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SECTION 44
NCPO warns pressure groups to back off
The Nation

Charter empowers Prayut to use harsher penalties: Sansern

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Defence Minister General Udomdej Sitabutr, who also serves as Army chief, said yesterday that the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) would not resort to the interim charter's Section 44 if pressure groups do not instigate political rallies.

Government Spokesman Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said that if talks with the pressure groups failed, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha would have no choice but to use Section 44 and enforce harsher measures such as martial law to deal with protesters.

Pressure groups have been threatening to stage rallies over the impeachment of two top politicians from the last elected government.

"We want the pressure groups to understand that in order for the country to move forward, they should not bring back old conflicts," Sansern said.

Section 44 states that if it is necessary to prevent, disrupt or suppress any act that undermines public peace and order or national security, the NCPO chief shall have the power to order any action regardless of the legislative, executive or judicial sectors.

The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) will today vote on whether it will accept an impeachment case against former Parliament president Somsak Kiatsuranon and his deputy Nikom Wairatpanich over alleged constitutional offences.

The cases were put forward by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).

The assembly will start impeachment proceedings against Yingluck Shinawatra, the elected prime minister who was overthrown by Prayut, next Wednesday.

The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), meanwhile, has locked horns with the People's Democratic Reform Committee over the three impeachment cases and is threatening to organise protests if the PDRC pushes the NLA to go ahead with the proceedings.

Udomdej said the NCPO had assessed the situation and believed there was nothing to be worried about.

"It is just a matter of different opinions. We have been talking and making them understand, because we do not want violence to take place," he said.

Asked whether with more pressure groups coming into play and making more demands it is likely that martial law will be imposed until a new government is installed, the Army chief said the government would assess the situation from time to time.

Prayut, meanwhile, has also questioned the legitimacy of the Thailand Reform Institute (TRI), which was set up last month by about 30 noted academics and reformers with the purpose of setting up reforms in parallel to the National Reform Council.

The TRI has been dubbed an elite group, while the People's Council for Reform, set up this week by non-governmental organisations, is seen as a group of grass-roots reformers.

Separately, Pheu Thai caretaker spokesman Prompong Nopparit led other legal advisers to ask NLA president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai in writing to postpone the impeachment of Yingluck, claiming that the former PM had not received copies of the NACC's complaint.

Lawyer Anek Kamchum said the letter also provided details on the reasons why the NLA should not proceed with the Yingluck impeachment. He said she needed to check the NACC statements so she could fight impeachment, which would deprive her of her political rights. He also asked the president to stop NLA members from giving press comments to sway the unelected assembly's judgement on the case.

Former Democrat MP Dr Warong Dechgitvigrom said yesterday that the Pheu Thai Party's arguments to save Yingluck were not valid.

He added that Pheu Thai's legal team had been creating public confusion over Yingluck, who faces impeachment for failing to stop alleged corruption in the rice-pledging scheme. He said the NLA would take into account the fact that Yingluck was being impeached on alleged political offences and not criminal ones. He said Pheu Thai legal advisers had distorted the issue by making it appear as if the charges pressed against her were related to Article 11 of the State Administration Act, which does not indicate any punishment.

"Lawmakers take recourse to Article 11 to make Yingluck take political responsibility for her failure," he said.

He also dismissed Pheu Thai's reason that the NLA cannot cite Article 58 of the Corruption Prevention and Suppression Act 1999 because the act was an organic law of the now-defunct 2007 charter. Warong said the junta had already issued instructions to impose this particular act.

Warong also ruled out Pheu Thai's reason that the NLA must use the Senate's 2008 meeting directives if it wants to impeach Yingluck, saying the NLA had to use its own meeting directives, not those of others.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/NCPO-warns-pressure-groups-to-back-off-30247097.html


-- The Nation 2014-11-06

[RustBucket]

Pheu Thai caretaker spokesman Prompong Nopparit led other legal advisers to ask NLA president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai in writing to postpone the impeachment of Yingluck, claiming that the former PM had not received copies of the NACC's complaint.

Did she/they already forget everything before the coup?

She has already been tried, and found guilty by the Cons Court. She and her lawyers did their level best to delay using the very same BS excuses then and it all failed. She has already had all the literature from the NACC back then, and this is not a different case. It is one and the same case.

There is not a case for her to fight, she just needs to await her impeachment which is in the bag.

