Majority of Thais don’t understand primary voting system, poll finds

[rooster59]

Majority of Thais don’t understand primary voting system, poll finds

By THE SUNDAY NATION

 

MOST THAIS admitted that they did not understand the primary voting system but expressed support for it in the hope that it would enhance people’s participation in politics, an opinion survey found.

 

The survey was carried out by Suan Dusit Poll of Rajabhat Suan Dusit University among 1,149 people nationwide from last Monday to Friday. The results were released yesterday.

 

The pollster said about 75 per cent of respondents admitted that they did not understand the primary voting system while 25 per cent said they understood it.

 

The system has been added to the Political Parties Act, which was passed by the National Legislative Assembly, but the change has yet to be endorsed by the Constitution Drafting Commission, the drafter of the bill.

 

The survey found that close to 50 per cent of respondents said they wanted the primary voting system while 35 per cent said they wanted the current voting system and 15 per cent had no comments.

 

Asked to list the good points of the primary voting system, 72 per cent said it would allow people to participate in politics while 68 per cent said it would allow people to have their chosen representatives in the House. 

 

Nearly 65 per cent said the system would prevent party financiers from controlling the party. Respondents were allowed more than one answer.

 

Asked to list drawbacks of primary voting, 72 per cent of respondents said they expect it to create rifts in the party, 64 per cent expected it would be time-consuming and too complicated, while 61 per cent said it would create serious trouble for small parties.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30319024

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-25

[halloween]

Under a primary voting system, how would Chalerm get to be #2 on the ticket? There has to be a lot of downside to balance that.

[Ceruhe]

I think if we just 1:1 swap out "don't understand" for "don't matter" it would be spot on as well. Different connotation, same result.

[Orton Rd]

sounds like an excuse for no elections, people don't understand, might cause confusion and unrest etc

[baboon]

16 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

sounds like an excuse for no elections, people don't understand, might cause confusion and unrest etc

Indeed. My first thought when reading the headline was 'Why was the question asked in the first place?'

[Bluespunk]

17 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

sounds like an excuse for no elections, people don't understand, might cause confusion and unrest etc

Who needs excuses when you've got guns?

[BigBadGeordie]

So basicly the response was "I dont know what it is, but I want it".

[JAG]

Who needs excuses when you've got guns?

The junta don't need excuses, and the paucity of what excuses they do offer rather underlines that.

The junta fan club here need every excuse they can imagine - and some of the imagination is very fertile indeed.

[halloween]

Amazing isn't it, that quite insular people don't understand a new concept. Must be a trick to delay elections.

 

That decided, could we get back to the pros and cons of primary voting?

Edited June 25, 2017 by halloween

[baboon]

17 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

Who needs excuses when you've got guns?

Excuses look much better than naked threats. Hell, some folk even believe them as this forum attests. It also buys them time at the likes of the UN, who are glad enough for excuses not to do anything.

[madmitch]

Only 25% of respondents understand the primary system yet 50% want the system! A demonstration of the typical Thai attitude toward politics maybe?

[halloween]

19 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Only 25% of respondents understand the primary system yet 50% want the system! A demonstration of the typical Thai attitude toward politics maybe?

Possibly, if that attitude is that there has to be change. Not hard to see why people would be dissatisfied with the 'democratic" governments the old system was producing.

[mtls2005]

Sounds like a "feature" rather than a "bug"?

[Lupatria]

Wasn't that the intention of the generals: if we cannot convince them,- confuse them.

[Bob12345]

44 minutes ago, halloween said:

That decided, could we get back to the pros and cons of primary voting?

No, we could not.

 

The subject of this topic is the poll and its results, not the merits over one voting system over the other.

[Bob12345]

3 minutes ago, halloween said:

Possibly, if that attitude is that there has to be change. Not hard to see why people would be dissatisfied with the 'democratic" governments the old system was producing.

Or the attitude is: change whatever you like but give the country back to the people and stay out Mr. Generals.

