PM says too early to decide election date

[rooster59]

PM says too early to decide election date

 

Thammarat Thadaphrom

 

BANGKOK, 20 August 2016 (NNT) – Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha is still uncertain about the election date, saying the five rivers of reform have yet to decide when a general election will be held. 

In regard to Election Commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn’s comment that the election would be staged on December 10th, next year, PM Prayut said Mr. Somchai was only expressing his personal opinion, adding it was not a resolution of the five rivers. 

The five rivers of reform consist of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the cabinet, the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA), and the Constitution Drafting Commission (CDC). 

Gen Prayut added that it is still impossible to fix a date because organic laws have yet to be drafted. 

In reference to a non-MP prime minister, Gen Prayut said the matter should not be discussed at the moment, expressing the view that every process must be in compliance with the rule of law. 

 

 

-- nnt 2016-08-20

[baboon]

Here we go...

[mercman24]

got a bet with my land agent,  (educated man) i say it aint gonna happen

[tukkytuktuk]

Big Chief Five Rivers delays the election again.

Quote Wikipedia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_Thai_general_election

 

Shortly after the coup, Prayuth said that elections would likely be held "by the end of 2015". By late 2014, however, several government officials had said publicly that elections would not be held until 2016, around mid-year.

 

In May 2015, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said that elections would now be held “around August or in September” 2016, after the government announced its intention to hold a referendum on its draft constitution, which would likely be held sometime in early 2016.

 

In June, Prayuth said that he was willing to stay in office for another two years if people "wanted him to", following a push by the National Reform Council (NRC), a government body, to hold a vote on whether or not the government's reforms should be completed before elections were held. This would mean general elections might potentially not be held until early 2018.

[Thailand]

Coming- not soon!

[Eligius]

28 minutes ago, mercman24 said:

got a bet with my land agent,  (educated man) i say it aint gonna happen

You are quite possibly right. The tragic thing is that it does not really make any difference now whether there is an election or not. They have got the country all stitched up - nice and proper!

[Lingba]

well Billy Preston said it best.."will it go round in circles?"

[DNPBC0]

The Constitution is the primary organic law of Thailand, and, of course, its proposed enactment entails the possibility of needing to change or repeal parts of existing subsidiary laws  as well as the passing of new ones. Not to have given detailed consideration to these downstream statutory implications before the new Constitution was subjected to the national referendum at the beginning of this month would be an indication of extreme incompetence by the Government.    Assuming that the Government actually did its homework , what exactly are the issues which the subsidiary organic laws need to address? And, why have they not already been drafted ? More, importantly, what is the current legal status of the new Constitution?    Is there a  chance that parts of it will need to be rewritten?     You may well think that the junta deliberately generated this dog's breakfast to further delay an election and to create an opportunity for the insertion of new content into the Constitution which would have made its passing at the referendum less likely ..... but I couldn't possibly comment.

[Alwyn]

I for one am shocked and stunned.... Not

[tbthailand]

PM says too early to decide election date

 

... and it always will be.   

[Eric Loh]

The 5 rivers have the habit of meandering off course. 

[bdenner]

Forget what the PM (General) said or not said. I, for one, was admonished recently by TV for a comment (post) which had LESS tones than some of the posts here - thus far. Why does TV geode us into unlawful opinion by publishing these sorts of garbage news items?

[aussieinthailand]

4 hours ago, Eligius said:

You are quite possibly right. The tragic thing is that it does not really make any difference now whether there is an election or not. They have got the country all stitched up - nice and proper!

Your doing it again Eligius,  you know the junta fan club hate it when you use fact rebuffing their bullsh*t.  so stop it or they will call you a red shirt Thaksin lover.

[maoro2013]

A week ago November 2017.

 

Or is this to do with actual day of the month.

 

I don't think so.

[Hawk]

"expressing the view that every process must be in compliance with the rule of law. "

 

 

The rule of law? This military mob make up the so called law as they as they see fit. And if nothing works then they have the nuclear 44 law to wipe out all opposition.

 

[Wilsonandson]

Quote:

In reference to a non-MP prime minister, Gen Prayut said the matter should not be discussed at the moment, expressing the view that every process must be in compliance with the rule of law. 

End quote.

Exactly, total transparency of justice must be shown. No longer can corruption tarnish the countries image. No stone unturned no statue too tall, the rule of law must be upheld.

