#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Thailand and Asia News >  >  Thai elections 2011-Thai PM sets stage for tough election

## StrontiumDog

*http://sg.news.yahoo.com/thai-pm-set...medium=twitter

Thai PM sets stage for tough election*


By Anusak Konglang | AFP News – 53 minutes ago

_
General view of Thai parliament in Bangkok. Thailand's prime minister has said he …

_
_Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva speaks during a press conference at Government …_

     Thailand's  premier fired the starting gun on Friday for the first general election  in the politically divided nation since deadly protests rocked Bangkok last year, with a vote expected by early July.

 British-born, Oxford-educated premier Abhisit Vejjajiva, whose term  finishes at the end of this year, is gambling on early polls to propel  him to a second term and silence critics who say he has no popular  mandate.

 Abhisit, the head of the elite-backed Democrat Party, said he would  submit a formal request to King Bhumibol Adulyadej asking for the lower  house to be dissolved for a poll set to be held in late June or early  July.

 "I will submit the royal decree to dissolve the house to the king  this afternoon before I leave for the ASEAN summit" of Southeast Asian  leaders in Jakarta, he told reporters.

 He did not reveal the election date but said he would hold a news conference on Monday.

 By law, polls must be held between 45 and 60 days after house  dissolution, which would take effect once the decree is signed by  Thailand's 83-year-old monarch, who has been hospitalised since  September 2009.

 Abhisit's party, the country's oldest, with a support base in Bangkok  and the south, has not won a general election in nearly two decades and  faces a struggle to cling to power, even with the support of its  coalition partners.

 Abhisit took office in a 2008 parliamentary vote after a court ruling  threw out the previous administration, and he is accused by his  political foes of being an unelected puppet of the military and the  establishment.

 The vote comes at a time of heightened political sensitivity for the  country, which remains deeply divided a year after a military crackdown  on opposition protests in the capital that left 90 people dead, mostly  civilians.

 Parties affiliated to fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra have won  the most seats in the past four elections, but the former tycoon was  toppled in a 2006 coup and courts reversed the results of the last two  polls.

 Abhisit defied sceptics last year to survive a crippling political  crisis marked by a series of clashes between demonstrators and armed  troops in Bangkok. It was the country's worst political violence in  decades.

 Many of the mainly rural, working class Reds are loyal to Thaksin,  who lives overseas to avoid a jail sentence imposed in absentia for  corruption, but is considered the de facto leader of the opposition Puea  Thai.

 The opposition party, which is particularly strong in the rural north  and northeast, has not yet announced its candidate for prime minister,  although Thaksin's sister Yingluck Shinawatra has been touted as a top  contender.

 Thailand has  suffered years of political instability, punctuated by unrest and  military intervention, with 18 actual or attempted coups since 1932,  when the country became a constitutional monarchy.

 The current army chief has ruled out another coup, but that has not dampened speculation of possible military intervention.

 "A coup is always possible but I don't think if there is one that it  will be in the pre-election period," said Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Thai  political expert at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in  Singapore.

 "It must be more likely in the post-election period, especially if the results are unacceptable for the elite."

 Pavin believes a coup would be a "last resort" for Thaksin's foes.

 "They can use other tactics less damaging than a coup, like the intervention of a court again," he said.

 Thaksin, a former billionaire telecoms tycoon who led his party to  landslide victories in 2001 and 2005, is hailed by the Reds for his  policies for the poor while in power.

 But he is regarded by the Thai ruling elite as authoritarian, corrupt  and a threat to the revered monarchy, and faces terrorism charges in  Thailand, accused of bankrolling last year's protests and instigating  unrest.

 The authorities have clamped down on Red Shirt media and last month  police raided more than a dozen local radio stations sympathetic to  their cause.

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## The Ghost Of The Moog

There won't be any jiggery pokery. This will be a proper and free election and anyone who says otherwise is a tin-foil-hatted conspiracy theorist.

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## The Bold Rodney

> Thai PM sets stage for tough election


Headline should have read "Thai PM sets stage for bent election".

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## Norton

> General view of Thai parliament in Bangkok


Psst...psst...! Mark! It's lunch time.

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## Mid

> This will be a proper and free election and anyone who says otherwise is a tin-foil-hatted conspiracy theorist.


 :smiley laughing: 

XL please  :mid:

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## SteveCM

^
If you can't get XL, I can suggest a source - from someone who's _bound_ to have XXXL.....  :mid:

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## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Prayuth: Pheu Thai-led govt acceptable
*
*Prayuth: Pheu Thai-led govt acceptable*
Published:  6/05/2011 at 06:56 PMOnline news:
 The mnilitary will accept the outcome if the  Pheu Thai Party is able to form the next government after the general  election, army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Friday

 He said the army supports the election and all political parties were welcome to campaign for votes in the military barracks.

 If the Pheu Thai Party is acceptable to the majority of Thai people,  they army would have no reason not to accept it, Gen Prayuth said.

 "Don't look down on the Thai people.  Let's give them the opportunity  to think, elect and make their own decisions.  Don't give them too many  guidelines.  They are duty-bound to elect good people to take care of  the country," he added.

 Gen Prayuth said this to a meeting of commanders of army units from  throughout the country.  The meeting was called to brief them on the  army's policies and the army's six-month work achievements.

 The army chief said all unit commanders have been told to support the  coming election, especially by providing security as requested.

 However, they have been told to avoid involvement in election procedures, particularly the vote-counting process.

 "The army will provide full cooperation to make sure the election is  clean and fair.  All army personnel and their family members are  encouraged to go to the polls.  All political parties are equally  welcome to campaign in military units.  I have made this a policy for  all to comply with," Gen Prayuth said.

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## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : PM: I've kept my promise
*
*PM: I've kept my promise*
Published:  6/05/2011 at 05:36 PMOnline news: Politics
 Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday  confirmed he has submitted a royal decree seeking a House dissolution to  His Majesty the King for royal endorsement.

 Mr Abhisit was speaking to reporters at Suvarnabhumi airport just before leaving for Indonesia to attend the Asean Summit.

"I have done as promised," he said.

Meanwhile,  Election Commission (EC) member Prapan Naigowit said the EC has  completed preparations to hold a general election on any single day  between June 26 and July 3.

Mr Prapan, commissioner in charge of  election administration, said he believed the Constitution Court would  finish its examination of the three election-related bills by the time  the royal decree takes effect. The bills were passed by parliament but  require verification by the charter court.

If the royal decree is  announced before the Constitution Court finishes its work, the EC could  still delay two or three days before fixing a period of five days for  the registration of candidates under the party list system and another  five days for candidates in the constituency system.

The  commissioner warned political parties to check their lists of  candidates, because in the past some candidates were found to be running  for more than one party.

Chart Thai Pattana Party spokesman  Watchara Kannikar said his party would field candidates in about 100 of  the 375 new single-seat constituencies in the general election.

Mr  Watchara said if the House of Representatives is dissolved next week,  the party expects candidate registration to be from May 23 to 29 and  that the people will go to the polls on July 3.

The party would field a full 125 candidates in the party list system, and expected to get five to 10 seats.

In the constituency representation system, the party would field only about 100 candidates.

The  spokesman said the party's executive committee members would not run in  either the constituency or party-list system, to avoid taking the risk  of the party being dissolved for electoral fraud.

A large number  of respondents in a latest survey conducted by Suan Dusit Poll said  parties which receive the biggest number of votes overall should be  given first chance to form the new government after the general  election.

The pollster surveyed 1,343 people in Bangkok and nearby provinces from May 1 to 5.

The  idea of allowing parties which gather the highest number of votes to  form a government was supported by 42.75 of the respondents; 37.02 per  cent said the party with the highest number of MPs from both the  single-MP constituencies and the party list should be given the chance;  while 20.23 per cent said the winner in the single-MP constituency  system should have first go.

To a question whether a party which  does not get the highest vote should be allowed to form a government,  over half (56.02 per cent) said it should be able to do so if it could  put together a majority coalition, while 43.98 per cent said the party  which does not come first should not be allowed to do that.

On  who should be prime minister, 53.69 per cent said the leader of a party  which does not have the most votes could still lead the government if he  or she is capable enough and is supported by MPs or other parties which  form a coalition, but 46.31 per cent felt this would not respond to the  needs of the people.

Asked about their concerns after the  election, 46.04 per cent said possible chaos caused by those who did not  accept the election results, 30.12 per cent said the new government  would certainly face a lot of social, political and economic problems,  and 23.84 per cent pointed to the improper conduct of politicians.

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## TizMe

What's the point, if the wrong party wins then the military will just get rid of them and put who they want in anyway.

They should just limit voting to the Generals.

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## SteveCM

^^^



> If the Pheu Thai Party is acceptable to the majority of Thai people, they army would have no reason not to accept it, Gen Prayuth said.


Care to define "majority", General?




> The mnilitary will accept the outcome if the Pheu Thai Party is able to form the next government after the general election, army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Friday


Of course, if enough MPs are "nobbled" and/or the EC/courts render it impossible for a PT government to form/survive..... then the question of the military accepting one becomes rather academic.

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## Bangyai

Bit of a hobsons choice for the electorate any way you look at it. They've got 55 potential parties to choose from but the only option they _havn't_ got is one that would be squeeky clean if elected.

The Thai electorate have often stated in polls ( ABAC etc ) that they don't mind a bit of graft so long as the country moves forward and the crumbs falling from the political table are enough for most people to get by on.

Nonetheless , if you're about to get buggered , it would be nice to have a free say on who's going to be doing it without the military sticking their oar in if they don't like the look of the tackle of whoevers elected.

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## dirtydog

> Care to define "majority", General?


I think you will find he thinks that "majority" is plural for army majors.

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## Butterfly

let's hope there is a coup, they fully deserve it

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## StrontiumDog

*Thaksin offers easy credit, credit cards for taxi drivers
*
*Thaksin offers easy credit, credit cards for taxi drivers*

                            By Praphan Chindalert-udomdee
The Nation
                                             Published on May 7, 2011                


*Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday  promised his taxi-driver vote base he would launch a tax refund campaign  for first-time car buyers, credit cards for taxi drivers and personal  loans that allow cross guarantees.*

                                                            Through video-link at Imperial World Lat Phrao, Thaksin  and some Pheu Thai MPs listened to problems raised by an audience of  taxi and motorcycle taxi drivers and told them how the party would help.

"Farmers  will be getting credit cards, now taxi drivers should get them, too,"  Thaksin said. The credit card would be for fuel costs, Thaksin said,  adding that he did not want to give out details for fear that rival  parties would copy the policies.

Bangkok MP Anudith Nakornthap  said the tax refund campaign would be provided for first-time car  buyers, no matter whether the car was for personal use or to be hired.  Excise tax would be cut so car prices would fall.

Thaksin gave the  example that the cost of a new taxi could be reduced from Bt900,000 to a  little over Bt600,000 after the excise tax refund.

Addressing the  problem of drivers being unable to get loans to buy taxis as they could  not find a guarantor, Thaksin said his policies would allow fellow taxi  drivers to cross guarantee for the loans, even though they were all  borrowers.

Thaksin said if Pheu Thai formed the government, he  would reorganise government agencies and stop the practice of positions  being brought, which was corruption that led to officers bullying taxi  drivers.

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## StrontiumDog

*Return Happiness to Thais: Peau Thai Pre-Election Sign*

  			 				Posted on May 7, 2011 by admin 


(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)
 The sign reads: Return Happiness to Thais – Return democracy to the people – Puea Thai Party

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## StrontiumDog

tulsathit: Chalerm: I'll quit politics forever if Dems win

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## StrontiumDog

*Will Election End or Exasperate Political Instability in Thailand? | Asian Correspondent
*
*Will Election End or Exasperate Political Instability in Thailand?*

_By Siam Voices May 07, 2011 9:28PM UTC_ 

_by James Goyder_

 An election is imminent with the Kingdom of Thailand crying out for a  government which is democratically elected without requiring the  intervention of either the military,the judiciary or a public protest.

 Even the most staunch supporter of incumbent Prime Minister Abhisit  Vejjajiva and his Democrat Party could not argue that they came to  control the country through conventional means. Firstly Thaksin  Shinawatra, the man whose shadow still looms large over the Thai  political landscape, was deposed in the most unconstitutional of manners  through a good old fashioned military coup.

 Then the People’s Power Party, effectively the reincarnation of  Shinawatra’s banned Thai Rak Thai party, won 226 out of 480 seats at the  subsequent election, with the Democrats coming a distant second  claiming just 166 seats. Although the PPP  fell short of a clear  majority they were still able to form a coalition government with the  aid of a number of smaller parties.

 At this point the judiciary and the People’s Alliance for  Democracy came to the Democrat’s rescue. The former disqualified a  number of candidates for electoral fraud, most of them belonging to the  PPP, although one Democrat was ‘yellow carded’. The latter then began a  series of protests against the PPP which resulted in the closure of both  Bangkok airports as well as those in Phuket, Krabi and Hat Yai.

 Prime Minister and PPP leader Samak Sundaravej was under immense  pressure but refused to stand down despite the fact that tourism in  Thailand, a cornerstone of the country’s economy, was in danger of  grinding to a standstill. Once again it was the judiciary that  ultimately made the vital intervention when the Constitutional Court of  Thailand found that Samak had violated the constitution by receiving  payment for hosting two cooking TV shows. His premiership was  immediately terminated leaving the PPP in disarray and ultimately  allowing the Democrat Party to form their own coalition government.

 The continual lack of clarity which has become a trademark of Thai  politics is unlikely to be abated by the forthcoming election. The  latest incarnation of Thai Rak Thai, the Pheu Thai Party, retains a  strong base of support, primarily in northern Thailand and is expected  to win a similar number of seats to the ruling Democrat Party.

 It is unlikely that either the Democrats or Pheu Thai will be able to  win a decisive majority meaning that, once again, private negotiations  with the smaller parties could settle the outcome of the election.   There are already dark mutterings about the power wielded by the  ‘invisible hand’ of a handful of influential individuals suspected of  holding more power than the actual Prime Minister. In this context the  prospect of a government being formed through behind the scenes  political manouvering is not one elements of the electorate will find  particularly palatable.

 Last time around the PAD took to the streets to protest against, and  ultimately oust, an elected government that they disapproved of. Today  the PAD appears a spent force, a list of demands for extreme military  action against Cambodia has not proved a populist manifesto and they  recently ann0unced that they would be boycotting the election. This had  all the hallmarks of a futile gesture as support for the ‘yellow shirts’  appears to be dwindling and any reference to allegiance to the  monarchy, which has been a cornerstone of PAD policy, would be in breach  of a recently imposed Electoral Commission ban.

 Once vociferous supporters of Vejjajiva the PAD are now openly  contemptuous of the Prime Minister and are also sworn enemies of  Shinawatra and, consequentially, Pheu Thai. They are effectively stuck  between a rock and a hard place and the days when they wielded the sort  of power which could bring down a government appear long gone.

 It is the red, rather than the yellow shirts, who loom largest over  the Thai political landscape in 2011. Their lack of popularity in the  south is a potentially insurmountable impediment towards winning a  decisive majority but the north of the country is a Pheu Thai stronghold  in which Democrats, quite literally in certain instances, fear to  tread.

 Any party calling itself the United Front for Democracy Against  Dictatorship (UDD) should be placated by an election but the UDD are  already aggrieved that, while the PAD were able to achieve a change of  government through a largely peaceful protest, their attempts to do  something similar were met with a heavy handed approach which resulted  in the loss of 91 lives last year. A controversial enquiry which  exonerated the army of all blame will have done nothing to appease the  UDD who have never forgiven the armed forces for ousting Shinawatra in  the first place.

 Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban was recently forced to deny  accusations that the cabinet’s last minute approval of populist projects  costing tens of billions of Baht was effectively state sponsored vote  buying. There is nothing unusual about a government looking to boost its  popularity with an election imminent but it is unlikely that this is  the last accusation of corruption we will hear between now and the  election, which is tentatively scheduled for July 3rd.

 With the margins between success and failure for both the main  political parties likely to be thin any sort of corruption related  disqualifications could be decisive meaning that the judiciary could  have a key role to play in deciding the composition of the next  government.

 There is so much potential for dissatisfaction that Thailand could be  a combustible place in the aftermath of the election. Despite their  protestations to the contrary the army will not be relishing the  prospect of Pheu Thai being given a political platform to allow  Shinawatra to return and potentially even re-open the investigation into  events which led to the deaths of 91 people on the streets of Bangkok  last year.

 If Pheu Thai candidates are penalized for electoral irregularities,  as their PPP predecessors were, the UDD could well see this as a cynical  intervention by those allied to the Democrat party. It is questionable  whether there are any circumstances under which the UDD will quietly  accept another Democrat led government and if they perceive there to be  any sort of impropriety the red shirts could take to the streets again.

 A well conducted, corruption free election which produces a clear cut  winner could dispel much of the instability which hangs over the  Kingdom. The slightest suggestion of controversy would have completely  the opposite effect and the eyes of the international community will be  upon Thailand when the ballot boxes are being counted this July.

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## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255405070014

Democrat unveils policies for BKK       *  

BANGKOK, 7 May 2011  (NNT) – The ruling Democrat Party has launched its election policies for  the capital of Bangkok, aiming to improve people’s quality of life,  eradicate drugs, solve traffic congestion and ensure future stability. 

Mr Apirak Kosayodhin, as head of the Democrat Party’s election center in  Bangkok, introduced the press to the party’s campaign policies for the  capital, most of which had already been adopted by the Government. He  announced that the policies ranged from the enhancement of Bangkokians’  quality of life through salary and minimum wage increases and expense  reduction to narcotic suppression with the help from special units,  police and public volunteers.  

Moreover, the Democrat Party has set a target to tackle traffic problems  and upgrade the transportation system in the city, including electric  trains, public buses and river boats. Another area of focus is to ensure  sustainable security for people through various instruments, such as  free education, homes for the poor and pension funds.

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## SteveCM

^^
Disappointing piece from James Goyder - not one new or useful insight - and it just reads like a "backgrounder" summary for those who come fresh to the subject. I'm surprised that Siam Voices even accepted it.

I assume "exasperate" in the title is meant to be "exacerbate"?

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## Bangyai

> *Democrat unveils policies for BKK* 
> 
> BANGKOK, 7 May 2011 (NNT)  The ruling Democrat Party has launched its election policies for the capital of Bangkok, aiming to improve peoples quality of life, eradicate drugs, solve traffic congestion and ensure future stability.


Offering some of the things Phua Thai used to focus on. Unfortunately, PT have now moved on and Thaksin is offering much more tangible things like credit cards , cheaper cars etc.. 

The Democrats will need to promise the moon if they want to keep up.

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## sabang

^ There is most certainly a discernible Thaksin effect in both parties platforms. Playing to the electorate then- I see that as more good than bad actually. Certainly, takkie delivered on his election promises previously, and that explains a lot of his enduring popularity.
Did Thaksin _really_ promise 'Bullet trains' though, as the Bk Press said, or merely high speed trains?  :Confused: 
You wouldn't catch me on a Thai bullet train.

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## SteveCM

> Certainly, takkie delivered on his election promises previously.....


Well - not all of them, obviously. I've lost count of how many times the ritual chorus of "What about that one about fixing Bangkok's traffic problems in six months?" has sent me off to sleep......  :Sleeping1: 

Apparently, that's enough to justify ignoring the promises that _were_ substantially kept - albeit not all of them in instant, perfect Swiss watch running order. The familiar "Campaign in poetry, govern in prose" springs to mind.

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## sabang

He certainly lifted the bar though, in terms of delivering on what he promised.
I'll put the Bullet train spiel in the same file as 'ending Bangkok's traffic problems in six months' then.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 
Of course, those of us that can remember Bangkoks nightmare traffic in the mid 90's also know that Thaksin's transport infrastructure actually did make a difference.

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## Bangyai

> Originally Posted by sabang
> 
> Certainly, takkie delivered on his election promises previously.....
> 
> 
> Well - not all of them, obviously. I've lost count of how many times the ritual chorus of "What about that one about fixing Bangkok's traffic problems in six months?" has sent me off to sleep...... 
> 
> Apparently, that's enough to justify ignoring the promises that _were_ substantially kept - albeit not all of them in instant, perfect Swiss watch running order. The familiar "Campaign in poetry, govern in prose" springs to mind.


Well that was something new to Thai politics at the time. Saying and trying to do.

Just thinking about things in the U.K and the U.S

How often do politicians deliver on all their promises or renege on one ?

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## Tom Sawyer

> There won't be any jiggery pokery. This will be a proper and free election and anyone who says otherwise is a tin-foil-hatted conspiracy theorist.


I guess you're joking? If not, you'll never make 'correspondent' on those instincts mate.

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## StrontiumDog

ThaiElection11   ThaiElection2011                                                                  

            Army Chief Prayuth has  instructed army not to be involved in any vote-counting activity to  avoid being dragged into possible controversy.

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## StrontiumDog

veen_NT   veena T.                                               

            "Fuel Credit Card" that Pheu Thai Party to give to motorcycle taxis if elected

yfrog Photo : http://yfrog.com/h4uaepzj Shared by veen_NT

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## Tom Sawyer

> ThaiElection11 ThaiElection2011 
> 
> Army Chief Prayuth has instructed army not to be involved in any vote-counting activity to avoid being dragged into possible controversy.


If ever an Asian general election needed international monitors - this is the one.

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## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

 
ThaiElection11   ThaiElection2011                                               

       Snippet: Suthep gives Democrat's MP candidates CDs of Abhisit speech so they can talk at election campaign like him. #ThaiElection

1 hour ago

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## SteveCM

^
 :rolleyes5:   You really, really couldn't make this stuff up.....

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## Mid

englishspeakingsuccess.com

 :mid:

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## Tom Sawyer

> From Twitter today:
> 
> Snippet: Suthep gives Democrat's MP candidates CDs of Abhisit speech so they can talk at election campaign like him. #ThaiElection


Tell SD to change his signature - it should now read:

"The monkey's strings are pulled, the Democrats dance too"

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## StrontiumDog

^ I'm good, I like my signature. It sum things up beautifully...

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## StrontiumDog

*Don't betray people: Chuan
*
*Don't betray people: Chuan*

                            By Kornchanok Raksaseri 
The Nation  on Sunday
                                             Published on May 15, 2011                


*Chief adviser of Democrat Party tells MP hopefuls not to ruin voters' faith in democracy*

                                                            Democrat Party chief adviser Chuan Leekpai warned  members at a seminar yesterday preparing MP candidates for the election  not to spoil people's faith in democracy. 

"Don't depress people  by condemning democracy. Don't ruin their hope," he said. "Don't let  personal evil ruin the [democracy] system. There are some bad people and  good people sharing the country." 

Chuan, a former Democrat  leader and ex-premier, quoted a popular saying of His Majesty King  Bhumibol - that it was impossible to make all the people good, but it is  important to let good people rule. 

Although the party said it  had not finalised its list of MP candidates, the event even drew  candidates switching from other parties. They include Jumpot Boonyai  from Pheu Thai Party, former deputy education minister Chaiyos  Chiramethakorn and Nikom Chaokittisophon from Puea Pandin Party, as well  as new members like comedian Thanupong Sakthanawat or "Kluay Choenyim".  

Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the unfinished selection of  constituency and party-list MP candidates would be considered tomorrow. 

At  the event, titled "Move on with policies for the people", Abhisit  stressed readiness to continue or start implementation of policies as a  strength of the Democrats once it becomes government, compared to the  Pheu Thai Party, which he said might spend time bringing its de facto  leader [Thaksin] back to the country without having to serve time in  jail. 

Abhisit and former ministers talked about policies his  government had implemented and would implement for MP candidates to  promote during their campaigns. 

The policies include those on  education, the community's use and management of public land, the price  guarantees for crops, community welfare, solving problems in the restive  South and drug eradication. 

Chuan, one of the highlighted  speakers, told the politicians to do their duty as best they could and  to consider any criticism they receive. 

"Don't worry, no matter  if you win the election or not. Losing an election never kills a  candidate. In the worst case, a candidate is killed before the  election," he said, drawing laughs for his black joke. 

One duty  of MPs was telling people the truth, he said. "We must be brave and tell  people what the obstacles and problems of democracy - the  administration system we have chosen - are. 

"In the past, we saw  the military as a problem, as a military coup occurred occasionally. But  [the military] is not the problem nowadays," Chuan said. He cited  political business as the current threat to Thai politics. 

He  told the Democrats to be measured in their words, not to speak  carelessly and to stress legitimacy and accountability. However, he  warned the candidates of dirty tactics their opponents might use,  including sending people disguised as assistants, who might break the  law and try to frame some candidates. 

Earlier, Thawil Praison  noted important laws for the election, and told candidates to be very  careful in the people they select to work with. 

Party adviser  Banyat Bantadtan told the Democrats to follow the poll laws, to educate  people so they understand the importance and role of MPs, and understand  various problems but have the determination to solve them. 

In  accordance with Abhisit's remark, Banyat told the Democrats to tell  people the upcoming election is very important, as it will determine the  direction of the country and its politics. 

Abhisit left the  event early yesterday with a dose of the flu. His spokesman Thepthai  Senapong said it was caused by Abhisit doing a lot of travelling,  changing weather and lacking proper rest.

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## nostromo

> ^
>   You really, really couldn't make this stuff up.....


Yes, they could not do Marks British accent

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## nostromo

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> A Red Shirt Democracy Movement rally is currently underway in front of the jail where their leaders are being confined.
> 
> 
> shoot them,


Sick. You belgian bastards have no power in the world but want to shoot others.

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## Butterfly

quite an accurate ad, I wonder who they had in mind for the monkey and buffalo  :Smile:

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## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : 'Thaksin whitewash main aim of pheu thai'
*
*'Thaksin whitewash main aim of pheu thai'*
Published: 15/05/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News

 The Democrat Party will take the fight to the opposition in the opening days of the election campaign.

 Democrat heavyweight Korbsak Sabhavasu said that in this early stage  of the campaign, his party will discuss what is wrong with Pheu Thai  Party's priorities and platform rather than campaigning on its own  record in office.

 He said the opposition party's priority was not implementing its  policy platform but whitewashing the reputation of former prime minister  Thaksin Shinawatra, the party's de facto leader.

 Several of the party's proposals looked impractical and their  implementation would come at the expense of other schemes, he said.

 Democrats discussed their campaign strategy at a party seminar yesterday, chaired by party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva.

 Mr Abhisit told candidates for his party that the election would boil  down to a choice between him and Pheu Thai's likeliest pick for prime  minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's youngest sister.

 As he delivered his speech, a projector screen displayed his photo  taken with farmers against a picture of Ms Yingluck taken with red  shirts.

 "We will offer policy and candidates to voters but no matter what  they like, what they will get is either the Democrats or Pheu Thai; me,  or Yingluck," he said.

 "At the end of the day it all comes down to this. This is what they will choose for Thailand," he said.

 Pheu Thai is likely to decide on its candidate for prime minister, widely tipped to be Ms Yingluck, tomorrow.

 He said it was worth asking whether Pheu Thai's policy platforms could be implemented upon assuming office.

 He voiced scepticism over some Pheu Thai proposals including plans to  increase the minimum labour wage to 300 baht a day, to distribute  tablet PCs to 12 million students, and to scrap product price guarantee  schemes.

 "Handing out PCs doesn't prove the party can elevate education standards. We need to invest in teachers and students.

 "This is the difference between a platform and a vote-canvassing promise," he said.

 He also doubted that Pheu Thai could put its campaign promises into  practice even if it won the election and formed the next government.

 He said the Pheu Thai would have to focus on how to bring Thaksin  back and it was hard to say how long it would take to whitewash Thaksin.  "How many months or years will it waste in the process of bringing him  back?" he asked.

 He admitted the race would be exceptionally tight and every  constituency would count. A win by a margin as small of 4-5 seats could  decide the country's fate.

 Democrat executive Sathit Pitutecha yesterday called on the Election  Commission to examine how Pheu Thai candidates were paying for their  campaigns.

 He said he was sceptical about their sources of finance, because the opposition had seldom raised funds.

 Meanwhile, former Pheu Thai MP Jumpot Boonyai has defected to the  Democrats and will contest the election in Sakon Nakhon. It had been  reported that he would join the key coalition Bhumjaithai Party.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Pollsters warn against politically steered surveys
*
*Pollsters warn against politically steered surveys*

Published: 15/05/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Leading pollsters have warned voters not to fall for biased opinion surveys in the lead-up to the July 3 general election.

 Noppadol Kannikar, director of Abac Poll at Assumption University, said voters should not believe everything that polls predict.

 They should choose parties and candidates that match their  expectations. Opinion surveys should be just one of many factors they  take into account when deciding how to vote.

 "Some polls are about spreading the party word. Parties send staff to  people's homes or telephone them. Instead of sounding out their  opinions, they spread false information," he said.

 Some parties use the polls to discredit their opponents and increase their own popularity to attract donations from financiers.

 Mr Noppadol said some educational institutes also produce "shoddy" polls which fail to meet standards.

 "Results of these polls amount to mere conjecture," he said.

 The polls must be reliable. For example, respondents must be drawn  from a wide range of social and economic groups. He said the media  should examine poll results carefully before publishing them.

 Mr Noppadol said voters should look at the background of pollsters.  He cautioned against pollsters whose closeness to parties could  compromise their ability to be impartial. It is possible the respondents  were hired by the parties, he added.

 Mr Noppadol said Abac Poll would gauge views on party lists, on party  policies, and on factors influencing voters' choice of candidates. It  will also conduct an exit poll.

 Sukhum Chaloeysap, director of Suan Dusit Poll, said voters should  not believe polls that prematurely predict electoral victory by a  particular party.

 He also said pollsters should be wary of the implications of their surveys for social divisions and electoral fairness.

 He said Suan Dusit Poll would survey voters before candidates are  registered, after they register, and close to the election day. It will  also conduct an exit poll.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Election offers political charade wrapped in a populist package
*
*Election offers political charade wrapped in a populist package*
Published: 15/05/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 If despair could talk, it would not waste its breath on the next general election.

 This election will supposedly spoil us for choice. It is supposed to  keep us absorbed with the policies and personalities of the ruling  Democrats, the Pheu Thai, Bhumjaithai, Chart Thai Pattana, Chart Pattana  Puea Pandin and Matubhum parties.

 Never mind the labels. Many of those politicians are shameless party-hoppers with no apparent loyalty except to themselves.

 Many politicians regard their seats are a legacy to be passed on to  family and relatives and there is nothing the law can do about it.

 Sons, daughters, brothers and sisters ride on the crest of influence and wealth which those MPs have gained while in office.

 They compete for office to assert their claims to places in party factions which bargain for a share of ministerial seats.

 The seats can open doors to immense wealth for those given  responsibility for state projects, and part of that wealth is needed to  finance the next round of elections.

 Hardly anyone is held to account for such potential power abuses. If  the arm of the law does not stretch far enough, social sanctions against  the abusers are always possible.

 Yet few voters resist a politician's blandishments. Hardly, if ever,  do the voters decline their generous offer of a few water tanks and some  pocket money on the eve of election day, paid for with their wealth  gained while in office.

 Elections are fascinating to watch as they unfold because they are  essentially a combination of arts and science. Candidates enthrall  voters with their appeal heightened by looks, gift of the gab or social  status.

 Some parties enlist the help of celebrities and movie stars. It is all an electoral facade, a show put on to entice voters.

 And some voters are none the wiser as they are served up a political charade wrapped in a populist package.

 A few MPs short of a parliamentary majority could threaten the smooth  formation of government, possibly giving birth to another crop of  renegade MPs who break ranks and join rival parties to establish a  competing coalition administration.

 The late premier Samak Sundaravej vented his anger at the MPs of his  Prachakorn Thai Party led by Vatana Asavahame, now a fugitive in exile,  who defied the party line and handed a desperate Democrat-led alliance  the last dozen seats needed to bring a government into being.

 Call it betrayal or backstabbing but there is no guarantee we will not see more so-called cobra MPs at this election.

 Many parties are competing for House seats but none of them is likely to capture an outright majority.

 That leads us down the same old path of yet another coalition  government which comes with the usual intense lobbying by the Democrats  or Pheu Thai to get smaller parties on their side so they can form a  government.

 Bhumjaithai, with its unmonitored access to the country's main  administrative power house at the Interior Ministry, could do well this  time around. The party will probably stick with the Democrats, after de  facto leader Newin Chidchob turned his back on former prime minister  Thaksin Shinawatra last time around, and switched sides to help the  Democrats take office.

 The Democrat-Bhumjaithai tie-up could still fall short of a majority, however.

 They would then need to woo third parties. Voters also have a third  choice, which is not to vote for any party on the ballot sheet, as urged  by the People's Alliance for Democracy.

 Nothing new is likely to unfold at this election, as politics is no  cleaner three years after the Democrats took power. It is a deja vu all  over again.

----------


## StrontiumDog

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

            Deputy PM Suthep claims PM's  popularity is greater than that of Yingluck; not surprised that Thaksin  has moved closer to Thailand

----------


## Tom Sawyer

^ and ^^ and ^^^ and ^^^^

Relentless, anti-red propaganda. Not a pro-populist pro-working class opinion piece or article yet. But the ABAC guy telling people not to believe polls takes the cake.

----------


## Butterfly

sadly, there is no real "socialist" movement here, only working poor hoping to get rich in 6 months thanks to Thaksin,

oh the irony,

----------


## StrontiumDog

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

            ABAC Poll: Democrat's policies more popular than Pheu Thai's in all aspects

----------


## Mid

*Election Thailand: Phuket voters face postal vote farce*
                               Pimwara Choksakulpan
Saturday,  May 14,  2011

_
Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha on Wednesday._

*PHUKET:* All Thais who cast ballots by post in the  general election four years ago will have to return to their home  provinces to cast regular ballots in the general election on July 3.

Phuket  Governor Tri Augkaradacha announced the voting conundrum on Wednesday  after a closed-door meeting with the Phuket Provincial Election  Commission.

“People who submitted a request to cast an absentee  ballot in the last election must cancel that request; otherwise, they  will not have the right to vote on July 3,” Gov Tri explained.

Cancelling the “request” involves travelling in person to the province where the citizen is registered to vote.

No  province stands to be more greatly affected than Phuket, where the  migrant worker population is thought to equal or even exceed the  registered population, even by official estimates.

There may be some light at the end of the tunnel, however.

“The Election Commission in Bangkok is considering allowing people to cancel the request by email,” Gov Tri said.

Hopefully, a reasonable solution to the problem will be announced next week, he added.

The  Phuket Election Commission office, on Amphur Road in Phuket Town, will  be open every day, including weekends and public holidays, from May 18,  Gov Tri added.                                                                             

phuketgazette.net

----------


## SteveCM

*Military showing concerns over the spread of ecstasy during election : National News Bureau of Thailand*

15 May 2011  (NNT)

The Commander of the 3rd Army, Lieutenant General Wannathip  Wongwai has insisted that the military has the policy not to get  involved in politics while expressing his concerns over the spread of  ecstasy during the election. 

Lieutenant General Wannathip reiterated that the military would not get  involved in the political campaigns and always remain neutral. He added  that the 3rd Army would open its door if any of the political party  would like to visit the camp for political campaigns. In addition, the Commander of the 3rd Army said he would provide  assistance to the Election Commission if a helicopter was needed to  transport ballot boxes to the remote areas. 

 Meanwhile, he brushed off the rumors stating that the Internal Security  Operations Command had tried to intervene in the political campaign in  the northern region, saying that it was only an attempt to mislead the  public. 

As for drug abuse issue, he said  family bond would be promoted in the  5-fence scheme to deter youths from resorting to drugs. He said it was  unlikely for any politicians to abuse illicit substances, adding that  they would be penalized if found in the possession of narcotics.                               



                         Reporter : NUPPOL SUVANSOMBUT

----------


## SteveCM

^



> Meanwhile, he brushed off the rumors stating that the Internal Security Operations Command had tried to intervene in the political campaign in the northern region, saying that it was only an attempt to mislead the public.


Which leaves one wondering whether the "it" in this sentence refers to the "rumors" or to what ISOC are doing.....

As for the drugs bit, it does remind one of Gadhafi's early comments about the Libyans who rose up against his rule. Let's hope that this isn't the start of a PR campaign to paint inconvenient election returns as the result of many of the voters being "on drugs".....

Nice of him to offer the use of the RTA's helicopters. Let's also hope that there's room in them for enough watchful eyes to ensure that the ballot boxes are unloaded from them in the same state as when they were put on board.

----------


## SteveCM

^^^
If this decision is allowed to stand, the (promised) election - which we are told by no less a figure than the caretaker PM will be "very close" - looks seriously compromised before it even takes place.

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : P.Thai unveils more list MP candidates*

         Breakingnews          >                

Published: 15/05/2011 at 02:41 PMOnline news: Local News
                                 Leader of the opposition Pheu Thai Party  Yongyuth Wichaidit on Sunday unveiled three additional party list MP  candidates, reports said.

 The candidates are former director of the Budget Bureau Banthoon  Supukvanich, former governor of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of  Thailand Prapat Jongsanguan and well-known columnist Pol Capt Nitiphum  Nawarat.

 The function, held at the opposition camps headquarters in Bangkok,  was attended by the partys core members including former police chief  Pol Gen Pracha Promnok, Deputy House Speaker Col Apiwan Wiriyachai and  deputy leader Plodprasop Surassawadee.

 It was reported that the youngest sister of ousted prime minister  Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck, will later this afternoon come to the  headquarter to apply for running for the party list MP of the opposition  party.

 Pheu Thai will hold a meeting tomorrow to decide who will be the No.1  party list candidate and also the candidate for the prime minister  post.

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Dems to unveil party list MP candidates*
Published: 15/05/2011 at 03:14 PMOnline news: Politics
                                 The consideration in selecting party list MP  candidates of the Democrat Party will be finalized on Monday, May 16,  Deputy Prime Minister and party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said  on Sunday.

 Whether or not the name list of the candidates will be made known to  the general public tomorrow rests on the decision of Prime Minister and  party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, he said.

 Mr Suthep was confident that Mr Abhisit will receive more support for  the prime minister post from people than Yingluck Shinawatra, the  youngest sister of Thaksin.

 He claimed that most people supported Mr Abhisit because they  considered him as a new generation leader that had successfully brought  the country out of political and economic crises.

 Ms Yingluck has no political experience and therefore I believe the  people will support Mr Abhisit to further lead the country, said Mr  Suthep.

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

 
ThaiElection11   ThaiElection2011                                               

       Democrats are drumming up  their challenge to Yingluck to have public debate w/ Abhisit. Samak used  to ignore such challenge and it worked.

10 minutes ago

----------


## Butterfly

> Democrats are drumming up their challenge to Yingluck to have public debate w/ Abhisit. Samak used to ignore such challenge and it worked.


with Samak, it made sense, but with her as a rookie, it will just look like she can't do the job, and she won't

anyway she is a proxy, not a real candidate

----------


## sabang

This is pretty sobering stuff for the Dem's, but even more so for BJT-




_The Esan Centre for Business and Economic Research (ECBER) at Khon Kaen University conducted a survey on “The Coming Election: Who will be elected by Isan People” by seeking opinions from 2,354 people in 20 provinces of the Northeast from April 28 to May 3._

It is gratifying to see the Democrats beaten by Puea Thai better than 3:1… but even more so to see Newin beaten better than 7:1, with less than half the support the Democrats are able to muster. Of course the only poll that counts is the one on…


The Coming Election: Who will be elected by Isan People | robinlea

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Abhisit ready for political debate with Yingluck; Puea Thai introduces more party list MPs
*
*Abhisit ready for political debate with Yingluck; Puea Thai introduces more party list MPs*

  วันอาทิตย์ ที่ 15 พ.ค. 2554
 

‪BANGKOK, May 15 -- The ruling Democrat Party today challenged  Yingluck Shinawatra, expected to become the top candidate on the party  list of major opposition Puea Thai Party, to a political debate with its  leader, caretaker Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, as election  campaigns are becoming heated on the eve of a general election to be  held in Thailand on July 3.

 Spokesman of the Democrat Party Buranat Samuttharak said his party is  ready for the general election, especially with backing party’s leader  Abhisit to become prime minister again after the election and that Mr  Abhisit is prepared to display his vision through a political debate  with Ms Yingluck, the youngest sister of ousted prime minister Thaksin  Shinawatra, on any platform.

 Mr Thaksin, now living in self-imposed exile mostly in Dubai, was  sentenced to a two-year imprisonment for an improper land purchase deal  in Bangkok’s prime business area while in power. He was ousted from  office following a bloodless coup on September 19, 2006.

 Whether Miss Yingluck will become the top candidate on Puea Thai’s party  list MP is still uncertain as the party is scheduled to hold a meeting  tomorrow whereby members will choose the number one candidate for the  party list, which means if the party wins a clear majority of seats in  the upcoming election, he or she will automatically become the next  prime minister.

 Meanwhile, Puea Thai Party today introduced three more candidates  running under its party list card. The trio are Praphat Jongsanguan,  former governor of the state-run Mass Rapid Transit Authority of  Thailand, Bantoon Supakwanit, ex-chief of the Budget Bureau, and  newspaper columnist Nitipoom Naowarat. (MCOT online news)

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255405150011

Pheu Thai claimed PM Abhisit misled the public in his speech  *  

BANGKOK, 15 May 2011  (NNT)-Deputy Leader of the Pheu Thai Party, Prodprasob Surasawadee has  dismissed claims by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva saying that the  Pheu Thai Party will not be able to form the government even if it wins  the majority votes. 

He also denied another claim which the Prime Minister made during his  political campaign in Ratchaburi province which stated that Pol  Lieutenant Colonel Thaksin would be the sole commander of the Pheu Thai  Party and that this would defeat the purpose of holding an election.  

Mr. Prodprasob insisted that his party would not form the government if  it failed to receive the votes it needed. However, if his party forms  the government, Mr. Thaksin will be treated the same way as every one  else. The Deputy Leader of the Pheu Thai Party said he was confident  that his party would win over the Democrat Party by 40-50 seats.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255405150010

Pre-election day set on 26 June 2011                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          *  

BANGKOK, 15 May 2011  (NNT)-The Election Commission (EC) is ready to hold the election and  will be accepting applicants for party list MPs system beginning from  next Thursday while a pre-election date has been set on 26 June 2011. 

Election Commissioner on vote administration Mr. Prapan Naiyakowit said  the application process will be held at Bangkok Youth Center Thai-Japan  from 19-23 May, 2011. Meanwhile the application procedure for the  constituency MP will be taking place from 24-28 May, 2011. 

The pre-election date is expected to take place just one day on 26 June  2011 from 8.00 hrs – 15.00 hrs. Those who wish to exercise their rights  in advance need to provide the authority with reasons why they will not  be able to vote on the actual Election Day to receive the permission.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255405150008

Dusit Poll: Thai people want no candidates who brag and are dishonest in their campaign  *  

BANGKOK, 15 May 2011  (NNT)-The Suan Dusit Poll has revealed in the latest survey that the  respondents want nothing short of clean, honest and transparent  political campaign. 

In the survey of over 1,500 Thai people across the nation, the majority  of them have said in order for the candidates to win supports from  voters, they need to show honesty in their campaign. 

Meanwhile, 1 in every 4 of those who took the survey has said they need  to be able to reach out to people of all socio-economic backgrounds.  They must be friendly, consistent and have practical policies. In  addition to these, they must not exaggerate or make believe as well as  launch verbal attacks against their rivals and buy votes. 

When asked what would be the safest ways to run a campaign, most of the  respondents have said political parties should abide by the electoral  law while refraining from defaming their opponents and paying for votes.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^ Hoping for a lot!

No such thing as a clean, honest and transparent politician here...

----------


## StrontiumDog

> This is pretty sobering stuff for the Dem's, but even more so for BJT-


Old news, posted by, I think, SteveCM a while ago.

However, why is it sobering stuff? Did you expect anything else?

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

Rajprasong_News   Rajprasong_News                                               

            Correction Department is ready to take Jatuporn and Nisit to apply for MP candidacy - DNN

10 minutes ago

----------


## Butterfly

> However, why is it sobering stuff? Did you expect anything else?


there is no surprise, we all know that the issaan monkeys want their hero to save them from their misery and make them rich in 6 months

----------


## SteveCM

> This is pretty sobering stuff for the Dem's, but even more so for BJT-


Agreed. Oh - and what a great graphic!

----------


## sabang

> we all know that the issaan monkeys want their hero


And the northern and Bangkok monkeys by the look of things- the only place the Dem's have a majority is the south.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^^ I think you might need to go and clean your nose now Steve..

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> there is no surprise, we all know that the issaan monkeys want their hero to save them from their misery and make them rich in 6 months


Your definitely not the right person to be posting any references to monkeys "pupa"...  :rofl: 

Many of the monkeys you're referring to have far more brains in their arse than you'll ever have in your head!

----------


## sabang

Another graphic-



ABAC explains why Prayuth has ‘no reason not to accept it’ | robinlea

Yes, the 'news' is a week old- but I recall the Bangkok press comment on this Abac poll. "Democrats seen as more Transparent and Honest", they trumpeted. On the other five categories there was a distinct lack of comment.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world:

*Suthichai Yoon's personal journal: Abhisit says his main opponent is Yingluck...but is she?*

Sunday, May 15, 2011




He  might have jumped the gun but Abhisit Vejjajiva seemed determined to  pit himself against Yingluck Shinawatra in the next election. The real  battle, of course, is between him and Thaksin.

During the  briefing session with the Democrat Party's candidates yesterday, the  Democrat leader did not hesitate to compare himself to Yingluck,  assuming that he could beat her in all areas despite the fact that it  still wasn't confirmed whether she will really be the No 1 on the Pheau  Thai's party list, which is due to be unveiled tomorrow.

The  Democrats apparently are ready to do battle with Yingluck, hoping to  convince voters to choose between Abhisit's political experience and  Yingluck's image of a novice in politics. "It's a choice between  continuity and uncertainty," Abhisit told his party members. That  appears to be the theme of the Democrat Party's campaign.

Thaksin,  of course, has gone all out fo instruct his Pheau Thai Party candidates  to get out and tell voters that their livelihood will improve in six  months if they vote Pheau Thai in in a big way.

It would be interesting to hear from Thaksin how he is portraying his sister as his latest nominee. 

Yingluck could turn out to be Thaksin's trump card -- or his swan song, depending on how she performs in this crucial campaign.


    Posted by suthichaiyoon   at 6:37 PM

----------


## StrontiumDog

thai_intel   Terence Chulavachana                                               

#thaiElection pheu thai party says they have information of money transfer on ATM to voters & wants election commission investigate

-----
thai_intel   Terence Chulavachana                                               

#thaiElection  families slain civilian & protesters in last year crackdown says no  matter who comes to power they must bring accountability

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

thai_intel   Terence Chulavachana                                               

#thaiElections pheu thai party says mysterious person wire transfer funds into pheu thai canvases account to set party up for dissolution

1 hour ago

----------


## SteveCM

^^^
It strikes me that Abhisit impetuously rushing to challenge someone to a debate who isn't even _confirmed_ as being the opposition party's PM candidate yet is exactly the kind of nervy premature ejaculation that has characterised his schoolboy approach to office since taking it (OK - since being presented with it). 

Where's the self-assured, relaxed and confident "cool" he's supposed to exhibit? But then, even slick old-hand poker player Suthep seems rattled too.

----------


## Buksida

> *Bangkok Post : Election offers political charade wrapped in a populist package
> *
> *Election offers political charade wrapped in a populist package*
> Published: 15/05/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
>  This election will supposedly spoil us for choice.
> 
>  Never mind the labels. Many of those politicians are shameless party-hoppers with no apparent loyalty except to themselves.
> 
>  Nothing new is likely to unfold at this election, as politics is no  cleaner three years after the Democrats took power. It is a deja vu all  over again.


I edited it a bit, but the full article is worth a read and one of the few that speaks the truth.

The polls, graphs and campaigning are all a charade. The next govt will be a backroom deal, where the pigs will organize their places at the trough.

----------


## Butterfly

nice graph but popularity has nothing to do how seats are distributed in parliament,

a strong opposition is always a good sign in a democracy, and for that PT should be encouraged

something we didn't have under Thaksin brutal regime, as the Democrats were very weak

some "light" heads here still confuse popularity with Democracy,

----------


## Buksida

I don't suppose Yingluck has ever submitted an assets declaration?

----------


## SteveCM

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
> *Bangkok Post : Election offers political charade wrapped in a populist package
> *
> *Election offers political charade wrapped in a populist package*Published: 15/05/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsThis election will supposedly spoil us for choice.
> 
>  Never mind the labels. Many of those politicians are shameless party-hoppers with no apparent loyalty except to themselves.
> 
> ...


Largely agree with the article and with your comment. Certainly, the content of the campaigning (beyond the competing promised giveaways) is nearly all window-dressing or theatrical scenery - just as calling these consortia "coalitions" is supposed to convey the impression of compatible ideologies being the basis of them.

I wouldn't include the opinion polls as being fully part of the "charade". The published and, more particularly, the private polls - including the ones conducted by ISOC - are real enough in terms of being a weather-vane. Assessing which way the winds are blowing is vital for would-be MPs and other players to decide which way to jump. It also influences where behind-the-scenes backing will go - as well as where behind-the-scenes blocking actions will be focused. 

Lately, the main material effects of the polls appear to be to persuade previously wavering PT MPs that their safest course is to stay with what increasingly looks to be the winning team - and even attract non-PT MPs/factions to ally with them before the election..... while others continue to keep their options open as they wait for the actual seat count. If that seat count is anything like what's being indicated, I think we can expect a frenetic scramble from those others to climb on board the PT wagon and get a share of the ministry spoils before a rival does.

Frankly, I will always trust Thai politicians' well-developed sense of survival and of which way the winds are blowing more than I do the opinion polls themselves. Watch what most of the players do and you know most of what you need to.

One other caveat - I don't see it as _just_ a politicians' free-for-all at the post-election trough. I have this notional picture of there being somewhere a locked and guarded room full of filing cabinets - kind of like for J. Edgar Hoover's "library". In these cabinets, there are files on just about anyone and everyone thought to have clout/be "of interest" - particularly politicians. Of course, pretty much by definition, nearly all (why am I even saying "nearly"?) Thai politicians have dirty stuff they need kept quiet.

Following - or even before - the (promised) election, conversations are had with various of the key political figures..... mainly the MPs. The talk goes something like this: "See those filing cabinets? They contain files on all you MPs. There's a crackdown on corruption coming - the same as everyone has promised. Now, realistically, we can only deal with, say, 30-40 cases - so we'll have to choose which files to pull. Yours _could_ be one of them - or we could leave it in the drawer. Want to help us decide which? Now, things being what they are, if you were to see your way to joining others in voting for PM candidate "X"..... I have a feeling that your file will stay in the drawer. We might also find an interesting post for that younger brother of yours....." etc etc.

----------


## SteveCM

> I don't suppose Yingluck has ever submitted an assets declaration?


AFAIK, she having been formally outside politics before, there's been no need for one other than what's required for tax liability assessment.

IIRC, it will be a requirement if she's elected MP and is definitely required for parliamentary election to the PM's office - and (not sure about this) maybe even to stand as a candidate for MP.

Why do you ask?

----------


## Buksida

^ Because everyday Thais aren't subjecct to the same scrutiny as politicians. If there's irregularities, she may face court, as did her brother.

Interesting that everyone is quite on the idea of a debate. Rational argument would be a new concept not just Thai politics, but Thai culture as well.

Would probably have more potential to transform than ....colored shirts.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Yingluck's big week
*
*Yingluck's big week*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on May 16, 2011                


*Pheu Thai set to confirm her as its PM candidate today; to appear in public on Wed*

                                                            Elusive Yingluck Shinawatra faces a week in the public  spotlight. She is scheduled to introduce herself to Pheu Thai members as  their prime ministerial hope today and then meet a greater audience yet  on Wednesday to speak about her political plans and visions.

 The first public appearances by Thaksin Shinawatra's youngest sister  will come against the backdrop of an almost contemptuous challenge by  the Democrat Party. Abhisit Vejjajiva's party has dared Yingluck to a  public debate with him so voters can see who is more qualified to lead  Thailand out of its severe political trouble. 

 Democrat Party spokesman Buranat Samutarak, said yesterday the  Democrats welcomed Pheu Thai's move to unveil Yingluck as the No 1 on  its party candidate list, a position that makes her Abhisit's rival for  top office. 

 "It's good for people to see choices available to them," he said.  Buranat said Abhisit was ready to face Yingluck on any debating stages  because both are candidates to be prime minister and their policies will  shape the country's future.

 Prompong Nopparit, Pheu Thai Party spokesman, said both parties had  best focus on policies rather than debate. Debating would not serve the  public, but policies would, he claimed. 

 He said Pheu Thai Party members would endorse their candidate for the  No 1 slot on the party-list and the party's candidate for prime  minister today by a party vote.

 Pheu Thai MP Surapong Tovichakchaikul also said there was no need to  rush into a public debate with Abhisit. However, Surapong insisted that  Yingluck was a successful businesswoman and she would definitely go to  join a debate when she was ready.

 Surapong admitted that Yingluck was not an experienced debater. If  Abhisit wanted a debate, they could send Natthawut to the stage. "We  know Abhisit is very eloquent but his performance is poor. His talking  impresses, but his working does not."

 A source said Yingluck would attend a general meeting today of the  party executive board, which will recommend only one name - her's - for  the No 1 slot on the party-list. 

 After, Yingluck will speak about her political vision, and on  Wednesday she will make a public appearance when she reveals her  political vision at the Sheraton Grand on Sukhumvit. 

 If the election ballot was to take place today, the Democrats would  defeat Pheu Thai in proportionate votes due to the strength of its  campaign policies and the party-list of candidates, Abac Poll said after  releasing a nationwide survey yesterday.

 In polling of 2,447 respondents in 17 selected provinces representing  a nationwide sample, Abac found the Democrats had a clear lead despite a  margin of error of about 7 per cent.

 The approval rating for the Democrats' record for promoting the merit  system soared to 57 per cent, while Pheu Thai scored 35.7 per cent.

 The poll found almost 60 per cent were in favour of the Democrat's  road map for reconciliation, while 36 per cent opted for that of Pheu  Thai.

 In regard to policies to quell violence in the South, almost 56 per  cent voiced confidence in the Democrats compared to about 37 per cent  for Pheu Thai.

 About 56 per cent also said the Democrats had better policies on  children and youth. Some 38 per cent said they would prefer Pheu Thai's  platforms.

 The Abac poll gave the Democrats a huge lead on economic policies  based on the theory of a sufficiency economy by mustering the support of  58 per cent. 

 Pheu Thai received a mere 5.9 per cent of the respondents' vote on this.

 Some 54 per cent approved Democrat policies related to the armed forces. 

 Close to 39 per cent were in favour of Pheu Thai military policies.

 Almost 53 per cent were in favour of the Democrat's anti-graft policies, followed by about 40 per cent for Pheu Thai's.

 On the universal health care scheme, the poll found the Democrats led  Pheu Thai by 10 per cent. And they were ahead by more than 10 per cent  in regard to policies on energy and farming.

 The Abac poll said the Democrats received 45.5 per cent support for  its party-list candidates, compared to Pheu Thai's 36.4 per cent.

 Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said yesterday he was  confident the Democrats would secure a victory at the ballot under the  leadership of Abhisit Vejjajiva.

 Prime Minister Abhisit had far more experience than his Pheu Thai rival Yingluck Shinawatra, Suthep said.

 "For the past two years, Abhisit has proved capable of steering the  country to overcome economic and political crisis while Yingluck has not  done anything except appear on the red-shirt rally stage," he said.

 Rebutting Suthep's remarks, barred party executive Sudarat Keyuraphan  said she believed a female prime minister would have an innate ability  to foster compromise and reconciliation.

 Sudarat also dismissed speculation that former prime minister Thaksin  Shinawatra would evade a jail term if Pheu Thai Party won a landslide  victory, saying everyone was equal under the law.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Inexperienced Yingluck won't sway voters, says deputy prime minister
*
*Inexperienced Yingluck won't sway voters, says deputy prime minister*Published: 16/05/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsVoters won't be impressed by the prospect of  Pheu Thai's Yingluck Shinawatra taking office as the country's first  female prime minister, predicts Deputy Prime Minister and Democrat Party  secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban.

 
_Chuwit hocks his message_
_Chuwit Kamolvisit, leader of the Rak Prathet Thai (Love Thailand)  Party, draws a crowd outside apawn shop in Bang Lamphu to attack the  government’s poverty alleviation and 15-year free education policies  yesterday. JETJARAS NA RANONG_

_<snip>
_
An Abac poll asked voters which party they would support on the list if the general election was held today.

 Among respondents, 45.5% said they would vote for the Democrat Party, compared to 34.1% in the previous poll on May 1-7.

 Meanwhile, 40.5% said they would vote for Pheu Thai, compared to 36.4% in the previous poll.

<snip>

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Pledge to ease wage pain
*
*Pledge to ease wage pain*

*Employers will win in long run, says Korn *  
Published: 16/05/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: Business
 The Democrat Party wants to offer companies new tax breaks in exchange for salary hikes for new employees.



 Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij, in an interview with the Bangkok  Post, said the policy would target workers earning less than 15,000 baht  per year.

 Companies that commit to increasing salaries for workers would be  allowed to take special deductions against their corporate tax  liabilities equal to as much as four times the additional cost in  payroll expenses.

 Mr Korn said that unlike a policy floated by the Democrats' main  rival, the Pheu Thai Party, this plan would target all low-income  workers.

 Pheu Thai earlier said that it would offer guaranteed starting  salaries of at least 15,000 baht for new bachelor's degree holders  entering the workforce.

 "Our aim is to help ensure that all workers earn at least 15,000 baht per month," Mr Korn said.

 The finance minister added that the programme would be a voluntary "win-win" venture between the private sector and the state.

  Participating companies would benefit thanks to tax breaks, while the  economy overall would gain a boost from the increase in household  incomes.

 Mr Korn said the programme would effectively eliminate any added cost  for participating companies while directly benefiting workers and the  public.

 And while the policy would seem to come at the cost of tax revenues,  Mr Korn said it would have no broad impact on fiscal discipline or  commitments to return to a balanced budget by 2015.

 The Democrats and Pheu Thai will campaign heavily on economic issues in the runup to the vote on July 3.

