Democrat party rejects draft constitution

[Holy Cinema]

Is it safe to travel to Thailand around referrendum time?

Yes, unless you plan to holiday in and around a polling station down in the South

[williamgeorgeallen]

they were going to distribute full copies of the referendum? the translated copy i read was well over 100 pages.

[Chris Lawrence]

Gee, I didn't see this one coming! No word from the misses? She won't get a seat at the table to discuss an important part of democracy?

[Holy Cinema]

they were going to distribute full copies of the referendum? the translated copy i read was well over 100 pages.

How else was everyone supposed to know it's contents?

[Holy Cinema]

Lots of households don't have internet access, or smart phones

[williamgeorgeallen]

Lots of households don't have internet access, or smart phones

about half of the people in thailand have access to the internet. wonder how many used it to see what the coming referendum is about. dose not like like the voter turn out is going to be very high.

[williamgeorgeallen]

they were going to distribute full copies of the referendum? the translated copy i read was well over 100 pages.

How else was everyone supposed to know it's contents?

would have thought the internet would have been the best way, followed by TV, followed by news papers. promoting it was probably not in the governments best interests however as it seems they are trying to bring in some un elected 250 person council to oversee the running of the country.

paper media is in fast decline and posting out large pamphlets to over 20 million households seems to be quite an exercise.

[Raymonddiaz]

Finally he got balls. Congrats Mr. Abisit History will judge you

[Christian Shane]

Is it safe to travel to Thailand around referrendum time?

[firestar]

current overlords prefer to kick the ball down the road with a no vote, it means no scheduled elections, no change of regime.... so, as usual, they let their favorite little lap dog out of his box to do his dog and pony show

[landtrout]

Two things that are none of my business as a Non O, for 12 years !

(1) Why do they want so many Senators, US where I come from has 100 and population is over 323 million, with 50 States ? 250 Appointed, how many do they want ?

(2) What is with Appointed Senators ? How do you call yourself a Democracy with appointed political lackeys ?

With all the Consitutions around the World, why pick the best and modify slightly to meet particular needs for Thailand. Like, The Wheel has already been invented!!

For what it's worth, the UK also considers itself to be a democracy, despite the fact that the upper house of the UK Parliament is made up of 798 members, 706 of whom are appointed. The remainder are "hereditary" positions.

Go figure, eh?

[MZurf]

Two things that are none of my business as a Non O, for 12 years !

(1) Why do they want so many Senators, US where I come from has 100 and population is over 323 million, with 50 States ? 250 Appointed, how many do they want ?

(2) What is with Appointed Senators ? How do you call yourself a Democracy with appointed political lackeys ?

With all the Consitutions around the World, why pick the best and modify slightly to meet particular needs for Thailand. Like, The Wheel has already been invented!!

" Why do they want so many Senators...."

Jobs for the boys, obviously. The same goes for the armed forces, Thailand has more Generals that the US!

I see them often when I'm playing golf...

[MZurf]

How are the people going to know what to vote either way ? Where I live No informative leaflets have been delivered to households .

Are the people going to be expected to vote BLIND , with No knowledge of the content of the proposed constitution ?

general public could look online what the referendum is all about, if they have internet access. like another person said the people dont seem to be so worried about what is in it. those pro army govt will vote for it and those against the army govt will vote against it. will be interesting to see how it turns out.

".... and those against the army govt will vote against it."

My fear is that due to the fact that the junta/old elite will retain power either way many who are against the junta and the charter won't bother to vote.

[thairookie]

<<The appointment of 250 senators instead of being elected will not solve political conflicts but, worse still, will likely bring about more conflicting parties, Abhisit pointed out.>>

What's wrong with senators being appointed instead of being elected ? Wasn't Abhisit himself an appointed PM? If everything went through the election poll, Abhisit would not have smelled PMship.

[natway09]

Abhisit is a highly educated person along with a great sense of reasoning ,,,, more than most here that have graced the PM's chair.

His blanket public rejection though may lead to

Go to Jail, go directly to jail, do not pass blah blah blah

[mankondang]

Isn't it ilegal to publically criticise the draft, it deemed the ill informed misleading the public. He better pack his toothbrush

Run buddy run!. gigglem:

Well this is one guy who has his back covered for this.

