Ex-PMs 'welcome' Prayut in politics

[webfact]

Ex-PMs 'welcome' Prayut in politics
By THE NATION

 

 

Yingluck, Abhisit open to military party running in elections

 

BANGKOK: -- FORMER ELECTED prime ministers Yingluck Shinawatra and Abhisit Vejjajiva welcomed junta leader General Prayut Chan-o-cha contesting the next election after a poll suggested strong public support for the general as premier and speculation increased that a military party would be formed.

 

Yingluck said she welcomed Prayut running for the elected premiership because people wanted to see their prime minister come from a legitimate election.

 

“It is a nice thing because it is what everyone is expecting. We want an elected leader,” the former prime minister and Prayut’s former boss said when she met reporters before appearing in court in relation to her administration’s rice-pledging scheme. “As a citizen, I give an opportunity [for Prayut to run in an election]. If people trust him to, he could be the next PM.”

 

Ex-premier and current Democrat Party leader Abhisit said he had no right to stop Prayut from running. If the general thought he had something to offer voters, he had every right to set up a party, Abhisit said.

 

However, the Democrat leader said that the party, if set up, could be deemed as being closely tied to the current powers-that-be and the period of extraordinary rule. Such a party would need to be extra careful in ensuring a fair competition, Abhisit said.

 

Otherwise, the former PM said the party could bring back the same old issue about the abuse of state power, which has been even more pressing under the coup-installed regime.

 

“PM Prayut said that at the moment he only focuses on working. That’s good. Keep up the good work,” Abhisit said. “All the work will prove to members of the public who will decide in the future election.”

 

The remark followed a survey last week in which more than half of 1,250 poll respondents supported the idea of a pro-military party to take the baton after the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) steps down.

 

However, Prayut as the centre of attention remained unclear about the future. The junta leader neither confirmed nor denied speculation that there would be a pro-junta party and he would continue his rule. He briefly said that he did not think about the issue but kept on working.

 

Likewise, Army chief General Chalermchai Sitthisart refrained from making any remarks on the issue.

 

The support for a pro-junta party was determined in a survey, he said, but in the overall picture, the Army and the NCPO would try to keep peace and order and make it through the election as planned in the “road map to democracy”.

 

“Whether a military party will be set up, I don’t know. But when I retire, I’m over with it,” the Army chief and NCPO secretary-general said.

 

Asked whether the NCPO would continue to be active or withdraw from politics after the election, Chalermchai said that after the national vote, the new government would run the country, adding that actions would follow the law and the Constitution.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30319502

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-30

[Moonmoon]

The only way Prayut can win any election is if he use Article 44.

[Moonmoon]

Still I want to see Prayut contest in the Elections and if he has any brains at all he know he should not cos he will fail miserably

[ezzra]

If I could vote, I would vote for him as a PM, so far, and judging past

PM's, he's the best of the worst, and in Thailand politics it's a good

reference, sure, the man is no angel, but again, Thailand is no haven

to be a PM......

[canuckamuck]

It would be great if there was such an election, and the press was allowed to speak freely about the issues. I would love to hear them answer some hard hitting questions about the last three years in power.

But as it is, they probably wouldn't even allow debate and the people would be afraid to vote against a military party.

[colinneil]

Keep up the good work, Abhisit said.

Of course he would say that, he will not speak against the army, because he is scared of being taken somewhere for attitude adjustment.

[Cadbury]

If Thailand voted in Prayut then it would have what could be loosely described as a "military democracy". One thing certain is that for as long as it remained that way there would not be any future need for another military coup. 

[scorecard]

 

 

"However, the Democrat leader said that the party, if set up, could be deemed as being closely tied to the current powers-that-be and the period of extraordinary rule. Such a party would need to be extra careful in ensuring a fair competition, Abhisit said."

 

Which also partly means no party making it impossible / dangerous to conduct electioneering in any part of the country.

[Hayduke]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Ex-PMs 'welcome' Prayut in politics

Do they really have any choice but to welcome him? But do they (or anyone) really believe a military 'party' would play by civilian rules? The general's strong-arm, gunpoint entry into civilian politics was an overwhelming (and massively profitable) success for himself and his cronies. Why would he do anything differently in the future?

[whatawonderfulday]

Or at least that is what they were told to say if they wished to remain healthy perhaps

[klauskunkel]

Some name suggestions:

PPP = Prayuth People Party

TRM = Thai Rak Military

§44 = Section Fortyfour

[YetAnother]

4 hours ago, Moonmoon said:

The only way Prayut can win any election is if he use Article 44.

doubt he could win; the only two parties that count have massive mechanisms in place to win elections; military has their oversight in place in the future anyway

[yellowboat]

He is incapable of engaging debate.  His past deeds will come back to haunt him; attitude adjustments, not allowing political debate, arresting a young woman for making the Hunger Games salute and not investigating the 1932 plaque. 

 

If he runs and wins, Thailand will get the leader and unpromising future they deserve.

[toybits]

Don't you just love it when the put word in "Quotation marks"?

