Step down for sake of the country, senators urge govt

[Lite Beer]

POLITICS
Step down for sake of the country, senators urge govt
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Senate ready to appoint new premier if necessary, Surachai says; PDRC disappointed

In a move likely to deepen the political crisis, the Senate yesterday called on the caretaker government to consider resigning and pave the way for a new administration with full authority that is fully functional.

However, the senators failed to meet the demands made by anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) for the appointment of a new unelected prime minister.

Following an informal meeting with senators, acting Senate Speaker Surachai Liengboonlertchai yesterday put forward a three-point demand on behalf of the Senate - the only remaining legislative institution since the House was dissolved in December.

First, he said, a prime minister and a Cabinet with full authority must be put in place to solve the crisis and work on bringing back peace and reconciliation.

The Senate also wants the caretaker government and all political parties to help in the effort to find a way out for the country, he said.

While thirdly, if necessary, the Senate may convene a special meeting, as allowed by its regulations, to acquire a prime minister in line with the existing laws, political customs and the Constitution.

"We hope to get full cooperation from the government and all sectors in order to pull through the crisis. We hope all parties involved will sacrifice and change their views for the country's sake," Surachai said yesterday.

He added that he would meet the government, especially acting Premier Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan, on Monday to discuss solutions for the country.

Niwattumrong had said earlier yesterday that he was too busy to meet the senators today to discuss the political stalemate as requested by the Upper House. He is apparently scheduled to go on working trips over the weekend to Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai.

"If the government is aware that it has limited power, which would have an adverse impact on how it runs the country, then I believe they can make their judgement," Surachai said. "We are not focusing on appointing a new prime minister or an interim Cabinet under Article 7 of the Constitution."

There have been calls for the government to resign to pave the way for a fully functional administration.

Senator Somchai Sawaengkarn said yesterday that Surachai, as acting Senate speaker, was empowered to convene a special Senate meeting to appoint a prime minister.

He said he was convinced that in three days it would be clear whether the Senate will get cooperation.

More than 70 senators took part in the meeting.

After listening to the first part of Surachai's statement, PDRC leader Suthep Thaugsuban said he was disappointed with the Senate. He told the protesters, who had gathered to pressure the Senate, to leave Parliament and return to their rally on Rajdamnoen Road.

Suthep said the PDRC would find a way on its own and would no longer place its hopes on politicians.

"Brothers and sisters please calm down. Please do not get angry or sorry. We are going back to our stage, let's think our own way, let's go," Suthep said.

Before leaving, some protesters showed anger and threw bottles and garbage into the Parliament compound, with many shouting "Slave!"

In addition, Suthep called PDRC allies from all over the country to meet this afternoon at Government House to discuss their next move. He had earlier threatened to take matters into his own hands if the Senate failed to appoint a new prime minister by yesterday.

A large group of anti-government protesters affiliated with the PDRC gathered outside the Parliament compound while the senators met.

Jatuporn Prompan, chairman of the pro-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, said it was clear Surachai had deflated Suthep's hopes. He expected Suthep to show anger to the highest level over the weekend. Meanwhile, it was not clear what Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha planned to do next. So, he called for more red shirts to come to support the UDD from today to Monday.

UDD secretary-general Nuttawut Saikuar said Suthep's last resort would be to instigate a situation so the military come out and stage a coup. In case of crisis, the red shirts would cross the Chao Phraya River to Bangkok immediately.

-- The Nation 2014-05-17

[jucel]

Below is section 6 & 7 of the constitution. It is vague, but I would say what Suthep is/was trying to do, is unconstitutional & unenforceable. I can see how the senate have come to their decision, re appointing an interim govt.

Section 6

The Constitution is the supreme law of the State. The provisions of any law, rule or regulation, which

are contrary to or inconsistent with this Constitution, shall be unenforceable.

Section 7

Whenever no provision under this Constitution is applicable to any case, it shall be decided in

accordance with the constitutional practice in the democratic regime of government with the King as

Head of the State.

[MAJIC]

This Government has lost all credibility,which has not improved since Yingluck has been forced out of office,they are dead in the water,clinging to power will achieve nothing!

[pkspeaker]

why don't the appointed senators 'step down for the sake of the country' and allow the people to choose their senators. why is it just the caretaker cabinet-which already resigned, that should resign again..

[Robby nz]

If they had resigned 3 months ago as they should have and worked to find a constructive joint solution to get the country back on track it would have saved so many lives, injuries and the time and money wasted.

