Gen Prayut invokes Section 44 to strip Thaksin of his police rank

[yellowboat]

Prayut's use of Article 44 without royal endorsement reveals several important failures in his leadership:

1. It vindicates National police chief General Somyot Poompanmuang's refusal to strip Thaksin from his retired police rank.

2. It shows there was no organic law or regulation that justified legal removal of Thaksin's retired police rank.

3. It shows the Police Committee had no legal basis to require Somyot to strip Thaksin from his retired police rank.

4. Without royal endorsement Prayut made his decision an act of personal revenge.

Any good Prayut has brought to the nation through his leadership happened 16 months ago to quell violent public protests. And the military didn't need a coup to even do that if it merely supported the State of Emergency declared by the government in accordance with the previous junta-written 2007 Constitution.

It might be that PM Prayut didn't want to bother H.M. the King with such trivial issues. It's not as if it's important, it's not as if Thaksin is bothered, it's not as if Thai really care.

All in all I get the impression PM Prayut just used Article 44 to annoy posters here. Were he a member he'd been sent on a short holiday.

Lottery tickets, beach chairs, street vendors, beggars, thaksin's rank...all done ( on some level). Economic crisis, people smuggling, fishing, aviation,international sanctions, security, democracy....???

You forgot the bike lanes! "The gift to the people" which was financed by taxing their hard earned money. Article 44 a short cut used to settle a petty score ? He knows not that he is embarrassing himself and the nation.

[rubl]

Prayut's use of Article 44 without royal endorsement reveals several important failures in his leadership:

1. It vindicates National police chief General Somyot Poompanmuang's refusal to strip Thaksin from his retired police rank.

2. It shows there was no organic law or regulation that justified legal removal of Thaksin's retired police rank.

3. It shows the Police Committee had no legal basis to require Somyot to strip Thaksin from his retired police rank.

4. Without royal endorsement Prayut made his decision an act of personal revenge.

Any good Prayut has brought to the nation through his leadership happened 16 months ago to quell violent public protests. And the military didn't need a coup to even do that if it merely supported the State of Emergency declared by the government in accordance with the previous junta-written 2007 Constitution.

It might be that PM Prayut didn't want to bother H.M. the King with such trivial issues. It's not as if it's important, it's not as if Thaksin is bothered, it's not as if Thai really care.

All in all I get the impression PM Prayut just used Article 44 to annoy posters here. Were he a member he'd been sent on a short holiday.

Lottery tickets, beach chairs, street vendors, beggars, thaksin's rank...all done ( on some level). Economic crisis, people smuggling, fishing, aviation,international sanctions, security, democracy....???

You forgot the bike lanes! "The gift to the people" which was financed by taxing their hard earned money. Article 44 a short cut used to settle a petty score ? He knows not that he is embarrassing himself and the nation.

Absolutely. PM Prayut should have followed the example of his predecessor and invent a 'self-financing' scheme to avoid using taxpayers money.

[lvr181]

Meanwhile, the immigration, police and military officials implicated in the recent Bangkok Bombing, past human trafficking events and the most blatant acts of corruptions, are moved to inactive posts where they continue to collect salaries and benefits. The rulers have time to play the Thaksin bogeyman game, but can't find the time to manage the Bangkok bombing or tanking economy, or the much promised crackdown on corruption.

As much as I believe that Thaksin should have resigned his rank long ago when he entered politics, the manner in which the General / Prime Minister has stripped Thaksin of the rank is questionable. The interim constitution is the direct result of its imposition by an administration that took power by way of a military coup. One does not need to be a constitutional law expert to understand the legal implications. All that this will do is create more distraction. This should have been left to the courts to process. Had it been the product of a transparent judicial process it would have been non-contestable.

Military coup is the law. End of lesson. Like it or not.

But I do agree that it is about time to REALLY manage the economy and crackdown on corruption. Perhaps the PM wants/needs this extra time to do so?

[springheeled jack]

I had to come sooner or later theres been so much dillydallying over this issue I don't think it will make any difference to thaksin anyway I am sure he wont lose any sleep over it.

[Jon Wetherall]

someone needs a cuddle don't they Mr PM general sir... as you're shit scared of the bogeyman from Dubai.. how about using section 44 for real issues, like sorting out your fishing fleet, sorting out your human trafficking, and sorting out your airline ICOA faults.

Petty and vindictive by stating that Thaksin's rank was a matter of National Security.

