Election in Oct 2015, NCPO says

[ScouseTommy]

I have a great sense of humor, sometimes I just grow weary of the endless America bashing.

In your case, don't throw stones if you live in a glass house..........Have a great day as well... :-)

LOL, let me get one thing straight I am absolutely not America bashing, the country and its evolution and attitude to world politics fascinates me. I just wanted to point out an incongruity in your OP. I don't live in a glass house I live in a condo in BKK In all seriousness never claimed the British were perfect, and there is a reason I choose to live thousands of miles away from home! Just a simple honest debate! Cheers

[ZigZagMan]

It isn't just the payment of 300/500/1000baht to the villagers to vote for a particular candidate, but more relevantly the threat that goes along with the money in many villages. Villagers are told that they will not be able to access the village fund, nor vote in future elections if they vote for a different candidate to that from whom they receive money.

Who told you that? The way it works in my area of rural Isan is that the canvasers come around and offer, say 300 hundred, per voting member of the household. You take it. Then when the canvasers for another candidate come around offering the same, you say, but the other is offering 400; so they up the offer to 500. Then canvasers for the third candidate come around... etc. The first may come back and try and trump the current higest offer. You take all the money, then vote for your mother's older sister's son's wife, regardless how much who gave. They don't know who you voted for--or even whether you voted. Why do they do it? Well, for one thing nobody is going to vote for a cheapskate, and some may vote for the highest bidder because the expect him/her to continue to be generous. An aside: candidates may spend several times their total salary while in office--how do they make it up? That's local elections. In national elections the "gifts" are given much more discreetly (you can be kicked out of office & banned from politics). But they are given--still no one knows who you actually voted for. No threats. No point in making threats.

Perhaps not so different from the US where elections tend to go to whoever buys the most ads.

Korn said the democrats spent 300% more in some norther areas and completely have up and spent nothing in Thaksins strongest regions.

[ZigZagMan]

My wife told me a few tales of vote buying.

In one town everybody was given a left footed shoe.

If the correct candidate wins the right footed shoes will be handed out.

[djjamie]

If the constitution has not even been written, how can he be so sure that it will be a fair one?

Because of foresight.

I used to go into exams promising myself I would not cheat.

Guess what. I didn't!

[Baerboxer]

Vote buying = death penalty. Then and only then will there be actual democratic elections.

I stated in another thread that Prayuth would be in power for two years. So I am a bit off.....

But the time period he has chosen is reasonable. That should give him plenty of time

to clean house on the PTP appointments, and the Thaksin cronies / relatives. But again,

until vote buying is dealt with, we can look forward to another Thaksin puppet in Oct

of 2015......

And to the rose colored glasses people who think vote buying is some kind

of urban myth, just ask your Thai girlfriend/wife what happens in her village during elections.

Oh wait, everybody on TV is claiming they have a Chinese / Thai wife with a rich family,

two college degrees, and she is related to some high ranking policemen........So maybe

these guys would not know what happens in countless villages. Ok, then just ask your

one of your cleaning staff.

And on a side note, what the bleep is up with rewriting the constitution ?? How about

taking a tip from America, a somewhat successful country. That is where a group of

brilliant people write up a constitution that is fair to all citizens, and then you stick to

it. These Thai constitutions may as well be written on dissolving paper, as historically

each new government rewrites it in order to maximize their looting of the country.

Excellent - and very sensible comments based on shrewd observation. Well played sir!

[Baerboxer]

It isn't just the payment of 300/500/1000baht to the villagers to vote for a particular candidate, but more relevantly the threat that goes along with the money in many villages. Villagers are told that they will not be able to access the village fund, nor vote in future elections if they vote for a different candidate to that from whom they receive money.

Who told you that? The way it works in my area of rural Isan is that the canvasers come around and offer, say 300 hundred, per voting member of the household. You take it. Then when the canvasers for another candidate come around offering the same, you say, but the other is offering 400; so they up the offer to 500. Then canvasers for the third candidate come around... etc. The first may come back and try and trump the current higest offer. You take all the money, then vote for your mother's older sister's son's wife, regardless how much who gave. They don't know who you voted for--or even whether you voted. Why do they do it? Well, for one thing nobody is going to vote for a cheapskate, and some may vote for the highest bidder because the expect him/her to continue to be generous. An aside: candidates may spend several times their total salary while in office--how do they make it up? That's local elections. In national elections the "gifts" are given much more discreetly (you can be kicked out of office & banned from politics). But they are given--still no one knows who you actually voted for. No threats. No point in making threats.

Perhaps not so different from the US where elections tend to go to whoever buys the most ads.

Korn said the democrats spent 300% more in some norther areas and completely have up and spent nothing in Thaksins strongest regions.

Maybe he was trying to make the point that in some areas, the level of bullying and intimidation is so high, even a higher bribe won't change anything.