 While recent data show the Thai economy continuing to expand well  thanks to strong exports and domestic spending, the rising cost of food,  fuel and other basic essentials has shaken consumer confidence.

 Both parties have rolled out lavish platforms to win votes using  subsidies and wage hikes, prompting warnings from the private sector  about the potential cost to businesses. The Thai Chamber of Commerce  last week warned that raising minimum wages by 50 baht per day for 5  million workers would cost companies 90 billion baht a year. It said  policymakers would do better to focus more resources on skills training  and tax reforms to increase competitiveness.

 But Mr Korn insisted that while the two parties may have similar aims, the difference is in the details.

 He cited the farm price guarantee programme as one example. It was  initiated by the Democrats and offers a minimum crop price for farmers  based on market benchmarks.

 In contrast, Pheu Thai has vowed to scrap the programme and return to  the former crop mortgage programme, in which the government essentially  becomes the "buyer of last resort" for farmers.

 Mr Korn said the main difference between the two was that price  guarantees offer compensation directly to the farmers, while the  mortgage programme was open to abuse by intermediaries such as rice  millers and imposed added costs for storage and wastage for the  government.

 Price guarantees also offer farmers compensation in cases of crop  losses due to natural disasters, while the mortgage programme imposed  additional risks for farmers as payments were based on output.

 "The two programmes may require the same amount of [state funds]. But  the results are completely different. Under the guarantee programme,  the money goes directly to the farmers, not to middlemen or corrupt  officials," Mr Korn said.

 He said voters faced a clear choice, with a vote for the Democrats representing a vote for stability and policy continuity.

 But a victory for Pheu Thai would potentially plunge the country into  fresh instability, particularly as the party has pledged to facilitate  the return of its de facto leader, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

 Thaksin, whose younger sister Yingluck is leading the Pheu Thai  campaign, has been in self-imposed exile since 2008. The Supreme Court  last year found Thaksin guilty of abuse of power and ordered the seizure  of 46 billion baht in assets.

 "How will [Pheu Thai] erase [Thaksin's] crimes? Will they enact a new  amnesty law? Overturn the judgement of the Supreme Court? The judgement  has no meaning? I don't think this is possible under the rule of  justice," Mr Korn said.

 "The Pheu Thai Party says Thailand needs Thaksin. [The Democrat  Party] doesn't think so. We must move forward. Over the past two and a  half years, we have overcome numerous obstacles, and I am confident that  we can accomplish much more."

 Mr Korn said the choice was clear. "I am sure that if [the country]  decides to return to the past, we are only inviting numerous risks upon  ourselves. The choice for voters is obvious. Move forward or move  backward."

----------


## Norton

> 17 provinces across the country between May 8-14.


17 out of 76! Wonder which provinces and which government agency is funding the poll? 

"ABAC Poll's clients include: The Ministry of Public Health, The  Office of Thai Health Promotion, The *Office of the Prime Minister*, The  Office of National Health System Reform, The Office of the Narcotics  Control Board, The Ministry of Justice, The Ministry of Finance".

----------


## Norton

> 15,000 baht per year.





> 15,000 baht per month


Anyone actually read the crap BP publishes before it goes to print?

----------


## Butterfly

I don't think PT voters care if she an incompetent fool, they all know she is simply a proxy

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Coming poll will set new standard in spin tactics

EDITORIAL* 

*Coming poll will set new standard in spin tactics*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on May 16, 2011                

*Mudslinging, social media battles are first hints of a tough election ahead*

                                                            Now that there are 47 days left before the election - the  country's 26th and by far the most important at this political juncture -  just look at the ways various contesting parties are positioning  themselves to win or cheat votes. They will be like the  spaghetti-western movies - the good, the bad and the ugly. There are  plenty of the last two groups already.

In the past few days, quite a  few alarming trends need to be discerned associated with the ongoing  political campaigns. First of all, there will be a lot of mudslinging  among parties and their candidates. The trick is to say the most  outrageous things of the day so that the media will pick up and use them  in their daily reports and broadcasts - to dominate the headlines of  all media with the aim of generating debate among TV hosts and on  dailies' front pages. The longer it lasts, the better. It does not  matter whether it is accurate or ridiculous.

The second trend is  the oft-made claim by politicians of winning more seats in the coming  election. This has become a preferred tactic these days. Anyone can come  out and say that his party or candidates will win the majority and by  how many seats. It is a ridiculous claim through and through. Thai  voters are the most fickle group of people. They vote freely and  sometimes with emotion.

Undoubtedly, this election will witness  the use of social media to promote candidates, especially in urban  areas. Twitter, Facebook and SMS will become pivotal weapons for parties  and politicians to put forward their views and connect with voters.  Fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra is using his IT knowledge and spin teams  with heavy financial backing to ensure his party, Pheu Thai, will score  big in the election.

The role of the Election Commission is  crucial. Throughout Thailand's modern political history, the role and  responsibility of the EC has often been controversial because of the  watchdog's far-reaching authority to prevent politicians from winning  and achieving their aims. 

In this election, a lot of allegations  will be heard - so EC officials must perform their jobs with  righteousness. Most importantly, they have to refrain from making  dubious remarks. Certain EC members have commented on political matters,  sometimes creating more confusion.

Finally, it will be the media  that will add fuel to the fire of all the above factors. Every  politician and everybody involved in the election will hunger for media  attention. The media has been gearing up for the battle at the polls.  There will be more advertising revenues and accusations of political  bias.

Once again, the role of the media will come under public  scrutiny. Every time the country faces a crisis, such as the one  witnessed in 2009, the media sets the agenda of the day. Journalists,  bloggers, tweeters, citizen journalists and accidental witnesses are now  sending off millions of words of information. And no filtering,  whatsoever.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Some Red Shirts also aim to vote no, if their leaders don't get accepted as candidates (roughly translated)

(Thai original with the photo at the link below - เสื้อแดง ก็ No vote เหมือนกัน หลังแกนนำตัวเองไม่ได้ลงสมัคร)



Lockerz.com .:. olan lert's Photos -

Edit...

ThaiElection11   ThaiElection2011                                               

_Red shirts have protested at Pheu Thai HQ, demanding the party to field their leaders as party candidates: http://lockerz.com/s/102088741_

Also...

_30 Democrat members at Chiang-Mai office, declare 'vote NO' because they're not happy with the party's candidates.(via [at]NationChannel24)_

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Democrats eye 20 seats in NE
*
*Democrats eye 20 seats in NE*
Published: 16/05/2011 at 12:38 PMOnline news:
 The Democrat Party expects to win about 20 seats  in the heavily populated Northeast Region, which is dominated by the  red-shirts, party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said on Monday.

 Mr Suthep said the party completed compiling its party list, with 125  candidates, on Sunday.  The list will be forwarded to the candidate  selection committee chaired by party adviser Banyat Bantadtan and then  to the executive committee chaired by party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva for  approval.

 The registration of candidates on party lists begins on May 19.

 He said some former MPs from constituencies had this time been put on  the party list.  They included Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij,  Apirak Kosayodhin, PM's Office Minister Ong-art Klampaiboon, Khunying  Kallaya Sophonphanich, Kanok Wongtra-ngan and Veerachai Veeramethekul.

 The Democrat Party expected to emerge with 65-66 MPs from the party list system, he said.

 Mr Suthep said the party would be satisfied if it managed to win 200  House seats in both systems.  In the Northeast, which is dominated by  the Pheu Thai Party, the party hoped to win about 20 seats, he added.

 A seminar to instruct Democrat candidates running in constituencies would be held on May 22, he said.

 Asked about Yingluck Shinawatra, who is expected to be Pheu Thai's  candidate for the prime minister's post, Mr Suthep was firm in his  opinion that Mr Abhisit holds the advantage over the youngest sister of  former prime minister Thaksin.

 If Ms Yingluck was prime minister, the people would find it difficult  to imagine how she could handle the country's administration while  always having to wait for a long distance call from abroad before making  any decision, he said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

ThaiElection11   ThaiElection2011                                               

            It's official...Yingluck is PT's No 1

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

 
ThaiElection11   ThaiElection2011                                               

       Chat Thai Pattana's No 1 on the party list is party leader Chumpol Slipa-archa, ready to vie for premiership...just in case.

9 minutes ago

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

 
ThaiElection11   ThaiElection2011                                               

       May 18: First day to apply to run for constituency elections. Election Commission warns: No cheering parades for candidates.

12 minutes ago

----------


## SteveCM

*Thaksin*

*Thaksins sister wins opposition party nomination for PM candidacy*


 

BANGKOK, May 16 -  Yingluck Shinawatra, youngest sister of  Thailands fugitive ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra,  unanimously won the opposition Puea Thai Party nomination as top  party-listed candidate vying for the countrys top job in the July 3  polls.

 The result was widely anticipated.

 Ms Yingluck,  43, would become Thailands first female prime minister if Puea Thai wins most seats.

 The upcoming poll is expected to be a close-fought political battle  between Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajivas Democrats, the countrys  oldest political party and the main opposition party Puea Thai.

 Ms Yingluck is seen as a proxy for her brother Mr Thaksin who was ousted  by a military coup in 2006 after being accused of corruption.  He was  later sentenced in absentia to two years prison for violating the law on  conflict of interest by helping his wife secure a parcel of land in the  capital at a below-market price.

 The fugitive ex-premier, now living in self-imposed exile, remains popular among rural voters.

 Although inexperienced in politics, Ms Yingluck, who earned a Masters  degree in public administration in the United States now serves as  executive president of SC Asset Corporation, one of Thailands major  real estate companies, is pitted as the most suitable candidate against  46 year-old, Oxford-educated Abhisit.

 In her brief speech to the party meeting after winning the nomination,  the 43-year-old businesswoman said she stood ready to board the  political bandwagon as she is confident that the partys platform could  answer all the peoples needs.

 She pledged to work towards national reconciliation and to work for the peoples well-being.

 I want to see constructive politics based on fairness. I would like to  assure (the public) that I will apply my knowledge and my goodwill to  work towards that goal, towards a new government.I would like you to  give me an opportunity to work with Puea Thai party as you have trusted  my brother,  Ms Yingluck said.

 Regarding developments of Puea Thais main political rival, Banyad  Bantadtan, chairman of the Democrat Party candidate selection committee,  said after the panel met that all 125 party-list candidates were chosen  and the list would be submitted for final approval to a party executive  meeting chaired by prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. 

 The registration of party list candidates is scheduled to begin Thursday.

 Mr Banyad did not disclose the names of selected candidates but said the  selection was based on three main criteria--overall positive image,  equally-chosen candidates among regions and the inclusion of some female  candidates.

 The veteran politician also said his party would field candidates in all  375 constituencies even though the list of constituency candidates has  not yet been completed.

 Registration of constituency candidates is scheduled to begin next  Tuesday, May 24, and extend through Saturday May 28. 


(MCOT Online News)

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> The result was widely anticipated.


Certainly wasn't anticipated by "SD" and "pupa" !  :rofl:

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> hilarious, above all when you are on record denying it would be her and probably someone else


If anyone here's dilusional "pupa" it's you!

I 've never denied "Yinglook" would be chosen or suggested / named someone else, show me the record your referring to?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

I think you should have a long lie down, it's not been a good day for you or any strange  farang "yellow" supporters  and it's gonna get worse!  :rofl:

----------


## Butterfly

> I 've never denied "Yinglook" would be chosen or suggested / named someone else, show me the record your referring to?


ok so it was another red nutter here who was making those claims, you guys all sound the same anyway, do you all share the same brain ?  :Smile:

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by SteveCM
> 
> The result was widely anticipated.
> 
> 
> Certainly wasn't anticipated by "SD" and "pupa" !


Actually it was anticipated by myself and BF a long time ago, but we were told we were wrong, or some imbecile decided to ridicule our opinion, a bit like you now in fact....

Here's one from April (that's a month ago BR, as I know you have trouble with time/reality).




> ^ The ultimate proxy?
> 
> And of course if they follow the usual Chinese-Thai hiso traditions,  which I'm sure they do, then the elder brother must be obeyed...
> 
> She will appeal to the voters. It is a good choice. Just a shame it is  blatant nepotism, but that doesn't seem to be a problem here.


The only people to call it accurately were myself, BF and DrBob. I read the whole thread again earlier. 

The Thaksin sycophants got it wrong. 

Funny.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : BJT: Yingluck not a surprise
*
*BJT: Yingluck not a surprise*
Published: 16/05/2011 at 04:50 PMOnline news:

 The Pheu Thai Party's decision to pick Yingluck  Shinawatra as its candidate for the prime ministership is not a surprise  and not beyond expectations, Bhumjaithai Party spokesman Supachai  Jaisamut said on Monday.



 Mr Supachai said Ms Yingluck was the last card of former prime  minister Thaksin, who earlier relied heavily on his brother-in-law  Somchai Wongsawat as prime minister.

 Thaksin picked Ms Yingluck because he did not see anyone else more reliable, he said.

 Mr Supachai said Bhumjaithai had not yet picked its No.1 candidate on  party list.  The party would register 125 candidates on the party list,  and no more than 190 in the constituency system.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*PROFILE: Yingluck Shinawatra: Thailand's first lady prime minister? - Monsters and Critics
*
*PROFILE: Yingluck Shinawatra: Thailand's first lady prime minister?*

    May 16, 2011, 11:21 GMT 

  Bangkok - Yingluck Shinawatra, who has never run for office  or held a  government post, has all the political credentials she  needs to become  Thailand's first female prime minister.  

  As the youngest sister of fugitive politician Thaksin Shinawatra,  whose populist policies implemented during a two-term  premiership in  2001-06 have won him a near cult-like following among  Thailand's  poor and marginalized, Yingluck has a good chance to become  the  country's 28th prime minister, since it opted for a democratic   system of sorts in 1932.  

  The Pheu Thai opposition party on  Monday named Yingluck, 43, its  prime minister candidate in the upcoming  July 3 general election, to  nobody's great surprise. Thaksin,  who has been living in self-exile  since 2008 to avoid a two-year jail  sentence on an abuse-of-power  conviction, is the de facto leader of the  party.  

  The Pheu Thai currently holds 188 seats in the  500-seat  parliament, and given the ongoing popularity of Thaksin the  party  stands a good chance of winning the election.  

  'My  father was a politician, and so were my brothers, so I've  known about  politics since I was a kid,' Yingluck told her first  press conference,  when her political credentials were questioned.  

  'The people still have a warm feeling towards my family, and a  sense of debt.'  

  That was no doubt a reference to her brother, who has taken his  share of blows from the Thai state over the past five years.  

   Thaksin was ousted by a military coup on September 19, 2006 on  charges  of corruption and undermining democratic institutions.  

  In  February 2010, the Supreme Court found him guilty of  profiteering from  his time in office, and confiscated 1.5 billion  dollars in family  assets.  

  Thaksin first came to prominence in Thailand as a   telecommunications entrepreneur. He founded Advanced Info Service   (AIS), one of the country's first mobile phone networks, that   transformed his family into one of Thailand's richest business clans.  

   In keeping with Sino-Thai business culture, Thaksin appointed  family  members to top management positions within his  telecommunications  group.  

  Yingluck, the youngest of nine siblings, worked as a senior  executive at AIS, and thereafter became president of SC Asset  Corportion, a Shinawatra-family firm involved in property.  

  'All my jobs have involved serving the people,' Yingluck said of  her business career.  

   While connections to her big brother have obviously proved a boon  in  her business and now budding political career, political  observers  worry that the Thaksin connection could also work against  Yingluck in  the long term.  

  'We don't know how strongly the people who  oppose Thaksin will  oppose her, since she is Thaksin's sister,' said  Chaturon Chaisaeng,  a veteran Thai politician and advisor to the Pheu Thai Party. 'We  don't know what the elite will think.'  

   Her appointment as the prime minister candidate, over many  veteran  politicians, has also made it clear what the party stands  for.  

   'It's a party for Thaksin's interests. There is nothing that can  make  it more obvious,' said Kraisak Choonhavan, a member of the  Democrat  Party, Pheu Thai's main rival.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255405160016

PAD: Yingluck’s candidacy reflects failed politics     *  

BANGKOK, 16 May 2011  (NNT) – The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) views that the Pheu  Thai Party’s positioning of Ms Yingluck Shinawatra as its prime minister  candidate is a reflection of a political fiasco. 

Following the Pheu Thai Party’s introduction of Ms Yingluck, younger  sister of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, as its top  party-list MP candidate running for the prime minister seat in the  upcoming general election, PAD core leader Panthep Puapongpan said the  decision demonstrated that political parties aimed to benefit their own  leading figures, rather than the nation, signaling a failure of Thai  politics. He believed that if Pheu Thai won the election and Ms Yingluck  became the next premier, the country would remain in turmoil. 

Therefore, Mr Panthep declared that on 19 May the PAD would hold its ‘no  vote’ campaign at the Thai-Japanese Sports Complex in Din Daeng, where  the registration of party-list MP candidates would be arranged.  

In response to the speculation over Mr Thaksin’s return within this  year, the PAD core leader said it would be acceptable only if the  ex-premier abided by the judicial process, stopped his movements behind  the Pheu Thai Party and the United Front of Democracy Against  Dictatorship and refrained from all corruptive acts.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255405160017

Yingluck vows to solve national problems without retaliation  *  

BANGKOK, 16 May 2011  (NNT) – Ms Yingluck Shinawatra has pledged to work towards national  reconciliation and to not retaliate against anyone after being nominated  by the Pheu Thai Party as its prime minister candidate. 

As the front-running party-list MP candidate of Pheu Thai with a chance  to become the next premier, Ms Yingluck made her address to the party,  saying she was honored to represent it in the upcoming election and was  prepared for her duty. She also voiced confidence that the party’s  policies would be effective in responding to people’s needs. 

The younger sister of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra promised  to work hard for the nation and to encourage unity and reconciliation  while confirming that no political vendetta was in the plan. Despite  being a female candidate, she insisted that her femininity would be used  to her advantage in pushing the country forward.  

At the end of her speech, Ms Yingluck received a standing ovation from  her colleagues. Former Pheu Thai Chief MP Police Captain Chalerm  Yubamrung expressed delight over the party’s nomination of Ms Yingluck  as its contender for the prime minister seat, citing her capabilities  and expertise in the business area.

----------


## Gerbil

> Former Pheu Thai Chief MP Police Captain Chalerm Yubamrung expressed delight over the party’s nomination of Ms Yingluck as its contender for the prime minister seat, citing her capabilities and expertise in the business area.


Last person I would want an endorsement from!

----------


## Butterfly

it's a dream come true for the Dems, they might be able to pull it off, quite a miracle

----------


## Buksida

Maybe she is capable of acting independently, after all she did run AIS all by herself.....

I'm sure the PTT supporters are breathing a sigh of relief, it would have been a tough job advocating Chalerm for PM.

----------


## Norton

> it's a dream come true for the Dems, they might be able to pull it off, quite a miracle


I don't see how Dems will benefit. Doubt her candidacy will be a negative in NE or North. Dems will get the anti Thaksin vote anyway and women in marginal Dem majority areas may vote PT because they would love to see a female PM.

----------


## SteveCM

*Thaksin sister to run for Thai PM - Asia-Pacific - Al Jazeera English*


*Opposition party picks relative of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra to challenge PM Abhist Vejjajiva in July elections*

                                                                          Last Modified: 16 May 2011 13:38                                              


 _
Yingluck, centre, is viewed as a political novice but analysts say she could boost the party's electoral chances [Reuters]


_    Thailand's biggest opposition party has chosen the sister of Thaksin  Shinawatra, the exiled former prime minister, as its prime ministerial  candidate in July's general elections.

 Yingluck Shinawatra, 43, is expected to boost the electoral chances  of the Puea Thai party and return power to allies of Thaksin, who won  two election landslides before his overthrow in a 2006 military coup,  analysts said.

 The election is expected to be a close contest between Abhist  Vejjajiva, the incumbent prime minister from the ruling Democrat Party,  and Yingluck, who is said to have limited political experience.

 The nomination of Yingluck comes days after Abhist announced the dissolution of parliament to pave the way for the vote.

 But analysts and commentators are split on whether the decision to run with Yingluck will benefit Puea Thai, or backfire.

 Andrew Walker, an expert on Thai politics at the Australia National  University, said she could prove to be instrumental in uniting a party  in disarray by attracting the rural poor who were wooed by Thaksin's  populist policies.

 "It's a bold move, but given the power of the Shinawatra brand in Thai politics, it's a pretty good move," he said.

 "It's a risk, but Puea Thai see that it's outweighed by Thaksin's  galvanising appeal and the affection that exists among the electorate  for him and his policies. What the Democrats and their allies most fear  is an electoral runoff with Thaksin."

*'Proxy for Thaksin'*
 Yingluck, who was educated in the United States and keeps a low profile, has had no official role in Thai politics.

 If elected, she would become Thailand's first female prime minister, but would be regarded as a proxy for Thaksin.

 Thailand has been gripped by political unrest since Thaksin's ouster by a military coup.

 The former premier faced accusations of corruption and disrespect for  the monarchy. He fled Thailand to escape a prison sentence and is  barred from running for office, but remains highly popular among voters  in the countryside.

 Echoing Thaksin's most recent comments, Yingluck said she would  pursue reconciliation in the deeply divided country and would not seek  payback for the 2006 coup, which sent Thailand into a spiral of  instability.

 "All the parties have to turn to each other and know that Puea Thai  is not here for revenge but to solve [Thailand's] problems," she said in  a speech on Monday to Puea Thai members, who voted overwhelmingly in  her favour.

 "People still think of my brother and his policies of the past and  many still have had mercy for our family until today," she said, adding  that seeking Thaksin's return from exile a free man was "not the  priority".

 Thaksin has a history of using family members in politics. While  prime minister in 2003, he appointed his cousin Chaisit Shinawatra to  serve in the influential post of army commander.

 In 2007, he manoeuvred to have his brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat  become prime minister. Somchai was forced out of office by a court  ruling and was succeeded by Abhisit, whose critics charge he came to  power with the connivance of the military.

 Last year, Thaksin's supporters, the "Red Shirts", held two months of  anti-government protests in the capital that deteriorated into  violence, leaving at least 91 people dead and 1,400 wounded. They  demanded that Abhisit call early elections.

----------


## Butterfly

the only reason she is a successful business woman is because her brother put her there, she did nothing on her own

she is definitely not an entrepreneur and I don't see how she can be considered a leader

a dynasty indeed,

----------


## SteveCM

Uploaded by TheNationDigital on May 15, 2011




Video compilation of translated headlines and main points from Thai-language newspaper - followed by potted summaries of Dem versus PT policies (some of the "promised" infrastructure building projects are simply eye-popping). Considering the source (The Notion stable), the well-written script is relatively balanced; shame they used such a poor English-speaker to read it).

Original link:  NEWSMAKING HEADLINES for May16

----------


## The Ghost Of The Moog

She's so serene. Like Princess Diana.

The whole country has fallen in love with their new Thai rose and soon-to-be first lady

Look how gracefully she delivers a wai to that blind man.

----------


## Gerbil

> She's so serene. Like Princess Diana.
> 
> The whole country has fallen in love with their new Thai rose and soon-to-be first lady


Better not start getting ideas of her own then and taking holidays in Paris.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## SteveCM

Video of Yingluck Shinawatra press conference (some questions/answers in English)






                                                     Uploaded by RatchaprasongNews on May 16, 2011

----------


## SteveCM

*Yingluck will be a puppet for Thaksin: Suthep*

*Yingluck will be a puppet for Thaksin: Suthep*

             By The Nation
                                             Published on May 17, 2011                

*Chalerm says Pheu Thai will enjoy big poll win*

                              The ruling Democrat Party should win the upcoming  election as several opinion polls conducted by the party showed strong  backing from voters, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said  yesterday.

 Suthep said the Democrats should win some 20 seats in the Northeast,  which is a traditional stronghold of the opposition Pheu Thai Party. 

 His comments are in contrast to what Chalerm Yoobamrung said yesterday. 

 The veteran politician, who is a member of the opposition, predicted  that Pheu Thai Party would gain a 30-seat edge over the Democrats in the  overall poll result. 

 The deputy premier rejected this, saying the Democrats would win at  least 200 seats and that Pheu Thai's top candidate - Yingluck Shinawatra  - would only listen to what her older brother, convicted former prime  minister Thaksin Shinawatra, told her over the phone. 

 He said Yingluck could not compare to her main adversary, Abhisit Vejjajiva, who had proved he could run the country. 

 "Voters don't know how Yingluck will do her job as she will be  listening to her brother's voice on the phone. She will be like a shadow  puppet, which puts her at a great disadvantage," Suthep said, adding  that he had to mind the comments he made because Yingluck was a woman. 

 He said Abhisit would get a perfect 10 as a candidate for the top job  because he had steered the country through a crisis over the past two  years. 

 However, Chalerm spoke in Yingluck's defence, saying she knew what to  do and people should not underestimate her abilities. He said she would  be given proper advice by several old hands. He compared the Democrat  Party to a boxer who knew he was losing a sparring match, adding that he  was 1 million per cent certain Pheu Thai would win. 

 Meanwhile, Chumpol Silapa-archa, leader of the coalition partner  Chart Thai Pattana Party, said it was far too early to judge anything  despite the many opinion polls that have been conducted. 

 As for some voters calling for Abhisit and Yingluck to hold a  one-on-one political debate like they do in the United States, Chumpol  said this was not part of Thai culture. 

 He explained that a person may not be a good public speaker, but  could be a good administrator. The politician urged people to vote for  the party, not the person and expressed fear that moves to destroy  Yingluck's character had already begun.

----------


## SteveCM

*Yingluck takes the stage*

*JULY 3 ELECTION* 
*Yingluck takes the stage*


                            By Olarn Lertrattanadamrongkul,
Jeerapong Prasertpholkrang 
The Nation
                                             Published on May 17, 2011                



*Weeks of speculation ended yesterday when Yingluck  Shinawatra won official endorsement from Pheu Thai executives to be the  party's prime ministerial candidate.*

               The 43-year-old business executive and mother of one,  then responded to concerns was she is simply a puppet for her elder  brother.

She said it was too soon to comment on how she planned  to bring about a return of Thaksin, the party's de-facto leader. People  would first have to see who won the majority of votes in the general  election on July 3. 

However, she affirmed that should Pheu Thai form the next government, everyone would receive equal treatment under the law. 

When  asked about the possibility of Thaksin getting a pardon, Yingluck said  Thailand maintained the rule of law. Hence she believed Pheu Thai would  not allow anything to be done merely for the sake of one person. 

If  it were in power, whatever action the party took, it would adhere to  the principles of the people's equity and freedoms, she said. 

Yingluck  insisted she had volunteered to do the top job for the sake of the  people, and that she must therefore prioritise benefits for the people.

Asked  whether she thought Thaksin's ideas and guidelines for Pheu Thai would  lead to the party winning a landslide victory on July 3, she replied  that her brother was a man with many good ideas, so it was normal that  the party should be open to such ideas. 

Emphasising that Pheu  Thai would always be open to good ideas, wherever they originated, she  said those ideas would be considered by the party as to whether it would  implement them, and the results would then be judged by the people. 

Talking  about reconciliation in the face of current conflicts, Yingluck said  she believed everyone wanted to see the country reconciled. 

Having  had some political experience, she said would use her femininity in  taking steps towards reconciliation, and would be willing to exchange  ideas and negotiate in order to achieve this goal. She said it was time  to overcome conflicts so that the country could move forward again.

Asked  whether there would be any problem working for her brother, she said  she believed Thais decided which party to vote for partly because of its  leader and partly because of its policies. 

She said she was  confident that Pheu Thai still had a policy that was committed to  benefiting the people, and that this would be a major positive factor in  its chance at the polls.

Pheu Thai's afternoon meeting, chaired  by the party's non-MP leader Yongyuth Wichaidit, voted unanimously to  support Yingluck as the No-1 candidate on its party-list, and therefore  its candidate for the premiership.

Witthaya Buranasiri, a senior  Pheu Thai figure, nominated Yingluck as the party's PM candidate during  the meeting. There were no other nominations.

Yingluck arrived at  the party's headquarters shortly before 2.30pm, after the vote took  place, and was greeted by senior figures and incumbent MPs at the front  gate. She was later taken to the seventh floor, where she joined a party  meeting. She looked tense at the time and was minus her usual smile. 

The  moment she entered the meeting room, Yingluck was greeted with loud  applause by Pheu Thai's politicians. She went to the podium, where she  thanked colleagues for placing her top of the Pheu Thai party-list. She  also thanked them for their trust and expressed her readiness to help  bring about national reconciliation, vowing not to take revenge against  anyone.

Yingluck, a former top executive in the family business  empire, said she did not think being a woman was a disadvantage. She  said she would focus on economic recovery and improving people's  well-being.

Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit tried to dismiss a  perception Thaksin had something to do with the decision, saying the  choice of Yingluck had been a matter for participants at the meeting. He  insisted there had been no outside interference.

The former  premier, who escaped a prison term by fleeing overseas, is widely  believed to be pulling the strings behind Pheu Thai. He has often issued  instructions regarding party affairs during his video-link addresses  and, recently, via Skype Internet-based phone calls to party meetings.

Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who is the Democrat Party leader,  congratulated Yingluck on being selected as Pheu Thai's PM candidate. He  said the voters would soon decide whether she was to become the  country's first female prime minister, as has been forecast by some  fortune-tellers.

Deputy Premier Suthep Thaugsuban, in his capacity  as the Democrats' secretary-general, said he believed the voters would  choose the best person to become PM without looking at the candidates'  gender.

Suthep said that between Abhisit and Yingluck, he was  convinced the Democrat leader would have an advantage as he had proved  his capability as the government head in dealing with the country's  crises over the past two years. 

"It will be difficult for people  to imagine how Khun Yingluck, as prime minister, will solve the  country's problems. She may have to listen to distant telephone calls  for advice on what to do. This will be like shadow puppetry."

Siripan  Noksuan Sawasdee, a political-science lecturer at Chulalongkorn  University, warned that the Democrat Party should be careful about  attacking Yingluck. She said unfair, serious allegations levelled  against Yingluck could backfire and result in sympathy votes for  Thaksin's sister. 

Yingluck, who turns 44 next month, is the  youngest of Thaksin's eight siblings. She married without changing her  family name and has a son.

----------


## SteveCM

*Chart Thai Pattana titles Chumpol as No.1 candidate : National News Bureau of Thailand*

BANGKOK, 16 May 2011  (NNT)  

The Chart Thai Pattana Party has designated its leader Chumpol  Silpa-archa as the candidate for the prime minister post while its  roster of 125 party-list MP candidates has been completed and approved. 

Chart Thai Pattana Party Spokesperson Watchara Kannikar disclosed that  his party today convened to deliberate its list of MP candidates for the  approaching general election and gave a green light to the team of 125  party-list candidates although their names had not been put in order. Mr  Chumpol was placed as the number one candidate due to his extensive  knowledge and abilities and would thus represent the party in the  contest for premiership.  

According to Mr Watchara, even though Chart Thai Pattana considers its  top ten candidates in the party-list system as being in the safe zone,  it expects to win only about five seats. Other candidates besides Mr  Chumpol are set to be unveiled on 19 May at the latest.  

As for the constituency system, the Spokesperson said the partys  executive committee had thus far granted its approval for about 100  candidates, 23 of whom had been introduced to the public. He added that  another 90 applicants were awaiting the committees consideration and  were expected to be unveiled on 18 May after endorsement.  

In addition, on 18 May, the Chart Thai Pattana Party will also announce  more of its policies in the hope of winning over more than half of the  silent votes.                                



                         Reporter : Surapan Laotharanarit

----------


## SteveCM

^



> ....even though Chart Thai Pattana considers its top ten candidates in the party-list system as being in the safe zone, it expects to win only about five seats.


How does this make sense?  :Confused:

----------


## SteveCM

*Bhumjaithai adjusts candidate list against Pheu Thai*

*Bhumjaithai adjusts candidate list against Pheu Thais popularity                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             * 

BANGKOK, 16 May 2011  (NNT)  

The Bhumjaithai Party has reduced the number of its constituency  MP candidates to 190 after learning that the Pheu Thai Party is gaining  more support in the northeastern region.  

Bhumjaithai Party leader Chavarat Charnvirakul called a meeting with  party executives today to consider the roster of MP candidates in both  the party-list and the constituency systems. During the session, the  party selected 125 party-list candidates from the total number of  applicants of over 200. At the same time, the party came to a conclusion  that constituency candidates would be fielded in only 190  constituencies out of 375 nationwide.   

The decision was made following a recent survey which suggested that the  popularity of the Bhumjaithai Party was waning in many northeastern  provinces, whereas its rival Pheu Thai was becoming more dominant.  Bhumjaithai de facto leader Newin Chidchob pointed out that candidates  would still be placed in areas with 30-40 percent chance of victory as  more support could be obtained during the election campaign. However, he  admitted that the party had chosen to skip areas with smaller chances.                               


Reporter : Surapan Laotharanarit

----------


## SteveCM

^
One to watch, I think.....

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world.....
(Sections of what's quoted here have already been posted, but this is all-of-a-piece to give an overview leading to the writer's conclusions)*



Thai opposition chooses Thaksin*

_By Bangkok Pundit 
May 17, 2011 1:50AM UTC_


                                         AFP has details  of what Yingluck said at the Puea Thai press conference yesterday,  after the party choose Yingluck to be No. 1 on the Puea Thai party list  for the upcoming July 3 election :_I am ready to fight according to the rules and I  ask for the opportunity to prove myself. I ask for your trust as you  used to trust my brother, she told a party meeting in Bangkok, attended by reporters.

 _ _I will utilise my femininity to work fully for our country.

Five years after the coup there are a lot of people still  missing my brother and his policies. I feel my family is indebted to the  people and thats a key factor in my decision, she said._
AP has some commentary:_Thailands main opposition party on Monday nominated the  sister of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as its candidate for  the top post in upcoming elections, a decision likely to inflame tensions in the countrys highly polarized politics.

 has little political experience and is seen as a stand-in for Thaksin.  She would likely become Thailands first female prime minister if the  opposition Pheu Thai Party wins the July 3 polls, which are expected to  be close._ _

Yingluck said it was too early to talk about bringing Thaksin  back to Thailand, but that the coup that ousted her brother played a  part in drawing her into politics._ 
_Reuters_:_Yingluck could alienate the party from swing voters  fearful that the return of a government controlled by Thaksin  a  fugitive tycoon convicted of graft and charged with terrorism  would be  deeply opposed by his powerful enemies, leading to more protests or  even another coup.

 However, she could prove to be instrumental in uniting a party in  disarray and boosting its support by winning over the rural poor who  were wooed by Thaksins populist policies.

Its a bold move, but given the power of the Shinawatra brand in Thai politics, its a pretty good move,_ _ said Andrew Walker, an expert on Thai politics at the Australia National University.

Its a risk, but Puea Thai see that its outweighed by  Thaksins galvanising appeal and the affection that exists among the  electorate for him and his policies. What the Democrats and their allies  most fear is an electoral runoff with Thaksin._ _

 Yingluck, who was educated in the United States and keeps a low profile,  has had no official role in Thai politics. She will be regarded as a  proxy for Thaksin if she is voted into office and would become  Thailands first female prime minister._
DPA:_My father was a politician, and so were my brothers, so Ive known about politics since I was a kid, Yingluck told her first press conference, when her political credentials were questioned.

We dont know how strongly the people who oppose Thaksin will oppose her, since she is Thaksins sister,_ _  said Chaturon Chaisaeng, a veteran Thai politician and advisor to the  Pheu Thai Party. We dont know what the elite will think.

 Her appointment as the prime minister candidate, over many veteran  politicians, has also made it clear what the party stands for.

Its a party for Thaksins interests. There is nothing that can make it more obvious_ _, said Kraisak Choonhavan, a member of the Democrat Party, Pheu Thais main rival._
_Al Jazeera_:_All the parties have to turn to each other and know that Puea Thai is not here for revenge but to solve [Thailand's] problems, she said in a speech on Monday to Puea Thai members, who voted overwhelmingly in her favour.

 People still think of my brother and his policies of the past and  many still have had mercy for our family until today, she said, adding  that seeking Thaksins return from exile a free man was not the  priority._
_Bloomberg_:_I will do my best as I want to see reconciliation, Yingluck, the youngest of Thaksins nine siblings, said today in Bangkok. I want our nation to move forward. I will play by the rules. I hope all parties will give me a chance.
 
Everybody knows that shes not a seasoned politician_ _,  said Kiat Sittheeamorn, Thailands trade representative and a member of  Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajivas party. It will be difficult not to  imagine that many people would understand that shes also acting on  behalf of someone else.

 From 2002 to 2006, Yingluck served as president of Advanced Info  Service Pcl (ADVANC), a mobile-phone company founded by Thaksin that is  now Thailands biggest.

 She stepped down in 2006 shortly after Thaksins family sold its  stake in holding company Shin Corp. to Singapores Temasek Holdings Pte  for 73 billion baht ($2.4 billion), a deal that netted Yingluck 985  million baht and fueled protests that led to Thaksins overthrow in a  coup later that year.

 Since then, Yingluck has been president of Bangkok-based property  developer SC Asset Corp., controlled by Thaksins children. Pintongta  Shinawatra, Thaksins daughter, was appointed to SC Assets board on May  12, the company said in a regulatory filing.

In Yinglucks time running the company, SC Asset shares have  risen 101 percent, compared with a 45 percent increase in Thailands  benchmark SET Index_ _. The SET has gained 41 percent in the past 12 months, the best performance among Asias 15 biggest markets._
*BP*: Not sure the date that _Bloomberg_  appears to be early 2006  see below for more

WSJ:_Give me a chance to prove my worth, just as you gave your trust to my brother,  Ms. Yingluck told top party leaders after they endorsed her as their  standard-bearer. She later told reporters that running for the  premiership was her way of giving back to the country.
 
Ms. Yinglucks nomination to be For Thaiss candidate for  prime minister, meanwhile, appears designed to appeal to poorer Thais  who previously voted for Mr. Thaksin and his populist policies_ _.  From his self-exile in Dubai, the former telecommunications billionaire  is promoting a combination of tax cuts and large salary increases to  strengthen Thailands domestic economy and reduce its dependence on  fragile export markets if the For Thais party wins.

 The party already is campaigning on a slogan of Thaksin Thinks, For Thais Acts._
The _Bangkok Post_:_Ms Yingluck was born on June 21, 1967.   She is the last of nine children of Mr Lert and Mrs Yindee Shinawatra.

 She is the wife of Anusorn Amornchat, managing-director of M Link  Asia Corporation, but they have not registered their marriage.  They  have one son, Supasek.

 She graduated with a bachelors degree from the Faculty of Political  Science and Public Administration, Chiang Mai University, in 1988 and  earned a masters in political science from Kentucky State University,  in the United States, in 1990. Later, she worked at Shinawatra  Directories Co., Ltd. and was assigned as Managing Director of AIS in  2002._
*BP*: Kentucky State University is no Oxford although it was rated as one of the Best Southeastern Colleges by Princeton Review. See also the US News Report  report. It was historically [a] black liberal studies public  institution, but after desegregation this has reduced to just more than  half of the student body being African-American today (_Wikipedia_).  Also, less than 2% of students  are international students  no doubt it was even less than this back  in the lates 80s. Having said that the city the university is based in  is 81% white and is based in the state capital of Kentucky. That would have been an interesting place to study


_The Nation_:_I would like to thank the Pheu Thai members for  valuing and trusting me. Ill be ready to carry out this duty. But I  would like all sides to turn to cooperate and stop harboring grudge, Yingluck said.

 Being No-1 party-list candidate of the Pheu Thai, Yingluck is seen as  the direct challenger for the post of prime minister against incumbent  PM Abhisit Vejjajiva.

 I am not revengeful but I want to fix the situation. Dont worry  that I am a woman. Ill use my womanhood to lead the country to  reconciliation. Ill fight along side with the Pheu Thai members until  we become the government.

 I work to revive the economy and tackle the economic hardship of the  people. Ill reform the justice system and Ill seek the premiership  via the rules. I would like to ask Pheu Thai members to give me a chance  like what you gave to Thaksin, Yingluck said._
Puea Thai have uploaded Yinglucks press conference including the Q&A to YouTube and it is available from 

. This includes her answering questions from the foreign press at 7:45-8:35 & 10:13-12:46, _Associated Press_, Nirmal Ghosh of the _Straits Times_, a Japanese reporter, and Wayne Hay of _Al Jazeera._

*BP*: On the press conference, she sounded  very conciliatory and moderate in her speech. It was clear from what she  said and also how she interacted with the Thai press, she wont be  engaging in Samak-like arguments with the press. She was very scripted  and confident in what she saying. She clearly delivered a few lines.  Part of the intro was to see that she was from upcountry  (เด็กต่างจังหวัด). Then, that was she was not seeking revenge, but to  solve problems (ไม่คิดแก้แค้นแต่จะแก้ไข). Both lines are likely to be  delivered in the future.

 Her English was reasonable and she could string together some  soundbites. Again, she seemed very confident in answering the questions  (i.e if you didnt know what she was saying, you would think she spoke  flawless English given her confidence) and didnt hesitate in her  answers although the actual content was not that smooth and she seemed  to be grasping for the right words in English particularly in the  political sphere e.g she used the word customer and not voter at one  point (although BP thought this was funny)
 Some comments below on Yingluck.

 1.  One of Yingklucks draw is that she is a reasonably successful businesswoman. According to _Bloomberg_,  SC Assets share price from September 19, 2006 until May 16, 2011 has  gone up from 4.05 to 13.3 (328%) over the same period of time the SET  has gone up from 706.59 to 1,084.96 (154%). This comes during a period  of time after the coup when it has not been that favorable to be a  Shinawatra compared to the pre-Thaksin era. No doubt Yingluck will be  talking up her business experience and that she understands the Thai  economy. Of course, she will need to find a way to untangle her business  assets when she is in parliament  one assumes no rich maids this time  around  and this could be very messy if it is not handled well.

 2. Yingluck reinforces the view that Puea Thai=Thaksin, but then  again if you hate Thaksin you were never going to vote for Puea Thai  anyway. Yingluck can help Puea Thai in Thaksin strongholds in the Upper  North and Upper Northeast to consolidate the Puea Thai vote. However, if  you are uncomfortable with the Puea Thai=Thaksin connection and  an independent voter dissatisfied with the government then Yingluck  taking over doesnt help.

 3. Yingluck can present a modern image. Tulsie sums this third point up in his op-ed by stating As an *attractive* and successful young woman, she would *sex up*  its campaign and blunt the ruling Democrat Partys advantage of having  the Oxford-graduate, handsome Abhisit as the title-holder. Looks and  image matter in politics and it affects how people will vote. The  Democrats do much better with females voters since Abhisit has taken  over and BP wonders whether the same thing will happen for male voters  for Puea Thai.



Conversely, Yingluck could potentially be Thailands first female  Prime Minister so for some female voters the choice of Yingluck is a  positive. Thailand has few very females in high profile positions so  Puea Thai will likely refer to this, but also feminine qualities which  Yingluck referred to that she could bring to the job today when talking  about reconciliation. This factor is unlikely to be as big of an issue  as it would be in western countries, but BP thinks it will be  interesting to watch how it plays out. The Democrats may have problems  attacking and not wanting to sound too harsh when going after a female  politician  one Democrat MP mentioned her unmarried status in relation  to assets and was later admonished by Suthep over this who said the  Democrats will not attack her on personal issues (_Thai Rath_).

 4. Yingluck was confident in her opening speech, but we still havent  seen how she will perform on the campaign trail when she does a  meet-and-greet with voters (i.e retail politics) and speaks to crowds at  a political rally. Can she connect with voters? How will she perform in  answering policy questions from reporters? How about personal  questions? She doesnt seem as abrasive as Thaksin either.


 Overall, BP thinks that the Puea Thai leader choice is not a decisive  factor. Abhisit is more popular than the Democrats and hence Abhisit is  an important draw, but the Puea Thai leader wont be as popular as the  party. 

Nevertheless, at the moment, she is a bit of an unknown whereas  Abhisit is a known quantity. Puea Thai chosen her as the alternative  Prime Minister and how she performs on the campaign trail will be  closely watched by voters and it will likely be a relevant factor on how  a number of undecided voters will vote.

----------


## sabang

> who had proved he could run the country


Oh, really?



> She will be like a shadow puppet


Like her predecessor then.

I'd have preferred the ex-Commerce minister, but as a conciliatory figure she may prove to be a very good choice. At least Chalerm didn't get it.

----------


## LooseBowels

Wow she is a cool dude.

Better than that junta installed tampered judiciary dictator proxy 91 deaths abisit.

The thai will get the vote, not the british citizan, on the ICC list

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## Butterfly

> so I’ve known about politics since I was a kid


oh great, so that should qualify her automatically as the next PM  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## The Bold Rodney

> oh great, so that should qualify her automatically as the next PM


"pupa" take a bannana, that's all your drivel's good for!  :bananaman: 





> She will appeal to the voters. It is a good choice. Just a shame it is blatant nepotism, but that doesn't seem to be a problem here.


I'm pleased you think she's a a good choice and that she'll appeal to the voters because this country needs a PM who appeals to the *"MAJORITY"* of voters NOT the *MINORITY*. 

You said it's blatent nepotism, that's typicl sour (yellow) grapes and whatever person had been chosen it would have made no difference to the empty headed oiks and likes of "pupa" and of course the constant sniping would continue unabated.

Don't post that "pupa" got anything right, he's a complete moron when it comes to thinking anything through, his / her (whatever) trolling posts are misleading clap trap with little or no content, a complete f*cking moron without an original thought in his / her head! but saying that he amuses me and many others here so it's not all negative! Talking of people who haven't had an original thought in their head, does that remind you of a soon to become ex puppet PM? 

*I note you still haven't anwered the question re your post "Yeah I'd trust her" or something inane like that, why haven't you answered?* 

I'll tell you why you haven't answered...you're so biased "you can't see the teak for the trees" and SD..."seriouslydumb" is becoming more and more apt everyday when you're relying on "pupa" as callng anything right" (a complete joke!)  :rofl:

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## Buksida

PPT has rejected the idea of a debate. Personally I think this would be great for Thai democracy and society as a whole.

Seeing politicians engaged in rational argument would show that conflicts could be solved without violence.

It's a shame Yingluck turned down the opportunity to address her 'customers'.

Would be good to hear what others think?



 that

----------


## Butterfly

> It's a shame Yingluck turned down the opportunity to address her 'customers'.


she has no choice, she would sound like a dumb incompetent hiso bimbo, will make harder for the dummies in the North to vote for her, they might have second thoughts

and she would need her mobile to answer the questions from Abbhisit, she is probably not that quick at texting for a live debate on TV

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> PPT has rejected the idea of a debate. Personally I think this would be great for Thai democracy and society as a whole.


In Thailand? You are joking..what democracy? this one or the next one?




> Seeing politicians engaged in rational argument would show that conflicts could be solved without violence.


I'd agree if it was "rational" but here it's not "rational" it's half truths, smears and downright bare faced LIES!




> It's a shame Yingluck turned down the opportunity to address her 'customers'.


I think it's a shame for one reason..it's given the empty headed oiks  "Yellow Butterflies" an opportunity to attempt to make capital from it. Of course it won't work but as days pass and the "free and fair election" date approaches watch the "yellows" desperation and frustrations grow! In fact it's already started. On the other hand of course..it could be considered a smart move for her not to debate not least because Abi was far too quick off the mark to suggest a debate anytime anywhere!




> Would be good to hear what others think?


Thailand needs a new government, preferably a majority one and the issues of  minority meddling, military meddling, corruption, education, drugs and violent crime to name but a few and they need addressing quickly and firmly, did Abi achieve any of this? :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## The Bold Rodney

^^^



> she has no choice, she would sound like a dumb incompetent hiso bimbo, will make harder for the dummies in the North to vote for her, they might have second thoughts and she would need her mobile to answer the questions from Abbhisit, she is probably not that quick at texting for a live debate on TV


Re my post #371 I rest my case...yet another bannana for you "pupa"! :bananaman:

----------


## Buksida

PPT says policies, not debates, are important, however debates offer the chance to critique policies, giving voters the chance to make more informed decisions. 

A facilitator keeps things rational.

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> PPT says policies, not debates, are important, however debates offer the chance to critique policies, giving voters the chance to make more informed decisions.


Without wishing to sound flippant...your post is open to debate in itself!




> A facilitator keeps things rational.


I think you mean mediator or abitrator even referee? 

In the West I'd agree with you but TIT and very different and "rational" certainly isn't the word I use in regards to Thailand!

----------


## Scaramanga

> the only reason she is a successful business woman is because her brother put her there, she did nothing on her own


So nothing to do that she  married CP boss Tanin 16 years ago?




> she has no choice, she would sound like a dumb incompetent hiso bimbo, will make harder for the dummies in the North to vote for her, they might have second thoughts
> 
> and she would need her mobile to answer the questions from Abbhisit, she is probably not that quick at texting for a live debate on TV


Do you really blame PT for pulling out of a Thai TV debate when you consider who runs the TV here. 

And one thing you may not know is that Yingluck graduated in political science

----------


## Norton

> One to watch, I think.....


Indeed, without a strong showing by Bhumjaithai Party, Dems are in deep trouble. Without Newin it's going to be Nowin.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Democrats shoot for 200 House seats
*
*Democrats shoot for 200 House seats*

*Chiang Mai members unhappy with field * 
Published: 17/05/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsThe Democrat Party is hoping to win at least 200  seats in the election, party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said  yesterday.

 The party expects that about 66 of its party list candidates will win  seats in the House and that the remainder will be won by constituency  candidates, Mr Suthep said. In the Northeast, which is dominated by the  Pheu Thai Party, the Democrats hope to win about 20 seats.

 Mr Suthep said the party had completed compiling its 125-candidate  party list on Sunday. The list will be forwarded to the candidate  selection committee chaired by party adviser Banyat Bantadtan and then  to the executive committee, chaired by party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva,  for approval.

 Mr Banyat said Democrat party-list candidates would include the  party's executives, former cabinet members, former MPs, former  party-list candidates and members of the legal teams in party  dissolution cases.

 The top 10 candidates on the party list are: Prime Minister Abhisit  Vejjajiva, followed by former prime minister Chuan Leekpai, Banyat,  Terdpong Chaiyanan, Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanavisit, Finance  Minister Korn Chatikavanij, Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich, Apirak  Kosayodhin, Phaitoon Kaewthong, and Deputy Prime Minister Trairong  Suwannakhiri, a party source said.

 Mr Suthep said some former constituency MPs had been moved to the  party list, including Mr Korn, Mr Apirak, PM's Office Minister Ong-art  Klampaiboon, and Ms Kalaya.

 The party will hold a seminar on Sunday for its candidates on how to campaign in constituencies, he said.

 Meanwhile, members of the Democrat Party from several districts in  Chiang Mai turned up at the local office yesterday to submit a letter to  Mr Abhisit asking him to review the list of MP candidates that the  party would field in the province.

 They said the list had not been approved by the president of the  Democrat Party branches in Chiang Mai and there had been irregularities  in the selection of local candidates.

 They submitted the letter to Wiriya Chuaibamrung, spokesman for the Democrat Party's Chiang Mai branch.

 Phanuphong Weerasattayaphon, president of the Young Democrat group,  said if the party did not review its Chiang Mai candidate list, the  group would encourage voters to abstain from voting in the general  election.

 Mr Phanuphong said they were not pressuring the party, rather they  only wanted the party to abide by its own regulations and operate  transparently. Banyat Bantadtan, one of the party's advisers, is  expected to address the group's petition.

 In a related development, Naracha Suwit, former MP for Songkhla,  yesterday submitted his resignation letter from the party at the  Democrat's head office after it had decided not to field him in the  election.

 He said apart from him, the party had decided not to field his  younger brother Asawin and father Pol Lt Col Suwit, prompting them both  to apply for membership in Pheu Thai and to run under that party's  banner.

 Mr Abhisit and the Democrat's leadership team will hold election campaign events in Phitsanulok and Nakhon Sawan today.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Reds cry foul over list candidates
*
*Reds cry foul over list candidates*
Published: 17/05/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Red shirt supporters have accused the Pheu Thai  Party of excluding key United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship  members from the candidate list for the July 3 election.

 
_Natthawut: ‘Pheu Thai should listen’_

 More than 100 red shirt supporters from Chai Nat and Surin provinces  rallied at the party's headquarters in Bangkok yesterday, demanding the  party's executives include more provincial red shirt leaders on the  candidate list.

 Ladda Sukkasem, from Surin's Phanom Dongrak province, said her group  would not vote for Pheu Thai if the party refused to field Panida  Tantirattananond, a red shirt leader for Surin, in the poll.

 The party's decision to switch its choice of constituency candidate  from Ms Panida to Sombat Srisurin, who has close ties to a key Pheu Thai  member, was unacceptable, she said.

 "Pheu Thai keeps accusing other parties of committing double  standards, but they are now practising double standards themselves," Ms  Ladda said. "We will not vote for a person who has never fought along  with the red shirt people."

 Parichart Thientavorn, a red shirt supporter from Chai Nat, said her  group had repeatedly petitioned Pheu Thai leader Yongyuth Vichaidit to  field Jutipong Poommul, a UDD leader for Chai Nat, in the race.

 However, they did not get a satisfactory answer from party executives.

 "Fielding a candidate without listening to the voice of the [red  shirt] people is considered disrespectful to the people," Ms Parichart  said.

 UDD leader Natthawut Saikua admitted the party's choice of candidates could upset red shirt supporters.

 "Pheu Thai should listen to the red shirt people's opinions," he  said. "However, I do not believe red shirt leaders in each provinces  have fought only to become an MP candidate."

 Mr Natthawut said UDD's legal team would tomorrow appeal the court's  May 12 ruling to revoke the bail of Jatuporn Prompan and Nisit  Sinthuprai.

 The team would try to convince the court that the two did not break  bail conditions, which prohibited them from instigating unrest, Mr  Natthawut said.

 Meanwhile, UDD chair Thida Thavornseth said yesterday that seven red  shirt leaders still out on bail have decided not to take part in  Thursday's rally to avoid the possibility of breaking any election laws.

 Some of them planned to stand as candidates in the general election  under the Pheu Thai Party banner, so they needed to be careful of their  actions, Mrs Thida said.

 The seven leaders are Mr Natthawut, Korkaew Pikulthong, Veerakarn  Musikhapong, Weng Tojirakarn, Kwanchai Praipana, Yoswarit Chuklom and  Wiputhalaeng Pattanaphumchai.

 Almost 1,200 police will be deployed during the planned rally,  expected to attract 10,000 people, said Pol Maj Gen Kreerin Inkaew,  deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Division.

----------


## Buksida

I am asking about the idea of politica debates in general being good for Thailand.

As for Abhisit vs Yingluck, questions, terms and conditions could be agreed, however PPT have dismissed the idea outright. Normally opposition parties want debates, becuase the get to question the incumbents performance.

Considering the past 12 months, Abhisit has a lot to answer for, it's a shame we won't get to see him questioned.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : Yingluck backs Thaksin stand on national reconciliation

ON the RECORD

*Yingluck backs Thaksin stand on national reconciliation*
Published: 17/05/2011 at 02:21 AMNewspaper section: News
 Yingluck Shinawatra, the younger sister of  Thaksin Shinawatra, yesterday answered questions from local and foreign  reporters during her first question and answer session at the Pheu Thai  headquarters after the party officially named her as its candidate for  prime minister.

 
Yingluck: Ready to work for the people

*How confident are you in leading Pheu Thai to win the election?*

 First of all, I think my work experience is not far removed from  politics. I understand the nature of politics. At this time, the country  needs reconciliation and needs people who can coordinate. Even though I  am female and quite new [to politics], I'm open to anybody to hold  talks and dialogue to make the country move forward.

*How do you feel when political rivals attack you over personal issues?*

 It is a normal thing. I'm ready to face public scrutiny as long as it  comes under fair and just rules. I'm ready for that and want to see  people engage in constructive politics.

*Are you going to press ahead with an amnesty for Thaksin to bring your brother back to Thailand?*

 Thailand holds to the rule of law. I don't think the Pheu Thai Party  will allow me to do anything for only one person. Whatever I do, I have  to think about the equality, rights, and liberty of all of the people. I  am volunteering to work for the people, so the public interest must  come first.

*You are the younger sister of Thaksin. Is a vote for you equivalent to voting for your brother?*

 We cannot say that [voting for me] is equivalent [to voting for  Thaksin]. Thai people will vote according to three factors - the first  is the party leader, the second is the party's teamwork and the third is  the party's policies. These are the key factors that the people will  use to decide which number they will vote for to become the next  government.

*If you become premier, how would you bring your brother back home?*

 It's too early to talk about that. The first step here is to bring  people past the election. The No.1 candidate on the party list should be  the factor people use to judge who the government will be. In the  second step [after the election], the Pheu Thai Party and the government  will treat everybody equally, even my brother. Everybody will get the  same thing. The important thing and our first priority is the benefit of  the majority.

*Will the "Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai acts" slogan lead the party to a landslide victory?*

 Thaksin has many good ideas. I'm open to good ideas. Apart from  Thaksin, we also have many mentors who are ready to give us advice. The  party should be open to good ideas and accept them in our [policy  formulation] process. But it is up to the people to decide what the  [ideas] will lead us to.

*Do you think you can fix social inequality, which is Thailand's No.1 problem at the moment?*

 We want to see reconciliation in our country. [As a female  politician], I will use my feminine character to work with other people  and work towards reconciliation. I'm ready to talk and exchange ideas  with everybody to achieve reconciliation. I invite you all to join me  [in reconciliation process]. It's time to look beyond the conflicts to  move the country forward.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Yingluck takes centre stage
*
*Yingluck takes centre stage*

*Thaksin proudly claims his sister is 'his clone'* 
Published: 17/05/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News

 The Pheu Thai Party has voted Yingluck  Shinawatra as its No.1 candidate on the party list system to compete  against the Democrat Party's Abhisit Vejjajiva for the next premiership  in the July 3 election.
 
Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s younger sister Yingluck is  surrounded by local and international media after she was chosen as the  Pheu Thai Party’s top candidate on the party list and its nominee for  premier. SOMCHAI POOMLARD

 Pheu Thai's de facto leader Thaksin Shinawatra, who now lives in  self-exile in Dubai, has confirmed he chose Ms Yingluck, his younger  sister, for the post but denied that she is his proxy.