: There's a passage I got memorized. Ezekiel 25:17. "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. For he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you." I been sayin' that [s___] for years. And if you ever heard it, it meant your [a__]. I never really questioned what it meant. I thought it was just a cold-blooded thing to say to a [m____] before you popped a cap in his [a__]. But I saw some [s__] this mornin' made me think twice. Now I'm thinkin': it could mean you're the evil man. And I'm the righteous man. And Mr. .45 here, he's the shepherd protecting my righteous [a__] in the valley of darkness. Or is could by you're the righteous man and I'm the shepherd and it's the world that's evil and selfish. I'd like that. But that [s__] ain't the truth. The truth is you're the weak. And I'm the tyranny of evil men. But I'm tryin, Ringo. I'm tryin' real hard to be the shepherd.

[waldroj]

"...too early to decide election date..."

 

 

Not really! Barring a national calamity, any contrived delays have got to happen within the next twelve months (AND, there had better be good reasons for them) if Prayut is to avoid Constitutional issues and rapid loss of public confidence!

 

There are now really only two possible issues that could cause delays:

• The first should not be a problem, as it simply requires the Constitution Drafting Committee to modify the Transitory Provisions of the Draft Constitution to reflect the voters wishes at the August 7 referendum (that the PM will be selectedby both houses of the National Assembly for the 5 years);
• The second task has the CDC formulating Organic Acts as defined by Section 267:

The Constitution Drafting Committee appointed under the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (Interim) B.E. 2557, amended by the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (Interim) B.E. 2557, Amendment (No. 1) B.E. 2558 and the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (Interim) B.E. 2557, Amendment (No. 2) B.E. 2559, shall continue to perform duties for the purpose of completing the following Organic Bills for submission to the National Legislative Assembly for consideration and approval:

(1) the Organic Act on Election of Members of the House of Representatives;

(2) the Organic Act on Acquisition of Members of the Senate;

(3) the Organic Act on the Election Commission;

(4) the Organic Act on Political Parties;

(5) the Organic Act on the Procedure of the Constitutional Court;

(6) the Organic Act on the Criminal Procedure for Persons Holding Political Positions;

(7) the Organic Act on the Ombudsman;

(8) the Organic Act on Prevention and Suppression of Corruption;

(9) the Organic Law on the State Audit;

 

However, this is where any deception and delays by Prayut and his cronies will really start to become apparent, as Section 268 clearly states:

Election of members of the House of Representatives under this Constitution shall be held within one hundred and fifty days as from the date the organic laws under Section 267 (1), (2), (3) and (4) have come into force.

 

So, if the junta (or the CDC for that matter) show reluctance in advancing the Constitutional process according to their much-touted "roadmap", they will be exposed for what they are.

 

While Prayut may continue to tell Thais that it is too early to decide election date, it is also becoming too late for him to delay the democratic process much longer beyond the end of 2017!

 

 

 

 

[Eligius]

3 minutes ago, waldroj said:

"...too early to decide election date..."

 

 

Not really! Barring a national calamity, any contrived delays have got to happen within the next twelve months (AND, there had better be good reasons for them) if Prayut is to avoid Constitutional issues and rapid loss of public confidence!

 

There are now really only two possible issues that could cause delays:

• The first should not be a problem, as it simply requires the Constitution Drafting Committee to modify the Transitory Provisions of the Draft Constitution to reflect the voters wishes at the August 7 referendum (that the PM will be selectedby both houses of the National Assembly for the 5 years);
• The second task has the CDC formulating Organic Acts as defined by Section 267:

The Constitution Drafting Committee appointed under the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (Interim) B.E. 2557, amended by the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (Interim) B.E. 2557, Amendment (No. 1) B.E. 2558 and the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand (Interim) B.E. 2557, Amendment (No. 2) B.E. 2559, shall continue to perform duties for the purpose of completing the following Organic Bills for submission to the National Legislative Assembly for consideration and approval:

 

(1) the Organic Act on Election of Members of the House of Representatives;

 

(2) the Organic Act on Acquisition of Members of the Senate;

 

(3) the Organic Act on the Election Commission;

 

(4) the Organic Act on Political Parties;

 

(5) the Organic Act on the Procedure of the Constitutional Court;

 

(6) the Organic Act on the Criminal Procedure for Persons Holding Political Positions;

 

(7) the Organic Act on the Ombudsman;

 

(8) the Organic Act on Prevention and Suppression of Corruption;

 

(9) the Organic Law on the State Audit;

 

However, this is where any deception and delays by Prayut and his cronies will really start to become apparent, as Section 268 clearly states:

Election of members of the House of Representatives under this Constitution shall be held within one hundred and fifty days as from the date the organic laws under Section 267 (1), (2), (3) and (4) have come into force.

