Democrats threaten to boycott poll

[Som wat]

Thais and not getting what they want.... at every level of society here.

[Morch]

"Plenty of other parties to partake in the election if you don't" - how many voters do these parties represent? Pheu Thai and Democrat supporters make over 75% of the popular vote.

I'm not trying to say that what the Democrat Party does is commendable, just that if one accepts that they do represent a large segment of the voters, ignoring them wouldn't solve the Thailand's political mess. Same holds true for the Democrat Party in relation to the wishes of the other side. A working democracy is supposed to be inclusive and comprehensive.

Of course, it can be argued that no party in Thailand really represents the voters, but the interests of its leaders.

The way votes are translated into parliamentary seats is somewhat unique in Thailand. Maybe they should do away with the party list system. This would, theoretically mean that those elected are accountable to their electorate. PTP lost the Don Meuang by-election and the Bangkok governor election when they thought they'd win even if they put a telegraph pole up as candidate. So there are some swings.

A system of proportional representation may also stop, or at least reduce the dominance of any political clan.

The corruption has always been here - but the greed has grown to unmanageable and unsustainable proportions. The rich all need bigger and more mansions, more expensive fleets of cars, private airplanes etc etc. The small % enjoying this lifestyle won't give it up easily.

The Bangkok Governor election is being rerun because of cheating by the democrat backed Sukhumbhand Paribatra. He was yellow carded for breaking election law http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/ec-yellowcards-bangkok-governor-sukhumbhand/

Actually they did not pin this on cheating by Sukhumbhand:

Despite the yellow card, the EC said it didn’t find any evidence to suggest that Sukhumbhand had anything to do with the allegations which would have prompted the EC to issue him a red card instead of a yellow card.

Although stripped of the governorship, Sukhumbhand is not banned from contesting the poll.

This was more due to others of his party breaking elections rules. One may argue about the limits of responsibility, but that would lead the discussion to the Rice Pledging Scheme and 2010, thereby officially derailing the topic.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Morch

[geovalin]

I read the Abisith's proposal one minute ago.

I'm horrified!!!!

For the Dem's, power cannot come from the smelly uneducated people, power has to be delivered by a superior authority. "Good people" in power is something "natural", you should not have to justify yourself or explain, it's like rain and sun, power has to be in "the hands of the good people", that's it.

Thus, it's inappropriable to run in election (even if they can win), just wait the next -any kind of- coup. Elections could make the populace think that the vote of one person in Isan is as valuable as the vote of one "good person".

If the power does come from the people by election, you have to be grateful and prepare for the next poll, even worst you have to care about the populace.

"taking care of the people" in Dem's vocabulary is called "populism"

[michaelscottfan]

Holy shit @ his proposal. It's even crazier than I thought it'd be. At minimum, no one can any longer pretend that he ever had any intention of real compromise without looking like a moron. Of course that probably isn't much of a concern for some of the shills on this site.

[ginjag]

I read the Abisith's proposal one minute ago.

I'm horrified!!!!

For the Dem's, power cannot come from the smelly uneducated people, power has to be delivered by a superior authority. "Good people" in power is something "natural", you should not have to justify yourself or explain, it's like rain and sun, power has to be in "the hands of the good people", that's it.

Thus, it's inappropriable to run in election (even if they can win), just wait the next -any kind of- coup. Elections could make the populace think that the vote of one person in Isan is as valuable as the vote of one "good person".

If the power does come from the people by election, you have to be grateful and prepare for the next poll, even worst you have to care about the populace.

"taking care of the people" in Dem's vocabulary is called "populism"

Complete reforms before the next poll, otherwise not fair on the electorate.

Give them the truth re-bad governing--all to reveal, have the Thai rural people more clear about what is really going on, and not be controlled by red shirted village headman--all red villages to be outlawed, freedom to rural Thailand.

If this is not deemed fair, sorry.

[Dr Bruce]

Now I am very confused.

Did Abashit say yesterday that he would not take part in the July 20 election unless his proposals were accepted. Now we hear that his main proposal is that there are no elections on July 20th?