 "Some said she is my nominee. That's not true. But it can be said  that Yingluck is my clone," Thaksin said in an exclusive interview with  Post Today editors in Brunei.

 Yesterday's vote at the Pheu Thai Party was taken in the absence of  Ms Yingluck. She was told to travel to the party to hear the decision at  about 2.20pm, an hour after the vote.

 She thanked all party members for their support and said she felt honoured to be nominated.

 She said she was confident Pheu Thai's policies could answer the needs of the public.

 "I intend to enter politics and work for the people. I want unity and  reconciliation to return to the country," Ms Yingluck said.

    She said she wanted all sides to reconcile and this was a signal Pheu  Thai was not thinking of revenge but "wants to improve things".

 She offered an assurance she would "make use of being a woman" to  bring about reconciliation and to move the country forward and address  the economic problems and create justice.

 Thaksin said he had trained Ms Yingluck to improve her management  skills since her graduation from university and that he and his sister  shared similar management styles.

 "Another important thing is that Ms Yingluck is my sister and she can  make decisions for me. She can say 'yes' or 'no' on my behalf," Thaksin  said.

 He said his selection of Ms Yingluck was aimed at paving the way for reconciliation.

 He said he would have chosen his brother Gen Chaiyasit Shinawatra, a  former army chief, as the top party list candidate, instead of Ms  Yingluck, if he wanted to retaliate against his political rivals.

 He said Ms Yingluck's femininity would be Pheu Thai's strength.

 Ms Yingluck said she had no personal grudges against anyone in politics and could talk "with all sides to promote harmony".

 Thaksin conceded Ms Yingluck lacked the experience to adapt to the  unique nature of Thai politics, which often seeks to topple political  leaders.

 However, Thaksin said if politics entered a reconciliation mode, the conflict would ease.

 Ms Yingluck was born on June 21, 1967. She is the youngest of nine  children of Lert and Yindee Shinawatra. She is married to Anusorn  Amornchat, president of M-Link Asia Corporation. They have a son.

 She graduated from Chiang Mai University's political science and  public administration and obtained a master's degree in public  administration from Kentucky State University in the US. She worked at  Shinawatra Directories Co and then became chief executive of AIS in  2002. After the sale of AIS to Singaporean company Temasek in 2005, she  left AIS and became chief executive at SC Asset, Shinawatra's property  business. She is now a member and secretary of the Thaicom Foundation.

 Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday congratulated Ms Yingluck  on her endorsement as the No.1 candidate on Pheu Thai's party list and  becoming a candidate for prime minister.

 He said voters now know who they could vote for in the general election. He was willing to meet Ms Yingluck for a debate.

 Deputy Prime Minister and Democrat Party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban was more critical of Ms Yingluck's nomination.

 He said if Ms Yingluck became prime minister, the people would find  it difficult to imagine how she could handle the country's  administration while always having to wait for a long distance call from  abroad before making any decision.

 Bhumjaithai Party spokesman Supachai Jaisamut said the nomination of  Ms Yingluck as Pheu Thai's No.1 candidate on the party list was  Thaksin's "final card"in his political game and from now on the general  election would be fiercely contested.

 Chart Thai Pattana Party leader Chumpol Silpa-archa said Ms  Yingluck's foray into politics would add colour to the general election.  However, it remained to be seen if she would succeed.

 People's Alliance for Democracy spokesman Parnthep Pourpongpan said  if Pheu Thai won the election and Ms Yingluck became prime minister, the  country's unrest would continue.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> *Election Thailand: Phuket voters face postal vote farce*
> Pimwara Choksakulpan
> Saturday, May 14, 2011
> 
> *PHUKET:* All Thais who cast ballots by post in the general election four years ago will have to return to their home provinces to cast regular ballots in the general election on July 3.
> 
> Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha announced the voting conundrum on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with the Phuket Provincial Election Commission.
> 
> “People who submitted a request to cast an absentee ballot in the last election must cancel that request; otherwise, they will not have the right to vote on July 3,” Gov Tri explained.
> ...


The vote rigging has started.
 :Zx11pissed:

----------


## Tom Sawyer

You know, Pheu Thai might have a winner with her..

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by Butterfly
> 
> oh great, so that should qualify her automatically as the next PM
> 
> 
> "pupa" take a bannana, that's all your drivel's good for! 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have answered, the answer is obvious. Apparently you failed to grasp it. Why am I not surprised....

As regards nepotism, why is that sour grapes? Can I suggest you look at the dictionary definition of nepotism and then maybe you'll grasp as to why it is. 

However, the ever helpful Thaksin has supplied a delightful quote, which illustrates the point much better than I could ever hope to do....

"_Thaksin said he had trained Ms Yingluck to improve her management   skills since her graduation from university and that he and his sister   shared similar management styles.

 "Another important thing is that Ms Yingluck is my sister and she can   make decisions for me. She can say 'yes' or 'no' on my behalf," Thaksin   said_."

----------


## Tom Sawyer

^
While he's at it, ask him to use the dictionary to learn how to spell too - even "pupa" can post in English better than this guy.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> You know, Pheu Thai might have a winner with her..


Indeed, I think there's a very good chance they will win now. The presentation was managed well yesterday, her performance was reasonable and she said most of the right things. 

The nepotism thing may not matter here, as it is a virtual cultural norm! In fact that may even get them some votes!

I expect a Pheu Thai victory. They have it to lose now. The Dem's are going to have to do some quite spectacular stuff to reverse the surge in popularity Yingluck's appointment will bring. 

Despite the unsavoury nature of her appointment (unsavoury to those who believe in such antiquated ideas as choices), effectively being chosen by her bother, I think the public will ignore or forget that quickly enough. I fear that this appointment may be indicative of how things are going to turn out here...

The debate thing is an interesting issue. Logically such an event should take place. I wonder how well Yingluck would manage up against the adept and experienced Abhisit? For me, this is the only way the Dem's could get back in the driving seat. They need to show Yingluck as naive and inexperienced. She needs to be tested. However, I think the Pheu Thai Party and Thaksin will want to shield her from such exposure, but she does need to be put on the spot, as she is potentially the next PM, a very responsible job......

So, it will boil down to a choice between the public's perception. Do they go for the male, experienced 'safe hands' option or the unknown but possibly interesting female choice. Will the conservative nature of many Thai's dominate, or will some opt for a risk? 

However, if Thaksin keeps taking the credit (as he appears to be trying to do) that may backfire on this appointment. Yingluck needs to stand on her own, demonstrate that she is a serious contender and not some puppet of her absent brother.

If the Dem's are unable to show her as naive and inexperienced, the only other spanner in the works will be Thaksin's constant interference and this is something that the Dem's could milk. 

If the Dem's can't work on these angles, then I suspect that come July, Prime Minister Yingluck will be running the show...

Interesting times ahead. The spin departments of both sides must be working overtime at the moment. I expect lots of spurious, manipulative rubbish to be forthcoming from both camps in the near future.

----------


## Buksida

despite having a masters in political science, she calls voters 'customers?

PPT won't let her debate because Mark would shit on her. 

Thaksin himself never liked discussion or dissent, you can see his authoritian tendencies at work by the way she was elected unanimisouly.

I don't suppose she'll be giving interviews either unless she learns how to say 'voters'.

Graduate in political sceince?

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> I have answered, the answer is obvious. Apparently you failed to grasp it. Why am I not surprised....


Why is it that all you "yellow supporters" never answer any direct questions put to you but insist that have?  :Confused:  When it's patently obvious that you haven't!  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 




> Why am I not surprised....


Because you're mimicking  "mids" replies.




> As regards nepotism, why is that sour grapes? Can I suggest you look at the dictionary definition of nepotism and then maybe you'll grasp as to why it is.


You can but I don' need to.  :rofl:  I note you're choosing to ignore the nepotism factor where the current yellow arrangements are concerned?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  




> "Thaksin said he had trained Ms Yingluck to improve her management skills since her graduation from university and that he and his sister shared similar management styles.


I don't see any problem with this statement, admirable of Thaksin to do so! 




> "Another important thing is that Ms Yingluck is my sister and she can make decisions for me. She can say 'yes' or 'no' on my behalf,"


Nor with this statement either.

However as all "yellow supporters" you're blinded to the facts and ignore the history of the present administration including why and how it came about, not to mention cherry picking sentences that suit your twisted ideology.

The current "government" IF that's what it can be called? has pulled every trick in the book, lied about many thing's, killed it's own people, prosecuted people because of their party not their crimes, even used the excuse that Red supporters are disloyal to the monarchy and yet some farangs (God only knows why?) ignore those facts. Not many I admit but a few odd people eh "pupa"?

I'm not sure why you and a small number of members suffer from yellow fever and hate Thakin so much? He wasn't perfect but who and what is? but it's a fact the majority of people in Thailand supported him, why do you have a problem with a "democratic majority"??

I'm wondering if one of your druggie mates got shot during the "clean up period"? it's the only reason I can think of to explain your hatred towards the Reds and Thaksin!  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> While he's at it, ask him to use the dictionary to learn how to spell too - even "pupa" can post in English better than this guy.


What's the matter "tommy" bad case of yellow fever is it? 

Feeling a bit under the weather are we? 

Just cos I donn'tt use a psellchecker doesn't meen yor nott a appinionatid *"socialist, PC liboturd"!*  :rofl:

----------


## Butterfly

is our favorite nutter having a morning meltdown again ?

how many so far ? quite a few I would say  :Smile:

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bold Rodney, that you don't see any problem with any of this speaks volumes about how you function as a person. 

I'm not going to discuss this further with you. There's apparently no point. It is like talking to a doormat (yes, that can be read on several different levels). 

Oh and btw, if you think I am yellow leaning, than you really have no idea....but then that is quite obvious from your posts, so why am I not surprised  :Smile:

----------


## StrontiumDog

> is our favorite nutter having a morning meltdown again ?
> 
> how many so far ? quite a few I would say


It is bizarre. He seems to be a 'special' kind of person. :Smile:

----------


## StrontiumDog

tulsathit   tulsathit                                               

            Latest Abac poll has Dems  edging Pheu Thai in party list vote (45.5% vs 40.5%), but both parties  took turn leading in previous surveys.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255405170003

Pheu Thai confident to beat Democrat *  


 

BANGKOK,  17 May 2011 (NNT) – Former Pheu Thai MPs Chairperson Police Captain  Chalerm Yubumrung is confident that the Pheu Thai Party will win over  the Democrat Party by 30 seats in both party-listed and constituency  systems. 

The Pheu Thai heavyweight stated that his party will certainly sweep  seats in the northeastern region, which is the party’s stronghold. He  challenged that he is ready to quit the Thai politics if the Democrat  Party wins seats in the region as it has boasted to do so. 

Police Captain Chalerm also deemed Ms Yingluck Shinawatra an appropriate  choice of the party to compete with Democrat Party Leader Abhisit  Vejjajiva to be the next prime minister. 

The former Pheu Thai MPs Chairperson then voiced his belief that there will be no violence in this election.  

Asked if former Pheu Thai Party Chairperson General Chavalit  Yongchaiyudh will return to work with the Pheu Thai Party, Police  Captain Chalerm reserved his comments but said General Chavalit is a man  of capabilities. He said he will have personal discussion with the  former prime minister again.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Friends of The Nation's Photos | Facebook
*
*Friends of The Nation's Photos*



Thai Election 2011:
Yingluck's campaign billboard...her first!

----------


## SteveCM

> PPT says policies, not debates, are important, however debates offer the chance to critique policies, giving voters the chance to make more informed decisions. 
> 
> A facilitator keeps things rational.


In principle, yes. In practice, they tend to produce mostly a chain of very well-rehearsed statements and evasions. They also tend to provide a dubious "victory" to the participant who works in the best one-line put-down - almost certainly prepared/perfected in advance and awaiting just the excuse to deploy it. Watch the famous Bentsen/Quayle clip; Quayle actually makes a very valid point (and had been doing so on the campaign trail and in interviews). Bentsen utterly destroys him.   




Or you find that a factor entirely unrelated to issues, policies or weight of argument decides the outcome. Witness the Nixon-Kennedy debate. The overwhelming reaction of those who listened to it on radio was that Nixon had been far more impressive and convincing than Kennedy. OTOH, the TV audience saw Nixon as the loser - the words were drowned out by just the visual comparison between the two.

More relevant to the Thai context is that it's very unlikely that a sufficiently skilled and strong moderator could be found to perform that vital function effectively - often the case in western debates too. Recall Abhisit's first TV interview with a western journalist - CNN's Dan Rivers. Very tame and soft by western standards - the boy Rivers was almost obsequious. Yet there was outrage in Thailand with Rivers being accused of showing gross disrespect to Thailand's PM when he occasionally pressed for answers rather than let Abhisit drone on with his prepared speech.

An alternative might be a kind of "Meet the Press" where each candidate is subjected to questioning by a panel of journalists; it can be either in separate programmes or taking turns to answer (possibly also responding to each other) in one programme. But - look around at the journalism in Thailand..... What level of hard-hitting or balanced questioning would you expect?

----------


## SteveCM

> Normally opposition parties want debates, becuase the get to question the incumbents performance.


At least equally important is (normally) the opportunity for the challenger to appear at the same level as the incumbent and gain publicity/recognition which the incumbent already enjoys.




> Considering the past 12 months, Abhisit has a lot to answer for, it's a shame we won't get to see him questioned.


Agree about this - but, for the reasons I mentioned in the previous post, it's just not likely to happen here (whether from a Thai journalist or a challenger) for a long time to come.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thai opposition opts for Thaksin's sister as PM candidate | Reuters
*
*Thai opposition opts for Thaksin's sister as PM candidate*

             By Chalathip Thirasoonthrakul
                  BANGKOK |          Mon May 16, 2011 7:45am EDT         

   (Reuters) - The sister of exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra was  named the prime ministerial candidate for Thailand's biggest opposition  party on Monday, a move seen as a high-stakes gamble ahead of a crucial  July general election.

  Members of the Puea Thai Party  opted for Yingluck Shinawatra, the 43-year-old president of SC Assets  corporation, to spearhead and reenergize its campaign and return power  to allies of Thaksin, who won two election landslides before his  overthrow in a 2006 military coup.

The  election is expected to be a close race between Puea Thai and Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's ruling Democrat Party. Analysts and  commentators are split on whether the decision to run with the  politically inexperienced Yingluck will benefit Puea Thai, or backfire.

Yingluck  could alienate the party from swing voters fearful that the return of a  government controlled by Thaksin -- a fugitive tycoon convicted of  graft and charged with terrorism -- would be deeply opposed by his  powerful enemies, leading to more protests or even another coup.

However,  she could prove to be instrumental in uniting a party in disarray and  boosting its support by winning over the rural poor who were wooed by  Thaksin's populist policies.

"It's a  bold move, but given the power of the Shinawatra brand in Thai  politics, it's a pretty good move," said Andrew Walker, an expert on  Thai politics at the Australia National University.

"It's  a risk, but Puea Thai see that it's outweighed by Thaksin's galvanizing  appeal and the affection that exists among the electorate for him and  his policies. What the Democrats and their allies most fear is an  electoral runoff with Thaksin."

Yingluck,  who was educated in the United States and keeps a low profile, has had  no official role in Thai politics. She will be regarded as a proxy for  Thaksin if she is voted into office and would become Thailand's first  female prime minister.

"NO REVENGE"

Echoing  Thaksin's most recent comments, Yingluck said she would pursue  reconciliation in the deeply divided country and would not seek payback  for the 2006 coup, which sent Thailand into a spiral of instability.

"All  the parties have to turn to each other and know that Puea Thai is not  here for revenge but to solve (Thailand's) problems," she said in a  speech on Monday to Puea Thai members, who voted overwhelmingly in her  favor.

"People still think of my  brother and his policies of the past and many still have had mercy for  our family until today," she said, adding that seeking Thaksin's return  from exile a free man was "not the priority."

Oxford-educated  Abhisit sees the election as a chance to finally win an unambiguous  mandate having come to power in 2008 following the dissolution of the  pro-Thaksin People's Power Party, which led to a series of defections  and a new coalition government critics say was cobbled together by the  military.

Thailand has suffered  five years of political turbulence and sporadic street violence in a  protracted crisis that pits the establishment elite and its military  allies against pro-Thaksin "red shirt" protesters drawn mostly from the  rural poor and urban working class.

The  election, analysts say, could either ease or exacerbate Thailand's  long-running crisis and if the result is contested, it could lead to  potentially violent street protests or judicial or military  intervention.

Neither Puea Thai  nor the Democrats are likely to win a majority, meaning an alliance with  smaller parties would most likely be required, creating scope for  behind-the-scenes interference and a backlash by supporters of each  party.

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> "It's a bold move, but given the power of the Shinawatra brand in Thai politics, it's a pretty good move," said Andrew Walker, an expert on Thai politics at the Australia National University.


I agree.




> Oxford-educated Abhisit sees the election as a chance to finally win an unambiguous mandate having come to power in 2008 following the dissolution of the pro-Thaksin People's Power Party, which led to a series of defections and a new coalition government critics say *was cobbled together by the military*.


Funny, funny, funny!  :rofl:

----------


## Buksida

Steve, yes that's true about debates, but Thailand is a long way from having politicians of such a professional standard. 

The suggestion of a panel is good, I think decent enough journalists could be found. If I am wrong that speaks volumes about what's wrong in LOS.

Abhisit has done relatively well in interviews, unlike Thaksin he stays calm and unlike Samak he shows he has a brain.

To be honest I thought he had the potential yo be a decent PM, until he chose to crackdown rather than call elections.

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> It is bizarre. He seems to be a 'special' kind of person


Thanks "SD" I'll take that as a compliment coming from you!  :Smile: 




> Latest Abac poll has Dems edging Pheu Thai in party list vote (45.5% vs 40.5%


No comment other than to say "it was a waste of your time posting it".  :rofl:

----------


## SteveCM

> I don't suppose she'll be giving interviews either unless she learns how to say 'voters'.


I'm sure you "suppose" wrong - there will be plenty (mostly in Thai for a Thai audience, for obvious enough reasons). Can't see that first-time-out slip being much of an issue for someone whose ability with English (unlike 50-50 Abhisit) is clearly at the level of a second language - and it will be _entirely_ irrelevant to 40-odd million Thai voters.

----------


## SteveCM

> ....Thailand is a long way from having politicians of such a professional standard.


Don't underestimate the Dems being more than ready to seek (privately) guidance and coaching from the best of the west - it's quite an industry as I've seen first hand in the UK. I also doubt that the PT operators will be far behind in doing the same. The three rules of modern politics: presentation, presentation, presentation.....




> To be honest I thought he had the potential yo be a decent PM, until he chose to crackdown rather than call elections. Buksida is online now


In terms of unrealised potential, with - or even above - the crackdown I'd put appallingly weak (mis)management of his consortium partners and an utterly fumbling and, at best, half-hearted approach to necessary reform/reconciliation. Given the guys in the shadows, could anyone else in his situation have achieved something substantial? Hard to say, but - no matter all the fine and slick rhetoric - _he_ certainly didn't.

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> presentation, presentation, presentation.....


But...presentation, presentation, presentation with Branding added is so much nicer!  :Smile: 




> Can't see that first-time-out slip being much of an issue for someone whose ability with English (unlike 50-50 Abhisit) is clearly at the level of a second language - and it will be entirely irrelevant to 40-odd million Thai voters


Agree with you and nitpicking isn't in a Thai's vocabulary and Abi is far more English than Thai, don't belive me ask any Thai.

----------


## SteveCM

> The suggestion of a panel is good, I think decent enough journalists could be found. If I am wrong that speaks volumes about what's wrong in LOS.


I think that, sadly, you _are_ wrong. I find it really difficult to imagine Thai journalists wanting to risk putting their heads above that very public parapet - but maybe I'm being too harsh and sweeping. It occurs to me that a panel of academics _might_ be willing to take the chance..... given that they enjoy high status here.

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> It occurs to me that a panel of academics might be willing to take the chance..... given that they enjoy high status here.


 
It's not unheard of for accademics to locked up here despite their elevated status, welcome to Thailand the land of smiles. :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## SteveCM

> But...presentation, presentation, presentation with Branding added is so much nicer!


The "brand" aspect is interesting. To borrow from marketing, which three descriptors would we assign to the Abhisit "brand" - and which do we think Mr & Mrs average Thai voter would assign?

Mine: failure, disappointing, weak

Thai: experienced, safe, weak


Of course, even considering the above to be at all relevant assumes that the (promised) election won't be subverted by the guys behind the scenes and/or the voting decided mainly by local/national power-brokers. That said, I think even those people have to keep an eye on which way the popular winds are blowing.....

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Do we want a Thaksin clone?
*
*Do we want a Thaksin clone?*
Published: 17/05/2011 at 11:40 AMOnline news: Opinion
 Like it or not, former prime minister Thaksin  Shinawatra has been at the very core of Thailand's unprecedented  political conflict and social polarisation for several years now.   Hence, the notion of a Thaksin's clone leading the next government is a  cause of real concern rather than a solution to the conflict.

 By now, we all know that Ms Yingluck Shinawatra is not her elder  brother Thaksin's nominee but his political clone - a  genetically identical copy. This latest piece of information came from  the mouth of Thaksin himself.

I am not sure if describing someone  as a clone of somebody else is a compliment, a blessing, an insult, a  curse or a condemnation.  It all depends on whose clone you are. If you  are called a clone of Albert Einstein, I believe you would be so excited  you would feel you could fly.  But if somebody said you are a clone of  Adolf Hitler or Pol Pot, you would certainly not feel pleased, because  this is not a compliment.

But to describe the Pheu Thai Party’s  candidate to be the next prime minister of this country as a "Thaksin  clone" – someone who thinks and acts the same way the fugitive former  caretaker prime minister did when he was in power and during the  post-coup period – is indeed a cause for real concern. 

 If we are not suffering from memory loss, then we should be able to  remember all the bad and evil things which happened under the Thaksin  administration, although this does not mean that he did not do anything  good for the country and the Thai people. 

 But to name just some of the infamous incidents which occurred during  his administration --  the war on drugs,  which claimed more than 2,000  lives, suspected drug dealers as well as innocent people, through  extrajudicial killings; the Krue Se and Tak Bai massacres in the deep  South; the disappearance of human rights lawyer Somchai Nilapaichit; and  the gagging of the media through the withdrawal of advertising.

Unprecedented  colour-coded political division occurred during the second term in  office of Thaksin with the emergence of the yellow-shirt movement, the  People’s Alliance for Democracy. It took turn for worse after the coup  in 2006 and the eventual emergence of the red-shirt movement under the  United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship.

It is an open  fact that Thaksin has been running the show in the Pheu Thai Party and  has been responsible for all key decisions regarding the coming election  – be it the crafting of the party’s campaign motto “Thaksin thinks,  Pheu Thai acts”, the formulation of a policy platform or the selection  of candidates for both the constituency and party list systems. 

 Ms Yingluck’s choice as the party’s candidate for the premiership was  Thaksin’s own decision and the party merely rubber-stamped it.

Although  Thaksin may now be genuinely preaching national reconciliation, it  should be noted that there is still a deep mistrust of him by his  political opponents.  Such mistrust is likely to persist, and even   further deepen, if a Thaksin clone takes the helm of the country - if  the Pheu Thai Party wins the election.

For reconciliation to have  a chance, the country needs a fresh start and a government leader, no  matter it is a woman or a man, who can think, make judgements and act by  his or her own self – not anybody’s nominee or clone – and with moral  leadership.

We have been mired in a seemingly endless politically  coloured conflict with Thaksin at the very centre of it for several  years now.  Do we really want, or need, a Thaksin clone?

----------


## Bettyboo

> PPT has rejected the idea of a debate. Personally I think this would be great for Thai democracy and society as a whole. Seeing politicians engaged in rational argument would show that conflicts could be solved without violence. It's a shame Yingluck turned down the opportunity to address her 'customers'.


Yes, the Dems are getting panicky. They want/need an opportunity to attack her, and they feel their TV station, questions, presenter, etc would be an ideal opportunity to attack an inexperienced 'politician'. Why would she/PT give them the opportunity? The Dems are drowning, after all that has happened why would PT throw them a lifeline?

Actually, I'm very surprised at how well she is doing. Looking at the blogworld and the what the people on the street are starting to say - she's a winner!

The problem is that the army/PAD/Suthep/ISOC won't let the natural course happen because the way things are going we're moving towards a PT government (with or without Newin...).

I feel quite shocked actually because I thought that PT had no chance of winning by themselves, especially with the concerted 5 year efforts of the army/media/courts/other... but, PT are very strong and getting stronger.

What will the army do now?

----------


## Norton

> What will the army do now?


Doubt they will do anything. The PT has long since made amends and come to an understanding with the Army. As long as the PT sticks to the "understanding" no reason for the Army to intervene.

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> The suggestion of a panel is good, I think decent enough journalists could be found. If I am wrong that speaks volumes about what's wrong in LOS.
> 
> 
> I think that, sadly, you _are_ wrong. I find it really difficult to imagine Thai journalists wanting to risk putting their heads above that very public parapet - but maybe I'm being too harsh and sweeping. It occurs to me that a panel of academics _might_ be willing to take the chance..... given that they enjoy high status here.


Maybe you are right. Shame journalists here are so gutless. Courage isn't valued here, which I explains the tendency for authoritarian leaders.

----------


## SteveCM

^^^^



> But to name just some of the infamous incidents which occurred during his administration -- the war on drugs, which claimed more than 2,000 lives, suspected drug dealers as well as innocent people, through extrajudicial killings; the Krue Se and Tak Bai massacres in the deep South; the disappearance of human rights lawyer Somchai Nilapaichit; and the gagging of the media through the withdrawal of advertising.


Realistically, I can't see one item in this list that will amount to much of - if at all - a negative in the minds of most Thai voters. Fine to energise the expat readership - and how many votes can _they_ muster?




> We have been mired in a seemingly endless politically coloured conflict with Thaksin at the very centre of it for several years now. Do we really want, or need, a Thaksin clone?


This seems to be the heart of the pro-government message - with a hint of re-running the 2006-and-after experience. That coin has two sides; the obvious counter is "Why vote for more of the same (and worsening) conflict that has been so evident since September 2006 - and particularly during Abhisit's time in office?"

----------


## SteveCM

> Doubt they will do anything. The PT has long since made amends and come to an understanding with the Army. As long as the PT sticks to the "understanding" no reason for the Army to intervene.


Very accurate appraisal IMO.

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> The "brand" aspect is interesting. To borrow from marketing, which three descriptors would we assign to the Abhisit "brand" - and which do we think Mr & Mrs average Thai voter would assign? Mine: failure, disappointing, weak Thai: experienced, safe, weak


Mine: marionette, ineffective, deceitful.




> Of course, even considering the above to be at all relevant assumes that the (promised) election won't be subverted by the guys behind the scenes and/or the voting decided mainly by local/national power-brokers. That said, I think even those people have to keep an eye on which way the popular winds are blowing.....


I think and sincerely hope you're right.




> Originally Posted by Bkk Post We have been mired in a seemingly endless politically coloured conflict with Thaksin at the very centre of it for several years now. Do we really want, or need, a Thaksin clone


My questions would be do we want to see the military in control again after the last mess they made of things? 

Do we want to see an Abhisit clone who appears to have contributed to the Thaksin coloured conflict as much as anyone has.

----------


## StrontiumDog

ThaiElection11   ThaiElection2011                                               

            Pheau Thai says no debate with Dem. "It's like a public quarrel."

----------


## Bettyboo

> Originally Posted by Norton
> 
> Doubt they will do anything. The PT has long since made amends and come to an understanding with the Army. As long as the PT sticks to the "understanding" no reason for the Army to intervene.
> 
> 
> Very accurate appraisal IMO.


Hard to say. There are some folk in the PTT/reds who are just like Newin, Barnham, etc.

But, there are others who do want change and do want democracy and do want accountability for the mass muderders that have taken place. Perhaps less than we'd like, but...

Also, I'm sure that MrT is quite vengeful, as are many army generals who have been given short change from Prayuth. We will see. If the army have what they want, i.e. more money and power and control than they had pre-coup, and the PT are gonna allow them to keep it all, then maybe it'll be business as usual, with the Thai populous the losers, again, but I can't see things being that simple. Society has changed. We will see...

----------


## SteveCM

^



> Society has changed.


Agree, but I don't see a tectonic shift happening before the great unmentionable event.

Meanwhile remember Bismarck's famous dictum: _"Politics is the art of the possible"_

----------


## Bettyboo

^ indeed. But that means if PT do a deal with the army then a large chunk (and it's very large nowadays) will need to be excluded/controlled, and that won't be easy...

----------


## sabang

> Do we want a Thaksin clone?


When the Bangkok Paste asks a question like that- in an Editorial where the authorship is not given- somehow you just know the "We" it is asking that question of is not the people of Thailand. 

The elections will decide the next Prime Minister of Thailand, and though I suppose the BP has the same right to ask this question of it's readership as does The Morning Star or the Washington Times, ultimately it is as irrelevant. 

It is pretty clear to all and sundry what direction this country was sent in by illegally removing the peoples democratic choice five years ago. After widespread unrest, violence, wholesale censorship and repression, it appears the peoples choice remains the same- and their main political opponents, the Democrats, are discredited in the eyes of many. A far more positive question the BP should be asking it's readership, and itself, is what role they played in these five lost years, at what national cost, and to what effect. Thailand certainly deserves a better English language publication than this rag.

----------


## SteveCM

Maybe a bit of light relief.....

First sighting of poster for (former?) massage parlour chain owner Chuwit Kamonwisit ('Rak Prathet Thai' party).



Rough translation: _"I'm bored with politics but I have to do (stand/run in) the election. I want to be in the opposition [to fight] against corruption".
_
Hmmm...... catchy  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 


Source: yfrog Photo : http://yfrog.com/h3byvtzj Shared by tri26

----------


## Butterfly

^ he is a total nutter, his ad campaign are always strange and scary

a miracle he can get any vote,

----------


## Buksida

The red supporters are an interesting bunch, for a long time they claimed the movement was independent and grassroots. In time it would develop into a force to transform the country. This is BS and now they are quiet on the subject.

The red supporters paint a picture of the evil amart oppressing the poor phrai.

While this may be partly true, the idea that the phrai will be saved by a hi-so Chinese Thai from one the Thailand's richest families is bizarre.

The Shinawatra's are part of the problem not the solution.

----------


## Butterfly

^ the red supporters are a desperate delusional bunch,

irony is lost on them,

we have a few clear case here,

----------


## StrontiumDog

^ and ^^

What has become very interesting is that neither Thaksin or Yingluck have mentioned the Red Shirts, or in fact anything about justice for this group.

90 deaths have been used by Amsterdam, Thaksin, Pheu Thai etc for a year now. All of a sudden, as the possibility of power approaches, all we hear is "forgive and forget" (Thaksin) and reconciliation (both Yingluck and Thaksin) and no seeking of revenge (both Thaksin and Yingluck). 

And as Buksida says, Yingluck has about as much in common with the red shirts, as, well, Thaksin does....in other words nothing! Once again the Chinese-Thai (Thaksin and Yingluck) will control the country and the prai will get shafted. 

Or so it seems....we shall see. But at this moment in time, it isn't looking too good.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Tongue-Thai
*
*Tongue-Thai’ed! Part III: O brother, where art thou?*

_By Siam Voices May 17, 2011 6:43PM UTC_ 

_By Saksith Saiyasombut_

_“Tongue-Thai’ed!” is the new segment on Siam Voices, where we  encapsulate the most baffling, amusing, confusing, outrageous and  appalling quotes from Thai politicians and other public figures – in  short: everything we hear that makes us go “Huh?!”. Check out all past  entries here._


Yingluck Shinawatra. Pic: AP.

 The election campaign has now really begun this week with the opposition Puea Thai Party finally putting Yingluck Shinawatra forward as PM candidate. Of course, we all now that she is the younger sister of one Thaksin and that this fact alone will certainly irk many voters.

 The more unsurprising is what Thaksin said during an exclusive interview with _Post Today_:“ผมบอกเลยว่าไม่ใช่นอมินี  แต่เรียกได้เลยว่าเป็นโคลนนิงของทักษิณเลย  ผมโคลนนิงการบริหารให้ตั้งแต่เรียนจบใหม่ๆ สไตล์การทำงานเหมือนผม  รับการบริหารจากผมได้ดีที่สุด อีกข้อสำคัญหนึ่งก็คือ  การที่คุณยิ่งลักษณ์ซึ่งเป็นน้องสาวผม มานั่งเก้าอี้หัวหน้าพรรค  สถานะนั้นสามารถตัดสินใจแทนผมได้เลย เยส ออ โน นี่พูดแทนผมได้เลย”

 “I say straightaway that [Yingluck] is not a nominee, but you can say  that she is a clone of Thaksin. I have cloned my [way of] leadership  [to her] ever since graduation. [Her] style of work is the same as mine.  [She] got all my best administration [skills]. Another important point  is, since Yingluck is my younger sister and she is head of the party,  she can decide for me. ‘Yes or no,’ she can do that for me.”

_“ทักษิณบอกยิ่งลักษณ์คือโคลนนิงของผม“, Post Today, May 17, 2011 (translation by me)_Clearly, the opponents (both lawmakers and the press) will bite on  this bait and point out that this alone is enough not to vote her (as  our favorite Suthep already did). But it would a mistake to rail just on that, because having a Shinawatra running for office is _exactly_  why the Puea Thai Party is poised to gain many votes. Attacking her  just for being a Thaksin proxy (or worse, digging up her private life)  might prove ineffective.

 People who hate Thaksin won’t vote for Puea Thai anyways and voters  who still think highly of him will give their vote to his sister –  there’s nothing to change about that. What’s crucial now is whether she  can win over the undecided voters. We’ll have to wait for the campaign  trail if Yingluck can stand for her own. She still has enough  opportunities to prove herself as a politician and not only as Thaksin’s  sister.

 (You might ask why this is still filed under “_Tongue-Thai’ed_”  – well, it’s the well-known bluntness and bravado of Thaksin’s quote  that in my view still deserves a spot here. And I can’t just put up yet  another Suthep quote!)

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thailand's elections: Charge of the clone | The Economist
*
*Thailand's elections*

*     Charge of the clone * 

        May 17th 2011, 10:15 by R.C. | SINGAPORE  



SO  IT'S official. Thailand’s largest opposition party, Pheu Thai, will be  led by the sister of its exiled leader, Thaksin Shinawatra, in the  general election to be held on July 3rd. Yingluck Shinawatra is Mr  Thaksin’s 43-year-old younger sister, a businesswoman with virtually no  experience of politics. She was "nominated" to lead the party on May  16th—although handpicked by Mr Thaksin would probably be a better  description of the process.

The choice of Ms Yingluck will  invigorate many Pheu Thai supporters, but dismay others. Mr Thaksin, who  was deposed in a coup in 2006, is revered by his supporters as a  populist hero who put the concerns of the poor first with his innovative  social and economic programmes, especially in the countryside. To them,  often red shirts in Thailand’s colour-coded politics, Ms Yingluck will  be the next best thing to having the man himself back in charge. Mr  Thaksin is banned from politics in Thailand and would face charges if he  returned. He is keen to stress his closeness to Ms Yingluck, and  described her after her nomination as his "clone".

Others,  however, will worry about this kind of talk. Some of Mr Thaksin’s own  supporters have long been concerned about turning the party into merely a  fan club for Mr Thaksin. They would rather see it evolving into  something more broadly based. Appointing Ms Yingluck, however, seems to  confirm the Thaksinisation of the party. Nonetheless, even those opposed  to the appointment within Pheu Thai argue that government-inspired  court orders banning most of the other Pheu Thai leaders from  participating in politics meant that in reality the choice was pretty  thin.

Much now will depend on Ms Yingluck, an unknown political  entity. Will she emerge as a politician in her own right, or be content  to remain merely as a clone for her elder brother? Certainly her first  public pronouncements after her "nomination" were pretty bland. There  was some talk of reconciliation to heal Thailand’s bitterly divided  politics, and a suggestion that being a woman she will be better able to  achieve this than a man.

None of this, however, will worry her  opponent, Abhisit Vejjajiva, the prime minister and leader of the  Democrat Party. He is an experienced politician, although one who will  also be seeking his first mandate from the electorate; he only came to  power in 2008 after the courts dissolved the previous Thaksinite ruling  party.  Polls put the two main parties roughly neck and neck, so it  should be an exciting race, spiced up by Ms Yingluck. If she wins, it  will mean not only the restoration of the Thaksinites—the country will  also get its first ever female prime minister.

----------


## Gerbil

> Once again the Chinese-Thai (Thaksin and Yingluck) will control the country and the prai will get shafted.


Yep, the reds are starting to realize they're about to get shafted. Already complaining that most of their leaders have not been selected as candidates by PT. Too late (90 day rule) for them to form their own party as well.

Realization is dawning that they have been used as tools.

----------


## Buksida

The sad part is the rank and file red shirts accept being sidelined in the same way poor Thais don't complain when their rich bosses treat them shit.

Things will never change here until the poor realize they need to organize and find leaders amongst themselves. It will be hard work and there will be no cash handouts from billionaires.

----------


## Bettyboo

> ^ and ^^
> 
> What has become very interesting is that neither Thaksin or Yingluck have mentioned the Red Shirts, or in fact anything about justice for this group.
> 
> Why's that do we think? 
> 
> If they say "yes, we want the army generals in prison" then what will happen? Another coup or worse, that's what...
> 
> 90 deaths have been used by Amsterdam, Thaksin, Pheu Thai etc for a year now. All of a sudden, as the possibility of power approaches, all we hear is "forgive and forget" (Thaksin) and reconciliation (both Yingluck and Thaksin) and no seeking of revenge (both Thaksin and Yingluck). 
> ...


The dems/army/PAD are dismantling democracy. They need to be got rid of. MrT is a proven corrupt sino-Thai who is also proven at moving the country forward and not dismantling education, freedom of speech, legal instituitions, etc, the list goes on and on.

I very much dislike MrT, but the folk that offer any support to the dems or army or PAD, seem to me to be blind to the events of the last 5+ years...

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Violence threatens Thai elections, FA poll - Polls - Editor's Desk - News - FinanceAsia.com - The network for financial decision makers*

*Violence threatens Thai elections, FA poll*

 
 _Yingluck Shinawatra has vowed to bring Thaksin back (AFP)_ 
*With Thaksin Shinawatra's  sister now an official candidate for the opposition, Thailand's July 3  election looks set to be another violent showdown.*

                                                        By Nick Ferguson | 17 May 2011

Thailand’s general elections are scheduled to take place on July 3, with seats in both the house and the senate up for grabs.

Violence is now a perennial concern in Thai politics. The _Bangkok Post_ is  reporting that election officials have boosted security measures but  cannot discount the possibility of trouble. The timing at least is  favourable — the vote was originally proposed for mid-November, just  before the country’s peak tourist season, but the new date at least  pushes the elections into the sticky heat of the low season.
*
POLL RESULT* *

Will Thailand's upcoming election heal its political divisions?*

Yes  26%    No 74%

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Abhisit Vejjajiva, Thailand’s prime minister, had hoped that calling an  election would help resolve some of the country’s differences, but that  seems unlikely after the main opposition For Thais Party nominated the  sister of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as its candidate.

Yingluck Shinawatra has served as president at some of the family  businesses, such as SC Asset Corp and Advanced Info Service, and is  actively campaigning on the fact that she is her brother’s proxy.  “Thaksin Thinks, For Thais Acts”, goes the slogan. She promises to bring  her brother back.

With a Shinawatra on the ticket, passions are bound to run high and  Thailand’s long-held political division — between poor rural voters and  rich urbanites — looks set to deepen.

----------


## SteveCM

Meanwhile, back at the (promised) election.....


*Bangkok Post : PM Abhisit visits Phitsanulok*

         Breakingnews          >                
Published: 17/05/2011 at 11:19 AMOnline news:Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Tuesday  morning travelled to meet local people at the Tambon Kui Muang  Administration Organisation office in Phitsanuloks Muang district,  reports said.

 The prime minister was greeted by more than 3,000 villagers.

 Mr Abhisit invited the people to ask him about the  development projects initiated by the Democrat Party.

 One major issue raised was the low price paid for rice. The  people wanted the government to move ahead with its farm price guarantee  scheme, which they considered to be useful.

 Deputy spokesman of the Democrat Party Warong Dethkijvikrom told the  crowd that the announced policy by the opposition Pheu Thai Party that  it will introduce a rice mortgage system which ensures a paddy price of  no less than 15,000 baht a tonne was just election propaganda and was  not practical.

 Mr Warong said farmers would directly benefit from the Democrat-led governments farm price guarantee scheme.

----------


## SteveCM

^



> One major issue raised was the low price paid for rice. The people wanted the government to move ahead with its farm price guarantee scheme, which they considered to be useful.


For why this is significant, see https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ml#post1751503 (Govt keeps cash coming) and following posts. I suggest that "bread and butter" (no irony intended) issues like this will be more influential on more Thai voters than any amount of hand-wringing about whether the "red" cause might be "sold out" by a PT government or whether democracy reforms come later rather than sooner - or, arguably, any time in the Thai foreseeable future.

And saying farmers


> .....would directly benefit from the Democrat-led government’s farm price guarantee scheme


 tends to cut little ice with voters who've heard many fine words from the Abhisit government - but seen little of them being fulfilled - while seeing their living/operating costs go up much faster than their incomes during its time in office. Against that the perception is that things were not only good but better in the Thaksin years - and that when he made promises, they were kept. Needless to say, it doesn't matter if the perception doesn't wholly match the reality or that in the last two years the overall Thai economy has grown during a difficult period globally. These voters aren't going to be checking the latest GDP figures to decide how to vote.....

----------


## sabang

> Once again the Chinese-Thai (Thaksin and Yingluck) will control the country and the prai will get shafted.


Abhisit, Korn, Leekpai & Suthep are Thai Chinese. So is Gen Chan Ocha.
So are Thaksin & Yingluck, so were Samak & Wongsawat, and so is Mingkwan.
So are Newin and Silpa-Archa for that matter.

What is your point? if you think the red shirts are somehow racially motivated you are quite mistaken. Yes, the sino thai dominate Thai politics- that is a fact. I am not aware of one candidate for PM or major party leadership that is ethnically Thai.

----------


## Norton

> Yes, the sino thai dominate Thai - land


Indeed.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
> ^ and ^^
> 
> What has become very interesting is that neither Thaksin or Yingluck have mentioned the Red Shirts, or in fact anything about justice for this group.
> 
> Why's that do we think? 
> 
> ...


I don't disagree with your points BB. I just don't see the choice which has to be made, be it the Pheu Thai or the Democrats, as being much of a choice. 

My only concern at this time, is that justice is done. 90 people died and there hasn't been anyone held accountable for this. So, when? Certainly not while the Dem's are in power (and if they win the election, I expect this process to drag on forever...).

My suspicions are that this talk of "forgive and forget" and "reconciliation" are the early signs of what is to come from Thaksin. Lets not forget, he was in power during the war on drugs and Tak Bai. How many people were held accountable for those? He has a history of not investigating deaths....if it is inconvenient....

It is different when you are the opposition, but when it is your own army and police, then you have to deal with them directly. How would Thaksin/Yingluck deal with Prayuth? 

I think Thaksin wont be seeking revenge, as that would put him on a collision course with the unseen elite here. A rather foolish move. I suspect he seek the line of least resistance and play the game...this is all about the power and money...nothing else. Amsterdam is proof of that....

However, we all know that there are a lot of Thaksin's friends within the police and army, so I guess he'll have to get them into the positions he wants as soon as possible. Then the problem is solved and the reconciliation can take place, right?  :Smile: 
I expect lots of (convenient) forgetting and not a lot of need for forgiving at about that time...

----------


## Bettyboo

> I just don't see the choice which has to be made, be it the Pheu Thai or the Democrats, as being much of a choice.


I do see a difference, though I understand your point. I see an ideological difference, just look at the likes of Korn and his wife - they would be very happy to have the lower classes tattooed again. MrT just wants money. That, to me, is a big difference.




> My only concern at this time, is that justice is done. 90 people died and there hasn't been anyone held accountable for this.


I agree with you, but I think we all, deep down (or not so deep down) know it won't be...  :Sad: 




> He has a history of not investigating deaths....if it is inconvenient....


True.




> How would Thaksin/Yingluck deal with Prayuth?


Well, he likes to be the boss, he has a big ego, so something has to give. For me, an elected leader with a big ego is far better than an army general with a big ego controlling the nation by fear/propaganda/force.




> Then the problem is solved and the reconciliation can take place, right?


What have the dems done for reconcilliation? Suthep is a total ^&^%#, Korn and his wife are busy tweeting jokes about the lower classes, Abhisit hasn't moved one finger towards reconcilliation. He has been led by Suthep into lies, manipulations and persecution of the opposition; using the media, courts, DSI, the army, internet controls, govt budget to dodgy army sections scattered throughout the country to 'oversee and manage' the opposition...

MrT never did any of this. He certainly wasn't against leaning (or more) on instituitions for his own political benefit, but he did not (and he could have chosen to) abuse every national instituition in an effort to stop other leading political parties. Of course, he didn't need to because he focused on offering the electorate what they wanted, so he was popular and was able to lead with an electorial mandate. Abhisit chose to do nothing... pulling out of elections, offering no policies, doing no electioneering, just supporting a coup and supporting mass murder, so that he could lead the nation.

No SD, these two sides are not the same at all...

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Once again the Chinese-Thai (Thaksin and Yingluck) will control the country and the prai will get shafted.
> 
> 
> Abhisit, Korn, Leekpai & Suthep are Thai Chinese. So is Gen Chan Ocha.
> So are Thaksin & Yingluck, so were Samak & Wongsawat, and so is Mingkwan.
> So are Newin and Silpa-Archa for that matter.
> 
> What is your point? if you think the red shirts are somehow racially motivated you are quite mistaken. Yes, the sino thai dominate Thai politics- that is a fact. I am not aware of one candidate for PM or major party leadership that is ethnically Thai.


I think Norton made the point for me. 

However, why is it that you are struggling with it? 

You are one of the posters here who continually rants on about the democratic struggle, seemingly little realising that it wont matter if Thaksin/Yingluck are in power or Abhisit, nothing is going to change. 

Thaksin can't provide change. The elite wont be challenged. He will play the game, just as he always did and has done. 

Yeah, vote for Yingluck/Thaksin. The names change but that is all. 

I think the interesting point to come out of all of this, is what will the red shirt movement do if their demands aren't met? What with their current red leadership all aiming to be Pheu Thai politicians....all part of the machinery and bureaucracy. Inculcated and pacified. Comfortable and indolent. 

Only Sombat will be independent and free. But then again it was always that way....

----------


## StrontiumDog

Recent tweet, again suggesting what is coming for the red shirt movement...

tulsathit   tulsathit                                               

            Sources: Thaksin's proclaimed next campaign is to "de-colour" Thailand.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thailand&rsquo;s economy sizzles despite chronic instability - The Globe and Mail
*
*Thailand’s economy sizzles despite chronic instability* 

* MARK MacKINNON* 

* BANGKOK—  Globe and Mail Blog* 

*Posted on Tuesday, May 17, 2011 6:39AM EDT* 

   Amid the glistening luxury hotels and megamalls of Bangkok stands one of  the biggest billboard advertisements you’ll see anywhere. At several  stories high and half a block long, the ad for Toyota Prius is so large  that you can’t take it all in unless you’re standing well back from the  Rajprasong intersection that is the commercial heart of Thailand’s  capital city. 

  Take a few more steps back and you can see what the billboard is  designed to hide: the blackened cement skeleton that was once (and  everyone promises soon will be again) part of Central World, Asia’s  second-largest mall. 

  The sobering sight of Central World, with construction cranes picking at  it like surgeons on a prone patient, is the lone visible reminder of  the events of one year ago this week, when the Thai military moved to  quash a street protest by anti-government “Red Shirts” who had been  camping in the centre of Bangkok since March. The two months of violence  that followed left 91 people -- most of them protesters -- dead. 

  While little in the way of reconciliation has taken place over the past  12 months (a situation that likely won’t be helped by an election  campaign now underway that all sides expect to be a bitter one),  Thailand’s economy has somehow kept sizzling on, seemingly unaffected by  the country’s perpetual instability. 

  Despite predictions in the wake of last year’s violence that the economy would take a severe hit, grossdomesticproduct grew at 8.0 per cent in 2010, making it the fastest growing economy in Southeast Asia 

  While many of the tourists who were caught in Thailand during the  violence of last May (and other demonstrations staged by various  political forces since a 2006 coup d’etat) took the first tuk-tuk to the  airport, they were replaced by others drawn by Thailand’s unaffected  charms. Overall tourism numbers hit a record 15.8 million in 2010, as  Indian weddings and Chinese tour groups filled the hotel rooms vacated  by spooked European and North American travelers. 

  So while the Red Shirts and supporters of Prime Minister Abhisit  Vejjajiva gear up for a July 3 election painted by all sides as crucial  to the country’s future, you can be forgiven for wondering if Thailand  needs a government at all. 

  “To a certain extent [Thai companies] are quite strong on their own. Certain sectors haven’t asked for governmentassistance in a long time,” said Surat Horachaikul, assistant professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. 

  He said it also helped that even last year’s violent showdown between  the army and the Red Shirts was contained to a few blocks in the centre  of Bangkok. “Many tourists also know that, if you avoid certain areas,  you can still enjoy life.”

----------


## StrontiumDog

^ I expect Panda to be along any second to tell us about how the above article is wrong...

----------


## Bettyboo

> Sources: Thaksin's proclaimed next campaign is to "de-colour" Thailand.


He means get rid of the yellows and blues and multicolours, just leaving the reds.  :Smile: 

Power to the people, brother...

----------


## Buksida

The almightt struggle of the phrai against the oppressive amart seems to have been forgotten even here on TD. Posters who referred to the hi so sino chinese conspiring against rural Thais are now saying ethnicity was never an issue.

All that matters is the election, unless of course PPT doesn't get in, then we will be back to conspiracy theories and mysterious forces.

For the last 10 yrs, Thailand's govts have been increasingly authoritarian, stifiling dissent, HR and freedom of the press. I can't see this election changing much.

----------


## Butterfly

The new Thailand Clone Wars,

where the same old clan is ruling the peasants,

except the chosen one, who is there to liberate them from their misery, in 6 months

----------


## Butterfly

> What is your point? if you think the red shirts are somehow racially motivated you are quite mistaken.


showing again your dishonesty when it comes to facing the truth  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Bettyboo

> For the last 10 yrs, Thailand's govts have been increasingly authoritarian, stifiling dissent, HR and freedom of the press. I can't see this election changing much.


Seen by itself, that statement might stand up. But, put it in the context of the last 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60 years and it seems out of place...

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> For the last 10 yrs, Thailand's govts have been increasingly authoritarian, stifiling dissent, HR and freedom of the press. I can't see this election changing much.
> 
> 
> Seen by itself, that statement might stand up. But, put it in the context of the last 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60 years and it seems out of place...


In the late 90s, Thailand under Chuan was improving. The 97 constitution was a real step forward, but the CC dropped the ball and acquitted Thaksin who was clearly guilty.

The article below is from The Nation, but the figures are from Freedon house:




> New York-based Freedom House said that press freedom in Thailand  worsened after the coup in September 2006 as the coup makers, or Council  for National Security (CNS), have largely treated the press as a  potential threat to the new regime and restricted it. 
> This  represents the worse assessment of Thai media ever by a foreign  organisation. *In 2000, Thailand ranked 29*, and was hailed as a country  with one of the freest press in the world. 
> *Under the  deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra, overall media freedom deteriorated  rapidly. Last year (2006), Thailand was ranked 107 and was listed "partly  free".*


HR rights plummeted under Thaksin who was labeled a 'Human Rights abuser of the worst kind'.


He's a nasty piece of work, it frightens me to think what he'd do if he gained power again.

----------


## sabang

> who continually rants on about the democratic struggle,


You mean democratic elections, and peoples vote being respected? You're finally getting the picture then. Reform will not happen overnight- but it will never happen with a government that is not accountable to the people. The next stage is probably to make the the Military accountable to the government- and staying that way, plus establishing a truly strong and independent Judiciary. 



> showing again your dishonesty when it comes to facing the truth


The reds are not racially motivated, as I said. Even disregarding the obvious fact that the last five leaders of TRT/PPP/PT have been Thai Chinese, show me one shred of evidence to the contrary.

Incidentally, although it is looking unlikely, if the Dem's win the election fairly and form a government, I will respect that outcome too. If the Democrat supporters here are any indicator though, you have already given up hope and are resorting to sour grapes. Or perhaps hoping for another coup.

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> Incidentally, although it is looking unlikely, if the Dem's win the election and form a government, I will respect that outcome too. If the Democrat supporters here are any indicator though, you have already given up hope and are resorting to sour grapes. Or perhaps hoping for another coup


I would very much hope you would respect the outcome providig the outcome hasn't been rigged? I think winning the election can be compared to "a snow balls chance in hell" as far as the majority of people are concerned. 

You're right about the Yellow supporters here and I sincerely hope their reaction to date is indicative of the Dems as a whole, Yingluck certainly put them in a miserable mood, fair play to her!

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> The debate thing is an interesting issue. Logically such an event should take place. I wonder how well Yingluck would manage up against the adept and experienced Abhisit? For me, this is the only way the Dem's could get back in the driving seat. They need to show Yingluck as naive and inexperienced. She needs to be tested.


If I were to run her campaign, I would advise her against a debate for the reasons you state. To be fair though to PTP (which of course you aren't), any candidate (a newbie) going up against an incumbant "government" leader would be in a vulnerable position. She no less than anyone else.

On the other hand, an experienced/trained mass communicator could turn the tables on Abhisist in a "live" debate - would they allow it?

She could shred him - dead Thais on the streets while he cowered behind the boots of the army, no apologies, no mourning, Suthep and General Big Hat running the country - who are "You - to talk to me about anything - little boy - or is it little girl?"!

But I'd suggest she stay away from a debate. There is no honour in debating with an unlelected, junta appointed leader. And I'd tell that to the masses - remember "they killed our borthers and sisters" - we're going to the polls to remove them from office - then remove them from Thailand."

This would scare the shit out of the army and sakdina too. Better to let things slowly move forward. Perhaps neither side will suggest a debate - I'd think that best. Hope so.

----------


## Buksida

> This would scare the shit out of the army and sakdina too. Better to let things slowly move forward. Perhaps neither side will suggest a debate - I'd think that best. Hope so.


The debate has been suggested and rejected. Abhisit would just refer to her brother's campaign that killed thousands, I'm sure he had practice debating at oxford. I can see her reaching for the tissues in her Louis Vuitton and running from the set. 

The red shirts have been complaining about the Sakinda, it's difficult to imagine she's not one of them. Below is a quote from Sabang: 


> There is however an affilited class, mainly Chinese,  involved in business and politics, who we can't accuse of being stupid.  But they are affiliated with, and benefit from the same immunity, as  the traditional sakdina 'aristocracy'. To all intents and purposes, *they  are sakdina now.*

----------


## Tom Sawyer

^
I'm not suggesting the wealthy class is all Sakdina - and I'd agree with Sabang on his suppostition. That doesn't change the fact that a trained seal couldn't rip Mark apart on what has happened. Thakisn? Killed drug dealers? Oh NOO!~

And PLEASE, don't tell me that because Mark went to Eton and Oxford he is somehow cleverer than others. Otherwise we'll need to call you Buksida-Sakdina!

IQ and the gift of the gab are what count pal. Most don't have it. She probably doesn't either - but man, if she did - WOW!

But ask yourself this - truthfully - if she was a highly intelligent woman who rip the shit out of the hi-so's Democrat party and leader. Do you really think the govt-army run TV would ever let that through the airwaves to the masses?

Nope - so you see the rigging is already underway - just like the postal votes and advance polls are virtually inaccessible to the masses from the north and northeast.

----------


## Buksida

> The reds are not racially motivated, as I said. Even disregarding the obvious fact that the last five leaders of TRT/PPP/PT have been Thai Chinese, show me one shred of evidence to the contrary.


I was not suggesting the reds themselves had been anti-Chinese, but their supporters here felt the Thai-Chinese were part of the Sakdina/Amart oppress the Phrai thing. Some of the comments are pretty scary:

Tom Sawyer



> Lived here probably as long as you - long enough to know that the Chinese Thai have completely subjegated the Thai people. ....
> 
> *One of these days the real Thai shall have their revenge. Good luck to them.*


Bold Rodney



> Unfortunately for the Thais they've suffered what many other countries have done with the large influx of Chinese  and it's had an effect on Thailand's politics, economy and it's culture  and the generally the "intelligent" Thai opinion is the long term  effect hasn't been a good one. 
> 
> ....they're bad or useless in the eyes of pure  Thais but I'm afraid for Thai-Chinese they are both as money is their  real God.


Despite showing hostility towards wealthy Chinese-Thais in other threads, our red friends seem to feel Ms Yingluck will serve the poor Thais well.

----------


## sabang

Thailand needs a government that can govern, as does any country. Through whatever combination of circumstances- and I don't lay all the blame for this at his feet- the Abhisit administration couldn't. It quite clearly played second fiddle to the military in domestic 'security' and foreign affairs, and kowtowed to it's 'self serving' coalition partner, BJT, in the Interior ministry. Then there was the fact he seemed to be constantly outmaneuvred by 'old guard' factional elements within his own party, such as Suthep. Perhaps he meant well- perhaps we'll never know- but he was a weak leader of a party who's prime loyalty was certainly not to the people of Thailand, rather a motley coalition of self serving interests. I'm afraid no amount of plummy accent and Oxbridge makes up for that in the bearpit of Thai politics. Certainly not when the arbiter is the people, at least.

----------


## Buksida

> ^
> I'm not suggesting the wealthy class is all Sakdina - and I'd agree with Sabang on his suppostition.


Wealthiest of families, married into the country's biggest company. Ran Big Bro's companies while he was PM.

So she's not more or less Sakdina?

----------


## Tom Sawyer

^^^
One day the real Thais will have their revenge. So what? They will eventually take stewardship of their country as is their right - they are the MAJORITY.