Now I suspect the entrenched position of the remaining 26 caretaker cabinet ministers will continue, only delaying the inevitable .

And all for what ?

Only one answer to that and its not democracy.

[Roadman]

Common sense from the Senate.

And the idiotic caretaker PM true to his idiotic predecessor convicted crim's puppet is to busy in Issan. To busy for the sake of the country. Idiots and clowns to the left and the right. The sooner all these pathetic politicians are stood down and an interim administration is set up for a short term solution for reform before an election the better. Failing that it will be the Army imposing martial law.

[Thailand]

Surely the best way to get a prime minister & cabinet with full authority would be to have an election or am I missing something?

Surely "full authority" must include the mandate of the people?

[Robby nz]

Surely the best way to get a prime minister & cabinet with full authority would be to have an election or am I missing something?

Surely "full authority" must include the mandate of the people?

Yes you are missing something, 2 words.

FREE and FAIR.

[Lite Beer]

Senate calls on Govt to partake in national reformation

BANGKOK, 16 May 2014 (NNT) – The Senate has encouraged the government to cooperate in solving political problems and finding a new Prime Minister who has full authority to administer the country.

After days of discussions with various sides about possible exit strategies for Thai politics, Deputy Senate Speaker Surachai Liengboonlertchai today issued an official statement, urging the government to help tackle the political problems by allowing reformation to take place in all aspects. He stressed that there must be a new Prime Minister and Cabinet members who had full power to run the country while hoping to receive more concrete cooperation from the current interim Cabinet without any conditions set.

Mr Surachai said the Senate would take into account all the suggestions collected so far in its decision making. He also hinted that, if necessary, the Senate might have to convene a special meeting to find the new premier based on principles of constitutional monarchy and democracy.

Meanwhile, Mr Surachai explained that the Senate needed to step in as the Election Commission and the government had not been able to settle their disagreement over issues surrounding the upcoming general election. With such political uncertainty, he said the Senate could not remain idle.

The Deputy Senate Speaker revealed that all sides participating in the recent talks shared the same view that urgent actions were needed as economic and social impacts would be substantial if the political crisis was left unattended.

-- NNT 2014-05-17

[wandasloan]

Common sense from the Senate.

It may be common sense, but it's not from the Senate. It's from a clique in the Senate that is anti-government. Just like every single political opinion at the moment, it represents the speaker(s) and not anyone else.

"The Senate" has no policy. In fact, the Senate didn't appoint a new government because a majority of the Senate is against it, and is against what the newspaper and you say is "from the Senate".

That doesn't mean your opinion is wrong, it's as right as anyone's. It means your facts are wrong, and your opinion is based on nothing.

And the idiotic caretaker PM true to his idiotic predecessor convicted crim's puppet is to busy in Issan. To busy for the sake of the country. Idiots and clowns to the left and the right. The sooner all these pathetic politicians are stood down and an interim administration is set up for a short term solution for reform before an election the better. Failing that it will be the Army imposing martial law.

They movef Chiang Rai to Isan? Who knew.

Yes, the government, just like the senate, isn't functioning. Yes, the acting PM, just like the self-appointed hoo-haw at the heads of the major street rabble groups, can't impress any interesting number of citizens to their cause. Yes, Thailand is deeply divided and most people don't agree with you and most people also don't agree with any specific statement or theory.

And sadly, you could be right that the military that can't even protect teachers in Yala province ("not enough men") will try and will violently fail to impose its will on the country. I hope you're wrong. The current state of affairs is quite a mess. But they can get worse, way worse. And to make them worse really fast, let's have Prime Minister Prayuth, yes, that will do it.

The only good thing I can imagine about the military stepping is that after a while, and after all the bodies have been cleared away, things could probably only get better because after the military steps in they will probably hit bottom.

.

[Thailand]

Surely the best way to get a prime minister & cabinet with full authority would be to have an election or am I missing something?

Surely "full authority" must include the mandate of the people?

Yes you are missing something, 2 words.

FREE and FAIR.

No need to shout.

I would have thought "free & fair" was a given and that the majority would understand that?

[smutcakes]

Why does the PDRC?Suthep STEP BACK. Why the Govt need to step back? As far as I am aware they have been trying to follow procedure and have an election? Why are the senators calling for them to step down, rather than calling Suthep to step back?

[Mark Thaiford]

Surely the best way to get a prime minister & cabinet with full authority would be to have an election or am I missing something?

