Thai elections pushed back to September 2016: govt

[webfact]

Thai elections pushed back to September 2016: junta
AFP

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's junta confirmed Wednesday that elections will not be held until September 2016, dealing a further blow to hopes that the kingdom's generals will swiftly hand power back to a civilian government.

When army chief and now Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha swept to power in a coup last May he initially said he hoped to hold elections within 15 months.

But that timetable has repeatedly slipped as the junta goes about rewriting the country's constitution, a process critics have described as an attempt to consolidate an unelected elite's control over Thai politics once new polls are held.

"The Prime Minister expects the elections will be held in September (2016)," junta spokesman Colonel Werachon Sukondhapatipak told reporters after Prayut met a delegation of UN ambassadors in Bangkok.

There had been confusion in recent weeks over when an election might be held after the junta-appointed committee tasked with drawing up the new constitution said the document should be approved in a referendum.

Prayut later signalled he was willing to consider a plebiscite on the new charter but added any referendum would delay polls.

The junta had previously said an election would likely take place early to mid-2016, but that timetable did not take into account a referendum.

Thailand's military toppled the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra last May after months of sometimes violent street demonstrations paralysed her administration.

Thailand's constitution has undergone more than a dozen re-writes since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932 -- often after military coups.

Prayut insists the latest incarnation of the constitution -- backed by an anti-corruption drive -- will finally end the country's political paralysis.

Under the draft, future elections will be decided by a proportional representation system similar to Germany's that will favour smaller parties and coalition governments.

But to avoid legislative paralysis under coalitions, prime ministers will not have to be directly elected by the public and lawmakers will also be barred from becoming ministers to dilute their influence.

Opponents of the charter say it is a crude attempt to write the wealthy Shinawatra clan out of the kingdom's political future -- rather than rebuild Thailand's bitterly divided society.

Parties led by or aligned to Thaksin Shinawatra's billionaire family have won every election since 2001, prompting two coups backed by the royalist establishment and nearly a decade of acrimony that has frequently spilt into deadly violence.

Politicians from both sides of Thailand's divide have baulked at the sharp curbs on their power, while analysts say the draft is undemocratic and harks back to an era when a royalist and military elite had a stranglehold on politics.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-05-27

[JOC]

>>Politicians from both sides of Thailand's divide have baulked at the sharp curbs on their power, while analysts say the draft is undemocratic and harks back to an era when a royalist and military elite had a stranglehold on politics.<< Quote

To the supporters of the junta and their mighty sponsors read the above twice, and maybe reconsider your position.

A bad and corrupt government beats an elite sponsored coup any day of the week!!

[Bellacissa]

"Well, I'm shocked," said No One Ever.

When all of this started, I thought it would be a minimum of three years before we saw an election. One more date push and I'll be right on the money.

[Basil B]

Very disappointed...

The general is actually starting to sort out many of Thailand's problems and I was hoping he would stay in power longer.

Maybe he could take over FIFA and sort it out too.

[pinkpanther99]

There wont be an election in Thailand for years yet, maybe as long as 5 years. The NCPO wont be so eager to hand over power any time soon.

Why do you think it is that at no stage has the NCPO bothered to start engaging with any kind of reconciliation either between or with both sides of the political divide?

They're not interested in making Thailand go to the polls yet, what good would that do?

To have democracy isn't to just call an election. In the west democracy has formed over hundreds of years. It wont just happen over night, certainly not in Thailand, where the situation here is so heavily influenced by other hugely relevant factors.

For now elections have been pushed back to Sept 2016.

Expect another announcement 12 months from now announcing further delay in elections.

[baboon]

Why can't they just be honest enough to declare that elections will be held whenever they damn well please and not an instant before? It would save all this nonsense...

[whatawonderfulday]

The General and the rest of the Junta will never hand power back to the people voluntarily IMHO.

[uty6543]

Why can't they just be honest enough to declare that elections will be held whenever they damn well please and not an instant before? It would save all this nonsense...

And if the previous government had been honest we wouldn't need to have this nonsense as you put it.

[baboon]

Why can't they just be honest enough to declare that elections will be held whenever they damn well please and not an instant before? It would save all this nonsense...

And if the previous government had been honest we wouldn't need to have this nonsense as you put it.

