Thread: Thailand : Election Commission starts preparing new general election

Originally Posted by Thormaturge

how exactly do you replace Suthep?

No need to replace him, he will not get his way. What sort of pathetic testament to civil disorder that will entail before it is made clear, is the only real question. He is puny, with puny 'ideas', and speaks for a puny minority that has only ever held this nation back over the last decade. If there is an ounce of this elusive 'good protester' left, I invite you to look in the mirror.

Or perhaps, just be honest with yerself- is this really about corruption, to you?

Surapong urges new poll be held this month
Mongkol Bangprapa & Aekarach Sattaburuth
1/04/2014

A key government figure yesterday urged the Election Commission (EC) to organise a new general election this month, while a key Democrat suggested polls be delayed for up to half a year to discuss national reform.



Surapong Tovichakchaikul, caretaker deputy prime minister and foreign minister, said the Sunday Senate poll proceeded smoothly and the EC should set the election date within this month and announce it before the Songkran festival.

He said other countries had started pressuring Thailand to hold the general election and the European Union in particular had urged the country to organise the poll without further delay.

Mr Surapong said the government is ready to issue a fresh royal decree to set the election date and allocate a budget to fund the poll.

The minister also criticised the EC for not doing enough to promote the Feb 2 general election.

“The EC organised events to campaign for people to cast their votes in the Senate election on March 30. Many beauty queens and models joined street campaigns but the turnout was still low. For the MP election, the EC did nothing,” Mr Surapong said.

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said a coalition of 53 political parties will today submit a petition to the EC asking it to organise the general election within 45-60 days.

He said Pheu Thai leader Charupong Ruangsuwan signed the petition and would ask other political parties to sign it for submission to the EC.

Democrat spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut yesterday proposed the government postpone the next election for up to six months to discuss national reform and generally acceptable criteria to create a fair election first.

Citing unofficial results from the Senate election showing low voter turn-out and a large number of spoiled and ''vote no'' ballots, he said the outcome indicated voters are fed up with politics and refused to give their mandate to candidates.

Of the total turnout of 20.8 million, 2.49 million voters marked "vote no" boxes and 1.08 million spoiled their ballots.

He said this showed the necessity for national reform.

The Democrat proposed the government reform itself by, for example, respecting the justice system and refraining from discrimination, abuse of authority and legislation aimed at absolving its associates.

“If the proposals are raised for negotiation, the election can proceed. The [Democrat] party will be ready to cooperate if the government puts off the election for four to six months and enters into negotiations to work out an election that is fair and acceptable to everyone,” Mr Chavanond said.

Meanwhile, Dusadee Pornsuksawat, the EC's deputy secretary-general, said yesterday the agency can endorse the winning candidates within seven days if they face no complaints.

He said if there are objections to the winning candidates the EC is required to make a judgement and forward it to the Council of State for consideration before next Wednesday.

However, if the EC cannot finish consideration of the complaints within 30 days after the endorsement of the winning candidates, it is required to make a judgement and send it to the Supreme Court's Election Division for the final say.

EC member Boonsong Noisopon, in charge of investigating complaints, said there are nine complaints lodged against the Senate candidates. Of them, six were against the winning candidates.

He said that two of the complaints were filed against former auditor-general Khunying Jaruvan Maintaka who contested the poll in Bangkok. Khunying Jaruvan emerged as the winner in the Bangkok election.

The winning candidates in Nong Bua Lamphu, Si Sa Ket, Samut Sakhon and Sing Buri each faced complaints. The three other complaints involved other candidates.

Norarat Pimsen, secretary general of the Senate, said if the official results can be endorsed within seven days, the new senators can report for duty from April 8-11.

"And if the EC can endorse 95% of the winning candidates, the newly elected senators can swear themselves in and perform their job. If not, they will enrol in a training programme," she said.

On new Senate speaker selections, Ms Norarat said the issue must be thoroughly studied because it is unprecedented.

bangkokpost.com

Originally Posted by Mid

a key Democrat suggested polls be delayed for up to half a year to discuss national reform.

Why didn't they discuss national reform in the 2 1/2 years they could actually do something about it?

This point is what makes me absolutely cynical about their objectives, which tarnishes any potential good they may have, in term of policies

Democrat has yet to discuss about joining next election: Abhisit
April 3, 2014

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said his party had not discussed about running in the next election as they first want to make sure the polls would be free and fair.