 

So, if the junta (or the CDC for that matter) show reluctance in advancing the Constitutional process according to their much-touted "roadmap", they will be exposed for what they are.

 

While Prayut may continue to tell Thais that it is too early to decide election date, it is also becoming too late for him to delay the democratic process much longer beyond the end of 2017!

 

 

 

 

Very good post, Waldroj. I would just comment on a couple of points:

1) 'If' the junta delays the Election, 'they will be exposed for what they are': I think they are already fully exposed for what they are - and I need not define that, as it is glaringly  obvious to everyone  (except those who are dumb, deaf and blind!)

2) 'delay the democratic process': there is no longer any genuine democratic process here in Thailand. That is the iniquity of the new Constitution - that it renders all genuine attempts at democracy null and void.

I hope you don't mind my making these two observations!

[thai3]

what difference will an 'election' make anyway?

Edited August 20, 2016 by thai3

[baboon]

"Not really! Barring a national calamity, any contrived delays have got to happen within the next twelve months (AND, there had better be good reasons for them) if Prayut is to avoid Constitutional issues and rapid loss of public confidence!"

 

I'm sure a suitable calamity can be arranged. It is quite possible one or two are already in storage for a rainy day. If not, however, there is always 'I am invoking article 44 which overrides the constitution. Anyone who has a problem with that are quite welcome to stay behind in order to discuss their concerns with these gentlemen over here. The ones with the handcuffs...'

 

Article 44 remains. The constitution is whatever they say it is.

[waldroj]

baboon, 

 

Section 279 on the 2016 document supersedes Article 44. 

 

But the intent remains the same!

[baboon]

I was not trying to rubbish your post in any way as I am sure you will appreciate. I just feel they are none too concerned with words written on paper - even their own - should it prove in any way inconvenient at any point...

[phycokiller]

its almost like they are waiting for something unspeakable to happen before they do anything

[icare999]

12 hours ago, Eligius said:

You are quite possibly right. The tragic thing is that it does not really make any difference now whether there is an election or not. They have got the country all stitched up - nice and proper!

thank goodness any chance of return to Taksin's dictatorship would worry me army does not Thailand is notready for democracy and isent it nice now compared with when we were under Taksins rule

[Thechook]

When the junta remains in control and gets to pick the Senate and P.M an election is rather pointless anyway

[williamgeorgeallen]

6 hours ago, icare999 said:

thank goodness any chance of return to Taksin's dictatorship would worry me army does not Thailand is notready for democracy and isent it nice now compared with when we were under Taksins rule

i would prefer to live in a democratic country rather than one ruled by the military dictatorship. the army is doing a job which it is not capable of doing. the short term effect is of a country slowly in decline, the long term effect will will be hard on the people. the reds struggle for the return to elections has no where to go other than ramping up violence, the armies response will be a harsh crackdown on protests or mass detaining of bombing suspects. we are just in the early days.

[Rancid]

What Thailand does for government really is of little interest to me, regard it as something for the Thais to sort out. The only thing that interests me is the status of foreigners in the country, as long as there are no major dramas there, business being business, then not really interested.

 

Lets face it, elected governments can make just as much mischief as a military one if they so choose. My elected home government seems to make life more burdensome than the military Thai one. Suspect the military will stay till they resolve what is probably really concerning them.

[TomAikins]

There will probably be an election here about the same time that the ASEAN open market happens. That's right: never.

[BuriramDevelopers]

It's starting to look like a lost country with no foreseeable good outcome in any way for the future....

[BuriramDevelopers]

5 hours ago, Rancid said:

What Thailand does for government really is of little interest to me, regard it as something for the Thais to sort out. The only thing that interests me is the status of foreigners in the country, as long as there are no major dramas there, business being business, then not really interested.

 

Lets face it, elected governments can make just as much mischief as a military one if they so choose. My elected home government seems to make life more burdensome than the military Thai one. Suspect the military will stay till they resolve what is probably really concerning them.

NOt sure about your bussiness, but overal we have seen a big dent in bussiness due to the current politics. Slow slow slow. That is if you NOT read the papers. If you do all is fine in Thailand.