The previous government have not been in power for a year. The military have. This thread is about them.

[Toknarok]

Elections will not be held until 'The Event' occurs. It will be some considerable time after this that the Junta will consider holding an election.

[baboon]

Elections will not be held until 'The Event' occurs. It will be some considerable time after this that the Junta will consider holding an election.

And who is to say that won't happen later rather than sooner? They may find themselves having to invent excuse after excuse...

[JAG]

Why can't they just be honest enough to declare that elections will be held whenever they damn well please and not an instant before? It would save all this nonsense...

And if the previous government had been honest we wouldn't need to have this nonsense as you put it.

If the military had ensured that the (entirely constitutional) elections could have gone ahead, instead of staging a coup, then the previous government may well have been replaced legally and democratically by one which would have (presumably) more to your taste, and we wouldn't need to have this nonsense as you put it.

[mango66]

if Analysts and oponents say, the new charter is written to kick out the Shinawatras,

than they just confirm that the old Charter were written to keep the Shinawatras in power !!

So if they want real democracy , they should support a new Charter, and in special a election system

similar to Germans,

even the Thai still have not learned what is democracy,

and the elite and officials still dont want to close down their system of corruption !

So please General go ahead with new systems,

even if it will take 100 years for the Thai to understand this !!

I can live with current system for 100 years, if good will give me this 100; :-))

[mango66]

Why can't they just be honest enough to declare that elections will be held whenever they damn well please and not an instant before? It would save all this nonsense...

And if the previous government had been honest we wouldn't need to have this nonsense as you put it.

If the military had ensured that the (entirely constitutional) elections could have gone ahead, instead of staging a coup, then the previous government may well have been replaced legally and democratically by one which would have (presumably) more to your taste, and we wouldn't need to have this nonsense as you put it.

you mean we would have continoud to change laws to support Thaksins system of absolute power by his clan;

Take over all GVT and Military positions by his family clan,

Controll all corruption with profit to his pocket,

and all this achieved by new election with repressive power to people to vote RED and no other !

and election system which only favoured him, adjusted by his own GVT !!

A very good understanding from democracy !

You proofed to join Kim Jong Un !!

[mango66]

>>Politicians from both sides of Thailand's divide have baulked at the sharp curbs on their power, while analysts say the draft is undemocratic and harks back to an era when a royalist and military elite had a stranglehold on politics.<< Quote

To the supporters of the junta and their mighty sponsors read the above twice, and maybe reconsider your position.

A bad and corrupt government beats an elite sponsored coup any day of the week!!

who are the analysts ??

Thaksin, Jatuporn ?

Or Amerika where someone therotical even with 5% votes could get an 100% absolut power ??

do you take this as sample of an democratic country and election system ??

Before you open your m...

take a study on real demecratic countries and their constitutions !!

[cumgranosalum]

Surely a more appropriate announcement would be one that tells when the next announcement deferring the elections will be?

[cumgranosalum]

Why can't they just be honest enough to declare that elections will be held whenever they damn well please and not an instant before? It would save all this nonsense...

And if the previous government had been honest we wouldn't need to have this nonsense as you put it.

If the military had ensured that the (entirely constitutional) elections could have gone ahead, instead of staging a coup, then the previous government may well have been replaced legally and democratically by one which would have (presumably) more to your taste, and we wouldn't need to have this nonsense as you put it.

you mean we would have continoud to change laws to support Thaksins system of absolute power by his clan;

Take over all GVT and Military positions by his family clan,

Controll all corruption with profit to his pocket,

and all this achieved by new election with repressive power to people to vote RED and no other !

and election system which only favoured him, adjusted by his own GVT !!

A very good understanding from democracy !

You proofed to join Kim Jong Un !!

so the choice is between "clan" or "cult"?

[cumgranosalum]

"Well, I'm shocked," said No One Ever.

When all of this started, I thought it would be a minimum of three years before we saw an election. One more date push and I'll be right on the money.

I think you are being optimistic....you don't seem to have taken into account WHY it will be repeatedly postponed.......(and no i can't help you on that one).

[mango66]

Thailands current Constitution is Corruption related: in fact it means 100% power for the corrupt GVT and their cronies !

and this people want to change to a democratic system,

( Ok some with a special colour blinded, will never get it )

but many other wants a new Charter - Constitution on which Corruption will be under suppression and rubbed out !!