[sead]

Another one that when he get used to the power , do everything to stay in power

[InMyShadow]

I hope he wins. He has done a better job at attempted reform than the last 50 years of leaders who did nothing but take the money and run

[Smarter Than You]

5 minutes ago, InMyShadow said:

I hope he wins. He has done a better job at attempted reform than the last 50 years of leaders who did nothing but take the money and run

Your comments are in conflict with reality.

[madmitch]

The first few comments on here seem to believe there's no way he could win an election.

 

It seems to me, however, that many Thais do support him and the current Government, even if they get angry that the Friday broadcast comes between them and their soaps.

 

 

[InMyShadow]

Your comments are in conflict with reality.

Got rid of all the squatters running illegal dildo stalls and resteraunts was a great start
Every other government left them for the corrupt bib and street gangs to accept brown envelopes.

Plenty more good work.

Don't be lazy and use the search function if you are unaware.

[Smarter Than You]

2 minutes ago, InMyShadow said:

 

Got rid of all the squatters running illegal dildo stalls and resteraunts was a great start
Every other government left them for the corrupt bib and street gangs to accept brown envelopes.

Plenty more good work.

Don't be lazy and use the search function if you are unaware.

 

Another chance for me to post my favourite link.

 

Lessons learned by PDRC supporters 2 years after the coup ...

[Happyman58]

I would vote for the lady she looks alright  Maybe she looking for the Deputy Pm job  Wink Wink Bit of charm with an old dictator goes a long way 

[InMyShadow]

And as far as democracy goes let's not kid ourselves. Thais have no understanding of the meaning!

 

Rule 1

Accept the choice of a democratically elected government

 

Fail

 

Rule 2

 

Do not bomb shopping malls, shut down airports, or kill innocent people and bring the country to the brink of civil war

 

They succeed in that.

 

Thais got the government they deserved!!

 

Case closed!!

 

 

 

[stephen tracy]

11 hours ago, ezzra said:

If I could vote, I would vote for him as a PM, so far, and judging past

PM's, he's the best of the worst, and in Thailand politics it's a good

reference, sure, the man is no angel, but again, Thailand is no haven

to be a PM......

If you voted him in, free speech would become a bigger criminal offence than it already is.

[stephen tracy]

7 hours ago, InMyShadow said:

I hope he wins. He has done a better job at attempted reform than the last 50 years of leaders who did nothing but take the money and run

He hasn't reformed anything, just suppressed everything. There has been no reconciliation and the police are still just criminals in uniform.  Corruption is as robust as ever, and has even increased since Prayuth seized power, however he claims that this is past corruption by "bad politicians" that only came to light after he declared himself PM.  He is bulldozing projects through without any concern to the environment or those that are affected by them. He offers the public no say whatsoever in policy. He makes military purchases without consulting the public. The list goes on.  The only thing he's reformed is the number of hip-thrusts allowed in a musical performance.  It is also evident, whenever he opens his mouth, that he is quite mad.

[Srikcir]

On 6/30/2017 at 4:41 AM, webfact said:

Prayut running for the elected premiership

Lost in this conversation is the fact that until a new government PM and Cabinet is installed, NCPO Chief Prayut can legally invoke Article 44. Not only can he use it to restrict or ban political competition but also exempt himself (and by extension his hypothetical military political party should he run for election) from political rules and restrictions that his appointed-NLA passed into law.

 

Before a new government is installed, the proposed cabinet must be approved by Prayut before the NCPO is dissolved. So Prayut could order another election if members of the new cabinet cannot be negotiated with Prayut. If Prayut's hypothetical military party fails to win majority seats of the House through direct election or coalition, he could unilaterally form his own government (again). In fact the NRSA recently suggested a new government be formed in lieu of elections from a coalition of the NCPO led by Prayut, the PDRC Foundation led by Suthep andthe Democrats led by Abhisit.

[baboon]

17 hours ago, stephen tracy said:

He hasn't reformed anything, just suppressed everything. There has been no reconciliation and the police are still just criminals in uniform.  Corruption is as robust as ever, and has even increased since Prayuth seized power, however he claims that this is past corruption by "bad politicians" that only came to light after he declared himself PM.  He is bulldozing projects through without any concern to the environment or those that are affected by them. He offers the public no say whatsoever in policy. He makes military purchases without consulting the public. The list goes on.  The only thing he's reformed is the number of hip-thrusts allowed in a musical performance.  It is also evident, whenever he opens his mouth, that he is quite mad.

I wouldn't call him mad, just bad tempered, autocratic and with a strong sense of entitlement. 

 

It would be easy enough for him to win. First, no political debates or 'impolite language' under the threat of 10 years in prison. (Sound familiar?) Then a 'special' booth for those not wishing to vote for him, where you leave a photocopy of your ID card to 'ensure your vote has not been bought' or some other made up bullcrap.

One thing is for certain: any election will change absolutely nothing so it scarcely matters who runs.

[candide]

On 30/06/2017 at 5:26 AM, InMyShadow said:

I hope he wins. He has done a better job at attempted reform than the last 50 years of leaders who did nothing but take the money and run

There is at least one difference: it is not "take the money and run" but "take the money and remain in power by all means"

[champers]

The article states that Abhisit was elected. He wasn't; he was appointed by the military.