Then hopefully the NACC will push for a criminal trial.

[WhizBang]

Nothing will be done and no one held accountable for the mess Yingluck and the PTP have left behind. To actually hold these hi-so morons accountable would set a new standard the puppet masters just do not want to see happen. A tad too close to home, me thinks.

I have lost all faith in this junta actually achieving anything useful at all. So, it will be back to business as usual, very soon. What a waste.

Meanwhile in other news, Thailand continues to circle the drain.

[ramrod711]

Separately, Pheu Thai caretaker spokesman Prompong Nopparit (who should be in jail) led other legal advisers to ask NLA president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai in writing to postpone the impeachment of Yingluck, claiming that the former PM had not received copies of the NACC's complaint.

The NLA president reportedly replied, "she is never home, we couldn't reach her"

[EnglishJohn]

One thing I have learned is that Thais are incapable of learning from mistakes. Only the scent of money means anything to the majority. I'm sure everyone is aware that Thaksin's next nominees will revert to exactly the same formulae as before : syphon taxpayers money to their supporters in as many different schemes as they can come up with. Hence there is a reasonable chance they will get voted in on this policy alone.

Another thing I have learned is that Mr T is an evil, vindictive man who will stoop to any level to take revenge on anyone he thinks got the better of him. You only have to look how many of his opponents have 'disappeared' to realise this. All the current leaders will have this in the back of their mind. Just look how many attempts he has made to get Abhisit - they even had a defence minister who did nothing else. And the attempts by Tarit would be laughed out of court in a country with proper law and order.

Finally we have no idea of how many skeletons are in the current cabinets cupboards. I know from experience the Armed forces are just as corrupt as the politicians - it's just that nobody dare investigate them. However I think their corruption is mainly monetary - not for power as much as the politicians.

Net result : nothing is going to change. Nobody wants to open Pandoras box by jailing Yingluck or any of the other toadies.

[smutcakes]

One thing I have learned is that Thais are incapable of learning from mistakes. Only the scent of money means anything to the majority. I'm sure everyone is aware that Thaksin's next nominees will revert to exactly the same formulae as before : syphon taxpayers money to their supporters in as many different schemes as they can come up with. Hence there is a reasonable chance they will get voted in on this policy alone.

Another thing I have learned is that Mr T is an evil, vindictive man who will stoop to any level to take revenge on anyone he thinks got the better of him. You only have to look how many of his opponents have 'disappeared' to realise this. All the current leaders will have this in the back of their mind. Just look how many attempts he has made to get Abhisit - they even had a defence minister who did nothing else. And the attempts by Tarit would be laughed out of court in a country with proper law and order.

Finally we have no idea of how many skeletons are in the current cabinets cupboards. I know from experience the Armed forces are just as corrupt as the politicians - it's just that nobody dare investigate them. However I think their corruption is mainly monetary - not for power as much as the politicians.

Net result : nothing is going to change. Nobody wants to open Pandoras box by jailing Yingluck or any of the other toadies.

It is not for power in that they are the ultimate power. A Government who tried to change that would soon find out very quickly whether the army cares for power or not.

[Krataiboy]

Separately, Pheu Thai caretaker spokesman Prompong Nopparit (who should be in jail) led other legal advisers to ask NLA president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai in writing to postpone the impeachment of Yingluck, claiming that the former PM had not received copies of the NACC's complaint.

The NLA president reportedly replied, "she is never home, we couldn't reach her"

Shopping.

[rickirs]

"Thailand now has 52.5% of seats in the newly appointed National Legislative Assembly (NLA) occupied by acting and retired military officers."

Just from an ethical viewpoint, shouldn't these all these military officers who were appointed to the NLA by the NCPO recuse themselves from the Yingluck impeachment proceedings? Failure to remove themselves from a perceived conflict of interest might be seen to be the very same kind of corruption in the Yinbgluck administation.

[Robroona]

"Yingluck Shinawatra, the elected Prime Minister".

Who elected her? She was a party list MP and therefore appointed by someone in Dubai, then she was appointed PM by the same person in Dubai.

2 votes from the same person makes her elected?

[Equalizer]

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1415098178

Things are being exposed at a rapid rte of fire.

[jcsmith]

"Yingluck Shinawatra, the elected Prime Minister".