Apart from being big mates with an ex army general, who never raised a coup against him whilst he was in power, he also has British (and Thai) citizenship as he was born in Newcastle, UK,. There he latter attended the illustrious public school of Eaton, where his classmate and big buddie was the ex London Lord Mayor, and now Foreign Secretary to the newly elected British Government, the strangly enough Yellow headed, Borris Johnson, who affectionately calls him by the nickname "Veggie".

I suppose you not need to pack a bag, or anything, when you have ready accommodation/property awaiting you, including free National Health.

No need for hotel rooms in the Middle East, or Thai neighboring countries for this guy.

Edited July 28, 2016 by mankondang

[djlest]

The army will elect who they deem fit to run the country - and that will always be a yellow vote... however this time they will ensure the reds do not get back in, the election has already been determined... and the failed rice scheme may have swayed a lot of the NE votes - however all it takes is a few 500 baht notes and some pied piper tactics in the NE you have won the majority of an election. This is something the yellows have constantly sucked at.

[Srikcir]

<<The appointment of 250 senators instead of being elected will not solve political conflicts but, worse still, will likely bring about more conflicting parties, Abhisit pointed out.>>

What's wrong with senators being appointed instead of being elected ? Wasn't Abhisit himself an appointed PM? If everything went through the election poll, Abhisit would not have smelled PMship.

In any parliamentary system of government the PM is selected by the ELECTED ministers of parliament. The PM is not directly elected as one might find in some republic systems of governments. The PM candidate must achieve a 50+% majority of MP votes that sometimes (such as in the 2011 Thai election) require a coalition of competing polities parties to band together behind a common nominee. Under a cponstiututional monarchy the PM nominee must also be further endrosed by the monarch.

[Srikcir]

Two things that are none of my business as a Non O, for 12 years !

(1) Why do they want so many Senators, US where I come from has 100 and population is over 323 million, with 50 States ? 250 Appointed, how many do they want ?

(2) What is with Appointed Senators ? How do you call yourself a Democracy with appointed political lackeys ?

With all the Consitutions around the World, why pick the best and modify slightly to meet particular needs for Thailand. Like, The Wheel has already been invented!!

For what it's worth, the UK also considers itself to be a democracy, despite the fact that the upper house of the UK Parliament is made up of 798 members, 706 of whom are appointed. The remainder are "hereditary" positions.

Go figure, eh?

For what its worth 50% of the Thai Senate under the 2007 Constitution was elected. In practice the 50% of unelected Senators controlled the Senate activities, perhaps by their connections with the military and elite class. Now none of the Senate is elected. So much for improving democratic participation.

In the UK House of Lords members cannot introduce money bills and their power to reject a bill passed by the House of Commons is very restricted. Unlike the proposed Thai Senate.

It may come to you as a surprise that the UK has no constitution, just hundreds of years of common law, court decisions, organic laws, etc. Since the Glorious Revolution of 1688, there has never been a single military coup.

[djjamie]

And as long as the Right Honourable Ahbisit rejects it within the confines of the law all will be good.

I am quietly confident he will if history is any sign.

Well done Ahbisit and look forward to your constructive proposals that will benefit the majority in the future.

[djjamie]

Two things that are none of my business as a Non O, for 12 years !

(1) Why do they want so many Senators, US where I come from has 100 and population is over 323 million, with 50 States ? 250 Appointed, how many do they want ?

(2) What is with Appointed Senators ? How do you call yourself a Democracy with appointed political lackeys ?

With all the Consitutions around the World, why pick the best and modify slightly to meet particular needs for Thailand. Like, The Wheel has already been invented!!

What is with Appointed Senators ? How do you call yourself a Democracy with appointed political lackeys ?

Ask Canada. They have appointed senators to. So in a way Thailand has picked a certain aspect from that democracy and added it to their constitution.

[redogi]

What is the point we all know the result of the "Referendum" The official counters will see to that or am I being too cynical !!

[natway09]

NZ also seems to manage without a Constitution & even Australia has no formal Constitution & have avoided any Coup attempts.

The laws applied over the years (precedent) & common sense prevails (most of the time)

[bamukloy]

How are the people going to know what to vote either way ? Where I live No informative leaflets have been delivered to households .

Are the people going to be expected to vote BLIND , with No knowledge of the content of the proposed constitution ?

general public could look online what the referendum is all about, if they have internet access. like another person said the people dont seem to be so worried about what is in it. those pro army govt will vote for it and those against the army govt will vote against it. will be interesting to see how it turns out.

