Former MPs' gathering ended by bomb scare

[webfact]

Former MPs' gathering ended by bomb scare
By The Nation 

 

BANGKOK: -- Former MP Wiwattanachai Na Kalasin on Monday told Nation TV about how a group of some 50 former members of Parliament had gathered at a hotel in Bangkok on Saturday night, before dispersing following a bomb scare about which they were alerted by security officers.

 

They were evacuated from the compound, but it was widely speculated that the bomb scare was a ruse by security officials who did not want to them to gather for political purposes, as that is still prohibited by order of the ruling junta.

 

Nation TV called Wiwattanachai, who said the group – which calls itself the MPs’ Club – had occasionally met and talked over a meal for the past two years. 

 

It has 76 members, mostly former MPs and MP candidates who failed to win seats at various elections.

 

Wiwattanachai conceded that the group had the idea of forming a new political party at some point, although the future of the group itself first needed to be discussed further. 

 

At this time, the group has no funders, he added.

 

A Pheu Thai Party source said the group had gathered most recently in order to show its support for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha taking on the premiership following the coming election. 

 

The source also said the group claimed to have contacted some junta figures to inform them about its membership and updates.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/breakingnews/30317920

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-13

[yellowboat]

Such behavior is utterly disgusting.  What is Thailand's problem with debate ?     

[robblok]

17 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

Such behavior is utterly disgusting.  What is Thailand's problem with debate ?     

the way i read it is that these guys were pro junta .. so the junta placing a bomb makes no sense.. the other side however makes a lot more sense then (if they were indeed pro junta)

[stephen tracy]

4 hours ago, robblok said:

the way i read it is that these guys were pro junta .. so the junta placing a bomb makes no sense.. the other side however makes a lot more sense then (if they were indeed pro junta)

They want no political discourse whatsoever:

 

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan on Monday insisted that the prohibition against political gatherings must remain in place for now.

 

He made the comment after about 50 former members of Parliament met at a Bangkok hotel on Saturday night. 

 

The meeting was in itself not a worry, said the minister in charge of national security, but such gatherings are still forbidden.

“At this point, we don’t want [politicians] to do anything – just stay in your place,” Prawit said, adding that citizens cannot meet to discuss political reforms either.

 

“The junta asked you the questions, so you can help answer them,” he said, referring to four questions posed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha regarding the next election.

 

“But you cannot hold any activities to raise any suggestions [about the answers],” Prawit said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30317846