[halloween]

3 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

No, we could not.

 

The subject of this topic is the poll and its results, not the merits over one voting system over the other.

Really? Well as it has been decided any poll that gives an unsuitable result is junta propaganda, we won't have much to discuss.

 

To save a 2nd post, how is it that most of those in a rush to get back to democracy seem to be foreigners on TVF? Oh wait, that was another poll (actually, quite a few) with unsuitable results.

[zyphodb]

Well no surprises there then, keep the vast majority of the population uneducated & the results of polls like these are totally predictable... 

[baboon]

5 minutes ago, halloween said:

Really? Well as it has been decided any poll that gives an unsuitable result is junta propaganda, we won't have much to discuss.

 

To save a 2nd post, how is it that most of those in a rush to get back to democracy seem to be foreigners on TVF? Oh wait, that was another poll (actually, quite a few) with unsuitable results.

'Seem' being the key word. Not sure about the facts and figures? Never mind, just make it up.

Edited June 25, 2017 by baboon

[halloween]

1 minute ago, baboon said:

'Seems' being the key word. Not sure about the facts and figures? Never mind, just make it up.

Well I could go to the trouble of digging out the results of the relevant polls, but to what avail? You, Bob, and others simply reject any result which shows the people are quite happy the way the country is being run, or at least, happier than they were with the way the country was being run.

 

Do you have anything to say about primary voting? Isn't it at at least worth a try if it stops party leadership from appointing criminals and family members to head their ticket?

[Bob12345]

9 minutes ago, halloween said:

Really? Well as it has been decided any poll that gives an unsuitable result is junta propaganda, we won't have much to discuss.

 

To save a 2nd post, how is it that most of those in a rush to get back to democracy seem to be foreigners on TVF? Oh wait, that was another poll (actually, quite a few) with unsuitable results.

I don't think this poll is junta propaganda as it does not speak well for the junta: coming up with political systems barely anybody understands. 

Normally a government represents the people, in Thailand that is clearly not the case.

 

And many foreigners are in a rush to get democracy back to Thailand because with our democratic backgrounds and knowledge of history we know how this will end. 

Thailand will either slowly move back in time with neighboring countries overtaking or violence will take place to get the army out. Read up on world (and Thai) history and there are few positives ways this can happen.

Unlike you many foreigners want Thailand to prosper as we have family, friends, and investments here.

 

[robblok]

Seems to me primary voting is far more democratic as letting parties decide who becomes an MP after the vote. It would however hinder Thaksin remaining in control (as the voters decide not him who becomes a MP). I guess that is what most PTP supporters on the forum don't like... we want democracy.. but only if it favors our party. This system would be good to prevent the buying and selling of MP positions and such.. maybe even get a better voter MP connection.

 

 

Edited June 25, 2017 by robblok

[Bob12345]

2 minutes ago, halloween said:

Do you have anything to say about primary voting? Isn't it at at least worth a try if it stops party leadership from appointing criminals and family members to head their ticket?

Criminals and family members of criminals are not limited by the primary voting system.

They should take away their guns and tanks, then they will stay out of politics.

[robblok]

1 minute ago, Bob12345 said:

I don't think this poll is junta propaganda as it does not speak well for the junta: coming up with political systems barely anybody understands. 

Normally a government represents the people, in Thailand that is clearly not the case.

 

And many foreigners are in a rush to get democracy back to Thailand because with our democratic backgrounds and knowledge of history we know how this will end. 

Thailand will either slowly move back in time with neighboring countries overtaking or violence will take place to get the army out. Read up on world (and Thai) history and there are few positives ways this can happen.

Unlike you many foreigners want Thailand to prosper as we have family, friends, and investments here.

 

Who here would not want Thailand to prosper.. I bet nobody wants to many problems here. We just differ in how it has to be reached. 

[robblok]

Just now, Bob12345 said:

Criminals and family members of criminals are not limited by the primary voting system.