Who elected her? She was a party list MP and therefore appointed by someone in Dubai, then she was appointed PM by the same person in Dubai.

2 votes from the same person makes her elected?

Oh please. She was obviously running and earned votes. While you can claim she was a figurehead for her brother (and I wouldn't disagree with that), the people knew who they were voting for and they cast their opinion.

Edited November 6, 2014 by jcsmith

[lewy67]

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1415098178

Things are being exposed at a rapid rte of fire.

Lets hope that everyone is equal before the law. If she did wrong get her but don't stop there. Go all the way - politicians, public servants and army officers of all rank and status. Open this Pandora's box.

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1415258129

Edited November 6, 2014 by lewy67

[Baerboxer]

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1415098178

Things are being exposed at a rapid rte of fire.

Ah, the Thaksin owned news source well noted for its impartial reporting.

[Baerboxer]

"Yingluck Shinawatra, the elected Prime Minister".

Who elected her? She was a party list MP and therefore appointed by someone in Dubai, then she was appointed PM by the same person in Dubai.

2 votes from the same person makes her elected?

Oh please. She was obviously running and earned votes. While you can claim she was a figurehead for her brother (and I wouldn't disagree with that), the people knew who they were voting for and they cast their opinion.

Hindsight is a great thing - worth tuppence a ton.

A great many Thais I know voted for PTP, and believed they were getting Yingluck who they hoped would be a breath of fresh air. Seriously, they thought like that. They did not for one moment imagine that Thaksin would complete dominate and rule, selecting the cabinet and dictating policy, focus and tactics.

Naive possibly - but people get sucked in by clever PR and their own hopes for something better.

Virtually all those people are now very bitter towards Yingluck, who they see as a traitor, and PTP who they see as a bunch of Thaksin lackeys. They all physically went to the protests against the amnesty whitewash fiasco too.

[lildragon]

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1415098178

Things are being exposed at a rapid rte of fire.

Bit touchy there isn't he?

All the elite, red, yellow, all up to their necks in it. Nothing changes, just the elitist family in charge.

[tbthailand]

He also dismissed Pheu Thai's reason that the NLA cannot cite Article 58 of the Corruption Prevention and Suppression Act 1999 because the act was an organic law of the now-defunct 2007 charter. Warong said the junta had already issued instructions to impose this particular act.

the interim charter gives the 'NCPO' the authority to take any action and that action will be deemed law/legal

that's how 'cant-use-the-d-word-ships' work.

[tbthailand]

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1415098178

Things are being exposed at a rapid rte of fire.

Ah, the Thaksin owned news source well noted for its impartial reporting.

in denial, are you?

it seems that everything which is not 'yellow' is some how thaksin's.

whadda joke

[Robespiere]

"Yingluck Shinawatra, the elected Prime Minister".

Who elected her? She was a party list MP and therefore appointed by someone in Dubai, then she was appointed PM by the same person in Dubai.

2 votes from the same person makes her elected?

Oh please. She was obviously running and earned votes. While you can claim she was a figurehead for her brother (and I wouldn't disagree with that), the people knew who they were voting for and they cast their opinion.

Hindsight is a great thing - worth tuppence a ton.

A great many Thais I know voted for PTP, and believed they were getting Yingluck who they hoped would be a breath of fresh air. Seriously, they thought like that. They did not for one moment imagine that Thaksin would complete dominate and rule, selecting the cabinet and dictating policy, focus and tactics.

Naive possibly - but people get sucked in by clever PR and their own hopes for something better.

Virtually all those people are now very bitter towards Yingluck, who they see as a traitor, and PTP who they see as a bunch of Thaksin lackeys. They all physically went to the protests against the amnesty whitewash fiasco too.

"Great many" is just a touch hyperbolic don't you think?

What percentage of 65,000,000 is the "great many Thais you know".

1000 Thais = 0.001% of the population.

Even this tiny fraction would far exceed the 3 or 4 yellow nutters you actually conversed with on the topic.

Too bad there's no election for "virtually all those people" to be able to express their bitterness.

[Robespiere]

"Yingluck Shinawatra, the elected Prime Minister".

Who elected her? She was a party list MP and therefore appointed by someone in Dubai, then she was appointed PM by the same person in Dubai.

2 votes from the same person makes her elected?

That's 2 more votes than the General got which must make her at least twice as legitimate as the General, don't you think?