Thai parties concerned PM could push back 2018 vote, retain power

[webfact]

Thai parties concerned PM could push back 2018 vote, retain power

By Panarat Thepgumpanat

 

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha arrives at a weekly cabinet meeting at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, May 2, 2017. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's main political parties on Monday voiced concern that a general election expected next year could be delayed yet again following comments made by the junta chief that they say shows he intends to hold on to power.

 

During his weekly televised speech on Friday, junta chief Prayuth Chan-ocha questioned whether an election would install a government that practices "good governance".

 

Those concerns come three years after the military took power in a 2014 coup and ejected an elected civilian government, the twelfth coup since the creation of the constitutional monarchy in 1932.

 

They also come at a time when the military is more entrenched in government than under previous military regimes - something critics say will guarantee the military a permanent role in politics.

 

Chavalit Wichaisut, former deputy secretary-general of the Pheu Thai Party, whose government was ousted in the 2014 coup, told Reuters Prayuth could be "testing the waters".

 

"The junta should return the power to the people. There shouldn't be a reason to postpone the election," Chavalit said.

On Friday, Prayuth asked viewers four questions for which he said he wanted feedback, including whether it was right to hold an election "without considering the country's future".

 

"These are questions with political implications, showing that the prime minister isn't confident about an elected government," Ong-art Klampaiboon, secretary-general of the Democrat Party, told Reuters.

 

"I think it could be a preliminary signal of a plan to stay in power."

 

On Monday, a poll by independent Bangkok University, which surveyed 1,269 people, showed 52.8 percent of respondents would vote to elect Prayuth if he were to run for office.

 

Following an explosion at a Bangkok hospital last week, which the military blamed on anti-junta groups, Prayuth questioned whether the country was ready to hold an election.

 

The army seized power after months of unrest saying it needed to restore order and rid Thai politics of corruption and nepotism. The junta promised to enact political reforms.

 

But despite growing pressure at home and from abroad to restore democracy, a general election initially promised for 2015 has been repeatedly pushed back.

 

The timeline for an election is now tentatively set for late 2018.

 

On Monday, Prayuth said the election was still on track.

 

"I didn't ask whether we should hold an election," Prayuth said. "I was only asking what is to be done if the same kinds of people are elected again."

 

For more than a decade, Thailand has been locked in a bitter conflict between the Bangkok-based royalist-military establishment and supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his sister, former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, and their Phea Thai Party.

 

Parties led by the Shinawatras have won Thailand's last three elections.

 

(Additional reporting by Pracha Hariraksapitak; Writing by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-30

[colinneil]

Concerned the PM could push back the election.

Hello wakey wakey, that has been the intention all along.

I got the power, and that is the way it will stay as long as possible.

[whatawonderfulday]

Thai parties concerned !!!!   and it has taken over 3 years for the penny to drop ?

[edwinchester]

Already been delayed 3 years so what is another year or two......or decade?

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

same kinds of people are elected again."

of course they will be;  who else would be ?

[darksidedog]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Prayuth Chan-ocha questioned whether an election would install a government that practices "good governance".

That doesn't matter. Installing a Government that has been democratically elected is way more important. If they do a bad job, they will lose the following election, and that is what makes them accountable, unlike the junta who answer to no one.

[TheFishman1]

I am the PM AND I WILL DECIDE EVERYTHING FOR YOU NO WORRY TIT

[klauskunkel]

Thai parties are starting to smell the coffee and getting concerned about their future places at the buffet, all in the name of "the people" of course...

[Emster23]

He really should just stick to the line "We'll have election in two years", no matter how long it takes

[yellowboat]

Shame on those who wanted this coup.  A representative government is messy, but worth it, even ones as dysfunctional as Thailand.  They can right themselves over time, where as a junta derails this process. 

[robblok]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

That doesn't matter. Installing a Government that has been democratically elected is way more important. If they do a bad job, they will lose the following election, and that is what makes them accountable, unlike the junta who answer to no one.