He said the Democrats would be involved in a multi-party meeting on the new election if the meeting was hosted by the Election Commission.

The EC has sought a meeting with political parties on April 22. Pheu Thai Party, which wants an election as soon as possible, said the proposed date for the meeting was too late.

nationmultimedia.com

EC hopes military, security chiefs will attend Tuesday's meeting
April 3, 2014

Election Commission secretary-general Puchong Nutrawong said he hoped the military and security agency chiefs, would personally attend the meeting next Tuesday instead of sending representatives, if they were not preoccupied with other engagements.

He said the EC wanted information about the political situation before staging the next election.

nationmultimedia.com

Originally Posted by Mid

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said his party had not discussed about running in the next election

Lying sacks of shit . . . I would suggest that they are talking about nothing else

In political terms he was merely being 'economical with the truth'

Dems will only run if election is fair, safe
Pradit Ruangdit & Manop Thip-osod
7/04/2014

The Democrat Party will join a general election if it is fair and candidates from parties other than Pheu Thai can campaign for votes unhindered, the party's secretary-general affirmed yesterday.

The Democrat Party, which celebrated its 68th anniversary yesterday, boycotted the Feb 2 election, called after caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra dissolved the Lower House last December.

Democrat secretary-general Juti Krairiksh said the party had refused to join the election because it was unfair.

He said the Election Commission had repeatedly stated it could not guarantee a fair election, but the caretaker government insisted on going ahead with it in a bid to whitewash its wrongdoings.

He said the Democrat Party placed importance on election atmosphere.

The present situation was not conducive to an election because government supporters continued to threaten independent organisations, the people and political parties which opposed it. The police had also failed to perform their duties impartially, Mr Juti said.

He pointed out that unless an election was fair, it would not be democratic.
He called on Ms Yingluck to ensure a fair election.

Mr Juti claimed Ms Yingluck had never asked pro-government and red-shirt demonstrators to behave, and this had suggested that she supported the actions of red-shirt demonstrators.

Mr Juti said society had already witnessed red-shirt demonstrators threaten other party members without facing arrest.

The Democrat Party has also been threatened, he said.

Mr Juti said during the 2005 general election, a political canvasser belonging to his party in Phichit province had been told to stop his campaigning.

When the threat was ignored, the canvasser was shot dead in front of his house three days before the election. Police have still not arrested any suspects, Mr Juti said.

He said the present situation was worse. Anti-government demonstrators were being ambushed and no suspects had been arrested.

Under such circumstances, Democrat Party members wondered if it was safe for them to go campaign for votes.

“The [Democrat] party conducted a survey of potential candidates nationwide and found that 80% had no safe place to campaign for votes, except those in the South, Bangkok and parts of the Central Plains.

“So, we wonder if a free and fair election can happen if one political party can campaign for votes but another cannot,” the Democrat secretary-general said.

He intended to inform the Election Commission about the situation at a meeting with political parties on April 22. The Democrats would also ask the EC if it could protect retired government officials who were provincial election authorities from such illegal influences.

Mr Juti said the present situation in Thailand reminded him of the era of former Filipino president Ferdinand Marcos, when plainclothes police had been used to murder his opponents, and only one family and its associates cashed in and enjoyed power over the country.

The Democrat secretary-general said he believed that, if an election was fair, his party would have a chance of winning.

He said the general public was aware of past corruption and abuse of authority by the current government and the negative impacts on the country associated with the influence of former prime minister Thakin Shinawatra.

Mr Juti claimed that the Democrat Party, meanwhile, has developed a better reputation for proposing national reform and solutions to corruption and inequality.

Although the Democrat Party was unable to predict when the next general election would happen, Mr Juti said that it had planned possible stances for different scenarios, depending on the timing of the fresh poll.

Meanwhile, Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was concerned that people were being misled that when independent organisations and courts issue undesirable rulings, they were trying to overthrow the government and democratic rule.

He said the nation can progress only with a political system that upholds democracy.

bangkokpost.com

Originally Posted by Mid

Dems will only run if election is fair, safe

not going to happen, might as well not run without excuses

Originally Posted by Butterfly

Originally Posted by Mid

Dems will only run if election is fair, safe

not going to happen, might as well not run without excuses

. . . might as well not run because they know they'll lose . . .


By the way, there is nothing that says an election is only an election if the Dems participate.
Good, let them sit out the elections and whine even louder when neither they nor their followers are in any way represented politically

59 political parties give or take. having one not run no biggy.

