Thai Election Commissioner states that July 20th is the most suitable election date

[webfact]

Election Commissioner states that July 20th is the most suitable election date

BANGKOK, 24 April 2014 (NNT) - Election Commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakorn has announced that on April 30th, the EC will meet to exchange views with the government and decide on the most appropriate date to host another general election.

The Pheu Thai Party has stated that they want the election to take place one week in advance of the suggested date. However, the EC has recommended that the election be on the scheduled date to prevent any contingencies that may otherwise arise. Problems that could occur as a result of holding the election early include not having enough committee members stationed at each constituency, or being unable to print the ballot papers on time.

At this point, the EC has stated that the government must come to an agreement on April 30th before drafting a new election decree to be endorsed by His Majesty the King. Should agreement be reached by all sides, then a new election could take place. However, if complications arise, then the EC would have to consider other avenues to a reach a resolution.

Regarding the political situation, Mr. Somchai stated that it is something that is unpredictable and the government must be act responsibly in handling problems.


-- The Nation 2014-04-24

[WoopyDoo]

And STILL they won't agree.

So just name the date already.... When the government were piling all the blame on the EC for the last election claiming that it was nothing to do with the government and the election was ALL the EC's responsibility.... even though we all know the government forced it.

So the EC should take that 100% responsibility and just go ahead and arrange the election without even consulting this band of dog crap.

I hope they pick November.... more chickens will have come home to roost and make the PTP truly unelectable.

Just one more disrupted undemocratic election to be annulled and we are seriously looking at November ..... bring it on.

[bigbamboo]

To hell with what the EC thinks.

What do the fortune tellers say?

[CaptHaddock]

However, if complications arise, then the EC would have to consider other avenues to a reach a resolution.

Does the Electoral Commission have the authority to substitute "other avenues" for a democratic election? What "other avenues" would they be? What are they going to do, appoint a party to be the majority in the lower house? They seem to have a fuzzy notion of the electoral process they are responsible for supervising.

[Scamper]

If a date is ever agreed to between the EC and Pheu Thai, one thing is for certain. That will be the easy part.

[WoopyDoo]

However, if complications arise, then the EC would have to consider other avenues to a reach a resolution.

Does the Electoral Commission have the authority to substitute "other avenues" for a democratic election? What "other avenues" would they be? What are they going to do, appoint a party to be the majority in the lower house? They seem to have a fuzzy notion of the electoral process they are responsible for supervising.

I would assume 'other avenues' means a plan to fall into if the elections are going the same way as Feb 2nd when they had no other avenues because PTP would not let then do anything but just forge ahead...... remember?

The PTP insisted on everything their own way.... very democratic if you ask me.... One party has the power to manipulate the EC... Thaksin democracy.

[baxida]

There would be more chance of seeing a peaceful outcome if they held it on 31st June.

[The stuttering parrot]

Good announce the 20th of July

If any party doesn't want to participate then that's up to them.

For the ones that do you have plenty of time to state your case to the people and show your policies.

If your chose to follow the so called people's medium and not participate then enjoy your picnic down in lumpini or go and collect some money with the monk.

Abhisit go for it!

[rreddin]

Good announce the 20th of July

If any party doesn't want to participate then that's up to them.

For the ones that do you have plenty of time to state your case to the people and show your policies.

If your chose to follow the so called people's medium and not participate then enjoy your picnic down in lumpini or go and collect some money with the monk.

Abhisit go for it!

For once, the EC should grow a pair of balls and announce when the election will be. Those political parties that choose to participate have enough time to produce their respective manifestos and campaign; the police and security forces have enough time to make their plans to ensure the elcection goes ahead. This time round, stealing the election, whatever the result, from ordinary people will not be accepted.

Interestingly, the suggested date just happens to coincide with the end of the 3 month timescale SCB said it needed to rearrange the portfolios of their wealthiest private clients to protect them form the effects of the political unrest. Put another way, some of the wealthiest people in Thailand will have moved much of their wealth abroad.before the election is held. Do you think they might know something we don't?

[surangw]

found it by throwing a dart at a calendar

[phetphet]

found it by throwing a dart at a calendar

No...they they just don't want to be disturbed while the World Cup is on the tv. :-)

[gabruce]

There would be more chance of seeing a peaceful outcome if they held it on 31st June.

Okay. You have me intrigued. Why would 31st of June have more chance of seeing a peaceful outcome.

[fab4]

There would be more chance of seeing a peaceful outcome if they held it on 31st June.

Okay. You have me intrigued. Why would 31st of June have more chance of seeing a peaceful outcome.

Just how many days are in June?

[CaptHaddock]

However, if complications arise, then the EC would have to consider other avenues to a reach a resolution.

