Thai Senate deputy speaker vows to produce nation's exit strategy within a week

[webfact]

Senate deputy speaker vows to produce nation's exit strategy within a week

BANGKOK, 13 May 2014 (NNT) - First deputy Senate Speaker Surachai Liengboonlertchai revealed that the Senate would today invite government representatives for talks on the national exit strategies and would hold a similar discussion with heads of judges and independent agencies tomorrow.

The announcement was made on Monday after the late-night senate session. Mr. Surachai, who was last week selected as the new Senate Speaker, however declined to comment on whether or not the Senate would consider the Section 7 appointed Prime Minister as a possible way out to the ongoing political impasse.

Nonetheless, he said all offers are still on the table, including Section 7 and other approaches proposed by Democrat Party Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva.

He stressed that the Senate would attempt to produce a suitable exit strategy within a week, and if the proposed plan is being denied then the Senate would return its focus to the legislative procedure.

He also denied a claim made by Secretary General of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, Suthep Thaugsuban, that both of them had discussed and planned to install a new Prime Minister during their recent meeting.


-- NNT 2014-05-13

[terryp]

one word ..Bolllox

[Piichai]

An interesting development indeed!

[barryofpattaya]

Unfortunately the two sides will never agree. They don't agree when parliament is in session and they won't agree now. Even when one party is definitely correct the other party will disagree just to disagree.

[Snig27]

A fairly good pointer to why no sane person living in the real world would agree to a half appointed senate.

[Valentine]

A fairly good pointer to why no sane person living in the real world would agree to a half appointed senate.

So all Canadians with their appointed senate & Britain with their House of Lords are all insane?

Clearly from the article they are seeking a compromise solution so why not give them some credit.

[trainman34014]

I'm afraid Thailand's 'exit strategy' from the real world happened a very long time ago !

[FangFerang]

According to BP, the majority of senators at the 'informal session' yesterday supported invoking article 7 and appointing an interim PM (also during which the informal session the Senate Speaker had a closed door meeting with Suthep).

Curiouser and curiouser, said Alice.

We're all a little mad down here, the cat said and disappeared.

[noitom]

"A suitable exit strategy." That's what Thailand needs. Not the word "suitable." For whom is the exit strategy suitable?

[rreddin]

A fairly good pointer to why no sane person living in the real world would agree to a half appointed senate.

So all Canadians with their appointed senate & Britain with their House of Lords are all insane?

Clearly from the article they are seeking a compromise solution so why not give them some credit.

I will give them credit for trying. They deserve that. I think they are over optimistic in thinking they can come up witk a plan that is acceptable to all parties within a week. Therein lies part of Thailand's problem. They think deep rooted problems can be solved in a few days.

[chotthee]

First deputy Senate Speaker Surachai Liengboonlertchai my ace.

Did he know that he is NOT a first deputy Senate Speaker Surachai Liengboonlertchai yet.

Not until the royal confirmation.

[fab4]

A fairly good pointer to why no sane person living in the real world would agree to a half appointed senate.

So all Canadians with their appointed senate & Britain with their House of Lords are all insane?

Clearly from the article they are seeking a compromise solution so why not give them some credit.

The House of Lords does not have the power to remove the Prime Minister in the UK. They are there (supposedly) solely as a check and balance body.

[Prbkk]

A fairly good pointer to why no sane person living in the real world would agree to a half appointed senate.

So all Canadians with their appointed senate & Britain with their House of Lords are all insane?

Clearly from the article they are seeking a compromise solution so why not give them some credit.

The House of Lords does not have the power to remove the Prime Minister in the UK. They are there (supposedly) solely as a check and balance body.

Correct. In both countries the government is controlled by the fully elected lower house. In regard to this matter, is the Deputy Speaker now calling Suthep a liar? They need to get their story straight...this is becoming something like the Marx brothers.

[pkspeaker]

The Senate currently has NO power, it's last session ended on Saturday and will not reconvene until after the election, until the lower house returns..the discussions at the Senate yesterday were 'informal' sessions AND it was only attended by about 80, mostly appointed senators.. now Suthep thinks they can appoint a PM, they couldn't even do that if it were a real senate session.

