CDC election could open door to ‘outsider’ as PM: Pheu Thai

[webfact]

 

CDC election could open door to ‘outsider’ as PM: Pheu Thai

By The Nation

 

File photo : Phumtham

 

Politicians worried that proposals would complicate voting and confuse electorate

BANGKOK: -- THE CONSTITUTION Drafting Committee (CDC)’s proposed election system could pave the way for an outsider to become prime minister, Pheu Thai Party’s acting secretary-general said yesterday.

 

Phumtham Wechayachai made the comments after the CDC last week announced its plan to abolish the one-party-one-number electoral system in its organic draft law on MPs.

 

In an approved organic law draft on political parties, the CDC and the National Legislative Assembly also passed the new Mixed Member Apportionment (MMA) system, party membership fees and seed funding as well as a primary voting system.

 

While MMA would allocate votes to all contesting MP candidates proportionately, likely preventing any single party from winning decisively at the national level, the party membership requirement puts more conditions on obtaining membership. 

 

The primary voting system, meanwhile, would require parties to have local representatives or branches in contested constituencies in order to select their MP candidates, making it harder for small-scale parties to comply.

 

“Pushing for the primary vote without having a clear understanding will cause a rift in society and weaken political institutions,” Phumtham said. He added that the “powers-that-be” should allow political actors to participate more in designing the voting system.

 

“All of these are clear indications to weaken the political parties and to transfer political power to their own group and allowing an outsider to become prime minister,” he said.

 

If these regulations cause problems “then it is the duty of all Thais to help in making changes to these regulations to be in line with the real problems at hand”, he said.

 

The CDC’s proposed new numbering system would also require MP candidates in each constituency to draw lots to receive their own individual numbers. This would mean that MP candidates would be registered under different numbers in various constituencies, despite belonging to the same party.

 

Politicians and academics are concerned that the proposed method would complicate election procedures and confuse voters, who would have to elect both constituency and party-list MPs in one ballot.

 

It could also weaken the significance of political parties in the election arena because numbers would  belong to MP candidates, not their parties.

Phumtham said election regulations should be easy to follow to encourage public participation in politics.

 

Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn said the numbering system, although designed to prevent vote buying, would not do so efficiently.

 

As most vote buying was done through canvassers at the village level, the number an MP candidate draws will not stop canvassers from lobbying the MP’s constituency, he said. The system would also complicate the Election Commission’s logistical procedures when managing elections, he added.

 

However, Prasarn Marukpitak, a former member of the defunct National Reform Council, argued the new system would help empower each MP candidate by putting more focus on individuals rather than party influences.

 

Voters should also not be confused when casting votes, given that MP candidates would have 45 days to campaign. Voters would also only focus on their own constituencies, Prasarn said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30323793

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-15

[Samui Bodoh]

27 minutes ago, webfact said:

CDC election could open door to ‘outsider’ as PM: Pheu Thai

 

That is the whole point of the new constitution!

 

Great insight, Captain Obvious

 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2017 by Samui Bodoh

[klauskunkel]

Hello Mr. Pheu-Thai-man, is that an imaginary shotgun in your hands, or are just happy to see everybody?

[Baerboxer]

Whatever happened to the person/tream investigating other countries' democratic systems?

 

I thought they were interested in Germany's? A federal system with proportionate representation. The latter ensuring Germany would never be dominated by one party again. 

 

To be fair, as worked well for Germany, at national and state level.

[mtls2005]

"Outsider PM".

 

I'm shocked.

 

 

 

[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

I thought they were interested in Germany's?

After the trip CDC Chairman Meechai concluded that Germany's MMP had no "Thainess."

Since there was no other Thailand in the world, Meechai invented the MMA not used anywhere in the world to properly reflect the unique "special" voting needs of the Thai electorate.

TRANSLATION: Assure a weak elected government that would be unable to challenge the military's Deep State.

[Baerboxer]

Just now, Srikcir said:

After the trip CDC Chairman Meechai concluded that Germany's MMP had no "Thainess."

Since there was no other Thailand in the world, Meechai invented the MMA not used anywhere in the world to properly reflect the unique "special" voting needs of the Thai electorate.

