Thai election commission calls for dissolution of PM's party

[Cerberus]

Thai election commission calls for dissolution of PM's party

 

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Thailand's election commission (EC) has called for the dissolution of the ruling party over allegations of illegal donations, a party official said Monday, vowing to fight the decision.

 

"We know about the EC decison's but the case is not over yet. It must be investigated by the attorney general and then go to the constitutional court," said spokesman Buranaj Smutharaks.

 

The case centres on allegations of an illegal multi-million-dollar donation to the Democrat Party during its 2005 national election campaign, when current Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was deputy leader.

 

The anti-government Red Shirt movement has pushed election authorities for the decision, which follows the country's deadliest civil unrest in 18 years at the weekend after the authorities cracked down on weeks of protests.

[Muso]

Well lets hope there's some light at the end of the tunnel and this is the beginning of the end of this unfortunate occurance.

[Cerberus]

The Commander of the armed forces has advised in a television interview that the Government should step down in keeping with the country's wishes for free elections. He also stated that the armed forces would not be used against their own people again, it was felt that the whole thing had been badly handled and that the government should now be dissolved and a free democratic election be taken as soon as possible.

Edited April 12, 2010 by Cerberus

[Cerberus]

Yellow shirts declare they will rally on the 18th to oppose the red shirts

[maimeepanhaa]

Thats not good

 

a show down is not good for anyone.

 

The army may step in the middle!

 

Bkk party on the 18th anyone?

 

:Q

[Cerberus]

Election commission calls for all party's, including the appointed government to accept elections within 60 days. They further call on all groups to accept the results of such an election and support any government formed from those results.

[)2akathaorai]

Are the red shirts mostly from Isaan and paid a daily wage by Thaskin to be there? This is common Thai knowledge they have no legitimacy. Thaskin was incredibly corrupt!

[gogo dog]

Are the red shirts mostly from Isaan and paid a daily wage by Thaskin to be there? This is common Thai knowledge they have no legitimacy. Thaskin was incredibly corrupt!

 

What? Thaksin & his government were democratically elected. The current "prime minister" has no legitimacy as he was not elected.

[Cerberus]

Are the red shirts mostly from Isaan and paid a daily wage by Thaskin to be there? This is common Thai knowledge they have no legitimacy.

Initially that was so, just as the yellow shirts were paid, which is also common knowledge.

 

The problem this present appointed Government has, is that they were no elected by the people for the people, but appointed against the will of the majority of the electorate. It is they that have no legitimacy/mandate

Thaskin was incredibly corrupt!

Totally true, whilst not being as corrupt as those that have followed. The fear of the red shirts that the richer Thai's feel now, has nothing to do with their previous support for Thaskin and the legitimate government of the day. The movement has gone way beyond that, they now seek a properly elected government that will undertake to make Thai society more equal by giving rural areas a higher standard of eduction, than the appalling school structure they have at present.

 

Television, exposure to westerners and cinema have all had their effect it making the rural masses realise that it is not their sole birthright to be poor rural workers. They now aspire beyond that.

 

They are merely following is so many other countries footsteps

[owching]

Thaksin might (have been) incredible corrupt, but it was mainly his party that introduced the minimum price for rice crop, healthcare programme, education programme and the improvement of the infrastructure in Issan. There is good reason why his party is popular among the rural people. The 'Yellow Democrats' know it and that is why they want to change the constitution and even limit voting rights for 'the poor'.

Edited April 13, 2010 by owching

[Radler]

Television, exposure to westerners and cinema have all had their effect it making the rural masses realise that it is not their sole birthright to be poor rural workers. They now aspire beyond that.

 

They are merely following is so many other countries footsteps

 

Many of the red shirts are families of the bar girls we come to Thailand to spend time with. Talking to the bar girls, they have dreams of a better life for their children.

 

Cerberus rightly points out, they are following a path that other countries have followed which have empowered and enriched their citizens. I wish them good luck and hope there are no repeats of the past weekend's violence. It does sound like the tide is turning in their favor.

[tripone]

So , what is best for us ?

 

We just want Thailand to be in peace , and the girls and any loved ones' , to

be happy and well ? Right.....

 

So we can continue to visit or indeed live in LOS without any problems .

 

So who should we be rooting for ?

 

Red's ?

 

Yellows ?

 

Current PM to stay in power ?

 

Fresh elections ?

 

Or what ?

[whitespider - RIP]

Thaksin may have been corrupt - very probably was.

 

However in 99% of the countries we live in the trial he had would have been laughed out of court - it was a fit up regardless of guilt or innocence. Four judges, all undoubtedly in the pay of his opposition.

 

Also regardless of his corruption he and his administration are the only ones since introduction of (so called) democracy in the 1930s to actively try and take Thailand forward - we have gone back 20 years in the last 3 years. Actually that is not true. 60 or 70 years ago the Thai Socialist party (original Peoples Party) made great inroads and oddly enough they were made up of very wealthy members of the aristocracy who genuinely seemed to want to improve things for all. Sadly they didn't last long.

