Thailand's EC to discuss measures to prevent poll blockades

[webfact]

EC to discuss measures to prevent poll blockades
CHANIKARN PHUMHIRAN
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- ELECTION COMMISSION (EC) OFFICIALS have learned from the blockade of ballots and candidacy registration for the February 2 poll and come up with measures to prevent such blockades recurring.

EC commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn said he held a meeting with senior officials on Saturday and again yesterday and the officials had agreed on resolutions for 13 problems encountered during the failed election.

The previous poll was nullified by the Constitutional Court on the grounds that the EC failed to organise it on the same day due to protests and blockades of candidacy registrations, advance voting and distribution of ballots by protesters.

Somchai said the resolutions would not be made public for fear that protesters would try to find ways to render the moves ineffective so they can disrupt elections again.

The measures will be proposed to the full EC meeting tomorrow (Tuesday). If the EC agrees with the measures, it will hold a meeting with the government on Wednesday to seek support for the measures.

Solutions sought for 13 problems

Somchai, who is in charge of organising elections, asked the election officials to ponder the following measures:

n How to hold the registration of party-list candidates and lot drawing to distribute candidacy numbers to political parties without disruption by protesters;

n How to register candidates for 375 constituencies nationwide;

n How to speed up checking of candidates' qualifications by 13 state agencies;

n How to prevent ballot printing from being disrupted by protesters;

n How to prevent party-list ballot distribution to provinces from being blocked by protesters;

n How to prevent protesters from disrupting ballots and ballot box distribution to polling stations;

n How to prevent protesters from blocking advance voting at 1,100 stations nationwide;

n How to deal with the abrupt resignation of polling station officials and provincial election officials;

n How to encourage more Thai expatriates to vote at Thai embassies and consular offices;

n How to ensure the delivery of ballots cast by Thai expatriates back to Thailand in time for ballot counting;

n How to set up an Election Directing Centre to deal with an emergency;

n How to deal with community radio stations and electronic media that may incite people to break election laws.

EC secretary general Puchong Nutrawong said the commission would today discuss complaints about the half-Senate voting in 15 remaining provinces.

Puchong said if deliberation on the cases could not be done within a one-month deadline, the top vote earners in the 15 provinces would be endorsed as senators and the EC would review complaints against the winners later.

Puchong said the EC would also discuss |a request by Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva for a meeting with commissioners.

-- The Nation 2014-04-28

[chooka]

Wish this PDRC morons would just let people vote and put an end to all this political nonsense.

[chainarong]

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

Wish this PDRC morons would just let people vote and put an end to all this political nonsense.

Suthep neck is on the chopping block if the PTP get back in Chooka , he will do anything to keep that away ,he's made he's bed now he has to sleep in it.

[tezzainoz]

Wish this PDRC morons would just let people vote and put an end to all this political nonsense.

from a poll taken of Thais, not TVF members

10 per cent want the majority voice to be respected,

so why did 90% think that elections at this time will not solve the problem

[tezzainoz]

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

Wish this PDRC morons would just let people vote and put an end to all this political nonsense.

Suthep neck is on the chopping block if the PTP get back in Chooka , he will do anything to keep that away ,he's made he's bed now he has to sleep in it.

and if PTP do not get back in

all the books will be open to see what corruption has taken place while they took the power

So they will do anything to keep that from happening, They know they have made there bed now they are having nighmares

[NongKhaiKid]

If blockades happen it helps if the BIB do something they're not good at, THEIR JOB !

[jpeg]

Wish this PDRC morons would just let people vote and put an end to all this political nonsense.

In the present apolitical climate it really wouldn't matter. Once the PTP got in again, the PDRC would come out onto the streets, again. They ain't gonna just sit back and say 'fair do's, you won' after having done everything in their power to keep Taksin out. And next time it'll be more violent.

[Gunna]

He left off the most important things

How to stop vote buying

How to stop voting for candidates forced on them by the village leader

ie how to hold a free and fair election

Isn't that also part of the EC's job

If I were EC I would annouce that if any party was caught doing the above, the whole party and all their candidates would be banned from politics.