Surely "full authority" must include the mandate of the people?

You are totally right but the farangs who post on this thread are obsessively anti-democratic. They are similar to the people who in February and March 1933 argued that now the time called for emergency measures and the suspension of democratic rights and rules of governance - we all know the result of that was Hitler usurping power and heaping misery on Germany and the world for the subsequent 12 years.

The TV farangs have learnt no lessons from history. They are hopelessly shaped by a "neo-colonialist" outlook where they basically see Thais as second-class citizens and themselves as vastly superior. That is why expat farangs hate Thai democracy - nothing is more repellant to them than to see Thais run their own country. They would much rather see the country run by a small elite and the vast majority of Thais told to stay "in their place". In the mindset of the TV farang who continually posts here in defense of Suthep and his gang of fascist thugs the destruction of Thai democracy would benefit his selfish expat existence more than if Thailand as a whole becomes more equal and fair.

Edited May 17, 2014 by Mark Thaiford

[GeorgeO]

why don't the appointed senators 'step down for the sake of the country' and allow the people to choose their senators. why is it just the caretaker cabinet-which already resigned, that should resign again..

...because the whole reason for the protests is that this caretaker government has been robbing the country blind for the past three years...!

[EnzoRippo]

101 ways to make a coup d'état

Today lesson 23

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Roadman]

Common sense from the Senate.

It may be common sense, but it's not from the Senate. It's from a clique in the Senate that is anti-government. Just like every single political opinion at the moment, it represents the speaker(s) and not anyone else.

"The Senate" has no policy. In fact, the Senate didn't appoint a new government because a majority of the Senate is against it, and is against what the newspaper and you say is "from the Senate".

That doesn't mean your opinion is wrong, it's as right as anyone's. It means your facts are wrong, and your opinion is based on nothing.

And the idiotic caretaker PM true to his idiotic predecessor convicted crim's puppet is to busy in Issan. To busy for the sake of the country. Idiots and clowns to the left and the right. The sooner all these pathetic politicians are stood down and an interim administration is set up for a short term solution for reform before an election the better. Failing that it will be the Army imposing martial law.

They movef Chiang Rai to Isan? Who knew.

Yes, the government, just like the senate, isn't functioning. Yes, the acting PM, just like the self-appointed hoo-haw at the heads of the major street rabble groups, can't impress any interesting number of citizens to their cause. Yes, Thailand is deeply divided and most people don't agree with you and most people also don't agree with any specific statement or theory.

And sadly, you could be right that the military that can't even protect teachers in Yala province ("not enough men") will try and will violently fail to impose its will on the country. I hope you're wrong. The current state of affairs is quite a mess. But they can get worse, way worse. And to make them worse really fast, let's have Prime Minister Prayuth, yes, that will do it.

The only good thing I can imagine about the military stepping is that after a while, and after all the bodies have been cleared away, things could probably only get better because after the military steps in they will probably hit bottom.

A clique in the Senate that is anti-government? Whats new in any political front as that sure isn't. Why does everything have to be anti-government and not pro Thailand? Read the Senate proposal with an open mind. What is being proposed is for all to back off, remove their own interests and come back together with the country's sake foremost. That is about the most sensible proposal to date that does not favor anyone in what is currently a failed political environment.

And yes while I do support fully the Army sadly the very last thing I would want to see is the Army declaring martial law. But given the idiots and criminals on both side of the main two political parties that are driving Thailand into the sewer that is starting to become a reality. And things could get worse? You mean bombs blowing up innocent citizens and children, thugs imposing their violent wills on any who disagree with their political ideology, corrupt and incompetent governments acting lawlessly, police and government agencies acting biased to whoever they kowtow their patronage to etc.. is not worse. Your political and moral ideology leaves a lot to be desired.

[geriatrickid]

This Government has lost all credibility,which has not improved since Yingluck has been forced out of office,they are dead in the water,clinging to power will achieve nothing!

The Senate has no credibility. Despite an attempt to massage the numbers, this story refers to 70 senators who attended a meeting. A minority of those senators, consisting primarily of the Democrat aligned senators, many of whom form the core 40 senators opposed to the election came out with their standard attack statement.

Nothing new there. They've been opposed to the people's elected government ever since the PTP took office.

[geriatrickid]

why don't the appointed senators 'step down for the sake of the country' and allow the people to choose their senators. why is it just the caretaker cabinet-which already resigned, that should resign again..