In MiL's village, all are promised a certain amount, providing the vote for the Thaksin aligned party is 100%. If one person votes for someone else all the money is lost. And, that person would be in deep shit because voting in the villages in anything but secret.

[Toscano]

I believe it will take a lot longer than 1 - 2yrs to reorganise Thai politics and stamp out corruption .

So far , four legal specialists have turned down an invitation to write a new charter or constitution . Wise men are not going to waste their time , when the charter is going to be dictated to them by the military . The electoral terms may result in the people refusing to participate in elections . The pro Thaksin could win again , but why bother , when they are likely to be outweighed by the military .

By the way how come there are 200 high ranking officers available to give parliamentary service in an effectively non combative army , navy and airforce ?

We hear again and again about vote buying , the Democrat party has actually been found guilty of vote buying . In reality there is no vote BUYING , the handing out of money , 200-500bt in poor rural areas is accepted by poor people , but they have already decided who they will vote for , unpersuaded by money or dictate of village head man or anybody else .

[Baerboxer]

I have a great sense of humor, sometimes I just grow weary of the endless America bashing.

In your case, don't throw stones if you live in a glass house..........Have a great day as well... :-)

LOL, let me get one thing straight I am absolutely not America bashing, the country and its evolution and attitude to world politics fascinates me. I just wanted to point out an incongruity in your OP. I don't live in a glass house I live in a condo in BKK In all seriousness never claimed the British were perfect, and there is a reason I choose to live thousands of miles away from home! Just a simple honest debate! Cheers

No country is ever perfect. The British parliamentary democracy created by what - Magna Carta, the defeat of the absolute monarchy of Charles 1st? Yet such a fair society forcibly colonized countries, enslaved people's, and even during WW1 many fighting servicemen were still not entitled to vote.

America - war of independence, constitution for the people, well, some of the people of course. Not native Americans or slaves, no not them till much later on. The adherence to democratic principles is commendable, judges, sheriffs elected just like politicians local, state and federal. Has this led to corruption - research yourself if interested.

Yet both nations sacrificed much in two world wars to try and protect democracy, freedom and stop oppressive tyrannical criminal regimes intent on world domination. Both sacrificed much on taking on the unforgiving job of world's policeman, Never going to win that one. Only cost and pain.

Britain and America have both given much much more than they ever took; and that's not excusing the inexcusable. Neither would allow the issues that many Asian, Euro-Asian and South American countries have suffered and are suffering at the hands of despotic individuals, families or ideologies.

Be grateful Scouser, you grew up in a country where you enjoyed more freedom and opportunity than many.

[sae57]

It isn't just the payment of 300/500/1000baht to the villagers to vote for a particular candidate, but more relevantly the threat that goes along with the money in many villages. Villagers are told that they will not be able to access the village fund, nor vote in future elections if they vote for a different candidate to that from whom they receive money.

Who told you that? The way it works in my area of rural Isan is that the canvasers come around and offer, say 300 hundred, per voting member of the household. You take it. Then when the canvasers for another candidate come around offering the same, you say, but the other is offering 400; so they up the offer to 500. Then canvasers for the third candidate come around... etc. The first may come back and try and trump the current higest offer. You take all the money, then vote for your mother's older sister's son's wife, regardless how much who gave. They don't know who you voted for--or even whether you voted. Why do they do it? Well, for one thing nobody is going to vote for a cheapskate, and some may vote for the highest bidder because the expect him/her to continue to be generous. An aside: candidates may spend several times their total salary while in office--how do they make it up? That's local elections. In national elections the "gifts" are given much more discreetly (you can be kicked out of office & banned from politics). But they are given--still no one knows who you actually voted for. No threats. No point in making threats.

Perhaps not so different from the US where elections tend to go to whoever buys the most ads.

Korn said the democrats spent 300% more in some norther areas and completely have up and spent nothing in Thaksins strongest regions.

Maybe he was trying to make the point that in some areas, the level of bullying and intimidation is so high, even a higher bribe won't change anything.

In MiL's village, all are promised a certain amount, providing the vote for the Thaksin aligned party is 100%. If one person votes for someone else all the money is lost. And, that person would be in deep shit because voting in the villages in anything but secret.

Certainly not denying the veracity of such reports. Only I haven't seen or heard of any such thing--either intimidation or promises of payouts /if/. Local elections, BTW, here are not party aligned (though pretty much every candidate claims to be a Thaksin devotee--but that's irrelevant at the local level). Voting here is indeed secret, but when a few votes came in for the Dems, everybody has a pretty good idea who. Yes, there are a few yellow farmers in this very red part of the country, and they are not afraid to say so.

Who's MiL?

[citizen33]

Maybe he was trying to make the point that in some areas, the level of bullying and intimidation is so high, even a higher bribe won't change anything.

In MiL's village, all are promised a certain amount, providing the vote for the Thaksin aligned party is 100%. If one person votes for someone else all the money is lost. And, that person would be in deep shit because voting in the villages in anything but secret.