They should take away their guns and tanks, then they will stay out of politics.

They are limited if they are not liked.. do you think a Charlem would be a NR 2 on a voting list otherwise ? Now people will have to prove themselves.. it won't limit YL (if she can run) but it would mean many others would have to prove themselves before they become an MP.. not just buy the position.

[StefanBBK]

would anybody care to explain how voting will be done now?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[halloween]

4 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

I don't think this poll is junta propaganda as it does not speak well for the junta: coming up with political systems barely anybody understands. 

Normally a government represents the people, in Thailand that is clearly not the case.

 

And many foreigners are in a rush to get democracy back to Thailand because with our democratic backgrounds and knowledge of history we know how this will end. 

Thailand will either slowly move back in time with neighboring countries overtaking or violence will take place to get the army out. Read up on world (and Thai) history and there are few positives ways this can happen.

Unlike you many foreigners want Thailand to prosper as we have family, friends, and investments here.

 

Barely anybody understands it so it must be bad? It works quite well elsewhere doesn't it? How about some voter education, or should Thailand only have a system understood by the ignorant.

 

I have family here, it is my home. Do you expect me not to complain or ask for change when B600 billion is wasted on buying an election. That could have bought better infrastructure for them.

[baboon]

16 minutes ago, halloween said:

Well I could go to the trouble of digging out the results of the relevant polls, but to what avail? You, Bob, and others simply reject any result which shows the people are quite happy the way the country is being run, or at least, happier than they were with the way the country was being run.

 

Do you have anything to say about primary voting? Isn't it at at least worth a try if it stops party leadership from appointing criminals and family members to head their ticket?

Any poll you could dig out merely shows that the sample of people asked claim to be happy. The backdrop of course being an increasingly authoritarian and malevolent state where anybody can be taken away for any reason and charged with anything in a military court.

 

Primary voting? You seem to think it might not be a bad idea for Thailand, so given your track record it very probably is a bad idea. There you go.

Edited June 25, 2017 by baboon

[Bob12345]

2 minutes ago, robblok said:

Seems to me primary voting is far more democratic as letting parties decide who becomes an MP after the vote. It would however hinder Thaksin remaining in control (as the voters decide not him who becomes a PM). I guess that is what most PTP supporters on the forum don't like... we want democracy.. but only if it favors our party. This system would be good to prevent the buying and selling of MP positions and such.. maybe even get a better voter MP connection.

 

 

The opinion of PTP supporters on this forum doesn't count as they also cheer about kids being killed in Trat and think voting makes a democracy.

 

But in all seriousness, I don't think anybody here really cares how MPs are picked as nobody will be able to name more than 5 MPs of any party. Nobody likes Charlerm or knows him personally, so why you think his nomination would be an integral part of problems people have with this change?

 

What most do care about is that the junta is working extremely hard to stack the deck of cards to get an outcome they like. 

But we all know that if they don't like the outcome they will simply do another coup and changes the rules of the game again, till they finally win.

 

Quote

Who here would not want Thailand to prosper.. I bet nobody wants to many problems here. We just differ in how it has to be reached. 

Name me a country that prospered under military rule.

And please do not mention China without understanding why China is showing such growth in the past decades.

[Bob12345]

8 minutes ago, halloween said:

Barely anybody understands it so it must be bad? It works quite well elsewhere doesn't it? How about some voter education, or should Thailand only have a system understood by the ignorant.

Yes, how about some voter education.

Indeed, how about that?

Where is the voter education?

Have you seen any?

I haven't.

What are they waiting for?

Waiting to get approval to roll it out?

 

How about first educating the people by telling them honestly and openly the pros and cons of the new system?
How about having debates and discussions where supporters and academics talk about it?

When thats done, how about asking the people how they think about it?

And then following the will of the poeple.

 

Isn't that a nice idea? Seems a lot like how they do it elsewhere around the world....

Edited June 25, 2017 by Bob12345