Well, at least now we know what the old military junta backers and participants want.

I don't know what they hope to achieve by this except to put the nation on edge and to risk a constitutional legal crisis.

This is a complex legal situation, and unprecedented. In constitutional monarchies, had the House still been sitting and not dissolved, the monarch could have called upon one of the other parties to form a government. For example, had the government lost a no confidence vote. The other option is an election.

Unfortunately, the only option now according to many constitutional law experts is that an election must be held, as everyone has resigned. The current government is only in place in a caretaker role and has limited authority to do anything. The country is in limbo because there are no "active" MPs. I don't see how a "neutral" 3rd party, even if accepted by all sides would have the legal mandate to function as the PM. Where would the cabinet ministers come from? My understanding is that an appointment of unelected officials would be contrary to the constitution.

Very sad to see the way things are progressing.

I would like to see them put their full weight behind a democratic solution with respect for elections at the front.

What this sounds like however, is a military based solution with a "don't argue" stamp on it. After all, prem was one of the people who started off this mess for his role in instigating the coup in 2006 which triggered all that followed

The people that control Prem have decided. Their camp can't win an election so they have a dictator.

"Prems" plan goes thru and it will be jail for anybody to even question it.

The message is, if you want to stay healthy, act like good little North Koreans.

I think Prem has more influence than that, its like game of thrones, the inner circle has the highest lvl of influence

Where as you clearly have the highest level of effluence

I would like to see them put their full weight behind a democratic solution with respect for elections at the front.

What this sounds like however, is a military based solution with a "don't argue" stamp on it. After all, prem was one of the people who started off this mess for his role in instigating the coup in 2006 which triggered all that followed

The people that control Prem have decided. Their camp can't win an election so they have a dictator.

"Prems" plan goes thru and it will be jail for anybody to even question it.

The message is, if you want to stay healthy, act like good little North Koreans.

As per norm with the PTP. the Nth Koreans junta win all their elections, same mode as the PTP.

If you posters were in that country you would not have much say at the booth. Yingluck was pushing through the Feb 2nd with the same style as the Nth Koreans, ram it through before the people get to know the truth about our last 3 years.

We did have a government SUPPOSED to be governing but instead defied the courts and all advice. Hence the situ now.

Wasn't Prem implicated in the 2006 fiasco?

Wasn't Prem implicated in the 2006 fiasco?

oh yes, he was the prime instigator of that coup. lets see if he learned his lesson.

It is the correct group to resolve the upcoming vacuum but think this should be occurring after the judicial process has dealt to the puppet and Thaksin's cronies.

What makes this group the "correct" one to resolve things?

Old generals and government officials are a dime a dozen in Thailand. Or is this the cream of the crop?

I would like to see them put their full weight behind a democratic solution with respect for elections at the front.

What this sounds like however, is a military based solution with a "don't argue" stamp on it. After all, prem was one of the people who started off this mess for his role in instigating the coup in 2006 which triggered all that followed

The people that control Prem have decided. Their camp can't win an election so they have a dictator.

"Prems" plan goes thru and it will be jail for anybody to even question it.

The message is, if you want to stay healthy, act like good little North Koreans.

As per norm with the PTP. the Nth Koreans junta win all their elections, same mode as the PTP.

If you posters were in that country you would not have much say at the booth. Yingluck was pushing through the Feb 2nd with the same style as the Nth Koreans, ram it through before the people get to know the truth about our last 3 years.

We did have a government SUPPOSED to be governing but instead defied the courts and all advice. Hence the situ now.

What a stupid analogy. If the government was like North Korea, Suthep would have been fed to the dogs months ago.

The published version of this story, as it appears in print in today's Nation, quotes a spokesman saying that Prem only acknowledged receipt of the proposal and that he did NOT undertake to act on it.

I would like to see them put their full weight behind a democratic solution with respect for elections at the front.

What this sounds like however, is a military based solution with a "don't argue" stamp on it. After all, prem was one of the people who started off this mess for his role in instigating the coup in 2006 which triggered all that followed

The people that control Prem have decided. Their camp can't win an election so they have a dictator.

"Prems" plan goes thru and it will be jail for anybody to even question it.

The message is, if you want to stay healthy, act like good little North Koreans.

Yes, the Bangkok elites know a judicial coup is viewed as the same as a military coup, and the Bangkok elites know neither is tolerable to the general population. So the judicial coup is no longer viable either. The Bangkok ammart are consequently desperate for the way to prevail. This is their default position.

Prem and Saiyut are of the same generation, its values, mores, Thai ethics. The Men of State are the last remnants of that period. They are the ancien regime. It's probably the ironic workings of Thai justice that these guys should precipitate the demise of their own paradigm and its systems, structures, networks.

It anyway can be called ironic. Others might call it predictable. Those who prevail will write the history books to say which it was.

Presently however, some one posted this is only the beginning. To which I would add there lie ahead another 180 longest days and longer nights.

Reminds me of the US Army Captain in the Vietnam War who said they had to burn the village in order to save it.

The published version of this story, as it appears in print in today's Nation, quotes a spokesman saying that Prem only acknowledged receipt of the proposal and that he did NOT undertake to act on it.