 

I am no fan of Thaksin, as an individual, but I like to think I know the basics of right and wrong - the words, and even the written manifesto of the Yellows are quite frankly disgusting.

 

There are two core problem with the Thai Political setup, as I see it.

 

1. To be an MP you must have a degree. This has always been a deliberate ploy to prevent 65% of the populace from being represented by their own kind. I am not in favour of "uninteligent" politicians but "intelligent" and "educated" are NOT the same thing.

 

2. Thailand is one of only two countries in the world (Pakistan is the other) where you have to be a member of a poitical party to stand for election. Again a deliberate policy to prevent dissidence as few individuals can afford to set up a party that must have registered offices in each constituency it stands (or in 4 if standing in only one). Under Election Commission RULES if one person breaks a rule i.e. hides things from other members then ALL executive members of that party are collectively barred from office for 5 years. We have lost many decent politicians over the last few years who had they been allowed to stand as independents would probably still be on the scene. We therefore have this constant tit for tat over complaints to the Electoral commission and entire parties getting banned. Unless they change this rule it will go on forever as every barrel has its rotten apples.

 

Getting rid of these two RULES will not resolve Thailand's problems but it would be the beginning of the road in the right direction.

[Cerberus]

So , what is best for us ?

Unfortunately not what is best for the majority, who are rural Thais. However even should they win and a new government move the education system towards where those that have the potential, will be able to rise above their meagre birth rights via industrial labour in opposition to sexual labour. It would still be decades away!

 

I believe that should the other side win and introduce limited voting rights, so ensuring them a majority electorate, they will attempt to keep things no only as they are but to push them backwards. To do that they would need to control what the masses are exposed to, on the television, cinema and guest of the country. The guest I am talking about is you and me! Other Asians are not a threat.

 

Poverty in the rural areas has increased 75% since the coup that dislodged the last elected government. In addition to which the total erosion of all the things that party introduced, the minimum price for rice crop, healthcare programme, education programme and the improvement of the infrastructure in Issan amongst others, has been purposely allowed.

[whitespider - RIP]

I believe that should the other side win and introduce limited voting rights, so ensuring them a majority electorate, they will attempt to keep things no only as they are but to push them backwards. To do that they would need to control what the masses are exposed to, on the television, cinema and guest of the country. The guest I am talking about is you and me! Other Asians are not a threat.

 

 

The limited voting rights has to be the crux here. To claim that someone who is uneducated should not have the same voting rights is not only absurd but contrary to the cores of modern decency really.

 

This is even more true where an "education" has bugger all to do with intelligence and every thing to do with money. The Thai elite, and even the middle class, dont seem capable of understanding that intelligent and educated are two entirely different things.

 

To claim an uneducated person is unintelligent shows a distinct lack of intelligence in itself. I am sure we have aLl met Uni grads here who dont have two brain cells to rub together but mum and dad could buy them their degree effectively.

 

If they TRULY beliEve it is right and fair there is a simple answer - EDUCATE THEM THEN!!!!

[Al.]

If they TRULY beliEve it is right and fair there is a simple answer - EDUCATE THEM THEN!!!!

 

That is the whole point they do not want them to be educated they want to keep them down them where they are working for a pittance.

 

God forbid if the peasants were to get a decent education they might have to start cleaning their own houses, actually my ex wife went to work in Bangkok when she was 14 working in a middle class house cleaning shopping laundry just about anything you could think of working and at their beck and call from the time she woke until she went to bed for 2000 baht a month.

 

They seemed to think she was luck to get it and if she broke anything it was deducted from her wages little wonder she went to work in Pattaya.

 

Al.

[farang1]

So , what is best for us ?

 

We just want Thailand to be in peace , and the girls and any loved ones' , to

be happy and well ? Right.....

 

So we can continue to visit or indeed live in LOS without any problems .

 

So who should we be rooting for ?

 

Red's ?

 

Yellows ?

 

Current PM to stay in power ?

 

Fresh elections ?

 

Or what ?

 

We may have opinions on this issue, but this is a Thai domestic dispute that we must stay out of.

[whitespider - RIP]

That is the whole point they do not want them to be educated they want to keep them down them where they are working for a pittance.

 

God forbid if the peasants were to get a decent education they might have to start cleaning their own houses, actually my ex wife went to work in Bangkok when she was 14 working in a middle class house cleaning shopping laundry just about anything you could think of working and at their beck and call from the time she woke until she went to bed for 2000 baht a month.

 

They seemed to think she was luck to get it and if she broke anything it was deducted from her wages little wonder she went to work in Pattaya.

 

Al.

 

PRECISELY!!!!!

 

That's why their entire argument is both invalid and immoral - that was my point!