It is all very well posting vague stories about what you may have heard from afar regarding the MIL's village, but some of us who have lived in our own NE villages during elections aren't convinced. The big myth about recent elections is that vote buying changes the result when it does not. If it were the decisive factor, then the answer would be stricter policing, harsher penalties, and preferably international observers at election time - all things that I would support. But if sentiment rather than vote buying determines results, as I think the senior strategists like Korn on the Democrat/yellow/royalist side know well, then the only way for them to win is to erode the one-man-one-vote principle. That is why the 2006 coup makers changed the Senate to ensure that half the members were appointed. My best guess is that the new constitution will increase the power of appointed 'parliamentarians', possibly in the lower house as well as the Senate. The other issue is whether there will be new rules about 'populist policies', the more sophisticated version of the vote buying claim. This looks more difficult, if only because of the junta's own early policies, but we shall see. These things will be the litmus test of who is right on vote buying and why the Democrats cannot win. Rather like the 'follow the money' test, the thing to do will be to look at the new constitution.

Edited June 28, 2014 by citizen33

[AGareth2]

abolish constuencies

[citizen33]

abolish constuencies

The powers that be might do that too. Abhisit's government (with similar backers to those now in power) changed the balance between the numbers of party list and constituency MPs, in most observers' eyes because beefing up the former was likely to advantage the Democrats. It did not work first time around so they may go for a more radical solution.

[Lite Beer]

NCPO to solve problems within limited time frame
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, June 28 -- Urging Thais to be patient, army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha said late Friday that the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) would rectify problems accumulated in the past, ones that previous governments were unable to solve, within a limited time.

The leader of the NCPO which seized power on the May 22 said during his weekly televised address that there were still several problems that need to be solved, ones which affected the people’s livelihood.

These problems have been prioritised by NCPO and could be divided into three categories namely pressing, short-term and long-term problems.

On pressing problems, said Gen Prayuth the NCPO would try to solve them within three months, started from May.

The pressing problems that would have to be resolved included crime, gambling, narcotics, deforestation, war weapons, influential criminals, smuggling of migrant workers, rising inflation, assistance for farmers, and revising trade and investment laws.

Also, the NCPO would have to make preparations for national reform after the reconciliation process was complete, he said.

Short-term problems would have to be resolved and they would take “not more than 300 days” where people from every sector would be allowed to participate.

These issues include solving corruption, political reform, energy reform, education, economic equality and reducing income disparity, and access to natural resources.

These short-term problems will be tackled after an interim government, national legislative assembly and the reform council are formed, Gen Prayuth said.

He said long-term problems would be tackled after a general election was held, in which pressing and short-term problems which were not solved completely would be rectified by the
elected government for the benefit of every group of people in the country. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-06-28

[Alwyn]

Vote buying = death penalty. Then and only then will there be actual democratic elections.

I stated in another thread that Prayuth would be in power for two years. So I am a bit off.....

But the time period he has chosen is reasonable. That should give him plenty of time

to clean house on the PTP appointments, and the Thaksin cronies / relatives. But again,

until vote buying is dealt with, we can look forward to another Thaksin puppet in Oct

of 2015......

And to the rose colored glasses people who think vote buying is some kind

of urban myth, just ask your Thai girlfriend/wife what happens in her village during elections.

Oh wait, everybody on TV is claiming they have a Chinese / Thai wife with a rich family,

two college degrees, and she is related to some high ranking policemen........So maybe

these guys would not know what happens in countless villages. Ok, then just ask your

one of your cleaning staff.

And on a side note, what the bleep is up with rewriting the constitution ?? How about

taking a tip from America, a somewhat successful country. That is where a group of

brilliant people write up a constitution that is fair to all citizens, and then you stick to

it. These Thai constitutions may as well be written on dissolving paper, as historically

each new government rewrites it in order to maximize their looting of the country.

You should change your forum name to 'eyeswideclosed' or amend it to 'eyeswideopenwithyellowtintedglasses' You seem to think (maybe because of the yellow tinted glasses?) that Thaksin was the only person guilty of vote buying. If you think Thailand would take any notice of the USA when it comes to anything )except taking their money/donations that have now been cut of course) then there's something wrong with those yellow tinted glasses you're wearing. Have you not heard about the anti American rallies being planned? There again the original constitution encouraged racism and slavery so maybe it is something Thailand could use!

[IamNoone88]

There will never be a "clean" election in the near future and certainly not by 2015 when it will "game on" again and back to the same old tricks and corruption.

Some-times we have to face the fact that a period of sustained authoritarianism may offer the best mid-term solution. I feel that there is a very real danger that this cake will be half cooked by 2015 - 12 months is simply not long enough for NCPO to bring about sustained change, clean out the corruption and implement better policies - despite a very good start.