That is where you and I differ, if they break the law they should be held accountable in a court of law. Depends a bit how you define bad job.. what if you say lets give the poorest people 500 billion (and increase the debt and deficit year after year by that amount). increasing the debt of the country but the poor loving the policy voting them in again and again. Until there is no more money for the poor and you got a Greece kind of situation.

 

I really feel there should be some mechanisms against popular policies (vote buying) if they damage a country. There should be certain rules that limit the amount of deficit that can be created and so on. 

[ldiablo72]

What does it matter if the wrong kind of people are elected into government. The wrong type of people who are running the country now will still be running the country from behind the scenes.

[mtls2005]

In a hierarchical system "father" knows best.

 

Most said 2020 for "elections", now that's looking like 2025.

 

[tigermoth]

Whatever our esteemed leader says elections are one of the functions of a democracy where free speech etc., is guaranteed. Contrary to his statements not even he can see into the future, although he seems to claim to, government by the people for the people is fundamental and if the people don't like the government they elect, then a new government is elected. He clearly has no intention of giving up power. As in most western democratic governments which function , UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, etc., the military is banned from political office. Unless  that occurs here there will never be a true democracy.

[NanLaew]

Apparently these are the 4 questions that were extracted from his latest, rambling, stream-of-consciousness monologue he asked.

 

1. Do you think, in the next election, we will get a government which has good governance?

2. If not, what will you do?

3. Election is an important integral party of democracy, but election alone without the regard for the future of the country and others is right or wrong?

4. Do you think bad politicians should be given a chance of political comeback; and if there is conflict again, who will solve it and by what means?

 

Note that Q4 is a tricky 2-part question.

 

Note that unlike regular school test questions, multiple choice wasn't offered.

[phuketrichard]

3 hours ago, darksidedog said:

That doesn't matter. Installing a Government that has been democratically elected is way more important. If they do a bad job, they will lose the following election, and that is what makes them accountable, unlike the junta who answer to no one.

as long as Thaksin and relatives are alive  his Party will win and then we are right back where we were before..

[onthesoi]

14 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

Which would be no bad thing as the country went on leaps and bounds from 2000 to 2005 and before the military started colluding with Sonthi to bring it all down. 

 

Those five years were unarguably the most prosperous, most peaceful and saw the country most united. He was overwhelmingly popular. Local Chiang Mai boy done good. 

 

What could have been eh? 

Rofl... You left out the part where Taksin decided he was going to rid Thailand of drugs in 3 months, thai youth being frog marched on mass into stadiums to recite anti drug mantras, thai cops executing drug dealers on the street without trial and the thousands of thais that met violent deaths in the resulting chaos....

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premiership_of_Thaksin_Shinawatra#Anti-drug_policies

 

Or how about the 84 human rights protesters he murdered by suffocation :

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premiership_of_Thaksin_Shinawatra#South_Thailand_insurgency

In October 2004, 84 Muslim human rights protesters were killed at Tak Bai when the army broke up a peaceful protest.The many detainees were forced at gunpoint to lie prone in army trucks, stacked like cordwood. The trucks were delayed from moving to the detainment area for hours. Many detainees suffocated to death due to gross mishandling by the military.

 

 

 

Edited May 30, 2017 by onthesoi

[onthesoi]

1 minute ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

I didn't forget that at all, it was overwhelmingly popular at the time.

 

It also had implicit approval from much higher up than Thaksin, which is why he initiated it.

Dont changed the subject... Im talking about your claim that Taksin's reign was "peaceful".....as if Taksin listened to anyone from above, its part of the reason hes currently on the run as a convicted criminal.

[idman]

I will most likely be pushing up poppies by the time the General Premier gives up power. Go back to the way it was???? Only when pigs fly. At least for the past three years it has been stable, the guy is trying to change things and get rid of blatant corruption, so give him some credit. Anyone with half a brain knows that if elections were to be held at the end of 2018 the Red Shirts, with the monatary help of the man in Dubai and the overwhelming numbers of them they would be right back in power and Thailand ends up once again with Deja Vu. The General Premier is no fool and he is not about to let that happen.

