Push for political vacuum - PDRC campaign 'will force ministers to resign'

[webfact]

Push for political vacuum
The Nation


People

PDRC campaign 'will force ministers to resign' to pave the way for an unelected interim govt

BANGKOK: -- The Senate and anti-government protesters will push separately to create a "political vacuum" from today - with the latter attempting to hunt down the remaining ministers to force them to resign and pave the way for an unelected prime minister to run the country.

Deputy Senate Speaker Surachai Liengboonlertchai has an appointment with acting Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan today to discuss solutions to bring the country out of the ongoing political crisis.

Surachai said yesterday that he had spoken on the phone with Niwattumrong but did not disclose the place and time of the meeting in order to avoid disruption by anti-government protesters. The result of the meeting will be revealed to the media, he said.

Surachai did not disclose his stance but caretaker Justice Minister Chaikasem Nitisiri expects the senator to ask the caretaker Cabinet to resign to pave the way for him to bring in a so-called neutral person to be prime minister and form an interim government.

"May I ask a question to the senators as to whether it is possible to have such neutral prime minister?" Chaikasem said.

"The Senate wants to have a full-mandate government. How can that happen as long as we don't have the full parliament since the lower House has already been dissolved?

"I don't know why they want to have the neutral prime minister. It does not make any difference … since the new government would not have full mandate, either. Should anybody name a person to be the neutral prime minister?"

There is no legal possibility for the Senate to select a neutral PM for royal endorsement as the session for the Senate meeting has already closed, he said, adding that technically the Senate is not functioning.

"If the Senate can do anything it wishes, perhaps we don't need to have the Cabinet at all," the legal expert said.

Meanwhile, People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) protesters reached an understanding with representatives of state enterprise labour unions that they would begin an operation to hunt down the remaining members of Cabinet from today until Wednesday in a bid to force them to resign.

If the members of Cabinet remained past that date, state workers would call a general strike to stop working on Thursday, said Komsan Thongsiri, secretary of the State Enterprise Worker's Federation of Thailand.

"We demand the remaining ministers hand their power to the people otherwise we will lift our struggle to the highest stage under the Constitution," he said without elaborating further.

The state enterprises mostly operate public facilities such as energy and water supply.

Komsan said workers would cut electricity and water supply if necessary to put pressure on the government.

Protester PDRC leader Suthep Thaugsuban said that from today his followers would try their best to locate members of the Cabinet. Suthep said he was disappointed with the Senate's failure to install a new government although many senators shared the same goal with the protesters, which was to have an unelected full-mandate government.

Red-shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan said the anti-government protesters and state workers were conspiring to create chaos in the country to force the military to intervene.

He urged the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order to maintain law and order, as the protesters might clash with ministers' guards.

Another red-shirt leader Nuttawut Saikuar, who is also a minister, said he was threatened by Suthep's group.

"If any ministers get hurt from Suthep's men, people who have sympathy for the ministers might be angry," he said.


-- The Nation 2014-05-19

[saakura]

This is getting to be seriously worrisome if yhey actually start cutting off water and electric supplies to the city. There will be chaos and panic.

[canuckamuck]

Apparently openly promoting and organizing insurrection is acceptable behavior in Thailand,

[tezzainoz]

This is Thailand

The country that all western men want to live in

because it does not have the laws and rules of there own countries they cam from

why are you all complaining you are here of your own choice, and can leave any time you want

Time for you all to understand this is thailand

and be like a willow tree

BEND WITH THE WIND

[canuckamuck]

This is Thailand

The country that all western men want to live in

because it does not have the laws and rules of there own countries they cam from

why are you all complaining you are here of your own choice, and can leave any time you want

Time for you all to understand this is thailand

and be like a willow tree

BEND WITH THE WIND

So sorry , you are right, I should embrace the political situation as it is clearly not going to cause any trouble to me or my family and many friends.

And if it does I can simply walk away. Who cares right! They are only people I know, and Thailand is only a place I live in.

[chooka]

So they are going to hunt them down and put a loaded gun to their heads. What will happen if the refuse to resign, will they then resort to executions to vacate the seats?

