Polls set for December 23

[t.l.o]

Personally I expected the polls to be held Feb or March 2008 ...

 

 

Bangkok Post:

 

A general election has been officially set for Sunday, December 23, to begin to return the country to democracy after 15 months and four days of military rule.

 

Prime minister Surayud Chulanont assured full government support for a peaceful, orderly election. He said the police referendum monitoring centre would be extended, and continue to function to oversee the general election in peace and order.

 

The election date was announced by Election Commission chairman Apichart Sukkhakanont at a press conference at Government House.

 

The Dec 23 date was approved - as expected - after a number of other possibilites were discussed and discarded.

 

The EC chairman said Dec 23 was simply the most suitable.

 

The Commission considered both January 6 and January 13, but these were ruled ununsuitable because of possible problems regarding advance voting around the New Year�€™s holidays.

 

Gen Surayud said the vote will enable his existing military-appointed caretaker government to give way to a popularly elected government with a mandate to revive the economy and maintain national unity.

 

Gen Surayud was appointed by the military junta that overthrew the government of premier Thaksin Shinawatra last Sept 19 after several corruption scandals and the dissolution of parliament.

 

Thaksin's powerful Thak Rak Thai party has been dismantled by the Constitutional Court, corruption charges have been filed against Thaksin and his wife, and parts of his great wealth have been seized.

 

"No one has come up with better and more appealing policies that Thaksin brought to the country. This election is going to be very tricky for everybody," said Jon Ungpakorn, a prominent social activist and former senator.

 

A raft of political party registrations occurred on Monday as politicians jostled to get in on the elections, which seem likely to feature vote-buying on an unprecedented scale, and end in a coalition government by several minority parties.

Edited August 27, 2007 by t.l.o

[Jeremia]

Well, untill I read this, I was undecided where to spend Xmas..

 

 

I will now spend Xmas in the village getting pissed on free beer provided by whichever polical party is buying ( Now I know why they call them partys) Then off down to Patts for NYE!!!

[The Deported One]

good news at last

[JASONTHAI]

Fuck that might mean some of the bars will be closed, not good as it so close to Christams

[monkeyman]

Fuck that might mean some of the bars will be closed, not good as it so close to Christams

They'll all be closed.

[t.l.o]

... as far as I know the bars are not closed this day

 

[Jeremia]

... as far as I know the bars are not closed this day

 

 

In my limited experience they close untill about 6pm on the day of voting so that the Thais are sober when they vote. In the villages the candidate's local representatives go around people's houses the night before and buy everybody beer (Seesip degree in Issan) then stand outside the booths during voting saying "Remember who's beer you were drinking last night" etc etc

[JASONTHAI]

They'll all be closed.

 

No they won't it will be the case of no lights & music on just like after 2am, My mate never closes his bar in Nakula, just pays off the BIB