For pundits on the subject - as long as the population continues to undervalue and mis-understand the importance of their own vote in the future of their own country and continue to have their votes bought, sadly there will be no chance for Thailand to effectively exercise its full potential as a developing nation. They lose much more than the THB 1,000 (or whatever) they are paid. NCPO would do well to run public service messages to change this mindset.

Why is it important to get it right? Look at a rising China, Indonesia, Korea and a rapidly growing hinterland. There is no time to waste and I for one, would like to see the NCPO continue to clean the house up, successfully prosecute the law breakers and establish new rules for at least 24 months before handing back the power. A real issue is the little respect shown for the law and that has encouraged a society from young to old to develop an "untouchable" mentality - 12 months is not long enough to reverse that mindset either.

[EyesWideOpen]

Vote buying = death penalty. Then and only then will there be actual democratic elections.

I stated in another thread that Prayuth would be in power for two years. So I am a bit off.....

But the time period he has chosen is reasonable. That should give him plenty of time

to clean house on the PTP appointments, and the Thaksin cronies / relatives. But again,

until vote buying is dealt with, we can look forward to another Thaksin puppet in Oct

of 2015......

And to the rose colored glasses people who think vote buying is some kind

of urban myth, just ask your Thai girlfriend/wife what happens in her village during elections.

Oh wait, everybody on TV is claiming they have a Chinese / Thai wife with a rich family,

two college degrees, and she is related to some high ranking policemen........So maybe

these guys would not know what happens in countless villages. Ok, then just ask your

one of your cleaning staff.

And on a side note, what the bleep is up with rewriting the constitution ?? How about

taking a tip from America, a somewhat successful country. That is where a group of

brilliant people write up a constitution that is fair to all citizens, and then you stick to

it. These Thai constitutions may as well be written on dissolving paper, as historically

each new government rewrites it in order to maximize their looting of the country.

You should change your forum name to 'eyeswideclosed' or amend it to 'eyeswideopenwithyellowtintedglasses' You seem to think (maybe because of the yellow tinted glasses?) that Thaksin was the only person guilty of vote buying. If you think Thailand would take any notice of the USA when it comes to anything )except taking their money/donations that have now been cut of course) then there's something wrong with those yellow tinted glasses you're wearing. Have you not heard about the anti American rallies being planned? There again the original constitution encouraged racism and slavery so maybe it is something Thailand could use!

I do not have glasses, and if I did they would not be tinted. Not sure who else was doing vote buying, but if they were they were wasting their money as Thaksin/ puppets won every election after liberally sprinkling money in all the villages. Regarding anti-America rallies, that is funnier than

shit......America is Thailand's second largest trading partner. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face..... Would be really funny if America got pissed off and cut all trade with Thailand.

When are these rallies ? I want to go see them.

Edited June 28, 2014 by EyesWideOpen

[Hawk]

So no elections this year, as suggested/promised, but a huge wait until the near end of next year(perhaps). By that time the army will be well entrenched and nigh on impossible to evict, parliament will simply become a museum for kids to play in.

Of course the country is not, and never will be ready for democracy, how can children govern themselves anyway.

On the bright side, the army will need far more recruits, and get them, no exemptions in future. The army will teach the youth right from wrong because the Thai education system is obviously teaching them nonsense. Let's return to the past and have the people dressed up in uniforms with respectable haircuts, no more ladyboys evading the newly to be announced, 3 year compulsory call up.

Edited June 28, 2014 by Hawk

[GAZZPA]

And on a side note, what the bleep is up with rewriting the constitution ?? How about

taking a tip from America, a somewhat successful country. That is where a group of

brilliant people write up a constitution that is fair to all citizens, and then you stick to

it. These Thai constitutions may as well be written on dissolving paper, as historically

each new government rewrites it in order to maximize their looting of the country.

I agree with a lot of what was said, but the above!!! You lost all credibility when you started with Team America- world police! Written by brilliant men (debatable), fair to all citizens (blatant lie). As I remember it your constitution was fully functional when you tried to ethnically cleanse the continent of indigenous peoples! It was also in place when you signed agreements giving land to said people, then ripped them up in order to 're-claim' the land because gold had been found on it. Your constitution also gives everyone the right to bear arms (written in the wild west so understandable), never amended to recognise a modern world! This has lead to incidents like Columbine etc. Sorry, but I could go on and on with this. I don't want to seem like I hate Yanks, I don't! Your post was great until you turned condescending and written a load of old codswallop at the end!

Wow, not even sure where to start. My reference was only to the constitution as it was originally written, and its durability over 200 plus years. And if you think the brilliance of Thomas Jefferson is debatable, you have lost ALL credibility. The anti-America sentiment must be reaching a fever pitch

here if your bringing in the issue of the treatment of Indians in America from 150 years ago.