There is such a thing as the force of law.. the Senate have these little hypothetical sessions, but CAPO will not allow any of these shenanigans from ever coming to .. yesterday EVEN THE MILITARY came out and said it was against appointing a PM using article 7.

Edited May 13, 2014 by pkspeaker

[wandasloan]

First deputy Senate Speaker Surachai Liengboonlertchai my ace.

Did he know that he is NOT a first deputy Senate Speaker Surachai Liengboonlertchai yet.

Not until the royal confirmation.

Khun chotthee, you have it backwards. He *is* the first deputy speaker, or to be exactly correct the caretaker first deputy speaker. He is the Speaker-elect, subject to royal confirmation which will take a bit of time, a few days while legal opinions are confirmed.

Because he was elected Speaker last week, he is often called Speaker or Speaker-elect. But he is actually the first deputy speaker, as stated, because that was his position in the last Senate session. That is what he will be until a new Speaker is confirmed by that royal appointment.

The Senate currently has NO power, it's last session ended on Saturday and will not reconvene until after the election, until the lower house returns..the discussions at the Senate yesterday were 'informal' sessions AND it was only attended by about 80, mostly appointed senators.. now Suthep thinks they can appoint a PM, they couldn't even do that if it were a real senate session.

There is such a thing as the force of law.. the Senate have these little hypothetical sessions, but CAPO will not allow any of these shenanigans from ever coming to .. yesterday EVEN THE MILITARY came out and said it was against appointing a PM using article 7.

Be very careful about saying "never", especially in these uncharted waters. The fact is that there is a Section 7 and it is always there like Damocles hammer*, and if something CAN happen, it probably will. The military did not say it could not use Section 7, the military only declined to use it. If anything, the military CONFIRMED that Section 7 could indeed be used.

* Yes, you're right, you're so intelligent, I'm impressed, etc etc. But there is such a thing as a mixed metaphor, too.

..

Edited May 13, 2014 by wandasloan

[Payboy]

A balcony jump?

[SABloke]

A fairly good pointer to why no sane person living in the real world would agree to a half appointed senate.

Better to go with fully appointed then i.e. UK, Canada

Read more...

Sent from my GT-S7270 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[pkspeaker]

Yesterday it was in the paper that the military came out against an appointed PM from the Senate, I don't know what you mean by the 'military using section 7' but it doesn't matter, Yingluck only needs some of the military supporting her, that is enough to insure no coups..the military using section 7 would be a coup..and it's not 'uncharted waters' we are still in the same place we have been for 6 months..the caretaker cabinet is in place awaiting the successful conclusion of the next election, as long as it is delayed and sabotaged, the caretaker government stays in place.

Be very careful about saying "never", especially in these uncharted waters. The fact is that there is a Section 7 and it is always there like Damocles hammer*, and if something CAN happen, it probably will. The military did not say it could not use Section 7, the military only declined to use it. If anything, the military CONFIRMED that Section 7 could indeed be used.

* Yes, you're right, you're so intelligent, I'm impressed, etc etc. But there is such a thing as a mixed metaphor, too.

[billd766]

A fairly good pointer to why no sane person living in the real world would agree to a half appointed senate.

So all Canadians with their appointed senate & Britain with their House of Lords are all insane?

Clearly from the article they are seeking a compromise solution so why not give them some credit.

I will give them credit for trying. They deserve that. I think they are over optimistic in thinking they can come up witk a plan that is acceptable to all parties within a week. Therein lies part of Thailand's problem. They think deep rooted problems can be solved in a few days.

It is not often that I agree with you but you are correct all the way with your post.

[Thailand]

Telling porkies are we Suthep?

[Sunderland]

A fairly good pointer to why no sane person living in the real world would agree to a half appointed senate.

Hilarious. So would you like to have the Parliament and Senate controlled by one party, or even one family?

Fortunately, we don't offer the chance of such stupidity in the U.K.

[Thai at Heart]

A fairly good pointer to why no sane person living in the real world would agree to a half appointed senate.

So all Canadians with their appointed senate & Britain with their House of Lords are all insane?

Clearly from the article they are seeking a compromise solution so why not give them some credit.

Depends very much, appointed by whom.

Peers in the UK are nominated by the government.

