Just goes to show how undemocratic referendums can be - presented with a Hobson's choice after years of delay and the "electorate" on a  low turnout just gives up

3 minutes ago, Cuchulainn said:

Now let's wait for the red whingers and whiners to start foot stomping and sulking because they didn't get their way!!!

 

som nam naa you dross!!!

Wow you learned a Thai phrase. Good for you.

Don't you believe in equality for all citizens?

20 minutes ago, mcfish said:

Sure it's OK but tread lightly. Dont be suckered into joining those posters who are aggressive and completely disrespectful of the regime, most likely the worst offenders are posting from outside our borders..

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I do know what you mean and thanks for the reasonable response as over the years there have been members,  probably baiting,  who have suggested as we have no rights here we have no right to an opinion.

For my part I will say that I do follow my own thoughts and ideas and am not into blindly following.

13 minutes ago, maoro2013 said:

It is called a 'draft' charter, which I think means it is not final, and people were asked to vote for something that may be changed!!

You need to stop dropping your ed's too.

Some may not like it but preventing the political parties from telling their supporters how to vote at least put responsibility on voters to read the constitution sent to them and think for themselves. The low turnout indicates many did not accept that responsibility.

9 minutes ago, Cuchulainn said:

Now let's wait for the red whingers and whiners to start foot stomping and sulking because they didn't get their way!!!

 

som nam naa you dross!!!

as "their way" wasn't even one the table , it is hardly surprising there are those who don't like the referendum. However as any crticism of the process was illegal it is unlikely you have actually heard any arguments against the referendum.

30 minutes ago, mcfish said:

Sure it's OK but tread lightly. Dont be suckered into joining those posters who are aggressive and completely disrespectful of the regime, most likely the worst offenders are posting from outside our borders..

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Respect is something you earn.

11 minutes ago, maoro2013 said:

It is called a 'draft' charter, which I think means it is not final, and people were asked to vote for something that may be changed!!

This was known at the time, as was the continuation of repression, as was internet censorship, as was the prohibition of debate... They could and should have factored all this in at the ballot box, but still they chose to vote to remain the excrement on the shoes of the military and establishment. No going back now, no second thoughts now. No waiting four years and recasting your vote. You can't say you weren't warned...

17 minutes ago, prakhonchai nick said:

 

Around 6 million Isaan voters work in Bangkok. They could only vote if they returned to their villages. They didn't. In previous general elections, they had their fares paid to return home and received money from political parties for voting for them. Didn't happen this time. No incentive to come home and vote.

 

Not true.  There was an opportunity for all voters living other than in their home districts to register for distance voting during the period 1 May - 30 June.

Bye bye Taksin.This was a referendum on the popularity of the coup,Khun Prayuth and the Army.Most people out my way didn't read the charter,understandably and said they were voting yes because they liked Khun Prayuth and the Army.It seems Thai's like a strong man,  predictability and peace compared to chaos and outright corruption.Democracy is not the concern for them.If i was Khun Prayuth i would be calling an election pretty quick to ride this wave of popularity into the PM's chair before the political sentiment changes.Can't wait for the flow of bile from Dubai.Khun Prayuth took a punt and it has paid off in spades.He is going to be around a long time.

Wells said. I find it amusing that here is a man that has risen through the ranks to be general and incredible achievement on its own and now he is the leader of the country and yet he is being bashed by expats who have achieved the dizzying Heights of "school teacher" or the lows of bummed out pensioners.

Living on lower suk I remember the dark days of political violence and shopping Centre bombings and so do the Thais that voted yes.

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Thais voted with their heads and not their hearts. The economic depression hit everyone hard and they are trading stability over democracy. They just want to get out of this economic rut and get rid of this incompetent junta government. Only 55% of eligible voters turned out which is less than previous charter referendum. Next year election will probably still see the usual 80% coming out and that will truly reflect their voters' heartfelt feelings of being constantly robbed of their democratic rights.

 

   

"The people have spoken".  I don't think so.  Everyone I spoke to didn't have a clue what the constitution was about!  My wife went to vote and when she came back she told me that she had voted YES.  When I asked her why, she said that there were people there helping to fill in their ballot papers.  In essence they were crossing the YES boxes then showing the punter how to put it in the ballot box.  My wife didn't even pick up a pencil!!!!

 

Fair and transparant!!!

Stockholm Syndrome. 

 

I also find it hard to believe they apparently counted 90%+ of votes within 4 hours of the polling booths closing.

30 000 000 voters...100 000 polling stations. Each having to count a whopping 300 votes on average I'd be worried if it took LONGER than 4 hours.

 

In our village the PYB and Kamnan pushed to vote for a Yes. 

Could be had no choice. Army have recently forced the PYB to step down in this village.

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4 hours ago, Nbarch said:

A bad day for Thailand; the new constitution does not solve the political problems, it just exacerbates it.

And sadly, I feel this will all end in tears!

 

 

 

Just means the military government will stay in power for the foreseeable future. Whether you think this is good or bad for Thailand depends on your point of view

Any country needs political and economic stabilization and this might be it.

