Will Thai voters support an 'outsider' PM?

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE
Will Thai voters support an 'outsider' PM?
NITIPOL KIRAVANICH
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- After the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) intentionally included an open clause for an "outsider" or non-elected person to become prime minister, suddenly thoughts of the public shifted to whether they were actually considering junta chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha retaining power in politics.

Late last year, charter drafters agreed that they would not limit the qualifications of a PM to compulsorily being an MP under the new constitution. They said the committee was aware that in the case of a political crisis, like the situation before the May 22 coup, the country might need a non-MP to be its leader.

The public interpreted this message to mean that legally a new PM could be anyone - a member of Parliament or an "outsider". However the drafters realised that the first thought likely to come to the people's minds was that they were trying to pave the way for General Prayut to continue as PM.

Prayut, it is unlikely, would contest an election - and that meant he wouldn't be eligible to be a PM under previous constitutions. Drafting the new charter without a stipulation that a PM must be a member of the House of Representatives certainly allows not only Prayut, but others who are not MPs, to also be eligible for the PM position.

CDC member Kamnoon Sidhisamarn had earlier rejected conjectures that the drafters were writing the charter to perpetuate the power of junta chief General Prayut after the next election.

Kamnoon and his fellow drafters had tried to avoid this topic after their ideas were resolved in the private CDC meeting - raising more suspicions than was the true intention of this proposal.

Furthermore, according to the CDC, it was true that the next PM could be a member of parliament - as under the previous system.

Nevertheless right now there are two hypotheses about the PM's position; whether the next head of government is an elected member or an outsider definitely has pros and cons.

On one hand, if a PM is an MP, the next premier will surely be supported by one of the two big parties. Clearly they would continue to be on conflicting sides and old disputes that have never been settled or reconciled would return, causing more damage and instability in the country.

However an elected PM has more advantages in claiming he or she actually represents the people, being an MP chosen by the electorate.

On the other hand, many observers believe that by choosing a non-elected PM there's a higher chance to promote reconciliation. Some still believe an "outsider" PM does not meet the criterion of being a people's representative, and hence would not be accepted by the public.

Nevertheless, despite everything, whoever assumes the office of next PM in this country will face public dissatisfaction, one way or another.

Moreover, the most important matter probably lies with how much that person can handle the country's problems and represents the majority of the people without leading to more coups.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Will-Thai-voters-support-an-outsider-PM-30251544.html


-- The Nation 2015-01-09

[Bluespunk]

"Will Thai voters support an 'outsider' PM?"

Do they have any choice?

[Crazy chef 1]

they will if the outsider comes from Dubai...

[ChrisY1]

How can a country have an election, then have a non elected puppet installed as the PM.....to then follow orders from the elite......

The junta has already indicated they want military involvement for some time to come...so maybe this being bandied around now is meant to get people used to the idea.

[The stuttering parrot]

No they prefer what happen in the last two elections but they just had them ripped away from them by a party who can't win and can't stand losing.

[chainarong]

Short answer, NO

[hupaknomore]

It was funny. Next question, please.

[ggt]

I would like to see a foreigner on the ballot...like maybe a Nigerian...that would be good...

[Thailand]

I would like to see a foreigner on the ballot...like maybe a Nigerian...that would be good...

North Koreans are currently in vogue?

[Rinrada]

Already tried Newcastle...own goal....free transfer....

[Tatsujin]

It doesn't matter which way they choose, there will be far too many on the "opposite" side of things that will make waves and make problems and we'll end up in yet another endless round of "elections", protests, coups, and then reset all over again.

I don't see this changing anytime in the next few decades until such time as the voting populace have grown up a little bit more and understand exactly what they are voting for, and don't just believe what they are told, or who to vote for.

[Bakseeda]

No they prefer what happen in the last two elections but they just had them ripped away from them by a party who can't win and can't stand losing.

S/P... I ask you ... are you blind or do you live life out in the sticks somewhere... I am now in my thirteenth year of living full time in this country, and for the First time I see the Thai people happy happy happy..... No more talk of Red Shirts and Yellow Shirts .. Apart from "Chip on the Shoulder people" who cannot get their own way.. This is not the UK, this is not the USA. People are working and spending their moneys.. The Thai people feel safe and secure.. for the first time in years.. No more bully boys in Red Shirts making demands of poor peoples, do this, do that , turn up for this meeting or get your face rearranged.. No more aggressive maniacs up on a stage telling the howling mob to bring litres of gasoline to Bangkok and burn the city down. No... Prayuth has shut-up all those idiotic Red Shirt Bully Boys. And how did he do it... easy ,,, he threatened to strip them of their assets... which are much much more important to those boys than their "bought principals" ...One certain Red Shirt leader has over 100 million bahts in his accounts.. where did that come from ? Another has opened an airline... Haha... Rock on the Thai people and enjoy your new government. Long live the King..

[soalbundy]

Depends on how much he pays

[binjalin]

What about a join Premiership with North Korea? same haircuts to come next?

[rickirs]

A lot of useless talk and debate about an outsider and/or nonelected PM.

The same system that put General Prayut in place as PM as an outside, unelected PM will continue to have the power to do so again and again without any mandate from the Thai electorate. That is not the electoral system that Germany uses and the CDC/NRC need to stop trying to kid the public that it is for some bizarre appearance of returning Thailand to democratic governance.