who really believes corruption could ever be eliminated here since it is in this country's DNA. There is corruption in almost every country in this world, so the objective of "eliminating" corruption is an unachievable goal in any event and good only when speaking on a stage in front of protestors. It seems to be the unstated job of politicians regardless of country to manipulate the people which voted for them for personal benefit in many cases, as is apparently the case with the Senate Leader in the US Harry Reid who is supporting kicking a rancher off land he and his family has worked for 100 years just so Mr. Reid can do his private deal with the Chinese to construct a solar farm on this land.

Great quote from Ronald Reagan: "If it moves, tax it, if it keeps moving regulate it, if it stops moving subsidize it".

I' m a limitless confused on the rancher being kicked off his land. My reading is that he is refusing to pay grazing rights on the public lands. In the Western states a good deal of the land belongs to the public, some miners and ranchers have a problem paying fees for the use of these lands.

[pkspeaker]

First of all, the pad/pdrc/democrats are not demanding 'reforms before elections'--this is diversion designed to hide their extremist agenda; their real demand is that an 'appointed' dictator and his 'council'( that is appointed by them, or their little anti-democracy clik backed by some old military supremos and several billionairs) be installed and given FULL POWERS for an indefinent period. They claim that during this time this idiot will make 'reforms' which they have never detailed. It's an obvious sham.

Secondly, the elections in this country are free and fair, they are monitored by the 'pro-establishment EC and some international orgs, if there is any doubt then more international monitors can be brought in. The PhuaThai and non-democrat parties win the vast majority of the votes so this notion that the democrats would win the election 'if only it was free and fair' is a joke.

and then this ridiculous claim that the majority of Thai's are against elections so they 'vote no' because that's what Suthep and the democrats want them to do.. OH! here's an idea, since the dems and their 'no' voters are the majority-why don't they just tell their 'no' voters to vote for them, that way they can get their 'people's council' running the country--funny the pad/pdrc/dems havn't figured that out yet, considering their the 'smart and sophesticated' ones.

The Dems are only going to this EC meeting to reiterate their demand for reforms before elections... They won't join the next one unless at least the electoral reforms are complete to make them free and fair fro the first time ever in Thailand's history.

If they don't get at least this, they will boycott it.

If they join in the election without this... It is like saying that they were wrong to boycott the Feb 2nd election.... because nothing will have changed.

If a new election goes ahead, I guarantee it will be disrupted again. Maybe not by blockades, but by strategic mass 'no voting'. Which will be equally effective in preventing a government and a mandate.

If PTP manage to gather 10 million of the popular vote and there are 20 million no votes, there is no mandate to govern from the people. Also no quorum can be reached for parliament if the winning candidates in around 200 (Dem) constituencies out of the 500 can not be declared winners because they did not beat the 'no vote'.

So it will be just another waste of taxpayer's money.

[bigbamboo]

I propose the Full Moon Party,they get lots of support.

Forget the Full Moon Party.

Now the Hernia Party.......... they really do need your support.

[khunken]

Because we are talking about 3's, I'd recommend Curly, Moe & Larry.

Too late - CAPO already has them.

[rickirs]

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

The 3 people are no doubt Thaksin stooges who won't propose reforms, and who will be interested more in the financial benefits of running for the PM position than helping the country.

Without reforms, nothing will change. Parliament will be full of PT who will railroad through Thaksin's policies. The Amnesty Bill will be back one day as Thaksin wants to come home. The dear chap is homesick, which only goes to show that his absurd wealth and that amassing more and more money don't make him happier. The Democrats may as well boycott the election as the government doesn't listen to them in Parliament anyway.

There will just be more street protests as Thaksin rams through his self-serving laws, clips the powers of the independent organizations, implements vote-buying populist schemes, etc. The mess will go on as long as Thaksin is alive.

"as long as Thaksin is alive"......I think he's quite healthy
and reforms???? For what benefit? For the leaders? Yes! But for the people? Probably not. There is a proverb: Fish stinks from the head....

The only reforms that politicians wish are those that give them the advantage to win elections by legal means and not necessarily "fair" means. Just the same as in the US when different political parties want to "redistrict" voting areas to give their own party an electoral advantage. Here they use the excuse of "reforms" to eliminate corruption in Thailand, but like to know who really believes corruption could ever be eliminated here since it is in this country's DNA. There is corruption in almost every country in this world, so the objective of "eliminating" corruption is an unachievable goal in any event and good only when speaking on a stage in front of protestors. It seems to be the unstated job of politicians regardless of country to manipulate the people which voted for them for personal benefit in many cases, as is apparently the case with the Senate Leader in the US Harry Reid who is supporting kicking a rancher off land he and his family has worked for 100 years just so Mr. Reid can do his private deal with the Chinese to construct a solar farm on this land.

Great quote from Ronald Reagan: "If it moves, tax it, if it keeps moving regulate it, if it stops moving subsidize it".

I' m a limitless confused on the rancher being kicked off his land. My reading is that he is refusing to pay grazing rights on the public lands. In the Western states a good deal of the land belongs to the public, some miners and ranchers have a problem paying fees for the use of these lands.

The rancher Bundy is not being kicked off his land-160 acres that his family homesteaded in 1877. It is the federal lands that the US got title from Mexico in 1848 with its defeat of Mexico that lie outside of Bundy's property. In 1954 and 1966 Bundy entered into grazing agreements with the federal government for his cattle but after 1993 he ceased to pay the grazing fees to the US. His reason for refusing to continue paying grazing fess and to vacate the federal lands was that all federal lands in Nevada came under the jurisdiction and ownership of the State when it was created in 1864. Not only did the Courts refuse his position and held that the subject lands are federal lands, even the State of Nevada Constitution Article 1, section 2 contradicts Bundy's theory that federal territory within the state comes under state jusrisdiction. The courts have ordered Bundy to remove his cattle, fencing, and structures from federal land, and not to physically interfere with any federal seizure or impoundment operation.