But of course Thaksin couldn't win then

[rickirs]

After its creation in 2007 seven years ago, it's good to see that EC has solutions for 13 election problems. Hopefully any new problems won't take as long. The EC might also consider some amendments to the Constitution that provide a future framework on rulemaking for election problems. Such framework would provide Parliament to establish laws to memorialize some of the more basic solutions such as unavailability of voting stations on election day (such as weather, national emergency, insurgency, etc.) so that the people don't have to wait months for the EC to enact responsive procedures.

The EC will be meeting with Abhisit. Will this be televised seeing as Suthep and Abhisit want to see all meetings with the Government televised for purposes of transparency? Will there be a full disclosure of the meeting to the public? The EC must maintain the APPEARANCE of political nuetrality despite some members failing to do so, and having full public record of ANY meetings with political representatives will promote EC transparency and nuetrality.

[rickirs]

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

Wish this PDRC morons would just let people vote and put an end to all this political nonsense.

from a poll taken of Thais, not TVF members

10 per cent want the majority voice to be respected,

so why did 90% think that elections at this time will not solve the problem

Is that a poll from your family? Recent poll reported in the Nation showed (aside from any statistical validity issues) that 49% of those polled want the elections to take place now.

You want to see the "majority voice" respected? The Yingluck administration represented the Thai majority of voters in the 2010 election. Where was the Democrat/PDRC respect for that majority voice? The PDRC now claims it has the majority behind its political program - but it FEARS participation in an election that it cannot control.

[tezzainoz]

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

Wish this PDRC morons would just let people vote and put an end to all this political nonsense.

from a poll taken of Thais, not TVF members

10 per cent want the majority voice to be respected,

so why did 90% think that elections at this time will not solve the problem

Is that a poll from your family? Recent poll reported in the Nation showed (aside from any statistical validity issues) that 49% of those polled want the elections to take place now.

You want to see the "majority voice" respected? The Yingluck administration represented the Thai majority of voters in the 2010 election. Where was the Democrat/PDRC respect for that majority voice? The PDRC now claims it has the majority behind its political program - but it FEARS participation in an election that it cannot control.

Please do some research before you make false comments

her is the article from the Nation

Political rivals urged to 'cool it'

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- A DUSIT POLL survey released yesterday found most people wanted rival political camps to take one step back to end the political deadlock, fearing it could spiral into civil strife.

Asked what they believed politicians should do to end the crisis, of 1,372 people (44 per cent) wanted rival camps to forgive and do away with an obstinate attitude.

Asked what they believed was the reason the political crisis has been prolonged, 39 per cent said rival political camps were not sincere in solving problems but were playing games, 25 per cent said so much was at stake people could not let go, 20 per cent said the political divide had occurred for too long and was too deep, 7 per cent cited law loopholes, lax enforcement and double standards and another 7 per cent pointed to a lack of politicians with the right attitude.

As for their number-one plea to those concerned, 43 per cent want all sides to have a sense of unity and compassion for each other so peace returns to Thailand, 25 per cent want any actions that create negative consequences to be stopped, 11 per cent want politicians to stop quarrelling, 10 per cent want the majority voice to be respected, and 9 per cent want no violence as a solution.

The poll was conducted from April 23-26 on people across the country.

Asked what their main concern was, 37 per cent said deep political divisions and corruption, 35 per cent said an economic meltdown and high living costs, 14 per cent said social problems such as the spread of illegal drugs and the rise of crime, 7 per |cent said the low quality education, and 5 per cent said environmental problems.

Now read the 4th paragraph

10 per cent want the majority voice to be respected

This is not my opinion

but from the article that you just said supports your comment

[Robby nz]

Surely having to discuss ways to prevent polls being blocked shows that the country isn't ready for an election.

Until there is an agreement that an election should go ahead then there is little chance of it producing a result.

We saw proof of this on Feb 2.

Should PT or any other Thaksin proxy party lose an election there will be a repeat of 2010 for he will never accept being out of power.

And whats this EC meeting with 'the Government' , I didn't know we had one.

