Election in Oct 2015, NCPO says

[kalbo123]

Of course October 2015 is so far away that when that date comes closer everybody forgot that election should be held.

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[Thailand]

Of course October 2015 is so far away that when that date comes closer everybody forgot that election should be held.

Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met behulp van Thaivisa Connect Thailand

As much as there was no planning before the coup you can bet that their will be an equal amount of no planning if not more no planning by a number of factions in the period leading up to the elections.

[Mudcrab]

Develop a Constitution that is voted in by the people. Formulate it in such a way that popular elected voted politicians cannot it change without the vote of the people, Then have an election. Same as the founding fathers of the US did. That has worked reasonably well.As it has in Oz.

[ZigZagMan]

Develop a Constitution that is voted in by the people. Formulate it in such a way that popular elected voted politicians cannot it change without the vote of the people, Then have an election. Same as the founding fathers of the US did. That has worked reasonably well.As it has in Oz.

But wouldn't the 'wrong side' would win again?

Then a minority mob of spoiled children would prompt the next coup.

Edited June 28, 2014 by ZigZagMan

[tingtongteesood]

Good, we will hopefully have some relative peace till at least the end of 2015 then. I agree with the threat being as much of a problem as the vote buying. When you live in a 'red village' there is a lot of pressure that how dare you have a different opinion, and with the 'red schools' they were on about too......Villages should be inspected nationwide at random to make sure no such nonsense is ever allowed to go on again.

[EyesWideOpen]

Good, we will hopefully have some relative peace till at least the end of 2015 then. I agree with the threat being as much of a problem as the vote buying. When you live in a 'red village' there is a lot of pressure that how dare you have a different opinion, and with the 'red schools' they were on about too......Villages should be inspected nationwide at random to make sure no such nonsense is ever allowed to go on again.

Speaking of red villages, which is about the stupidest thing I have ever heard about in Thailand.

I wonder if Prayuth will put an end to that, or perhaps he already quietly has. Any farangs

living in a red shirt village that could say what is going on ??

Edited June 28, 2014 by EyesWideOpen

[ZigZagMan]

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

Those websites are blocked and The Nation doesn't think it's important.

[Exsexyman]

"High-ranking military officials will make up half of the 200-member National Legislative Assembly, which will be wholly appointed by the NCPO."

"It was reported earlier that the NCPO's power would remain the same even after an interim government is installed. The interim charter will include Article 17, which will give the NCPO greater powers than the government, the Isra News Agency reported."

Not a lot of point in having an unelected appointed government later in the year if the NCPO still has the final say on everything?

Hope that won't be the case after the "democratic" elections in 16 months time.

After seeing many elected governments and a few unelected, I hope we have an unelected as long as possible.

An interesting viewpoint. When did you first come to the conclusion that fascism was for you?

[Confuscious]

Let me get this straight.

The junta is offering $15 reward for people reporting of groups of 5 or more?

If that's correct it's going to stuff up a lot of golf games.

A guy is arrested in a park eating a sandwich and reading a book .

Yet here is sutep claiming that he and the general conspired for years to topple the government and the general calls him a liar!

Well how is this bloke allowed to roam around after those statements!

He's either a liar or telling the truth and either way it's inflammatory and a lot worse tan reading a book in a park!

You took the words right out of my mouth.

FULL agree with you.

[martinhp]

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

He don't know what demokracy is and do not understand different pebble think differently he is a good example of haw not to do

[tingtongteesood]

Let me get this straight.

The junta is offering $15 reward for people reporting of groups of 5 or more?

If that's correct it's going to stuff up a lot of golf games.

A guy is arrested in a park eating a sandwich and reading a book .

Yet here is sutep claiming that he and the general conspired for years to topple the government and the general calls him a liar!

Well how is this bloke allowed to roam around after those statements!

He's either a liar or telling the truth and either way it's inflammatory and a lot worse tan reading a book in a park!

You took the words right out of my mouth.

FULL agree with you.

Try rubbing 2 brain cells together both of you.