EC dismisses Democrat terms for poll talks
Mongkol Bangprapa & Achara Ashayagachat
15/04/2014

The Election Commission (EC) on Monday dismissed conditions set by the Democrat Party that it broadcast a meeting between political parties on a new poll date.



EC chairman Supachai Somcharoen said the EC sent invitations to all registered parties to a meeting on April 22 to discuss a date for a fresh election. They were free to decide if they wanted to be a part of the negotiations, he said.

"I don't know what the Democrat Party's intention is. But we are ready to listen to suggestions from every party and we have sent out an invitation. It is up to them to decide if the meeting is worth attending. Let's wait and see," he said.

Mr Somchai was responding to Democrat spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut, who told the media that Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva would only join the meeting if the Pheu Thai Party leader also attended.
Mr Chavanond also called on the EC to broadcast the meeting for the benefit of the public.

The EC chairman said it is unlikely the meeting will be broadcast. However, the issue will be brought up at the EC's next meeting.

Mr Somchai said there is no guarantee the meeting would be conclusive as the EC will have to listen to suggestions from security agencies including the National Security Council (NSC). The NSC also suggested the EC hear opinions from the private sector.

"The EC wants the election to proceed as soon as possible. Prolonging the role of the caretaker government will not do the country any good. But we cannot go ahead with the election when the political situation has yet to return to normal, or it will be a waste of money," he said.

Mr Chavanond urged the Pheu Thai Party to send its leader to the meeting to discuss the election plan, saying the Democrats would do the same.

The Democrat spokesman also called on Pheu Thai to review its role, and stop criticising the Democrats for boycotting the Feb 2 election.

He said Pheu Thai was to blame for the political crisis because it failed to tackle four issues: corruption, lese majeste offences, rejection of scrutiny by public independent organisations and red-shirt intimidation against critics of the government.

He said the party would "cooperate" if the government agrees to play by the rules and put national interests before their own.

"The government should listen to other sides, and I think the EC should broadcast the meeting live so that the public can see what parties are thinking," he said.

He also said caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra should accept the National Anti-Corruption Commission's rice inquiry, stop her aides from discrediting the Constitutional Court, and seek talks with the People's Democratic Reform Committee to solve the crisis.

Meanwhile, Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) has encouraged Thailand to maintain its electoral system as a way of resolving the political conflict.

The calls from the SPD last week came amid reports political parties were having trouble agreeing on a new election date. Dirk Wiese, SDP's spokesman said violence is never a solution.

bangkokpost.com

Pheu Thai to meet the EC without preconditions
April 15, 2014



The Pheu Thai party will send a top representative to a meeting wth the Election Commission on April 22 and will not set any preconditions for the meeting, said Mr Noppadon Pattama, an executive committee member of the party, on Tuesday.

The private lawyer of fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra affirmed that the best option for the country to resolve the long-running political conflict was to let the people to choose their own future and to set the course of the country through the ballot boxes in a free and fair manner.

Citing the preconditions that the party used to set before meeting with the EC such as the Democrat party must attend the meeting too and that the meeting must be televised live, Mr Noppadon insisted that this time there were no such preconditions or any other preconditions from the party.

He said that the election must go on no matter what would be result of the Constituional Court regarding the future of caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra regarding the case of National Security Council chief Thawil Pliensri.

On the move by a group of people to propose the invocation of Article 7 of the Constitution to appoint a interim prime minister, Mr Noppadon said the proposal was beyond the scope of the Constitution and there was no justification for its invocation.

englishnews.thaipbs.or.th

Democrats agree to join election meeting
16/04/2014

The Democrat Party has agreed to join a meeting next week between the Election Commission (EC) and political parties to discuss plans for a fresh general election.


The Democrats resigned en masse from parliament just before the Lower House was dissolved, and then boycotted the Feb 2 poll.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the party will send representatives to the meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday.

He did not say whether he would attend the forum personally or assign someone to go on his behalf.

The EC has invited the leaders, deputy leaders and secretary-generals of all 70 registered parties to attend the meet.

Mr Abhisit also demanded to know whether the Pheu Thai Party would send representatives with decision-making powers to the meeting.

He said the party had repeatedly sent representatives without adequate authority to previous poll discussions.

Democrat spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut also accused Pheu Thai and some smaller parties of failing to make meaningful contributions to those earlier talks.