Sort out the freekin roads by using article 44, and you might, just might save over 2-3,000 lives a year on the piss poor roads.. use article 44 to get the lunatics without licences off these roads.

Surely by invoking article 44 over the crown (Royal Decree), it's a very dangerous precedent, and itself is an act bordering on article 112 ?

The whole objective was to prevent fingers being pointed about the coup.

[Jon Wetherall]

Meanwhile, the immigration, police and military officials implicated in the recent Bangkok Bombing, past human trafficking events and the most blatant acts of corruptions, are moved to inactive posts where they continue to collect salaries and benefits. The rulers have time to play the Thaksin bogeyman game, but can't find the time to manage the Bangkok bombing or tanking economy, or the much promised crackdown on corruption.

As much as I believe that Thaksin should have resigned his rank long ago when he entered politics, the manner in which the General / Prime Minister has stripped Thaksin of the rank is questionable. The interim constitution is the direct result of its imposition by an administration that took power by way of a military coup. One does not need to be a constitutional law expert to understand the legal implications. All that this will do is create more distraction. This should have been left to the courts to process. Had it been the product of a transparent judicial process it would have been non-contestable.

Military coup is the law. End of lesson. Like it or not.

But I do agree that it is about time to REALLY manage the economy and crackdown on corruption. Perhaps the PM wants/needs this extra time to do so?

Military coup is the law.

For now.

[Songlaw]

National security. Your a joke PM.

The power is going to your head.

Apparently a bit of methane from the other end is making its way up there as well.

[Jon Wetherall]

If you always do what you've always done, then you'll always get what you've always got.

If you want something different then you have to do something different.

But sshhhhhhh. Don't tell the Thai government, they think a quick trip to the wat and everything'll be just peachy They'e not good at the whole 'real world' thing. Something to do with the propaganda over the past 40-odd years. The USA wanted a base to fight communism, but the government hasn't realised that the USA has its hands full right now, America doesn't think about Thailand until the government or the army starts behaving badly now and there are no free rides in the offing now. The world has changed but the Thai government is just bewildered by it all, they truly don't understand why (or even that) nobody loves them any more.

Behaving badly? Like doing coups and stuff, human trafficking and stuff, welching on international agreements and stuff. poor safety standards and stuff, poor human rights and stuff, illegal fishing and stuff, taking bribes and stuff, unsafe aviation standards and stuff. etc etc etc.

Edited September 6, 2015 by Jon Wetherall

[mojorison]

The Thaksin chestnut... AKA... the deflection to all relevant issues that just keeps on giving.

[Jon Wetherall]

The Thaksin chestnut... AKA... the deflection to all relevant issues that just keeps on giving.

Oh I don't know, usually seems reasonable when your sitting on a barstool and downing your 4th Heineken.

Odd how thongs look different sometimes...

Edited September 6, 2015 by Jon Wetherall

[mikiea]

Hopefully this case is completed.

That the generals and officers hold their ranks lifetime, does not make sense.

Give them a o.D.

off-duty.

eventually Thai will be like Italy pre ww ll , .........foe every 1 general there will be , 6 louie's , 3 major's , 4 col.'s , 8 capitan's, a marching band , 18 standard bearers , a mobile mess , and 43 inlisted men . ehhh yea ...dats about right .

[DLock]

Somyot be like...

"But I was just about to revoke it...bugger".

Liar.

[Jon Wetherall]

Hopefully this case is completed.

That the generals and officers hold their ranks lifetime, does not make sense.

Give them a o.D.

off-duty.

eventually Thai will be like Italy pre ww ll , .........foe every 1 general there will be , 6 louie's , 3 major's , 4 col.'s , 8 capitan's, a marching band , 18 standard bearers , a mobile mess , and 43 inlisted men . ehhh yea ...dats about right .

Apparently there are more Generals in the Thai Army than there are in the USA army.

That's how bizarre it's all got.

[Jim walker]

General Prayut dont forget Thaksin will be back and will surely return the compliment corporal Prayut why dont you forget about him and concentrate on your main job at hand to save Thailand from the noisy children on their powerful 50cc motorbikes.

[phoenixdoglover]

The Sayings of PM Prayut

March 2015

"I will not use Article 44 to persecute or threaten anyone. It will be invoked because there is the need. You should not be afraid of Article 44. In fact, martial law is tougher than Article 44, as it controls everything,"

"I will use Article 44 constructively and I won't use it to create more conflict."