Meantime, they need to back powerful proxies - as fake as they may be - to put them into a position to do so - you think the Reds are all Thakisn supporters? By the way not all Chinses Thais are rich. It could take some time - better than letting the big hair, white skinned chinese continue to consolidate power isn't it?

Remember - the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Nothing is ever truer than that, until it is no longer true. That's the way of the world. The majority will eventually quash the minority - just like the asians will eventually wipe out the white westerners - it's inevitable. Sheer numbers - the majority rules in science. It could take 200 years or 2,000 years but it will happen. Have no doubt

----------


## Buksida

^ Sounds like a speech from Hitler in his early days, especially references to skin color, 'real Thais' and bits like this




> The majority will eventually quash the minority - the majority rules in science.


Time to put on the brown shirts?

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> who continually rants on about the democratic struggle,
> 
> 
> You mean democratic elections, and peoples vote being respected? You're finally getting the picture then. Reform will not happen overnight- but it will never happen with a government that is not accountable to the people. The next stage is probably to make the the Military accountable to the government- and staying that way, plus establishing a truly strong and independent Judiciary. 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I wasn't aware that there were any Democrat supporters here Sabang. 

Care to name some that you feel are? 

As regards my finally getting the picture, you either don't read all my posts, or suffer from an appallingly bad memory. I've never changed my opinions. You appear to suffer from the same inability as others to appreciate that someone who doesn't agree with you may in fact not hold the opposite views. They may simply think you are wrong.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
>  
> The debate thing is an interesting issue. Logically such an event should take place. I wonder how well Yingluck would manage up against the adept and experienced Abhisit? For me, this is the only way the Dem's could get back in the driving seat. They need to show Yingluck as naive and inexperienced. She needs to be tested.
> 
> 
> 
> If I were to run her campaign, I would advise her against a debate for the reasons you state. To be fair though to PTP (which of course you aren't), any candidate (a newbie) going up against an incumbant "government" leader would be in a vulnerable position. She no less than anyone else.
> ...


Based upon what you've written, I'd love to see a debate! 

Someone really needs to confront this government about the unexplained deaths.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Pheu Thai rules out debate
*
*Pheu Thai rules out debate*

                            By Olarn Lertrattanadamrongkul,
Kornchanok Raksaseri,
Satien Viriyapanpongsa
The Nation
                                             Published on May 18, 2011                


*Opposition says policies of both parties have been  unveiled and there is no point in PM candidates Yingluck and Abhisit  locking horns*

                                                            With scorn or indifference, key Pheu Thai members have  ruled out a public debate between Yingluck Shinawatra and Abhisit  Vejjajiva, leaving the Democrats still chasing their first opportunity  to scrutinise her proclaimed "qualifications".

Yingluck, unveiled  on Monday as the Pheu Thai Party's challenger to Abhisit's reign, would  certainly face political questions at such a debate, thanks to her  relations with Thaksin Shinawatra and his proclaimed intention to wipe  Thailand free of "political crimes" through a blanket amnesty.

Abhisit  and high-ranking Democrats proposed the debate, saying it would help  voters form a judgement ahead of the July 3 election. Pheu Thai's  negative response was expected, given Abhisit's nearly unrivalled  eloquence, Yingluck's fledgling political career and the potentially  explosive amnesty issue.

Pheu Thai deputy leader Plodprasop  Suraswadi yesterday rejected the proposal on the grounds that the two  rival parties had already outlined their respective policies, hence a  debate was unwarranted.

"I see the debate, if it happens, as a venue for bickering, which will not bode well for reconciliation," he said.

Plodprasop  said there had never been a political tradition of campaign debates in  Thailand. He said he recalled that Abhisit used to challenge the late  prime minister Samak Sundaravej to a debate but this did not happen.

Aspiring  Pheu Thai MP candidate Natthawut Saikua said that for the past two  years, every Thai citizen had seen through Abhisit as a man toying with  words but having no job performance to show.

Natthawut said he saw the demand for a debate as Abhisit's attempt to showcase his oratory skills at Yingluck's expense.

Pheu Thai supporters would not be swayed by a mere debate, he said.

By  casting the ballot for Yingluck, voters would enjoy the policies of  former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, he said, arguing that Pheu  Thai's track record spoke for itself, louder than words.

He said  Yingluck could be Abhisit's mentor because she had the experience of  running a business worth billions of baht while Abhisit had no such  track record.

If Abhisit was so confident of his superior  attributes in comparison to Yingluck's, then he should not try to win by  abusing state mechanisms to sway votes, he said.

Academics have voiced support for a public debate, but voiced concern over the proper format and legal constraints. 

Former  Election Commission member Gothom Arya said an election debate would  benefit the people as it would give more information about each party's  policies as well as the personality of party leaders who propose to be  prime-ministerial candidates. 

However, such a debate in Thailand might face legal constraints, he said. 

"How  can we give equal time to the leaders of all the political parties as  stipulated by the law? Is it acceptable to hold debates for only some  party leaders people see as having a better chance of becoming the prime  minister? What [about] the supporters of small parties?" he asked.

"Party  leaders with administrative experience would have an advantage over the  new faces. In the current case, Abhisit would have an advantage over  Yingluck - but a debate between Abhisit and Thaksin would be very  interesting," Gothom said.

Tactful people and good speakers would  also have an advantage, he said. But a good leader would need to  communicate and answer questions clearly, he said.

Nevertheless,  the accountability of what the politicians say during a debate would be  another issue the audience should consider carefully. He referred to a  debate among political party leaders in 1992 when all the speakers said  they were ready to be the prime minister and backed it up with their  reasons, but finally it was General Suchinda Kraprayoon who became the  military-backed prime minister. 

Gothom said that although Thai  party leaders are mature enough, a moderator is necessary so that the  debate would not deteriorate into a quarrel. 

Political critic and  speaker Sukhum Nualsakul said an election debate was good for politics  as it was a chance for the candidates to show their character, including  wit, leadership, and control over their temper. 

Sukhum said he  supported election debates, which have happened in Thailand sometimes,  although it is not compulsory for all party leaders to join. 

Sukhum  said a debate would not help much in deliberating on the details of  policies, which the parties can announce and promote by themselves.

Secretary-general  of the People's Network for Election in Thailand (P-NET) Somchai  Srisuthiyakorn said the group had come up with a plan to hold an  election debate for political party leaders. However, it would also  offer an opportunity to other parties, not just Democrats and Pheu Thai.

"A  debate is necessary for people's decision-making as voters can consider  all aspects of the candidates. Proposing oneself as a prime-ministerial  candidate but refusing to join the debate is like taking advantage of  voters. It's similar to trying to sell a product but not putting it up  for show," he said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Democrat Korbsak not contesting election
*
*Democrat Korbsak not contesting election*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on May 18, 2011                

*Korbsak Sabhavasu, chairman of the Democrat Party's  strategy team, said yesterday that he would not run in this election  because he thinks he can work for the party without being an MP.*

                                                            He said he did not contest the last election but still  managed to help the party probe the bomb-detector procurement scandal at  Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Korbsak was the deputy prime minister in  charge of economic affairs when the Democrats formed the government in  late 2008, and later became the prime minister's secretary-general.

The  Democrats have sorted out their top 10 candidates on the party list,  with party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva in pole position, followed by Chuan  Leekpai, Banyat Bantadtan, Tirdpong Jayanandana, Jurin Laksanawisit,  Korn Chatikavanij, Kalaya Sophonpanich, Apirak Kosayodhin, Trairong  Suwankiri and Chamni Sakdiset. 

The executive board of the Pheu  Thai Party will review and finalise its party list today, party  spokesman Prompong Nopparit said.

The panel in charge of nominating candidates has finished selecting those for the 375 constituency and 125 proportionate seats.

But the board has yet to arrange the party list order, except for Yingluck Shinawatra, who is at the top.

Party  leader Yongyuth Wichaidit and Yingluck will lead the party list and  Bangkok hopefuls will apply as election candidates at the Thai-Japanese  Youth Centre tomorrow, Prompong said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*TV host puts long-held interest in politics to test

NEW FACE* 

*TV host puts long-held interest in politics to test*

                            By Sirared Cherdchusilp
The Nation
                                             Published on May 18, 2011                

*Tankhun Jitt-itsara is a familiar figure as the host of television programmes and social events.*

                                                            But now he is about to adopt a new image and turn himself into a politician. 

The Democrat Party recently announced Tankhun as its parliamentary candidate for Bangkok's Don Muang district. 

Despite his long-time interest in politics, Tankhun had never thought of being an MP - until now.

"I  never planned about being in politics because it was remote to me.  Nowadays, I'm sorry to leave my jobs such as a teacher, a lecturer, and  in the mass media, positions that can raise people's thinking. But they  cannot solve political problems at the structural level," he said.

Tankhun's political baptism was to join in the protest against the late Samak Sundaravej when the latter was prime minister.

  "I became interested in politics during the Black May in 1992, when I  was about 10 years old. When I grew up, I became more interested and  wished to participate and do something as a good Thai citizen."
Political conflict in the past several years brought him back to be a political enthusiast, getting closer to politics.

From  2008 to 2009, Tankhun worked as an adviser to Pongsakorn Annopporn,  deputy education minister in the Samak government. He also worked with  former senator and children's activist Wallop Tangkananurak in a  parliamentary committee.

"I had a chance to be moderator at a  forum on 'the peace way' joined by disciples of Phra Paisal Visalo, Phra  Payom Kalayano and Than Chan-Santi Asoke, at the October 14 Monument.  From that experience, the executive of NBT channel had an idea for a  political TV programme that promoted morality as it reflected the  viewpoint of society." 

The political situation at that time began  to get violent. Tankhun became the host of a programme called "Moving  Thailand Forward".

"During my role as host, I received streams of  information. It was sad to learn that some leaders of the red shirts  intended to use the poverty-stricken people as a political stronghold."  He then asked himself what he could do more than just being an outsider  criticising politics. 

Tankhun continued to be the host of many  programmes - but once offered the chance by the Democrat Party to run in  an election, he did not let the opportunity slip away.

Tankhun  said the Democrats had a long history and it was not a party of  capitalists. "I haven't known much about the party as I'm still new. But  as our party is not owned by a capitalist, we can get and exchange more  opinions, and it is a good opportunity for a new generation of  politicians."

Tankhun believes he has a strong team, which  includes former Bangkok councillor Kanoknuch Narksuwan. He has the dream  to change Don Muang to be an area for healthy minds, and an area  without any vices. 

"I will tell voters, 'Please choose me for  your children,'" he said, adding that he would introduce the new and  innocent generation to a more accurate image of political participation  than that held by the young people currently.

"People should stop respecting corrupt politicians as if they were heroes or gods," he said.

Tankhun  proposes a "Three High" election campaign for his constituency -  adapted from the "Two High" theory of tycoon Dhanin Chearavanont that  said the Thai economy would be prosperous if both the prices of  agricultural products and people's salaries were high. The three highs  of Tankhun consist of high land location so that Don Muang can be safe  from flooding, high income, and a high level of morality, he said.

To  increase people's incomes, a creative community economy and popular  products of the area such as kuay jub Don Muang (noodles) must be  promoted, he said.

On environmental issues, famous scientist Art-ong Jumsai Na Ayudhya has agreed to be his adviser.

"I  will promote 'one family one dutiful child', which will be a 10-year  project," Tankhun said. "Morality and education will be integrated. We  have courses for students to engage in activities with the community,  and will provide areas for children and parents. We provide space for  sports or other activities for after-school kids." 

Should he lose the election, Tankhun said he would rather turn to some calmer type of work, such as writing. 

"I  didn't say that this would be the first and last election contest of  mine, but I do not have much ambition, I just really want to work. It is  a very tiring job, but I have already started and will move on.

----------


## sabang

> They will eventually take stewardship of their country as is their right - they are the MAJORITY.


Who is 'They' Tom? The central tai, the northern 'lanna', the laos, the yawi, hill tribes, khmer, or the sino-Thai- who number around 10% of the population anyway, probably more if you count mixed ethnicity. They are by no means all rich either, and most certainly not all 'yellow'.

Whilst the abysmal wealth gap is something that can and should be addressed in Thailand- for example better minimum wages and availability of low cost health care- going forward it is the opportunity gap that needs to be sustainably addressed. Playing the race card is certainly not a way forward in a country that is ethnically already quite diverse, and I am pleased it is not happening from either side- except perhaps the rather pathetic attempts in some Establishment quarters to stereotype the reds as 'poor Isaan rice farmers', ie not one of "Us".

I also find your prediction re the extinction of the white race somewhat premature.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 



> Care to name some that you feel are?


I would prefer people indicate their own leanings, as they are quite capable of doing- or not, if they so prefer.



> As regards my finally getting the picture, you either don't read all my posts,


Well no, frankly I do not- your Posts are not exactly on the endangered species list, are they? But I have made my position(s) quite clear from the onset, and yes you could caption them as a 'pro-democracy rant' if you so wish-
The illegal and systematic disenfranchisement of the majority's democratic vote over the past five years has been both unconscionable, and highly damaging to Thailand. In too many cases supported, or at least swept under the carpet, by both people and sectors of Thailand that really should have known better (not accusing you incidentally).

----------


## Buksida

I can only see the election of Yingluck as a set back, having a proxy govt. ran by a fugitive megalomaniac doesn't seem like the way forward. It will be all about getting his money and getting control of the country again. If this ever happens, he won't let go.

Yingluck could form a govt., but fail the assets test, which is another nightmare scenario. 

Dems winning is more of the same, to many hidden agendas and to busy defending themselves to govern.

Things are a lot clearer if Thaksin departs, he's no revolutionary, but very good at manipulating people and bribing them with their own taxes.

----------


## SteveCM

^
So, do you have a suggestion for a better (less bad if you like) route to resolving things - one that actually includes events that might actually happen rather than you just wishing they would?

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> As regards my finally getting the picture, you either don't read all my posts,
> 
> 
> Well no, frankly I do not- your Posts are not exactly on the endangered species list, are they? But I have made my position(s) quite clear from the onset, and yes you could caption them as a 'pro-democracy rant' if you so wish-
> The illegal and systematic disenfranchisement of the majority's democratic vote over the past five years has been both unconscionable, and highly damaging to Thailand. In too many cases supported, or at least swept under the carpet, by both people and sectors of Thailand that really should have known better (not accusing you incidentally).


Agreed and unfortunately this election isn't going to solve anything. Yes, it is great that democracy is going to be restored (it should never have halted in the first place). However, the choices that the Thai people have are not really choices at all. 

This election doesn't represent change or progress for Thailand. The same people will be running the show, only the PM's will change. That's all.

----------


## StrontiumDog

"_Thaksin Shinawatra and his proclaimed intention to wipe  Thailand free of "political crimes" through a blanket amnesty._"

There it is again...an amnesty suggests that there will be no justice for the red shirts.....

"_He said  Yingluck could be Abhisit's mentor because she had the  experience of  running a business worth billions of baht while Abhisit  had no such  track record._"-Natthawut

This is clearly a lie. The business was created by Thaksin, his 2 children are majority shareholders and if Thaksin's clone comment is anything to go by, then Yingluck has done nothing but be a trusted figurehead. Someone to run the show, in his self-imposed absence. A bit like the PM's job then it would seem....

----------


## SteveCM

*E-san poll breakdown for 5 provinces in Northeast | Asian Correspondent*

_By Bangkok Pundit 
May 18, 2011 12:10AM UTC_


                                         BP has already blogged  about the E-san poll which surveyed 2,354 people in all 20 provinces in  the Northeast and which showed that for those who have decided who to  cast their party vote for it is Puea Thai 63.9%, Democrats, 20.7%, Bhum  Jai Thai, 9.1%, and Chart Pattana Puea Paendin, 5.3%. However, the poll  also had the breakdowns of 5 of the larger provinces in the Northeast,  namely Buriram, Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani, and Udon  Thani, of which party those surveyed will cast their vote for.

 Remember this is _only_ for the party vote which constitutes 125 seats out of the 500 seats. The Northeast makes up about one-third  of Thailands population so as a quick guide this means around 40 of  the party list MPs will come from the Northeast. Puea Thai will get 26  MPs, Democrats 8 MPs, Bhum Jai Thai 4 MPs, and Chart Pattana Puea  Paendin 2 MPs (2 have not been allocated).  For Puea Thai and the  Democrats these numbers seem reasonable, but where else will Chat Thai  Pattana Puea Paendin and Bhum Jai Thai get significant numbers of party  votes from elsewhere in the country?

 The breakdown for the 5 provinces is below:

*1. Buriram*
 Bhum Jai Thai 41.9, Puea Thai 36.4%, Democrats 19.2%, and other  parties 2.5%. Then see the breakdown for the two largest parties based  on the data from ECBER and the _Matichon_ chart in Thai which can be viewed here.



NOTE: This data should be viewed vertically and not horizontally. For example, 39% *of* those voting for Puea Thai earn less than 5,000 Baht a month. It is *NOT* 39% of *all*  voters who earn less than 5,000 Baht a month are voting for Puea Thai.  BP only has the data has collected by the poll and made public. Yes, BP  realizes this is confusing and hence this little explainer.

*BP*: Some points:

 1.1 On gender, large majorities of males of both Bhum Jai Thai and  Puea Thai voters are male  the overall survey oversampled females by  56% to 43%  so this probably reflects the other numbers that females in  Buriram went for the Democrats (see Udon below).

 1.2 On occupation, should one be surprised that 19.3% of  Bhum Jai  Thai voters are civil servants/state enterprise workers whereas only  2.8% of Puea Thai voters are, but on the reverse only 10% of Bhum Jai  Thai voters are farmers compared to 25% of Puea Thai voters.

 1.3 Aside from that, there are not that many differences. Even if you  think of income, around 84% of Bhum Jai Thai and Puea Thai voters earn  under 10,000 Baht a month although overall Bhum Jai Thai voters earn a  bit more.

 That Puea Thai do quite well in what is seen as Newin country partly explains the headline on Friday in the _Bangkok Post_  about a Newin aide in Buriram defecting to Puea Thai. Perhaps, the  electoral climate was not that favorable for him in his constituency to  be with Bhum Jai Thai (money, of course, can explain partly too).

*2. Nakhon Ratchasima/Khorat*
 Puea Thai 41.3%, Chat Pattana Puea Paendin 28.4%, Democrats 22%, and  other parties 8.3%. Puea Thai 65.1%, Democrats 28.2%, Bhum Jai Thai  4.8%, and other parties 2%. Then see the breakdown for the two largest  parties based on the data from ECBER and the _Matichon_ chart in Thai which can be viewed here.


*
BP*: Some points:

 2.1 On age, much younger voters prefer Puea Thai versus older voters prefer Chart Pattana Puea Paendin comparatively.

 2.2 Slight reversal with more farmers voting for Chart Pattana Puea  Paendin compared with Puea Thai, but then again Puea Thai wins out with  civil servants/state enterprise employee

 2.3 On income relatively even although Puea Thai voters earn   slightly more, but equal numbers earn less than 15,000 Baht a month.

*3. Khon Kaen*
 Puea Thai 65.1%, Democrats 28.2%, Bhum Jai Thai 4.8%, and other  parties 2%. Then see the breakdown for the two largest parties based on  the data from ECBER and the Matichon chart in Thai which can be viewed here.



NOTE: This data should be viewed vertically and not horizontally. For example, 37.2% *of* those voting for Puea Thai earn less than 5,000 Baht a month. It is *NOT* 37.% of *all*  voters who earn less than 5,000 Baht a month are voting for Puea Thai.  BP only has the data has collected by the poll and made public. Yes, BP  realizes this is confusing and hence this little explainer.

*BP:* Some points.

 3.1: 46.3% of Puea Thai voters have a Grade 6 or less education  versus 8.5% of Democrat voters. 49.3% of Democrat voters have a  Bachelors degree versus only 9.1%* of Puea Thai voters.

 3.2: 25.4% of Democrat voters are civil servants/state enterprise  employees versus only 1.2% of Puea Thai voters. However, 29.3% of Puea  Thai voters are farmers versus only 5.6% of Democrat voters.

 3.3: 71.3% of Puea Thai voters earn less than 10,000 Baht a month  versus 33.8% of Democrat voters. 35.2% of Democrat voters earn more than  15,000 Baht a month versus 7.2% of Puea Thai voters.

 Stereotypes exist for a reason and are mainly reflected in Khon Kaen.

*4. Udon Thani*
 Puea Thai 84.6%, Democrats 14.7%, and others parties .8%. Then see  the breakdown for the two largest parties based on the data from ECBER  and the _Matichon_ chart in Thai which can be viewed here.


*
BP:* Some points.

 4.1 Large percentage of Democrat voters are female compared with Puea Thai voters.

 4.2 Large percentage of Democrat voters have a bachelors degree,  work in private enterprise, and earn 10,000+ Baht a month compared with  Puea Thai voters.

 Again, the stereotypes fit.

*5. Ubon Ratchathani*
 Puea Thai 71.2%, Democrats 25.6%, and other parties 3.3%. Then see  the breakdown for the two largest parties based on the data from ECBER  and the _Matichon_ chart in Thai which can be viewed here.


*
BP*:  The stereotypes are a bit reversed compared  with Khon Kaen and Udon. On income, very similar, but against other  results more Democrat voters have Grade 6 education or less than Puea  Thai and more Puea Thai voters have a Bachelors degree than Democrat  voters.

 Overall, the stereotypes of Democrat voters being more educated,  earning more money etc hold true although there are discrepancies  between the provinces. You can also see that for the party vote that  support for Puea Thai differs greatly by province. Puea Thai have 36.4%  of the party vote in Buriram, 41.3% in Nakhon Ratchasima, 65.1% in Khon  Kaen, 71.2% in Ubon Ratchathani and 84.6% in Udon Thani. This can pose a  problem for other polls, for example the ABAC poll who usually survey  only 17 or 20 provinces with 5 or 6 provinces in the Northeast. Now, 6  out of 20 provinces is representative generally. There would be a big  difference if those provinces surveyed was Buriram and Nakhon Ratchasima  versus Ubon and Udon. Hence, such polls should be seen as  representative of the provinces surveyed and not necessarily reflective  of each region or nationwide. This is particularly important when  comparing one ABAC poll with the next one as the provinces surveyed may  be different and hence this could lead to wild swings.

 Look, BP realizes some people dislike polls, but BP thinks it is  important to evaluate polls as they will be talked about in the media.  If you are going to refer to the headline poll numbers then you really  need to look deeper into the numbers on exactly what they mean.

 *corrected from 91% to 9.1%.

----------


## sabang

Based on the 2007 elections, I live in the most electorally diverse Province in Thailand- Ubon Ratchathani. Along with small Narathiwat, that is. This may surprise some. There is no question that the north and north east are PT 'strongholds', but the Bangkok Press depiction of these regions as an unrelenting sea of Red was a fantasy of their own concoction. As the following distinctly shows, the most monolithic voring patterns are actually in the South-




I hope we are privileged with another such map, based on the results of the pending elections.

----------


## SteveCM

Those choosing to make so much hay with Thaksin's "clone" remark and use it as a basis for dismissing the possibility of Yingluck having any business management/leadership skills might care to look back at Saksith's blog post reproduced at https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ml#post1759528 (Thai elections 2011-Thai PM sets stage for tough election)


In addition to finding the writer's accurate prediction that 


> Clearly, the opponents (both lawmakers and the press) will bite on this bait....


 they'll _also_ find a somewhat more complete account of what Thaksin _actually_ said in the Thai-language "Post Today" interview - which seems to have been ignored by the English-language Thai press - and others:  


> “I say straightaway that [Yingluck] is not a  nominee, but you can say that she is a clone of Thaksin. I have cloned  my [way of] leadership [to her] ever since graduation. [Her] style of  work is the same as mine. [She] got all my best administration [skills].  Another important point is, since Yingluck is my younger sister and she  is head of the party, she can decide for me. ‘Yes or no,’ she can do  that for me.”


A slightly different translation shows up at THAILAND Thaksin i.e. 

_“Some said she is my nominee. That's not true. But it can be said that Yingluck is my clone,” Thaksin said.

Thaksin said he helped his sister improve her management skills since her graduation from university and that the two shared similar management styles.

“Another important thing is that Ms Yingluck is my sister and she can make decisions for me. She can say 'yes' or 'no' on my behalf," he added.

...........

_Just thought the *context* might be useful for some here.....

----------


## StrontiumDog

^Saksith's fuller translation was already posted earlier in this thread, so this isn't news or new. 

However, I'll bite. How is this longer version any better than the shorter version. To me it actually sounds worse!

----------


## Butterfly

> I can only see the election of Yingluck as a set back, having a proxy govt. ran by a fugitive megalomaniac doesn't seem like the way forward.


that's the whole irony. If our resident red nutters were true believers of their red cause, they would be furious now for such a choice, but instead they tow to the party line like devoted Thaksin fans.

They are simply delusional and dishonest, or simply desperate.




> Yingluck could form a govt., but fail the assets test, which is another nightmare scenario.


which is probably how the next "Judicial coup" is going to happen, unless Toxin has already bribed a few judges like he did for his case in 2001.




> "He said Yingluck could be Abhisit's mentor because she had the experience of running a business worth billions of baht while Abhisit had no such track record."


typical Chinese monkey mentality, what has this anything to do with Democracy and running a country. In European and US right wing circles in the early 80s, there was a myth that having a successful business leader would be the solution for a successful society. That's how Berlusconi started in politics, and there was a few contenders also in France. In the US, we had GW Bush. Toxin and friends are simply following that western myth, which incidentally coincide with Thai mentality of greed.

----------


## Thaihome

> Yep, the reds are starting to realize they're about to get shafted. Already complaining that most of their leaders have not been selected as candidates by PT. Too late (90 day rule) for them to form their own party as well.
> 
> Realization is dawning that they have been used as tools.


Actually, they still have about 2 weeks to setup a new party or for others to move around to others.  The 2007 Constitution allows 30 days in the case of house dissolution.
TH

_Section 107. A person having the following qualifications has the right to be a candidate in an election of members of the House of Representatives:_
__
_(3) being a member of any and only one political party for a consecutive period of not less than ninety days up to the election day, except that in the case where a general election takes place as a consequence of the dissolution of the House of_ _Representatives such person must be a member of any and only one political party for a consecutive period of not less than thirty days up to the election day;_

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Pheu Thai forges amnesty plan
*
*Pheu Thai forges amnesty plan*

*Academics fear new outbreak of violence* 
Published: 18/05/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsThe Pheu Thai Party has confirmed its plan to  issue an amnesty decree for all politicians and political groups facing  charges or who have been convicted of political-related charges if it  wins the July 3 election.

 Chalerm Yubamrung, former chief Pheu Thai MP and a prospective  party-list candidate, told the Bangkok Post Pheu Thai would soon reveal  details of the draft executive decree. He said it would grant an amnesty  to not only Thaksin Shinawatra, the deposed prime minister, but also  the yellow shirt People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and the red  shirts.

 The amnesty issue resurfaced soon after Pheu Thai officially named  Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's younger sister, as its candidate for  prime minister.

 Ms Yingluck obliquely answered media questions about an amnesty for  Thaksin on Monday, saying only that it was "too early to talk about  that".

 But, Mr Chalerm said that if the Pheu Thai Party won the election and  formed a government, it would immediately approve the executive decree.

 The party is trying to decide whether it will call the edict "the  amnesty decree" or "the decree granting amnesty to people who committed  offences after the Sept 19, 2006 coup d'etat".

 He said issuing an executive decree was easier, more effective, and  more practical than trying to get legislation passed in parliament,  which would certainly require lengthy debate.

 If an executive decree is approved by the Cabinet, parliament would  only be required to acknowledge the decree. The process would take less  than a week, Mr Chalerm said.

 The outspoken veteran said he had already told more than 300,000  people in the Northeast about the decree plan, which they welcomed  because they wanted Thaksin to return home.

 The Pheu Thai Party will keep the public informed of its work on the  amnesty decree. That way the people can decide if they want the country  to move towards reconciliation by granting amnesty to everybody or just a  few individuals or groups, he said.

 Although the PAD had earlier voiced its opposition to an amnesty law  it would likely agree with the Pheu Thai's amnesty decree now that its  leaders are facing terrorism charges for blocking two Bangkok airports  in 2008, Mr. Chalerm said.

 He added that the amnesty decree, would not compel the state to  return the 46 billion baht in assets it has seized from Mr Thaksin and  his family.

 "We believe that to win the coming election, we must do it this way.  And if we can form the next government, everything will be very easy.  Only the winner will write history," Mr Chalerm said.

 Chaiyan Chaiyaporn, a political science lecturer at Chulalongkorn  University, said he doubted an amnesty decree would come to fruition.

 If Ms Yingluck becomes the prime minister, she might push for the amnesty decree to pave way for her brother's return.

 "But the move will definitely face strong opposition from Cabinet  ministers because they don't want to lose their Cabinet posts too soon,"  the academic said.

 He said a Pheu Thai-led government would not be able to grant amnesty  to supporters of all political blocs because both red shirt and yellow  shirt leaders face several serious charges.

 The decree would also face opposition from the greater public. He  pointed to the uproar that ensued when the Samak Sundaravej  administration tried to help Thaksin return to Thailand, Mr Chaiyan  said.

 Samak, who was then prime minister and leader of the People Power  Party, tried to push through an amnesty law or amend the constitution to  withdraw every lawsuit filed against Thaksin by the Assets Scrutiny  Committee. Consequently, political chaos erupted and PAD renewed its  political rallies.

 Democrat spokesman Buranaj Smutharaks yesterday said he doubted Ms  Yingluck would stick to her pledge to follow the rule of law when other  party members were adamant about pushing for the amnesty decree to  benefit Thaksin.

 An amnesty would violate the rule of law, and could lead to further  chaos and heighten the political tensions that have been brewing over  the last two years, Dr Buranaj said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Democrats unfazed by Yingluck factor
*
*Democrats unfazed by Yingluck factor*
Published: 18/05/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsAfter the Pheu Thai Party announced its No.1  party list candidate on Monday, it is clear that the main competitors  for the premiership in the July 3 election are Yingluck Shinawatra of  the Pheu Thai Party and Abhisit Vejjajiva of the Democrat Party. Korbsak  Sabhavasu, chief of the Democrat Party's strategy panel, shared with  PRADIT RUANGDIT his observations on the road ahead for the Pheu Thai and  the Democrat parties.

 
_Korbsak: ‘Policies still have influence’_

*Does your party need to change election campaign strategies now that  Ms Yingluck has been named as a candidate for prime minister?*

 The Democrats are sticking to our plan. We'll move to solve the people's problems and will do it seriously and immediately.

 No matter who becomes the Pheu Thai Party's candidate, the first  thing they will do is to bring Thaksin [Shinawatra] home. They have  repeatedly emphasised this point.

*It seems party policies will have little influence on people's decisions in this election.*

 Policies still have some influence. They tell people in which  direction each party will lead the country; what benefits each group  will get and how the country's efficiency will be bolstered.

 The Democrats have already announced what the party will do on the  first day if it is the government while the Pheu Thai Party keeps saying  how Thaksin will come back. But how? I don't know. Perhaps a new law  needs to be drafted for this, but will it be approved by the Senate and  how long will the whole process take?

 Thaksin can return to Thailand, of course, but he has to be sent to  prison. In fact, he came back to Thailand once after the election in  2007. He kneeled down as if to kiss the ground of his homeland. After  that, the country encountered lots of problems. Do we want to go back to  this?

 People have to decide - letting the country go forward or choosing to  keep it in the old cycle. For me, I don't want people to only think of  certain people's family problems.

 Today the Pheu Thai Party is thinking about how to keep Thaksin from  being jailed. If more than 60 million Thais agree with its methods for  bringing Thaksin back, the Democrats will have nothing to oppose.

*As this election is a competition between the Pheu Thai and the  Democrat's platforms, is the Democrat Party confident it can win the  election?*

 We can't say now whether we will or will not win. We only point out  clearly the choices people have, but which choices they make will depend  on them. We respect their decisions. However, each party has to state  clearly what they will offer to the people.

*How do you respond to criticism that there is no difference between  each party's policies and that they even copy each other's policies?*

 The policies of the Pheu Thai and Democrat parties are different - not copied.

 For example, we have a policy to set aside coastal areas in the South only for recreation.

 We will not allow heavy industrial development that will affect the  environment. However, the Pheu Thai party plans to attract heavy  industries to the area.

 The Democrats suggested the construction of facilities for high-speed  trains from China, Laos and the Northeast while the Pheu Thai Party  wants to make them across the country.

 The Pheu Thai Party also has a plan to distribute iPads to students,  but I wonder whether this policy is practical and whether it will  improve the education of children.

*Is it true that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is only good at speaking?*

 No. Despite being under political constraints, [the Democrat-led  government] has carried out almost all of the policies we announced.

 As a close aide to the prime minister, I deny the accusation. Mr  Abhisit is good at speaking, but he also acts and perhaps he does better  than most people.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Foreign businesses keep watchful eye
*
*Foreign businesses keep watchful eye*
Published: 18/05/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: Business
 Foreign business leaders are hoping for more  political stability after Thailand's general election while calling on  the new government to promise more consistent policies and open up the  economy.

 
Von der Luehe: Make regulations clearer

 Nandor von der Luehe, chairman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of  Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT), said the economy had performed well in  recent years as exports had not been affected by domestic political  strife.

 While political reconciliation has not been achieved, the election could bring it a step forward.

 "I think it is difficult [for reconciliation] as Thais are widely  divided," said Mr von der Luehe. "It is important that the results of  the election and the new government are accepted by all sides so that  things can move forward."

 He said the Democrat-led administration had listened to the concerns  of foreign business communities, who expect the new government will  continue to be receptive.

 Amendments to the Foreign Business Act, especially opening up the  service sector, will increase Thailand's attractiveness in the eyes of  foreign investors.

 When the Asean Economic Community is established in 2015, Thailand  should be able to maintain its leading position in the region, said Mr  Von der Luehe.

 But Thailand could do more to make it easier to do business, he  noted. In the World Bank's "Doing Business 2011" index, Thailand's  ranking slipped to 19th from 16th in the previous survey.

 Nonetheless, the kingdom still outperformed all regional peers except  Singapore and Hong Kong. Malaysia, for example, placed 21st (up from  23rd), Vietnam 77th (up from 88th) and Indonesia 121st (down from  115th).

 Mr von der Luehe and other foreign chamber members also want corruption in Thailand to be tackled.

 "I expect that after the election, they will try to improve  corruption problems," said David Bak, vice-president of the Korean-Thai  Chamber of Commerce, adding that corruption remains a problem in areas  such as customs.

 "Foreign investors want all government agencies to make regulations more clear," he said.

 Populist policies should be eliminated because they do not generate long-term benefits for the country, he said.

 Deepak Mittal, director of Thai Carbon Black and a former executive  of the JFCCT and the India-Thai Chamber of Commerce, disagrees with the  state subsidy scheme, which he describes as just good for the short  term.

 "Subsidy cannot go on for the long run because ultimately price will be decided by supply and demand in the market," he said.

 In India, for instance, the government recently raised the petrol  price to 67 rupees (45 baht) a litre as global prices remain high.

 He applauded the Abhisit Vejjajiva government for creating a supportive environment for business.

 "It's not any specific action but overall economic policies that are  supportive for business to export and invest here by taking care when  they have a problem," he said. "Of course, as a businessman, I think the  exchange rate should be weaker, but it would affect capital inflows and  cause other problems to the economy."

 Mr Mittal also called on the new government to lower corporate income  tax from 30%, which is higher than other countries in the region.  Vietnam, for example, has a rate of only 25%.

 "This is an important factor for foreign investors to decide whether  to invest in Thailand or in neighbouring countries," he said.

 David Nardone, president and chief executive of the industrial estate  company Hemaraj Land and Development, said investors expected the new  government to continue with policies to promote industrial clusters.

 He would like to see more free trade agreements, while restructuring  should provide a platform for high-tech cars such as hybrids and  electric vehicles to be developed in Thailand.

 Along with infrastructure development, the supply of vocational  workers should be increased to serve demand from the industrial sector,  Mr Nardone said.

----------


## Rural Surin

> Originally Posted by SteveCM
> 
> The Democrat Party grumbles that its just a circus, that in reality she is merely a lightweight and wholly unqualified to run the country. Which, of course, might well be truebut *it misses the point entirely*. She is the perfect early 21st-century political candidate, a beautiful fit for the modern mass media: telegenic, charismatic and very easy for voters to relate to.
> 
> 
> It certainly does. She is exactly the type who will win modern day elections. Maybe not a good thing for modern democracies but it is what it is.


It's all rather moot as to who holds the post. Because, nothing really matters if a modern democracy isn't in order [or in place].

----------


## SteveCM

*Pheu Thai govt would work with military : Plodprasop*

16 June 2011

               By The Nation


*The Pheu Thai Party, if elected to lead the next  government, would have no problem working with the armed forces, deputy  party leader Plodprasop Suraswadi said Thursday.*

                              "The armed forces are part of the bureaucracy and Pheu  Thai is part of the political sector, hence the two will have to  understand one another, work together and coexist," he said.

Plodprasop dismissed concern about incompatibility between his party and the armed forces.

The  Pheu Thailed government would be obliged to work along with the armed  forces in ensuring the national security and safeguarding the monarchy,  he said.

He said his party had no linkage to the antimonarchy  movement. On a personal note, he said he had known Army chief Gen  Prayuth Chanocha since he [Plodprasop] was a 37-year-old civil servant  serving as deputy director general of the Fisheries Department.

Prayuth  stepped into the campaign fray on Tuesday by urging voters to rally  behind the monarchy and elect "good people" to administer the country.  Many saw Prayuth's speech as a veiled criticism of Pheu Thai.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://ca.news.yahoo.com/exiled-thak...144130268.html

Exiled Thaksin seeks December return to Thailand*

By Amena Bakr | Reuters – 3 minutes 43 seconds ago


_Thailand's former premier Thaksin Shinawatra puts on his gloves before playing golf …_

        DUBAI (Reuters) - Thaksin Shinawatra, the ousted former prime  minister backing his sister's bid to unseat the ruling party in  Thailand's upcoming general election, is optimistic about the outcome --  and a possible homecoming.

 The billionaire former telecommunications tycoon, who lives in exile  to avoid a prison sentence for graft, said he hoped to return to  Thailand by December, but acknowledged in an interview with Reuters that  he would have to negotiate with his powerful enemies first.

 Living in Dubai since fleeing Thailand ahead of a 2008 court verdict,  the twice-elected Thaksin said he was in regular contact with his  youngest sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, while managing what remains of his  wealth from a villa in the cosmopolitan desert city.

 The 61-year-old, self-styled "CEO Premier" who was accused of  authoritarianism during his five years in office, appeared to be more  conciliatory now, urging dialogue with the Thai establishment and the  generals who overthrew him in a 2006 coup.

 "In politics we have to use the iron fist and the velvet glove," said  Thaksin, who has made his home in a region that has seen unprecedented  upheaval since early 2011 with people in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Bahrain,  Yemen and Syria taking to the streets against their governments.

 "Nowadays you have to use more of the velvet glove than iron fist.  During time of conflict you need to have more dialogue instead of just  trying to use law to suppress the other side," he said, referring to  Thailand long-running political crisis.

 Thaksin's Puea Thai Party is challenging Prime Minister Abhisit  Vejjajiva's ruling Democrats in a July 3 election and Yingluck's entry  into the race as prime minister candidate has energized Thaksin's urban  and rural working class supporters, who see him as a mold-breaking  populist hero.

 Thaksin urged his rivals not to interfere in the election or try to influence the formation of the next government.

 "They have to respect the decision of the people, otherwise there is no use to arrange an election," he said.

 The former policeman and Premier League soccer club owner is betting  that victory will pave the way for a general amnesty that might allow  him to return without going to prison.

 YEARNING FOR HOME

 Thaksin's yearning for his homeland is clear at his resplendent white  mansion in the upscale Emirates Hills area of Dubai, where he surrounds  himself with Thai orchids and at least half a dozen Thai staff.

 Magazines from home are stacked up on a coffee table next to a bowl  of Thai candy and the smell of Thai food wafts through the room.

 Messengers travel back and forth between his home and Bangkok,  relaying information to his allies. Abhisit suspects Thaksin of funding  Puea Thai and running the opposition through his Yingluck, a 43-year-old  businesswoman.

 Asked what he meant by once calling Yingluck his "clone" Thaksin said he had played a big role in her upbringing.

 "That means that her attitude, her thinking and culture are very similar to me," he said.

 <redacted>. Thaksin has been accused of republicanism, which he  vehemently rejects.

 "We want to have everybody to be comfortable with us, that our party  is very loyal with the monarchy," Thaksin said. "There is no question  about the loyalty with the monarchy that is one message that we keep  sending."

 He hoped to return to Thailand in December for the wedding of one of  his daughters. However, he accepted that could only happen following  negotiations with his opponents, in particular, Thailand's politicized  army.

 Thaksin, who has had his Thai citizenship revoked, uses Dubai as a  base and travels on Montenegrin and Nicaraguan passports. He said he was  scouting investments in Africa, playing golf and he likes to stroll in  Dubai's air-conditioned malls, where he is often recognized and asked to  pose for photographs.

 "I'm a mascot in Dubai Mall, when I meet some Asian people, like  Singaporean, Chinese and Malaysian, they recognize me and they ask to  take pictures with me," he said. "I'm the man of the people, so I'm OK, I  don't mind."

 Thaksin is also friends with Pakistan's exiled former president  Pervez Musharraf, who has also taken up residency in Dubai and was at  Thaksin's mansion this week for a meal.

 Thaksin said he has $1 billion of his wealth remaining, having had  $1.4 billion confiscated last year by a Thai court, which ruled it had  been amassed illegally while in office.

 "I don't have much money left," he said.

 "The government stole my money. (Now) I invest in mining, gold,  platinum and coal. I think the price of gold will be increasing and by  this year will probably go to $1,600 (per ounce)."

 Although Abhisit has been credited with steering Thailand through the  2008 global financial crisis, Thaksin, whose Puea Thai Party is  promising wage increases and cheap credit for the poor, said more work  was needed to raise rural incomes and boost domestic consumption.

 "We have to spur the domestic economy, that is the top priority, from  the grassroots level. And I believe we cannot move the pyramid from the  top, we have to move from the bottom."

 Thaksin said the party was also targeting infrastructure development,  such as reclaiming land and expanding rail networks to relieve urban  congestion in Bangkok.

 Foreign partners for such projects could be paid in barter deals, he  said: "Instead of paying in U.S. dollars, we can pay in agricultural  currency like rubber, rice and chicken."

----------


## Gerbil

> "I'm a mascot in Dubai Mall, when I meet some Asian people, like Singaporean, Chinese and Malaysian, they recognize me and they ask to take pictures with me,"




Money must be tighter than we thought  :bunny3:

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network



Thaksin the Obstacle 

UPDATE : 16 June 2011                     *

Though many have high hopes of what the  upcoming July 3 poll will bring about for Thailand, equally many are  taking the more cautious path.  They realize that perhaps not much could  be solved with just a single election. 

With parties such as Pheu Thai campaigning with policies that include  the contentious plan to seek an amnesty for political criminals,  including ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the results of the coming  poll may be more of another catalyst for strife than a chance at peace.* 

If Pheu Thai party was to win the general election and successfully form  a government, it will surely set off on a campaign to absolve not only  its patriarch Thaksin from all of his convicted crimes but also those  involved in the arson of government and private buildings across the  nation in 2010. The party has made it abundantly clear that it is  working for the interests of individuals tied to some of the most  divisive periods in recent Thai history. The danger in this is that there are of course those that will  not stand idly by while the nation's justice system being completely  undermined.

Pheu Thai should be allowed to assume its place as government if it wins  the election as that would be its right by the practices of democracy.  Being selected as the representative of the citizens does not however,  give it the right to override the nation's moral judgement and absolve  individuals of crimes as it pleases. Voters of Pheu Thai cannot be  assumed to be of the belief that Thaksin should not serve his two year  jail sentence, or that political activists did not impede on the rights of the wider public while occupying and terrorizing sections of Bangkok. 

This sentiment was even expressed during a recent gathering of diplomats  at the Norwegian Embassy. The foreign dignitaries made it known that  they were concerned the coming government could still be influenced by  Thaksin.

Pheu Thai may be doing well in public surveys and gaining in popularity,  but there is still a sizable section of the Kingdom staunchly opposed  to its dedication to serve the interests of the deposed prime minister.  As long as Thaksin is an obstacle to reconciliation, he will be an  obstacle to Pheu Thai's victory. 

*Naew Na, June 16 2011
 Translated and Rewritten by Itiporn Lakarnchua *

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network



The Army and Politics 

UPDATE : 16 June 2011                     *

National Army Chief General Prayuth  Chan-ocha has recently made a television appearance via the  army-controlled channel 5 and 7 television stations to comment on the  current political situation and the upcoming general election. He has  also expressed his opinions on a certain political party and its  candidates. It did not matter if the army chief was acting out of good  intention or with a sincere hope to bring a positive development to the  country; a question has been raised to whether it was appropriate for  the army, one of the armed forces under the government’s control, to  make such a public statement, especially during the current period when  the army is supposed to remain impartial and apolitical.* 

In his television appearance, Prayuth asked all of the eligible voters,  estimated to be around 30 to 40 millions, to bring change to the country  by exercising their rights to vote. The army chief pleaded with the  voters to vote rationally with the country's and the monarchy's interest  at heart. He's also called them to exercise their rights to ensure that  'good people' are elected into office.  

The highest institution of Thailand has been exploited for political  gains during the past five years. The lese majeste charged has been  brought against many.  The army commander General Prayuth’s word of  caution should not be taken lightly given how the armed forces have  always played a role in past coups. The army is responsible for  maintaining the country’s political stability. 

Perhaps General Prayuth meant well when he went on TV but whether it was  appropriate remains debatable.  The government should not use the  state-owned media outlets to campaign for votes or advertise its past  accomplishments to the public. Likewise, the armed force leaders should  not use the state-owned televisions as their mouthpieces. 

*Taken from Editorial Section, Kom Chad Leuk Newspaper, Page 4, June 16, 2011
Translated and Rewritten by Kongkrai Maksrivorawan*

----------


## DrB0b

> ^ Indeed, and the huge wave in support that PT has enjoyed has shown how wise the move was by Thaksin. He certainly knows the electorate well. The Dem's have yet again been outmaneuvered.


Quite right. The Thai electorate are utter morons, easily manipulated by these billionaire kingpins. Luckily they have smart cut 'n' paste farangs like you to point out that they know nothing about the politics of their own country and to tell them where they're going wrong, innit? :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## English Noodles

^Indeed.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Yingluck dismisses photo of her with fugitive red shirt
*
*Yingluck dismisses photo of her with fugitive red shirt*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 17, 2011                


*Yingluck Shinawatra, the Pheu Thai Party's candidate  for prime minister, yesterday dismissed as insignificant an Internet  photo showing her in a playful mood with fugitive red-shirt leader  Arisman Pongruangrong.*

                                                            "People who took part in the event know the facts well. I don't want to make any comment about this," she said.

 The snapshot might have caught her at a moment that made it look as  if she were close to Arisman, she said. If anyone tried to discredit  her, she would remain patient, but also wanted to ask all sides in the  election to play by the rules.

 In the photo, a mischievous-looking Arisman - who is wanted on  terrorism charges in connection with last year's political unrest and  rioting - holds a smiling Yingluck by her arms from behind. 

 A Nation Multimedia Group reporter remembered joining a cowboy party  in Nakhon Ratchasima's Khao Yai Resort two years ago and said Arisman  was trying to persuade Yingluck to dance with him. 

 The picture was said to have be taken in February 2009 when Pheu Thai  MPs gathered at a hotel in Pak Chong district for a seminar and a  Cowboy Night activity was held with many senior party figures in  attendance.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Abhisit turns up the heat

ANALYSIS

* *Abhisit turns up the heat*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 17, 2011                


*Amid bleak election outlook, Democrat chief reminds voters of 'people who burned the city'*

                                                            It was probably a punch as hard as Abhisit Vejjajiva  could ever throw. Whether his bringing up of last year's fiery red-shirt  fiery to the election race will rattle the hot favourite Pheu Thai  Party and whether it will backfire remains to be seen, but his last card  is apparently on the table now. From the advantage of being an  incumbent prime minister to the growing possibility of defeat, the quick  transformation of his campaign means caution has been thrown to the  winds.

At a rally in Bangkok's Wongwian Yai area yesterday,  Abhisit said he had never thought Thais would torch their capital the  way Ayutthaya was raided by the Burmese in 1767. "King Taksin restored  the country's independence after Ayutthaya was torched. I never dreamed  that in my life, after enemies raided the country twice, I would see my  fellow countrymen torch our city," he said, obviously referring to last  year's unrest sparked by the red shirts that left 91 dead and some 2,000  others injured.  

"We will have to uncover the truth [behind the  arson attacks]. Next, it will be our job to put out the fires," Abhisit  told his party's supporters.

At a rally in Kamphaeng Phet province  earlier yesterday, Abhisit said: "Are the interests of our country  supposed to be guarded by people who burned the city?" Even though he  made it clear that he was not pointing the finger at Pheu Thai Party as a  whole, but it appeared he was toeing a new line of his camp's emphasis -  the fact that many red-shirt leaders are set to win automatic seats in  Parliament. 

Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij was also trying  the drive home the same point in his most recent interview, in which he  charged that Pheu Thai's ranking of party-list candidates "gave more  importance" to red-shirt leaders than economic specialists.

Staring  at the real possibility of humiliation in Bangkok, the Democrats have  stepped up their rallying cry, touching upon last year's turbulence,  which affected countless Bangkokians' lives but seems to have  considerably faded away from public memory if recent opinion polls are  any indication. The tactic is risky, especially as Pheu Thai leading  figures including de-facto leader Thaksin Shinawatra are talking peace,  reconciliation and forgiveness, whether they sound sincere or not.

In  his interview published by Spiegel online yesterday, Thaksin claimed he  wanted to unite Thailand once again. On the potentially explosive issue  of whether soldiers blamed by the red-shirt movement for the killings  of scores of protesters last year, Thaksin was ambiguous. He said the  planned "amnesty" to be initiated by Pheu Thai, if it formed the next  government, would cover all - the red shirts, yellow shirts as well as  the military - but then he added that if there was evidence against the  soldiers, "there must also be fair trials".

Interestingly, Thaksin  admitted his human rights records while being prime minister were not  so great themselves. He said he got carried away in the war on drugs  because he wanted to see quick results.

Abhisit's rallies from now  on will increase the intensity of attacks on red-shirt violence. The  Democrats are hoping to remind "undecided" voters, especially those in  Bangkok, of widespread fears, anxiety and other suffering associated  with months-long red-shirt protests.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Pheu Thai candidate shows strong lead in Bangkok constituency*

*Pheu Thai candidate shows strong lead in Bangkok constituency*

                            By Budsarakham Sinlapalavan
The Nation
                                             Published on June 17, 2011                

*Although Anutama Amornwiwat, Pheu Thai candidate for  Bangkok's Constituency 7, is a new face in the upcoming election, she  is providing some serious competition to Democrat candidate Putthipong  Punnakanta.*

                                                            Constituency 7, which covers Huai Khwang and Wang Thong  Lang, was the first area that Pheu Thai's prime-ministerial candidate  Yingluck Shinawatra visited as part of her election campaign and was  welcomed very warmly. This is in stark contrast to the abuses hurled at  Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva when he visited the area. 

 Anutama, 34, is the daughter of Pol General Sombat Amorn-vivat, who  was formerly the director-general of the Department of Special  Investigation. She is also the niece of Sompong Amornvivat, former  deputy leader of the now-defunct People Power Party, and the cousin of  former Pheu Thai MP Chulaphan Amornvivat.

 Every time Anutama visits the constituency, Pheu Thai supporters greet her with flowers. 

 "You are looking more tanned since the last time we saw you, but  you're still beautiful," one supporter told her, while others were heard  saying that in real life she looked more beautiful.

 Anutama, meanwhile, told the press that she was delighted with the  warm welcomes, but she was not taking her victory for granted.

 "Though the people in this constituency are so welcoming, I cannot  say for sure whom they will eventually choose. I still will do my best  to please them," Anutama said, adding that she was not sure if she is  popular in her own right. After all, she said, Constituency 7 is a Pheu  Thai stronghold and no matter whom the party fields in that area, voters  will welcome him or her with open arms. 

 Anutama is fighting against Putthipong, 43, who was former deputy  spokesman for the Democrat Party and former deputy spokesman for the  government, and also once held the post of Bangkok deputy governor. He  has contested four times, but was only made MP once after the contender  from another party was disqualified. 

 This time around, Putthipong faces an additional challenge because  most of his constituents seem to be clearly supporting his competitor.  Yet Putthipong is making the most of the situation by trying to visit  each and every constituent.

 "It's very tiring but I want to talk to everybody," he said, adding  that even though many voters abuse him to his face, there were some  encouraging signs. 

 For instance, it meant a lot when a red-shirt supporter touched his hand and talked to him nicely. 

 "Even though the voters keep flashing the No 1 sign or booing at me, I  understand that they do not hate me. It's just that we have different  opinions and I respect their decision. All I hope is that they cast  their votes," the Democrat candidate said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Campaign spending to reach Bt39 bn: KResearch
*
*Campaign spending to reach Bt39 bn: KResearch*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 17, 2011                

*Campaign spending for next month's election will  reach an estimated Bt39 billion, a leap from Bt21 billion spent during  the 2007 poll, KResearch said in a report released yesterday.*

                                                            Most spending will take place in the Northeast,  followed by Bangkok, which is the hub for telecommunications,  broadcasting and media outlets.

 Vote canvassers are expected to spread the money via established  networks such as the underground lottery, football bookmakers and direct  sales teams.

 Printers and operators who rent out vehicles, audio equipment and  rally facilities like tents and stages will be the main beneficiaries of  campaign spending.

 Political parties were well prepared to kick off their campaigns due  to the advance notice given by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva ahead of  House dissolution.

 The most popular way to sway votes is campaign billboards, which line  the streets and public places. Campaign leaflets are also popular.

 Several parties are relying on using social media to reach out to voters via web-based and mobile technologies.

 In departing from traditional campaign activities, this time  political groups have been active in swaying votes on their parties'  behalf.

----------


## Gerbil

> Pheu Thai MPs gathered at a hotel in Pak Chong district for a seminar and a Cowboy Night activity was held with many senior party figures in attendance


Very appropriate  :Smile:

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> I wouldn't mind voting for Y if I could vote


Obviously the increased dose of medication is now starting to work!  ::chitown::

----------


## StrontiumDog

http://www.aseanaffairs.com/asean_analysis_16_june_2011/will_thailand_have_a_leadership_debate

Will Thailand have a leadership debate? 

*By  David Swartzemtruber*
*AseanAffairs*
16 June 2011

Tomorrow,  June 17, is the deadline for Yingluck Shinawatra, the Pheu Thai party’s  prime ministerial candidate , to respond to an invitation from the  People's Network for Elections in Thailand (Pnet) to participate in  election debates.

 The first debate involves the leaders of six political parties on June  23 and a debate the next evening, June 24, would be with current prime  minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, Ms. Yingluck’s main opponent.

 Mr. Abhisit will participate in both debates while Ms. Yingluck remains noncommittal.

 When queried by reporters about her participation in the debates, Ms.  Yingluck, is not forthright. She mentions her schedule and alludes to  her personal appearances having precedence over the nationally televised  debates. However, all the Thai political candidates have schedules and  personal appearances to make throughout Thailand during this six-week  campaign period. Is it not both economic and democratic to appear before  the whole country on television for one evening? 

 Three factors are in play here. First, she has had no political  experience and many question her abilities to handle the role of being a  prime minister. Her experience deficiencies in public matters could be  exposed in a debate. Second, Mr. Abhisit is known to be a skilled  debater and most Thai observers expect that he would easily show up any  opponent in a debate. 

Third,  although Thai public opinion polls are not highly accurate, there is a  general consensus emerging, even in some foreign media,  that Ms.  Yingluck and the Pheu Thai party have pulled ahead of her opposition.  From her perspective, a debate appearance could only be a lose-lose  situation.

 A no-show on her part, could provide opponents substantial grist to  substantiate the view that she is a mere puppet for her brother, former  prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who lives in Dubai to avoid a  two-year jail sentence in Thailand. He was convicted on corruption  charges.

 In all of the opinion polls that have been publicized, however, a  substantial number of voters remain uncommitted. The most recent poll  showed 44 percent undecided. Ms. Yingluck’s refusal to participate in  the debate for the whole country to see, might weigh in favor of Mr.  Abhisit.

 For Mr. Abhisit, her non-appearance could be an opportunity for an  empty-chair debate on June 24. This is a familiar tactic in debates when  one of the two debaters bails out.  What political impact this would  have one can’t predict.

 Thai politics is usually lively and spirited. The current election,  whatever the result, could certainly rank as the most unusual.

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> Ms. Yingluck’s refusal to participate in the debate for the whole country to see, might weigh in favor of Mr. Abhisit.


Doubt this will happen, the reason being Abhishit has made hundreds of appearances in interviews and speeches, now most people are tired of his empty rhetoric!

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : PM attacks red violence*

*PM attacks red violence*

*ANALYSIS: Democrats turn campaign spotlight on last year's riots to rein in rivals*Published: 17/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsThe Democrat Party looks set to raise the  political temperature now that it has switched tactics to begin  attacking the red shirts and Pheu Thai for instigating political  violence.

 _Flower power_ _
Prime Minister and Democrat leader  Abhisit Vejjajiva greets his supporters who braved the rain to join the  partys election campaign at the King Taksin Monument in Bangkoks Wong  Wian Yai area last night. PATIPAT JANTHONG
_ 
 In the early stages of the campaign, the ruling party was content to discuss policies and their merits.

 Now that the election campaign is heading for its final two weeks,  the party is redirecting its attack on its rival to find a winning  formula.

 As an example, Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva called on the  electorate during a campaign visit to Kamphaeng Phet to say "no" to mob  rule.

 "Don't let anyone further harass the country. Make it known that we're done with mob rule, violence and intimidation," he said.

 Mr Abhisit called on voters to cast their votes for a party that is  dedicated to seeking solutions to the country's woes instead of one  man's problems.

 The Democrat leader said voters would get to choose on July 3 which  path they want to take _ a better future or a bitter past of political  violence.