He said Pheu Thai in particular had joined the meetings only to reinforce its demand for an election to be held rather than to add suggestions, a move that was not conducive to a productive discussion.

Mr Chavanond said parties should come up with suggestions to help make an election happen and not just repeatedly push the EC to hold a fresh poll.

He said the Democrats would cooperate if the meeting would focus on how to make an election possible.

Setting the election date alone, as Pheu Thai appears intent on doing, is not the right move, he noted.

The Democrat spokesman also reiterated his call for the EC to broadcast the meeting next week to allow the public to assess each party's views.

He said if the EC agreed with the party's call for a live broadcast, it should seek cooperation from television stations.

EC secretary-general Puchong Nutrawong yesterday called on parties to send representatives with decision-making powers to attend the meeting.

"If they [party leaders] can't show up, they should send party executives or authorised representatives," Mr Puchong said.

Mr Puchong said while it is not possible to conclude when the election will take place, the EC wants to proceed as quickly as possible.

Pheu Thai legal specialist Noppadon Pattama said the party would send authorised representatives to the meeting and would not attach any conditions.

He said the party believes the best way out of the political crisis is to "let the people decide the future" through a fair and transparent election.

He insisted an election will help alleviate political conflict and allow the democratic system to move forward, regardless of how the Constitutional Court rules in its case against caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Ms Yingluck is accused of breaching the charter in her transfer of National Security Council chief Thawil Pliensri in 2011.

Mr Noppadon also said a proposal by a group of retired soldiers and state officials to invoke Section 7 of the charter and allow the Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda to act as a "middle man" to end the country's turmoil is unjustified.

There is no political vacuum to justify invoking the section, he said.

bangkokpost.com

EC member Somchai expects new election to be held late July
April 16, 2014

Election Commission member Somchai Srisutthiyakorn expects that the new election may be held late July.

Posting a message on his Facebook wall, Somchai said he expected that the new election date would be either July 20 or 27.

He said the EC and the government would hold a meeting on April 29 or 30 to select the new election date and he expected that the government would go for July 20 or 27.

Somchai added that the EC would invite 70 political parties to a discussion on April 22 to hear their opinion on the new election date.

nationmultimedia.com

The Dems really shot themselves in the foot with that one,

they seem as dumb as your average red peasant,

Enough of all this BS let's have an election ASAP.
All parties must be allowed to campaign anywhere in the country.

Originally Posted by Mid

Mr Abhisit also demanded to know whether the Pheu Thai Party would send representatives with decision-making powers to the meeting.

He should be more concerned with his own people, party and platforms

Democrat, 63 other parties agree to discuss election date with EC
April 18, 2014

The Democrat Party and 63 other parties have agreed to meet the Election Commission on Tuesday to discuss the new election date, EC secretary general Puchong Nutrawong said Friday.

Puchong said Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and deputy leader Chamni Sakdiseth wouild represent the party to join the discussion.

Puchong said the EC would like to hear parties' opinions before holding a discussion with security agencies on when the new election should be held.

nationmultimedia.com

Originally Posted by noelbino

Enough of all this BS let's have an election ASAP.

will it change anything ? doubt it,

they need to zap Thaksin and his cronies once and for all,

no more excuses on either side for their incompetence,

^^^
That's exactly what I'm trying to say!!!
[Except for the zap Thaksin bit]
The last sentence is what is needed.

Small parties name three figures they would back as a new PM
April 18, 2014

A group of 30 small and little-known political parties Friday shortlisted three prominent figures they would support as a new leader to try to lead Thailand out of the political crisis.

The parties Friday formed a group called "United Parties for Democracy" and announced their resolution.

They resolved that they would support either Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana, a legal expert with Pheu Thai Party, Supachai Panitchpakdi, the former secretary general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, and Dr Boon Vanasin, chairman of Thonburi Hospital Group, as a candidate to become the next prime minister.

The group would invite the three to contest the next election and said it would join a discussion with the Election Commission on Tuesday about the new election date.

nationmultimedia.com

Originally Posted by noelbino

^^^
That's exactly what I'm trying to say!!!
[Except for the zap Thaksin bit]
The last sentence is what is needed.

the zap Thaksin bit is the corner stone of butters monotous repetive rhetoric .

^ coming from a repetitive bot like you, it's ironic

you can't ignore Thaksin in the current political mess, only a fool would think that

using your logic, he shouldn't matter