If Thai pollies use legal gibberish wording and the same MOs our westernern lot, im sure the average Joe Somchai on the street would have no chance of understanding any of it.

Khun Abhisit demonstrates this by offering the public a vague statement but no specifics or details about what he is objecting about.

By the "impeachment" issue, it sounds like he is referring to the "immunity" that pollies love to grant themselves, that they cannot be sued or held accountable or blamed for any decision when out of office.

I might be cynical, but it looks to me like a certain other is trying furiously to find ways of legislating laws that protect current politicians..while not allowing those same laws to protect other peoples and offences in the past.

I guess you cant have it both ways

[MZurf]

Two things that are none of my business as a Non O, for 12 years !

(1) Why do they want so many Senators, US where I come from has 100 and population is over 323 million, with 50 States ? 250 Appointed, how many do they want ?

(2) What is with Appointed Senators ? How do you call yourself a Democracy with appointed political lackeys ?

With all the Consitutions around the World, why pick the best and modify slightly to meet particular needs for Thailand. Like, The Wheel has already been invented!!

What is with Appointed Senators ? How do you call yourself a Democracy with appointed political lackeys ?

Ask Canada. They have appointed senators to. So in a way Thailand has picked a certain aspect from that democracy and added it to their constitution.

Your team mate, Abhisit:

"The appointment of 250 senators instead of being elected will not solve political conflicts but, worse still, will likely bring about more conflicting parties, Abhisit pointed out."

[bkkcanuck8]

Two things that are none of my business as a Non O, for 12 years !

(1) Why do they want so many Senators, US where I come from has 100 and population is over 323 million, with 50 States ? 250 Appointed, how many do they want ?

(2) What is with Appointed Senators ? How do you call yourself a Democracy with appointed political lackeys ?

With all the Consitutions around the World, why pick the best and modify slightly to meet particular needs for Thailand. Like, The Wheel has already been invented!!

What is with Appointed Senators ? How do you call yourself a Democracy with appointed political lackeys ?

Ask Canada. They have appointed senators to. So in a way Thailand has picked a certain aspect from that democracy and added it to their constitution.

Although technically equal constitutionally -- the appointed Canadian senate does not generally reject bills introduced in the House, they may recommend amendments -- but because of their perceived lack of any real mandate... it is an extra-ordinary act to reject a bill. The appointed senators in Thailand have no qualms about exerting their weight with regards to all issues regardless.

Like any constitutional issues, it takes generations to really amend anything -- and although there is support for senate reform in many quarters - there is just not enough consensus to amend the constitutional function or composition of the senate. More or less it has not changed from before we were really a country (more of a semi-autonomous part of the United Kingdom)... (officially a country in 1867 but not really a full independent country until after the first world war).

Edited July 28, 2016 by bkkcanuck8

[LUSHGOAT]

Abhisit has already made a mess of running the country and his objections to the military legislation is just a vendetta against Thaksin and Yingluck if he cared so much about his people he would have stepped down before when they didnt want him as their as their prime minister

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Khun Abhisit best be very careful criticizing the draft charter......I mean two 8 year old girls have been arrested and charged for the pink paper fiasco....and a a gang of monkeys are wanted in a massive manhunt currently being undertaken......

Please be careful Khun Abhisit

It will be kind of interesting to see what, if anything, happens in the wake of his public statement.

The news headlines have been filled the past couple weeks with various ordinary citizens (including 8-year-old girls) and others (activists, a former PT politician) being arrested for doing the most modest kinds of things.

Now we have Abhisit coming along and making a big public statement of NO! Just how far is the NCPO willing to go?

Edited July 28, 2016 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Blue Muton]

there is going to be an appointed non elected 250 person council to run the country? dam those guys are gonna become very rich. even the all power full general with the absolute powers of article 44 have not been able to stop corruption in thailand. wonder if i can get a work permit to sit on that council.

Yes, apparently they're going to call it the House of Lords.

[Srikcir]

there is going to be an appointed non elected 250 person council to run the country? dam those guys are gonna become very rich. even the all power full general with the absolute powers of article 44 have not been able to stop corruption in thailand. wonder if i can get a work permit to sit on that council.

Yes, apparently they're going to call it the House of Lords.

Or the House of Generals.

Not only will the NCPO Chief Prayut select the Senators, he and his fellow NCPO members will become members of the Senate as well.