PM: Rejecting draft charter because it is undemocratic is unfair to the people

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said Friday night that it would be unfair to the people if the draft constitution is to be voted down by members of the National Reform Council because they feel the draft is undemocratic.

The essence of democracy means that the people will stand to benefit and the people are the core centre and not the politicians, said the prime minister in his weekly “Returning Happiness to the People” programme Friday night.

He made clear that he cannot intervene or instruct the NRC members on how they should vote because they have to decide by themselves with their own free will. He also suggested the NRC members to look at the entire draft charter and not just some controversial provisions.

The prime minister said he respected the judgment of each individual council member but hoped that the country would move forward towards reforms and there would be good government and good MPs to implement reforms.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-rejecting-draft-charter-because-it-is-undemocratic-is-unfair-to-the-people

-- Thai PBS 2015-09-04

The essence of democracy is choosing leaders by election - full stop.

I hope something was lost in translation because otherwise he sounds a nutjob coming out with things like that.

If this is correct then being Democratic is being unfair to the people??????????

Speechless

So having an "undemocratic" constitution "is unfair to the people"?

So I wonder if the vote is a vote of conscience? (secret) or an open for all to see who voted what, as this can lead external pressure by those of influence.

So there are so many people and groups coming out saying there is a problem with the draft but they are being ignored and push ahead with it anyway, Now to some that sounds like it could be "unfair to the people"? So why not postpone the draft vote for six weeks and get the thing right first then vote???

Well - as he interrupted my movie yesterday, I was watching the speech.

Although my Thai isn't good enough, so I had to rely on the translation.

To take just this one sentence is a tad unfair because he told people to read it and think about it overall before voting.

When he mentioned undemocratic, he said something along the lines of "don't throw the whole thing out because you feel certain clauses are undemocratic, consider that they are there to stop the old issues/corrupt politicians returning".

He did not imply the whole constitution was undemocratic and he expressed that his hope was that Thailand would move forward with more honest politicians that would be voted in at the next election.

Does he actually understand (let alone believe) what he says?

The Benny Hill show says rejecting the charter via the exercise democratic principles is un democratic. I'm getting tired of the mantra of Thais need to work together to move the country backward, oops I mean forward. In reality, he's diminished Thailands limited credibility with investors and destroyed 5-6% growth rate.

... "don't throw the whole thing out because you feel certain clauses are undemocratic, consider that they are there to stop the old issues/corrupt politicians returning".

OK, let's run with that. Next Monday you will get to choose to be the richest man in the world. You will be showered with wealth, homes, yachts, your own private jet and - unlimited beautiful women.

There's just one tiny, little, insignificant thing about it though. At the end of 30 days you will have to die.

Now, don't let that deter you because you shouldn't throw the whole thing out just because you don't like that tiny, teeny last part, OK?

"The essence of democracy means that the people will stand to benefit and the people are the core centre and not the politicians,"

Erm...say what?

Is this guy for real????

Just when I feel the USA or the EU is/are a lost hope, such news as this brightens my day, in a sad way.

On the word of command !

I used to think D stood for the word we are not allowed to use but add ' head ' and all is clear.

So what exactly is he saying?

Democracy is unfair to the people????

What do you mean he 'sounds' like a nutjob?

Every time he makes one if his profound statements it just gets worse

In my other life as an Assistant Inspector General for the US Defense Department,I had on numerous accusations dealt with high ranking General officers. I just wonder how this man could ever have been a General officer as his mental attitude is quite lacking in all respects.

Edit:

In my other life as an Assistant Inspector General for the US Defense Department,I had on numerous occasions dealt with high ranking General officers.

I just wonder how this man could ever have been a General officer as his mental attitude is quite lacking in all respects.

Sorry for the earlier mistake!

Well - as he interrupted my movie yesterday, I was watching the speech.

Although my Thai isn't good enough, so I had to rely on the translation.

To take just this one sentence is a tad unfair because he told people to read it and think about it overall before voting.

When he mentioned undemocratic, he said something along the lines of "don't throw the whole thing out because you feel certain clauses are undemocratic, consider that they are there to stop the old issues/corrupt politicians returning".

He did not imply the whole constitution was undemocratic and he expressed that his hope was that Thailand would move forward with more honest politicians that would be voted in at the next election.

Whether agree or disagree ...

I think Pedro did a better job of reporting on the content of the PMs speech that the article in the OP

Personally.. Have mixed feelings.. Don't like the idea of non democratic clauses and some of the things others have said are in the constitution , but also don't like the idea of a repeat of the last 10 years either...