Gatherings of more than 5 people FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES are not allowed, nobody gives a stuff about people playing golf. Whilst it is true they may discuss politics between themselves, if they set up a stage or use speakers shouting bs about how they want to kill all the rich people ( a la almost every red shirt rally of the last 4 years or so ) then they have a problem.

As for the sandwich eating book reading idiot, funny how he had the waiting press there watching him and was goading the army to arrest him. It was an obvious set up and he deserves to be detained till he has enough sense to not purposely try and stir things up again.

As for the Suthep thing I reserve comment for now as I don't know what was really said. I think what he said was misconstrued but 'tis merely a theory, but agree he should have kept his mouth shut.

[ZigZagMan]

Let me get this straight.

The junta is offering $15 reward for people reporting of groups of 5 or more?

If that's correct it's going to stuff up a lot of golf games.

A guy is arrested in a park eating a sandwich and reading a book .

Yet here is sutep claiming that he and the general conspired for years to topple the government and the general calls him a liar!

Well how is this bloke allowed to roam around after those statements!

He's either a liar or telling the truth and either way it's inflammatory and a lot worse tan reading a book in a park!

You took the words right out of my mouth.

FULL agree with you.

They will give Suthep a pass in this but if ever gets caught cooking on TV there will be hell to pay.

[marcusd]

"High-ranking military officials will make up half of the 200-member National Legislative Assembly, which will be wholly appointed by the NCPO."

"It was reported earlier that the NCPO's power would remain the same even after an interim government is installed. The interim charter will include Article 17, which will give the NCPO greater powers than the government, the Isra News Agency reported."

Not a lot of point in having an unelected appointed government later in the year if the NCPO still has the final say on everything?

Hope that won't be the case after the "democratic" elections in 16 months time.

No need for an election. He is doing better than any Thai government of the last 15 years

[brewsterbudgen]

"High-ranking military officials will make up half of the 200-member National Legislative Assembly, which will be wholly appointed by the NCPO."

"It was reported earlier that the NCPO's power would remain the same even after an interim government is installed. The interim charter will include Article 17, which will give the NCPO greater powers than the government, the Isra News Agency reported."

Not a lot of point in having an unelected appointed government later in the year if the NCPO still has the final say on everything?

Hope that won't be the case after the "democratic" elections in 16 months time.

No need for an election. He is doing better than any Thai government of the last 15 years

Not if you don't support the coup and favour democracy (or like eating sandwiches).

[dunque]

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.

Ah yes the US - where big money never sways the democratic process and you can't buy a vote for pork or money.

Do us a favour.

[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.

Ah yes the US - where big money never sways the democratic process and you can't buy a vote for pork or money.

Do us a favour.

Sigh........ If you want to bash America, at the very least do a bit of reading. Yes large corporations

will run ads on your TV asking you to vote for candidate A. If you really like the candidate B,

the corporations can run ads until your TV burns up and it will not change your mind. Basically vastly different from Thailand, where money is either handed to you for your vote, or the village kamnan puts pressure on you to vote a certain way. Think red shirt villages to help you out with the mental image. If you want to equate that to television ads in America, good luck with that.... :-)

But I do agree with one thing. If the founding fathers saw what was happening with lobbyists and pac funds, they would roll over in their graves.

And the death sentence suggestion was a bit of tongue in cheek humor. Ten years in prison would be fine for people attempting to completely circumvent the democratic process

Edited June 28, 2014 by EyesWideOpen

[EyesWideOpen]

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.

Actually both teams did not fare very well in the Wikileaks information..... :-)

[Roadman]

Let me get this straight.

The junta is offering $15 reward for people reporting of groups of 5 or more?

If that's correct it's going to stuff up a lot of golf games.

A guy is arrested in a park eating a sandwich and reading a book .

Yet here is sutep claiming that he and the general conspired for years to topple the government and the general calls him a liar!

Well how is this bloke allowed to roam around after those statements!

He's either a liar or telling the truth and either way it's inflammatory and a lot worse tan reading a book in a park!

You took the words right out of my mouth.

FULL agree with you.

Try rubbing 2 brain cells together both of you.