 He said the amnesty plan for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had created conflict and disorder.

 He emphasised in his comments that core members of the red shirt  movement which had instigated violence are running for House seats under  the Pheu Thai banner.

 Natthawut Saikua, Jatuporn Prompan and the wife of core red shirt  member Arisman Pongruangrong, who is wanted by police over last year's  chaos, are contesting the party list system.

 "Should we hand the country to the very people who torched our nation's assets and public property?" he said.

 Mr Abhisit made a strong point of reminding voters that he and other  top Democrats, including the party's chief adviser Chuan Leekpai, were  being harassed by a certain group while campaigning. The Democrat leader  also noted that the results of opinion surveys do not reflect reality,  partly due to this kind of pressure.

 He said Democrat supporters are reluctant to take part in the opinion  polls because they do not want to find themselves in trouble.

 Campaigning last night in Bangkok's Wong Wian Yai area, Mr Abhisit  again zeroed in on the candidacy of red shirt members and red shirt  violence. He attacked Pheu Thai's reconciliation and amnesty plan for  Thaksin.

 "The head of their reconciliation team is Chalerm Yubamrung. His right hand man is Natthawut and his left hand man is Jatuporn.

 "My question is, how is it called reconciliation?" he said.

 Mr Abhisit said the Pheu Thai plan for an amnesty law, which is  widely accepted as it core agenda, would cost the country a great deal.

 "This legislation will take money. That's because it is [designed] to  return the seized assets of 46 billion baht to Thaksin," he said.

 As Mr Abhisit was paying respect to the monument of King Taksin, a  group of people showed up at the Democrat rally demanding the truth  behind the deaths of 92 people killed in last year's violence.

 The Democrat's change of tactics is seen as a bid to stem the Pheu Thai Party's fast-rising popularity.

 The opposition party has emerged ahead in various popularity polls.

 Korbsak Sabhavasu, chief of the Democrat's strategy panel, said  earlier this week the tactics would work as the party believed the  majority of the public still has bitter memories of the unrest and the  burning of Bangkok.A source close to the party yesterday expressed  confidence the Democrats would come from behind to defeat Pheu Thai. The  source said internal research had found voters will begin considering  which party to vote for three days before the poll.

 The source said the ruling party has more up its sleeve and will expose it in the last leg of the election campaign.

 "We will bring it on in the next 10 days and we are confident that we  will come from behind and win this election," the source said.

 The source noted that Bangkok and the party list votes will decide who is the winner.


Writer: Nattaya Chetchotiros & Supoj Wancharoen

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Yingluck says small parties have big allure*

*Yingluck says small parties have big allure*

*Pheu Thai wants same ideology from allies* Published: 17/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
MUKDAHAN : Yingluck Shinawatra has confirmed the  Pheu Thai Party might form the next government through a coalition with  a number of small parties.

 Pheu Thai's likely prime ministerial candidate's comment is seen as  backing up her brother Thaksin's remark, when he said that after the  July 3 election, Pheu Thai might opt to form a coalition government with  smaller parties instead of medium-sized parties that have set too many  conditions.

 Thaksin told Kyodo News Agency earlier this week that Pheu Thai  should look for many more small parties that have only one or two  elected members of parliament to join forces with.

 Speaking during campaigning in the Northeast yesterday, Ms Yingluck  said she understood that Thaksin wanted the Pheu Thai-led coalition  government to comprise several parties.

 "If Pheu Thai gets the chance to form a coalition government,  political parties that it will partner with should share the same  ideology as our party," Ms Yingluck said.

 "They should also agree on the policies that Pheu Thai has promised to the public."

 The party has not yet considered partnering with any party in  particular. Pheu Thai might have to wait to do this until it actually  got the chance to form a government, said Ms Yingluck.

 Thaksin also predicted that Pheu Thai could win up to 270 House seats.

 However, Ms Yingluck said she did not want to make any predictions now as the general election was only two weeks away.

 On anti-Democrat protesters who have kept disrupting Prime Minister  Abhisit Vejjajiva during his political campaigning, red shirt leader  Natthawut Saikua, who is now a Pheu Thai party-list candidate, said that  his party has not been behind those people's activities.

 "There is no need for Pheu Thai to mobilise red shirt supporters [to  disrupt the Democrats' campaign] because our party is confident in our  policies," said Mr Natthawut.

 Red shirt supporters had only come out to express their political stance and call for justice, he said.

 Meanwhile, Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit yesterday said the  party has received complaints that groups of people have disguised  themselves as Pheu Thai workers.

 They have either swindled money from people in certain areas or asked  people in certain communities to give them their ID card numbers.

 The party has been investigating those groups. If it found any  political party was involved in such scams, which seemed intended to  slander Pheu Thai, then it would file a party dissolution complaint  right away, according to Mr Prompong.


Writer: Aekarach Sattaburuth
Position: Reporter

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : Yingluck gaining in popularity by the day

COMMENTARY

*Yingluck gaining in popularity by the day* 
Published: 17/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsPolls can be wrong, I know. And we all must keep  in mind that public opinion polls are a reflection of the past and a  snapshot of the present. Like a balance sheet, we can read and interpret  what is happening but cannot always foretell the future.

 
_A Muslim woman takes a picture of herself and Yingluck Shinawatra, as the Pheu Thai candidate campaigned in Yala on Tuesday._

 Most importantly, although public opinion polls during election  campaigns do gauge the feelings of the general population, ultimately  they cannot take into account the manipulations and election fraud which  can change the outcome and distort the will of the people.

 For the moment, though, by leading in all major opinion polls  Yingluck Shinawatra _ the de facto leader of the opposition Pheu Thai  Party and youngest sister of ousted prime minister Thaksin _ must indeed  savour what she has become.

 From a businesswoman seemingly protected by the family not to venture  into politics in order to save the business empire, Ms Yingluck became  the unexpected candidate for prime minister. Not quite prepared for  prime-time politics, she surprisingly shot up, within three weeks of the  announcement of her candidacy, to be on a par with veteran politician  Abhisit Vejjajiva, prime minister and leader of ruling Democrat Party.

 Her personal charm and sincerity has captured the hearts and minds of  Pheu Thai supporters and the red shirts, who were about to become so  disillusioned from the wrangling within the party leadership to the  point that the party was threatening to break up.

 As a symbol representing Thaksin, she has been able to consolidate  Pheu Thai with the red shirts and has left no doubt who is the party's  actual leader _ an absolutely necessary factor going into an election.  The party's heavyweights succumbed, political canvassers were happy and  the supporters became ecstatic.

 What Ms Yingluck lacks in political experience is covered by Thaksin  and the senior members of Pheu Thai. This is a shrewd mix which has been  expressed through the successful formula of political marketing  perfected since the days of the now defunct Thai Rak Thai Party: by  reviving the strength of the Thaksin brand and passing it to Ms  Yingluck, together with a new platform, while at the same time reminding  the public of the "good old days" as remembered by many _ the policies  neglected or mismanaged by subsequent governments especially the present  one _ through speeches, posters, advertisements, etc. "Thaksin thinks,  Pheu Thai implements," the slogan states.

 But Ms Yingluck herself deserves credit, and not only because of her  femininity and the freshness of her pretty face, but because her  approach is to reach out. She is careful not to antagonise anyone or  engage in the usual mudslinging so common in Thai politics. Mr Abhisit  and Suthep Thaugsuban, the Democrat secretary-general and deputy prime  minister, poked, teased and attacked to try to get her to fall into the  pit, but so far she has wisely kept away, unprovoked.

 If you believe the public sentiments expressed in certain polls,  about how the people are bored by politics as usual, especially the  constant bickering, then Ms Yingluck is on the right track by remaining  above the fray. She has continued to present her ideas and the party's  policies quite well, looking calm and collected in her interviews, even  though some journalists criticised her for not being able to shift away  from a prepared script.

 But in this age of internet and TV, who would? It is the perception  on screen that counts. And the polls indicate that she is able to reach  out beyond Pheu Thai and the red shirts' base, as reflected in her rapid  rise in popularity in Bangkok, a Democrat stronghold, giving Pheu Thai a  lead in 21 out of the 33 constituencies, with six a toss-up, and only  in six constituencies are the Democrats still ahead.

 On the other side, as for the slide in the popularity polls, the Democrats are doing it to themselves.

 Mr Abhisit and Mr Suthep have not been on a constructive path in  campaigning. Both have sent out negative attack messages, repeating the  allegation that the red shirts are anti-monarchy, are terrorists who  burned down the city, and that Thaksin is a corrupt and power-hungry  maniac who wants to come back to power for revenge. Amnesty will be  granted by a Pheu Thai majority in Parliament and Ms Yingluck as prime  minister, the Democrats claim.

 The politics of fear is being played out daily and at higher  frequency. And except for the hard-core supporters of the Democrats and  the military which backs the government, the general public has become  irritated. This may be due to the following factors.

 First, the government has stuck to the old tale and political  rhetoric in explaining last year's crackdown on the red shirts, even as  evidence and eyewitnesses have disputed otherwise. The cause of the 91  deaths and thousands injured is still unanswered and the culprits are  still unaccounted for. Even for the burning of buildings, official  reports have yet to be released. The justice system is impaired. Second,  Mr Abhisit, usually a good communicator, has been unable to wipe away  the label dee tae pood or "only good at talking," which originated from a  simple sign held by non-red shirt protesters. That phrase struck a cord  and the sentiment has gone viral, being repeatedly used even by  mainstream media. This has lessened his credibility and when he speaks.

 Third, Mr Abhisit appears constantly agitated by protesters. He has  lost the image of being calm and intellectual. He wastes time debating  with the individual or the group of protesters he meets on the campaign  trail, trying to win every point. His team believes the protesters have  been organised by the red shirts. These protests are a reality the  Democrats cannot accept, but it is not unlike what Thaksin as prime  minister had to face from the yellow shirts. The anger was real then,  and it is real now.

 Fourth and most important, it is the economy that is at the top of  the public mind. The macro-economic numbers may look good and the export  sector is enjoying renewed growth, but the people on the street are  struggling to make ends meet, suffering from the rising cost of living.

 The Democrats, already perceived as a party of the elite, seem aloof  from the common man. The party's economic measures appear to help big  business interests more than the masses, and its populist policies are a  mere copy of the real thing being proposed by Thaksin and Pheu Thai.

 So, is the election all stitched up? Of course not, there are still  16 days left till election day. Anything can happen. Opinion polls can  go up or come down. Abhisit is a tough campaigner and must never be  underestimated. But for now, Ms Yingluck is sitting pretty and the  election is hers to lose, while the Democrats scramble to remain in  contention.

*Suranand Vejjajiva served in the Thaksin Shinawatra cabinet and is now a political analyst.*

----------


## DroversDog

> *
> With parties such as Pheu Thai campaigning with policies that include  the contentious plan to seek an amnesty for political criminals,  including ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the results of the coming  poll may be more of another catalyst for strife than a chance at peace.*


 When are these wankers realize that that the proposed amnesty also includes their little favorite fascist leader Mark and only extends the amnesty given to the coup leaders. PT could always go from the beginning and annul the armies amnesty and follow up on their crimes as well as the judges....




> If Pheu Thai party was to win the general election and successfully form  a government, it will surely set off on a campaign to absolve not only  its patriarch Thaksin from all of his convicted crimes


Itiporn your arguement falls into a huge hole when you look a how corrupted the Thai judicial system is.

----------


## Butterfly

> The Thai electorate are utter morons, easily manipulated by these billionaire kingpins.


indeed they are, and that's not about to change anytime soon. Actually, the farangs who would vote PT thinking they are supporting a great cause are even greater morons than the Thais.

I will vote PT just because she is better looking than the rest  :Razz:

----------


## sabang

> The Thai electorate are utter morons


Every electorate, when you apply the magnifying glass, is full of young butterfly's.
Yet collectively they seem to arrive at better decisions than despots and dictators.
Or butterfly's, for that matter.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Chart Thai Pattana Denies Alliance with Pheu Thai 

UPDATE : 17 June 2011                     *

The Chart Thai Pattana Party leader has  denied the speculation of contacting small and medium parties to form a  new coalition government with the Pheu Thai Party.

Chart Thai Pattana Party leader Chumphol Silpa-archa said in an  interview while helping party candidates with the election campaign in  Surin's Prasat District that rumors surrounding the Pheu Thai Party  contacting other parties to form the new coalition government are false.  

He added that Chart Thai Pattana has not been in touch with Pheu Thai  and will concentrate on the election campaign before making the decision  after the election day.
*

As for Pheu Thai Party prime ministerial candidate Yingluck Shinawatra's  refusal to join a policy debate, the Chart Thai Pattana leader feels  that every party is currently focusing on the last leg of the election  campaign and it would be unfair to hold a debate with only the two major  parties attending while other smaller parties are sidelined.

----------


## Butterfly

> Originally Posted by Butterfly
> 
> 
> I wouldn't mind voting for Y if I could vote
> 
> 
> Obviously the increased dose of medication is now starting to work!


it's time to take your white pills again  :Smile:

----------


## Butterfly

> Yet collectively they seem to arrive at better decisions than despots and dictators.


above all when said despots and dictators are elected by the people,

indeed, better decisions  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Calgary

_Rajprasong_News__ Rajprasong_News_ 

_Election Commission receives 200 cases of campaign violation, 30 cases are being investigated//Watch out Phuethai! Matichon[/quote]_

The local leader of the _Red Shirt Democracy Movement (_a diminutive, dynamic retired schoolteacher) visited the local Election Commission Office yesterday to obtain some paperwork/information for her UDD Membership and their election monitoring activities.

An official at the EC asked her, "_Surely you dont expect us to cheat in this area, do you?"_

Her emphatic answer stated three times while looking him in the eye, "_I don't know"_

The implied message....*MAYBE*.

That will accomplish two things perhaps:
>1........make them re-consider questionable activities if there were any planned.
>2........Make them double-down on achieving questionable objectives, in case they have any.

----------


## Rural Surin

> Originally Posted by DrB0b
> 
> The Thai electorate are utter morons, easily manipulated by these billionaire kingpins.
> 
> 
> indeed they are, and that's not about to change anytime soon. Actually, the farangs who would vote PT thinking they are supporting a great cause are even greater morons than the Thais.
> 
> I will vote PT just because she is better looking than the rest


Dreamy. We can't vote.
But we to be going on like we can.... :mid:

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/loca...-return-in-dec
*
*Yingluck: Thaksin to return in Dec* Published: 17/06/2011 at 11:17 AMOnline news:Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will  return to  Thailand this December to attend  his eldest daughter's  wedding, his  youngest sister, Pheu Thai's No.1 party list candidate  Yingluck  Shinawatra, said on Friday.

 "It's not unusual for my brother to want to attend the wedding of his daughter Pinthongta Shinawatra.

"I have conversations with him regularly and he has always given me moral support," Ms Yingluck added.




 As for the invitation to take part in an election debate with Democrat   Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva on June 24 organised by the People's   Network for Election in Thailand (PNET),  Pheu Thai's candidate for   prime minister said she would look at a her schedule again but she had   to campaign across the country until the end of this month.

Pheu Thai would discuss whether the party would send another representative to participate in the debate, she said.

"After  meeting people in different areas, I believe the people want to  hear  about the party's policies more closely and I can assure you Pheu  Thai's  policies can be implemented," Ms Yingluck said.

As for the  army's request for a list of names of Pheu Thai supporters  from the  Election Commission, she said the army should oversee national  security  and protect the royal institution. 

"I believe the army would not step outside their duties and that they would stay impartial," she said.

Asked  about the murder of an important canvasser of the Bhumjaithai  Party  yesterday, Ms Yingluck said she did not want to see violence and  called  on all sides to help ensure a constructive election.

"I think all election candidates will follow the rules and regulations.

"It's not necessary for me to have more security personnel," she added.

----------


## Butterfly

will he go to jail then ?

----------


## StrontiumDog

"_Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will  return to Thailand this  December to attend  his eldest daughter's  wedding, his youngest sister,  Pheu Thai's No.1 party list candidate  Yingluck Shinawatra, said on  Friday.

 "It's not unusual for my brother to want to attend the wedding of his daughter" Pinthongta Shinawatra, she said._ "

So what does this say?

That the amnesty that Yingluck has said wasn't a priority is in fact the priority? That's just 5 months away. They are going to have to work very hard and very quickly to get this amnesty underway. 

Or that the laws of the country are going to be ignored/circumvented? More likely I guess, if you consider the time-frame. 

Remember Thaksin has been convicted and sentenced to 2 years in jail. The rights or wrongs of that conviction, are irrelevant. The fact is he was convicted. He should fight that conviction if he feels it is wrong. This is what people do in democracies around the world. Lots of miscarriages of justice occur for normal people (in other words, not billionaires) in the UK and USA. Those people fight their convictions, even if it takes years. Usually from jail too. 

But what do we have here? 

A sudden special situation for Thaksin. Ignoring laws. Ignoring convictions. Effectively what this says is that he is above the law. 

Welcome to the future. 

Or "meet the new boss, same as the old boss".

Ah, laws are for the little people...

----------


## SteveCM

*Farm policies can only lead to more government debt*

*EDITORIAL* 

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 17, 2011                

*Farmers are being short-changed with subsidy  promises that will only reduce productivity, competitiveness and  long-term sustainability*

               Political candidates have so far failed to offer  farmers any platform that would help them improve their productivity.  The promises made by the two key parties are only short-term solutions  to poverty and debt. 

Recently, Pheu Thai and the Democrats  announced their farmers' assistance programmes in the run-up to the  election. The two key parties clearly differ on what they plan to do.  Pheu Thai has offered a pledge programme, while the Democrats have  announced a price guarantee programme should either party win the  election on July 3.

The farmers' vote is important as the sector  employs 14.69 million people from a total 38.97 million workforce in  Thailand. Although people in farming account for a majority of voters,  many of them still live in poverty. But this group is a powerful force  politically.

The Democrat Party says it will continue with its  income guarantee plan of the past two years. Under this scheme, farmers  receive the difference between the insured price and the benchmark price  on their rice produce. At present, the insured price is Bt11,000 per  tonne of rice while the market price is around Bt8,000. That means the  government has to spend around Bt2,100 per tonne in subsidies. It is  also estimated that the government will have to spend around Bt40  billion to Bt50 billion each crop season to subsidise the rice price. 

Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said recently he believed the Democrat  Party's income guarantee plan would be more effective in addressing  farmers' needs because the payments would reach small farmers directly.  Also, he said, every farmer, including smallholders who don't produce  substantial amounts of rice, would be entitled to this income guarantee  plan. 

However, there is a problem with the income guarantee plan.  Because farmers realise they will receive the insured price anyway,  they have less incentive to improve their productivity. This can only  result in a greater number of inefficient farmers in the future.

Another  criticism of the income guarantee plan is that the government would  have no rice in stock for market intervention if it felt the need to use  the rice stockpile to control market prices in the future.

But  Pheu Thai's plan is no better, and probably worse. The party's rice  pledging programme has also been criticised by economists and some  farmers' representatives because it would lead to a windfall for rice  millers, not the farmers.

A Thailand Development Research  Institute study shows that the rice pledging programme may not benefit  farmers because the majority of them do not have the facilities to store  their rice to pledge with the government. Farmers are expected to  receive only 40 per cent of the money spent on this programme. The  remaining 60 per cent is likely to go to rice millers. 

The rice  millers stand to gain from the programme because they can provide  warehouse space to keep mortgaged paddy, as the government also does not  have facilities to store the supply from farmers.

In addition,  Pheu Thai has promised to accept rice from farmers at Bt15,000 per  tonne, which is 40 per cent higher than the insured price of Bt11,000  offered by the Democrat-led government over the past two years. That  would mean even higher spending on subsidies. 

Even worse, history  shows that a very low number of farmers redeem their rice from the  mortgage programme. Therefore, the government would also carry the  burden of a high loss from the plan.

But Pheu Thai may prefer the  rice pledging plan because it could command the supply of rice through a  huge stockpile, which it could then use to intervene in or manipulate  the market.

At any rate, both the income guarantee plan and the  rice pledging programmes are far from perfect. These schemes will  distort market prices and very likely lead to corruption.

Neither  party has offered any real solution to the problems faced by farmers. In  fact, the fundamental issues for Thai farmers are the lack of access to  opportunity, education and financial services. At the same time, Thai  farmers and consumers will be challenged by the price fluctuations in  agricultural produce. Severe weather and global warming could reduce  farm output in the future. 

Instead of focusing on giveaway  subsidies, the future government should work to improve the  competitiveness of our farmers to ensure the sustainability of our farm  sector and to ensure long-term food security.

----------


## SteveCM

^^^^



> Asked about the murder of an important canvasser of the Bhumjaithai Party yesterday, Ms Yingluck said she did approve of violence and called on all sides to help ensure a constructive election.


Unsurprisingly, this has been changed in the Post's version now online.

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

 
AsifAAhmad   Asif Ahmad                                                   [*]

         Met Democrat Party and Pheu  Thai politicians this week. Message from UK:  the will of the people shd  be reflected in the election outcome.

21 minutes ago


* For those not already aware, he's the UK ambassador to Thailand

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : UK envoy meets Pheu Thai leader
*
*UK envoy meets Pheu Thai leader*
Published: 17/06/2011 at 01:45 PMOnline news: Local News
 British ambassador to Thailand Asif Ahmad on  Friday paid a courtesy call on Pheu Thai leader Yongyuth Wichaidit at  the party’s office in Bangkok to discuss the political situation,  reports said.

 The UK ambassador said after the visit that he wanted to learn  the views of the various parties on the form of the next government.

 Mr  Ahmad said that as an ambbassador he could not  take  sides.  The Thai voters would  make their decision in  the July 3 general  election. He was glad to see  transparent election campaigns proceeding  without violence.

 He said the issues discussed at today's meeting included the roles of  the government and the opposition, the assessment  of possible election  results and the formation of the next administration. He  hoped democracy will bloom in Thailand.

 Asked about the Election Commission's approval  for the European  Union to send  representatives to observe the general election, the  ambassador said the EU would send two  experts to observe the July 3  polls.

 “The mission will be only election observation without making any  comments whether or not the election is free and fair,” he said.

----------


## SteveCM

^



> Asked about the Election Commission's approval for the European Union to send representatives to observe the general election, the ambassador said the EU would send *two* experts to observe the July 3 polls.  The mission will be only election observation *without making any comments* whether or not the election is free and fair, he said.


The question "Why bother?" springs to mind.....

----------


## StrontiumDog

> ^^^^
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Asked about the murder of an important canvasser of the Bhumjaithai Party yesterday, Ms Yingluck said she did approve of violence and called on all sides to help ensure a constructive election.
> ...


Edited accordingly. Thanks for pointing this out.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255406170006

EC to probe problematic ballots  *  

 

BANGKOK,  17 June 2011 (NNT) – The Election Commission (EC) has committed to  investigate the release of pictures of overseas election ballots now  widely spread via forwarded e-mails on the internet. 

Election Commissioner Prapun Naigowit stated that the EC would find out  where the ballots seen on the internet were from as each ballot was  stamped with the name of country of destination before being sent by  post to Thai consulates abroad for the advance election. 

The commissioner also told the press that ballots prepared for overseas  election could not be used in both the 26 June advance election and the 3  July election because each had been stamped differently. He believed  that the issue would not become problematic to the election’s validity. 

Regarding a criticism that the logo of the Pheu Thai Party is smaller  than others on the ballot paper, Mr Prapun responded that the EC did not  intentionally make any change to the logo, but the Pheu Thai logo is  longer than those of other parties; therefore, its size must be reduced  to fit in the space provided. 

Ballots are also criticised for the difference in their patterns for the  party-list and constituency systems which may sway election results.  Critics said that the way the number is run has made No.21 on the  party-list ballot and No.16 on the constituency system ballot become  more distinctive. 

Party-list ballots are printed by the Government Lottery Office,  Ministry of Finance which comes under the supervision of Deputy Finance  Minister Pradit Pattaraprasit, a member of the Chart Thai Pattana Party  whose party number is 21.  

Meanwhile, constituency ballots are printed by the Department of  Provincial Administration, Ministry of Interior, under the supervision  of Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul and his deputy Boonjong  Vongtrirat, both from the Bhumjaithai Party whose party number is 16.

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world:

*Thai Intel Editorial: The nature of the Thai establishment beast is Heat and Hate to win* 

[17 June 2011]_By Ranger, Thai Intels political journalist
_Today, at the Bangkok Post and Nation, both ran similar reports/analysis of Abhisit, the Thai prime minister as Turning Up the Heat by pointing to the Pheu Thai Party and Red Shirts as being:

Violent instigator who burned Bangkok  with both saying pretty much, that turning up the heat is a last ditch  effort to Win the Thai election-where about 30%-40% are undecided.

 To raise the heat, it goes with the hate.

 Abhist is relying on so much Heat and Hate, he compares the Pheu Thai Party and Red Shirts as being Invading Burmese Armies who burned down Thailand before. To get the sense of how much Heat and Hate is being generated, check out Bangkok Post and the Nation.

 But wow, so much Heat and Hate being generated-to win.

 The problem with Turning Up the Heat and Hate to win an election,  is basically, where does all that Heat and Hate goes after the  election?
 In simple terms, Abhisit is relying on generating Heat and Hate to win the election-no matter what happens in the future.

 What does that really say about Abhisit, as a human being however? And about his character?

 What happened last year, during the brief civil war in Thailand,  between the Thai establishment and those fighting for democracy,  liberty, justice and human rights in Thailand, is a mystery to many people.

 No real attempt to find out the truth about anything have been made-just cover-ups.

 But here it is again-as clear as day and night-the response to the question, how to keep governing Thailand?

 Abhisit, to win the election and to keep governing Thailand-is using Heat and Hate no matter what it does to Thailand.

 That is the nature of the Thai establishment and Abhisit.

 With that understanding of the Nature of the Beast the answer to  the question, What happened during last year protest? can be seen, in  how Abhisit is the responding to the question, right now, again on  How  to keep governing Thailand?

 The answer, is in recognizing the nature of the Thai establishment beast.
 What concerns Thai Intel, is not who wins the election, as much as  where will all that Heat and Hate be going? And what does it mean to  Thailands future?

----------


## SteveCM

^^
For more about this - follow this link: Just a lazy cat in the city.

The language there is somewhat fractured English, but the illustrations and point being made are very clear. The EC _were_ apparently able to use the regular PT logo on other election documents (I received a multi-page EC circular at my house) - but somehow ( :Confused: )  _not_ on the ballot paper itself.

----------


## DroversDog

> will he go to jail then ?


Only when Mark and his mates do.....

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingn...urn-impossible
*
*Suthep: Thaksin’s return not possible*
Published: 17/06/2011 at 02:49 PMOnline news:Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin  Shinawatra’s plan to return to Thailand late this year is not possible,  Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said on Friday.

 Thaksin said in an interview with a foreign media outlet that he  would return home in December to attend his eldest daughter's wedding.

 “It will not be possible for Thaksin to return to Thailand without  having any offence because it will show that he is the only Thai citizen  that stays beyond the law.

 If the No.1 list candidate of the Pheu Thai Party, Yingluck  Shinawatra,  insisted onl pushiing ahead with a plan to whitewash her  elder brother by amending the law, "I do not believe Thai people will   allow the law to be changed to benefit just one person”, said Mr Suthep.

 Ms Yingluck  today also said her brother intended to return to Thailand in December to attend his daughter's  wedding.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^ Suthep says this, but by December I doubt he'll be in any position to call the shots...

Unless...

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by Butterfly
> 
> 
> will he go to jail then ?
> 
> 
> Only when Mark and his mates do.....


2 wrongs do not make a right. Certainly some people should be in jail for the murders that were committed last May. On that I fully agree with you. 

However, Thaksin can not preach justice and then ignore it. 

You can not have one rule for one and another rule for others. 

You either believe in justice and the rule of law or you don't. I don't know what Yingluck and Thaksin are intending by this recent announcement, they have both made, that Thaksin will be returning to Thailand in December, but as it stands it doesn't look like the law is going to be respected. Or at the very least somehow circumvented. 

Worrying. 

Like I say, the rights or wrongs of his conviction aside, he should do what any normal person has to do. Face the conviction and prove his innocence. That's what you and I would have to do. Why should he be any different?

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255406170011

Abhisit: Pheu Thai supporters should stop causing disruption to the election campaign *  

BANGKOK, 17 June 2011  (NNT)-Democrat Leader Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva assured he has never tried  to discredit Pheu Thai’s No.1 candidate, Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra, while  calling on the Opposition party to stop supporting a particular  political group to sabotage the election atmosphere.  

Mr. Abhisit further stated that Mr. Thaksin Shinwatra would be able to  attend the wedding of his eldest daughter at the end of this year as  long as the next government is willing to allow his entry. He added that  the former prime minister’s remark was one of his psychological  approaches at gaining popularity. 

Regarding the Red Shirt village, the Democrat Leader said he was not  looking at the event in terms of security but rather the unity of the  Thai society that should see no colors. Meanwhile, he said whatever he  said on Facebook was true. It was his intention to reveal the truth to  Thai people. He added that no matter how powerful an individual was, the  truth would always remain the truth.

----------


## SteveCM

> Thaksin said in an interview with a foreign media outlet that he would return home in December to attend his eldest daughter's wedding.


Can any keen-eyed member here point to the _original_ source of this definite "will/would" (return to Thailand in November/December)? I've seen plenty of "wants" "would like to" - generally with caveats about the conditions/circumstances at the time - but don't remember seeing anything quite so definite except in 2nd/3rd-hand accounts/references by others.




> Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will  return to Thailand this December to attend his eldest daughter's  wedding, his youngest sister, Pheu Thai's No.1 party list candidate  Yingluck Shinawatra, said on Friday.


Given some of their election reporting, I'm don't see the Bkk Post version as something to be taken at face value without good corroboration.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^ The only source of the Thaksin end of things was from a Reuters interview...

Exiled Thaksin seeks December return to Thailand | Reuters

"_He hoped to return to Thailand in December for  the wedding of one of his daughters. However, he accepted that could  only happen following negotiations with his opponents, in particular,  Thailand's politicized army._"

----------


## DrB0b

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Thaksin said in an interview with a foreign media outlet that he would return home in December to attend his eldest daughter's wedding.
> 
> 
> Can any keen-eyed member here point to the _original_ source of this definite "will/would" (return to Thailand in November/December)? I've seen plenty of "wants" "would like to" - generally with caveats about the conditions/circumstances at the time - but don't remember seeing anything quite so definite except in 2nd/3rd-hand accounts/references by others.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What she said, in the Bangkok Post article (which article has now been repeated around the world in various forms), was




> _"It's not unusual for my brother to want to attend the wedding of his daughter" Pinthongta Shinawatra, she said._ "


This is a reference to what Thaksin said here




> He hoped to return to Thailand in December for the wedding of one of his  daughters. However, he accepted that could only happen following  negotiations with his opponents, in particular, Thailand's politicised  army.


Exiled Thaksin seeks December return to Thailand | Reuters

and here




> Nevertheless, I would like to be in Thailand again in December when my oldest daughter gets married.


http://www.spiegel.de/international/...768492,00.html

In the hands of the Post and those who never actually check anything before leaping to conclusions this becomes



> _Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will  return to Thailand  this  December to attend  his eldest daughter's  wedding, his youngest  sister,  Pheu Thai's No.1 party list candidate  Yingluck Shinawatra,  said on  Friday._


It's just the usual BKKPost editorialising. Notice that in the original it's a sub-heading and that there are no quote marks, a common technique used to make the less observant believe it's an actual quote from the person cited in the main article. Every actual quote from Yingluck in that article has quotation marks.




> I've seen plenty of "wants" "would like to" - generally  with caveats about the conditions/circumstances at the time - but don't  remember seeing anything quite so definite except in 2nd/3rd-hand  accounts/references by others.


It would appear that nothing has changed.

----------


## Mid

*Pheu Thai wants better ties with China: Thai PM hopeful
*June 17, 2011

Yingluck Shinawatra, a prime minister  hopeful and Pheu Thai No. 1 party-list candidate, said on Friday that  she is looking forward to better relations with China.

"China and  Thailand are like one family, I would like to build better relations  with China." the 44-year-old politician said in an interview with Xinhua  at her Pheu Thai Party headquarters in Bangkok.

"I often go to China and the country is developing very fast which made me quite expressed," she said.

With  the general election just half a month away, businesswoman-  turned-politician Yingluck admitted that she was quite new when compared  with Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister and the Democrat Party Chief,  who has been in politics for almost two decades.

"I enjoyed my  life now because each time I see people smile to us, I feel very warm  and more energetic to continue to work," she said after returning from a  campaign in the northeast, a stronghold of her Pheu Thai Party.

"Right  now it's quite difficult to forecast the number of MPs, but I think we  will get at least half of all seats (250 seats) ", she said. "However,  it is just half way of the election, we have to work harder to get  another 50 percent of people who are still undecided."

Thailand is set to hold a general election on July 3.

She  ruled out the possibility to join hands with Bhumjaithai Party, a party  in the coalition government, to form a new government.

"Our  philosophy is that whoever can agree with our version and idea to the  commitment to the people and the Bhumjaithai Party does not have the  same strategy as our party, " she said. "So, our partner will not be  Bhumjaithai while the other parties are still welcome."

Last  month, Noppadon Pattama, legal advisor of Thaksin's family, said that it  would be very difficult for Pheu Thai Party to form a coalition  government with the Bhumjaithai Party, but would ask some smaller  parties to become its coalition partners.

Bhumjaithai consists of  a breakaway group of incumbent MPs from the People Power Party - Pheu  Thai's former incarnation - after it was disbanded by a court order in  2007 for electoral fraud.

The youngest sister of former Prime  Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who lives self-exile in Dubai said her  brother will return home this December to attend his eldest daughter's  wedding.

"It's not unusual for my brother to want to attend the wedding of his daughter Pinthongta Shinawatra," she said.

"I  learned management and thinking style from my brother, he always gives  me some advices and opportunities, I will use his experience to look  forward and help my country," she added. 

_Source: Xinhua

_english.people.com.cn

----------


## SteveCM

^^
So, helped along by the ever-obliging Bkk Post, we seem to have traveled from "hope to" all the way to "will".....

That's rather what I understood to be the case - and, frankly, expected. Much making hay or - to mix metaphors again - much making of bricks without straw, perhaps.

One starts to wonder just how _much_ of this stuff is custom-produced by certain media as feeds for the politicians to do their on-cue hand-wringing, condemnations or vociferous denials as appropriate. I think all sides play this game to some extent (planted questions will be common), but it seems clear which direction most of it is taking.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Supreme commander assures politicians of no interference
*
*Supreme commander assures politicians of no interference*

                                                            Supreme Commander Gen Songkitti Jakkabatra Friday assured politicians that the military would not interfere in politics.

"Politicians should have stopped worrying long time ago. They talked about it themselves," Songkitti said.

"As the supreme commander, I hereby affirm that none of us will get involved in politics."

The Nation

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Dems focus on party-list votes in NE
*
*Dems focus on party-list votes in NE*

Published: 17/06/2011 at 03:10 PMOnline news:The Democrat Party has set a target to boost its  party-list votes by 300 per cent in three upper Northeastern provinces  where its candidates’ popularity trails rival Pheu Thai candidates, a  Democrat list MP said on Friday.

 Democrat list candidate Sutham Natheethong, a member of the party’s  campaign team in the Northeast, said they will  launch a door-to-door  campaign to garner more support from local residents in Nakhon Phanom,  Bung Kan and Sakhon Nakhon provinces for its party list.

 His team were fully aware that  Democrat constituency candidates in  the provinces were trailing candidates from rival parties, particulary  Pheu Thai.

 So he had decided to campaign to increase the Democrat party-list  vote in those constituencies by at least 300 per cent in the July 3  general election.

 ‘’The Democrat leader keeps telling us every vote and every House  seat is crucial for the formation of a government. This is our mission,  to  boost our party-list vote,‘’ said Mr Sutham.

 He said his party had been warmly received by elderly voters and farmers who backed its welfare policies.

  A source said the Democrats were hopeful that the charisma of their  leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, coupled with the party’s policies,  would attract list votes in Pheu Thai’s political strongholds.

 Of the Democrat constituency candidates in the three northeastern  provinces, only veteran politician Jumpot Boonyai, running in Sakhon  Nakhon’s Constituency 6, still has a real chance, the source said. He is  competing against  candidates from Bhumjaithai and Pheu Thai.

  Other Democrat  candidates seemed to have only a slim chance of winning.

 Democrat No. 10 list candidate Chamni Sakdiset said on Friday that an  opinion poll conducted by his party showed the popularity of Mr Abhisit  in the Northeast was higher than that of the party itself. 

 Mr Abhisit received higher scores in the survey than the party, he said.

 He said the party would use Mr Abhisit as its selling point to attract more votes in this region.

----------


## Mid

*Top Thai election issue again boils down to Thaksin*
Jun 17, 2011
monstersandcritics.com

som nam na  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Mid

> Supreme Commander Gen Songkitti Jakkabatra Friday assured politicians that the military would not interfere in politics.


Already have  :mid:

----------


## StrontiumDog

> *Top Thai election issue again boils down to Thaksin*
> Jun 17, 2011
> monstersandcritics.com
> 
> som nam na


From this report....they use "would" for both. 

_  Bangkok - The return of fugitive former prime minister  Thaksin  Shinawatra upstaged all campaign issues Friday when the  leading  candidate in the July 3 election, and younger sister of the  man in  question, said he would return in December.  

  Yingluck  Shinawatra, the No 1 party list candidate of the  opposition Pheu Thai  party, said her older brother would return to  Thailand in December to  attend his oldest daughter's wedding.  

  Thaksin has been living in self-exile since 2008 to avoid a  two-year prison sentence.  

   Speaking to the media on Friday, Yingluck said that during their  many  conversations her brother has 'always given me moral support'  and 'it  is not unusual for my brother to want to attend the wedding  of his  daughter.'  
_

----------


## Mid

_BP: Clearly, this is a photoshopped image – as the real  Yingluck would only ever hold up one finger – imposing Abhisit and  Yingluck’s faces of what appears to be Ken Teeradej and Chris Horwang,  the actor and actress who starred in the hit Thai movie รถไฟฟ้า  มาหานะเธอ (Bangkok Traffic Love Story)._

Abhisit and Yingluck reconcile…. | Asian Correspondent

----------


## SteveCM

*Concern as Election Commissioners head to Europe
**
GENERAL ELECTION* 
*Concern as Election Commissioners head to Europe*

17 June 2011

                            By The Nation


*Political parties have questioned why four of five  Election Commissioners have opted to make an inspection trip in Europe  from today to Tuesday just two weeks prior to the general election.*

                              Democrat secretary general Suthep Thausuban called on the  EC to devote its full attention to the vote instead of being distracted  by non essential duties."I don't want to speculate why the four chose  to travel abroad at a crucial juncture of campaigning," he said in  reference to a rumour about derailing the general election.

Suthep reminded the EC that it had to answer to the public if the balloting fell short of being free and fair.

Chart  Thai Pattana spokesman Watchara Kannikar said the commissioners should  have prioritised their duties, arguing that the supervision of vote in  Thailand should come before the advance vote of expats living overseas.

"There is no justification to travel abroad, overlooking the main responsibility of vote supervision," he said.

Watchara said despite the lapse of judgement for the trip, his party did not suspect the EC of having an ulterior motive.

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said the four commissioners had erred in deciding to take the trip.

With  four out of the country, one remaining commissioner Somchai  Juengprasert would not be able to handle fraud complaints should any  arise, he said.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said he believed  the EC might already have drawn up contingency plans to cope with any  problems when the commissioners were out of the country.

The four  commissioners travelled to Denmark and Iceland to check on the  preparations for the June 26 advance vote being held for Thai expats.

The  absence of Apichart Sukhagganond, Prapun Naigowitn, Wisuth Pothitaen  and Sodsri Satayathum has triggered concern about dealing with campaign  violations since an EC ruling requires the endorsement of four of the  five commissioners.

----------


## SteveCM

^^
Dunno..... Chuwit looks real enough  :mid:

----------


## DroversDog

> ^ Suthep says this, but by December I doubt he'll be in any position to call the shots...
> 
> Unless...


He maybe the fugitive by then.

----------


## sabang

> The promises made by the two key parties are only short-term solutions to poverty and debt.


True. But the rice farms are uncompetitive because they are small. There is not a real lot you can do to make a 20 rai rice farm more efficient. Mechanisation certainly reduces the toil involved, but it doesn't really bring cost benefits unless you have fewer, bigger farms. Then there is the question of what happens with the surplus labor.



> The Democrat Party says it will continue with its income guarantee plan of the past two years.


My understanding is that few actually receive the guaranteed price- the rice millers routinely underpay.



> Because farmers realise they will receive the insured price anyway, they have less incentive to improve their productivity.


The more productive they are, the more rice they get to sell to the millers, hence the more money they make. About two years ago, as rice prices were strengthening, many local farmers that had access to year round water (via an irrigation channel, they have to pay for the water) commenced a second annual crop- at previous prices, this just wasn't worth doing.



> But Pheu Thai's plan is no better, and probably worse. The party's rice pledging programme has also been criticised by economists and some farmers' representatives because it would lead to a windfall for rice millers, not the farmers.


It seems the Millers benefit no matter what, no matter what the strict legality. A cartel.



> Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said on Friday...
> “It will not be possible for Thaksin to return to Thailand without having any offence because it will show that he is *the only Thai citizen that stays beyond the law*.


Another pearler from Suthep (someone should make a book of his quotes). There are  several people in Thailand who's list of crimes should, by rights, see them inside a jail for considerably longer than T. Can you guess one, Khun Thaugsauban?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## StrontiumDog

> *Pheu Thai wants better ties with China: Thai PM hopeful
> *June 17, 2011
> 
> Yingluck Shinawatra, a prime minister  hopeful and Pheu Thai No. 1 party-list candidate, said on Friday that  she is looking forward to better relations with China.
> 
> "China and  Thailand are like one family, I would like to build better relations  with China." the 44-year-old politician said in an interview with Xinhua  at her Pheu Thai Party headquarters in Bangkok.


Interesting. 

The USA has been supportive and mostly silent in regards to the Abhsit government. Little in the way of serious condemnation of the May 2010 deaths and in fact they have been active in training the Thai military. 

So, either Yingluck is genuinely reaching out to China, which would worry the USA, as it has viewed Thailand as  strategic partner or she is playing the diplomacy game and giving the USA a heads-up. It will be interesting to see if there is any response to this by the American's.

----------


## sabang

^ The sinoThai dominate both commerce and politics in Thailand, but there is no more Chinese dominated party than the Democrats. Not sure about this, but I think this may be another 'reaching out' exercise by PT- similar to the touchy feely response to the feisty Generals.

----------


## DroversDog

> 2 wrongs do not make a right. Certainly some people should be in jail for the murders that were committed last May. On that I fully agree with you.


Does that include the ones that ordered the murders or who gave the authority to the military to shoot people?




> However, Thaksin can not preach justice and then ignore it.


Since 2006 the basis of the rule of law has been compromised by the coup  makers with the goal of removing the political power of Thaksin and  anybody associated with him. Any cases since the coup which has been political  motivated should be annulled and re-investigated along after an  investigation into the Junta appointed officials.




> You can not have one rule for one and another rule for others.


I agree,  at the moment there is one rule for Thaksin which has compromised the whole criminal and judicial system. This should be fixed to allow Thaksin the same rights as everybody else to a justice with nobody influencing the investigation or any following trials. 




> You either believe in justice and the rule of law or you don't.


I don't believe in the rule of law when it is rigged!





> I don't know what Yingluck and Thaksin are intending by this recent announcement, they have both made, that Thaksin will be returning to Thailand in December, but as it stands it doesn't look like the law is going to be respected. Or at the very least somehow circumvented. 
> 
> Worrying.


No what is worrying that the use of "rule of law" since the coup has not delivered any justice and is being used has been as a political tool. 




> Like I say, the rights or wrongs of his conviction aside, he should do what any normal person has to do. Face the conviction and prove his innocence. That's what you and I would have to do. Why should he be any different?


How is going to jail going to prove his innocence? Only a fair investigate and trial could do that. That will never happen when all of his enemies has been appointed to investigate and judge him.

----------


## SteveCM

> My understanding is that few actually receive the guaranteed price- the rice millers routinely underpay.


Mine, too - see https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ml#post1751503 (Govt keeps cash coming) and several following posts.

----------


## DroversDog

> Originally Posted by Mid
> 
> 
> *Pheu Thai wants better ties with China: Thai PM hopeful
> *June 17, 2011
> 
> Yingluck Shinawatra, a prime minister  hopeful and Pheu Thai No. 1 party-list candidate, said on Friday that  she is looking forward to better relations with China.
> 
> "China and  Thailand are like one family, I would like to build better relations  with China." the 44-year-old politician said in an interview with Xinhua  at her Pheu Thai Party headquarters in Bangkok.
> ...


The USA and UK should be worried as they promote democracy but ignore Thailand when it's military stages a coup. They have sided against the Thai people just to kept their mates in power.

----------


## DrB0b

Quite liked this one from Robert Amsterdam's Blog,




> Below, two contrasting examples between how the candidates in Thailand’s general election reach out to the people.


Yingluck, Abhisit, and the Common Touch | Robert Amsterdam Thailand

----------


## Takeovers

> The USA and UK should be worried as they promote democracy but ignore Thailand when it's military stages a coup. They have sided against the Thai people just to kept their mates in power.


I would not go that far but they certainly look the other direction if convenient.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*                     Sister act means Thailand risks a return to dark days of Thaksinomics                * 

*                 William Pesek            * 

     June 18, 2011      

 
_Big ambitions ... Yingluck Shinawatra. Photo: AP_

                                 Just when we thought we'd seen everything from Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai prime minister has managed to clone himself.

              The genetic copy in question is Thaksin's younger sister,  Yingluck Shinawatra, who is running for his old job. If you think this  sounds like the political version of a cheesy horror film, imagine how  Thailand's 68 million people feel. They've seen this one before and it  doesn't end well.

              Officially, Thaksin, 61, was ousted in a September 2006  coup amid corruption allegations and has been on the run since.  Unofficially, he is leader-in-exile, doing all he can to govern by proxy  from far-off places such as Dubai and Montenegro.

             His sister's campaign is largely seen as a way for  Thaksin to reassert himself in Thai politics. Investors should be wary.  Thaksin has long been Thailand's answer to Silvio Berlusconi. Like the  Italian Prime Minister, Thaksin was a media tycoon who leveraged his  business success to become the dominant political leader. Like  Berlusconi, he was accused of using public office to advance his private  business interests.

              A born salesman, Thaksin brilliantly convinced Thailand's  rural poor that he championed their interests. His populist economic  policies had more in common with Tammany Hall patronage than anything  development economists would prescribe to raise living standards. All  the while, Thaksin bowdlerised Thailand's democracy and neutered its  institutions, leaving the nation worse off.

              Since his removal, Thailand has had five prime ministers and veered from one violent protest to another.

              At times, central Bangkok has resembled a war zone and  the airports have closed. Foreign direct investment has suffered, as has  gross domestic product.

              Thailand's economy is growing at a pace of just 3 per cent, less than half the rate of some of its regional rivals.

              The Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, in office since  December 2008, is spending so much time trying to keep his job that he's  neglecting to do it. He needs to accelerate Thai growth and spread the  benefits so that they're not concentrated among the elite. That means  attacking the rampant corruption that contributes so much to the  widening gap between urban rich and rural poor.

              But cleaning things up has proven to be beyond the  abilities of the Oxford-educated Abhisit. Thailand ranks 78th out of 178  countries in Transparency International's corruption perceptions index,  tied with Greece, Colombia and Lesotho.

              So is 43-year-old Yingluck, who has never run for office  or held a government post, really a step in the right direction? Would  she resist her brother's influence and attack the powerful forces of  cronyism that are holding back the nation ?

              The odds don't favour it. Thaksin is the de facto leader  of Yingluck's Pheu Thai opposition party. A Yingluck victory next month  would put Thaksin back in the driver's seat, albeit indirectly. And that  could mean a return to so-called Thaksinomics. Such a result would be a  setback for the central bank's governor, Prasarn Trairatvorakul, who is  worried about the return of populist policies that might fan inflation.

              Election pledges include cutting value-added taxes,  increasing minimum wages and providing zero-interest loans. Thai  inflation is already accelerating because of rising food and oil prices.

              No matter the electoral outcome, political tensions are  mounting and the potential for military conflict is real. A Pheu  Thai-run government might encounter resistance from the generals who  ousted Thaksin to begin with.

              Of course, an election loss on July 3 for Thaksin's  surrogates might trigger mass protests by the so-called red-shirt  demonstrators loyal to the former premier. Neither scenario would be  positive for Thailand's economy in the weeks, and possibly months,  ahead.

              On June 7, Goldman Sachs suggested investors cut Thai  holdings amid concern the election would fuel turmoil. Instability now  costs the country 1 to 2 percentage points of annual GDP growth,  according to Credit Suisse estimates.

              The long-term outlook is troubling as well. We are now  living in the age of what economist Stephen Green of Standard Chartered  Bank calls the ''China years''. We've all heard of dog years, or the  theory that for every year we age, a dog ages by seven.

              China has accomplished in a few years what took decades  in other countries. Thailand demonstrates the perils of failing to adapt  to that pace of change. It's falling further behind, becoming less  competitive and slipping deeper into political dysfunction.

              It would be better to see Thailand moving in the  direction of South Korea, with an economy that can hold its own against  China. That won't happen if Thaksinomics is reinstated.

*Bloomberg*



Read more: Sister act means Thailand risks a return to dark days of Thaksinomics

----------


## StrontiumDog

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

_Thaksin claims he'll return to Thailand in Dec to conduct a negotiation with his 'arch enemy'_

----------


## Buksida

> TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               
> 
> _Thaksin claims he'll return to Thailand in Dec to conduct a negotiation with his 'arch enemy'_


I doubt that he'll be granted, having gone back on his word before.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Democrats go for broke

ANALYSIS* 

*Democrats go for broke*

                            By Somroutai Sapsomboon,
Tulsathit Taptim
The Nation
                                             Published on June 18, 2011                


*By reviving memories of May 19 mayhem, party is using an old tactic 'to woo undecided voters'*

                                                            Almost two decades ago, a similar strategy stunned  Chamlong Srimuang. It was a home-stretch election offensive that  continues to fuel the long-held belief that the Democrats are the  masters of character assassination. Accusing Chamlong of "leading people  to their deaths" was not a noble tactic, but it worked quite well.

Can  Yingluck Shinawatra and the Pheu Thai Party escape such a Democrat  assault? After leading the 1992 anti-military uprising, which was  followed by a brief interim-government break,  Chamlong was poised to  sweep Bangkok yet again in a general election, only for the Democrats to  turn things around just a few weeks before votes were cast.

Whether  Chamlong had seen it coming or not, Yingluck and Pheu Thai must have.  Abhisit Vejjajiva's controversial plea on Thursday - that state power  should not be given to those who burned the city - was a hard punch, but  it had surely been expected. The question for his rivals is how they  will respond to it, now that the Democrats have decided to go for broke.

The  differences between then and now are obvious. Chamlong's popularity  barely reached out of Bangkok, while Yingluck is gunning for a national  landslide. More importantly, however, is the fact that while the  Democrats had nothing to do with Chamlong "leading people to their  deaths", the city burning was considered by the red shirts to be a  direct response to the Abhisit government's "massacre" of protesters.

At  that time, you either loved Chamlong or hated him, while the Democrats  were an innocent neutral party campaigning on a "we respect  parliamentary rules" platform. Now, you either love Yingluck and her  brother Thaksin or hate them, but the same also goes for Abhisit. At  that time, it was not a national divide; only a confused populace unsure  if Chamlong was a hero or a selfish activist willing to see blood to  achieve his purpose. This time, at least half the country doesn't care  much, if at all, about the arson spree on May 19 last year.

There  is a crucial similarity, the Democrats insist. A high-ranking source  pointed out that there are a large number of "undecided" voters out  there, especially in Bangkok. They can't measure the Democrats'  shortcomings against the uncertainties accompanying the resurgence of  Pheu Thai and possible return of Thaksin Shinawatra. It's these roughly 1  million voters to whom Abhisit wants to convey his "city burning"  message.

"We are not trying to sway Pheu Thai supporters. Everyone  knows we can't," said the source. "Our target is those who have not  made up their minds." He stopped short of saying whether the strategy  was also aimed at people leaning toward the "Vote No" campaign, which  was initiated by the Democrats' estranged ally, the People's Alliance  for Democracy.

The Democrats' strategy confirms that the ruling  party won't surrender Bangkok without a fight. It won 26 seats against  its bitter rival's 10 in the last election. But most polls are pointing  to a major reversal of fortunes this time, with 33 seats at stake.  Reinforcing the images of the city burning is the Democrats' only hope  with a little more than two weeks to go, no matter how risky the tactic  is.

Pheu Thai deputy leader Kanawat Wasinsungworn warned yesterday  that the Democrats are reviving memories of the May 19 turbulence at  their peril. "You know who killed protesters," he said, "but can the  government prove the red shirts burned buildings?" he posed.

The  Democrats, however, believe that the accusation of burning the city  doesn't need proof, just as rural red shirts need no convincing that  soldiers killed protesters in an elaborate plot. Undecided Bangkok  voters are hesitating not because they suspect a government hand in the  torching of CentralWorld, among other places, but because they are  unhappy with other issues where the government is concerned.

Bangkok  voters will continue to get vivid reminders of what happened last year  as both the rival camps have taken off their gloves. With that,  "reconciliation" will remain just a beautiful word that means nothing.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*EC urged to rein in Abhisit's Facebook
*
*EC urged to rein in Abhisit's Facebook*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 18, 2011                

*Democrat leader 'using social network to attack red shirt leaders, Pheu Thai'*

                                                            Red-shirt leaders and Pheu Thai Party candidates Weng  Tojirakarn and Kokaew Pikulthong have demanded that Prime Minister  Abhisit Vejjajiva stop using Facebook to attack the red shirts and their  party over last year's bloody protests.

Pheu Thai Party will urge the Election Commission next week to exercise its authority and stop Abhisit, Weng said.

Abhisit  wrote the third article on his Facebook account, expressing his views  on the bloody incidents in April and May last year and the military  crackdown, which resulted in the deaths of 91 people, including some  security officers. 

The red leaders regard Abhisit's views as  misinformation and a smear campaign against the red-shirted group and  the Pheu Thai Party.

Misinformation and smears are against the  election law, Weng said. Article 53 of the law could hand down tough  punishments on those who commit such actions, with sentences of between  one and 10 years imprisonment or fines of Bt20,000 to Bt200,000. Any  candidates found guilty could be banned from politics for 10 years and  their political parties could be dissolved, Weng said.

Kokaew said  Abhisit was copying the tactic used by the Democrats against Chamlong  Srimuang's Palang Dharma movement after the May 1992 bloody incident.  The Democrats accused Chamlong of leading protesters to their death in  the Black May incident, he said. 

Democrat leader Abhisit has said  tat he had opted not to yield to fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra  for the country's sake. He said after last year's unrest and rioting,  many people close to him advised him to dissolve the House early, resign  as prime minister, or take a break from politics for a peaceful and  safe life.

"They told me that my life from then on would be no  longer safe. If I yielded to Khun Thaksin and allowed him to get what he  wanted, everything would be fine," Abhisit wrote in his Facebook's  notes page.

"But I don't think it would end so easily. I thought  it would rather be the beginning of a new round of disaster for the  country. I decided to stay on to solve the country's problems although I  was aware that my life was threatened. It's not because I wanted to  stick to the prime minister's position, but it's because I had the duty  of protecting the country through the power I had," he wrote.

It  was Abhisit's fourth open letter on his Facebook page titled "From  Abhisit's Heart to the Thais All over the Country". The letter was the  second part that was entitled "91 Bodies to Meet Whose Desire?"

He  was referring to the number of deaths during last year's political  violence that began with the red shirts' rally in mid-March and ended  with rioting and arson attacks on many Bangkok buildings following  dispersal of the protest on May 19.

In his write-up, Abhisit  reminded the readers that many of the victims were killed by M-79  grenade attacks. The same weapon was used to fired into the protest  sites of the yellow shirts rallying against a Thaksin proxy government  in 2008.

"In 2008, only the yellow-shirt protesters were attacked  with M-79. But in 2010, M-79 came out of the protest area to fire at  Silom people and city residents in general," the Democrat leader said.

Abhisit said he had to work under intense pressure as prime minister during last year's anti-government rally by the red shirts.

He  said that while he was seeking to resolve the conflict peacefully, he  was under pressure from both the protesters and city residents who  wanted the long-drawn street protest to end as soon as possible.

His offer to have a general election in November last year was greeted with strong rebukes by his supporters.

"I  simply wanted to see peace restored in our country. I was aware that my  offer would not get me votes from the red shirts, but rather it would  cost me my own supporters," Abhisit wrote. 

He added that his proposal for reconciliation had one crucial flaw: It contained no plan to offer amnesty to Thaksin.

Abhisit  said that being in the middle of a conflict between the political  colours, "I have been stained with dirty mud. But I tolerate this  condition with patience because I am well aware that it is not easy to  strike a balance between the political extremes".

He said that he  was still determined to bring about national reconciliation - not just  reconciliation among politicians and it must be based on righteousness  and good principles for the country's benefit.

Regarding the  shootings of six people at the Pathum Wanaram Temple after the protest  leaders had surrendered, Abhisit said he could not tell for sure who the  culprits were.

"But my question is why security officials would  intentionally kill people after the protest had ended. I believe that  the loss of lives could result from an armed clash or a chance attack by  armed men mingling among the protesters. I hope the investigation  committee and the relevant agencies will come up with truths about  this," he said.

----------


## SteveCM

> Bangkok voters will continue to get vivid reminders of what happened last year as both the rival camps have taken off their gloves.


It'd be interesting to know what the writers mean by this. The Dems certainly have but in what way has PT "taken off their gloves"? It may yet come - but what has there been so far?

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## DroversDog

> In his write-up, Abhisit  reminded the readers that many of the victims were killed by M-79  grenade attacks. The same weapon was used to fired into the protest  sites of the yellow shirts rallying against a Thaksin proxy government  in 2008.