Does the Electoral Commission have the authority to substitute "other avenues" for a democratic election? What "other avenues" would they be? What are they going to do, appoint a party to be the majority in the lower house? They seem to have a fuzzy notion of the electoral process they are responsible for supervising.

I would assume 'other avenues' means a plan to fall into if the elections are going the same way as Feb 2nd when they had no other avenues because PTP would not let then do anything but just forge ahead...... remember?

The PTP insisted on everything their own way.... very democratic if you ask me.... One party has the power to manipulate the EC... Thaksin democracy.

You lack even a rudimentary grasp of the group alignments in the current crisis. The EC along with various courts is strongly aligned with the anti-democracy movement. They dragged their feet about the Feb 2 election, made no effort to protect polling places and, in some cases, sided with Suthep's thugs in intimidating voters who came to exercise their right to vote. At one point one of the EC commissioners even wondered whether elections were worth having. In any advanced democracy a remark like that would have cost him his job immediately.

My hope is that the Reds' holding mass meetings will remind the ammart that they are not going away and that there will be costs to suppressing elections as there were in 2010.

[rickirs]

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Good announce the 20th of July

If any party doesn't want to participate then that's up to them.

For the ones that do you have plenty of time to state your case to the people and show your policies.

If your chose to follow the so called people's medium and not participate then enjoy your picnic down in lumpini or go and collect some money with the monk.

Abhisit go for it!

For once, the EC should grow a pair of balls and announce when the election will be. Those political parties that choose to participate have enough time to produce their respective manifestos and campaign; the police and security forces have enough time to make their plans to ensure the elcection goes ahead. This time round, stealing the election, whatever the result, from ordinary people will not be accepted.

Interestingly, the suggested date just happens to coincide with the end of the 3 month timescale SCB said it needed to rearrange the portfolios of their wealthiest private clients to protect them form the effects of the political unrest. Put another way, some of the wealthiest people in Thailand will have moved much of their wealth abroad.before the election is held. Do you think they might know something we don't?

The EC has no authority to unilaterally annouce an election date. The Constitutional Court ruled in 2013 that the election date must be jointly concurred with by the EC and the PTP Government. And that is how the Feb. 2, 2014 election was set. But what is disturbing is that there is no limit as to how long an impasse can last on an agreement to an election date. The 2007 amended constitution seems to have a lot of loopholes in it that work against a democractic process-maybe that was deliberate.

[tingtongteesood]

However, if complications arise, then the EC would have to consider other avenues to a reach a resolution.

Does the Electoral Commission have the authority to substitute "other avenues" for a democratic election? What "other avenues" would they be? What are they going to do, appoint a party to be the majority in the lower house? They seem to have a fuzzy notion of the electoral process they are responsible for supervising.

I would assume 'other avenues' means a plan to fall into if the elections are going the same way as Feb 2nd when they had no other avenues because PTP would not let then do anything but just forge ahead...... remember?

The PTP insisted on everything their own way.... very democratic if you ask me.... One party has the power to manipulate the EC... Thaksin democracy.

You lack even a rudimentary grasp of the group alignments in the current crisis. The EC along with various courts is strongly aligned with the anti-democracy movement. They dragged their feet about the Feb 2 election, made no effort to protect polling places and, in some cases, sided with Suthep's thugs in intimidating voters who came to exercise their right to vote. At one point one of the EC commissioners even wondered whether elections were worth having. In any advanced democracy a remark like that would have cost him his job immediately.

My hope is that the Reds' holding mass meetings will remind the ammart that they are not going away and that there will be costs to suppressing elections as there were in 2010.

You seem to be lacking a grasp of reality.

Putting your bias aside for a moment, Thaksin is clearly the leader of the 'anti democracy movement'.

PDRC want to introduce real democracy. They want checks and balances that work. An election under the current system just means more of the same crappiness we have right now. This is why reforms are necessary, nay essential.

Thaksin and cohorts don't ever want that to happen as he likes the corruption he can get away with under the current system.

SO LET'S GET THAAT STRAIGHT FOR A START.

As for your brainwash installed enemy the 'ammart', you need look no further than Thaksin, Tida, Jatuporn, Nuttawat, Yingluck etc etc., they have all become extraordinarily wealthy of late, now where did all that tax money and rice money disappear to....?

[Ulic]

These buffoons have already demonstrated they could barely organize a church bake sale. What has changed that they

now think they can organize a successful election for July 20th. What changes have they planned to provide safe

candidate registration and safe polling stations.

[Jonmarleesco]

'... the EC has recommended that the election be on the scheduled date to prevent any contingencies that may otherwise arise.' May otherwise arise? If a contingency is going to arise, it will arise. But presumably there has been some monastic input involved, as well.