Gatherings of more than 5 people FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES are not allowed, nobody gives a stuff about people playing golf. Whilst it is true they may discuss politics between themselves, if they set up a stage or use speakers shouting bs about how they want to kill all the rich people ( a la almost every red shirt rally of the last 4 years or so ) then they have a problem.

As for the sandwich eating book reading idiot, funny how he had the waiting press there watching him and was goading the army to arrest him. It was an obvious set up and he deserves to be detained till he has enough sense to not purposely try and stir things up again.

As for the Suthep thing I reserve comment for now as I don't know what was really said. I think what he said was misconstrued but 'tis merely a theory, but agree he should have kept his mouth shut.

Thankfully some have functioning brain cells to work that out. Or grovel on any little scrap to knit the clothes for their straw men.

I notice that posters associate Thai's with 'face' on here constantly. The Suthep said reforms and Khun Prayuth applied reforms case in point.

Suthep was demanding and having meetings with the Army and other sections of the forces quite often. The meetings have been reported on here and other sites. The events under Army governance now allows Suthep to cheekily claim the 'face' ground as 'his' but certainly reporting of those meetings at the time was not the case. For his current big face what is playing out now is close to what he and separately Abhisit were presenting as alternate options to the failed lawless governance of Thailand. What both were presenting was a fair enough draft with adjustments and additional fine tuning for how one, including the current leader Khun Prayuth could, but more importantly would go about building and implementing a democratic platform. With the reforms occurring now Suthep has his big face and is boasting it up full time. He should take the hint from the good general regards his 'dinners' that his face is not welcome regardless of the evil doctor role he played in removing the lawless Thaksin governance.

On a side note I see the usual are still cuddling their straw man with a straw man's brain capacity that this is about installing the Democrats. Perhaps the straw man brain struggles with the difference between Democrats and democracy.

Edited June 28, 2014 by Roadman

[ZigZagMan]

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

Actually both teams did not fare very well in the Wikileaks information..... :-)

Maybe 'The Nation' could do a story on the Wikileaks?

After all, it's one of the biggest stories in the last 60 years.

Someone should write a book.

[sae57]

Good, we will hopefully have some relative peace till at least the end of 2015 then. I agree with the threat being as much of a problem as the vote buying. When you live in a 'red village' there is a lot of pressure that how dare you have a different opinion, and with the 'red schools' they were on about too......Villages should be inspected nationwide at random to make sure no such nonsense is ever allowed to go on again.

Speaking of red villages, which is about the stupidest thing I have ever heard about in Thailand.

I wonder if Prayuth will put an end to that, or perhaps he already quietly has. Any farangs

living in a red shirt village that could say what is going on ??

In my neck of the woods, rural roiet, the "redshirt village" all came down pretty quickly. That's all it amounted to anyway, putting up a sign.

[sae57]

EyesWideOpen:

" Sigh........ If you want to bash America, at the very least do a bit of reading. Yes large corporations

will run ads on your TV asking you to vote for candidate A. If you really like the candidate B,

the corporations can run ads until your TV burns up and it will not change your mind. Basically vastly different from Thailand, where money is either handed to you for your vote, or the village kamnan puts pressure on you to vote a certain way. Think red shirt villages to help you out with the mental image. If you want to equate that to television ads in America, good luck with that.... :-)"

I'm American and I live in a redshirt village and I do see similarities between vote buying here and campaigns in the US. The candidates compete in who spends the most money, hoping to sway a few voters their way. The difference is that here the voters put some of that cash (from all sides) in their pockets. No pressure other than ordinary peer pressure and no coercion from mayors or county officials etc. In Thailand overt campaigning is restricted (e.g. no talking about your opponents & I think they each get a set amount of TV time), so passing out baht is just another form of campaigning--look, see? I'm a good, generous person! I suspect that most of the horror stories are from 20+ years ago. Also, as someone else noted, a way of maintaining/building patronage relationships.

--S

[sae57]

Develop a Constitution that is voted in by the people. Formulate it in such a way that popular elected voted politicians cannot it change without the vote of the people, Then have an election. Same as the founding fathers of the US did. That has worked reasonably well.As it has in Oz.