14 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Thais voted with their heads and not their hearts. The economic depression hit everyone hard and they are trading stability over democracy. They just want to get out of this economic rut and get rid of this incompetent junta government. Only 55% of eligible voters turned out which is less than previous charter referendum. Next year election will probably still see the usual 80% coming out and that will truly reflect their voters' heartfelt feelings of being constantly robbed of their democratic rights.

 

   

"Thais voted with their heads" - as in banging them against a brick wall?

1 hour ago, Toscano said:

I live in a large village of rural northeast Thailand .  My wife was an official at our local polling station .  I do not believe any leaflets or information about the new draft constitution have been distributed in our vicinity .  I doubt that the Thai public at large have been informed of the content of this charter .  No body has been allowed to discuss it or speak against it at risk of 10yrs in prison .  I believe the Thai public have been deliberately kept in the dark , that most people voting for or against , had no idea of the content of this charter or what they were voting for .  Am I mistaken , or was this a cruel deception ?

I agree.They  voted on whether they like Prayuth or not.

20 minutes ago, haroldc said:

Not true.  There was an opportunity for all voters living other than in their home districts to register for distance voting during the period 1 May - 30 June.

 

Thanks for that info harold. Nobody in my village appeared to be aware of that fact. I wonder how many were across Isaan.

 

With many Isaan residents to-ing and fro-ing between home and Bangkok during rice planting time, I doubt many (if they had even known about registering in advance) would have known where they might be on referendum day.

56 minutes ago, does said:

My condolences to all commentors with this election result. Be patient; the perfection and beauty of western-style democracy will ultimately come to Thailand. Until such time, just hang in there! (PS You could alway move to another Asia country which already has a perfect western-style democracy.)

 

Clever sarcasm, like it.

Without any information due to the military blocking free and open discussion the masses of poor went to vote. The military kept the tv running with singing competitions, endless soap operas and other junk.. and of course Prayut's fame hour. They could have used all that time for informing the people but they wouldn't let that happen. So the referendum comes. Two weeks earlier many Thais went to their villages to participate in local Buddhist ceremonies and ordinations. They spent a lot of baht during that time. Now the government wants them to travel back again for a second time for this confusing vote. Some of the women don't want to attend the referendum because they want to be there to attend their child's Mother's day ceremony at their village primary school on Aug 12. So very few return for the vote. It's good for Bangkok and urban folks who just vote locally and don't have to waste time or money to do it.

 

Not reading the 100+ pages of the charter the poor and most others have little idea what this vote is about. The vote comes and this is what many poor experience:

 

Referendum: Do you want it? Check Yes or No?

 

The Poor: What is it?

 

Ref: Something. Yes or No?

 

The Poor: Hmm???

 

Ref: Yes or No?

 

The Poor:  What the heck. Yes!

                       Now, what do I get???

 

 

 

Looking at the map iot is easy to see that most of the country voted for a change.    The red shirt areas are even smaller than they used to be.  People can say it is a sham or whatever, BUT, the fact is that if the red shirt UDD had as much control as it usually does and if it was soo bad then the Democratic party and the UDD would have been able to mass their people anywy.

 

Therefore no matter what the rest of the world and even some yahoo in Tokyo think this is the way the country will be run.  

 

Does it have some pitfalls yes but the one ting that may be beneficial is that no party is going to be able to promise the world and screw the country.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 8, 20169 yr by kingstonkid

25 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Thais voted with their heads and not their hearts. The economic depression hit everyone hard and they are trading stability over democracy. They just want to get out of this economic rut and get rid of this incompetent junta government. Only 55% of eligible voters turned out which is less than previous charter referendum. Next year election will probably still see the usual 80% coming out and that will truly reflect their voters' heartfelt feelings of being constantly robbed of their democratic rights.

 

   

 

You must be so  disappointed EL, so your looking for any quick excuse. So sad. 

52 minutes ago, maoro2013 said:

It is called a 'draft' charter, which I think means it is not final, and people were asked to vote for something that may be changed!!

I think the people just made it final.

My wife voted yes despite not having read the new constitution..

When I asked why, she replied that many of the little people here in Phuket were voting that way because the mafia and big business people were pushing for a No vote.

1 hour ago, kkup said:

That info-graphic was made last week.. 

It was already available in the early hours of this morning, amazing!

So many people (losers) here say that the Thais were uninformed. My uneducated WTB had no difficulty knowing what it was all about and voted accordingly.

57 minutes ago, Cuchulainn said:

Now let's wait for the red whingers and whiners to start foot stomping and sulking because they didn't get their way!!!

 

som nam naa you dross!!!

Can't find the dislike button.

6 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

You must be so  disappointed EL, so your looking for any quick excuse. So sad. 

 

The Yes approval would have been so much sweeter if the junta government did not have the draconian referendum law and all the infrastructure down to the village heads to swing votes their way. I am not disappointed but rather sad that the government need such heavy dose of intimidation to win the approval. Wonder what will be the true results if all those heavy handed methods were not use discriminately, people allow to talk without fear and have international monitors. 

Oh dear, I'm going to my head banging tree. Asked her indoors what the other question was. She couldn't read it. So she answered both questions the same.

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