PM agrees to consider NTSA’s proposal for parties to stage political activities after referendum, bu

[snoop1130]

PM agrees to consider NTSA’s proposal for parties to stage political activities after referendum, but…

THAILAND -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has agreed to accept for consideration a proposal of the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) that political parties should be allowed to engage in political activities after the August 7 referendum.

However, he said that he would have to evaluate the conduct of each political party and would then decide at an appropriate time when political parties are allowed to engage in political activities.

“I have to see how they (parties) behave. Have there been any changes now. There are good parties. There are also those which have not changed at all,” said the prime minister, adding that he cannot solve all the problems alone and all parties concerned should help him too.

Asked whether national reconciliation is still an issue of interest for the government, the prime minister retorted that the government used to invite all political parties for talk on the issue but it was rejected outright.

Regarding the criticism against the establishment of peacekeeping centres across the country, he defended that the centres were formed immediately after the coup in May 2014 to look into security matters to ensure public safety. He said that the centres, this time, would focus on ensuring peace and order during the leadup to the referendum and during the referendum.

The peacekeeping centres are the joint cooperation of the Interior Ministry, the Election Commission and the National Council for Peace and Order, he said.

The prime minister also maintained that the NCPO still sticks to the orders it issued and has not considered to ease or scrap the orders.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-agrees-consider-ntsas-proposal-parties-stage-political-activities-referendum-2/

-- Thai PBS 2016-07-05

[phoenixdoglover]

Considering the way the Charter is written, I am not surprised.

Many of us might think a "Yes" vote on the referendum would then invoke a political process, leading up to the election of the lower House. We would be only partly correct. In fact, there is a list of Organic Laws that must be passed, including the Organic Law on Selection of Senators. It will be necessary for the current "rubber stamp" NLA to pass these laws, and I am certain the NCPO will have a hand in shaping the laws.

Section 263 While the House of Representatives and the Senate under this Constitution are not yet formed, the National Legislative Assembly as established under the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (Interim) B.E. 2557 shall continue to act as the National Assembly, the House of Representatives, and the Senate. The members of the National Legislative Assembly holding office before the promulgation of this Constitution shall act as members of the House of Representatives or senators respectively in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution, and the National Legislative Assembly and its members shall terminate on the day before the convocation of the first sitting of the National Assembly following the general election conducted under this Constitution.

So even after the referendum, the game is still on.

By the way, today Prachatai released an English language translation of the Draft Charter. Here

http://www.icj.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Thailand-Draft-Constitution-EnglishTr-Advocacy-2016-ENG.pdf

There are 279 Sections, spread across 137 pages for your reading pleasure.

I can confirm, the next Prime Minister can be an unelected person. Also, the method for selection of the Consitutional Court is mostly in the hands of the unelected Senate. And, the Thai Armed Forces are unaccountable to (and above, essentially) the civilian government as usual.

Edited July 5, 2016 by phoenixdoglover

[The stuttering parrot]

Well I never thought I'd say but you've got that one right PM

There are good parties yes in your eyes the yellows born in their minds to rule.

And parties that have not changed at all.

That would be the Reds who overwhelmingly have voted for their legitimate government by landslide after landslide and you and the elite just cannot accept the will of the nation and never will!

[Krataiboy]

Breathtaking that a self-appointed national leader can speak from one side of his mouth about bringing democracy to the people and from the other declare that he alone will decide which political parties will eventually be able to represent the millions of people who never voted him into power.

Nice shirt, though.

[Srikcir]

Prayut's comment clearly shows that even with passage of the charter by the referendum, Article 44 giving Prayut pseudo absolute power will remain in place. This mocks the democratic process that he insists will be allowed for the Thai people.