Has Mark got the third stage of Syphilis or something? Most victims had a high velocity *bullet* *wound* to the head!
The only ones that may have been killed by a M-79 was the Army Colonel and his mates. Eithen that event it is very questionable that it was a grenade launched from a M-79.

He really is losing this election from repeating spin that the public know is not true. It just shows that a good Oxford education is not what it is cracked up to being.    ::chitown::

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## SteveCM

^ I think the Thai Intel "Heat & Hate" blog piece https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ml#post1786632 (Thai elections 2011-Thai PM sets stage for tough election) caught this well. But I'm not sure how many of those "undecideds" will take the same view.

This weekend's polls should give a clue - % of undecideds has been dropping and going mainly to PT. I suspect that'll continue but maybe more will start parking their vote with the very minor parties? Personally, I don't see many going the "Vote No" route. Unless there's some major gaffe by/embarrassment for PT between now and election day, it feels like the Dems have already got most of what they're going to get.

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## Mid

> Quite liked this one from Robert Amsterdam's Blog,


not much left to say ...........................

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## Butterfly

> Yingluck, Abhisit, and the Common Touch | Robert Amsterdam Thailand


dude, quite pathetic from you, this is like quoting the Nation or TAN network, you should be ashamed.

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## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Pheu Thai unveils 'justice panel'
*
*Pheu Thai unveils 'justice panel'*

*Noppadon plays down  talk of amnesty law* 
Published: 18/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 The Pheu Thai party has started to unveil  details of its plan to bring deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra  back to Thailand later this year if it wins the election and leads the  next government.

 The move comes after his sister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is running  as the Phue Thai's No.1 party-list candidate, echoed foreign media  reports that Thaksin said in an interview he would like to come home at  the end of the year to attend his daughter's wedding.

 His eldest daughter Pinthongta's plan to tie the knot with an architect is now the talk of the town.

 Thaksin has been living in self-exile since 2008 to avoid a two-year prison sentence for abuse of power.

 "It is not unusual for a father to want to attend his daughter's wedding," Ms Yingluck said.

 Thaksin told foreign media that he hoped to return home to Thailand some time in December.

 "By that time my sister may be ruling the country" he told Germany-based Spiegel online.

In an interview with the _Bangkok Post_, Noppadon Pattama, a  close aide to Thaksin, said the party may not pursue an amnesty for  people accused of politically related crimes.

 More likely it would form a panel for "victims of injustice".

 All stakeholders such as political parties, academics and  "non-partisan" public figures will be invited to sit on the committee  and discuss legal measures to return justice to these people. He said  the Pheu Thai Party would not exert influence over the proposed panel.

 "The bottom line is who these victims of injustice are. Who are the  ones affected by the wrongful orders of those who seized power? What are  the problems caused by injustice and disunity?" he said. The  Ratchadapisek land case is one case of injustice, he said.

 The former prime minister was earlier sentenced to two years in  prison for abusing his position as prime minister to help his ex-wife,  Khunying Potjaman, buy a land plot at a deflated price.

 According to Mr Noppadon, the transparency of the scrutiny process  was doubtful as it was carried out by the pro-coup Assets Scrutiny  Committee.

 He said that the charge against Thaksin itself was obscure because  the former prime minister had not interfered in the land auction.

 "The prime minister was held responsible for every action when corruption should be the focus," he said.

 Mr Noppadon, however, declined to say if the party would seek the  return of the 46 billion baht the government seized from Thaksin after  the coup. He insisted that the party's reconciliation policy was not the  "top" priority but it would go in parallel with its economic platform.

 Mr Noppadon noted that banned executives of four dissolved political parties deserved to have their political rights reinstated.

 Pheu Thai party-list candidate Chalerm Yubamrung is heading up a  legal team drafting legislation that the party prefers to call the  "reconciliation" law, instead of "amnesty".

 Details will be announced only after the July 3 election. He said in  principle the law would focus on reviewing politically-related charges  and returning justice to all affected groups.

 Prinya Tevanaruemitrkul, of Thammasat University's law faculty, said  passing an amnesty law is not a complicated process. After the military  crackdown on protesters in May 1992, an amnesty law was passed for both  authorities and protesters in a single day. But he said the process was  one thing while content was another matter altogether.

 "It can be processed but I don't think it will be easy to pass the  law. Reconciliation is achieved through a process of building  understanding, not through a blanket [amnesty]," he said.

 Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban yesterday said it was "impossible" that Thaksin would return later this year.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^ Ah, just for some...those whose name starts with a T.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Mystery of Thaksin's first son-in-law
*
*Mystery of Thaksin's first son-in-law*Published: 18/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsAfter ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra  told foreign media that he hoped to return to Thailand in December for  the wedding of his daughter Pinthongta, tongues are wagging about who  his future son-in-law might be.

 The young man is entering the picture as the Pheu Thai Party is busy  with its election campaign and promising voters that they will push for  amnesty for Thaksin and bring him home a free man.

 
_Pinthongta: Hoping for father’s return_

 Ms Pinthongta was recently appointed as executive director of SC  Asset, a Shinawatra family-founded property firm, following Thaksin's  sister Yingluck Shinawatra's resignation from the post to enter politics  and run for the post of prime minister.

 Ms Pinthongta was ranked as the richest person in Thailand in terms  of stockholdings in 2004 and 2005, with a combined share value of more  than 18 billion baht, according to Money & Banking Magazine.

 Although she has been out of the top 10 rankings for several years, she is still very wealthy.

 Her fiance is known to be a young architect at SC Asset who was  recently promoted to an executive-level position within the company.

 Paethongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin's other daughter, wrote on her  Facebook page months ago that his sister will get married only after  their parents return to Thailand.

 Thaksin's would-be son-in-law is one of three children whose father  of Chinese-descent, identified only as Worawit, owns a garment business.

 His family's office is in the Pratunam area near Platinum shopping  centre. Ms Pinthongta has been frequently seen shopping in the area  along with her friends.

 A source close to the Ms Pinthongta's suitor said that when he  studied at Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration at  Chulalongkorn University he got to know, through friends, Ms Pinthongta  who was studying at Kasetsart University.

 Their relationship started then and developed for more than two years. They both later studied in England.

 "Khunying Potjaman [na Pombejra] is very satisfied with her future  son-in-law. He is polite and quiet," a source said, in reference to the  young bride-to-be's mother.

 Sources said that Ms Pinthongta's fiance flew to Dubai to meet  Thaksin, whose approval he easily won, the sources said. The lovebirds'  parents have already finalised the arrangement of marriage property.

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## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : Will 'Cobra' politicians poison the party for Pheu Thai?

INPrint 

*Will 'Cobra' politicians poison the party for Pheu Thai?*
Published: 18/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsMaj Gen Sanan Kachornprasart, who coined the the  term "Cobra" in politics, believes that a new version of the snake  could emerge this year when the time comes to form a new government  after the July 3 general election, notes Post Today.

 
_The late Samak Sundaravej referred to turncoat politicians who put  their weight behind Chuan Leekpai as prime minister after the political  crisis of 1997 as Cobras. SAROT MEKSOPHAWANNAKUL_

 Pheu Thai's de facto leader Thaksin Shinawatra is trying hard to  prevent such an occurrence which would hinder his youngest sister  Yingluck from becoming Thailand's first female prime minister.

 The "Cobra" moniker was used by the late prime minister Samak  Sundaravej who was then the leader of Prachakorn Thai Party to describe  the rebel party's MPs as a metaphor in Aesop's fable of a cobra which  was rescued from being frozen to death by a kind farmer and then bit his  benefactor to death after it recovered its strength.

 At the time, Mr Samak was the symbol of Prachakorn Thai which he  founded after being expelled from the Democrat party. Due to his oratory  skills, Mr Samak was able to draw the crowds and the votes for his  candidates even though they were relatively unknown.

 Thailand's financial crisis in 1997 forced then prime minister Gen  Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, leader of the New Aspiration Party, to resign to  show responsibility. Leaders of New Aspiration and other coalition  government parties resolved to support Gen Chatichai Choonhavan, leader  of Chart Pattana Party, to become the next prime minister. Their  combined number of MPs was 197 while the opposition Democrats, together  with other parties, could muster only 196 MPs, one less than the former  coalition government. According to the constitution, when a prime  minister resigns, a new prime minister will be selected by MPs in the  House of Representatives, who will form a government.

 Maj Gen Sanan, then secretary-general of the Democrat Party, was able  to persuade 12 MPs of a Prachakorn Thai Party faction led by Vatana  Asavahame (who is now believed to be in Cambodia to escape a jail term  for taking bribes) to switch sides and voted for Chuan Leekpai as the  next premier. The vote was 208-185.

 Samak was furious, labelling the rebel MPs as "Cobras", creating the  first cobra incident in Thai politics. He called a party meeting and  expelled the rebel MPs, believing that by doing so they would lose their  MP status. However, the cobra MPs appealed to the Constitution Court  which ruled that MPs have the right to cast their votes in parliament  independently against a party resolution and they could retain their MP  status if other political parties accepted them. Nearly all of the cobra  MPs joined the Democrat Party after the court's ruling. Mr Chuan was  then criticised as coming to power through undemocratic means.

 The second Cobra episode occurred in late 2008 when the People Power  Party, which won a general election in December 2007, was dissolved by  the Constitution Court for breaking the law. All the party's executives  including then prime minister Somchai Wongsawat were barred from  politics for five years. This necessitated electing a new prime minister  in the House of Representatives again. PPP MPs then joined Pheu Thai,  established as a spare party in case PPP lost the dissolution case in  court. However, not all PPP MPs joined the new party. Newin Chidchob,  who was banned from politics for five years for being a Thai Rak Thai  executive, persuaded 23 MPs to join another newly established party,  Bhumjaithai. The Democrat Party together with Bhumjaithai and other  former coalition parties with PPP such as Chart Thai Pattana supported  Abhisit Vejjajiva as the new PM. Pheu Thai, seeing it could not win  after the cobra incident, decided to support Puea Pandin's acting leader  and former police chief Pol Gen Pracha Promnok as a PM candidate,  hoping to convince all Puea Paendin MPs and other party MPs to switch  sides again and not support Mr Abhisit who was believed to be backed by  the military. However, Mr Abhisit won convincingly 235-198 with three  abstentions.

 As for the possibility of a third Cobra incident occurring after the  July 3 election, if Maj Gen Sanan's prediction is discounted then  Thaksin's worries cannot be ignored. Thaksin believes Pheu Thai will  come first but may face obstacles including a Cobra incident in which  "non-system" power could exert pressure on some Pheu Thai MPs to vote  for Mr Abhisit as PM. For this reason, Thaksin required all Pheu Thai  candidates, both constituency and party list, to submit signed  resignation letters before being nominated to run for the general  election under the Pheu Thai banner. If Cobra MPs decide to vote for Mr  Abhisit, enticed by either cash or promised ministerial posts, Pheu Thai  party can produce resignation letters that make the Cobra votes invalid  as they are no longer MPs, having already resigned.

 Post Today speculates that a Cobra incident could only happen if Pheu  Thai wins, but not convincingly or with no more than 250 seats in the  House. In such a case, the Democrat Party may compete to form a  coalition government with other smaller parties with the support of some  Pheu Thai Cobras.

 However, it is also possible that Pheu Thai could also employ a Cobra  strategy by inducing MPs from the Democrats and other parties to defect  to Pheu Thai by offering cash and/or ministerial positions if Pheu Thai  does not win convincingly or cannot muster the magic 250 MPs for Ms  Yingluck to become the first female prime minister of Thailand.

 The possibility of Cobras within Pheu Thai is quite evident. Before  Mr Abhisit dissolved the House, it was widely rumoured that some Pheu  Thai MPs such as Mingkwan Saengsuwan, who was disappointed at not being  anointed by Thaksin, and then Pracharaj Party leader Sanoh Thienthong  were discussing the possibility of forming a new party with Gen Chavalit  Yongchaiyudh who had resigned from Pheu Thai, citing unease at red  shirt domination of the party and that their leaders were against the  monarchy.

 However, when Mr Abhisit dissolved the House, both Mr Mingkwan and Mr Sanoh decided to stay with Pheu Thai.

 The same could be said about former New Aspiration party MPs who were absorbed by Thai Rak Thai.

 They were reported on the verge of resigning from Pheu Thai to follow  their boss Gen Chavalit, but decided at the last minute to stay put.

 A third faction in Pheu Thai that could become Cobras is a group of  10 MPs who were reportedly ready to join Bhumjaithai. But again they  decided at the last minute to stay put as they considered Pheu Thai more  popular in Isan than Bhumjaithai.

 About another possibility of Cobra MPs defecting to Pheu Thai, Post  Today notes that it is possible that a Bhumjaithai faction led by Somsak  Thepsuthin, who controls about 10 MPs, is a good candidate as Mr Somsak  still has good ties with the Shinawatra group even though he defected  to Bhumjaithai earlier. If offered an attractive ministerial post, it is  possible he will switch camps again.

 For a Cobra incident to happen if Pheu Thai wins, a "non-system"  power must get involved. However, if Pheu Thai wins convincingly, the  potential Cobra MPs will not dare defy the popular mandate, even at the  urging of the non-system power. Post Today notes that the first and  second Cobra incidents did not happen immediately after the general  election. So if Pheu Thai wins convincingly, even if the party does not  pass the magic number of 250, it is unlikely a Cobra incident will  happen. Even at the height of the military's power after November 2006,  the army could not engineer a Cobra event immediately when PPP won the  general election convincingly against the Democrats but did not earn  enough seats to form a single-party government. PPP needed other parties  to form a stable coalition government. But, Thaksin is still shy after  having tasted the Cobra's poison earlier. This is why he requires all  Pheu Thai candidates to sign resignation letters and that he is trying  every means possible to drum up support for Pheu Thai in the election so  the party can pass the magic mark of 250 MPs, which will shut out the  possibility of a new Cobra incident.

 Election campaign bills may top B39bn

 The July 3 general election is expected to see 39 billion baht spent  by all political parties and the contest in the Northeast will get the  largest piece of the pie at 11 billion baht, followed by the North, and  Bangkok metropolis, predicts Kasikorn Bank's Research Centre.The  research centre reports that the election is seeing intense political  campaigning by all political parties, more than any other previous  election, and it is likely that after the July 3 result is announced,  defeated candidates will file complaints with the Election Commission in  great number to void the results in their constituencies, alleging  irregularities committed by the winners.

 The stakes are very high for both camps to try to win the largest number of MPs in order to be able to form the next government.

 Election spending is expected to total about 39 billion baht,  compared to 21 billion baht in the 2007 election. This year all parties  are spending more and really started campaigning before the House was  dissolved.

 Another factor that may contribute to higher costs this election is  that the party list MPs are now nationwide, not divided into zones as  was the case with the previous election following a constitution  amendment. Nationwide party list MPs necessitates intense campaigning  throughout the country for votes.

 The research centre predicts that the Isan region which has the  largest population and the largest number of constituent MPs than any  region will turn over about 11 billion baht, followed by the North at  6.5 billion baht and the Bangkok metropolis at 6.3 billion baht. The  money is not evenly spread even in the same region. A province that  features intense rivalry will see more money being spent. The money will  be used for print ads, vehicles-for-hire, broadcasting equipment, tents  and stages, flower shops and distributing political leaflets.

 Apart from legitimate election money channels, some money is said to  be distributed to local canvassers through non-system networks such as  an underground lotto, direct sales, and football betting rings to buy  votes, concludes Thai Rath.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Army to bus soldiers to polls
*
*Army to bus soldiers to polls*
Published: 18/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 The army has insisted that its plan to transport soldiers and their families to polling stations on election day is not illegal.

 Col Sirichan Ngathong, the army's deputy spokeswoman, said it was  normal to encourage soldiers and their families to go to the polls and  buses will be arranged for their use, particularly for those living in  remote areas.

 Even though such a move is unprecedented, it is intended to support  the general election and the army has not told its personnel to vote for  any particular candidates, Col Sirichan said.

 She also denied claims the army and the Internal Security Operations  Office had asked the Election Commission for the names of canvassers  working for Pheu Thai Party election candidates in Samut Sakhon, one of  the provinces on the police's election watch list.

 She said the army and the Isoc was not responsible for monitoring canvassers of any political parties.

 Meanwhile, army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha dismissed suggestions that he  often sounded emotional when talking about the general election. Gen  Prayuth said he had been careful when making comments on the election  and politics.

 On Tuesday, the army chief appeared on television and called on the  electorate to turn out in force for the July 3 general election and vote  "good people" into parliament to protect the monarchy and change the  country for the better.

 A source close to Gen Prayuth said that in the future the army chief  will avoid giving interviews on controversial political issues.

 Supreme Commander Songkitti Jaggabatara reiterated that the armed  forces has realised the scope of their duty and will maintain neutrality  in the general election.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Other Bangkok Post updates

*Sonthi offers to boost lives of Muslims*
18/06/2011 : _Matubhum  Party leader Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin has vowed to bring an end to the  southern unrest within one year if his party is asked to join the new  government._


*Democrats rely on party-list candidates for seats in Isan* 
18/06/2011 : _The Democrat  party realises that the odds are against it in the Northeast. Still, the  party has set a lofty goal for itself and believes it has a fighting  chance by highlighting its party-list candidates instead of constituency  ones._

----------


## sabang

> Ah, just for some...those whose name starts with a T.


I doubt you'll ever get over this Toxinphobia of yours. There are many victims of injustice (overwhelmingly red), and there are many miscreants/ criminals- of all stripes and colors. Wherever you might put T on the miscreant- victim scale, he is just one of them at the end of the day. He is a bargaining chip in a bigger game that will not be able to be settled/ reconciliated by the standard Judicial means, because firstly a considerable portion of Thailands State sector would end up in jail as a result- paralysing the country again, and/or resulting in yet another coup, and secondly because the Thai 'judiciary', is hopelessly compromised and biased. It does stick in the craw a bit that those braying loudest about "Justice" in Thailand- when it comes to T, that is  :mid: , were instrumental or complicit in the utter degradation of the judicial system we have witnessed since the coup (Thaksin was bad enough). Those old double standards again.

If your obsession with just one man paralyses your ability to even look at the big picture and the best way for Thailand to return to some sort of normality and move forward, well then clearly you present no solutions, only obstacles. Not that 'You' or 'I' matter SD, but this is the current story of the Democrat/ establishment cabal. They are paralysed, wrongfooted, and their attempts at reconciliation have been nothing more than a sick joke. Even hardcore Democrat supporters rarely argue the Abhisit administration has been anything but a failure- they pin the blame on others, instead.

The reason that a number of Democrat voters will likely switch to PT or another party in the coming election is nothing to do with them supporting Thaksin all of a sudden- it is because the Abhisit administration has been a disengenous, inept failure, and it's allies (more like bully boys) in the establishment have utterly lost control of the discourse. Som nam na.



> Thaksin's would-be son-in-law is one of three children whose father of Chinese-descent


Well, you will rarely see a sinoThai junior Oligarch marrying 'out', will you. Very rare.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 


> For a Cobra incident to happen if Pheu Thai wins, a "non-system" power must get involved.


If this happens, clearly the establishment has not learned it's lesson and Thailand will be plunged strait back into chaos. Numbers wise the people have the most to lose, but financially, well we know the answer to that. It may well make Black May look like a picnic, and it may well herald some revolutionary changes for Thailand- perhaps for the worse (hello Burma), perhaps for the better. Logic tells me that pure self interest means the establishment would not be that mind numbingly stoopid. Unfortunately observation and experience tells me that, in Thailand, they might well. We'll see.

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## SteveCM

*PM says planned political rally by Democrats at Ratchaprasong on June 23*

[MCOT Breaking News - 18 June 2011]

PM says planned political rally by Democrats at Ratchaprasong on June 23 not aimed to provoke but to tell truth

----------


## Mid

^



cartoonstock.com

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## Butterfly

> I doubt you'll ever get over this Toxinphobia of yours.


what about your toxin amnesia ?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

you are quite the apologist for him, aren't you ?

----------


## sabang

Through coup followed by ineptitude and blatant judicial fixing, Thaksin has become lionised as a symbol of double standards and injustice in the eyes of many, thats all. Ultimately he is just a part of the greater game- frik sake, he is not the country of Thailand. Get over him, and you might overcome your paralysis.

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## DrB0b

*I've had to censor the article below, of course. The original is on the link below however the link has been blocked by MiniTrue.

The Latest from Ji*



> by thaipoliticalprisoners
> 
> The Thai election is a referendum on the Butchers of Rajprasong
> Giles Ji Ungpakorn
> 
> The political situation in Thailand today does not bode well for free and fair elections on 3rd July. This point cannot be stressed enough. It is very hard for democratic elections to take place when the country is being ruled by non-democratic politicians like Abhisit Vejjajiva, who were installed by the military after a judicial coup in late 2008. Previously the military had staged its own coup to overthrow a democratically elected government in 2006. What is more, those in power ordered the deliberate shooting of unarmed pro-democracy demonstrators last year. Up to 90 people died, mainly at the hands of specially trained snipers.
> 
> In Thailand today there is no freedom of expression and freedom to access information. The present military-backed government is using draconian censorship of the internet and community media and it controls all mainstream media outlets. It also uses the lèse majesté and computer crimes laws to jail those who express views contrary to the Government and the military.
> 
> ...

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Election campaigns point to a different Thailand*

         Opinion          >         Opinion       

                               THAI POLITICS
*Election campaigns point to a different Thailand*Published: 18/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsUnlike elections in distant decades, the  upcoming polls on July 3 are preceded by wildly generous campaigns among  most of the 40 parties in contest. They are jousting for parliamentary  seats by upping the ante of promises to provide subsidies, handouts and  giveaways.

 _Election campaign posters dot the roads in Pattani province, southern  Thailand. This poster of Matubhum Party—led by retired general Sonthi  Boonyaratkalin, who led the Sept 19, 2006 coup against Thaksin  Shinawatra—declares that the party ‘‘Dares to think, act and implement  changes for the motherland’s sake’’._

 That no major party is campaigning on sufficiency economy is  indicative of the fundamental changes that have taken place in  Thailand's political environment over the past decade.

 As the more established parties are racing for the populist bottom  with a bewildering array of concrete "populist" pledges, none of them is  campaigning on integrity or fiscal responsibility.

 How will these policies be financed and how to tackle the endemic and  entrenched corruption among Thai political parties and politicians _  these issues are not their main focus. They want to turn on the fiscal  tap to meet the popular expectations that have been raised in recent  years.

 On the other hand, the newcomers, such as Rak Santi (Love Peace) and  Rak Prathetthai (Love Thailand) parties, are banking on integrity and do  not emphasise populism.

 The campaign of the Rak Prathetthai Party, in fact, is premised on  being in the opposition to scrutinise corruption and graft. The Rak  Santi offers general principles of social welfare, justice and  compromise, not tangible freebies to be given away.

 This contrast suggests both change and continuity in Thai electoral  politics. The parties with more familiar names and seasoned politicians  have discovered that populism has proved to be a winning proposition,  whereas the newer parties are cognisant of persistent voter concerns  over graft and the imperative of healing the wounds of conflict and  confrontation in recent years.

 For the protagonists, such as the Democrat, Pheu Thai, Bhumjaithai,  Chart Pattana Puea Pandin and Chart Thai Pattana parties, their brands  of populism run the gamut. Pheu Thai pledges 10 mass transit rail lines  for a flat commuter price of 20 baht, computers for children, minimum  wage hikes, tax rebates on first homes and first cars, free internet in  public areas, one scholarship for foreign study per district, credit  cards for farmers, among others.

 Bhumjaithai is the most tangible and numerical of the lot. It  features a rice price guarantee of 20,000 baht per tonne, a fund for one  million new jobs, 100 million baht per province for tourism promotion,  professional sports development in four regions and arable land for  cultivation for one million farmers.

 For Chart Pattana Puea Pandin, it is to promote sports, expand  welfare, and freeze petrol and gas prices. Chart Thai Pattana is less  numerical but follows a similar pattern of tourism and infrastructure  development, economic competitiveness, and tax reform to reduce the  rich-poor divide.

 In the last election, in December 2007, the Democrat Party began to  espouse concrete pledges on education and social welfare. This time, it  has evidently intensified its populism. Its key planks include cash  vouchers for the elderly, free electricity for low-income earners,  energy price subsidies, and pensions for all Thais.

 Most conspicuous is the pledge to add 2,500 security personnel for  drug suppression. Its campaign is concrete, specific and numerical no  less than Pheu Thai's.

 Only Rak Santi and Chart Thai Pattana include foreign policy  explicitly in their campaign slogans. Both prioritise Thailand's role in  Asean and highlight the planned Asean Economic Community, which is  supposed to take shape by 2015.

 Some of these populist policy promises by the main parties are just  one-off, profligate freebies, whereas others hold structural promise in  upgrading skills and education and improving logistics and economic  competitiveness.

 They all point to a new trend in Thai electoral politics. Political  parties are now trying to answer and meet popular demands and  expectations.

 It is difficult to deny that the populism during the current campaign  season harks back to the era of the defunct Thai Rak Thai and People's  Power parties of Thaksin Shinawatra from 2001 to 2008. Such is one of  the myriad and contentious legacies of the Thaksin years.

 At the same time, it begs the question why the ruling Democrat Party  has not put up sufficiency economy, which it espoused soon after taking  power in December 2008, as its main campaign drive? Sufficiency economy  was also the main policy thrust of the government of Gen Surayud  Chulanont during the coup period in 2006-07 and is still mentioned  frequently on radio and television advertisements.

 This is another contrast that may be pointing to a newly emerging but  still inchoate political landscape, where parties are forced to cater  to voters' demands and expectations in ways we have not seen in decades  past. If it continues, whereby elections are held regularly with results  that count and voters become paramount with elected representatives  increasingly answerable to them, this trend of campaigning competitively  for what citizens and voters want, can go a long way in bolstering  Thailand's democratic institutions in the very long run.


*The writer is Director of the Institute of Security and  International Studies, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn  University.*

----------


## SteveCM

^ A rare note of optimism among all the doom-saying hand-wringing one sees so much of. And, yes, I'm well aware that the article finishes with 


> If it continues, whereby elections are held regularly with results that count and voters become paramount with elected representatives increasingly answerable to them, this trend of campaigning competitively for what citizens and voters want, can go a long way in bolstering Thailand's democratic institutions in the very long run.


I've yet to see anyone describe a credible magic wand or "Drink Me" potion alternative that's likely to produce the near-overnight "fix" that many seem to think is being somehow "missed" in what's currently going on and inching/stumbling forward.

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

            Abhisit campaigns in Petchaboon wearing hillstribe costume

58 minutes ago


.........

_Something tells me that's going to be one for the album....._

----------


## Butterfly

> Thaksin has become lionised as a symbol of double standards and injustice in the eyes of many,


yes if you are desperate and retarded, he is definitely a lion




> Get over him, and you might overcome your paralysis.


we wish him to go away, but he keeps coming back, so how are we supposed to "get over him" when he is responsible for all the shit currently happening ? if he had gone away as "promised" then maybe we could focus on the army and the ruling elite double standard.

You want us to forget about Thaksin ? let's get rid of him first, and then we can all forget about him and focus on the next political progress

----------


## SteveCM

> *PM says planned political rally by Democrats at Ratchaprasong on June 23*
> 
> [MCOT Breaking News - 18 June 2011]
> 
> PM says planned political rally by Democrats at Ratchaprasong on June 23 not aimed to provoke but to tell truth


*

Democrat Party says provoking 'Red Shirt' is not plan for rally at Ratchaprasong area*

 

BANGKOK, June 18 -- The Democrat Party is planning to hold a  major election campaign at Bangkok's Ratchaprasong intersection on June  23 while the party's leaders said they would explain the facts to the  public on involved incidents.

 Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the Democrat Party, told  journalists that his party would hold a major political rally for the  July 3 general election at Ratchaprasong intersection, Bangkok's prime  business area, next Thursday and would inform people attending the rally  about the bloody violence which took place on May 19, 2010 around the  area and ways his party would adopt in creating reconciliation among  Thais.

 Mr Abhisit said his party's upcoming campaign at Ratchaprasong  intersection is "not meant to provoke" the Red Shirt movement as he has  always been attacked by the group in the past and he has, therefore,  decided to speak the truth over the matter during the campaign.

 Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, secretary-general of  the Democrat Party, said it is necessary to inform people attending the  upcoming rally that the government has been accused by the UDD for  being responsible for the deaths of 91 people during last year's unrest.

 Mr Suthep said the explanation would help correct the public's misunderstanding towards the government.

 Mr Suthep said he would be one of the speakers on that day and that he  is not afraid of ongoing threats against his party as his party was  always being tarnished.

 "I'm studying whether it's against the law if both audio and video (of  the unrest) are shown while campaigning," Mr Suthep added. 

(MCOT online  news)

----------


## SteveCM

> "I'm studying whether it's against the law if both audio and video (of the unrest) are shown while campaigning," Mr Suthep added.


That sounds like Suthep is gearing up for a re-run of his CRES "presentations".

----------


## Mid

> Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, secretary-general of the Democrat Party, said it is necessary to inform people attending the upcoming rally that the government has been accused by the UDD for being responsible for the deaths of 91 people during last year's unrest.


 :smiley laughing: 

doubt it is necessary to inform people that the government stands accused !!

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world.....


*Exclusive: Pheu Thai are getting ready to call foul* 

_By Andrew Spooner 
Jun 18, 2011_

This is the second part of an interview I conducted with Thailand’s  incumbent Finance Minister, Korn Chatikavanij last week at the Thai  Ministry of Finance in Bangkok.

 In this we focus on questions of policy and the key areas and  differences between the Democrat and Pheu Thai platforms. Korn had some  particularly strong words to say about PT’s rice price guarantee scheme  and what he intends to do if Abhisit resigns. At the end of the  interview his brief response to my question on Pheu Thai’s candidate for  Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, is revealing in that he seemed  loathe to either criticise her or admit her qualities.

 We kicked off with a question, suggested by fellow Asian  Correspondent blogger, Dan Waites, about The Democrat’s education  policies.

_Thai Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij. Pic: AP._

 A recent Reuters article stated – “The country spent the equivalent  of 4 percent of GDP on education in 2009, above Singapore’s 3.1 percent,  according to the Swiss-based Institute of Management Development (IMD),  but Singapore ranks 13th in education performance and Thailand 47th.”  Why is Thailand’s spending on education not feeding through to  improvements in terms of outcomes, and how will the Democrats change  that?_First of all our main effort in this term has been in  making sure that every child is able to go to school which is why we  have focused on the free education for the first 15years. That means all  through your high-school basically. Obviously we would like to able to  focus at the same time on quality but our view is that an effort can be  made on quality but the first thing is that you should make sure that  the poorer families do not feel that sending their kids to school is  costing them. So once we’ve got that done the next issue is to focus  your spending on raising quality which is, I think, altogether more  challenging. But you can’t just simply throw money at it. We are in the  first year, entering the second year, of the ten year plan put forth by  the Prime Minister [Abhisit] and the Ministry of Education, and all that  is pretty much focused on increasing quality of education. But I agree  and I didn’t read that Reuters article and if they are saying this is  the single biggest challenge to the country I don’t think anyone is  going to disagree with that._
At this point I wanted to give you the opportunity to state what you  think are your key arguments and policies for this election._Sure. There are several basic premises looking  strategically at what is good for the country in the longer term. One,  the higher food prices which, globally, is something I think will stay  with us. Likewise higher fuel costs is something that is not going to go  away. The emergence of Asia as the economic power house of the world  is, I think, pretty much given for the next several decades. And there’s  a subplot to that of ASEAN getting together, which is an important  milestone.

 What that economic development of Asia means, essentially, is an  increasing percentage of middle class people, urbanisation, with people  moving away from rural areas, and the consumption pattern that goes with  that shift. Thailand stands to potentially benefit greatly from these  trends. Our core competence, which the Democrat Party identifies and  wants to focus our main economic policies towards getting the most out  of, is, first of all, the food industry, which means increasing  productivity for agriculture through investment in irrigation. We’ve got  a 4 year plan for the next term to increase irrigation by about  4.5million rai and providing incentives for a greater level of  investments in food processing industry such as making financing  available and tax privileges to attract investment in that area.

 On the services side the key competitive advantage we have is  tourism. With greater urbanisation and greater income levels people in  Asia are going to want to be travelling more. The pattern of our  tourists has already changed. The biggest growth has been Indians,  Russians, Chinese and away from Europeans with their weaker currency. In  fact, we’ve got record tourist numbers simply because it’s actually  easier for the new rich in the emerging markets because we’re closer to  them. There’s a greater appeal in many respects. So we want to continue  to develop Thailand as the key destination in Asia. We are assigning  10billion Baht a year to, primarily, protect and refurbish our main  tourist sites. I think, prior to this, most of the tourism budget was  used for marketing and we want to redirect that to making sure our  tourist destinations are of a standard that will continue to attract.

 This is actually linked to the third programme for us which plays  into the overall themes that I’ve mentioned which is to turn Thailand  into the ASEAN gateway. Strategically no-one is better located than  Thailand between India and China and right in the middle of ASEAN.  Specifically what this means is that we’ll be investing into the Laem  Chabang port and turning that into a harbour city with high-speed rail  links to Bangkok and logistically links, road and rail, out, to the  west, to the Tawai port in Burma. Our private sector is playing a big  role in that development and that [Tawai] will be our main western  seaport. Laem Chabang will be our gateway to the rest of ASEAN.

 Given all that there are two key differences between our policy and  our opposition [Pheu Thai] relating to all of what I’ve just spoken  about. One, how we look after farmers is the key. This is probably the  single biggest debate that’s going on at the moment and is winning us  votes in the Northeast of Thailand in particular. That is that we pledge  we will continue with our income guarantee scheme. Pheu Thai are saying  they’re going to scrap it and go back to rice mortgages which basically  sets a price at which the government will buy rice from farmers at  almost double the current market price. It’s undoable. Buying the rice  itself will cost half a trillion Baht with an immediate lose of  200billion Baht. It’s just not doable. I also can’t imagine what will  happen when every grain of rice in Thailand is in the hands of the  government. 

Where will they keep it? What happens to the market? What  happens to urban consumers of rice when they’re having to pay double the  market price for their standard fare? Farmers don’t like because the  last time a rice pledging scheme of this kind was used most of the  benefits went to middlemen who buy rice cheaply from farmers and then  pledge it at a higher price to the government. There were all these news  reports that because of the polls that middlemen were stocking up on  cheap rice from farmers already looking to sell at a higher price to a  future Pheu Thai government. So this is a big debate as to which rice  policy to help farmers is a better one.

 The second big difference is that Pheu Thai want to build an  industrial zone in the south through a land bridge. We’ve done our study  and we want to keep the south as a heritage area. The locals don’t want  this zone and the long term interests of the country is to preserve the  south as one of the planet’s prime tourist destinations. We don’t want  to have oil tankers coming in and out anywhere along that coast. 

Even  without potential accidents the impact that would have on our tourism  sector, short and long term, would be too significant. Which is why  we’re focusing on the ASEAN gateway via Laem Chabang linking with Tawai  which can then be further linked in the future along an east-west  corridor all the way to Da Nang in Vietnam. We don’t think that Pheu  Thai’s land bridge plan is practical and we don’t think, at the end of  the day, they can achieve it in the south. And, if they did, the  potential impact could be very negative forever.

 So, anyway, this is what we are trying do. With tourism we think we  can increase tourism income from 600billion Baht a year to about  1trillion largely by increasing the amount of spend per head from 35,000  Baht per tourist to something closer to 50,000. Significant investment  in rail transportation in particular, both urban and linking the region  together. All of these are basically our main aims._
I wanted to ask you the same question I asked you last time about  your future.  You previously said there’d be no way you’d try to unseat  your friend and colleague, Abhisit, as leader of the Democrat Party. But  there are certainly noises that if the Democrats don’t form the next  government or achieve a required number of seats Abhisit will resign.  Would you see yourself standing for the Democrat Party leadership in  those circumstances_I think the most specific thing Abhisit has said on that is that if we were to win fewer MPs he would resign._
And would you seek to replace him?_Would I compete for it you mean? Because we are not like Pheu Thai. No one man is going to decide who runs the party._
But would you run for that position?_To be honest with you I try not to think about it. Not  least because I am quite certain that after this election we will end up  with more MPs than we have today. Quite certain._
The polls don’t reflect that though, do they?_Not true. The polls are merely reflecting that we will  win fewer seats than Pheu Thai. Doesn’t actually mean we won’t beat our  last tally._
Do you think Pheu Thai can win a majority?_An absolute majority? No._
The front cover of Matichon the other day said Pheu Thai could win 270 MPs._But Matichon, as you should know by now, is a Pheu Thai  newspaper. I mean it is almost like a party broadsheet. So, no, I don’t  think it will happen. Pheu Thai are trying to strategically suggest  those kind of numbers because they believe they will benefit from that  kind of expectation. It helps them build momentum, especially in the  rural areas, and they’ve done very well on that. They are also getting  ready to call foul when the real result doesn’t reflect the fake polls._
Any thoughts on Yingluck?_She’s quite good-looking._

----------


## Bettyboo

The dems have nothing, it is utterly pathetic.

The PT won't be allowed to take office, but Abhisit, Suthep, Korn, Kasit and the rest of the group have been truly awful. Anybody wanting Thailand to move forward could not vote for these buffoons.

With every possible card stacked in their favour they have been abysmal in every way. How would you feel as a dem supporter, after watching their efforts pre/post coup and during this election; embarrassing.

----------


## DrB0b

> PM says planned political rally by Democrats at  Ratchaprasong on June 23 not aimed to provoke but to tell truth





> Originally Posted by MCOT
> 
> "I'm studying whether it's against the law if both audio and video (of the unrest) are shown while campaigning," Mr Suthep added.
> 
> 
> That sounds like Suthep is gearing up for a re-run of his CRES "presentations".


They are trying to provoke a riot. Yet another attempt to provide reasons for dissolutions and red cards after the election.

----------


## Calgary

*Some riceroots stuff*

Observed some Polling type activity in the area today. The below information is what I was told by the interviewer. I was not there during the discussion. Besides, I cant understand a lick of Thai.

Nothing was particularly noteworthy, except when vote-buying issues arose.

Of the numerous random stops made at homes in surrounding villages, vote-buying cropped up in three instances:

1. Stopped to talk to a lady simply working in her garden. When asked what her intentions were in the coming elections, she became coy and insisted she was undecided. The interviewer came away convinced that when money was offered, her indecision would soon disappear, and that is what she is waiting for. She was of the opinion that being _undecided_ could be lucrative for her.

2. Speaking to a small group of people, the interviewer said it became clear they were all about money. They waffled around, mumbling something about maybe time for the new guywho just happens to be the Bhumjathai candidate from an extremely wealthy family. It is generally felt that money is flowing from that source. Other comments were also made that alluded to money.

3. The final one was a guy who blatantly stated he was waiting for an offering of money. This was toward the end of the day, and he caught the feisty interviewer at the wrong time. I thought I heard her voice raised. Unusual for a Thai as youall know, she confronted. Amongst other things, asked him if he had no pride, where was his integrity and he didnt deserve Democracy. He deserved a crushing dictatorship. More stuff was said in Thai that I didnt understand as she returned to the vehicle..she was a steamed lady. Apparently he didnt say anything when she vented.

----------


## Calgary

_A Democrat partyman repeatedly bellowed from a campaign truck at a busy Bangkok intersection on Tuesday: "What number do we want?" Many in the thin crowd of onlookers giggled and shouted back: "No. 1."_

_Just as Abhisit arrived and climbed up to join his party colleague, a Puea Thai campaign truck festooned in red banners suddenly appeared, and a cheer went up from the crowd. (_excerpted from Post #2700 above)

This is funny

Goes to show one can fool some people some of the time, but not all people, all of the time.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> ^ Indeed, and the huge wave in support that PT has enjoyed has shown how wise the move was by Thaksin. He certainly knows the electorate well. The Dem's have yet again been outmaneuvered.
> 
> 
> Quite right. The Thai electorate are utter morons, easily manipulated by these billionaire kingpins. Luckily they have smart cut 'n' paste farangs like you to point out that they know nothing about the politics of their own country and to tell them where they're going wrong, innit?


A case could also be made supporting the notion that the Thai electorate is more sophisticated than what you mention DR. Bob. 

They truly amazed me how they overwhelmingly voted the PPP/Samak into power in the face of an all-out domestic media onslaught propagandizing them to do otherwise. 

To overcome a State sponsored campaign urging them to vote one way as is happening now, impressed me.

----------


## Calgary

*Yingluck Shinawatra, the Pheu Thai Party's candidate for prime minister, yesterday dismissed as insignificant an Internet photo showing her in a playful mood with fugitive red-shirt leader Arisman Pongruangrong.* Quote from Post #2734 above.

Hey, be careful.

Don't knock my hero Arisman.

The Amart hates him..........amongst other reasons, that is good enough for me.

----------


## SteveCM

*Korn Chatikavanij on the Election Campaign Trail | Thai Blogs*

18 June 2011

I'm posting just the link to Richard Barrow's photo/text blog entry - partly because it's quite long and partly because I'd like to see him get the traffic to his site. Well worth a look for an interesting first-hand photo-diary of VIP Korn campaigning on the stump for the local Dem candidate in a non-Dem area. Mixed reactions..... and insightful comments from Richard Barrow.

----------


## Calgary

*Amid bleak election outlook, Democrat chief reminds voters of 'people who burned the city'* From Post # 2735

This will backfire on him/them, same as working overtime trying to tie Yingluck hard-and-fast to Thaksin. They are suffering the illusion that their _orchestrated Thaksin demonization campaign_ had its' desired effect, and that it might taint Yingluck. 

Little have they realized that their _campaign_ only "_preached to their own choir_" and that attaching Yingluck to the Thaksin legacy served to enhance her image.

To now take the same tack as most losers in an election by trying to come up with mud, the only 'mud' that will stick to the wall is how they encouraged airport occupations and then attacked Thai citizens with tanks and rifles ablaze.

----------


## DrB0b

> A case could also be made supporting the notion that the Thai electorate is more sophisticated than what you mention DR. Bob.


FFS, am I the only person on this forum who understands that a sarcasm smiley( :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): ) at the end of a sentence means the poster is being sarcastic :Sad: 

(that's a "depressed" smiley, in this case it means the poster feels sad about people not understanding emoticons)

----------


## Bettyboo

It is hard to believe that the dems are quite this useless; it's almost as if they want to lose...

----------


## Rural Surin

> It is hard to believe that the dems are quite this useless; it's almost as if they want to lose...


So....what are they up to? 
History repeats itself. Or revised for more contemporary settings.
The *game* is that no one is picking up on the theatre of misdirection.

----------


## Bettyboo

Abhisit is certainly either extremely stressed and making mistake after mistake, or he wants a very low vote for the dems...

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Mid
> ...


And this sentiment courses through the _Red Shirt Democracy Movement_ powerfully. 

If I was the USA, I would be worried about a PT victory. They are going to have to "_suck up big time_" if they want to maintain the standing they have with their "mates" as Drovers Dog states above.

If Hillary Clinton's name is mentioned amongst Red Shirts, there is a Vesuvious sized explosion.......So I never do it.....Gulp!

----------


## Calgary

> Quite liked this one from Robert Amsterdam's Blog,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 			
> 				Below, two contrasting examples between how the candidates in Thailands general election reach out to the people.
> 
> ...


*WOW!*

I'm sure the Amart is "feeling something slipping"!

----------


## StrontiumDog

_
Thai  caretaker Prime Minister and leader of Democrat party Abhisit Vejjajiva  makes a speech to supporters during an election campaign in Petchabun  province, northeastern Thailand Saturday, June 18, 2011. Thailand is  holding general elections on July 3. (AP Photo)_*

Thai caretaker Prime Minister and leader of Democrat party Abhisit Vejjajiva makes a speech to supporters during an election campaign in Petchabun province, northeastern Thailand Saturday, June 18, 2011. Thailand is holding general elections on July 

*

----------


## StrontiumDog

Sat Jun 18,  9:45 AM ET                     

*Supporters of prime minister candidate* 

              Supporters  of rime minister candidate Yingluck Shinawatra cheer her arrival during  a rally Saturday, June 18, 2011, in Bangkok, Thailand. Pheu Thai Party  candidate Yingluck and incumbent Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva  are expected to be in a tight race to the finish when Thailand heads to  the polls July 3.

Thailand - Yahoo! News Photos

 
 
                                                  Sat Jun 18,  9:42 AM ET                     

*Photographers swarm Thai prime minister candidate ...*

              Photographers  swarm Thai prime minister candidate Yingluck Shinawatra during her  arrival at a rally Saturday, June 18, 2011, in Bangkok.

Photographers swarm Thai prime minister candidate Yingluck Shinawatra ... - Yahoo! News Photos

----------


## Mid

> a speech to supporters


10 will get you 5 ,it's the local market and most there hadn't any advanced notice of the event , supporters is stretching it a tad to far from the faces in the pic .

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Peter Goodspeed: Sister of fugitive former leader leads in Thai election | Full Comment | National Post
*
*Peter Goodspeed: Sister of fugitive former leader leads in Thai election*

Peter Goodspeed 
Jun 18, 2011 – 9:00 AM ET 


_Damir Sagolj/Reuters
Yingluck  Shinawatra, the prime ministerial candidate for Thailand’s main  opposition, was recruited by her brother, toppled leader Thaksin  Shinawatra._

*Goodspeed Analysis*

 Fear and femininity dominate what may be the most crucial election in Thailand in decades.

 Politics in the coup-prone kingdom are usually muscularly masculine —  it’s had 18 coups and 23 military governments since 1932. Women rarely  account for more than 15% of election candidates and have almost never  have any real power.

 But this year is different.

 Yingluck Shinawatra, 43, the youngest sister of Thaksin Shinawatra,  the fugitive former prime minister, is surging ahead in public opinion  polls and may be poised to become Thailand’s first female PM in the July  3 vote.

 The photogenic former business executive, who used to run the Thaksin  family’s property development company, was recruited last month by her  exiled brother to run another family business, the pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai  (For Thais) party.

 Initially dismissed as a political novice, Ms. Yingluck was widely  regarded as a figurehead and a stand-in for her brother. Despite being  deposed in a 2006 coup and banned from politics for five years in 2008  after being sentenced to two years in prison for corruption, Mr.  Thakshin continues to dominate Thai politics.

 He did not dispel the notion when, from his self-imposed exile in  Dubai, he described his sister as his “clone” and said “We have the same  way of thinking, the same DNA.”

 The party’s campaign slogan is equally blunt: “Thaksin Thinks, Pheu Thai Acts.”

 Still, Ms. Yingluck’s personal charisma seems to have caught fire  with voters. Her party’s standing in public opinion polls has risen  steadily since she was named Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidate on  May 16.

 Polls released in Bangkok Friday show the party cutting deeply into  the ruling Democrat party’s support with commanding leads in 18 of the  capital’s 33 constituencies, and nearly tied in another nine.

 In the past, Mr. Thaksin’s parties have drawn their strength from  rural areas of northern Thailand and fared poorly in urban centres.

 But Ms. Yingluck has changed the election chemistry.

 She has refused to debate her main opponent, Abhisit Vejajiva, the  Prime Minister, a British-born Eton and Oxford-educated lawyer. Instead,  she tours the countryside, introducing herself as Mr. Thaksin’s little  sister to adoring crowds of Thaksin supporters and posing for  photographs. She also delivers carefully scripted speeches, laced with  promises to raise the minimum wage and increase prices paid to farmers  for their rice.

 “She is young, she is appealing and people don’t really know her,”  says Duncan McCargo, a Thai specialist at Britain’s University of Leeds.

 “She doesn’t have a negative image, as she doesn’t have a lot of  baggage personally. Yingluck has been able to go around presenting  herself as this newcomer on the political stage.”

 Ms. Yingluck also seems to have knocked her male opponents off stride.

 “The rules and conventions of Thai politics have been shaped by the  male domination of the political world,” says Chris Baker, a British  analyst of Thai politics and Mr. Thaksin’s biographer. “How do you  attack this [female candidate] without looking like a brute?”

 One of Pheu Thai’s main election promises is to declare an amnesty  for politicians caught up in infighting since the 2006 coup, effectively  clearing the way for Mr. Thaksin’s return and resurrection.

 He has promised supporters he will return by December to attend his daughter’s wedding.

 That could trigger a massive new political crisis and has effectively  turned the July 3 election into a referendum on Mr. Thaksin.

 “The election could simply accelerate Thailand’s political meltdown,”  warns Joshua Kurlantzick, a southeast Asian specialist with the Council  for Foreign Relations.

 “We are looking at a head-on collision between two power blocks,”  adds Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Thai specialist at Singapore’s Institute  of Southeast Asian Studies.

 In his heyday, Mr. Thaksin was the most successful politician in  modern Thai history: he was the first prime minister to complete a full  term in office and be re-elected.

 Thailand’s answer to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, he is a  telecommunication billionaire who surged to power in 2001 with a  powerful political machine that exploited Thailand’s deep social  divisions.

 He appealed to the rural poor with policies promoting cheap  health-care, income redistribution, micro-credit and local development  grants. But he also exhibited an uncompromising authoritarian stance  that rapidly saw him clash with the traditional establishment, led by  monarchists, the military and the urban elite.

 His two terms in office were also filled with allegations of  corruption and cronyism, increased restrictions on the news media and  severe human rights abuses, including the extrajudicial executions of  about 2,800 suspected drug dealers.

 When Mr. Thaksin ignored the elite and tried to fast-track his  supporters in the armed forces, the military rebelled, staging a  bloodless coup in September 2006.

 But his removal from office did not end his political meddling, as he has continued to support proxies while living in exile.

 The pro-Thaksin People’s Power Party, a precursor to Pheu Thai, won a  majority of seats in a 2007 election, only to be stripped of power and  banned by Thailand’s Constitutional Court.

 When the current Democrat-led government was installed by a  parliamentary vote in 2008, after backroom deals involving the military,  Red Shirt protesters, many of them poor rural Thaksin supporters,  blockaded Bangkok’s commercial centre for nine weeks to demand new  elections.

 That confrontation ended in an army crackdown in which 91 people  died, hundreds were wounded and dozens of buildings were set ablaze.

 To this day, both sides blame the other for the deaths and destruction.

 But rather than resolve the conflicts, the July 3 election is likely  to lead to more confrontations in Parliament and on the streets, and  possibly even in another military coup.

 The Thai army chief, General Prayut Chan-O-Cha, took the unusual  precaution this week of delivering a television address in which he  urged voters to choose “good people” and warned, “If you allow a repeat  of the same election pattern, then we will always get the same result.”

 The prospect of a Pheu Thai victory, nullified by another coup or a  military-backed backroom deal, could set Thailand on fire once again.

 “The lesson of previous elections has been that election results are  not normally fixable in advance,” says Mr. McCargo. “The ‘wrong party’  can often win elections and has won most of the elections of the past  couple of decades.”

 “[When that happens], there is some post-election reckoning and  reorganization which either leads to a dissolution of parliament and  fresh elections or some sort of resolution along the lines of what we  saw in 2008,” he adds.

 “One year after an election is a time of potential reorganization and  change, where a lot of factors, other than the will of the voters, come  into play and traditional institutions may be influencing things behind  the scenes.”

_National Post_

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> A case could also be made supporting the notion that the Thai electorate is more sophisticated than what you mention DR. Bob.
> 
> 
> FFS, am I the only person on this forum who understands that a sarcasm smiley() at the end of a sentence means the poster is being sarcastic
> 
> (that's a "depressed" smiley, in this case it means the poster feels sad about people not understanding emoticons)


Gotcha....................

Clean missed that.

----------


## SteveCM

> Abhisit is certainly either extremely stressed and making mistake after mistake, or he wants a very low vote for the dems...


I've wondered a lot about this. It seems clear that the Dems were caught completely off-guard by the popular success of YS as leader - which is now plainly well beyond any kind of temporary "bounce" and still climbing (subject to tomorrow's poll reports). From being far too complacent about the strength of their own standing as well as about what they thought was PT's poor standing, they spent a week or more in confused denial and disarray.

Now it's clearly Plan B - which must have always been on the shelf waiting to be taken down and dusted off if needed. Plainly, it's a desperate last gamble - go very negative and very dirty - and hope that the mud sticks. Maybe wishful thinking on my part, but I suspect much of the mud will actually stick to their own hands - and likely cost them more votes than it gains for them. Did they simply not read the results of polls showing what the voters like least?

Difficult to see what short-term benefit for them follows from "losing big" as opposed to narrowly - unless it's the notion that thoughts of creating a mega-powerful regime might frighten off the partners. But even that doesn't make much sense given what we know of potential partners' first priority - get to where the power is and thus stay close to what comes with it. 

On the other hand, Thaksin seems to be saying that he now sees one-party government as not yet appropriate for Thailand - perhaps it's too much power and too much irresistible momentum? So it seems likely that a PT administration would recruit just enough partners to gain a handy but not _too_ overwhelming majority - say 280/90 to 220/210? Saying that, could the longer-term Dem game-plan be to look ahead to its own resurgence after a strong PT(-led) government has over-reached itself? Now handing them a poisoned chalice of too many seats so as to help that process along? Governments which have the luxury of a very comfortable majority also tend to get magnified internal stresses - with one or more factions pushing/pulling against the centre and each other. For the Dems to be anticipating/promoting _that_ seems really Macchiavellian but..... welcome to Thai politics.

----------


## Gerbil

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> A case could also be made supporting the notion that the Thai electorate is more sophisticated than what you mention DR. Bob.
> 
> 
> FFS, am I the only person on this forum who understands that a sarcasm smiley() at the end of a sentence means the poster is being sarcastic
> 
> (that's a "depressed" smiley, in this case it means the poster feels sad about people not understanding emoticons)


You'll have to forgive Calgary, He's somewhat dim.

He thinks that irony is like silvery and goldy, but made of iron.  :bunny3:

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Goodspeed Analysis: New tactics from the Thai Red Shirts | Posted | National Post
*
*Goodspeed Analysis: New tactics from the Thai Red Shirts*

 
_Christophe Archambault/Agence France-Presse
 Head of the Red Shirts, Thida Thavornseth_

Daniel Kaszor 
Jun 18, 2011 – 9:00 AM ET 

Thida Thavornseth, the 66-year-old retired microbiologist who  leads Thailand’s United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, more  commonly known as the “Red Shirts,” plans to train an army of 100,000  election volunteers to guarantee the honesty of the July 3 election.

 “We want everything to be OK, we want everything to be clear,” she  says. “It is important that Thai society have a good election. We are  going to check everything, for every party, to be sure there is no  corruption.”

 A year ago, the Red Shirts — a loose coalition of leftists, rural  protest groups, pro-democracy activists, anti-monarchists and supporters  of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra — took to the streets to  demand national elections.

 They occupied downtown Bangkok for nearly nine weeks in a protest  that resulted in the worst violence Thailand had seen in decades.

 Now, Ms. Thida aims to transform the organization’s image by focusing on prevention and fielding poll monitors.

 Instead of confrontation, she wants the Red Shirts to guarantee the fairness of the election by helping “to solve problems.”

 “We want the will and the voice of the people to come out.”

 Unspoken is the fear much may be done to manipulate the vote. For one  thing, Red Shirt election monitors say, the government has printed 53.5  million ballots even though there are only 47.3 million voters.

 Having so many extra ballots might encourage cheating, they worry.

 Then there’s a problem with preliminary versions of the ballot, pictured below _(note, actually not included in this report, see earlier in the thread)_

 The leading opposition party, the pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai party, a key  Red Shirts’ ally, has the No. 1 position on the list of 40 competing  parties, but a misprint has made its logo so small, it is virtually  invisible.

 Ms. Thida fears older voters and semi-literate farmers may be unable  to use the ballot properly and may inadvertently spoil their vote by  placing their X in the wrong spot.

_National Post_

----------


## SteveCM

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
>  a speech to supporters
> 
> 
> 10 will get you 5 ,it's the local market and most there hadn't any advanced notice of the event , supporters is stretching it a tad to far from the faces in the pic .


Well spotted. Of course it's the local market - look at the marquees and the over-sized umbrellas. The _poo yai mak mak_ circus from Krung Thep  (aka "that man from the telly") shows up at a market in Nakhon Nowhere. Who there _wouldn't_ take a look and a listen?

----------


## Gerbil

> The leading opposition party, the pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai party, a key Red Shirts’ ally, has the No. 1 position on the list of 40 competing parties, but a misprint has made its logo so small, it is virtually invisible.


Misprint? Bollocks! Their logo is merely wider than everyone else's (about three times as wide!) so had to be scaled down to fit in the available space. Their fault when designing their logo if anything. Like, nobody in their party had ever seen a voting form before and didnt realise it was going to be a problem???

----------


## SteveCM

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> The leading opposition party, the pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai party, a key Red Shirts’ ally, has the No. 1 position on the list of 40 competing parties, but a misprint has made its logo so small, it is virtually invisible.
> 
> 
> Misprint? Bollocks! Their logo is merely wider than everyone else's (about three times as wide!) so had to be scaled down to fit in the available space. Their fault when designing their logo if anything. Like, nobody in their party had ever seen a voting form before and didnt realise it was going to be a problem???




Compare the logo on the ballot paper reproduced at the top with the PT logos on other official EC documentation/website examples below. Still 100% sure it's "bollocks"? I have a copy of the bottom left document (a multi-page booklet listing parties & candidates - and showing their _correct_ logos) in front of me - delivered to all households in this area just last week. If you're in Thailand, you presumably got it delivered to where you live. If so, check it out for yourself.

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Gerbil
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> ...


Who did the writing over the top off that ballot paper? So full of mistakes it's almosts as bad as Yingluck interview.

----------


## Gerbil

The logo used is that submitted on the party registration documents. The registered logo is just the two characters *with* the name to the right - the one on their website - *not* the one in the header (that's not even in their official colours), the one shown in the right hand column.

Since 2009 they have been using a modified logo with the name below the characters, have they updated their registration of the logo or not? I dunno, but I would guess considering the typical lack of attention to detail that is a habit here, then probably not!

----------


## SteveCM

*Stop bullying, Pheu Thai told*

               By The Nation on Sunday
                                             Published on June 19, 2011                 

*Democrats slam protests by red shirts during campaign trail, plan to rally at Ratchaprasong*

               Democrat Party leaders yesterday denounced what they said was bullying by supporters of the rival Pheu Thai Party  while expressing confidence many of their own supporters were among the  "silent majority" who did not identify their favourite party in recent  opinion polls.