Only a caretaker cabinet.

[dwcrist]

The solution is simple. Protestors should be allowed to protest, but not to sabotage a democratic election since that is no longer protesting. A police force should be deployed at every voting venue and military teams should be on stand-by for deployment. Anyone who denies others their right to vote should be arrested and charged with treason to overthrow the democratic process. Anyone who protests peacefully and does not hinder others' rights, should be left alone and allowed to express their opinion. Everyone's rights (both to protest and to vote) should be respected and protected by by all parties involved.

[Scamper]

Thai elections have - even at the best of times - been woefully and inadequately regulated events - despite all the spin otherwise. Reading this list of thirteen problems that the EC wants to solve - and the sheer magnitude of some of them - that is somehow expected to all come together in an orderly and transparent manner, in a national election that is spread out over just seven hours - suggests that a trip to the moon would be a more manageable goal. At least we know men have been on the moon before. There has never been a Thai election that suggests the cleanliness of this list. Thai elections have been fraught with irregularities. There are two routes here. The one proposed here is a set of modus operandi meant to successfully manage an election that has strong opposition in half the country. The other route is to find a way where the whole of the country would wish to take part. Method one involves a lot of struggle, with no guarantee of a successful outcome. Method two avoids the struggle and creates a more conducive environment for consensus and going forward.

[Baerboxer]

Wish this PDRC morons would just let people vote and put an end to all this political nonsense.

Wish the police would stop all their corruption and bias towards one family and actually enforce the law, keep the peace and do their job,

[tingtongteesood]

There is one sure path to making sure there are no disruptions. Shin's out and free and fair elections overseen by outsiders with NO party bias in tow. Any other way will not be acceptable. Welcome to the new world....

[fab4]

Maybe I'm alone in this, but personally I would have thought that an Election Commission whose responsibility it is to run an election would already know the answers to these questions and would have the answers. To be asking these questions only now just reeks of incompetence.

Just a thought........................

[tingtongteesood]

The solution is simple. Protestors should be allowed to protest, but not to sabotage a democratic election since that is no longer protesting. A police force should be deployed at every voting venue and military teams should be on stand-by for deployment. Anyone who denies others their right to vote should be arrested and charged with treason to overthrow the democratic process. Anyone who protests peacefully and does not hinder others' rights, should be left alone and allowed to express their opinion. Everyone's rights (both to protest and to vote) should be respected and protected by by all parties involved.

And there's the rub. Thaksin does not like democracy as it ties hiss hands too much, he likes the appearance of democracy without actually having to follow the rules of it. PDRC want real democracy hence the call for reforms. Thaksin and bootlickers will do all in their power to prevent reforms as they want the veneer of democracy whilst really running a dictatorship. All heil president Thaksin. NO WAY !!

[fab4]

Wish this PDRC morons would just let people vote and put an end to all this political nonsense.

from a poll taken of Thais, not TVF members

10 per cent want the majority voice to be respected,

so why did 90% think that elections at this time will not solve the problem

You were shown that the questions asked were not mutually exclusive and therefore your simplistic summary was disambiguous, on the other thread, Thai poll: Political rivals urged to 'cool it'.

Obviously you didn't like to be proved wrong, chose to ignore it and continue pushing your erroneous theory on this thread

Not exactly, because those choices are not mutually exclusive. Meaning, it is possible to want a sense of unity and compassion for each other so peace returns to Thailand, *AND* a stop to actions that create negative consequences *AND* a stop political quarrelling *AND* an avoidance of violence *AND* the majority voice to be respected.

It is possible to want and have *ALL* of those things... don't you agree?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/721948-thai-poll-political-rivals-urged-to-cool-it/#entry7746338

Edited April 28, 2014 by fab4

[The stuttering parrot]

Doesn't matter whether the shins are there or not.

The yellows dems are so much on the nose with the thai people the last thing they want is an election so they think by blocking them again they will achieve their end game,

Wrong!

Again!