The published version of this story, as it appears in print in today's Nation, quotes a spokesman saying that Prem only acknowledged receipt of the proposal and that he did NOT undertake to act on it.

Thank you !!!!

Every thing beyond is speculation which put TVF members at risk of over reaction

Was there a royal decree for the Feb 2nd election?

Yes.

Amazingly/apparently it is not a violation of Lese Majeste laws to publicly denounce and disrupt a Royally Decreed election.

Go figure?

But I will not talk in detail about it now!

Bit like sutep not outlining his reform plans.

A lot of talk with no substance!

Given Thaksin's lack of morals about spreading lies and disinformation, it's a great idea NOT to give him a heads-up and a chance to do something about it before it happens.

That sounds like a blanket excuse for non-transparency (hold of with the comments about the PTP government transparency issues - not contesting this). Fact is they just did a Chalerm ("I know who it is, but I won't tell you yet"), and got away with it. If it was the ear medicine man, you'd be all over the issue.

May I suggest that it might be better, in this case, to fight disinformation by shedding more light on truth and fact, rather than adopting one's adversary's ways? (Again, hold off the "but PTP/Thaksin" thing....well aware of their ways).

This whole attitude of "we know better" is to be deplored, while at the same time it might also be partially correct.

I would like to see them put their full weight behind a democratic solution with respect for elections at the front.

What this sounds like however, is a military based solution with a "don't argue" stamp on it. After all, prem was one of the people who started off this mess for his role in instigating the coup in 2006 which triggered all that followed

The people that control Prem have decided. Their camp can't win an election so they have a dictator.

"Prems" plan goes thru and it will be jail for anybody to even question it.

The message is, if you want to stay healthy, act like good little North Koreans.

As per norm with the PTP. the Nth Koreans junta win all their elections, same mode as the PTP.

If you posters were in that country you would not have much say at the booth. Yingluck was pushing through the Feb 2nd with the same style as the Nth Koreans, ram it through before the people get to know the truth about our last 3 years.

We did have a government SUPPOSED to be governing but instead defied the courts and all advice. Hence the situ now.

What a stupid analogy. If the government was like North Korea, Suthep would have been fed to the dogs months ago.

I agree with you on the Suthep point.

But as with all the pro gov posters no answer to the governing aspect of PTP, that was what my post answer was about, before you hi-jacked the post and turned it into a Suthep topic. so yours was a stupid answer to the the subject of governance. As in the election pledge was ????

Supposedly from another report on this in the other news media The Man of State group was formed back on Jan 28 and the video of its meeting was posted the following day. Its members believe the current crisis needs to be solved by the intervention of the army and His Majesty the King, so I don’t think it is a passive instrument… one can only hope that it doesn’t make Suthep a hero, though in the eyes of many he already has acquired that status will be an interesting month going forward.

But I will not talk in detail about it now!

Bit like sutep not outlining his reform plans.

A lot of talk with no substance!

More substance than you think. Royal succession, as reported by giving the Crown Prince control over all Royal guards (published in the Royal Gazette and signed by YL), should assure there is Royal succession independent of politics.

Article 7, requires an election in 60-90 days if petitioned by a non-political party such as Suthep's group or The Man of State group. However, The Man of State group is calling for something else, the legalities of which are not yet set. If it happens, it would mean tearing up the 2007 constitution as it would be a type of a coup in which case a new constitution could be written making it legal. Is a military coup legal? No, but when a new constitution is written following a coup, then that coup is not illegal.

Something needs to be done when the Democrats can't campaign where the majority of the voters live without fearing for their lives. Each time this happens it is already a civil war. In my view, Thailand doesn't have a democracy in any sense of word.

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Posts removed from view.

Please note: No discussion whatsoever on His Majesty in a political context and no speculation on any other aspect of His Majesty or other members of the Royal Family.

Thank-you.

Do what the Bangkok Post did from the outset - The discussion board on this article has been turned off, because commenting on the above issue may cause legal dispute.

I think it is very unfair of Prem and the rest to involve His Majesty. For the sake of all Thais they should leave His Majesty to concentrate on his health so that he can continue to lead his people on their democratic path for many years to come. The Thai people need to sort this one out in the name of His Majesty by holding democratic elections so that a truly representative government can decide what reforms are needed.

The likely advice from above will along the lines of

Respect the rule of law, and respect the courts.

Very simple and to the point. Hopefully it will shut up a lot of deluded people on here who think a judgement from the courts in line with the rule of law is a 'judicial coup'.... lest they dare make statements that even Thais won't after HM has spoken.... To defy the royal command will be seen as lese majeste.

End of problem.

The published version of this story, as it appears in print in today's Nation, quotes a spokesman saying that Prem only acknowledged receipt of the proposal and that he did NOT undertake to act on it.

I hadn't read that as Sunday is my busiest day of the week, but it sounds more viable. Prem knows he has to be cautious in this. It's the old trial balloon approach, i.e., propose an idea and wait for the blowback. Run up the flag to see if anyone salutes, or how many may salute. If only a few salute, you yourself salute, turn, walk away to the next idea.

