NLA’s Wallop: The public referendum will still take place despite concerns of Ombudsman

[webfact]

NLA’s Wallop: The public referendum will still take place despite concerns of Ombudsman

BANGKOK, 2 June 2016 (NNT) – A member of the National Legislative Assembly is confident that the public referendum will still take place even though the Office of the Ombudsman has asked the Constitutional Court to annul a part of the referendum law.

NLA member Wallop Tangkananurak said that, despite the action of the Office of the Ombudsman, the process to organize the public referendum on the new draft charter can still go on as planned.

Mr. Wallop was referring to the distribution of information on the draft charter, the explanation of the referendum question proposed by the NLA, and the Election Commission’s investigation into any violation of the Public Referendum Act.

He added that, even if the Constitutional Court decides to annul the law, the decision would be effective on only a part of it.

Mr. Wallop also believes that the Office of the Ombudsman’s action was intended to clarify the law to prevent any legal problem, and was done without any hidden agenda.


-- NNT 2016-06-02

[Hawk]

A total farce!

[chainarong]

A total farce!

After all this time U mean to say that the legal side has not been addressed , Christ

[mtls2005]

PM walks back Wallop's statement...maybe they're beginning to realize this stinker has no chance of passing, so better to find a way out rather than lose face.

Referendum may be delayed if court rules against law

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Thursday that the referendum on the charter draft scheduled on August 7 could be postponed if the Constitutional Court ruled that Article 61 of the Public Referendum Act 2016 is unconstitutional.

If the court issues a verdict before the referendum date taking place all process needs to stop but if not, it will be go out as scheduled, the premier said.

The Ombudsman resolved yesterday to submit a review to the court after they agreed that the Article could be deemed in violation of the 2014 interim charter that guarantees freedom of expression.

The Ombudsman's ruling came after former senator and director of Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw), Jon Ungpakorn, filed a petition with the Ombudsman seeking a ruling on the legality of Article 61.

The junta’s road map plans the general election in late 2017 if the charter draft clears the referendum

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Referendum-may-be-delayed-if-court-rules-against-l-30287226.html

[elgordo38]

Looks like the junta roadmap just hit a speed bump. Was this intentional or otherwise?

[Snig27]

Looks like the junta roadmap just hit a speed bump. Was this intentional or otherwise?

Well, given that Uncle Doodoo gave himself powers just a little ahead of any deity, one would have to assume it's intentional. Couple this with his announcement yesterday that he may well stay on in the job if he feels so inclined and you have a possible new roadmap. What elections?

[Winniedapu]

Looks like the junta roadmap just hit a speed bump. Was this intentional or otherwise?

Well, given that Uncle Doodoo gave himself powers just a little ahead of any deity, one would have to assume it's intentional. Couple this with his announcement yesterday that he may well stay on in the job if he feels so inclined and you have a possible new roadmap. What elections?

I think you might well be right. Congratulations on having a suspicious mind. It's what happens when you come to TL and stay longer than it takes for the starry eyes to become less starry. I strongly suspect he has finally realised nobody believes him so he's stopped pretending. I'll wager he also thinks he has enough foreign governments onside to ward off or bind the evil sanctions spirits. Started to believe his own lies methinks, soon to be followed by an implosion.

W

[Snig27]

Looks like the junta roadmap just hit a speed bump. Was this intentional or otherwise?

Well, given that Uncle Doodoo gave himself powers just a little ahead of any deity, one would have to assume it's intentional. Couple this with his announcement yesterday that he may well stay on in the job if he feels so inclined and you have a possible new roadmap. What elections?

I think you might well be right. Congratulations on having a suspicious mind. It's what happens when you come to TL and stay longer than it takes for the starry eyes to become less starry. I strongly suspect he has finally realised nobody believes him so he's stopped pretending. I'll wager he also thinks he has enough foreign governments onside to ward off or bind the evil sanctions spirits. Started to believe his own lies methinks, soon to be followed by an implosion.

W

Hard to argue with any of that. Sooner or later the grand pretence that this was about 'reform' and a 'roadmap to democracy' had to end.

In 2013 the term 'useful idiots' was widely applied to the whistleblowers both inside Thailand and by the international press - it's increasingly difficult to argue that it was not an apt and accurate description. (Although there are some on these forums who seem to be still trying to dig their way out of that by an increasingly desperate ongoing demonisation of an elected government, flawed or not)

[Srikcir]

Looks like the junta roadmap just hit a speed bump. Was this intentional or otherwise?

Perhaps an intentional but empty gesture (going through the motions) on the part of the Ombudsman.

The formerly independent Thai Human Rights Commission has been effectively folded into the Ombudsman organization and shut down. With the recent concerns of the UN HRC about continued loss of human rights in Thailand under the junta and the upcoming UN vote on new membership for the nonpermanent Security Council, maybe the government felt a show of concern for a faulty Referendum Act was needed.

[Winniedapu]

Looks like the junta roadmap just hit a speed bump. Was this intentional or otherwise?

Perhaps an intentional but empty gesture (going through the motions) on the part of the Ombudsman.

The formerly independent Thai Human Rights Commission has been effectively folded into the Ombudsman organization and shut down. With the recent concerns of the UN HRC about continued loss of human rights in Thailand under the junta and the upcoming UN vote on new membership for the nonpermanent Security Council, maybe the government felt a show of concern for a faulty Referendum Act was needed.

These people are astonishing. As I understand it, Ungpakorn lodged the complaint with the Ombudsman. I don't think Ungpakorn is any good friend of the junta, if he was I suspect Giles would feed him to the fishes, Dad or no Dad.

Like muppets, I suspect the the government told the ombudsman to investigate for the sake of public appearance, not seeing the trap which the wily old Ungpakorn had set for them. Which is this: If the Ombudsman says the complaint is lost, people will think the government intervened on it's own side and yell 'FIX! STITCHUP!'.. If the complaint is upheld, then the referendum will be cancelled and people will yell 'FIX! STITCHUP!'.

I really don't understand this government. How it can engineer so many lose/lose situations for itself I really don't know. I suppose consistency is usually a good thing, but I cant see how shooting yourself in the foot every day is any great triumph.

W

[Sunderland]

Roadmap? Ha ha ha ha ....

It's upside down, filled with holes and has the words COMIC and BOOK printed on it.

[JAG]

"Wallop" - now there's a name for a politician!