[Just1Voice]

The Sayings of PM Prayut

March 2015

"I will not use Article 44 to persecute or threaten anyone. It will be invoked because there is the need. You should not be afraid of Article 44. In fact, martial law is tougher than Article 44, as it controls everything,"

"I will use Article 44 constructively and I won't use it to create more conflict."

Yeah, just like he said: "There won't be a coup!"

[rubl]

The Sayings of PM Prayut

March 2015

"I will not use Article 44 to persecute or threaten anyone. It will be invoked because there is the need. You should not be afraid of Article 44. In fact, martial law is tougher than Article 44, as it controls everything,"

"I will use Article 44 constructively and I won't use it to create more conflict."

Yeah, just like he said: "There won't be a coup!"

and stripping a criminal fugitive of his former police rank does seem to hurt. Not Thaksin of course, he has no problem with it, even his son said so.

[mikosan]

This saga is becoming extremely boring!

[tx22cb]

"the prime minister said that he had forwarded Thaksin’s rank issue to the Palace for a royal command to strip the ex-prime minister of his police rank"

Moral victory for Thaksin - the initial request was sent, but then hastily "withdrawn" (or was it Returned to Sender a la Elvis?).

[englishoak]

Looks like somebody didnt get the response it was wanting from the palace so circumnavigated the need by using article 44.

The implications of that are interesting and judging by a few Thai friends thusfar not lost on all of them.

[EnglishJohn]

Well done Prayuth - hit the evil worm where it hurts the most : in the face.

I'm sure that - even though they keep telling us how this does not matter at all - it will matter enough for the juveniles the flood this thread with their amazingly childish comments.

I don't think you have any idea what he did do for the country that was good.

LOL , what he did was under advice of a foreign PR company who advised him what would make him popular. He doesn't care one bit.

I know exactly what he did. So does everybody else : that's why he is a fugitive in self imposed exile.

Wake up for Gods sake. You have been used like s $20 whore.

[hawker9000]

There. Done and done. Now, all of the knobheads who were so worried about how much time & effort people were spending on this, with sooooo many higher priorities pending, can relax. The footdraggers will be saving loads on shoe leather, too!

But no joy in Thaksintown tonight I guess.... Awwwww.

Now let the shrill carping & whining begin!

Edited September 6, 2015 by hawker9000

[kiwikeith]

The stripping of Thaksin's police rank is nothing more than a PR stunt by the current powers that be. They want everyone to know who's in charge. Personally though I wish the whole Thaksin issue would disappear from Thai politics. Too long has this issue been in the news, a new chapter need to be opened and the old one left in the past.

This is hardly gratitude for the 7 million BHT that Thaksins son has put up for reward for the BK bombers.

At least he cleared his name , and probably is more popular than ever for doing so.

[rockingrobin]

Seems it would appear that the removal of rank requires approval under section 28 of the 2004 RTP Act

[metisdead]

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[anotheruser]

This saga is becoming extremely boring!

No news is good news.

[mojorison]

So no decree? Something's not right in never never land.

[elgordo38]

If he's used article 44 to do this - he could have done it months ago - and not as he said send to HM for approval to "remove his title" will he also use article 44 to remove him of his "royal medals" or can only HM do that?

Just like Merlin and his magic wand wave article or chapter and verse #44 and poof all is right again.

[elgordo38]

If he's used article 44 to do this - he could have done it months ago - and not as he said send to HM for approval to "remove his title" will he also use article 44 to remove him of his "royal medals" or can only HM do that?

ONLY HM can do that, and that's not very damn likely to happen. In my opinion, this action has nothing to do with the "legalities" of the situation, and was nothing more than a vendetta against Thaksin. They called it a case of "national security". I dare one of them to prove to me how Thaksin's rank, or the stripping of it, has anything to do with "national security". I'm not defending Thaksin, but lambasting the actions of an illegal Junta/government.

Seems Dr. Ellis's detention was also a matter of national security as well and look how that played out. Saving face looks funny when its covered in apple(you choose the flavor) pie. Kind of reminds me of the old movies where pie slinging was a art.

Edited September 10, 2015 by elgordo38

[baboon]

There. Done and done. Now, all of the knobheads who were so worried about how much time & effort people were spending on this, with sooooo many higher priorities pending, can relax. The footdraggers will be saving loads on shoe leather, too!

But no joy in Thaksintown tonight I guess.... Awwwww.

Now let the shrill carping & whining begin!

... In conjunction with the gloating!!?