Sent from my SM-T805 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[rebo]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

concerned PM could push back 2018 vote

Of course he will, no doubt.
The only question is what "reason" he'll chose to declare.

[onthesoi]

17 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

On the political landscape it was peaceful. No-one is changing the subject here.

 

The 'war on drugs' was overwhelmingly popular, partly because it was 'approved' and because the country had to do something drastic at the time. It had a 90% or more approval rate among Thais. 

 

2000 to 2005 were halcyon days for Thailand. It's a total mess now. 

 

 

 

The political landscape is not a real place, meanwhile on the actual real landscape his policies led to the deaths of thousands of Thais...

 

Popular?... You mean like kim jong-un is popular?  I doubt anyone would want to object while Taksin was murdering people on the street, for eg the 84 humans rights protesters I linked to in my post or his police under orders to shoot people on sight.  And, the thais cowering in their houses listening to the sounds of automatic gun fire as drug barons were trying to wipe each other as a direct result of his failed policies.

 

Im just trying to imagine the outcry from some on these boards if Prayuth was stupid and heartless enough to attempt something similar.

 

 

Edited May 30, 2017 by onthesoi

[spidermike007]

The really little guy seems to have no interest in even considering a timetable for an election. His excuse for handing over power has come and gone. It was the only reason he was holding on, he said. Another baldfaced lie from the liar in chief. When it comes to sincerity he reminds me alot of Cheeto. I believe they feel this is their last hurrah, and intend to profit from it, as much as they possibly can. 

[Phuketboy]

Again and again.  The way things are going it will be another 50 years before an election happens.  They just keep postponing and putting it off. 

[Lupatria]

Nobody takes power with the intention to ever give it up

and

Many people make promises but only people with good character keep them

[harada]

• If you want to know what is really happening in Thailand now and what is likely to happen in the future you need to go to media sources outside of Thailand, what you read here is merely food for the gullible.

[Smarter Than You]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

That is where you and I differ, if they break the law they should be held accountable in a court of law. Depends a bit how you define bad job.. what if you say lets give the poorest people 500 billion (and increase the debt and deficit year after year by that amount). increasing the debt of the country but the poor loving the policy voting them in again and again. Until there is no more money for the poor and you got a Greece kind of situation.

 

I really feel there should be some mechanisms against popular policies (vote buying) if they damage a country. There should be certain rules that limit the amount of deficit that can be created and so on. 

Nobody said anything about breaking the law.

"If they do a bad job" is entirely different from "breaking the law"

If governments do a bad job, they get voted out - simple.

If the Junta breaks the law, what consequences do they face ... zero - why are you so mute on this fact?

 

Why do you insist on applying ridiculous double standards?

The Junta are not being held to account, yet you say nothing.

 

A mechanism against popular policies that damage the country??

Define damage the country, because you'll find different people have different definitions of this.

For instance, quite a few Thais, currently well taken care of under military and public servants health care systems believe that 30B health care for the poor damages the country.

Populist policies are by definition popular, why should the people of Thailand not be able to decide how they want their country run?

What about unpopular policies such as the recent submarine purchase - should they be allowed?

 

The markets do a good enough job of ensuring governments maintain reasonably healthy balance sheets.

Step too far out of line, credit ratings take a hit and the situation gets corrected.

There is no need for coups.

 

[Smarter Than You]

4 hours ago, idman said:

I will most likely be pushing up poppies by the time the General Premier gives up power. Go back to the way it was???? Only when pigs fly. At least for the past three years it has been stable, the guy is trying to change things and get rid of blatant corruption, so give him some credit. Anyone with half a brain knows that if elections were to be held at the end of 2018 the Red Shirts, with the monatary help of the man in Dubai and the overwhelming numbers of them they would be right back in power and Thailand ends up once again with Deja Vu. The General Premier is no fool and he is not about to let that happen.

Sent from my SM-T805 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

You're going to be dead in two years?

There is just one more event to take place before the gloves come off.

2017 is the calm before the 2018 storm.

 

What makes you think he's trying to get rid of blatant corruption?