Trouble is I don't think there's any next idea.

Surely Prem knows the situation inside the armed forces. And I do mean surely. Most of 'em are conscripts from red areas and there are watermelon officers at every level, from small unit commanders to large force commanders of very high ranks. Prayuth and Anupong before him sidetracked most of the watermelon brass, but it's concomitantly true that excluding watermelon brass only gives them more powerful motives.

Neither Prayuth nor Anupong want the armed forces involved. Their generation of officers across the armed forces experienced the disaster of 1991, the fiasco of 2006 and the bloody clashes of 2010. The army are currently deployed in Bangkok at well protected checkpoints and only to appear neutral and benign. And only just in case, defensively, not offensively.

The bottom line is that the Bangkok ammart are running out of options.

The published version of this story, as it appears in print in today's Nation, quotes a spokesman saying that Prem only acknowledged receipt of the proposal and that he did NOT undertake to act on it.

fair point, also, the acknowledgement in and of itself is significant. most requests are stopped at the door

Wasn't Prem implicated in the 2006 fiasco?

oh yes, he was the prime instigator of that coup. lets see if he learned his lesson.

According to Wikileaks, Prem was compelled to run the 2006 coup.

Search, #thaistory

Supposedly from another report on this in the other news media The Man of State group was formed back on Jan 28 and the video of its meeting was posted the following day. Its members believe the current crisis needs to be solved by the intervention of the army and His Majesty the King, so I don’t think it is a passive instrument… one can only hope that it doesn’t make Suthep a hero, though in the eyes of many he already has acquired that status will be an interesting month going forward.

Jan. was a long time ago. It is possible that things have evolved.

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It's good to see men such as Prem are not intimidated by the Red thugs, and are willing to work to resolve the situation.

Yeah. A billionaire General. That's who we need.

I would support him as long as he agrees to a polygraph test and some questions about origins of his wealth.

Why don't you ask for that test to be done on all future PMs?

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Supposedly from another report on this in the other news media The Man of State group was formed back on Jan 28 and the video of its meeting was posted the following day. Its members believe the current crisis needs to be solved by the intervention of the army and His Majesty the King, so I don’t think it is a passive instrument… one can only hope that it doesn’t make Suthep a hero, though in the eyes of many he already has acquired that status will be an interesting month going forward.

Jan. was a long time ago. It is possible that things have evolved.

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I hope so for sure and think we all feel the same way about that...

The published version of this story, as it appears in print in today's Nation, quotes a spokesman saying that Prem only acknowledged receipt of the proposal and that he did NOT undertake to act on it.

I hadn't read that as Sunday is my busiest day of the week, but it sounds more viable. Prem knows he has to be cautious in this. It's the old trial balloon approach, i.e., propose an idea and wait for the blowback. Run up the flag to see if anyone salutes, or how many may salute. If only a few salute, you yourself salute, turn, walk away to the next idea.

Trouble is I don't think there's any next idea.

Surely Prem knows the situation inside the armed forces. And I do mean surely. Most of 'em are conscripts from red areas and there are watermelon officers at every level, from small unit commanders to large force commanders of very high ranks. Prayuth and Anupong before him sidetracked most of the watermelon brass, but it's concomitantly true that excluding watermelon brass only gives them more powerful motives.

Neither Prayuth nor Anupong want the armed forces involved. Their generation of officers across the armed forces experienced the disaster of 1991, the fiasco of 2006 and the bloody clashes of 2010. The army are currently deployed in Bangkok at well protected checkpoints and only to appear neutral and benign. And only just in case, defensively, not offensively.

The bottom line is that the Bangkok ammart are running out of options.

What do you mean the amart are running out of options?

You mean YL and the government are not actually involved in court cases which should see them all banned?

If in fact the amart are actually pulling all the strings, I would say they are approaching the winning line with the others trailing way behind.

The only people who have run out of options is the government and their cronies like the UDD and the red movement.

Just needs a word from above to respect the court and they certainly will have nowhere left to turn.... Possibly an appeal to all to respect the election process and to make sure it is totally free and fair..... Then the pro gov camp will be well and truly scuppered, and so will Suthep regarding disruptions, but I doubt Suthep would be against a free and fair election because he knows the Dems would win and his reforms will be for the benefit of the people rather than for the benefit of the Shins.

The published version of this story, as it appears in print in today's Nation, quotes a spokesman saying that Prem only acknowledged receipt of the proposal and that he did NOT undertake to act on it.

Yes but the omission of that fact here has garnered a lot of views/hits for TV. Again.

Thailands future will not be decided by a small clique of 90 year old dinosaurs.

Thailand is no longer theirs, it now belongs to the people.

These diaper wearing geriatrics days of murderous oppression and extravagant gluttony are over.

Thailands future will not be decided by a small clique of 90 year old dinosaurs.

Thailand is no longer theirs, it now belongs to the people.

These diaper wearing geriatrics days of murderous oppression and extravagant gluttony are over.

Also it will NOT be decided by a Shins regime. Anything normal will suit, no matter who, bring them on.