[fab4]

The solution is simple. Protestors should be allowed to protest, but not to sabotage a democratic election since that is no longer protesting. A police force should be deployed at every voting venue and military teams should be on stand-by for deployment. Anyone who denies others their right to vote should be arrested and charged with treason to overthrow the democratic process. Anyone who protests peacefully and does not hinder others' rights, should be left alone and allowed to express their opinion. Everyone's rights (both to protest and to vote) should be respected and protected by by all parties involved.

And there's the rub. Thaksin does not like democracy as it ties hiss hands too much, he likes the appearance of democracy without actually having to follow the rules of it. PDRC want real democracy hence the call for reforms. Thaksin and bootlickers will do all in their power to prevent reforms as they want the veneer of democracy whilst really running a dictatorship. All heil president Thaksin. NO WAY !!

"PDRC want real democracy hence the call for reforms."

Their Head Man seems to have a different view to your sugar coated version - a translation of his infamous "sovereign power" speech

“When that happens, [we] will seize power because sovereign power belongs to the people because the government blew itself up [killed itself] since the day of the dissolution on December 9, 2013. Therefore, we have legitimate right to declare ourselves the sovereign of the people same as when Sarit Thanarat stated a revolution and issued an order. At that time, there was an order to shoot. We will seize the assets of all the Shinawatra family [and] then let them prove which assets came from honest activities. The reason we need promptly cease the assets so as to help the farmers to the tune of 120 billion Baht. Then, we will issue orders prohibiting Shinawatra family , Chalerm, Surapong, Nattawut from leaving the country and to report themselves”

Suthep further stated “from then orders will be issued appointing a new PM and a new Cabinet and I will submit the name of the PM and the Cabinet to the King. I will countersign the Royal Command appointing the PM in capacity as medium of the people. From there will be appointment of a National Assembly belonging to the people and quick reform of the country according to the blueprints laid out previously”

http://asiancorrespondent.com/121535/suthep-claims-sovereign-power-to-do-as-he-pleases/

Doesn't sound much like democracy to me, in fact, it's basically a coup. Even The Nation picked up on that

If democratic reform really is the ultimate goal of the anti-government protesters, as they claim, one has to wonder why their leader, Suthep Thaugsuban, last Saturday proposed the equivalent of a coup d’etat.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Reform-or-just-same-old-power-play-30231060.html

[dwcrist]

The solution is simple. Protestors should be allowed to protest, but not to sabotage a democratic election since that is no longer protesting. A police force should be deployed at every voting venue and military teams should be on stand-by for deployment. Anyone who denies others their right to vote should be arrested and charged with treason to overthrow the democratic process. Anyone who protests peacefully and does not hinder others' rights, should be left alone and allowed to express their opinion. Everyone's rights (both to protest and to vote) should be respected and protected by by all parties involved.

And there's the rub. Thaksin does not like democracy as it ties hiss hands too much, he likes the appearance of democracy without actually having to follow the rules of it. PDRC want real democracy hence the call for reforms. Thaksin and bootlickers will do all in their power to prevent reforms as they want the veneer of democracy whilst really running a dictatorship. All heil president Thaksin. NO WAY !!

Then what are the reforms? Where are the detailed outlines and plans of what needs to happen and how to implement it? The simple answer is that they do not exist. It is clear that the PDRC only wants to regain power undemocratically. If the reforms were the heart of the issue it should be the case that specific reforms are formally outlined and proposed within the democratic system to improve it, not just an idea of undefined reforms to be performed by an undefined undemocratic unelected small group of elites. If reforms that benefit all Thais and supported by most Thais are proposed and rejected by the government, that is a good reason to protest and even hold a new election (because most Thais would already want the reforms and a change in leadership).

Why can't the reforms happen within the democratic process? And if you are for real democracy, then why are you against a democratic election?

Why the need for reforms before elections? Do you expect reforms to change the minds of the Thai people, or do you intend the reforms to disqualify certain voters or ban anyone you choose to ban from politics?

If your reforms are more important to you than just gaining power, then why aren't they clearly defined yet? And how can you expect people to agree with the urgent need for your reforms when you haven't even drafted them?