Note: The Thai constitution of 2007 was approved by popular referendum--the only one ever (the 1997 constitution was drafted by an elected constitutional convention, but not approved by referendum). The US constitution was not approved by a vote of the people, rather the states individually joined the Union by acts of their governments. The US constitution is not changed by popular vote, rather, after an amendment has been approved by 2/3 of both houses of congress 3/4 of the states must approve.

But the point is that it is difficult to change and that it is a democratic process involving more than the central government. Thai constitutions have been ridiculously easy to amend--as easy as passing ordinary laws. Another problem is that when they get abrogated every 10 years or so, on top of being easy to change, any given charter has no felt legitamacy. For a constitution to function as constituting the state there needs to be a kind of quasi-religious devotion to it, and that can be built only over generations of use, no matter how well drafted the document is (or how many monuments or national holidays are devoted to it). Thailand, it seems to me, functions more on the basis of common law (note: things go on rather normally while constitutions are repeatedly shreded and thrown away), rather more like the UK, which doesn't have one, than the US, but there is little realization of that, so they keep muddling through searching for the perfect charter.

--S

[jayjayjayjay]

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"

You guys don't get it! I have personally attended every election vote of my girlfriend in Hot city, Chomthong in Chiangmai for the past 9 years. Not a single baht passes into her hand. They vote the Shins in because they like, trust and believe in the hope Shins policies will continue to help improve the lot for country folk. Get you head around this. There is vote buying from both sides, but only in marginal areas or flip flop areas like Buriram n Surin.

[ZigZagMan]

Issan is booming & the dramatic drop in poverty makes the Shins unbeatable.

People don't support Thaksin so they can get a free lunch every four years.

[Theoutsider]

new constitution............ mmmmmmmmmmm where THE WHO

[sae57]

Issan is booming & the dramatic drop in poverty makes the Shins unbeatable.

People don't support Thaksin so they can get a free lunch every four years.

Whooboy. Learn the language, listen to what people actually say. Take a look at land ownership patterns. Everything is happening as though TS had planned for more and more land to go into fewer and fewer hands so you'd have large-scale farms with landless peasants renting land to work and hiring themselves out. Like the central region. I'm not cynical enough to think he actually planned that--just the result of poorly concieved, shoddily implemented policies. People vote PT because they believe that when TS comes back he'll pay off their debts for them (really!). They believe that the million/village revolving fund (a disaster, locking families into growing debt resulting in loss of mortgaged land--borrowing from sharks to pay off at the end of the year) and the national health insurance system was paid for out of his own pocket. Believing that when he comes back everyone will become rich and debt-free people willingly mortgage their land, going deeper and deeper into debt. Isan is in critical near collapse.

A little note: since the generals have taken over, people who were in hiding from the enforcers on motorcycles coming around to collect shark loans are coming back out into the open. People have been paid for their rice and the local economy is functioning again. But again, people take the money offered for their votes--but then vote for whoever they want regardless.

--S

[Mackie]

You guys don't get it! I have personally attended every election vote of my girlfriend in Hot city, Chomthong in Chiangmai for the past 9 years. Not a single baht passes into her hand. They vote the Shins in because they like, trust and believe in the hope Shins policies will continue to help improve the lot for country folk. Get you head around this. There is vote buying from both sides, but only in marginal areas or flip flop areas like Buriram n Surin.

And you get it? Since when is a word of your girlfriend or anyone else's girlfriend a reliable source of information in any discussion? Get a grip.

It appears that you need to get your head around this. It keeps happening time and time again. It has got to stop if Thailand is going to move forward.

Thailand red shirt get paid to protest?

All nicely lined up, lists, ID cards and plenty of 1,000 baht notes to flash around. It must be a figment of people's imagination, eh!

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-420390

[ZigZagMan]

Issan is booming & the dramatic drop in poverty makes the Shins unbeatable.

People don't support Thaksin so they can get a free lunch every four years.