Have not had a chance to see or read an English translation for myself

Would like to hold my final opinion until an English translation is made available (hopefully)

As do not like to rely on the interpretation of others telling me but would like to read myself and form my own opinion

If this goes through Thailand has absolutely no chance of ever being a democracy. In the future if governments try to change the charter the panel with more power ( sorry cannot remember the title they gave them):" legal coup" will simply take over and stop all progress. The ultimate catch 22.

Edit:

In my other life as an Assistant Inspector General for the US Defense Department,I had on numerous occasions dealt with high ranking General officers.

I just wonder how this man could ever have been a General officer as his mental attitude is quite lacking in all respects.

Sorry for the earlier mistake!

I have known Spec4 M60 infantry gunners with more brains.

Nothing against you DKPUN.....

I suppose something had to be done otherwise civil war.

The current "D" seems to be as clueless as those before him though.

Any time you struggle in Thailand, you have problems with your family, co workers, or some other baloney that makes absolutely no sense, come and read the news about what is going on in Thailand... It's NOT YOU!!! The same things that make the stories we read possible also creep into our every day life. We struggle to make sense of it, but we never will, and we never should. Stop blaming yourselves for not fitting in, and realize Thailand is the way it is for a reason.

This cr@p he spouts, on his state tv show with all this 'stronger together' mantra really is quite worrying to look at.

Thailand, Diet North Korea.

In my other life as an Assistant Inspector General for the US Defense Department,I had on numerous accusations dealt with high ranking General officers. I just wonder how this man could ever have been a General officer as his mental attitude is quite lacking in all respects.

All par for the course with the RTA!

The essence of democracy is choosing leaders by election - full stop.

No. The essence of democracy is everyone having an equal say in how things are run. Since we don't all have time to be at government meetings every day, we elect people to represent us at those meetings. When those people do not act in our interest i.e. amnesty vite where even Pheu Thai supporters were against it, but their elected ''representatives''passed it anyway, it shows us the flaws of thinking that elections = democracy.

BTW I don't believe there truly is a single true democratic country in the world.

If this goes through Thailand has absolutely no chance of ever being a democracy. In the future if governments try to change the charter the panel with more power ( sorry cannot remember the title they gave them):" legal coup" will simply take over and stop all progress. The ultimate catch 22.

Have heard it reported that some of the u democratic clauses expire after 5 years.

If that is the case... Maybe never is a bit to far...

But again would like to see an English translation to ready and form my own opinion

As do not want to base my opinion on what some reporter says somebody else thinks...

Have seen far to many cases of misreporting the facts to base my opinion on such a serious on such a thing

To me disregarding what ever else is said...

His advice to people to read the constitution and think about it and then form their own opinion is good advice

Regardless of each persons final decision and each persons vote... If all had enough civic mindedness to at least read the document for themselves, would be a success regardless of the outcome of the vote

PM: Rejecting draft charter because it is undemocratic is unfair to the people

Huh?

Good morning, class!

Today we're going to learn about democracy. Can anyone tell me what democracy is?

Yes, Prayut?

"The essence of democracy means that the people will stand to benefit and the people are the core centre and not the politicians."

No, I'm sorry Prayut. That's not correct. Did you do your reading assignment last night?

The essence of democracy is choosing leaders by election - full stop.

That used to be conventional wisdom when there were no career politicians, only committed citizens that saw government service as a duty and honor. The founding fathers of democracy never imagined a society where career politicians would corrupt citizens with entitlement handouts in order to stay elected. Such social engineering has relegated nearly half of the USA population dependent on some form of government assistance and distorts the electoral process by creating a bottom heavy society addicted to something for nothing. Modern democracies will have to incorporate a lottery system to conscript people representative of their region's geographic, economic, and educational demographics in order to take freedom to the next level and these conscripted representatives would have a single term limit of two years.

Good morning, class!

Today we're going to learn about democracy. Can anyone tell me what democracy is?

Yes, Prayut?

"The essence of democracy means that the people will stand to benefit and the people are the core centre and not the politicians."

No, I'm sorry Prayut. That's not correct. Did you do your reading assignment last night?

Perhaps, he was eating an apple when the core analogy came to his mind.

The essence of democracy is choosing leaders by election - full stop.

Democracy isn't that at all full stop. You usually want to select representation or to be representative when it comes to an election in anything else but a direct democracy.

But hey it was it is too you.