[wandasloan]

Complete reforms before the next poll, otherwise not fair on the electorate.

Do tell. How do you know when you're finished. You seem to feel reform can be timed.

This is really the whole problem with reform. AFTER reform, away you go, and you find out that someone is still dipping into the highway fund, or some government official's cousin suddenly got a nice job in his office, or a foreigner has paid someone at immigration for a service, and succeeded. More likely all three and several hundred more.

That proves that reform doesn't work? About as much as passing a few laws and having elections proved how serious you were about reform.

The idea expressed over and over every night at Lumpini Park and echoed mindlessly in here is that some airy, completely unstated theory about "reform" will take hold in, as Mark says, 15 to 30 days. Or maybe a year, Or maybe it will take two years, but THEN reform will be complete.

Why? Corrupt people won't be corrupt any more? By trying to impose some weird, unstated idea about reform, by force, without a government, without an election, all you're doing is ASSURING that in a month or year or two years, millions of people will be mocking you, cursing you and threatening you for incompetence, hypocrisy and power-grabbing for your own enjoyment - and failing to curb corruption. And weirdly, that's a future you want.

I like the example of US election law. They have been reforming that every year for more than 30 years I personally know about, and every election is MORE controlled by the money people. Why do you think you won't commit this on Thailand?

.

[Chang_paarp]

I wonder how the Democrats will handle dissolution the party that will come if they do not contend 2 successive elections as per the electoral act.

Will they say that as the last election was declared invalid it does not count?

As a result they are back to one strike?

[h90]

I wonder how the Democrats will handle dissolution the party that will come if they do not contend 2 successive elections as per the electoral act.

Will they say that as the last election was declared invalid it does not count?

As a result they are back to one strike?

yes the last election was invalid....so July 20th will the first election. But I doubt it will happen.

[3NUMBAS]

well they can only lose again so teddies will be thrown out of the yellow shirt pram right from the start

[Thai at Heart]

well take your ball and go home you sooky little rich brats. Plenty of other parties to partake in the election and if you pull out then don't come running and crying that it is not fair because you didn't win. Stupid bunch of morons.

"Plenty of other parties to partake in the election if you don't" - how many voters do these parties represent? Pheu Thai and Democrat supporters make over 75% of the popular vote.

I'm not trying to say that what the Democrat Party does is commendable, just that if one accepts that they do represent a large segment of the voters, ignoring them wouldn't solve the Thailand's political mess. Same holds true for the Democrat Party in relation to the wishes of the other side. A working democracy is supposed to be inclusive and comprehensive.

Of course, it can be argued that no party in Thailand really represents the voters, but the interests of its leaders.

How many votes they represent is irellevant.

If the dems choose not to run, then they must answer to their supporters.

[Morch]

well take your ball and go home you sooky little rich brats. Plenty of other parties to partake in the election and if you pull out then don't come running and crying that it is not fair because you didn't win. Stupid bunch of morons.

"Plenty of other parties to partake in the election if you don't" - how many voters do these parties represent? Pheu Thai and Democrat supporters make over 75% of the popular vote.

I'm not trying to say that what the Democrat Party does is commendable, just that if one accepts that they do represent a large segment of the voters, ignoring them wouldn't solve the Thailand's political mess. Same holds true for the Democrat Party in relation to the wishes of the other side. A working democracy is supposed to be inclusive and comprehensive.

Of course, it can be argued that no party in Thailand really represents the voters, but the interests of its leaders.

How many votes they represent is irellevant.

If the dems choose not to run, then they must answer to their supporters.

I think a rather large chunk of their supporters actually want them NOT to take part.

This is, partially, why Abhisit and his party are in two minds about the elections.

[MaxLee]

Here we go again, all year, every day, every minute, every second, all year long, the same crap again.

Election-Collection-RESET... Election-Collection-RESET... Election-Collection-RESET... Election-Collection-RESET... Election-Collection-RESET...

Thaksin and Election-Collection is EXACTLY why problems will never be resolved in Thailand for all eternity...