Whooboy. Learn the language, listen to what people actually say. Take a look at land ownership patterns. Everything is happening as though TS had planned for more and more land to go into fewer and fewer hands so you'd have large-scale farms with landless peasants renting land to work and hiring themselves out. Like the central region. I'm not cynical enough to think he actually planned that--just the result of poorly concieved, shoddily implemented policies. People vote PT because they believe that when TS comes back he'll pay off their debts for them (really!). They believe that the million/village revolving fund (a disaster, locking families into growing debt resulting in loss of mortgaged land--borrowing from sharks to pay off at the end of the year) and the national health insurance system was paid for out of his own pocket. Believing that when he comes back everyone will become rich and debt-free people willingly mortgage their land, going deeper and deeper into debt. Isan is in critical near collapse.

A little note: since the generals have taken over, people who were in hiding from the enforcers on motorcycles coming around to collect shark loans are coming back out into the open. People have been paid for their rice and the local economy is functioning again. But again, people take the money offered for their votes--but then vote for whoever they want regardless.

--S

Upcountry people will know if they are getting screwed by Thaksin and they will vote him out.

It's a fact they have been getting screwed for 60 years and they certainly don't want those people in charge any longer.

Just like the Arab spring. The poor abused masses are recently connected thru technology and a force to reckon with.

Now, their opinion matter. I say good for them.

[sae57]

Issan is booming & the dramatic drop in poverty makes the Shins unbeatable.

People don't support Thaksin so they can get a free lunch every four years.

Whooboy. Learn the language, listen to what people actually say. Take a look at land ownership patterns. Everything is happening as though TS had planned for more and more land to go into fewer and fewer hands so you'd have large-scale farms with landless peasants renting land to work and hiring themselves out. Like the central region. I'm not cynical enough to think he actually planned that--just the result of poorly concieved, shoddily implemented policies. People vote PT because they believe that when TS comes back he'll pay off their debts for them (really!). They believe that the million/village revolving fund (a disaster, locking families into growing debt resulting in loss of mortgaged land--borrowing from sharks to pay off at the end of the year) and the national health insurance system was paid for out of his own pocket. Believing that when he comes back everyone will become rich and debt-free people willingly mortgage their land, going deeper and deeper into debt. Isan is in critical near collapse.

A little note: since the generals have taken over, people who were in hiding from the enforcers on motorcycles coming around to collect shark loans are coming back out into the open. People have been paid for their rice and the local economy is functioning again. But again, people take the money offered for their votes--but then vote for whoever they want regardless.

--S

Upcountry people will know if they are getting screwed by Thaksin and they will vote him out.

It's a fact they have been getting screwed for 60 years and they certainly don't want those people in charge any longer.

Just like the Arab spring. The poor abused masses are recently connected thru technology and a force to reckon with.

Now, their opinion matter. I say good for them.

I think they're beginning to suspect, but too proud to say so. A few have actually realized it for some time. Good for them indeed! TS's one accomplishment was to politicize the rural population. Otherwise he & family are unmitigated, brutal crooks.

[jayjayjayjay]

You guys don't get it! I have personally attended every election vote of my girlfriend in Hot city, Chomthong in Chiangmai for the past 9 years. Not a single baht passes into her hand. They vote the Shins in because they like, trust and believe in the hope Shins policies will continue to help improve the lot for country folk. Get you head around this. There is vote buying from both sides, but only in marginal areas or flip flop areas like Buriram n Surin.

And you get it? Since when is a word of your girlfriend or anyone else's girlfriend a reliable source of information in any discussion? Get a grip.

It appears that you need to get your head around this. It keeps happening time and time again. It has got to stop if Thailand is going to move forward.

Thailand red shirt get paid to protest?

All nicely lined up, lists, ID cards and plenty of 1,000 baht notes to flash around. It must be a figment of people's imagination, eh!

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-420390

Read what I wrote. I did not have to rely on my girlfriend. I have been to every election. I have been in the community and at the poll booths. I don't have to rely on hearsay, gossip or inuendo. It is fact I witnesses with my own eyes and ears repeatedly. My only statement is this "city people believe the only reason country people vote for PTP is a bought vote, wrong", I get that, do you get it!

Edited June 29, 2014 by jayjayjayjay