...because the whole reason for the protests is that this caretaker government has been robbing the country blind for the past three years...!

As opposed to some senators? Why should anypne take the statements of some senators who owe their positons to an appointment by a military dictatorship, the very same dictatorship that laid the foundations for this constitutional crisis when the wrote a new constitution without allowing for critical comment?

[srsv1238]

Surely the best way to get a prime minister & cabinet with full authority would be to have an election or am I missing something?

Surely "full authority" must include the mandate of the people?

Yes you are missing something, 2 words.

FREE and FAIR.

How were the last elections in February neither free nor fair?

Sent from my SM-N900T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[srsv1238]

If they had resigned 3 months ago as they should have and worked to find a constructive joint solution to get the country back on track it would have saved so many lives, injuries and the time and money wasted.

Now I suspect the entrenched position of the remaining 26 caretaker cabinet ministers will continue, only delaying the inevitable .

And all for what ?

Only one answer to that and its not democracy.

so what then is the alternative?

Sent from my SM-N900T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[smedly]

Surely the best way to get a prime minister & cabinet with full authority would be to have an election or am I missing something?

Surely "full authority" must include the mandate of the people?

were you ? sleeping in Feb - there was an election and it failed another one will also fail, the simple truth is that there is a huge portion of the Thai people want reforms first - very possibly more than 50% but even if it was 40% an election is still not going to work - all of the voting public need to be on-board

The main point here is that those that want reforms are not saying no to an election - they are saying they want it delayed so reforms can take place first - so contrary to what the red spammers here are saying - everyone wants an election - nobody is advocating not to have an election which is a very important point -

What the reds stand to lose is power and money - these red leaders are getting paid huge amounts - PTP stand to lose huge amounts and possibly jail if an investigation is launched into government finance to find the missing stolen upwards of 800billion baht - PTP and the reds have a lot to lose which is why they are refusing to compromise

Reforms

Referendum

Election

It's as simple as that

[Cnxforever]

Surachai seems to have lost touch with reality - maybe he should be reminded that what he proposes is illegal - then again he has already made it clear that the law should not stand in his way!

He must have missed the fact that the government has already desolved parliament !

The caretaker government is in power until the next elections - or is Mr. Surachai on the side of the violent fascist mop who is afraid to prove they are in a majority through an election?

Surachai should resign now he is not elected by the Thai people and he has no mandate!

An unelected yellow puppet as senate speaker making illegal demands is the last thing this country needs now!

[virtualtraveller]

The govt is a lame duck. Senate has more legitimacy presently as an elected body. Senate is also part of the 'House' in the absence of MPs they have a role to play. I'm not saying they aren't partisan but they are seeking a solution. Their solution is apparently undemocratic because it seeks an 'appointed' PM/cabinet which intends to be neutral and capable of organising fair reform. It's not the end of the world to take democracy offline for 6 months to resolve things. Peua Thaksin are only interested in shoring up power, as such they insist on an unconditional election to regain power and dominate the reform agenda, and we all know where they will lead us. If the Senate are able to propose a balanced 'short term GNU solution that can include Peua Thai and Dems equally, it's far more likely to see us through than this simplistic, head-in-the-sand, idea of 'election will solve the problem'. It won't, elections are presently part of the problem.

[srsv1238]

why don't the appointed senators 'step down for the sake of the country' and allow the people to choose their senators. why is it just the caretaker cabinet-which already resigned, that should resign again..

...because the whole reason for the protests is that this caretaker government has been robbing the country blind for the past three years...!

do you have proof?

[Artisi]

Surely the best way to get a prime minister & cabinet with full authority would be to have an election or am I missing something?

Surely "full authority" must include the mandate of the people?

Yes you are missing something, 2 words.

FREE and FAIR.

Or, no payments

[srsv1238]

Surely the best way to get a prime minister & cabinet with full authority would be to have an election or am I missing something?

Surely "full authority" must include the mandate of the people?

were you ? sleeping in Feb - there was an election and it failed another one will also fail, the simple truth is that there is a huge portion of the Thai people want reforms first - very possibly more than 50% but even if it was 40% an election is still not going to work - all of the voting public need to be on-board

The main point here is that those that want reforms are not saying no to an election - they are saying they want it delayed so reforms can take place first - so contrary to what the red spammers here are saying - everyone wants an election - nobody is advocating not to have an election which is a very important point -

What the reds stand to lose is power and money - these red leaders are getting paid huge amounts - PTP stand to lose huge amounts and possibly jail if an investigation is launched into government finance to find the missing stolen upwards of 800billion baht - PTP and the reds have a lot to lose which is why they are refusing to compromise

Reforms

Referendum

Election

It's as simple as that

what are these reforms that I keep hearing about? Can you list them?