Hmm let's see. Your board name has the word scouse in it, so either you like the sound of that word, or you are a scouser from Liverpool. In which case, given the history of England and its colonization issues in the past, you would be best to keep quiet and not make a fool of yourself anymore.....

England colonization began around 500 years ago. Long before America was conceived and although colonizing is not an acceptable practice for any nation today back then it was considered to be crucial for the growth of a nation. England was not the only nation doing this (although it grew to be the biggest), don't forget France, Spain, Portugal etc,, what do you think those languages are so widely spoken today.

Don't really have a comment on the American constitution and don't necessarily agree with the post about it but your response was childish and silly.

If you want to defend the American constitution then just do it and stop behaving like you're in a school playground. You are the one who held it up for it's "credibility", did you not expect someone to shoot it down?

If you can't defend it I suggest you keep quiet and not make a fool of yourself anymore….

[Lite Beer]

Thai coup leader denies conspiracy with protesters

BANGKOK, June 28, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand's junta-leading Army Chief has dismissed allegations he plotted to seize power for years before May's coup, issuing an apparent rebuke to the leader of the protests that crippled the former government.

"It is not true" General Prayut Chan-O-Cha said, addressing accusations that he had discussed uprooting the divisive Shinawatra clan from politics with firebrand protest chief Suthep Thaugsuban.

"I did not join any process or take part with any side," Prayut said late Friday in a weekly television address to the nation.
While Prayut did not directly reference Suthep, he was prodded into the denial after reports that the protest figurehead told a charity dinner that he had been in talks with the army chief since 2010.

Shortly after Prayut's comments, Suthep took to Facebook to say he would cancel all future fundraisers -- starting on Saturday.

Supporters of ousted premier Yingluck Shinawatra have blamed a coalition of establishment-linked forces -- including the army and judiciary -- for colluding to overthrow the government, the second such army putsch in eight years.

But Prayut has been at pains to package his power grab as a necessary evil to restore peace and order after several months of protests by Suthep's supporters paralysed the government.

Twenty-eight people died and hundreds more were wounded in political violence linked to the protests, which also deflated the kingdom's once-buoyant economy.

The stern-faced general toppled the government on May 22, a fortnight after Yingluck was booted out off office by a controversial court ruling.

He has imposed martial law on the kingdom, suspended the constitution, muzzled dissent and detained or arrested hundreds of people -- mainly supporters of the former government.

"Political talks, fund-raising (activities) are forbidden.... it is a violation of martial law," Prayut warned in his regular Friday television speech.

Two senior members of the anti-government protests contacted by AFP refused to comment.
Yingluck's billionaire brother -- also a former premier -- Thaksin Shinawatra sits at the heart of Thailand's trenchant political divide.

He was toppled in a 2006 army coup and now lives in self-exile to avoid a corruption conviction he contends was politically motivated.

The Shinawatras draw loyalty from the populous and poor northern part of the country, but are loathed by a Bangkok-based elite, their affiliates in the army and royalist allies in the kingdom's south.

Fleshing out his roadmap for Thailand's political future, Prayut also confirmed that an interim constitution had been drafted and will likely take effect next month.

A national assembly will be appointed in September to select a new premier, while a reform council stacked with hand-picked 'wise men' from across the country will be established to craft a new, binding constitution to come into effect in July, 2015.

New elections "will come after the permanent constitution" around three months later, Prayut added.

From the start of his street rallies Suthep, a former deputy prime minister, called for widespread reforms to "root out the Thaksin regime" before elections.

Observers say the reforms are likely to take aim at the electoral dominance of the Shinawatra clan, who have won every Thai poll since 2001.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-06-28

[Emptyset]

Korn said the democrats spent 300% more in some norther areas and completely have up and spent nothing in Thaksins strongest regions.

Maybe he was trying to make the point that in some areas, the level of bullying and intimidation is so high, even a higher bribe won't change anything.

In MiL's village, all are promised a certain amount, providing the vote for the Thaksin aligned party is 100%. If one person votes for someone else all the money is lost. And, that person would be in deep shit because voting in the villages in anything but secret.

This might be true in some areas... I heard that older voters were still sometimes afraid of threats of being cursed if they took the money and didn't vote the way they were supposed to. In fact someone once told me he had to try hard to convince his grandmother to take the money and vote for who she wanted. This is a friend I know very well from a rural part of Sukhotai which has lately been a Democrat area I think. He said in the old days people would nearly always vote for who they took the money from, but it's gradually changed over the years as the fear of these curses have lessened. As I say, that's in a seat where there's genuine competition though. You sound like you're talking about a seat which is solidly PT.