[Publicus]

This is Thailand

The country that all western men want to live in

because it does not have the laws and rules of there own countries they cam from

why are you all complaining you are here of your own choice, and can leave any time you want

Time for you all to understand this is thailand

and be like a willow tree

BEND WITH THE WIND

My concern is that you want me to bend over.

You anyway are one of the leaders of Suthep's Purge Patrol.

2014, the year of living dangerously.

[EnzoRippo]

"Neutral PM" is a joke. It means Neutral means pro-aristocracy.

The last neutral persons in Thailand are the Alzheimer patients.

[Civil War]

Well I won't be over-reacting like some on here.

This is Thailand at its best.

If anything, this situation is spiraling into some of the best entertainment I have followed in a long time. (apart from the killing)

Not being a supporter of soap operas myself, I find myself quite addicted.

I am half expecting the next episode to involve an Independence Day style spaceship to descend over Government House of course driven by Shinawatra on a Thai driving license...... scary.

Edited May 19, 2014 by Civil War

[pmugghc]

I have a hard time understanding people who think this is entertainment or a joke. What's happening and may happen is a tragedy for Thailand. I know there are some expats here who just can leave and fly straight to Clark and sit at another bar. But most Thais can't leave, many expats here have children and family here.

[Just1Voice]

I have a hard time understanding people who think this is entertainment or a joke. What's happening and may happen is a tragedy for Thailand. I know there are some expats here who just can leave and fly straight to Clark and sit at another bar. But most Thais can't leave, many expats here have children and family here.

Unfortunately, this is very true. I agree that what's happening in Thailand IS a tragedy, but also know they have brought it on themselves, and they will have to work it out themselves, good or bad. My feeling is that it will get worse, a lost worse, before it get's better.

Yes, many expats could easily hop on a plane out of here tomorrow, but as you said, many of us here have families and that really isn't an option we have. I, as do most of my close friends, have families, wives, kids, houses here that would make it extremely difficult for us to just walk away. The best we can do is keep our fingers crossed, hope the turmoil won't effect us too much, and hope for the best.

[chotthee]

No need to force PM to resign.

He has already run away to Chiang Mai, perhaps to form a new Republic as rumored (Lanna Republic or something like that).

[bushwacker]

This would be funny if not so sad.....

To recap, the Yellows are going to turn off Water and Electricity to force the government to step down. Even though they have already stepped down and want a new election to form a new government. The yellows stand for democracy but want to ignore the constitution and appoint neutral people to form a government. The yellows feel they are capable of selecting good, neutral people. The yellows want the people to support the shut down of water and electric. The reds which are the central and north of the country are a bit attached to their water and electric and the people there do not like hurting themselves to support a non democratic yellow group in Bkk. Water and electric for the Red territory stays on. So, the water and electric will be shut off in Bkk and other yellow areas. So, the strategy is if the Red government does not do what the yellow demonstrators want then the yellow will hurt themselves until the Red cannot take it any more and just quite. Good strategy!

I sure would not want to be in Bkk with no water and electric. Can you imagine the amount of poop coming out of sweaty bums every day!

[h90]

This is getting to be seriously worrisome if yhey actually start cutting off water and electric supplies to the city. There will be chaos and panic.

Suthep told they won't cut electric or water for Bangkok....so nothing to worry

[h90]

So they are going to hunt them down and put a loaded gun to their heads. What will happen if the refuse to resign, will they then resort to executions to vacate the seats?

Thaksins staff will stay in power to make mega-money but they don't want to die for their dear leader.

[h90]

"Neutral PM" is a joke. It means Neutral means pro-aristocracy.

The last neutral persons in Thailand are the Alzheimer patients.

A neutral PM who makes reforms for 1 year to allow free and fair elections can be pro whatever, I don't care.

Better than having a Shinawatra family member on every important position in the country.

[jennywren]

This is Thailand

The country that all western men want to live in

because it does not have the laws and rules of there own countries they cam from

why are you all complaining you are here of your own choice, and can leave any time you want

Time for you all to understand this is thailand

and be like a willow tree

BEND WITH THE WIND

The PDRC and the Coup plotters are certainly like a willow tree.