[srsv1238]

The govt is a lame duck. Senate has more legitimacy presently as an elected body. Senate is also part of the 'House' in the absence of MPs they have a role to play. I'm not saying they aren't partisan but they are seeking a solution. Their solution is apparently undemocratic because it seeks an 'appointed' PM/cabinet which intends to be neutral and capable of organising fair reform. It's not the end of the world to take democracy offline for 6 months to resolve things. Peua Thaksin are only interested in shoring up power, as such they insist on an unconditional election to regain power and dominate the reform agenda, and we all know where they will lead us. If the Senate are able to propose a balanced 'short term GNU solution that can include Peua Thai and Dems equally, it's far more likely to see us through than this simplistic, head-in-the-sand, idea of 'election will solve the problem'. It won't, elections are presently part of the problem.

elections are presently part of the problem only because the losers refuse to accept the results. They want power but refuse to talk to the people and earn their confidence and their votes the democratic way. Instead, they want to impose themselves in a position of power, which is going to be most surefire path toward violence.

[rabas]

Surely the best way to get a prime minister & cabinet with full authority would be to have an election or am I missing something?

Surely "full authority" must include the mandate of the people?

You are totally right but the farangs who post on this thread are obsessively anti-democratic. They are similar to the people who in February and March 1933 argued that now the time called for emergency measures and the suspension of democratic rights and rules of governance - we all know the result of that was Hitler usurping power and heaping misery on Germany and the world for the subsequent 12 years.

The TV farangs have learnt no lessons from history. They are hopelessly shaped by a "neo-colonialist" outlook where they basically see Thais as second-class citizens and themselves as vastly superior. That is why expat farangs hate Thai democracy - nothing is more repellant to them than to see Thais run their own country. They would much rather see the country run by a small elite and the vast majority of Thais told to stay "in their place". In the mindset of the TV farang who continually posts here in defense of Suthep and his gang of fascist thugs the destruction of Thai democracy would benefit his selfish expat existence more than if Thailand as a whole becomes more equal and fair.

Before you go too far down the road with your Hitler talk maybe you can read this, about a new book explaining Hitler's rise. When you are done, I can introduce you to Lenin, the man who introduced democracy to Russia, by defeating the royals....

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/sunday/The-man-who-will-come-30233356.html

Reform, dictatorship, democracy - all words in common discussion in Thailand today, interestingly enough. "The Dark Charisma of Adolf Hitler" might well send the odd chill of uncomfortable familiarity up the spines of readers here. "Hitler and the Nazis, von Papen reasoned, had the popular support, whilst he and his friends had the intelligence to manage them," Rees writes, referring to Hitler's predecessor as chancellor of Germany.

"So the intriguing situation by the autumn of 1932 was that, whilst Hitler was perceived as a charismatic leader by large numbers of ordinary Germans, key members of the German elite were almost scornful of him. Equally instructive is the fact that von Papen and his cronies found it easy to belittle Hitler's qualities because he was not of their class" - meaning the nobility.

Hitler was by then, however, already a dab hand at winning hearts and minds. He knew, for example, that the best way to make friends was to share enemies. In denouncing Russia (a traditional foe for Germany) and the Jews (then widely perceived in Europe and the US as having undue influence in finance and politics), he had an ideal "bonding element" with the populace.

"As Hitler discovered," says Rees, "it is much easier for charismatic leaders to define themselves by who they hate rather than what they believe in."

Red Shield: I am 100% for true democracy and believe the freedom of all men is guaranteed on an even higher plane than any document or system created by man for such purpose.

Edited May 17, 2014 by rabas

[Thait Spot]

why don't the appointed senators 'step down for the sake of the country' and allow the people to choose their senators. why is it just the caretaker cabinet-which already resigned, that should resign again..

You don't seem to understand.

Your first point is unconstitutional

Your second is incorrect. They have not resigned

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[Bernard Flint]

why don't the appointed senators 'step down for the sake of the country' and allow the people to choose their senators. why is it just the caretaker cabinet-which already resigned, that should resign again..

Maybe because the yellows dont want a vote, they will lose, now that,s democratic,let the people choose, 1 man 1 vote