Thai govt tells EC to fix responsibility for Feb 2 poll failure

[webfact]

Govt tells EC to fix responsibility for Feb 2 poll failure
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The government has ordered the Election Commission to determine who should be held responsible for the Bt3.8-billion spent on the failed February 2 election.

The move follows the Office of the Auditor-General asking Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to fix the responsibility.

The Cabinet adopted the Council of State's resolution on February 9 that recommended the Election Commission set up a fact-finding panel to fix responsibility for the huge loss and which officials had violated the the civil code.

Since many state agencies are involved in holding a general election, the Office also asked the government to prevent such losses in future by instructing concerned agencies to map out preventative measures.

The Constitution Drafting Committee is drafting provisions covering a new election system and state agencies will have to ensure that their measures comply with the new charter.

At the February 2 general election, voting was disrupted in 69 of the 375 constituencies by protesters led by the People's Democratic Reform Committee. They called for a boycott of the poll.

This made a re-run in several stages necessary, contingent on the security situation in affected districts. \

The first re-run date was on March 2. Results from the February 2 poll were not announced before voting took place.

On March 22, the Constitutional Court declared the election invalid on the grounds it was not completed in a day.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Govt-tells-EC-to-fix-responsibility-for-Feb-2-poll-30254480.html

-- The Nation 2015-02-20

[Snig27]

Not a tricky question - the failure of the current incumbent to support the electoral process as he manipulated the country towards a coup is primary. If people are to be held responsible and charged for dereliction of sworn duty, he should be handing himself in at the nearest BIB station ASAP.

[chooka]

I would say that the Mad Monk and Suthep are to blame. People were ready to vote and wanted to but these two goons sent in the thugs to close down the booths and scare everyone off.

[tbthailand]

the obvious answer is Yingluck

had she not dissolved parliament and called for elections, well, ... you know, ...

if she had only stepped down and allowed Suthep and his 'good people' to appoint a reform committee, none of this would have happened.

coulda also saved that $20-$30 billion the coup will cost.

Edited February 19, 2015 by tbthailand

[seajae]

blame falls to both sides on this, yl was told that it would not work but like the rice scam scheme she ignored the warnings and went ahead with it in the hope of getting back all the power plus the protesters that blocked the venues. Then you have the reds that started the shootings and then the yellows that fired back in defence so it falls to more than one lot. Trying to blame one section simply isnt possible.

[ikke]

Only one to hold responsible , SUTHEP ! No blaming red and yellow, just one bad guy, SUTHEP !

[ldiablo]

It was boycotted by the PDRC under the guidance of Suthep so in the unelected governments view no doubt they feel Yinluck should be held accountable for trying to hold an election.

[DM07]

It is really not the question, who actually was responsible.

It is just the question who will be held responsible...and we all know, who that will be...

[In Town]

Yes, I believe the result will be that Yingluck was responsible, and she will be fined the amount of money lost through the failed elections, which is perfectly reasonable.

[Plowman]

These people are deluded! It's pretty obvious who was in the streets blockading the election shooting guns hidden in popcorn bags and who was sat in their barracks not doing a single thing and that the Electoral Commmission was clearly in cahoots with the plotters and which political party boycotted the election. We have truly crossed over into Alice in Wonderland territory here, where the leadership of a country can publicly spout such nonsense and nobody points out the obvious! Absurd beyond all belief.

[casualbiker]

Largely to blame are Suthep and monk Issara. But the Yingluck government and EC are also to blame for not ensuring EVERY effort was made to get the election papers to the southern polling booths.

Edited February 20, 2015 by casualbiker

[Gunna]

These people are deluded! It's pretty obvious who was in the streets blockading the election shooting guns hidden in popcorn bags and who was sat in their barracks not doing a single thing and that the Electoral Commmission was clearly in cahoots with the plotters and which political party boycotted the election. We have truly crossed over into Alice in Wonderland territory here, where the leadership of a country can publicly spout such nonsense and nobody points out the obvious! Absurd beyond all belief.