Because he said he is?

Talk about gullible.

The only corruption this mob are interested is stopping is the corruption that doesn't line their or their backers pockets.

 

The red shirts would win only because of "the monetary help from the man in Dubai" - how ridiculous a statement is that.

There is more money on the side opposed to Thaksin then there is in his pockets - much, much more.

If winning elections in Thailand was simply a matter of funding the Reds would never stand a chance.

Unfortunately for the anti-democrats, to win an election in Thailand you need the support of the poor who make up a majority of the voters.

Thaksin has their support, the anti-democrats do not - Thaksin wins.

 

 

[robblok]

18 minutes ago, Smarter Than You said:

Nobody said anything about breaking the law.

"If they do a bad job" is entirely different from "breaking the law"

If governments do a bad job, they get voted out - simple.

If the Junta breaks the law, what consequences do they face ... zero - why are you so mute on this fact?

 

Why do you insist on applying ridiculous double standards?

The Junta are not being held to account, yet you say nothing.

 

A mechanism against popular policies that damage the country??

Define damage the country, because you'll find different people have different definitions of this.

For instance, quite a few Thais, currently well taken care of under military and public servants health care systems believe that 30B health care for the poor damages the country.

Populist policies are by definition popular, why should the people of Thailand not be able to decide how they want their country run?

What about unpopular policies such as the recent submarine purchase - should they be allowed?

 

The markets do a good enough job of ensuring governments maintain reasonably healthy balance sheets.

Step too far out of line, credit ratings take a hit and the situation gets corrected.

There is no need for coups.

 

There is the need for coups when you got the likes of Thaksin, in real democracies you don't need coups. 

 

I have said it multiple times I want the junta to be accountable too. No different standards here.

 

What I am saying is that if you keep offering people popular policies that drain the coffers (500 billion rice program anyone) then you destroy the country and once the damage is done you get voted out.. then you got a 2nd Greece. If that is what you want for Thailand then be my guest.

 

Policies should be sustainable and should be checked, just like they are in for instance the Netherlands. There election programs get checked to see if they are feasible so they can't sell lies or buy votes to get in power with programs that can't be done.

 

The markets do nothing until it is too late.. explain Greece to me.. if the markets did a good job. 

[seminomadic]

4 hours ago, onthesoi said:

 

The political landscape is not a real place, meanwhile on the actual real landscape his policies led to the deaths of thousands of Thais...

 

Popular?... You mean like kim jong-un is popular?  I doubt anyone would want to object while Taksin was murdering people on the street, for eg the 84 humans rights protesters I linked to in my post or his police under orders to shoot people on sight.  And, the thais cowering in their houses listening to the sounds of automatic gun fire as drug barons were trying to wipe each other as a direct result of his failed policies.

 

Im just trying to imagine the outcry from some on these boards if Prayuth was stupid and heartless enough to attempt something similar.

 

 

Listen to how ridiculous it sounds to complain about "drug barons were trying to wipe each other" as if that's not ideal to be sought out in any society. 

[MobileContent]

5 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

I didn't forget that at all, it was overwhelmingly popular at the time.

 

It also had implicit approval from much higher up than Thaksin, which is why he initiated it.

You are spot on. It should also be mentioned that when Thaksin was removed and the democrats took power thanks to Newin the dead squads still operated in Isaan. Our neighbor lady was popped off under the Democrats and a month later the boy from her was popped off as well. The Yaba trade really started again when the democrats took power and today the yaba trade is totally out of control. Lets be clear on one issue. The borders to Myanmar are overlooked by the Thai army in cooperation with the border police. The border to Malaysia is also controlled by the Thai army and Malaysia still gets flooded with Yaba from Thailand.

 

Any way we can't really discuss the issue why Thaksin started the drug war but in Isaan it was very much welcomed. In our Amphur all in all around 10 dealers have been killed. They were all arrogant asshoxes and deserved it. They received plenty of warnings from the PYB and Kamnam's to stop it but they were very greedy. We had parties in our village when the whole family was wiped out.