Question is whether they actually need to vote buy in these seats? Isn't the money just really a token gesture? Because they don't want to spend vast amounts in places where they're sure to win. Similar to what I've heard about the Democrats in the South. People there generally vote for them anyway, so they don't spend huge amounts although they do spend something to ensure client-patron relationships are upheld, as this study suggests:

"Callahan has argued that the south, with its more unified regional identity and strong leaning towards the Democrats, is often seen as “beyond vote-buying”, yet his study details allegations of illegal practices by the Democrats in Hat Yai in 1995 (Callahan 2000: 50– 51), noting that Pollwatch officials believed Democrat vote-buying was widespread in the region (Callahan 2000: 20). He also suggests that bureaucratic bias in favour of the Democrats was quite pervasive in the South, including Chuan¹s own Trang constituency (Callahan 2000: 20, 57). While it may be the case that regionalist sympathies for the Democrats reduced the salience of electoral manipulation in the South – it might be suggested that the Democrats would largely “win anyway”, even without cheating, and that illicit benefits offered around elections were simply part of an ongoing relationship between the party and its supporters – southern sympathy for the party did not prevent the commercialisation of elections in the region"

[ZigZagMan]

Thai coup leader denies conspiracy with protesters

BANGKOK, June 28, 2014 (AFP) - Thailand's junta-leading Army Chief has dismissed allegations he plotted to seize power for years before May's coup, issuing an apparent rebuke to the leader of the protests that crippled the former government.

"It is not true" General Prayut Chan-O-Cha said, addressing accusations that he had discussed uprooting the divisive Shinawatra clan from politics with firebrand protest chief Suthep Thaugsuban.

"I did not join any process or take part with any side," Prayut said late Friday in a weekly television address to the nation.

While Prayut did not directly reference Suthep, he was prodded into the denial after reports that the protest figurehead told a charity dinner that he had been in talks with the army chief since 2010.

Shortly after Prayut's comments, Suthep took to Facebook to say he would cancel all future fundraisers -- starting on Saturday.

Supporters of ousted premier Yingluck Shinawatra have blamed a coalition of establishment-linked forces -- including the army and judiciary -- for colluding to overthrow the government, the second such army putsch in eight years.

But Prayut has been at pains to package his power grab as a necessary evil to restore peace and order after several months of protests by Suthep's supporters paralysed the government.

Twenty-eight people died and hundreds more were wounded in political violence linked to the protests, which also deflated the kingdom's once-buoyant economy.

The stern-faced general toppled the government on May 22, a fortnight after Yingluck was booted out off office by a controversial court ruling.

He has imposed martial law on the kingdom, suspended the constitution, muzzled dissent and detained or arrested hundreds of people -- mainly supporters of the former government.

"Political talks, fund-raising (activities) are forbidden.... it is a violation of martial law," Prayut warned in his regular Friday television speech.

Two senior members of the anti-government protests contacted by AFP refused to comment.

Yingluck's billionaire brother -- also a former premier -- Thaksin Shinawatra sits at the heart of Thailand's trenchant political divide.

He was toppled in a 2006 army coup and now lives in self-exile to avoid a corruption conviction he contends was politically motivated.

The Shinawatras draw loyalty from the populous and poor northern part of the country, but are loathed by a Bangkok-based elite, their affiliates in the army and royalist allies in the kingdom's south.

Fleshing out his roadmap for Thailand's political future, Prayut also confirmed that an interim constitution had been drafted and will likely take effect next month.

A national assembly will be appointed in September to select a new premier, while a reform council stacked with hand-picked 'wise men' from across the country will be established to craft a new, binding constitution to come into effect in July, 2015.

New elections "will come after the permanent constitution" around three months later, Prayut added.

From the start of his street rallies Suthep, a former deputy prime minister, called for widespread reforms to "root out the Thaksin regime" before elections.

Observers say the reforms are likely to take aim at the electoral dominance of the Shinawatra clan, who have won every Thai poll since 2001.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-06-28

Everybody knew this already.

[Alwyn]

Vote buying = death penalty. Then and only then will there be actual democratic elections.

I stated in another thread that Prayuth would be in power for two years. So I am a bit off.....

But the time period he has chosen is reasonable. That should give him plenty of time

to clean house on the PTP appointments, and the Thaksin cronies / relatives. But again,

until vote buying is dealt with, we can look forward to another Thaksin puppet in Oct

of 2015......

And to the rose colored glasses people who think vote buying is some kind

of urban myth, just ask your Thai girlfriend/wife what happens in her village during elections.

Oh wait, everybody on TV is claiming they have a Chinese / Thai wife with a rich family,

two college degrees, and she is related to some high ranking policemen........So maybe

these guys would not know what happens in countless villages. Ok, then just ask your

one of your cleaning staff.

And on a side note, what the bleep is up with rewriting the constitution ?? How about

taking a tip from America, a somewhat successful country. That is where a group of

brilliant people write up a constitution that is fair to all citizens, and then you stick to

it. These Thai constitutions may as well be written on dissolving paper, as historically

each new government rewrites it in order to maximize their looting of the country.