YS was told not to hold an election on 02 Feb due to their not being enough candidates, and an election without candidates in some electorates would be judged invalid.

When she ignored the advice and went ahead it was always going to be invalid even if there were no demonstrations

[smutcakes]

These people are deluded! It's pretty obvious who was in the streets blockading the election shooting guns hidden in popcorn bags and who was sat in their barracks not doing a single thing and that the Electoral Commmission was clearly in cahoots with the plotters and which political party boycotted the election. We have truly crossed over into Alice in Wonderland territory here, where the leadership of a country can publicly spout such nonsense and nobody points out the obvious! Absurd beyond all belief.

YS was told not to hold an election on 02 Feb due to their not being enough candidates, and an election without candidates in some electorates would be judged invalid.

When she ignored the advice and went ahead it was always going to be invalid even if there were no demonstrations

I thought it was ruled invalid due to the voting not being completed in all areas on the same day? I did not know that it was ruled invalid due to there not being enough candidates.

[In Town]

Largely to blame are Suthep and monk Issara. But the Yingluck government and EC are also to blame for not ensuring EVERY effort was made to get the election papers to the southern polling booths.

Yes, I think you are right. YL should have called out the army to force the EC to deliver the ballots, and then used the army to prevent voters being prevented from attending the polling.

[chooka]

These people are deluded! It's pretty obvious who was in the streets blockading the election shooting guns hidden in popcorn bags and who was sat in their barracks not doing a single thing and that the Electoral Commmission was clearly in cahoots with the plotters and which political party boycotted the election. We have truly crossed over into Alice in Wonderland territory here, where the leadership of a country can publicly spout such nonsense and nobody points out the obvious! Absurd beyond all belief.

YS was told not to hold an election on 02 Feb due to their not being enough candidates, and an election without candidates in some electorates would be judged invalid.

When she ignored the advice and went ahead it was always going to be invalid even if there were no demonstrations

The crazy lunatic Suthep had his hired thugs blocking candidates from registering, so again it falls back on this idiot if there weren't enough candidates. He blocked candidates and he blocked the people, he knew very very well that the rich elite would not win an election so he sabotaged it.

[chooka]

Largely to blame are Suthep and monk Issara. But the Yingluck government and EC are also to blame for not ensuring EVERY effort was made to get the election papers to the southern polling booths.

Yes, I think you are right. YL should have called out the army to force the EC to deliver the ballots, and then used the army to prevent voters being prevented from attending the polling.

I believe the courts who were working with Suthep blocked her from calling a state of emergency and even trying to restore order.

[In Town]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Largely to blame are Suthep and monk Issara. But the Yingluck government and EC are also to blame for not ensuring EVERY effort was made to get the election papers to the southern polling booths.

Yes, I think you are right. YL should have called out the army to force the EC to deliver the ballots, and then used the army to prevent voters being prevented from attending the polling.

I believe the courts who were working with Suthep blocked her from calling a state of emergency and even trying to restore order.

Yes, but it is clear that YL failed in her duty to control and prevent the politicisation of the courts and the EC, and failed to give in to the demands of the Democrat party protesters in the street, who reasonably enough wanted the election prevented because they had decided they didn't want to participate. Truthfully, if they were not going to participate, what's the point of even having an election? So, in all of these YL was clearly derelict in her duty to the country, so so should be held responsible for any monetary losses incurred by Thailand due to the breakdown of democracy in the country.

[mrmicbkktxl]

If prayuth did his job and jailed suthep then elections could have happened,so only suthep and prayuth are to blame

[casualbiker]

If prayuth did his job and jailed suthep then elections could have happened,so only suthep and prayuth are to blame

But it was a democratic country back then under Yingluck's caretaker government are you daring to suggest that General Prayuth should have become police man, judge and jailor!!!

So much for you Democratic values!

Edited February 20, 2015 by casualbiker

[chooka]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Largely to blame are Suthep and monk Issara. But the Yingluck government and EC are also to blame for not ensuring EVERY effort was made to get the election papers to the southern polling booths.