Waving uncontrollably around, arms flailing.

Thin week branches breaking off and blowing away.

Is this post mandatory on every thread or does the poster think it is less stupid the more it is spread around?

[Scamper]

The greatest liability that Pheu Thai currently experiences is the inability to arrange an election. The only chance Pheu Thai has in keeping things as they are with Thaksin fully in control is if they manage to stage an election. But even that comes with its own special wish list :

1. They need to set an election date.

2. They need the Democratic party on board. They may think they don't, but if the Democratic party were to boycott that would immediately inspire a lot of resistance to the election throughout the country. So they really do need them on board, because even with their participation, the PDRC is almost certainly going to be opposed.

3. They need a peaceful and orderly election.

4. They need a quorum.

So actually Pheu Thai needs four things to happen, not just one. But the current reality is that they are forever stuck with step number one. They can't find themselves through that point. The problems are :

1. The EC is concerned about the legitimacy of Niwattumrong. Only the Constitutional Court can determine that.

2. The EC does not know if they can constitutionally include a provision in the decree that allows for postponement if the election again becomes violent, unmanageable, or clearly on the path to a quorum-less parliament again. Only the Constitutional Court can determine if such a postponement clause can be included.

3. The EC has the responsibility of the allocation of 3.8 billion baht of public funds. The irony here is that Pheu Thai themselves have scared the EC into this view.

4. The EC - like everyone else - has eyes. They see what happened in the last election. They remember that Pheu Thai ignored their rulings throughout, even having the absurd spectacle of having witnessed Yingluck chair a forum to override the authority of the EC. They remember warning Pheu Thai of the inadvisability of barreling ahead, and how they were ignored, only to receive new abuse and blame from Pheu Thai after the election. The EC remembers all that. But they also see other things. They see the country in greater turmoil that is has been in years. And they see Pheu Thai's obstinate refusal to acknowledge that.

So all in all, this adds up to one thing - as the chances for successfully arranging, administering, and staging a successful quorum-filled parliament election become more and more slim - so the chances of a nomination in the Senate for a prime minister becomes greater and greater. Both paths may very well lead to much unrest, but one path at least assures that the country is not without a government for a perpetually indefinite period. And the fact is that no country can fiscally sustain itself without a functioning government.

Edited May 19, 2014 by Scamper

[Baerboxer]

Apparently openly promoting and organizing insurrection is acceptable behavior in Thailand,

It would appear so. Both sides seem to be able to do as they please and emulate one another.

One side openly threatens to form a breakaway republic whilst the other openly threatens civil disobedience to topple what's left of a caretaker government in disarray.

The agencies charged with maintaining peace, law and order blatantly support one side with complete bias, whilst both sides ignore the courts at will when it suits. Legal "experts" spend their time trying to bend the rules to suit whichever side happens to pay them.

Interesting times.

[Baerboxer]

So they are going to hunt them down and put a loaded gun to their heads. What will happen if the refuse to resign, will they then resort to executions to vacate the seats?

Wonder if any of those executed without any form of trial in the drugs on war, or the notorious massacres down South, were given any options to sign anything or even say anything?

The crooks are running the prison.

[chooka]

So they are going to hunt them down and put a loaded gun to their heads. What will happen if the refuse to resign, will they then resort to executions to vacate the seats?

Wonder if any of those executed without any form of trial in the drugs on war, or the notorious massacres down South, were given any options to sign anything or even say anything?

The crooks are running the prison.

Agree if Yinglik was and is slaughtering all these people during her reign then she should be charged and face the death penalty for slaughtering those muslims down south. A little off topic but yes I do agree with you.

[Trouble]

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"Neutral PM" is a joke. It means Neutral means pro-aristocracy.

The last neutral persons in Thailand are the Alzheimer patients.

A neutral PM who makes reforms for 1 year to allow free and fair elections can be pro whatever, I don't care.

Better than having a Shinawatra family member on every important position in the country.

Once again we hear about reforms. What are the reforms that will give free and fair elections?