[cumgranosalum]

if Analysts and oponents say, the new charter is written to kick out the Shinawatras,

than they just confirm that the old Charter were written to keep the Shinawatras in power !!

So if they want real democracy , they should support a new Charter, and in special a election system

similar to Germans,

even the Thai still have not learned what is democracy,

and the elite and officials still dont want to close down their system of corruption !

So please General go ahead with new systems,

even if it will take 100 years for the Thai to understand this !!

I can live with current system for 100 years, if good will give me this 100; :-))

"if Analysts and oponents say, the new charter is written to kick out the Shinawatras,

than they just confirm that the old Charter were written to keep the Shinawatras in power !!" - oh dear! Now who needs a quick lesson in critical thinking? try thinking about "my cat has 4 legs"?

[PilotEd]

Politicians from both sides of Thailand's divide have baulked at the sharp curbs on their power, while analysts say the draft is undemocratic and harks back to an era when a royalist and military elite had a stranglehold on politics.

That is a key statement buried at the end of the article.

And real, democratic elections are never going to happen under this junta. It will keep getting pushed back until they feel they can manipulate a win for themselves.

[ThaiUser]

Why can't they just be honest enough to declare that elections will be held whenever they damn well please and not an instant before? It would save all this nonsense...

And if the previous government had been honest we wouldn't need to have this nonsense as you put it.

Can you name one government in the world present and past that has been honest with the people (including the last 5 Thai governments)? I don't know one!

[Eric Loh]

Why is it that whenever the PM say those infamous words "I will not hold back election", a new delayed election date follows. I guess it has the same honesty as in the other infamous words "I will not stage a coup".

[Bellacissa]

"Well, I'm shocked," said No One Ever.

When all of this started, I thought it would be a minimum of three years before we saw an election. One more date push and I'll be right on the money.

I think you are being optimistic....you don't seem to have taken into account WHY it will be repeatedly postponed.......(and no i can't help you on that one).

Agreed. That's why I took the over instead of the under. Three years was the minimum. The maximum is yet to be determined.

And before anyone panics about gambling, no it was not a real wager. Just a little internal bet with myself. As far as I know, Vegas doesn't have odds on this one.

[tbthailand]

Prayut insists the latest incarnation of the constitution -- backed by an anti-corruption drive -- will finally end the country's political paralysis.

no it won't. Just like all the previous military interventions, suppression does not lead to reconciliation or understanding, much less, democracy or less corruption... Suppression leads to conflict.

The General is sowing the seeds of the conflicts to come.

[baboon]

Why can't they just be honest enough to declare that elections will be held whenever they damn well please and not an instant before? It would save all this nonsense...

And if the previous government had been honest we wouldn't need to have this nonsense as you put it.

Can you name one government in the world present and past that has been honest with the people (including the last 5 Thai governments)? I don't know one!

Well, western nations pretty much have to be honest when it comes to election timings. Terms are fixed so they don't have much wiggle room, unlike M###### D###########s.

[gemguy]

Hmmmmm.......no matter what...the politics of the country will remain corrupted and manipulated regardless of who is in power....better get used to that fact more so than you have been used to it before.

The general will "Arrange" a timely election when it suits his agenda while the Military and the Elite reposition themselves to have more control over the country than they did in the recent past.

I wonder just how much (they) will meddle with and manipulate the supposedly democratic elections that they will "Arrange" in favor of the Democrats.

Oh well...as long as the girls are friendly and money or a living to be made I am not going to lose any sleep over the fact that Thailand will always be this way or something very similar.

I will still choose to live here.

Cheers

[Srikcir]

Why can't they just be honest enough to declare that elections will be held whenever they damn well please and not an instant before? It would save all this nonsense...

And if the previous government had been honest we wouldn't need to have this nonsense as you put it.

Can you name one government in the world present and past that has been honest with the people (including the last 5 Thai governments)? I don't know one!

Iceland

[quandow]

I'd bet my bottom dollar that, come June-ish 2016, elections will be moved back once again for reasons that defy logic.

[Thailand]

These guys will not let go without a struggle, they are there for the long term. Well past any event.

Too many feet firmly ensconced under the various tables.

Let's hope foreigners do not become a target to try to deflect from what is happening here.