Yes, I think you are right. YL should have called out the army to force the EC to deliver the ballots, and then used the army to prevent voters being prevented from attending the polling.

I believe the courts who were working with Suthep blocked her from calling a state of emergency and even trying to restore order.

Yes, but it is clear that YL failed in her duty to control and prevent the politicisation of the courts and the EC, and failed to give in to the demands of the Democrat party protesters in the street, who reasonably enough wanted the election prevented because they had decided they didn't want to participate. Truthfully, if they were not going to participate, what's the point of even having an election? So, in all of these YL was clearly derelict in her duty to the country, so so should be held responsible for any monetary losses incurred by Thailand due to the breakdown of democracy in the country.

your not serious are you. I despise the Shins but not being aligned to either side could clearly see that she was tied, gaged and blindfolded by Suthep, the courts and military.

Is it legal to sabotage an election in Thailand if it isn't, why isn't Suthep, the lunatic monk and those that supported his activities in jail. I guess some of his backers are now in the government that isn't recognised outside of Thailand.

[candide]

If YL had not organised election, they would probably charge her for not organising election within 60 days acter dissolution.....

Anyway how can the EC decide that the EC is partly responsible for the failed election?

[ExPratt]

They'll come back with some shit about the election should not have been called and blame YS

[ExPratt]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

blame falls to both sides on this, yl was told that it would not work but like the rice scam scheme she ignored the warnings and went ahead with it in the hope of getting back all the power plus the protesters that blocked the venues. Then you have the reds that started the shootings and then the yellows that fired back in defence so it falls to more than one lot. Trying to blame one section simply isnt possible.

That is some remarkable logic , I can see you being head hunted by the junta for a Top Job

[brucec64]

These people are deluded! It's pretty obvious who was in the streets blockading the election shooting guns hidden in popcorn bags and who was sat in their barracks not doing a single thing and that the Electoral Commmission was clearly in cahoots with the plotters and which political party boycotted the election. We have truly crossed over into Alice in Wonderland territory here, where the leadership of a country can publicly spout such nonsense and nobody points out the obvious! Absurd beyond all belief.

YS was told not to hold an election on 02 Feb due to their not being enough candidates, and an election without candidates in some electorates would be judged invalid.

When she ignored the advice and went ahead it was always going to be invalid even if there were no demonstrations

Maybe try to stretch your mental muscle and ask yourself why there were not enough candidates. This did not occur in a vacuum, nor was it an act of god. The blame should rest on the police and military for not intervening at this point to allow an election to continue. Instead, the military waited until it could justify a coup. A conspiracy theorist might conclude that forces were acting in unison...

[Srikcir]

Unfortunately, it was the Constitutional Court's fault for the "failure" simply because there was NO FAILURE. The 2007 Constitution and policies by the EC allow for voting to occur at times other than the single day designated for national elections.

For example:

- Advanced voting before the official election day is an accepted policy even though not in the Constitution and never challenged as unconstitutional.

- Registration of candidates was allowed at other than officially designated locations when the PDRC blocked access and never challenged as unconstitutional. - EC has the authority to adjust official voting places in the case of emergency such as when poll station access become difficult or inaccessable.

The Constitutional Court instead chose to void the votes by 90% of those who voted on Feb. 2nd. It also chose to further deny the vote of the remaining 10% who were provided the opportunity to meet their constitutional obligations to vote two weeks later in an EC supervised election. Despite such irresponsbile rulings, both the EC and Yingluck admininstration agreed to try for another national election day in June 2014. But of course the military coup happened, the Constitution was aboilished, and human rights ceased.

Judging from the previous blocking efforts of the EC with the Yingluck administration to prevent new elections in 2013 and 2014, and voiding previous PTP government elects, I expect the EC will fault Yingluck for the failure. It really has no options if it wants the Junta to prevent its own merger in the reform process into cabinet minisitries. It will make sure its investigation will NOT fault the Constitutional Court nor ITSELF.