[Sunderland]

A fairly good pointer to why no sane person living in the real world would agree to a half appointed senate.

So all Canadians with their appointed senate & Britain with their House of Lords are all insane?

Clearly from the article they are seeking a compromise solution so why not give them some credit.

I will give them credit for trying. They deserve that. I think they are over optimistic in thinking they can come up witk a plan that is acceptable to all parties within a week. Therein lies part of Thailand's problem. They think deep rooted problems can be solved in a few days.

Absolutely. The standard is 90 days. Also expect some sort of political hub, compromise hub and exit hub to be announced in the coming hours.

[Thai at Heart]

A fairly good pointer to why no sane person living in the real world would agree to a half appointed senate.

Hilarious. So would you like to have the Parliament and Senate controlled by one party, or even one family?

Fortunately, we don't offer the chance of such stupidity in the U.K.

Who nominates the new members of the house of lords?

[londonthai]

so no election, than.

shame on the senate speaker and the senate

Edited May 13, 2014 by londonthai

[BlueNoseCodger]

He stressed that the Senate would attempt to produce a suitable exit strategy within a week, and if the proposed plan is being denied then the Senate would return its focus to the legislative procedure.

Right, let me guess, you'll rename "Neutral Prime Minister" to be "Reconciliation Prime Minister" and propose replacing the elected government with a new PM chosen by you.

I'm guessing your Prime Minister will be Cretaceous, erm no Jurrassic, oh, I don't know, he'll be from the middle to late Paleolithic period.

The Senate cannot meet without the governments approval, and you sir, are not Senate Speaker until the elected government sends your name in, and it won't do that because you broke the limits on the senate session when you decided to hold a vote on whether you should be speaker.

So the senate won't return to focus on legislative procedure, until after we have an election and there's an elected house in session.

Go away you tiresome little puppet, the government is busy running the country.

Edited May 13, 2014 by BlueNoseCodger

[Piichai]

A fairly good pointer to why no sane person living in the real world would agree to a half appointed senate.

So all Canadians with their appointed senate & Britain with their House of Lords are all insane?

Clearly from the article they are seeking a compromise solution so why not give them some credit.

I will give them credit for trying. They deserve that. I think they are over optimistic in thinking they can come up witk a plan that is acceptable to all parties within a week. Therein lies part of Thailand's problem. They think deep rooted problems can be solved in a few days.

They don't need to solve the problems in a week, they only need to chart a way forward. And don't forget, they are already considering Abhisit's reform framework.

It took about 100 working days for an unelected committee to write the US Constitution. It's reasonable to think coming up with reforms for Thailand should take as long.

[siampolee]

There has to be a start line. A catalyst for discussion and resultant action.Time has come for stability to be returned and corruption in all its disguises to be tackled

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Lao-tzu

[londonthai]

now deputy speaker said:

"Don't trap the country with the law. The problem has arisen from the shackle of the law."

now we know, what kind of politics he promotes - violence and intimidation against the great majority of population

[Scamper]

It seems incredible that there is so much concerted opposition to the Senate even considering a provision in the constitution. And yet - in this sad climate - that is exactly what is happening. If they were inventing the constitution - like Pheu Thai, who just named a prime minister from half a caretaker cabinet in the space of two hours - then it's alright, but anything that is actually found in the constitution is not to be considered. This man was constitutionally elected in the Senate. Niwattumrong, on the other hand, was selected out of half a cabinet as being the closest thing to Thaksin that Thaksin could find - within lightning speed of Yingluck's removal. Pheu Thai supporters are confident that the Senate - the only legislative branch now filled - can be willfully prevented from functioning by Pheu Thai. They can stop everything in its tracks. They will simply prevent the Senate from tending to anything it is constitutionally obligated to tend to. They are constitutionally obligated to initiate impeachment proceedings on the recommendation of the NACC. Well, Pheu Thai says no. Pheu Thai's supposed seat of power of half a caretaker cabinet can't usurp the power of the Senate. Any more than they can usurp the power of the Constitutional Court and the National Anti-Corruption Commission, or any of the other courts and agencies that Pheu Thai has steadfastly come to loggerheads with. But they'll try nonetheless.