TRANSLATION: Assure a weak elected government that would be unable to challenge the military's Deep State.

A window dressing exercise then? Beer, wurst and sauerkraut were probably good. Nice drop of riesling, pork-knuckle and schapps? Budersliga?

 

 

[Ricardo]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

Politicians worried that proposals would complicate voting and confuse electorate

 

Trans.    Politicians worried that proposals would make elections harder to rig, and confuse electorate by making them look at the candidates they were being offered locally, or the parties' policy-proposals, rather than a national-level hero/heroine-figure.

[lvr181]

3 hours ago, Srikcir said:

After the trip CDC Chairman Meechai concluded that Germany's MMP had no "Thainess."

Since there was no other Thailand in the world, Meechai invented the MMA not used anywhere in the world to properly reflect the unique "special" voting needs of the Thai electorate.

TRANSLATION: Assure a weak elected government that would be unable to challenge the military's Deep State.

The leopard will not change its spots. The feudal system will still remain supreme (with the military enforcing it) but perhaps under a different name/disguise.  

[seajae]

in other words he is upset that they have to have local members and they must go out and promote themselves instead of just paying for their position, most politicians in other countries have to be able to explain policies etc, here they just pay the locals to vote for them, lots easier as many politicians have no clue in reality. Would be a change to have politicians that are capable of rational thinking unlike what we have had in the past,  including the new pm, they might even attend all the sittings 

[zzaa09]

9 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

Whatever happened to the person/tream investigating other countries' democratic systems?

 

I thought they were interested in Germany's? A federal system with proportionate representation. The latter ensuring Germany would never be dominated by one party again. 

 

To be fair, as worked well for Germany, at national and state level.

That's all lovely and warm.

Yet, for Thailand to ever prosper in this political manner or any positive steps, thereof,  it will certainly have to shed itself from the influential other.

 

You [and most others] don't really understand how things work here, historically.

Edited August 15, 2017 by zzaa09

[lvr181]

13 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

That's all lovely and warm.

Yet, for Thailand to ever prosper in this political manner or any positive steps, thereof,  it will certainly have to shed itself from the influential other.

 

You [and most others] don't really understand how things work here, historically.

"You [and most others] don't really understand how things work here, historically."     My italics.

 

The military (along with royalty from time to time) rule and that is not likely to change anytime soon. Citizens are merely serfs.  And to quote things such as Thailand 4.0 is a cruel joke on the people of Thailand and laughable to much of the world. 600 years of feudalism is not going to go away quickly, if ever, to allow the country to advance for the benefit of ALL (not just the 'elite').

 

And us 'keyboard warriors' can bitch and moan and suggest as much as we like, the Thai elite don't really give a ducks a*rse. But it fills in the day for us  

[ramrod711]

On ‎8‎/‎15‎/‎2017 at 4:20 AM, webfact said:

If these regulations cause problems “then it is the duty of all Thais to help in making changes to these regulations to be in line with the real problems at hand”, he said.

Political speak for "bring your empty bottles, we will fill them with gasoline so that you can burn your country to the ground".

[YetAnother]

On 8/15/2017 at 4:20 AM, webfact said:

“All of these are clear indications to weaken the political parties and to transfer political power to their own group and allowing an outsider to become prime minister,” he said.

these people are just figuring this out now ? was the obvious goal all along

[Srikcir]

5 minutes ago, ramrod711 said:

Political speak for "bring your empty bottles, we will fill them with gasoline so that you can burn your country to the ground".

I disagree with your "translation" to political speak but you do introduce what may be necessary for the birth and sustenance of real democracy in Thailand.

The Thai electorate continues naively to believe in the rights and liberties provided by junta-drafted constitutions that seemingly provide for democratic participatory government and the means to alter their means of governance. The military coupes, junta-controlled and/or appointed governmental bodies, and junta-constitutions all work towards one goal - maintain minority control over the majority. At some point maybe the Thai majority will realize there's no hope for a democratic Thailand so long as the minority autocrats continue to establish the rule of law while exempting themselves.

When the majority reach the point of no return, physical change may be necessary to level the historical pillars of Thai governance - a governance that has changed only in form and not in content by the military revolution of 1932. As you say, "burn your country to the ground."