[Srikcir]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

These people are deluded! It's pretty obvious who was in the streets blockading the election shooting guns hidden in popcorn bags and who was sat in their barracks not doing a single thing and that the Electoral Commmission was clearly in cahoots with the plotters and which political party boycotted the election. We have truly crossed over into Alice in Wonderland territory here, where the leadership of a country can publicly spout such nonsense and nobody points out the obvious! Absurd beyond all belief.

YS was told not to hold an election on 02 Feb due to their not being enough candidates, and an election without candidates in some electorates would be judged invalid.

When she ignored the advice and went ahead it was always going to be invalid even if there were no demonstrations

Maybe try to stretch your mental muscle and ask yourself why there were not enough candidates. This did not occur in a vacuum, nor was it an act of god. The blame should rest on the police and military for not intervening at this point to allow an election to continue. Instead, the military waited until it could justify a coup. A conspiracy theorist might conclude that forces were acting in unison...

I don't think blame can rest with the police as incompetent as they have been shown. Prior to the Feb. 2nd elections the Constitutional Court ruled in a suit brought by the PDRC that the police could not use force of any kind against the PDRC protesters because they were exercising their constitutional rights under freedom of speech - even during a State of Emergency! That left only the military to provide national security at polling places and they refused to do so!

[aussieinthailand]

Due to the protesters being ordered (politly ascked, or invited) to invade government buildings and order staff out, almost compleat shut down of a futioning government, the PM had little choice but to dissolve government or hand it over freely to an unelected group of people, So what would a developed world government do? ie, US, UK, AUD, NZ,etc, yu'p you guess it dissolve government and call elcetions, that is requiared by law to be held within 60 day's of government being dissolved, this is not what Suthep wanted, so he uped the anti and thugs went out intimidating, threaterning, bashing people that wanted to vote all the while cliaming he wanted "good people" to make reforms. So who followed the electrol laws?YL.

Were the EC doing thier job and organise elections or were they resisting?

Was the EC told to do thier job or face leagal action?

who was responcible for the security of polling stations? and where were they?

So Who is responcible?

Most know the answer to that question, but who will be held responcible? Think most know the answer to that one aswel.

[candide]

It could be also ironically reminded that the political side which filled a complaint to nullify election was the same which blocked election!

[billd766]

These people are deluded! It's pretty obvious who was in the streets blockading the election shooting guns hidden in popcorn bags and who was sat in their barracks not doing a single thing and that the Electoral Commmission was clearly in cahoots with the plotters and which political party boycotted the election. We have truly crossed over into Alice in Wonderland territory here, where the leadership of a country can publicly spout such nonsense and nobody points out the obvious! Absurd beyond all belief.

YS was told not to hold an election on 02 Feb due to their not being enough candidates, and an election without candidates in some electorates would be judged invalid.

When she ignored the advice and went ahead it was always going to be invalid even if there were no demonstrations

Maybe try to stretch your mental muscle and ask yourself why there were not enough candidates. This did not occur in a vacuum, nor was it an act of god. The blame should rest on the police and military for not intervening at this point to allow an election to continue. Instead, the military waited until it could justify a coup. A conspiracy theorist might conclude that forces were acting in unison...

You just proved it yourself.

[casualbiker]

Due to the protesters being ordered (politly ascked, or invited) to invade government buildings and order staff out, almost compleat shut down of a futioning government, the PM had little choice but to dissolve government or hand it over freely to an unelected group of people, So what would a developed world government do? ie, US, UK, AUD, NZ,etc, yu'p you guess it dissolve government and call elcetions, that is requiared by law to be held within 60 day's of government being dissolved, this is not what Suthep wanted, so he uped the anti and thugs went out intimidating, threaterning, bashing people that wanted to vote all the while cliaming he wanted "good people" to make reforms. So who followed the electrol laws?YL.

Were the EC doing thier job and organise elections or were they resisting?

Was the EC told to do thier job or face leagal action?

who was responcible for the security of polling stations? and where were they?

So Who is responcible?

Most know the answer to that question, but who will be held responcible? Think most know the answer to that one aswel.

A developed countries police force wouldn't have let it get into that situation in the first place!