They also plan to hold a major election rally on  Thursday at the Ratchaprasong intersection - the site of last year's  anti-government protest by the red shirts - to counter allegations that the Democrats were solely responsible for the 91 deaths in last year's unrest and rioting.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said  that many of the party's supporters were peace-loving and they did not  want to get into trouble for clearly stating that they were Democrat  supporters.

"I believe there are many people in this group. They  keep their choice to themselves. My message to the bullies is that they  now have a little more than 10 days to do the bullying. When July 3 [the  election day] arrives, the Thais will tell you that you can bully the Democrat Party but you can't bully Thailand," Abhisit said.

He was referring to frequent protests by the red shirts - generally viewed as supporters of Pheu Thai - during campaigning tours by senior Democrat figures, including himself, chief adviser Chuan Leekpai and secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban.

"Tomorrow,  I will go to Samut Prakan and Nonthaburi, and I expect to see bullying  again. It's fine if they bully me and the Democrat Party. But on  election day, people will tell them they have no time left to bully  Thailand," he said.

Apirak Kosayodhin, the Democrat Party's  campaign chief in Bangkok, said that Abhisit and other senior party  figures would explain about what happened during the political unrest in  the past two years at the Ratchaprasong rally on Thursday. 

"The  party picked Ratchaprasong to talk about putting out the fire for  Thailand. It's the fire in the Thai hearts that are still burning and  the country is still divided. The party looks ahead to the future and we  are not trying to cause further division," Apirak said, adding that the  venue was just symbolic. 

The former Bangkok governor said that  he believed many eligible voters - particularly those in Bangkok - kept  their true feelings about last year's unrest to themselves and would  express their views when going to the poll on July 3. He said he was  convinced that many people who told pollsters they were undecided had  actually made up their minds but they simply did not want to cause  hostility in a volatile political situation. 

He said recent surveys by the party showed that the Democrats and Pheu Thai would  share the first 400 out of the 500 House seats with a very close  margin. The election result could resemble the one in 1996, when the  Democrats lost to the New Aspiration Party by only two seats. 

Suthep,  the Democrat secretary-general, said the party had to explain to the  public after it had been accused about last year's unrest. 

He also called on Pheu Thai to tell the red shirts to stop "bullying" the Democrats during their campaign tour. "I can't stand it anymore. I denounce Pheu Thai for allowing bullies to interrupt the campaigning. I call on the public to oppose these people," Suthep said.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai spokesman  Prompong Nopparit yesterday described the Democrat rally at  Ratchaprasong as just a political game aimed at wooing votes. "Don't  just put the blame on the red shirts. Don't talk about the old story,"  he said.

----------


## SteveCM

*Chuan speculates on PM from minor party, unfazed by hecklers*

               By The Nation on Sunday
                                             Published on June 19, 2011                 

*Democrat Party chief adviser and former premier  Chuan Leekpai was unfazed by a handful of protesters when he showed up  to campaign in Nakhon Ratchasima yesterday for the ruling party.*

                              Chuan was booed by both red and yellow shirts, complete  with placards, but was unfazed and hoped his party could attract more  party-list votes to assure it a victory. The former PM admitted,  however, that the party's standing in the Northeast was shaky.

Chuan speculated on the possibility that leaders from small parties such as Sanan Kachornprasart or Purachai Piumsomboon may end up becoming the next prime minister.

He  said the Democrats had been adequately received by locals in the  Northeast, although he conceded that in most seats they faced a losing  battle. red shirts who  followed Chuan at the Thao Suranaree Statue booed him while the yellow  shirts held "Vote No" placards. But there was no violence.

Chuan  also defended Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha, who has been criticised  for addressing the nation on Army-controlled TV channel 5 and 7 about  the election and criticising some red shirts for  being anti-royalist. He said he did not think Prayuth was meddling in  politics but merely urged people to vote good people into Parliament.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit denied that red shirts' harassment of some Democrat Party candidates had anything to do with the party. The announcement was a reaction to an earlier call by Democrat Party deputy Suthep Thaugsuban, who called for Pheu Thai to tell red shirts not to pester them.

Prompong said the party was concerned but denied supporting any such action. He also denied that the party or red shirts were behind an attack on a Democrat Party candidate in Samut Prakan province, saying the claim was likely to be a smear to discredit Pheu Thai.

He  also said he did not think it was appropriate for the Democrats to hold  a rally at the Ratchaprasong intersection next week, claiming it would  drive the social divisions even deeper. Prompong said it was better to  talk about policies than about the past.

Meanwhile, Purachai, who  is leader of Rak Santi party, campaigned at Rama IX park in Bangkok  yesterday and was well received by people. Purachai criticised the "Vote  No" campaign by the yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy saying it dishonoured the electorate, adding that a "Vote No" campaign poster was put up in front of his party.

----------


## tomta

> Abhisit is certainly either extremely stressed and making mistake after mistake, or he wants a very low vote for the dems...


I think Abhsit is feeling guilty and that's where the stress comes from. The pleas for understanding on Facebook and the almost total denial of the facts of what happened in April and May last year show this. He was never cut out to be a hard man and he's starting to crack bigtime. I don't think he imagined that when he started out in the political career that he inherited as a young man of privilege that it would ever be like this.

I feel  sorry for him - but not much.

----------


## Takeovers

^

Ah, I understand now. Army showing up in PT strongholds and asking about voting intentions is not intimidating. Opinion polls by polling institutions in Bangkok is.

Good we have cleared that up once and for all.


But that leaves the question open why do so many really do not tell their plans. I too do not believe so many are still undecided.

----------


## tomta

> 10 will get you 5 ,it's the local market and most there hadn't any advanced notice of the event , supporters is stretching it a tad to far from the faces in the pic .


Well spotted , Mid, they do look a bit surly, don't they?

----------


## tomta

> Democrat Party leaders yesterday denounced what they said was bullying by supporters of the rival Pheu Thai Party while expressing confidence many of their own supporters were among the "silent majority" who did not identify their favourite party in recent opinion polls.


Aaah the "silent majority",  a phrase coined by that great statesman Richard Nixon.

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : UDD attacks Abhisit over 'provocations'*


         News          >         Politics       

*UDD attacks Abhisit over 'provocations'*

*DEMOCRATS' RATCHAPRASONG ELECTION RALLY WILL OPEN OLD WOUNDS, SAY RED SHIRTS * 
Published: 19/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsThe Democrat Party's plan to hold a major  electioneering event in Bangkok's Ratchaprasong area to remind voters  about last year's mayhem will only intensify political conflict, the  United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship has warned.

 Democrat leader and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday said  his party would hold a rally in front of CentralWorld shopping complex  on Thursday in its last major address in Bangkok on the final leg of its  election campaign.

 "On that day, we will focus on the party's reconciliation plan. We  invite everyone to come and listen to our plan to douse the fire in the  country," Mr Abhisit said as he campaigned in Phetchabun province.

 Mr Abhisit said Ratchaprasong is "the perfect place" for his party's  campaign speech because of the political unrest that took place there  last year.

 The red shirts set up their main stage at Ratchaprasong intersection  during their lengthy demonstration to oust the Abhisit administration.

 Ninety-two people died in the unrest, with dozens killed at  Ratchaprasong and adjacent areas during the crackdown on protesters on  May 19.

 Tida Tawornseth, the UDD chairwoman, yesterday said the Democrats'  Ratchaprasong address would provoke discontent among red shirt  supporters, especially those who were injured or who lost their loved  ones during the security forces' operations.

 The Democrats' tactics to attack the red shirt people and to remind  the public about the April-May protests would not do any good to the  party and would not bring it more votes, she said.

 Instead of rubbing salt into people's wounds, Mr Abhisit should  launch a transparent investigation into the deaths of 92 people and  bring involved state authorities to justice, said Mrs Tida, the wife of  Weng Tochirakarn, the UDD leader-turned-Pheu Thai party list candidate.

 "What the Democrat Party and Mr Abhisit are doing now is to provoke the red shirt people," she said.

 "He attacked the UDD during his election campaigns, he wrote on his  Facebook defending the government's violent dispersal of the red shirts,  and now he will hold an election campaign at Ratchaprasong."

 These provocations had led to sporadic disruptions of the Democrats' electioneering by red shirt members, Mrs Tida said.

 "Mr Abhisit can't blame the UDD for the mischief because it is he who  keeps provoking the red shirts," Mrs Tida said, adding that the UDD had  repeatedly asked its supporters not to disrupt the Democrats' election  campaigning.

 Natthawut Saikua, the former UDD core leader who is now a Pheu Thai  party list candidate, said the Ratchaprasong event aimed to provoke  conflict and violence.

 "They are using the April-May incident as a political tool to woo  votes as many polls show the Democrats' popularity is dropping," Mr  Natthawut said, calling on red shirt supporters not to fall victim to  the Democrats' plot to provoke confrontation.

 Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit yesterday said the planned election speech at Ratchaprasong was "inappropriate".

 He urged the Democrats to cancel the event or change the venue to avoid deepening conflicts in society.

 Mr Prompong also strongly denied the Democrats' allegations that the  party was behind red shirts' disruptions of Democrat canvassing.

 "We are concerned about the moves, but our investigations found none  of our party's staff are involved in such activities," he said.

 The latest confrontation erupted on Friday evening when a red shirt  supporter allegedly kicked a member of the Democrats' campaign team led  by Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban at Phetkasem 79 market in  Bangkok's Bang Kae district.

 Mr Suthep yesterday called on Pheu Thai to accept responsibility for the incident.

 The Democrats' secretary-general said he and his party had been  accused of killing red shirt demonstrators and failing to prevent the  torching of buildings on May 19.

 "I will take to the stage next Thursday to tell the truth about what  really happened [during last year's unrest]," Mr Suthep said.

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Building by persuasion*

COMMENTARY
*Building by persuasion*Published: 19/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
When you want to ascertain the thoughts and  feelings of the people, talk to the "brother" taxi driver or the  "auntie" merchant in the market.

 With the Honda Civic in the shop and the desire to head home for a  Skype date, yours truly hailed a cab from the Bangkok Post building. In  the streets, passing all the campaign signs, including a moustached man  with a dog in one poster and a baby in another, the taxi driver  remarked: ''I like Chuwit. I will vote for Chuwit. At least he tells the  truth.''

 This sentiment reflects those of many voters, whether working class,  middle class or high class _ those who are sick and tired of  manipulative political factions and their scheming politicians.

 At least Chuwit tells it like it is, and is entertaining to boot. The  sad state of Thai politics is such that this is the best many of us can  hope for.

 I called it, ''the F-it vote''!

 The cab driver continued. ''For party list, I will vote Chuwit. But  for individual constituency, I will vote Pheu Thai, 80 or 90 percent of  people like me will always support Pheu Thai.''

 ''Why is that, brother?'' I asked. He paused for a moment, looked up  at the rearview mirror and replied: ''There's no reason. It's in here.''  He tapped the left side of his chest. ''It's in the heart.''

 Curious, as my nature dictates me to be, I inquired, ''Please explain, brother. What do you mean?''

 The cab driver told of how life is just easier with Pheu Thai in  control. Making a living is easier. Everything just seemed easier.  There's a trust. There's a relationship. When a Pheu Thai MP talks to  you, you understand what he or she is saying. He or she speaks the  language of the people.

 You can always pick up the phone or knock on the door. Pheu Thai MPs  are always around, always accessible. If you need a string pulled, a  connection made or some cash, Pheu Thai MPs provide. Pheu Thai takes  care of the people.

 It's the fluidity of the patronage system, I thought to myself, and the Pheu Thai Party is a master at it.

 ''But brother, what about the Democrats and their MPs?'' I asked.

 He laughed a little. ''They come around once or twice, maybe three times - and you never hear from them again.''

 He sighed. ''When they talk, we never know what they are talking  about. We just can't understand. They talk about things we can't  touch.''

 This reminds me of when I moderated a debate between two MP candidates from the Pheu Thai and Democrat parties.

 When the Pheu Thai candidate spoke, I thought, ''You're full of it,  but at least you are speaking Thai and the people can understand you.''

 When the Democrat candidate spoke, I thought, ''You're full of it, 'it' being Greek.''

 The human touch - this connection, this bond - is stronger than any  logical or rational motivation that could propel one to cast a vote.

 We may call it an emotional reason, but it's as good as any, if not the better reason.

 After all, if you can't win the hearts and minds of the people, you  can't rule effectively. Anyone can introduce populist policies, but not  just anyone can win trust.

 The cab driver has given his trust to Pheu Thai.

 This is not to say that the Democrats haven't already won the hearts  and minds of millions. But Pheu Thai is the party leading in the polls,  and has a history of sweeping elections. So the Democrats need to win a  few million more hearts and souls - and there's only two weeks left.

 ''Brother,'' I continued. ''Are there any other reasons?''

 ''Well,'' he began. ''I am just sick and tired of it.''

 The cab driver elaborated on how people like him dislike seeing ''the  government, the army and the courts'' pick on the red shirts and  Thaksin Shinawatra. ''They get together and they just pick on him,'' he  lamented. ''They just bully him and everybody.''

 The next logical question then was: ''How much of this is about Thaksin?''

 The cab driver explained that it depends on the person. But for him,  it's not about Thaksin. For him, it doesn't matter if Thaksin comes  back. For him, the only thing that matters is the relationship, the  trust and the bond that he has with Pheu Thai, or its two previous  incarnations, the People Power and Thai Rak Thai parties.

 The human touch - heroes have it, like Barack Obama and Nelson  Mandela. The human touch is the persuasion that can build a nation,  and/or destroy it. Villains have it too - be they Hitler or Stalin.  That's when the human touch becomes the human stain.

 I'm often reminded of the image of Thaksin sitting in some little  hut, talking to farmers. He always looked comfortable, friendly. When he  was prime minister, this image was marketed very effectively by his  vast media empire. He's a good actor, with a good marketing team behind  him.

 On the flip side, there are two images of Abhisit Vejjajiva that  still have me shaking my head, the first of his visit to a flood-ravaged  South last year.

 Prim and proper, white shirt buttoned to the neck and wrists, sitting  on a boat, with his entire entourage, while others - some say soldiers,  some say locals (_prai_) - are tugging along in chest-deep water.

 The other image is more recent. On the campaign trail, in a rice  paddy, again with white shirt buttoned to the neck and wrists, looking  uncomfortable as can be, with two farmers flanking him attentively,  making sure he doesn't trip or something as he pretends to work the  fields.

 Who is advising him? Who is his publicity manager? Is there one? The  prime minister isn't a good actor, and he has a terrible marketing team  behind him. This is something the Democrat Party should address.

 None of this has anything to do with what makes a good prime  minister, but it has everything to do with the ability to win the hearts  and minds, and hence the votes, of the people.

 Thaksin is a salesman. Abhisit is an academic. Selling isn't his  forte. Democracy is a popularity contest, so the salesman often wins,  because he has the human touch. As for the academic, more learned and  intelligent though he may be, students tend to doze off in class.

 The Democrats have been two years in power, with the red shirt United  Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, Pheu Thai Party and Thaksin  tumbling and stumbling, making one strategic mistake after another. Any  competent political machine should have buried them in the history  books.

 And yet here we are, two weeks before the general election and Pheu Thai still manages to lead in the polls.

 Yingluck Shinawatra hasn't done anything and she won't have to do  anything. She only has to look pretty, smile, gives hugs and handshakes  and photos. She doesn't have to speak with substance, only as a daughter  or a sister, friendly and personable, and the Yingluck fevers rage on.  She already has the human touch. Just take a look at her on the campaign  trail. She's comfortable. She's confident. She's in tune.

 A debate with Abhisit? If I were her, I wouldn't be scared, I'd go  for it. Afterwards the critics will hail the prime minister as the  victor, but for the masses sitting at home? They wouldn't know what he  was talking about. And they are the ones who matter.

 The human touch - perhaps they don't teach it at Oxford; perhaps they do at Sam Houston State or Kentucky State.

 We can't change the past nor should we dwell on it, but we should  learn from it to shape the future. Whoever becomes prime minister after  July 3, I hope they will take this one thing to heart. We need a leader  who will build a nation, not a politician looking to survive  politically, or rule for personal or family glory.

 A leader makes sacrifices for the greater good of the nation, as in this scene from the movie _Invictus_:

 Brenda Mazibuko: ''You're risking your political capital, you're risking your future as our leader.''

 Nelson Mandela: ''The day I am afraid to do that is the day I am no longer fit to lead.''

 This is the persuasion that builds a nation.


*Contact Voranai Vanijaka via email at voranaiv[at]bangkokpost.co.th*

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Voters deserve a candidates debate*

EDITORIAL
*Voters deserve a candidates debate*Published: 19/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsWith only two weeks to go before the general  election, many people have their minds made up on who to vote for, and  in fact most of them probably decided long ago.  Undecided voters who  might be inclined to base their decisions more on the issues involved  than party loyalties must be thinking that something has been lacking.  What is missing is a clear explanation of policy from the major  candidates themselves, rather than merely soundbites from the campaign  trail. There is no better way to bring this about than a well organised  debate between the two major candidates.

Since the fifth century BC when the Council of Five Hundred met in  Athens, and a few hundred years later at the Forum in Rome, debates have  been synonymous with democracy, and today they are considered a  necessary step in political contests in most democratic nations.

 Soon after the Pheu Thai Party announced that Yingluck Shinawatra was  its choice for prime minister, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and  other high-ranking Democrats proposed a debate to help voters make their  decisions. The offer was quickly rejected, with most people assuming it  was partly because of Mr Abhisit's reputation as an excellent orator  and partly because Ms Yingluck needed sheltering, as if she would be  likely to fall apart in a debate or at the least be easily flustered.  But given her performance these past weeks on the campaign trail _  speaking several times a day to large crowds and the media with perfect  composure and a winning personality _ that doesn't appear likely.

 The advantage still has to go to Mr Abhisit, not only for his  debating experience but also because he should be much more familiar  with policy questions after a lifetime in politics and holding the prime  minister's post since December 2008.

 Most voters will be aware of this and make some allowances for style.  What people are really looking at are differences in substance and  whether the candidate is able to think on his or her feet.

 In rejecting the debate proposal Pheu Thai deputy leader Plodprasop  Suraswadi said it was unwarranted because the two rival parties had  already outlined their respective policies. This is missing the point.  If there is a clear choice between the Democrats and Pheu Thai _ other  than on the amnesty issue, which is a must topic for debate _ the  leaders of the respective parties should be able to articulate their  visions and answer challenges to their positions from the other side in  real time.

<snip - non-election topic>

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Party pitches loans for low wage earners*

         Business          >         Economics       

*Party pitches loans for low wage earners*
Published: 17/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: Business
The Chartthaipattana Party has announced a new  campaign pledge _ soft loans of up to 100,000 baht to self-employed  business operators, small vendors and low-income earners.

 _Mr Pradit explains his partys 100 baht, 100 days pledge. Eligible  loan applicants would be required to deposit 100baht a day for 100 days  to qualify for a 100,000-baht state bank loan to be repaid over two  years._

 Eligible applicants would be required to deposit 100 baht a day for 100 days to qualify for a 100,000-baht state bank loan.

 Repayments would be over two years at a rate of about 200 baht a day.

 Pradit Phataraprasit, the head of Chartthaipattana's economic team,  estimates the annual lending rate of the scheme at 23-25%, below the  Bank of Thailand's 28% limit for personal and credit-card loans.

 The programme would also be made available to applicants who could  afford to deposit 50 baht a day for 100 days, but the loan amount would  be lowered to 50,000 baht, he said.

 Repayments would equal 100 baht a day for up to two years.

 Mr Pradit said the party devised the plan after surveying  self-employed operators and vendors regarding their daily income and the  amount they could afford to repay each day.

 Most self-employed operators such as motorcycle taxi drivers, taxi  drivers and street vendors now rely on loan sharks, who charge as much  as 20% a week in interest.

 This is a root cause of low-income earners failing to develop or  expand their own small businesses or survive economic hardships, said Mr  Pradit.

 He said the party believed the new lending pledge would attract  waiters, hairdressers, noodle stand operators, street vendors and  stallholders, all of whom are self-employed or low-income earners with  no payslips.

 Only about 25% of the population now has access to credit and loans  from commercial banks, while the other 75% are blocked by difficult  lending conditions.

 Mr Pradit said the lending scheme may result in some non-performing  loans but not very many, as the lending banks would review the saving  discipline of each applicant.

 The Chartthaipattana Party is willing to share its lending scheme with the new government, he added.


Writer: Chatrudee Theparat
Position: Business Reporter

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : The sharpest political tool in the arsenal*

         Opinion          >         Opinion       

*The sharpest political tool in the arsenal* Published: 18/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsOn Friday Army C-in-Chief Prayuth Chan-ocha  announced that he would not be giving any further media interviews  during the final weeks before the election. The reason he gave was that  he wanted to avoid arguments and prevent people from using the army as a  political tool.

 _Read my lips: Army Commander-in-Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha has  stated more than once that the army will not get involved in  politics._

 Obviously this is great news. If ever there was any suspicion that  the army had its own political agenda, it is clear now that the  suspicion was unwarranted. Gen Prayuth has clearly stated: the army will  not get involved in politics.

 Does this mean that there will be no further action against Pheu Thai  members who allegedly draw firearms on soldiers? Such an act could be  construed by suspicious-minded people as a way of giving Pheu Thai  politicians a bad reputation. On second thoughts, that incident probably  wasn't political. It is far more likely that Constituency 19 incumbent  Pairote Issaraseripong decided to threaten a group of fully trained  soldiers for completely non-political reasons.

 Now that the army isn't involved in politics (not that they ever  were, of course) they will have time to focus on more pressing issues.  Like ensuring that the media is not abused by colour-coded politicians.

 On Thursday army spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd reported that the  Internal Security Operations Command would begin clamping down on media  outlets that attempt to create conflict in society through biased  reporting. Despite not naming any names (probably so as to avoid  bringing politics into the issue), it is widely believed that media  stations associated with the United Front for Democracy against  Dictatorship and the People's Alliance for Democracy are those to be  targeted.

 The thought of powerful political institutions having the ability to  broadcast their message any time they choose is a little frightening.

 Thank God the army is here to ensure that biased reporting is not tolerated in Thailand.

 Meanwhile a day earlier, Gen Prayuth appeared on nationwide TV, via  army-owned Channels 7 and 5, to offer up some more non-politically  related advice.

 In his no-way-biased statement, he told the public to "choose the  best candidate to run the country efficiently", adding that we should  not be blinded by the personalities involved, and nor should we vote for  people who violate morals and laws.

 A cynical man with no trust in his heart might possibly interpret  that statement as somewhat supportive of 19-year veteran of politics  Abhisit, while slighting the larger-than-life personality of Yingluck  Shinawatra and her criminal record-holding brother.

 That's what a cynic would think, not me.

 Coincidentally, on the very same day Ms Yingluck announced that if  her party were to assume power there would be no reshuffle of the  military and that Gen Prayuth could keep his job.

 Having already said his piece on national television, Gen Prayuth has  made no response to Ms Yingluck's olive branch. In fact the only time  we have heard from him since then was to tell us that he would no longer  be giving media interviews. Perhaps that was the response?

 For someone keeping his nose out of politics the good general is  extremely lucky with regard to political timing. If the critics are  right and all this time the army has secretly been supporting the  Democrats while throwing up hurdles in front of Pheu Thai, all he has to  do now is keep shtum and he, sorry, the army, is a winner no matter  what.

 Unfortunately, good news for the army is bad news for us. What good  will two weeks of silence do us? The military has already made its mark  on this election and can now afford to step back. However, with all  their passive-aggressive meddling they may have done irreparable damage  to the legitimacy of these elections.

 Taekwondo stars as ministers; denying you said something to Reuters  news agency when they have evidence that you said it; and promising an  iPad to everyone _ these things make Thai politics look pretty damn  stupid. The army standing at the backdoor makes it look like a farce.  During his TV appearance, Gen Prayuth said we should not look too deeply  into his words, that he wasn't trying to flex his military muscle, that  he was speaking simply "as a Thai citizen". Sadly, this is a country  where coups occur with more frequency than elections, so the army's top  commander should understand that he is not capable of speaking as a  normal Thai citizen, no matter how good his intentions are.

 Everything he says and does will be interpreted, analysed and  deconstructed in different ways by different people. As someone who has  the power to send our country to war, I would hope that he realises his  words have consequences, and thus he should have stayed out of these  elections from the very beginning.

 While I am grateful for the promise that the army will stay quiet for  the next two weeks, I can't help but feel that this might just be too  little, too late.


*Arglit Boonyai is Multimedia Editor, the Bangkok Post.*

----------


## Calgary

*Riceroots stuff*

I questioned yesterday some of the activities of the UDD. They were focussed on Polling the intentions of voters in many villages. I thought their time would be better spent beefing up and training election monitors. 

Their response, "_We got a clearer picture on how much vote buying is involved. We didn't know the degree of that. If local leaders are using money to buy votes and engaging in other coercive activities, monitoring the polling stations will not show it. The corruption has already occurred before they get to the polling station and our monitors"_

So what will they do about it, was the obvious next question:" _We will fully inform the MP of the reality of our findings, and challenge him/her and their teams to deal with it"_

So in effect, this polling type of activity is part of their election monitoring process. Identifying electoral corruption before their surveilance at the Polls, and taking what initiatives they can to head it off. Especially with respect to the whole vote-buying thing. This is typically ramped up immediately before election day. 

Are they able to negate it? I doubt it, but their surveillance may give some people pause.

Shining a bright light on corruption has a way of affecting it.

----------


## Mid

> Obviously this is great news. If ever there was any suspicion that the army had its own political agenda, it is clear now that the suspicion was unwarranted. Gen Prayuth has clearly stated: the army will not get involved in politics.


I suspect newspapers need smilies .

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by DrB0b
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Calgary
> ...


Thanks to my ears being close to the ground, and being involved beyond "_disengaged_ _ivory tower intellectualization from BKK"_ I have informed this board of events/activities days in advance of when it was posted in media reports and copied/pasted here.

Several cases in point:

> UDD election monitoring activities
> Problems with ballots
>The degree and nature of election sign vandalism

So until you come up with something original Gerbil....................

Nothing further needs to be said and I will restrain myself!

("_disengaged_ _ivory tower intellectualization from_ _BKK" -_ Sorry if that offends some of the informed people on this board. I could name them as I have learned from their insights)

----------


## Calgary

_"A year ago, the Red Shirts  a loose coalition of leftists, rural protest groups, pro-democracy activists, anti-monarchists and supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra  took to the streets to demand national elections"_ Quote from Post # 2843 above

This is actually quite a good summary statement, identifying all the disparate interests that make up the _Red Shirt Democracy Movement_. What % are pro-democracy vs. pro-Thaksin and some of the other catagories mentioned in this quote is open to speculation.

I also question that there is an anti-monarchist element. I have been heavily immersed in this movement and have never heard anything along this line. There is some debate about the functioning of the various elements within a Constitutional Monarchy style of Government, but that is the extent of it. I have never heard of anyone wanting to change this form of Government. In my opinion, it is very superior to the American model. At least when a political Party wins a plurality in an election, and if they screw up, after 4 years you know who to blame. Plus it has all that Pomp and Ceremony that so many people like, especially the British. It is what gives Thailand its' beauty and distinctiveness in many ways.

But this quote is certainly more accurate then the way the Amart characterizes their political opposition in an attempt to diminish them. Using their media to portray this movement as being exclusively one of these characterizations is done for a purpose. They studiously avoid any reference to it having significant Pro-Democracy elements. That would - horror-of-horrors - suggest there is a problem with Democracy in Thailand.

What is indisputable however, is its' gender composition, being 80% women. In light of that, perhaps it is only justice that a female is running for PM.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Prognosis positive for cheap medical services after vote
*
*Prognosis positive for cheap medical services after vote*

*Pheu Thai plans a return to the 30 baht scheme, while the  Democrats favour the free model but both realise universal health care  is crucial. Critics say the devil is in determining who'll pay for it* Published: 19/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: SpectrumIn their current election campaigns, the  Democrat and Pheu Thai parties have both vowed to continue their  populist health policies if they form the next government. While the  Democrat Party promises to continue its free medical scheme, the Pheu  Thai party vows to revive the 30 baht healthcare scheme.

 
_FREE FOR ALL: Dr Kriangsak Vacharanukulkiat, chairman of the Thai Rural Doctors Society._

 Both parties have tried to woo voters with promises of more benefits  from their health policies, but they have been criticised for not  incorporating preventative measures into their proposals.

*THE PHEU THAI PARTY*

 Vicharn Meenchainant, deputy leader of the Pheu Thai Party admits  that the party puts emphasis on medical services, which is why the 30  baht healthcare scheme remains a mainstay of its policy.

 ''The party is confident in the merits of the universal coverage  principle of health care under which everyone in the country has access  to medical services. However, it needs improvement,'' he said. Mr  Vicharn added that registration and payment under the 30 baht scheme  would help stem the flow of people flooding into hospitals under the  current free medical service system.

 However, prevention is better than cure, and programmes that  encourage breast feeding, the availability of school milk, regular  exercise, a healthy diet and even regular check-ups should be promoted  to help reduce the number of patients in hospitals. And in an ageing  society, where the number of old people is steadily rising, a  comprehensive plan to look after the elderly is also necessary.

*THE DEMOCRAT PARTY*

 Meanwhile, the Democrat Party is focused on free ID cards and more efficient delivery of health care.

 ''We don't need a gold card that identifies that a person is  registered and is entitled to free medical treatment. This will reduce  costs on card purchases,'' says Public Health Minister Jurin  Laksanawisit.

 Mr Jurin agrees that the government must increase the budget to improve services.

 Last year, the Democrat-led government increased the budget for the  free medical scheme to 2,546 baht per head per year. According to Mr  Jurin, the Democrats want to increase that amount to 2,900 baht as soon  as possible so that 48 million people who are not entitled to any other  medical schemes can access healthcare services.

 In the future, Mr Jurin expects that complicated medical treatments,  such as heart or liver transplants, would be available under the free  medical scheme.

 But Mr Jurin disagrees with criticism that his party ignores health  promotion and disease prevention. ''The five non-communicable diseases  that Thai people suffer from the most are diabetes, high blood pressure,  paralysis, heart disease and cancer, and they account for a high  proportion of the overall cost of treatment each year,'' he said.

 Mr Jurin said he supports concrete preventive measures to combat  these ailments, such as regular exercise, healthy diet and stopping  smoking and drinking alcohol.

 Another Democrat initiative aims at Thailand becoming self-sufficient  in vaccine production. Only two vaccines _ for tuberculosis and  haemorrhagic fever _ are now produced domestically.

 The Democrats say that vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus, whooping  cough, hepatitis B and dengue fever could also be produced here within  the next 10 years.

*HEALTH CARE FOR ALL*

 Both the Pheu Thai's 30 baht scheme and the Democrats' free medical  care scheme share the same principles of universal healthcare coverage _  medical treatment for all.

 The dissolved Thai Rak Thai Party's 30 baht healthcare scheme, with  the slogan ''30 baht for every disease'', proved so popular that the  party enjoyed a landslide win in the general election of 2005.

 After the Sept 19, 2006, coup, the 30 baht scheme was replaced with  free medical treatment. Patients no longer had to pay 30 baht per visit,  but they did need a ''gold'' registration card and their ID card when  they sought medical services at the hospital they were registered with.

 The Democrat-led coalition scrapped the gold card, allowing people to use their ID card to seek free medical care.

 The National Health Security Office (NHSO) was established under the  National Health Act (2002) to manage and distribute the budget to  hospitals _ both state and private _ to run the scheme. The NHSO also  set regulations on which medical treatment and drugs could be used under  the scheme.

* 
*_TAKE A NUMBER: Critics of free health care say that it often results  in hospitals that are packed with people seeking medical treatment._

* INEFFICIENT MEDICAL SCHEMES

*  While the poor have been satisfied with both Pheu Thai's 30 baht  scheme and the Democrats' free plan, some groups, especially medical  professionals, oppose both policies.

 They say neither the 30 baht scheme nor the free healthcare policy  are suitable for the Thai healthcare system as long as the government  cannot find and allocate enough money to support them.

 ''The government has an obligation to make efficient and sufficient  healthcare services accessible to everyone. But free medical services  under financial constraints is not good for patients, hospitals or the  whole healthcare system,'' said Dr Churdchoo Ariyasriwattana, president  of the Federation of Healthcare Workforce of Thailand.

 Despite the budget increasing from 1,204.40 baht per year per person  in 2003 to 2,402 baht per year per person this year, the finances  available cannot cover the real cost because of the large number of  patients seeking treatment at hospitals, especially state hospitals.

 ''Most medium and small state hospitals have been running at a  deficit. Many state hospitals have suffered financial losses because  they have to allocate revenue from other sources to pay their actual  expenses for free medical care.

 ''We have to admit that money is essential to medical services. We  need it for good medicines, medical equipment and medical staff. Without  these necessary factors, how are people going to receive good health  care?'' asked Dr Churdchoo.

 Freedom for doctors to treat patients is also limited under the NHSO regulations on medicines and treatment methods.

 ''The Democrats' fanfare over ID cards for free medical care at  hospitals with a good environment, good services and good administration  is so untrue.

 ''The hospitals are overcrowded. Each doctor has to consult with so  many patients each day, possibly causing mistakes, and the shortage of  facilities for in-patients remain a serious problem,'' she said.

 Under the 30 baht scheme, the patient has to pay 30 baht per visit,  an amount she said was too small compared to the real costs incurred by  the hospital.

 ''While the government cannot bear all financial responsibility for  an efficient healthcare service at the present time, patients should  share some of the cost,'' Dr Churdchoo said. ''For instance, they could  pay for medicine while the government subsidises other medical expenses  such as medical equipment or labs.

 ''This will benefit the patients themselves by ensuring that they  receive the treatment they need. At the same time, doctors and other  medical staff can be trained and develop their skills.''

 The father of one patient, Rod Puyiamchit, did not see any  differences between the two schemes. ''At present, we don't have to pay  30 baht, and the services are the same [as they were when we did],'' he  says.

 He added that his daughter _ who suffers from a skin disease _ uses  her ID card to receive free care at a private hospital that has joined  the government's free medical scheme.

*CONVERGING ON COVERAGE*

 The principles of universal coverage, or health security for all,  have been accepted and established in Thai society already. ''To keep to  this principle is the right thing for both parties. Any attempt to  cancel the provision of free health care will be a retrogressive step,''  said Dr Kriangsak Watcharanukulkiat, a director of Chum Phae Hospital  in Khon Kaen, and chairman of the Thai Rural Doctors Society. ''Any  attempt to cancel this principle will be opposed. I don't think that any  political party, even one opposed to free health care, will dare to do  such a thing.''

 Another reason that both parties have to hang on to this populist  policy is that they cannot think of anything else that has such an  impact on the majority of the population.

 ''The Democrat-led government has tried to promote the so-called  tambon hospitals. These have not been successful because of a shortage  of full-time doctors at those hospitals,'' he noted.

 He admitted that certain groups of medical professionals continue to  complain about budget shortfalls in the free healthcare scheme.  ''Despite an increase of budget from some 1,200 baht to 2,402 baht per  head per year, they are not satisfied and blame the NHSO for controlling  and limiting treatment methods and medicines,'' he noted.

 As a hospital director and medical practitioner, he confirmed that  2,400 baht per head per year is enough. He said that it is a matter of  purchasing power, citing as an example the fact that kidney dialysis  used to cost as much as 3,000 baht per treatment, but that such  treatment can now be obtained for 1,500 baht.

 The government has allocated 100 billion baht this year to provide  healthcare cover for 48 million people. But the government spends an  average of 70 billion baht for health care for government officials.

 Dr Kriangsak also thinks that patients do not need to pay 30 baht per  hospital visit. ''Under the 30 baht scheme, the hospital collects 30  baht from patients aged between 15 and 60. If they are poor, they don't  have to pay. The amount collected is not significant. The provision of  free medical services is then more appropriate,'' he said.

----------


## Bettyboo

> Originally Posted by Bettyboo
> 
> Abhisit is certainly either extremely stressed and making mistake after mistake, or he wants a very low vote for the dems...
> 
> 
> I think Abhsit is feeling guilty and that's where the stress comes from. The pleas for understanding on Facebook and the almost total denial of the facts of what happened in April and May last year show this. He was never cut out to be a hard man and he's starting to crack bigtime. I don't think he imagined that when he started out in the political career that he inherited as a young man of privilege that it would ever be like this.
> 
> I feel sorry for him - but not much.


It does look that way, I agree.

But, I can't feel sorry for him at all. From trying to force a coup by pulling his party out of elections just because they wouldn't win... to supporting the coup, empowering the coup makers, enabling mass murder under his premiership, lie after lie after lie; he has become a Samak, Banharn, Newin, (Chuan?), etc. I dislike him more every day - he had choices to make, he could have made the opposition party strong, he could have worked to design policies, he could have considered the Thai populous; but he has NEVER lifted a single finger to do anything other than enable the army/bluebloods. Going over his actions since he became head of the dems, it is a long long list of abuses; his pretty face hides much, but he is an awful excuse for a human being, imho.

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : P. Thai leading Dems in nationwide poll*

         Breakingnews          >                   Published: 19/06/2011 at 12:03 PMOnline news: PoliticsThe Pheu Thai Party is more popular than the  Democrat Party both nationwide and in Bangkok in the party list system,  Suan Dusit Poll revealed on Sunday.

 The poll was conducted on 102,994 eligible voters in all 375  constituencies throughout the country between June 4-18.  Throughout the country, 51.55 per cent of the respondents said they  would vote for Pheu Thai, while 34.04 per cent would vote for the  Democrat Party.  Only 2.38 per cent said they were still undecided.  The  rest were for other parties.  In Bangkok alone, 52.05 per cent of the 10,964 voters polled said they  would vote for the Pheu Thai Party while 34.15 per cent for the  Democrats.  Only 1.85 per cent of the respondents were still undecided.  It is noted that in the previous poll the Democrat Party was slightly  more popular than Pheu Thai in the party list system.

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## SteveCM

^



> between June 4-18


Health warning about this report: I suspect the date span may be wrong. If it is, then it seems sensible to wait for the full report/corroboration of the results before making too much of them. The reported drops in "undecideds" from about 40% to about 2% in such a short period look surprising to put it mildly.....

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## Mid

> The reported drops in "undecideds" from about 40% to about 2% in such a short period look surprising to put it mildly.....


look rather alarming through democRat eyes , given that this is the demographic that suthep and co are relying on to save the day .

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## Takeovers

> Health warning about this report: I suspect the date span may be wrong. If it is, then it seems sensible to wait for the full report/corroboration of the results before making too much of them. The reported drops in "undecideds" from about 40% to about 2% in such a short period look surprising to put it mildly.....


Yes, that caught my eye too. That drop is even more stunning than the huge lead the poll gives the PT over the Democrats.

Also the sheer size of that poll with over 100.000 people polled and that it was nationwide.

Maybe part of that undecided swing could be from different wording of the questions?

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## SteveCM

From the blog world.....

*https://thaipoliticalprisoners.wordp...ty-politics-i/*

                         June 19, 2011 · 5:09 am                                            

*Democrat Party and dirty politics I*

                                               Some time ago, PPT wondered if the Democrat Party had the  political stomach for some old-style dirty politics. As the polls have  continued to show Puea Thai in the lead, albeit with a large undecided  category, in recent days we have posted  on how the Democrat Party strategists have decided that attacking red  shirts as the violent ones who burned the country is a way to woo some  undecided voters. Red shirt and Puea Thai Party responses to these  charges have been reasonably measured and even-tempered.

 After watching the news reports on television on Saturday evening, we  are wondering if this tactic is now being combined with a much more  provocative Democrat Party stance and a large dose of very dirty  politics.

 PPT here looks at provocation in the first of two posts.

 Perhaps dissatisfied that Puea Thai have not lashed out at all the Democrat Party charges, as the Bangkok Post  reports, the latter are now trying to directly anger red shirts by  planning to hold a major election event at Rajaprasong. This plan was  announced by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who is fully on-board  with this current aggressive election strategy.

 Abhisit “said his party would hold a rally in front of CentralWorld  shopping complex on Thursday in its last major address in Bangkok on the  final leg of its election campaign.” He added: “On that day, we will  focus on the party’s reconciliation plan. We invite everyone to come and  listen to our plan to douse the fire in the country…”.

 This is aberrant nonsense. Abhisit and his chums are trying to  provoke violence. Rajaprasong is one of the killing grounds of 2010, and  has been the scene of numerous red shirt remembrance rallies.  PPT is  sure that the Democrat Party wants to provoke red shirt hot heads. It  feels it needs to demonstrate red shirt violence in order to regain some  electoral ground. It is desperate for red shirts to show up and that  there will be clashes.

 As Abhisit says Rajaprasong is “the perfect place” for his party’s to  campaign “because of the political unrest that took place there last  year.” And, a perfect provocation for a perfect storm. Suthep  Thaugsuban, who was deeply involved in the murderous events of April and  May 2010, added that at the rally Abhisit disingenuously claims is  about “reconciliation,” adds to the provocation by stating: “I will take  to the stage next Thursday to tell the truth about what really happened  [during last year's unrest]…”. In other words, he shows Abhisit’s claim  about reconciliation as being nothing more than a pathetic lie.

 Natthawut Saikua called “on red shirt supporters not to fall victim  to the Democrats’ plot to provoke confrontation.” That may not be  enough, however, as it is easy enough for Democrat Party backers to  provide their own “red shirts” ready to show up and create political  mischief.

 PPT wonders whether the Rajaprasong traders’ association with come  out to oppose the Democrat Party’s plan. After all, they claim that red  shirt rallies are bad for business. Will they close their stores to the  Democrat Party supporters as they do for red shirts? Will they sue the  Democrat Party? Will they be consistent or just show their double  standards? We won’t hold our collective breath.

 The Democrat Party’s brinksmanship portends future conflict, no  matter who wins the election. While some bloggers claim that the “old  men” have no stomach for further battles, we think this is misguided. By  their actions, by the life being given to PAD-like groups and elements  of PAD itself, by the statements of the military brass and _<snip - to comply with TD policy>_, if Puea Thai win the election, they are to be  opposed. If they lose, the provocations can’t be forgotten.

----------


## DrB0b

> Yes, that caught my eye too. That drop is even more  stunning than the huge lead the poll gives the PT over the Democrats.  Also the sheer size of that poll with over 100.000 people polled and  that it was nationwide.  Maybe part of that undecided swing could be from different wording of  the questions?


AFAIK there is no stunning drop. The polls showing a  large group of undecideds are polls on the Constituency Vote. This poll is a Party List poll.

This is the poll. There are no questions are such, other than "from the party list, who will you vote for?". 

The option immediately after No 11 is "Undecided". The footnote says that undecideds also include those who refuse to give a preference.

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## DrB0b

^
1 Pheua Thai..............................................  ....51.55%
2 Democrats.........................................  .........34.05%
3 Bhum Jai Tha..............................................3  .43%
4 Rak Prathet Thai..........................................2.48  %
5 Chart Thai Pattana.......................................1.60  %
6 Chart Pattana Pheua Phaendin........................0.98%
7 Rak Santi.............................................  .......0.88%
8 Palang Chon..............................................  ..0.54%
9 Mathaphom.........................................  ........0.31%
10 Kit Sangkhom (Social Action).......................0.10%
11 Others............................................  ..........0.29%
* Undecided.........................................  ..........2.38%

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## SteveCM

^^^
In essence (as raised in another blog cited at https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ml#post1786632 (Thai elections 2011-Thai PM sets stage for tough election) ), _if_ the Dems' "go negative" tactic works to turn around the widely-predicted vote figures on election day so as to put him back in the PM's chair..... he'll be presiding over a country that's even _further_ from reconciliation than it has been in the last year. I, for one, didn't think that was possible.

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## Calgary

Rumor has it the Democrat Party guy in Katchanaburi is giving 5,000. baht per vote.

True? - false? - rumor only? - I dunno.

But if this is true, and we know about it living hundreds of kilometers away, yet local police do not know, than this comes very close to being officially sanctioned activity.

----------


## SteveCM

> AFAIK there is no stunning drop. The polls showing a large group of undecideds are polls on the Constituency Vote. This poll is a Party List poll.


I haven't been through all of them, but there are the 1-2 June NIDA * constituency _and_ party list poll results _both_ showing a much higher "undecided" element at about 46% - higher still when "won't say/won't vote" are excluded. Bangkok Pundit questions why the NIDA "undecided" figures are so high relative to other polls - but the matching constituency/party list pattern seems to be there 

OK, as ever, let's be careful with _all_ polls - and Thai polls in particular..... never mind MSM Thai media reports of Thai polls.

* NIDA Poll shows support for Thailand

BTW, interesting to read across the results broken down by region: after the first "National" results column the order is BKK, Central, North, North-east, South. Likewise the second vertical column under "National" - i.e. the number of seats such results would provide - with BJT shown as getting *4.* Of course, they'll pull in their fiefdom-based constituency seats - but their combined seat total looks set to fall way short of being much use to the Dems as a consortium partner.

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## DrB0b

^There's a more recentNIDA Poll here, http://nidapoll.nida.ac.th/files/NIDA_Poll20110615.pdf

Seems they're doing weekly polls. The Numbers haven't changed much. One of the big difference between the NIDA and the Suan Dusit polls is the number of people polled. NIDA uses a very small sample.

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## SteveCM

^
Thanks - same story on that constituency/party list comparison i.e. near-identical %'s of "undecideds". On the sample size (1,338 in the example you give), as I've mentioned before 1,000-ish is regarded by nearly all major polling agencies worldwide as the "gold standard" for generalised (e.g. eligible voters) sampling - _if_ the selection methodology is proper. Seeing Suan Dusit using a sample of over 100,000 really begs the question of how much faith they have in their methodology.....

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Yingluck hopes Dems constructive*
Published: 19/06/2011 at 10:16 AMOnline news: Local News
Yingluck Shinawatra, the No 1 Pheu Thai party  list candidate, said on Sunday she hoped the Democrat Party's major  rally at the Ratchaprasong intersection on June 23 would be  constructive.

 Speaking before leaving for Phitsanulok for campaigning, Ms Yingluck  said the Democrat Party's switch of the rally site, originally planned  for the open ground in front of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration  office, to the Ratchaprasong intersection was a change of campaigning  tactics.

 The Ratchaprasong intersection was a major rally site of the  red-shirt supporters of the United Front for Democracy against  Dictatorship (UDD) which ended on May 19 last year in a military  crackdown.

 She only hoped the speeches to be made by core members of the Democrat Party would be constructive.

 Ms Yingluck said she did not think the Democrat rally would affect Pheu Thai's popularity.

 The people will make a final say on July 3 which party they want to work for them, she said.

 The Democrats, led by party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, went on a campaign trail in Samut Prakan on Sunday morning.

----------


## SteveCM

^
Very smart play from YS - don't outright criticise it let alone condemn it. Just express hope that the speech content will be "constructive"..... I imagine others will disagree, but that looks to me like a good route to looking like you're holding the moral high ground compared to what's billed for the Dem show.

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Suwat calls for all to avoid violence*
Published: 19/06/2011 at 02:54 PMOnline news: Local News
Suwat Liptapanlop, a core leader of the Chart  Pattana Puea Pandin Party (CPPP), on Sunday called on all concerned to  avoid violence.

Speaking at a conference at his residence in Ratchawithee area, Mr  Suwat expressed concern over the political situation which has become  tense because of fiercer competitions between parties taking part in the  July 3 election.

If the situation turns violent, leading of losses of flesh and blood,  the election results would not be recognised and there would be  undesirable political confrontations, he said.

 "If the situation goes well without violence and a government with a  compromising stance is formed after the election, the country's problems  will be solved.

 "If there is violence, conflicts and misunderstandings would  escalate.  We need to maintain a good campaigning atmosphere so that we  can see political cooperation after the election," Mr Suwat said.

----------


## SteveCM

> "If there is violence, conflicts and misunderstandings would escalate. We need to maintain a good campaigning atmosphere so that we can see political cooperation after the election," Mr Suwat said.


Amen to that - even if the prospects of it seem slim.

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world - a shorter photo/text piece from Richard Barrow. Worth keeping an eye on his site for more of these.....


*Red Shirts Protest as Abhisit Tours Samut Prakan | Thai Blogs*

                 June 19, 2011
                By Richard Barrow | Posted in Samut Prakan 



 This morning, Prime Minister Abhisit  Vejjajiva continued on his election campaign trail by visiting Samut  Prakan. Large areas in the province have been declared Red Zones and  as a result of a history of shootings, Samut Prakan has already been  declared Thailands most likely scene of poll-related violence. Which  is why the police today werent taking any chances.

 

 In Samrong there were police stationed  along the road at regular intervals. Down the side roads there was at  least one policeman guarding every intersection, big or small. They were  also guarding the pedestrian bridges. In addition, there were police  standing next to any group that might cause trouble. Plain clothes  policeman were also driving ahead on motorcycles videoing the crowd.  Abhisits own bodyguards were often seen scanning the crowds and  rooftops.

 

 There werent really that many protesters,  but the ones that came out were quickly surrounded by security  personnel. Most of their banners were about the 91 deaths during the  protests last year. In this picture taken at Samrong, the police were  whisking this guy away from the route that Abhisit was taking. He wasnt  arrested though the policeman here was telling me to stop taking  pictures.

 

 This one-legged Red Shirt wasnt moved away  but he was quickly surrounded by security personnel. Abhisit passed  here a few minutes later and didnt even see him.  Abhisit has come out  in denouncing the bullying tactics of the Red Shirts. Personally I think  people have a right to speak their mind. Isnt that what a democracy is  all about?As long as they are doing it in an orderly manner surely they  should be allowed to show their banners to Abhisit?

 

 Although there were Red Shirts out  protesting Abhisits visit to Samut Prakan, there was no reported  violence and certainly no eggs being thrown from what I saw. On the  contrary, by far the majority of people gave Abhisit a warm welcome. I  was also taking pictures during Yinglucks visit to Paknam last week. I  would say that Abhisit had just as many supporters here as Yingluck, if  not more. I will post pictures of Abhisits visit to Samut Prakan soon  on Thai-Blogs.com.

----------


## Calgary

^
"_I would say that Abhisit had just as many supporters here as Yingluck, if not more"_

Considering that this is a strong Red Shirt area, I doubt that.

Perhaps Barrow was still suffering the euphoria of riding in Korn's cavalcade.

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Suwat rules out PM from small party*

*Suwat rules out PM from small party*Published: 19/06/2011 at 03:33 PMOnline news: Local NewsThe next prime minister after the July 3  election is likely to be from one of the two major political parties,  Suwat Liptapanlop said on Sunday.

 Mr Suwat, a founder of the Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party (CPPP),  ruled out the possibility for the prime minister to be from a smaller  party.

 Speaking at his Ratchawithee residence, Mr Suwat said the chance for a  third party to clinch the prime minister's post is slim because the two  major parties - Pheu Thai and Democrats - were far ahead of medium and  small parties in terms of popularity.

 However, Mr Suwat said the medium and small parties would still play  an important role to strengthen the government and make it more  acceptable.
 He believed the new government would be formed in not later than one month after the election.

 "A party which has 251 votes has the right to form the government  first.  But if the votes it has is fewer than one half of the total  House seats, it would have to look for other parties to join," Mr Suwat  said.

 Whoever is the next prime minister must be compromising and able to  get along with others in order to mend existing rifts.  The next prime  minister can be either a man or a woman who is well-versed in economy  and acceptable to the international community.

 Asked about the possibility of granting amnesty for former prime  minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Mr Suwat said the matter must be considered  in parliament in a legislative process.

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> "A party which has 251 votes has the right to form the government first. But if the votes it has is fewer than one half of the total House seats, it would have to look for other parties to join," Mr Suwat said.


Talk about stating the obvious...I for one hope it doesn't come to that!




> Asked about the possibility of granting amnesty for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Mr Suwat said the matter must be considered in parliament in a legislative process.


They had to get that old chestnut in, another Bangkok Post reporter asking the question againnnnnnnnn, ahhh... The Post they're so even handed and unbiased. ::chitown::

----------


## SteveCM

> Originally Posted by Takeovers
> 
> Yes, that caught my eye too. That drop is even more  stunning than the huge lead the poll gives the PT over the Democrats.  Also the sheer size of that poll with over 100.000 people polled and  that it was nationwide.  Maybe part of that undecided swing could be from different wording of  the questions?
> 
> 
> AFAIK there is no stunning drop. The polls showing a  large group of undecideds are polls on the Constituency Vote. This poll is a Party List poll.
> 
> This is the poll. There are no questions are such, other than "from the party list, who will you vote for?". 
> 
> ...


Likely explanation:


From Twitter today:

bangkokpundit   bangkokpundit                                               

       4. Undecideds r very low at  less than 3%, but Suan Dusit say pollsters asked the undecided who were  they likely to vote for (i.e leaners)

1 hour ago

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> 4. Undecideds r very low at less than 3%, but Suan Dusit say pollsters asked the undecided who were they likely to vote for (i.e leaners)


And their answer was...they didn't know! :Smile:

----------


## Buksida

> But that leaves the question open why do so many really do not tell their plans. I too do not believe so many are still undecided.


Maybe they're having trouble choosing between a govt backed by a murderous military and one run by a human rights abuser of the worst kind, with a penchant for death squads who kill thouseands.

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> Maybe they're having trouble choosing between a govt backed by a murderous military and one run by a human rights abuser of the worst kind, with a penchant for death squads who kill thouseands.


As I'm not connected with drugs in any shape or form, I'd prefer to take my chances with the human rights abuser! ::chitown::

----------


## Rural Surin

> Originally Posted by SteveCM
> 
> 4. Undecideds r very low at less than 3%, but Suan Dusit say pollsters asked the undecided who were they likely to vote for (i.e leaners)
> 
> 
> And their answer was...they didn't know!


More like: _don't give a rat's arse, indifferent, etc._

----------


## Takeovers

> Likely explanation:   From Twitter today:  bangkokpundit bangkokpundit  4. 
> 
> Undecideds r very low at less than 3%, but Suan Dusit say pollsters asked the undecided who were they likely to vote for (i.e leaners)


That would be very very bad news for the Democrats as they counted on the undecideds who according to this poll lean heavily towards PT.

----------


## Gerbil

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> Maybe they're having trouble choosing between a govt backed by a murderous military and one run by a human rights abuser of the worst kind, with a penchant for death squads who kill thouseands.
> 
> 
> As I'm not connected with drugs in any shape or form, I'd prefer to take my chances with the human rights abuser!


Neither, allegedly were a large number of the victims. A lot of old scores and business conflicts were supposedly settled.....

----------


## Takeovers

> More like: don't give a rat's arse, indifferent, etc.


Actually no, according to this they were asked which party they lean to and overwhelmingly said PT.

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> Neither, allegedly were a large number of the victims. A lot of old scores and business conflicts were supposedly settled.....


Obviously can't be confirmed / proved one way or the other but forever using Thaksin's name as the only reason for all sins here is very tedious.

The elite / hiso overthrew an elected government and replaced it with what? 

So many fingers in so many pies now nothing gets done unless of course every man and his dogs greed is satisfied.

----------


## Rural Surin

> Originally Posted by Gerbil
> 
> Neither, allegedly were a large number of the victims. A lot of old scores and business conflicts were supposedly settled.....
> 
> 
> Obviously can't be confirmed / proved one way or the other but forever using Thaksin's name as the only reason for all sins here is very tedious.
> 
> The elite / hiso overthrew an elected government and replaced it with what? 
> 
> So many fingers in so many pies now nothing gets done unless of course every man and his dogs greed is satisfied.


The greatest fantasy that most might be willing to absorb are the notions and possibilities of _real_ change. 
Not gonna happen. Yet, the discussions persist in this hopeful fashion. Much of the punditry have their own personal agenda and political identity to promote, less caring about the future of Thailand and it's population. Comical, at best.

----------


## Gerbil

> The greatest fantasy that most might be willing to absorb are the notions and possibilities of real change. 
> Not gonna happen. Yet, the discussions persist in this hopeful fashion. Much of the punditry have their own personal agenda and political identity to promote, less caring about the future of Thailand and it's population. Comical, at best.


RS. Have you stopped your medication? You're talking like a wanker again.

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by The Bold Rodney
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Buksida
> ...


Best we don't get bogged down in the details, after all there's polls to be analyzed.

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by The Bold Rodney
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Buksida
> ...


Best we don't get bogged down in the details, after all there's polls to be analyzed.

----------


## Rural Surin

_It ain't rebellin' when you're buying what they're sellin'_

----------


## SteveCM

*Thaksin-Bashing Bid Backfires - Voice TV*

*The Puea Thai Party filed on Sunday a defamatory lawsuit  against persons employed by one of the Democrat Party's election  candidates.*

      Wichan Meanchainand, head of a Puea Thai campaign team for Bangkok,  lodged the libel charges at Lad Prow police station against those who  had allegedly distributed CDs with content that purportedly constitutes a  smearing campaign against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and  the opposition party.

      The accused were allegedly working for the Democrat man, namely Nat  Bantattan, contesting Jul 3's election in a Bang Kapi constituency. He  is a son of former deputy prime minister Banyat Bantattan.

      Two taxi motorcyclists, found to have handed out the Thaksin-bashing  CDs to constituents in Bang Kapi and Lad Krabang areas of the capital,  said they had been hired by those employed at Mr Nat's office. They said  they had been given 1,500 baht per day for the distribution of the  mudslinging material.

      The taxi motorcyclists said they had received the CDs in front of the  Democrat candidate's office and had been promised an additional 15,000  baht pay after the election has been finished.

      Police found 1,500 CDs of that kind at the department house in Klong  Chan area rented by one of the motorcyclists, identified as Somchai  Puttaraksa.

      Mr Wichan said he will submit on Monday a petition to the Election  Commission pertaining to the alleged smearing campaign against the  ex-premier and his party.

*Produced by Voice TV*

                                                                    by                                       VoiceNews                 
19 มิถุนายน 2554 เวลา 18:05 น.

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

RichardBarrow   Richard Barrow                                               

The PM is reported as saying there was an incident between his supporters and Red Shirts today which cut short his tour

       I followed the PM the whole time while he was in Samut Prakan today. No incident happened. He left on schedule.