[trainman34014]

Whatever happened to 'The Monster Raving Loony Party'. This country needs them right now !

[NanLaew]

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...

But who's the little cutie in the middle of their picture?

[Acharn]

The Dems are only going to this EC meeting to reiterate their demand for reforms before elections... They won't join the next one unless at least the electoral reforms are complete to make them free and fair fro the first time ever in Thailand's history.

If they don't get at least this, they will boycott it.

If they join in the election without this... It is like saying that they were wrong to boycott the Feb 2nd election.... because nothing will have changed.

If a new election goes ahead, I guarantee it will be disrupted again. Maybe not by blockades, but by strategic mass 'no voting'. Which will be equally effective in preventing a government and a mandate.

If PTP manage to gather 10 million of the popular vote and there are 20 million no votes, there is no mandate to govern from the people. Also no quorum can be reached for parliament if the winning candidates in around 200 (Dem) constituencies out of the 500 can not be declared winners because they did not beat the 'no vote'.

So it will be just another waste of taxpayer's money.

Well, at least this sounds hopeful. Apparently the Democrats have some concrete proposals to make. I have to say that I'm curious as to what "electoral reforms are complete to make them free and fair fro the first time ever in Thailand's history." Have they been published anywhere? I don't recall reading that either Suthep, the Democrat Party's land documentation expert, or Mark have announced exactly what reforms they are demanding. Like the Republicans in the U.S., they announce that they want the other side to solve a problem but will not say what solutions would be acceptable to them. It's up to the opposition to guess. Do you have links to places where the demands/proposals have been published?

If the Democrats will spell out what they want I'm sure PTP will absolutely refuse some of them, but at least we will have a starting point for people of good will to discuss the problem and possible solutions. Except for the elephant in the room.

[Acharn]

It may appear that too many people are cramming on to Pheu Thai's stage. But - on closer inspection, one of those proposed is none other than Pongthep Thepkanjana, who is part of Thaksin's trusted inner circle.Therefore, this clearly leaves the door open for Thaksin, and as such ought to be viewed as not quite the independent proposal as it might appear to be.

Yes, I was thinking that was an odd proposal. However it's only a starting point for further discussion, and I'm pretty sure he'd be dropped from consideration pretty quickly. How about the other two? I don't recognize their names, but I'd probably prefer them to, say, Palakorn Suwanarat or Pridiyathorn Devakula. As I understand it what they want is to bring more parties together for further proposals. I think it's premature to start definitely ruling people out.

[moonao]

who are you and what do you really stand for ?, name your policies first

[khunken]

The Dems are only going to this EC meeting to reiterate their demand for reforms before elections... They won't join the next one unless at least the electoral reforms are complete to make them free and fair fro the first time ever in Thailand's history.

If they don't get at least this, they will boycott it.

If they join in the election without this... It is like saying that they were wrong to boycott the Feb 2nd election.... because nothing will have changed.

If a new election goes ahead, I guarantee it will be disrupted again. Maybe not by blockades, but by strategic mass 'no voting'. Which will be equally effective in preventing a government and a mandate.

If PTP manage to gather 10 million of the popular vote and there are 20 million no votes, there is no mandate to govern from the people. Also no quorum can be reached for parliament if the winning candidates in around 200 (Dem) constituencies out of the 500 can not be declared winners because they did not beat the 'no vote'.

So it will be just another waste of taxpayer's money.

Well, at least this sounds hopeful. Apparently the Democrats have some concrete proposals to make. I have to say that I'm curious as to what "electoral reforms are complete to make them free and fair fro the first time ever in Thailand's history." Have they been published anywhere? I don't recall reading that either Suthep, the Democrat Party's land documentation expert, or Mark have announced exactly what reforms they are demanding. Like the Republicans in the U.S., they announce that they want the other side to solve a problem but will not say what solutions would be acceptable to them. It's up to the opposition to guess. Do you have links to places where the demands/proposals have been published?

If the Democrats will spell out what they want I'm sure PTP will absolutely refuse some of them, but at least we will have a starting point for people of good will to discuss the problem and possible solutions. Except for the elephant in the room.

If you have no idea what reforms are needed, you obviously haven't been following the news for the last 5 months or just ignoring what is not to your liking.

Here are some of Suthep's suggestions:

Point 1: An electoral system free from vote buying

Point 2: Effective measures to end corruption

Point 3: People should have the power to remove politicians and administrative power should be decentralised by electing provincial governors

Point 4: A police reform, so that the police force would "truly belong to the people" and perform their duties under the command of the elected governor of their respective province

Point 5: A bureaucracy reform

Point 6: Solving the problems inherent in education, social affairs, public health and transport, an economic system free of monopoly. Investment in transport infrastructure as answer to the country’s needs, not to politicians’.

To the above I would add the red shirt intimidation making it almost impossible for the Democrat party to canvass in areas such as Chiang Mai, Udon Thani, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakarn, Nonthaburi and others.

The elephant is not in the room but, from abroad, still has an insidious control over his party and the supposed law enforcers. You are correct in the sense that he will never agree to real reform in Thailand.

[tingtongteesood]

How many of those 30 parties are under Thaksin's thumb ? I would guess they are all taking commands from the fugitive. What about the 3 people they nominate ? One is already in PT, I would bet me left nut the other 2 are also Thaksin fans. Be careful Thailand, the fugitive is trying to fool you all again !