You should change your forum name to 'eyeswideclosed' or amend it to 'eyeswideopenwithyellowtintedglasses' You seem to think (maybe because of the yellow tinted glasses?) that Thaksin was the only person guilty of vote buying. If you think Thailand would take any notice of the USA when it comes to anything )except taking their money/donations that have now been cut of course) then there's something wrong with those yellow tinted glasses you're wearing. Have you not heard about the anti American rallies being planned? There again the original constitution encouraged racism and slavery so maybe it is something Thailand could use!

I do not have glasses, and if I did they would not be tinted. Not sure who else was doing vote buying, but if they were they were wasting their money as Thaksin/ puppets won every election after liberally sprinkling money in all the villages. Regarding anti-America rallies, that is funnier than

shit......America is Thailand's second largest trading partner. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face..... Would be really funny if America got pissed off and cut all trade with Thailand.

When are these rallies ? I want to go see them.

Unfortunately in Thailand "face" is everything and cutting the nose off to spite the face (or in Thai mentality, keep face) is not unusual. Who do you think was paying/sponsoring K Suthep? The same people from BKK that buy the votes from their factory workers (and according to what seems to going on - factory slaves?) The same people who fund the general, the smae people that go around villages that are not in the north , buying votes. But in fairness, vote buying goes on in just about every country except New Zealand if I beleive what I read and hear. In America vote buying is rampant - corporations getting lucrative contracts by supporting the right party, people getting plum jobs by showing their support. In the UK it's trade unions that benefit by following the right party (and by "right" party I mean the left party). Would you want to take a side bet that the general "paid" for his job by supporting the right people (not to mention a physical payment!) Kids parents pay for them to be accepted into the military colleges rather than have to be successful in their entry exams) kids parents pay the coach so they get onto the school football team for crying out loud! Graft is part of the Asian way and certainly part of the Thai way and this sh*t has been going on for decades if not centuries.

[Emptyset]

"I ask you not to do it again. If you want to talk, do it quietly at home," the general said. "You can't hold a political gathering in a public place. It's against martial law. If you do it again, everybody involved will be summoned to face legal action for violating an NCPO order."

Will the anti-USA rally planned for tomorrow be allowed to go ahead, then?

Anti USA rally?

Richard Barrow @RichardBarrow · 20h

Anti-American protest due to take place in front of the US Embassy on Wireless Road in #Bangkok from 2pm on Sunday. Advisable to stay clear.

There's a flyer for it going around on FB, mostly in Thai but in English it says: "ANTI USA **** OBAMA". lol. Then it has that little "We Love Thai Army" sticker next to it.

[Ricardo]

How will the new constitution get around the majority rule thing?

By continuing to dent all the hill-tribe people, born & living in Thailand, their citizenships ?

[fasteddie]

As has been said before:

The good thing about Democracy is that all citizens have an equal vote .... regardless of their education or knowledge of the issues involved, everyone gets only one vote.

The bad thing about Democracy is that all citizens have an equal vote .... regardless of their education or knowledge of the issues involved everyone gets only one vote.

Thailand, the U.S.A., and the U.K. are all prime examples of that fact.

All you have to do is to talk to your typical voter for a few minutes and you will see that.

You make a good point, but what can you do?

Democracy has been hijacked by big money but is still the only system anywhere near fair, and I come from the UK where at the moment a party which had nearly 60 percent of the electorate vote against it, is tearing the very heart out of our once great nation, but still I vote for democracy.

[Lite Beer]

Draft interim constitution completed
By Digital Content

BANGKOK, June 28 -- Just a month after the military takeover, Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha, leader of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), announced late Friday that a draft interim Constitution was now complete and was being scrutinised by legal experts.

Army chief Gen Prayuth said during his weekly address on television on Friday that the draft interim constitution would be considered by NCPO next week before it would be forwarded for Royal endorsement.

It was expected that the draft interim Constitution would be enforced in July, he said, adding that the national legislative assembly would be established about a month later while an interim cabinet could start performing duties in September.

Gen Prayuth said it would take some time to find knowledgeable qualified persons from every sectors and province to join the national reform council.

He said he believed the council could start performing duty around early October, or about two months after the interim constitution was enforced.

The national reform council would undertake reform in every field including politics, economics, social, environmental, energy, judicial system and others, said Gen Prayuth.

The national reform council would submit recommendations to the national legislative assembly which would draft the new Constitution, expected to become enforced in July 2015.

After the permanent Consitution was enforced, the NCPO would then organise a free and fair general election which would become a “solid foundation for a perfect democracy and constructive political system for the country” and not burdened by political conflicts as people had suffered in the past.

“Everything should be settled within 2015,” said Gen Prayuth, adding that people would have a fully elected government. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2014-06-28

[baboon]

"I ask you not to do it again. If you want to talk, do it quietly at home," the general said. "You can't hold a political gathering in a public place. It's against martial law. If you do it again, everybody involved will be summoned to face legal action for violating an NCPO order."

Will the anti-USA rally planned for tomorrow be allowed to go ahead, then?

Anti USA rally?

Richard Barrow @RichardBarrow · 20h

Anti-American protest due to take place in front of the US Embassy on Wireless Road in #Bangkok from 2pm on Sunday. Advisable to stay clear.

There's a flyer for it going around on FB, mostly in Thai but in English it says: "ANTI USA **** OBAMA". lol. Then it has that little "We Love Thai Army" sticker next to it.

Hmm, I might go to that. Then afterwards I can pop in to MacDonald's or KFC for something to eat in front of 'Breaking Bad'...

[ZigZagMan]

"I ask you not to do it again. If you want to talk, do it quietly at home," the general said. "You can't hold a political gathering in a public place. It's against martial law. If you do it again, everybody involved will be summoned to face legal action for violating an NCPO order."

Will the anti-USA rally planned for tomorrow be allowed to go ahead, then?

Anti USA rally?

Richard Barrow @RichardBarrow · 20h

Anti-American protest due to take place in front of the US Embassy on Wireless Road in #Bangkok from 2pm on Sunday. Advisable to stay clear.

There's a flyer for it going around on FB, mostly in Thai but in English it says: "ANTI USA **** OBAMA". lol. Then it has that little "We Love Thai Army" sticker next to it.

Hmm, I might go to that. Then afterwards I can pop in to MacDonald's or KFC for something to eat in front of 'Breaking Bad'...

Team yellow still upset about the revelations in the US Ambassador emails back to the state department.

[EyesWideOpen]

Vote buying = death penalty. Then and only then will there be actual democratic elections.

I stated in another thread that Prayuth would be in power for two years. So I am a bit off.....

But the time period he has chosen is reasonable. That should give him plenty of time

to clean house on the PTP appointments, and the Thaksin cronies / relatives. But again,

until vote buying is dealt with, we can look forward to another Thaksin puppet in Oct

of 2015......

And to the rose colored glasses people who think vote buying is some kind

of urban myth, just ask your Thai girlfriend/wife what happens in her village during elections.

Oh wait, everybody on TV is claiming they have a Chinese / Thai wife with a rich family,

two college degrees, and she is related to some high ranking policemen........So maybe

these guys would not know what happens in countless villages. Ok, then just ask your

one of your cleaning staff.

And on a side note, what the bleep is up with rewriting the constitution ?? How about

taking a tip from America, a somewhat successful country. That is where a group of

brilliant people write up a constitution that is fair to all citizens, and then you stick to

it. These Thai constitutions may as well be written on dissolving paper, as historically

each new government rewrites it in order to maximize their looting of the country.

You should change your forum name to 'eyeswideclosed' or amend it to 'eyeswideopenwithyellowtintedglasses' You seem to think (maybe because of the yellow tinted glasses?) that Thaksin was the only person guilty of vote buying. If you think Thailand would take any notice of the USA when it comes to anything )except taking their money/donations that have now been cut of course) then there's something wrong with those yellow tinted glasses you're wearing. Have you not heard about the anti American rallies being planned? There again the original constitution encouraged racism and slavery so maybe it is something Thailand could use!

I do not have glasses, and if I did they would not be tinted. Not sure who else was doing vote buying, but if they were they were wasting their money as Thaksin/ puppets won every election after liberally sprinkling money in all the villages. Regarding anti-America rallies, that is funnier than

shit......America is Thailand's second largest trading partner. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face..... Would be really funny if America got pissed off and cut all trade with Thailand.

When are these rallies ? I want to go see them.

Unfortunately in Thailand "face" is everything and cutting the nose off to spite the face (or in Thai mentality, keep face) is not unusual. Who do you think was paying/sponsoring K Suthep? The same people from BKK that buy the votes from their factory workers (and according to what seems to going on - factory slaves?) The same people who fund the general, the smae people that go around villages that are not in the north , buying votes. But in fairness, vote buying goes on in just about every country except New Zealand if I beleive what I read and hear. In America vote buying is rampant - corporations getting lucrative contracts by supporting the right party, people getting plum jobs by showing their support. In the UK it's trade unions that benefit by following the right party (and by "right" party I mean the left party). Would you want to take a side bet that the general "paid" for his job by supporting the right people (not to mention a physical payment!) Kids parents pay for them to be accepted into the military colleges rather than have to be successful in their entry exams) kids parents pay the coach so they get onto the school football team for crying out loud! Graft is part of the Asian way and certainly part of the Thai way and this sh*t has been going on for decades if not centuries.

If you want to know who funded Suthep, do your own research into who was behind the overthrow of Thaksin......

[NeilSA1]

If the constitution has not even been written, how can he be so sure that it will be a fair one?

I imagine that it is his intention that it will be a fair one. Just as if I intend to paint my house white, I can be pretty sure that the house will be white when it is finished.