37 minutes ago

----------


## SteveCM

[Posted here because of majority of content and the poll graphic - shooting element cross-posted to relevant thread]*


Bangkok Post : Pheu Thai canvasser shot dead*

*Pheu Thai canvasser shot dead*Published: 19/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsA Pheu Thai Party canvasser was yesterday shot dead in tambon Ban Mai in Ayutthaya's Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district.

 

After the killing of Rangsan Intharasuk, 58, police were looking for  Sanongpot Yulek, 58 known by local people as a key Chartthaipattana  Party supporter.

 Police suspect the murder followed political differences, an  assumption shared by Chartthaipattana candidate for Constituency 1,  Kueakun Danchaiwichit.

 Mr Kueakun is competing against Pheu Thai candidate Surachet Chaikoson, who had been supported by Rangsan.

 The victim was sitting with his friends in front of the house of Sane  Mottan. Mr Sanongpot passed by and asked Rangsan why he had been  drinking liquor with Chartthaipattana supporters.

 "Why do you have to carry a pistol? I also have one," Mr Sane quoted Rangsan as saying.

 But those were the last words of Rangsan, who was shot and died later in hospital.

 Meanwhile, a Nida poll yesterday revealed that many people are still undecided about which way to vote in the July 3 election.

 A survey of 1,247 people nationwide was conducted on June 13. A total  of 30.47% of respondents said they would vote for Pheu Thai, while  17.40% will back the Democrats.

 The pollster said people who had earlier reserved their opinions  tended to show more support for Pheu Thai than for the Democrats.

 The popularity for the Vote No campaign had increased slightly, but  it accounted for only 4.01% and 3.93% of the sample group who said they  would not cast votes for constituency and party-list candidates  respectively.

 Pheu Thai's top party-list candidate, Yingluck Shinawatra, outlined  measures to tackle problems ranging from debts to coastal erosion during  her party's second campaign rally in Bangkok.

 More than 2,000 supporters yesterday gathered at a makeshift stage at  Wong Wian Yai to hear the premier hopeful focus on bread-and-butter  issues such as living costs and the economy rather than ways to bring  elder brother Thaksin home.

 Her party promised to look into credit card debtors who are blacklisted and lose an opportunity to apply for loans from banks.

 She also promised to solve land loss due to coastal erosion in  Bangkok's Bang Khunthian district and nearby provinces by filling parts  of the sea area to build a new city.

 "Don't worry about the budget," Ms Yingluck told supporters,  insisting many projects can generate revenues themselves and the  government will not burden itself with excessive loans.

 She was asked how her party can bring Thaksin to Thailand. She said she could not give an answer now.

 "But we'll stick to facts and the rule of law," Ms Yingluck said.  "Thaksin's rights will be equally treated like others; he will not get  any privilege."


Writer: Mongkol Bangprapa
Position: Reporter

----------


## SteveCM

*Pheu ThaI still leading*

               By The Nation
                                             Published on June 20, 2011                 

*Opinion polls, which Democrat Party senior officials  were reluctant to believe, continue to tip the Pheu Thai Party as the  frontrunner in the July 3 election - the latest indicating that Pheu  Thai would win about half (51.5 per cent) of the vote for party-list  candidates.*

                              The Suan Dusit Poll, released yesterday, showed that a majority of 102,994 people interviewed across the country would vote for Pheu Thai and 34 per cent for the ruling Democrat Party.  

The poll was conducted from June 4 until Saturday June 18 in all the 375 constituencies.  

It found that only 2.4 per cent of the respondents have yet to  decide on which party to vote for, while 1.4 per cent said they would  cast a ballot on election day but would vote for nobody. 

 
 
According to the survey, Pheu Thai would  get 64 seats for its party-list while the Democrats would get 43 seats.  Bhum Jai Thai is third, but it would get only four seats on the  party-list. The election on July 3 will be for 500 seats of the House of  Representatives, of which 375 represent constituencies while 125 come  from the proportion of votes for the party.  

The Suan Dusit Poll did not conduct the survey for constituency candidates. 

 
 
Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said he did not pay attention to opinion polls and they did not disturb him or his party.  

"I will not argue with the polls and people should not pay much  attention to them," he said. "Let us see the real result of the election  on the day and we will know which poll is more accurate."  

Suthep said he was still confident the poll did not reflect the real vote for the Democrats.  

Another survey conducted on June 13 by the National Institute of  Development Administration (NIDA) with a sampling of 1,247 indicated the  same trend as the Suan Dusit poll.  

It suggested Pheu Thai would win 30.5 per cent while the Democrats would get 17.4 per cent in the entire country.  

Both surveys indicated Pheu Thai had support from many regions, except the South, a traditional Democrat stronghold. Pheu Thai got only some 10 per cent of vote in the South, according to Suan Dusit and NIDA polls.  

In Bangkok, where many academics have tipped the urban middle class will support the Democrats, the polls indicated Pheu Thai would get significant support from voters.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Pheu Thai's risky one-upmanship

ANALYSIS* 

*Pheu Thai's risky one-upmanship*

                            By Wichit Chaitrong
The Nation
                                             Published on June 20, 2011                


*Economists fear  extravagant promises are a recipe for disaster, hope they won't be implemented*

                              Pheu Thai Party's policy platform has been likened to a  casino, where the owners make very high profits at the expense of the  gamblers.  

They use strong marketing tools to lure misinformed people into playing harmful games.  

Other parties' platforms are similar, but they are mini-casinos compared with Pheu Thai.  

Economists, the business community and sensible voters have all  voiced concerns. Many have predicted that Pheu Thai's populist policies,  such as large amounts of "free cash" and easy loans, will move the  country towards a public debt crisis like countries in Europe are now  facing. Inflation may also get out of hand.  

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and top adviser Olarn  Chaipravat are believed to be the key designers of a game aimed only at  winning, with no room for losing to their arch-rivals, the Democrats.  

Whatever the Democrats propose, Pheu Thai has to top. For  example, the Democrats have proposed increasing minimum wages by 25 per  cent in two years. So Pheu Thai has offered Bt300 per day. Fierce  competition 
between the two largest parties has encouraged a small  party, Chart Pattana Puea Pandin, to offer a Bt350 minimum wage.

 

Pheu Thai has also tried to trump other Democrat offers: housing  loans, price subsidies, debt refinancing and assistance to farmers. But  the wage hike is the most controversial policy, as business groups are  worried about rising production costs and productivity not catching up.  

Korn Chatikavanij, deputy leader of the Democrat Party, defended  his proposals by arguing that tax allowances would be applied to those  agreeing to increase wages.  

Olarn argues that the rises are part of a package to improve  productivity. "It's well thought out and quantified," he promised. He is  promoting an economic growth model driven by the grassroots. Thaksin  and other members of the party have also claimed mega-projects would  generate fast income - so don't worry about debt. 

 Are their words convincing?  

Olarn may have miscalculated this time, just as he did when he  nearly bankrupted Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) in the 1997 financial  crisis.  

Before the crisis, he was president of SCB, which loaned  aggressively, creating a bubble in property and other sectors. Olarn was  also chairman of the Thai Bankers Association, which fully supported  the central bank defending the baht at all costs.  

The result was the currency collapsed and the International  Monetary Fund had to bail out Thailand. The Finance Ministry and  Financial Institutions Development Fund, an arm of the central bank, had  to bail out SCB and many other financial institutions.  

Of course, other people also made serious mistakes at the time.  But while others have learned the lesson, Olarn apparently has not.  

Thaksin's motivation for large-scale populist policies may be to  "un-do" the actions of the military after the 2006 coup that culminated  in the confiscation of a large chunk of his personal assets early last  year because of corrupt actions while he was PM.  

His preference for risk taking in business is reflected in the  party's platform. Former communists and leftists in Pheu Thai are also  helping to fuel a spree of cash handouts promised to farmers and  workers.  

But reality is sobering. An artificially high rice price could  mean Thailand losing out in export markets to Vietnam. Hiking wages too  much could backfire if small and medium-sized firms cannot afford to  employ workers. Large firms could choose to employ more machines or move  production plants to other countries.  

Spending beyond our means brings a higher debt burden for ourselves and future generations.  

More spending is not bad, if more income is earned. But the Pheu  Thai Party does not have a credible plan to generate income. Nor does it  have a plan to deal with budget deficits and public debt now at 42 per  cent of gross domestic product. Nor is there a plan for tax reform that  targets the wealth of the rich - probably because politicians are rich,  so they do not tax themselves.  

Meanwhile, the Democrats plan to balance the budget in four years and introduce a property tax.  

Yet spending on mega-projects can take time to materialise, due  to the complexity of projects and negotiations for economic "rent" -  corruption - among politicians. It might not cause rises in debt for a  few years.  

Sensible voters only have to hope that should Pheu Thai form a new government, they don't carry out their promises.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Abhisit lists government actions, hits back
*
*Abhisit lists government actions, hits back*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 20, 2011                


*Responding to attacks from his rivals - the "Big  words, zero actions" tirade - Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva  yesterday posted a statement on his Facebook page.*

                                                            It outlined policies implemented by the ruling party as  proof of "action", ranging from: a monthly Bt500 for retirees, extra  for health volunteers, and a subsidy for 15 years free compulsory  education, all in a 99-day framework touted by his party. 

He  said: "Who is actually good only at giving big words, but taking no  action? Who lied to the red shirts that he would stand in the front line  when gunfire was heard, but instead went shopping in Paris? Many are  complaining to him, while showing disappointment at the acts they chose  to commit, committed by those announcing in advance they would come and  burn."

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Avoid divisive campaign, parties urged
*
*Avoid divisive campaign, parties urged*

                            By Khanittha Thepkhajorn,
Somroutai Sapsomboon
The Nation
                                             Published on June 20, 2011                

*Violence, fierce campaigning and heightened conflict  before the July 3 election might lead the country to another political  deadlock rather than paving the way out, a seasoned politician and an  academic warned yesterday.*

                                                            The on-going violence, either through the killings of  canvassers and protests and disruption of campaign rallies by supporters  of rival parties, would undermine the legitimacy of the election  outcome, veteran politician Suwat Liptapanlop said. 

If violence  is widespread during the campaign, it might lead to a political deadlock  as those who did not want the election to take place might take the  opportunity to intervene, said Suwat who was banned from politics after  the 2006 coup.

He is now associated with the Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party. 

"The  situation may lead the country to a confrontation, which does not bode  well for it," Suwat said in a special interview at his Bangkok  residence.

"So, I would like to call on all sides to help keep  peace and order. All parties should campaign peacefully. They should  avoid using personal emotion in their campaigns so that it would be  possible to cooperate after the election and solve the country's  problems."

Asked to comment on the Democrat Party's plan to hold  an election rally at the Ratchaprasong intersection, Suwat said the  place did not matter as much as the content of the campaign speeches.

"We  should reduce the atmosphere of conflict from now until election day.  If the conflicts are too intense and people are killed, the situation  may develop into a political deadlock," Suwat said.

"If all sides  care only to win as many House seats as possible, the country may not  survive. I would like to see all parties cooperate and accept the  election results. After the election, the government and the opposition  should be able to work together constructively."

He said he had  talked to people from all walks of life and they said they did not care  who would be the next prime minister and form the next government as  long as violence and conflict would end after the election.

Suwat  predicted that the next prime minister would come from either the  Democrat or Pheu Thai because the two major parties had left the others  far behind in terms of popularity.

Thammasat University deputy  rector Prinya Thewanaruemitkul said major parties that have a chance to  win and run the country should look beyond an electoral victory.

"The  major rivals should not widen the national division in their campaign,"  he said. "They should not continue the conflict which took place in our  country over the past four or five years but should look at ways to  reconcile."

The ruling Democrat and Pheu Thai parties are accusing  each other of triggering the conflict and pointing fingers at each  other to take responsibility for the bloody incidents last year.

Prinya  suggested that all politically related cases should be settled in the  court, rather than being used as accusations against each other for  political gain.

"I don't believe the party which highlights these conflicts would be voted for," he said. 

Many  undecided voters are now waiting for alternatives and directions from  political parties on how they could reconcile the country, he said.

"These  groups have not subscribed to any camp and they are really bored of  conflict, so the political parties should propose something to them,  rather than make politics more boring," he said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Get the reds in order, PM tells Yingluck
*
*Get the reds in order, PM tells Yingluck*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 20, 2011                


*Says Pheu Thai nominee doesn't deserve to be leader if she can't stop abusive mobs, after incidents in Samut Prakan*

                                                            Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva called on Pheu  Thai prime ministerial candidate Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday to get  red shirts to stop bullying him.

Abhisit made the demand after he  cut short a campaign rally in Samut Prakan after a group of over 200 red  shirts gathered to protest against him at a fresh market.

Abhisit said if Yingluck could not control the behaviour of the red shirts she would not deserve the prime minister's post.

The  Democrat leader said he would not file a complaint yet with the  Election Commission, as he did not want to see Pheu Thai cry foul that  he was persecuting it.

Abhisit said the Pheu Thai supporters in  Samut Prakan behaved in a way that ended with security officials asking  him to stop campaigning. "I would like to call on Yingluck to express  her stand to keep her supporters in control so that other parties can  hold election campaigns," Abhisit said. "If she is unable to tell her  supporters to stop, how can she run the country?"

Abhisit met  several groups of red shirts holding signs and symbols to protest  against him while he campaigned in Samut Prakan from 7.25am to 11:25am  early yesterday.

Samut Prakan is known to be a red-shirt area with many ardent Pheu Thai supporters.

Abhisit  kicked off the campaign in front of the Tambon Samrong Nua Municipality  at 7.25 am. The PM and party-list candidate Alongkorn Pollabutr turned  up to help Soracha Wirachartwattana campaign in Samut Prakan's  Constituency 2.

His vehicle procession moved past the Imperial Samrong shopping mall to Soi Dan Samrong to campaign at the local community.

Then  several red shirtsturned out to shout and cursed Abhisit. While his  procession was heading deeper into the soi at the Likhit Fresh Market,  local residents came out with red-shirt symbols and displayed banners  attacking him.

His procession moved past a Pheu Thai campaign  vehicle and a spokesman asked people not to show hostility against  Abhisit. The prime minister waved to the Pheu Thai campaign team and  smiled when hearing the spokesman speak.

At 10.30am, Abhisit  campaigned at the Praeksa Market in Muang district. He thanked his  supporters for showing support for the Democrats. He said he was not  discouraged by the "welcome" of local red shirts.

At 11am, Abhisit  arrived at the Eam Charone Market. Here, Democrat supporters tussled  briefly with the red shirts, who came to protest against the prime  minister.

A mob of 200 red shirts gathered, holding banners that criticised the prime minister and kept shouting at him.

Abhisit  stopped the campaign at 11.25am before his group reached the spot where  the 200 red shirts stood. He returned immediately to the Democrats'  head office.

Yingluck said later her party had nothing to do with  people showing opposition to the PM. She said the people had a right to  explain their opinions, but they should do it peacefully.

Meanwhile,  Abhisit said Pheu Thai should not be worried by the Democrats' plan to  rally at Central World near Rajprasong. He said the rally would not  block nearby roads.

"We won't incite anything but we will tell the people about the cause of problems which the country is facing," Abhisit said.

Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said yesterday that the Democrats were not worried about consequences of the rally.

"We  can't be worried by anything," Suthep replied when reporters asked if  the rally would fuel anger among red shirts. "We only think that Thais  who own the country should hear information from all sides and use their  own judgement instead of only listening to distorted information of the  Pheu Thai every day."

----------


## StrontiumDog

> From Twitter today:
> 
> RichardBarrow   Richard Barrow                                               
> 
> The PM is reported as saying there was an incident between his supporters and Red Shirts today which cut short his tour
> 
>        I followed the PM the whole time while he was in Samut Prakan today. No incident happened. He left on schedule.
> 
> 37 minutes ago


But he also posted this Tweet, immediately after the above 2, which appears to contradict the previous ones. Strange that you forgot to include this following Tweet. 

RichardBarrow   Richard Barrow                                               

_Online news sites are exaggerating the scale of red shirt protests in Samut Prakan. It was very minimal & orderly._

----------


## Takeovers

> Abhisit made the demand after he cut short a campaign rally in Samut Prakan after a group of over 200 red shirts gathered to protest against him at a fresh market.







> From Twitter today:  RichardBarrow Richard Barrow  The PM is reported as saying there was an incident between his supporters and Red Shirts today which cut short his tour  I followed the PM the whole time while he was in Samut Prakan today. No incident happened. He left on schedule.  37 minutes ago


What a surprise, those bad bad Red Shirts .

----------


## DrB0b

> Originally Posted by SteveCM
> 
> 
> From Twitter today:
> 
> RichardBarrow   Richard Barrow                                               
> 
> The PM is reported as saying there was an incident between his supporters and Red Shirts today which cut short his tour
> 
> ...


How does that contradict the earlier tweets? All it says is that there was an orderly and minimal redshirt protest. There is no mention of any "incident' nor does it say that Abhisit was frorced to leave early. It does not contradict the earlier tweets at all, it reinforces them by stating that the media are exaggerating. Your interpretation of that tweet is bizarre, to say the least.

----------


## SteveCM

> ...cut short a campaign rally...





> He left on schedule.


That's what _I_ call a contradiction. That there was/were protest/s is already shown in Richard Barrow's blog photo piece posted earlier - and it certainly looks "minimal and orderly". The 4 security guys hemming in one red-shirt amputee on crutches illustrate that.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by SteveCM
> ...


I guess it depends on what you interpret as an "incident". 

My understanding of the word means an event or a happening. What's your understanding of the word? 

Clearly incidents did occur. That they were orderly and minimal isn't the point. They happened. They were events. They were incidents. 

Steve's first 2 tweets clearly suggest nothing happened. 

"_I followed the PM the whole time while he was in Samut Prakan today. No incident happened. He left on schedule._"

The later one Steve didn't post instead says that something did occur. 

_Online news sites are exaggerating the scale of red shirt protests in Samut Prakan. It was very minimal & orderly._

Now, DrBlob. Spin it anyway you see fit  but what Steve did was disingenuous. It gave a false impression. 

The later Nation report also clearly details 2 incidents. Unless they are deliberately distorting the truth. Yes, they don't sound serious, but they are incidents. That's the point.

----------


## DrB0b

> Now, DrBlob. Spin it anyway you see fit but what Steve did was disingenuous. It gave a false impression.


Spin it?

Richard Barrow said



> I followed the PM the whole time while he was in Samut Prakan today. No incident happened. He left on schedule.


Are you saying Richard is lying? Unless your English language skills are much lower than they appear to be you know full well what incident means in this context, particularly when Abhisit claims it was serious enough to force him to run away. An incident which causes somebody to run away must clearly be violent, disruptive, or intimidating. Richard is saying that no incident of this kind occurred. Your fallback on asinine pedantry only shows that you are deliberately misunderstanding, anything that occurs can be called an incident but it's perfectly clear from context what Richard means here and it's impossible to believe you can't see that. It can only give a false impression to those hopelessly deficient in thinking skills and/or those who deliberately misinterpret.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
>  Abhisit made the demand after he cut short a campaign rally in Samut Prakan after a group of over 200 red shirts gathered to protest against him at a fresh market.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


As Abhisit said, the red shirts could end up causing Pheu Thai problems. 

"_Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva called on Pheu  Thai prime  ministerial candidate Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday to get  red shirts  to stop bullying him.

Abhisit said if Yingluck could not control the behaviour of the red shirts she would not deserve the prime minister's post.

The  Democrat leader said he would not file a complaint yet with the   Election Commission, as he did not want to see Pheu Thai cry foul that   he was persecuting it._"

I support the right to protest and i am sympathetic to the red shirt cause (but not the UDD leadership, which I have stated on so many occasions, even though some of the stupider people here forget this) and indeed I would also suggest that the red shirts should protest about the total lack of justice for those who were murdered.

However, candidates are supposed to be allowed to campaign without harassment. There have been so many incidents of the red shirts protesting while Abhisit and others campaign that they could well be presenting a case for the Dem's to claim their campaigning was continually hindered by the red shirts. And this could easily be linked to Pheu Thai, as most of the UDD leadership are running as Pheu Thai MP's (Abhisit basically makes the link in the quote above). 

It may never happen, but if the Dem's and their powerful backers are searching for a reason to approach the election commission, well, these constant small protests may well be a reason they could use. Many people here and elsewhere are of the opinion the judiciary and election commission are compromised. It isn't much of a leap to see what could happen next...

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
>  Now, DrBlob. Spin it anyway you see fit but what Steve did was disingenuous. It gave a false impression.
> 
> 
> Spin it?
> 
> Richard Barrow said
> 
> ...


Oh good lord, you really are an unpleasant individual aren't you. 

I was wondering whether to reply to you, as it is obvious you are just a foul tempered, bitter old man, who gets a massive boner every time he sees the opportunity to attack someone. 

I addressed the use of the word *incident*, not whether he "ran away" as you put it. 

You appear to be having extreme difficulty sticking to the point. 

*Incidents* did occur. The first 2 Tweets posted gave the impression it was *incident free*. The later one he didn't post suggests it wasn't *incident free*. 

Now, do you understand this yet? 

Or do you wish to wander off into irrelevant rubbish some more? 

It is most amusing that you insult people for their intellectual capabilities, whilst appearing to be nothing more than a thug with a dictionary.  :Smile:

----------


## tomta

> The later Nation report also clearly details 2 incidents. Unless they are deliberately distorting the truth. Yes, they don't sound serious, but they are incidents. That's the point.


Yes, strictly speaking you are quite correct, SD. An incident is an event or happening.  Incidents happened. Somebody went to the toilet. Somebody ate an ice cream. Somebody held a sign protesting against Abhisit. All of them are incidents. Every word we speak or breath we take is an incident. 

Richard said "No incident happened". This was of course quite wrong. Incidents in the strict sense of the word did happen.


However, I think it is pretty clear to anyone that he meant that no interesting or untoward incident happened. This is also a pretty common meaning of incident. When somebody says "an incident happened" they are referring to something particular and unusual out of the millions of incidents that don't have any particular significance.

So what he said was not the least bit disingenuous. He said that nothing of any import happened - he may be right or wrong, i don't know, I wasn't there. But you are being, I think, quite deliberately obtuse in not recognizing common language.

----------


## Takeovers

> Originally Posted by Takeovers
> 
> ...cut short a campaign rally...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Me too.

And what Strontium Dog is displaying is not lies or spin. I would call that a meltdown. He has completely lost the plot.

----------


## DrB0b

*On Thailand’s Democrat Party Election Cheats and Abuses of Democratic Process*

 by Robert Amsterdam

Abhisit meets a person falsely posing as a Red Shirt

 I highly recommend readers of this blog pop over to read a recent posting on Political Prisoners in Thailand  which focuses on an apparently desperate, last resort campaign strategy  being implement by Abhisit and the Democrat Party:  provoke and insult  the Red Shirt movement and victims of last year’s Bangkok Massacre, and  hope that further violence can be stirred up to help their slagging  position in the polls.  In case you are unable to read this site (it is  often banned by the government in parts of Thailand), below is an  extract.

 Abhisit “said his party would hold a rally  in front of CentralWorld  shopping complex on Thursday in its last major  address in Bangkok on the  final leg of its election campaign.” He  added: “On that day, we will  focus on the party’s reconciliation plan.  We invite everyone to come and  listen to our plan to douse the fire in  the country…”.
 This is aberrant nonsense. Abhisit and his  chums are trying to  provoke violence. Rajaprasong is one of the killing  grounds of 2010, and  has been the scene of numerous red shirt  remembrance rallies.  PPT is  sure that the Democrat Party wants to  provoke red shirt hot heads. It  feels it needs to demonstrate red shirt  violence in order to regain some  electoral ground. It is desperate for  red shirts to show up and that  there will be clashes.

 As Abhisit says Rajaprasong is “the perfect  place” for his party’s to  campaign “because of the political unrest  that took place there last  year.” And, a perfect provocation for a  perfect storm. Suthep  Thaugsuban, who was deeply involved in the  murderous events of April and  May 2010, added that at the rally Abhisit  disingenuously claims is  about “reconciliation,” adds to the  provocation by stating: “I will take  to the stage next Thursday to tell  the truth about what really happened  [during last year's unrest]…”. In  other words, he shows Abhisit’s claim  about reconciliation as being  nothing more than a pathetic lie.

 Natthawut Saikua called “on red shirt  supporters not to fall victim  to the Democrats’ plot to provoke  confrontation.” That may not be  enough, however, as it is easy enough  for Democrat Party backers to  provide their own “red shirts” ready to  show up and create political  mischief.

 One final note – when PPT refers to the Democrat Party’s ability to  produce Red Shirt imitators, there is actually precedence for this (see  above photo).  A few weeks back, Prime Minister Mark Abhisit posed a media stunt  in which a solitary “red shirt” woman somehow was able to confront him  on the campaign trial (needless to say, the man travels ensconced in  several layers of security, no real citizen of Thailand has ever been  able to “approach” him).  In this staged encounter, which was promoted  heavily in media such as The Nation, Abhisit politely listened to the  woman’s complaints about all the people he killed with a pained and  concerned expression, and then gently began to “set her straight” with  the “facts.”  By the end of the staged conversation, the Red Shirt woman  was placated and grateful for having learned the “truth” about what  happened.

 Following this surprising and suspicious encounter, some bloggers got to work  to figure out who this person was.  It turned out that she is a member  of the Santi Asoke temple, a major supporter and beneficiary of the  People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD).  Santi Asoke is Jumlong  Srimuang.  Needless to say, no Red Shirt supporter would be a member of  this temple. And no member of this temple would wear a red shirt on  their own.  The bloggers went so far as to find a list of appointments  for the temple’s abbot to visit which include the woman’s home.  The  list included her full name address and telephone number.

 Sadly, it’s not the first time that Abhisit’s dishonesty has been  exposed, and with two weeks to the election, it’s likely not the last  time either.

----------


## longway

> Abhisit meets a person falsely posing as a Red Shirt


Exposed a being of pure evil or a poor marketing stunt? Hmm I wonder which?

----------


## Bettyboo

> He said: "Who is actually good only at giving big words, but taking no action? Who lied to the red shirts that he would stand in the front line when gunfire was heard, but instead went shopping in Paris? Many are complaining to him, while showing disappointment at the acts they chose to commit, committed by those announcing in advance *they would come and burn*."


Oh dear... how the mighty have fallen... Oh pretty one, what have you become...




> Asked to comment on the Democrat Party's plan to hold an election rally at the Ratchaprasong intersection, Suwat said *the place did not matter as much as the content of the campaign speeches*.


Alas, it is clear what Abhisit and Suthep plan to say (above and below)... Of course, the place in context with the words is very relevant and purposefully chosen.




> Thammasat University deputy rector Prinya Thewanaruemitkul said major parties that have a chance to win and run the country should look beyond an electoral victory. "*The major rivals should not widen the national division in their campaign*," he said. "They should not continue the conflict which took place in our country over the past four or five years but *should look at ways to reconcile*."


Abhisit and Suthep have done nothing, at any time, to move towards reconcilliation; now, they are going all out to restart the fire...




> "I don't believe the party which highlights these conflicts would be voted for," he said.


Indeed, and it looks like they won't be.




> Abhisit made the demand after he cut short a campaign rally in Samut Prakan after a group of over 200 red shirts gathered to protest against him at a fresh market.


Freedom of speech, much as Abhisit has tried to kill it, is still a right. This was a peaceful and legitimate 'lightweight' protest; the dems are desperate for violence... Are a few army bombs on their way, as per the usual tactic over the last few years?

The reds have all but won this election, any violence or bombs or attacks by 'red shirts' can only hurt the reds and help the army/bluebloods/dems... This is clear to everyone...




> Meanwhile, Abhisit said Pheu Thai should not be worried by the Democrats' plan to rally at Central World near Rajprasong. He said the rally would not block nearby roads. "We won't incite anything but *we will tell the people about the cause of problems* which the country is facing," Abhisit said. Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said yesterday that *the Democrats were not worried about consequences of the rally*.


Disgusting and disgraceful; typical of Suthep, and seemingly pretty boy Abhisit too.

----------


## Calgary

*"*_Yingluck Shinawatra, the No 1 Pheu Thai party list candidate, said on Sunday she hoped the Democrat Party's major rally at the Ratchaprasong intersection on June 23 would be constructive."_ Quote from Post #2878

Yingluck will be here on June 23rd, and will mix with the people amongst whom I am involved. Then a large rally at the local Sports Stadium. The local PT candidate needs all the help he can get, as he is faced with lavish money flows from the extremely wealthy Bhumjathai candidate here.

Before people shrug off this Ratchaprasong rally by the Democrats, put yourself in the position of families who lost loved one's at that military "_killing field_". That is where their sons and husbands perished. For the perpetrators of that travesty to meet there and gloat over it, is preposterous.

As is often mentioned around here, "_They don't care about people_".

I wonder of Abhisit is feeling something slipping with respect to that debate. Once he tries to magnify the absence of Yingluck, what is he left with. 

He is left facing an Economist. Considering that the entire PT election strategy is built around two primary themes, that being the Economy and 'quality of life' issues, he will be a busy boy.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by SteveCM
> 
> 4. Undecideds r very low at less than 3%, but Suan Dusit say pollsters asked the undecided who were they likely to vote for (i.e leaners)
> 
> 
> And their answer was...they didn't know!


Based on my experience with some polling activity, I have become somewhat cynical and suspicious about those who proclaim they are "undecided"

As mentioned in previous Posts, some of them are simply hoping to parlay that into money. The ole', convince me, twist my arm, _grease my palm._

But I am sure that is far too cynical and negative......right?

It could also be simply a matter of having some fears about exposing themselves. To be undecided this late into the campaign is questionable.

----------


## Buksida

> He is left facing an Economist. Considering that the entire PT election strategy is built around two primary themes, that being the Economy and 'quality of life' issues, he will be a busy boy.


You mean the large scale deranged populist handouts that are likely to bankrupt the place in a few years?

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> 
> He is left facing an Economist. Considering that the entire PT election strategy is built around two primary themes, that being the Economy and 'quality of life' issues, he will be a busy boy.
> 
> 
> You mean the large scale deranged populist handouts that are likely to bankrupt the place in a few years?


I haven't studied Democrat policies sufficiently to come to that conclusion Buksida.

But you may well be right!

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by The Bold Rodney
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Buksida
> ...


Wow, that is deep and original Gerbil.

I need to pay closer attention to your Posts 

_Watch and learn_ as they say.

----------


## Butterfly

the lead advantage of PT remains mainly with their communication advantage, basically marketing

lessons learned from the corporate world of AIS,

Other political parties are lagging in that department,

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by SteveCM
> ...


*"Your interpretation is bizarre, to say the least"*

Not 'bizarre' Dr. Bob

Purposeful agenda!

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> He said: "Who is actually good only at giving big words, but taking no action? Who lied to the red shirts that he would stand in the front line when gunfire was heard, but instead went shopping in Paris? Many are complaining to him, while showing disappointment at the acts they chose to commit, committed by those announcing in advance *they would come and burn*."
> 
> 
> Oh dear... how the mighty have fallen... Oh pretty one, what have you become...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Some editorial, process comments about above Post, which is indicative of the MO of this Board.

Not sure what can be done about it.

Above quotes that Bettyboo is responding to seem to originate from SD.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

These are all "Domestic Media" quotes as far as I can tell, and should be referenced as such.

Bettyboo is providing opinion about Media stuff, not SD stuff.

SD stuff is mostly insignificant

----------


## Butterfly

> Obviously can't be confirmed / proved one way or the other but forever using Thaksin's name as the only reason for all sins here is very tedious.


yes, it's called taking responsibility, you fucking nutter

----------


## DrB0b

> Are a few army bombs on their way, as per the usual tactic over the last few years?


Possibly. Almost certainly there will be people in red shirts causing trouble at the Rachaprasong rally. Almost certainly not members of NorPorChor or its affiliates. Suspiciously short-haired, athletic looking, red-shirted people.

----------


## Butterfly

> Sadly, its not the first time that Abhisits dishonesty has been exposed, and with two weeks to the election, its likely not the last time either.


well I agree, but at the end of the day, it's politics, so it's going to be dirty

do you really think that the "surrogate" sister is all clean and not playing "media" tricks ?

it's part of the game, sadly

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by DrB0b
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> ...


Purposeful agenda? To whom? For what ends? What is my master plan Calgary? 

Oh my! I question someones bias (SteveCM's) as he obviously is biased. And now I have an agenda!

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Calgary
> ...


None of the major parties seem to have properly developed policies. Although the PT is  promising to construct a 30-kilometer long wall to dam off the Gulf of Thailand, which will pay for itself.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/poli...family-rivalry
*
*Race is all about family rivalry*

*SPECIAL REPORT: Parliamentary candidates in northern provinces can be split along blood lines as well as party lines*
Published: 20/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsThree Pheu Thai candidates are likely to sweep  all three seats in this red shirt-dominated province despite the  Democrats' strategy to try to reduce their popularity.

 The Democrats are trying to target the Pheu Thai candidates' weak  points and claim its current MPs have largely ignored villagers since  they swept them into office in the 2007 election.

 However, community leaders and voters interviewed by the Bangkok Post, are paying little heed to the claims.

 They believe Pheu Thai's push to have the first female prime minister  from the North and the wide support of red shirts in the province have  subdued all the Democrats' efforts.

 Pheu Thai top party-list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra has succeeded  in selling her image as the potential first female prime minister of  Thailand.

 Phrae is a Pheu Thai stronghold. In the 2007 election, the party won all three House seats in the province.

 In the July 3 election, a close look at the candidates shows it is a  confrontation between two well-known families _ the Aueaaphinyakun  family, aligned to the Pheu Thai Party, and the Suphasiri family for the  Democrats.

 In Constituency 1, which covers Muang district and parts of Sung Men  district, outgoing Pheu Thai MP Panhathai Serirak, elder sister of  Worawat Aueaaphinyakun, will run against Phongsawat Suphasiri, the  younger brother of Siriwan Prassachaksattru.

 Ms Panhathai is supported by her husband Thotsaphon, a former MP for  Phrae who is under a political ban, while Mr Phongsawat is backed by Ms  Siriwan, a former Democrat MP in the province, who is this time listed  22nd on the Democrats' party list.

 Ms Panhathai has been attacked by her political rivals for making  rare visits to the area following the 2007 election, however it still  remains unclear whether the allegation will shake the popularity of Pheu  Thai.

 A candidate from Bhumjaithai, Naowarat Khananai, is the sole competitor to the two big parties.

 One reason is that he is being supported by the head of the  provincial organisation administration for Phrae, Anuwat Wongwan, the  son of former politician Narong.

 "We admit we can't defeat Pheu Thai," Mr Naowarat said. "But we want  Phrae people to choose an MP who can truly represent their voice, not  one who disappears after an election."

 In Constituency 2, which covers Song, Rong Kwang districts and parts  of Nong Muang Khai district, outgoing Pheu Thai MP Niyom  Wiwanthanaditkun, also backed by Mr Anuwat, is vying against Suphawan  Suphasiri, the elder sister of Ms Siriwan.

 The Democrats expect a seat in this constituency. They are also  targeting Mr Niyom for allegedly not taking care of villagers after the  last election.

 Earlier, Mr Niyom was at odds with red shirts in Phrae when he voted  for Bhumjaithai ministers in the House censure debate. But Mr Niyom, who  once planned to defect from Pheu Thai, said he had already apologised  to them and "there's no problem now".

 In Constituency 3, which includes Wang Chin, Den Chai districts and  parts of Sung Men district, outgoing Pheu Thai MP Worawat is standing  against the Democrats' new candidate Prasong Chumchoei, who bases his  election confidence on the support of his party in Wang Chin.

 However, Mr Worawat said Pheu Thai would win all three seats because its popularity was still strong.

 "No matter whom the party will place in the field, she or he will win," he said.

 The chairman of Phrae's political reform and public administration  group, Klai Sisan, said the parties usually do not talk about their  policies in election campaigns. They tend to focus on issues surrounding  individual candidates. He believed money was still an important factor  for victory, claiming reports of vote buying by each party were still  being heard.

 Mr Klai agreed the popularity of a party helps its cause, but "the  bullets [money] of each candidate also play an important role".

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : 'Roi Et disease' cure costs locals
*
*'Roi Et disease' cure costs locals*
Published: 20/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsROI ET : The northeastern province of Roi Et is  notorious for sparking the "vote-buying epidemic" in Isan but is  unusually quiet in the run-up to the July 3 election.

 
_Macabre reminder 
Red shirt demonstrators play dead yesterday in  what they called a ‘‘mass planking’’ exercise to evoke memories of last  year’s crackdown on anti-government protesters at Ratchaprasong  Intersection in Bangkok. JETJARAS NARANONG_

 Many voters in Ban Non in tambon Phon Muang of At Samat district are  complaining they have not seen the regular election canvassers and  campaign volunteers who usually descend on the village with cash and  gifts.
 Ban Non is the village where ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra held a so-called "resolving poverty reality show" in 2005.

 Normally, elections in the village are celebrated as events when  money flows in and voters collect generous "hand-outs" of several  hundred baht from the various candidates.

 Others make tens of thousands of baht from being hired by parties as  election campaign staff. Somchai Kandi, a 48-year-old farmer-cum-driver,  said he understood that usual vote-buying activities have all but  vanished from his community during this election, largely because the  Pheu Thai candidates hold high hopes for a landslide victory, something  recent opinion polls confirm.

 Conversely, their rivals from other parties might feel there is  little chance of them winning a seat from the Pheu Thai candidates, Mr  Somchai said, and therefore are not wasting their money.

 Gen Kriangsak Chomanan, the 15th prime minister of Thailand, won a  seat in 1979 in Roi Et, which was not even his hometown, and returned as  prime minister because he was the first candidate to switch from buying  votes with gifts to handing out cash, Mr Somchai said.

 Ever since, vote buying with cash had spread to the entire Northeast  and that was where the deprecating term "Roi Et disease" came from, he  said. Unlike the previous general election four years ago, there is not  even a small-sized poster of the candidates or the parties posted on the  fences of the villagers' houses proclaiming their allegiances.

 A few reminders of the July 3 election can be found in Ban Non _ the  odd election campaign vehicle equipped with an audio player and speakers  roams around, some of the usual large posters of the candidates and  election campaign messages come on the radio and TV from time to time.

 "In the past elections, a lot of canvassers came to us and paid  money. From two to three parties, each voter could get almost a thousand  baht in total," Mr Somchai said.

 "But now, with only a couple of weeks before the election, not a  single canvasser has shown up, nor any candidate," he complained.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Pheu Thai sends Olarn to replace Yingluck in debate
*
*Pheu Thai sends Olarn to replace Yingluck in debate* 
Published: 20/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Pheu Thai's No.1 list candidate Yingluck  Shinawatra has turned down a poll watch body's invitation to join a  debate with arch-rival and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva.

 Ms Yingluck revealed yesterday that the Pheu Thai Party would send  its economic adviser Olarn Chaipravat to meet Mr Abhisit in the debate  organised by the People's Network for Elections in Thailand on Friday.

 Ms Yingluck said she could not break commitments to meet constituents  and Pheu Thai had the authority to select a suitable alternative to  represent the party in the debate.

 Some observers had predicted Ms Yingluck, who has no previous  political experience, would be no match for Mr Abhisit if she took part  in the debate because the latter is an experienced public speaker.

 Democrat spokesman Buranaj Smutharaks yesterday said he did not  understand why Ms Yingluck refused to join the debate as the public  wanted to hear more about Pheu Thai's plan to usher in a political  amnesty law that would pave the way for Thaksin Shinawatra to return to  Thailand.

 He urged Ms Yingluck to state clearly whether Pheu Thai would arrange  for the absolution of her brother Thaksin if the party took power after  the election.

 And since Thaksin said in an interview with foreign media last week  that the government had "stolen" his money when the court ordered the  confiscation of 46 billion baht of his fortune, Dr Buranaj said he would  like to know if the Pheu Thai plans to issue a law to return the money  to Thaksin as well.

 The court ruled that Thaksin had illegally acquired the 46 billion  baht through concealed businesses at Shin Corp during his prime  ministerial tenure.

 Regarding the possibility of absolution for her elder brother, Ms  Yingluck said that the issue would be raised "when justice is restored".

 Regarding the intention of Thaksin to return to his home nation, Ms  Yingluck said her brother hoped to attend the wedding of his daughter in  Thailand later this year.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Other Bangkok Post updates...

*'Politicians today  consider only their own interests'*
20/06/2011 : _Despite  his reinstatement as chief of the Provincial Administration Department,  Wongsak Sawasdipanich cannot yet return to his office. The Election  Commission must first approve the cabinet's decision, which is expected  to take one month, before the Cabinet Secretariat can forward his  reinstatement to the Royal Household Bureau for royal endorsement. With  his retirement due in September, Mr Wongsak has no time to taste. He  spoke with Bangkok Post reporters Naowarat Suksamran and King-oua  Laohong about his fight to win back the top job at the department._


*Parties feel the pressure of pedal power*
20/06/2011 : _More  than 100 people took part in a campaign in Bangkok yesterday to  pressure parties to adopt policies to promote cycling as an alternative  mean of transport._


*Democrats defiant on Ratchaprasong rally*
20/06/2011 : _The  Democrat Party has vowed to press ahead with its plan to hold a large  campaign rally in Bangkok's Ratchaprasong area on Thursday._

----------


## StrontiumDog

> *Bangkok Post : Pheu Thai sends Olarn to replace Yingluck in debate
> *
> _Pheu Thai sends Olarn to replace Yingluck in debate
> 
>  Ms Yingluck revealed yesterday that the Pheu Thai Party would send  its economic adviser Olarn Chaipravat to meet Mr Abhisit in the debate  organised by the People's Network for Elections in Thailand on Friday._ _
> 
>  Ms Yingluck said she could not break commitments to meet constituents  and Pheu Thai had the authority to select a suitable alternative to  represent the party in the debate._


This is an interesting point.

Much has been made of the well rehearsed Yingluck. At times she appears to be almost robot like when she is replying to questions, almost as if she was reading from a script. 

Also, why is it that other party leaders who will no doubt also be rearranging their schedules, are able to attend but she is not. What could be more important than a nationally televised debate? It is the biggest event yet!

So, lets go with the argument that she is inexperienced (she is) and that Abhisit would destroy her in a debate (not sure about that, but he might). What does it say about the poster girl? Could you imagine her negotiating with other foreign leaders, who may or may not be just as wily as Abhisit, some important deals for Thailand? Could you imagine her amongst the ASEAN posse? How about global events? What about negotiating with Hun Sen over the Preah Vihear issue (oh sorry I forgot, that is one big concocted lie). 

It doesn't look good. 

This is her home country. Home audience. The place where she should surely be most at ease. And she bolts. 

Personally I think Pheu Thai should've put her forward. Even if she has a nightmare, I doubt it would make a massive difference. They are seemingly very far ahead in the polls and almost home.

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## Buksida

^ Thaksin can always switch puppets after the election, Chalerm may seem unpalatable, but let's not forget PPP had Samak as PM. Chalerm knows about being a crooked cop, so there is common ground.

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## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : In slamming the general, PAD helps Pheu Thai
*
*In slamming the general, PAD helps Pheu Thai*
Published: 20/06/2011 at 03:07 AMNewspaper section: News
 Pheu Thai Party has been spared the trouble of  having to respond to Army Commander-in-Chief  Prayuth Chan-ocha's  alleged political interference over his controversial remark last week _  thanks to the party's unlikely ally within the People's Alliance for  Democracy (PAD).

 
_About 1,000 red shirt protesters show up to give moral support to  Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn Prompan and UDD leaders Wichian Khaokham and  Suporn Atthawong on April 18, 2011, while they file a complaint at  Samran Rat police station against army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha. They  accused Gen Prayuth of lodging false charges and defamation. The poster  is headlined, ‘‘Angulimala, Stop Committing Evil.’’_

 A comment, entitled ``Prayuth Chan-ocha, army commander-in-chief,  follower of the Mae Phra Thoranee Beep Muay Pom'' (the Earth Goddess,  which is the symbolic icon of the Democrat Party), which was posted on  the Manager website on Saturday, heavily criticised Gen Prayuth over his  remark broadcast on TV Channels 5 and 7 on June 14.

 Appearing on TV, the army chief mentioned the burning of Bangkok  during the violent red shirt protest in May last year and the existence  of an illegal movement with the intention of toppling the monarchy.  He  specifically mentioned the name of Jakrapob Penkair, a former member of  Pheu Thai, and also accused some elements of attempting to undermine the  drug suppression effort currently undertaken by Task Force 315 of the  Internal Security Operations Command.

 But the highlight of the army chief's unusual TV appearance, also the  most controversial act, was his open call for the voters to vote for  good people and good parties to parliament.

 Reacting against the army chief's controversial remark the following  day, former  acting leader of the now defunct Thai Rak Thai Party,  Chaturon Chaisaeng, said the remark was a mistake on the part of General  Prayuth and could be misinterpreted as his political partiality. Army  chiefs in other democracies would not make such a statement especially  during the lead-up to an election, he added.

 Mr Chaturon's criticism was quite mild compared to the hard-hitting  comment from the PAD's mouthpiece, the Manager media.  ``...The  statement between the lines which mentioned the arson incident, the  anti-monarchy movement, Jakrapob Penkair, the obstruction of the Task  Force 315 operations, cannot be interpreted otherwise that Gen Prayuth  was referring to any party, because it was clear in itself...''

 The comment added that, of course, the majority of the people agreed  that those responsible for the burning of Bangkok and those engaged in  anti-monarchy activities were ``the source of  evil'' that all Thais  must work together to get rid of.

 ``But the decision to anounce himself as the `follower of Mae Phra  Thoranee Beep Muay Phom' has raised a question: whether this is proper  political guidance especially for this party and whether this party is  good and can be guaranteed by Gen Prayuth?'' asked Manager in the  comment.

 The same comment also touched on the widely reported rumour of a  meeting between Gen Prayuth and  Suthep Thaugsuban, deputy prime  minister and Democrat secretary-general, which was steadfastly denied by  the latter.  Whether there was such a meeting or not does not matter as  much as the fact that Gen Prayuth is openly supportive of the  Democrats.

 If the party is good as vaunted by the army chief, ``we should not  have heard of widespread corruption in the government, unfair  reshuffles, the prices of eggs and other consumer products should not  have skyrocketed and bottled palm oil should not have disappeared from  the shelves in supermarkets'', the comment continued.

 But the final part of the comment is most hard-hitting. It advises  the army chief to make a self-observation ``before leading the army into  the forest and plunging the country into the abyss''.

 The comment couldn't be more correct.  It was indeed a bad move by  Gen Prayuth. As a matter of fact, it was his second blunder in a week.  Last Tuesday, the army chief appeared to have blown his top over an  incident between some members of the Task Force 315 and   Pairoj  Issaraseripong, a Pheu Thai election candidate in Bangkok's Constituency  9.  The incident took place on May 23 in Sap Charoen housing estate,  when Mr Pairoj barred the task force officers from operating in the  estate, with his bodyguards reportedly showing off their sidearms as an  act of intimidation.

 ``Who are you?  How could you intimidate the officers? I will not  tolerate it. If two officers were sent [to the housing estate] and there  was a problem, I will send 50 officers and see if they [Mr Pairoj and  his men] will surround the officers.  If 50 officers are not enough, I  will send 100,'' Gen Prayuth was quoted to have blurted out.

 The army chief's temperamental explosion was totally unnecessary and unwarranted.

 He should not have engaged in a spat with Mr Pairoj, who is just a  Pheu Thai candidate who happens to have an unusually big ego and a mouth  to match. It was indeed a mismatch, like a heavyweight boxer with a  strawweight fighter. The army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd  should have been able  to handle the matter without the need of the army  chief getting himself tainted.

 But for an army chief to plead with the voters to cast their ballots  for ``good'' parties and ``good'' candidates is very inappropriate and,  as such, he can be seen as taking sides in the upcoming election.  Moreover, what is his definition of being good?

 Gen Prayuth may have a fixation about what constitutes an enemy of  the throne which he has wanted the voters to vote against. In other  words, his position has not changed. Unlike the PAD these days which is  no longer the same as it was over a year ago. While professing its  unwavering loyalty towards the monarchy, it is, at the same time,  attacking the front man who has vowed the same allegiance and, as such,  indirectly favouring a party which warmly embraces people whose loyalty  towards the revered institution is questionable. Is that strange? Or is  it normal in Thai politics, where anything is possible?

*Veera Prateepchaikul is a former editor, Bangkok Post.*

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## StrontiumDog

*Analysis: Thai army takes sides as divisive election nears | Reuters
*
*Analysis: Thai army takes sides as divisive election nears*

 
 By Martin Petty
                  BANGKOK |          Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:11pm EDT         

   (Reuters) - After Thailand's military removed her brother in a bloodless  coup on a hot September night five years ago, the front-runner in next  month's closely fought election has good reason to fear the generals  will go after her.

  Recent rumblings from the army suggest she should be concerned.

As  Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of ousted former premier Thaksin  Shinawatra, surges ahead in the race to become Thailand's next prime  minister after elections next month, the army has cast aside its  neutrality, analysts say, and looks intent on derailing her. How far  they will go is unclear.

If she  prevails over Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's ruling Democrat Party  and forms a government, a coup is one option, though an unlikely one due  to the risk of drawing tens of thousands of Thaksin's "red shirt"  supporters into the streets in a reprise of last year's bloody clashes  with troops.

Most analysts and  diplomats suggest she may cut a deal with the army to preserve her  government and to prevent a new round of street riots.

But  in the days leading up to the July 3 election, the army is doing what  it can to stop her momentum and foil her plans for a general amnesty  that would clear the way for Thaksin to return from self-exile in Dubai,  where he lives to avoid prison following a graft conviction he says was  politically motivated.

Army chief  Prayuth Chan-ocha, instrumental in the coup that toppled Thaksin and  offensives to crush anti-government red-shirt street insurrections in  2009 and 2010, made a stern-faced address on two army-owned television  channels last week, stressing the military would not meddle in the  election.

But his message had the opposite effect.

Prayuth  warned of threats against Thailand's monarchy and urged the public to  vote for "good people" and to avoid a repeat of previous polls, a  not-so-subtle reference to a decade of elections won by Thaksin allies.
"If  you allow the election results to be the same as before, you will not  get anything new and you will not see any improvement," Prayuth said.

By  wading into the political fray, the army risks inflaming a  sometimes-violent, five-year political crisis in which the rural and  urban poor red shirts are pitted against a traditional elite of  generals, royal advisers, middle-class bureaucrats and old-money  families who back the ruling Democrats.

Prayuth's  comments were widely seen as a move to discredit Yingluck's Puea Thai  Party and stem its momentum following opinion polls that show it is  likely to win the most votes in the election.

"For  an army chief to plead with the voters to cast their ballots for 'good'  parties and 'good' candidates is very inappropriate and, as such, he  can be seen as taking sides in the upcoming election," Veera  Prateepchaikul, a former editor of The Bangkok Post, wrote in the daily  on Monday.

A HISTORY OF COUPS

The army has been a major force in politics since Thailand  became a democracy in 1932, staging 18 coups -- some successful, some  not -- and several discreet interventions in forming coalition  governments, almost all with the tacit backing of Thailand's royalist  establishment.

Since the last  coup, the military's budget has nearly doubled and it has stood firm  behind Abhisit, aiding his rise to power in a 2008 parliamentary vote  and battling with pro-Thaksin red shirt demonstrators. The last face-off  in April and May last year killed 91 people and wounded at least 1,800.

"The  general image of the military has not exactly complemented Thailand's  democratic process," said Worajet Phakhirat, a law professor at  Bangkok's Thammasat University. "Making these comments so close to the  election can have a negative reaction."

Kan  Yuenyong, an analyst at the Siam Intelligence Unit, said the stakes are  high for the military, which faces a possible purge if Yingluck becomes  premier and remains influenced by Thaksin, who may seek a military  reshuffle in revenge for his ouster.

"A  coup is the worst-case scenario but that can't be ruled out if Thaksin  regains power," he said. "The military has learned from the past and  knows Thaksin will want his revenge."

Since  Yingluck's May 16 nomination, the 43-year-old businesswoman has  championed Thaksin's populist legacy and energised his urban and rural  working class supporters, who elected his now-defunct Thai Rak Thai  Party twice in landslides in 2001 and 2005.

Yingluck says she will pursue reconciliation if she becomes prime minister, vowing not to interfere with the armed forces.

But not everyone is convinced. Mistrust of Thaksin runs deep and her assurances are unlikely to be enough.

TALK OF A DEAL WITH THE ARMY

Some  expect the generals to intervene discreetly to prevent Puea Thai from  forming a government if, as many expect, it wins the most seats in  parliament but falls short of an outright majority and must form a  coalition to govern.

That's where  the army could wield its influence by trying to persuade smaller parties  to shun Puea Thai and side with Abhisit's Democrats.

That  may not work. If Puea Thai wins by a landslide, or wins comfortably, it  could govern with just one medium-sized party in a coalition.

A  tougher step, such as a coup, is difficult. The red shirts are far  stronger and more organised than in 2006 when the generals removed  Thaksin. If tanks rumbled into Bangkok, thousands would likely flood the  city's streets in protest.

"Another  coup is an option Prayuth doesn't want to take because more red shirts  than ever before would come to shut down Bangkok," said an analyst with  close knowledge of the military who requested anonymity.

"But a coup becomes likely if Prayuth gets word of a planned purge by a Puea Thai government. There might be no other option."

Sources  close to Puea Thai and the military say that could be averted, and that  Thaksin and the generals are discussing an arrangement under which Puea  Thai could govern in return for an assurance the top brass would not be  purged.

Abhisit told Reuters last week he was aware the military had been approached by Puea Thai with a view to a deal.

Thaksin  declined to comment on any such arrangement, but conceded in an  interview with Reuters in Dubai last Wednesday that his return to  Thailand hinged on talks with the military.

Anthony Davis, a security analyst with IHS-Jane's, said a deal was almost inevitable if Puea Thai won handsomely.

But  in return, he said, Puea Thai would have to scrap its plans for an  amnesty to allow Thaksin's return, appoint a defense minister sensitive  to the army leadership and guarantee the party would not get involved in  the military's affairs.

----------


## DrB0b

> So, lets go with the argument that she is inexperienced (she is) and that Abhisit would destroy her in a debate (not sure about that, but he might). What does it say about the poster girl? Could you imagine her negotiating with other foreign leaders, who may or may not be just as wily as Abhisit, some important deals for Thailand? Could you imagine her amongst the ASEAN posse? How about global events? What about negotiating with Hun Sen over the Preah Vihear issue (oh sorry I forgot, that is one big concocted lie).  It doesn't look good.  This is her home country. Home audience. The place where she should surely be most at ease. And she bolts.


It looks bad to those who are used to Western style elections, leadership debates are not part of the Thai electoral tradition. There's also the useful propaganda value of Yingluck refusing to debate with a usurper, a persistent liar, and a murderer. As you noted, PT's increasing lead in polls seems to show that her refusal to debate Abhisit is not having much effect on the electorate. I'd like to see a debate between them myself but really her refusal to debate is a minor issue.

A televised debate that involves only two leaders may also be illegal as Thai election law stipulates that broadcasted debates must give equal time to all party leaders.

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## StrontiumDog

Just for reasons of comparison, here is the TAN version of events yesterday....

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Democrat Campaigning in Samut Prakan Disrupted by Red-shirts 

UPDATE : 20 June 2011 

*The Democrat Party leader faced fierce red-shirt supporters while campaigning in Samut Prakan Province yesterday. 

A skirmish eventually broke out forcing the party leader to end his campaigning early.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and his entourage campaigned in Samut Prakan Province yesterday. 

The area is a known stronghold of the red-shirt group and so it was of  little surprise that his campaigning was disrupted by red-shirt people  there. 
*

His opponents showed up carrying funeral garlands as well as posters  with vicious messages such as, 'we welcome a murderer,' 'good only with  words and with creating debt' and asking questions like 'who killed the  people?'. 

Many shouted messages encouraging people to vote for the Pheu Thai Party, who is a major competitor of the Democrat Party. 

This did not deter Abhisit who proceeded to greet vendors and shoppers at the Likit fresh market. 

Red-shirt supporters continued to follow Abhisit's campaign parade on motorcycles, causing some traffic disruptions. 

Upon arriving in the Samrong area, Abhisit proceeded to walk along the  streets, greeting those he met, but he had to cut his campaigning short  and return to Bangkok because of a scuffle between his supporters and  red-shirt members after a poster carried by the red-shirt group hit a  Democrat supporter in the face. 

Last week Democrat Secretary-General Suthep Thaugsuban had an egg pelted  at him by a red-shirt supporters. Fortunately though, his security team  intercepted it.

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## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Suthep Confirms Ratchaprasong Campaign Rally  

UPDATE : 20 June 2011                     

Democrat Secretary General Suthep Thaugsuban  has confirmed that his party will go ahead with plans to stage a  campaign rally at the Ratchaprasong Intersection this Thursday evening.  He affirms that the rally will not further polarize Thailand's political  situation and says it is an opportunity for the prime minister to  clarify allegations that the government used force against the red shirt  protesters.

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## StrontiumDog

^ I am still utterly perplexed by this decision. Hold a rally, fine. But hold it somewhere else. Somewhere neutral. I can't see anyone being impressed or convinced by this. Rajaprasong will forever be associated with the murders last May. 

A provocative move to say the least and in very poor taste in my opinion. Whatever the purpose is behind this ridiculous move, I can only see it as backfiring. 

I hope it rains.

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## Butterfly

why should the reds have a monopoly at that location ? they don't seem to be ashamed to go there despite what they have done

I think the Democrats are perfectly right to go there and give their side of the story, after all the lies we keep hearing from the red little terrorists

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## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Yongyuth to represent PT in debate*

         Breakingnews          >                

Published: 20/06/2011 at 11:47 AMOnline news:
                                                                                          Yongyuth Wichaidit, the Pheu Thai leader and No 2  party list candidate, will represent the party in the June 23 debate  between the six major political parties, Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said on  Monday.

 The debate, organised by the People's Network for Election in  Thailand (Pnet) and other organisations, will be held on June 23,  from 9am to noon, at the Bua Luang Grand Room of Sripatum University in  Bang Khen.

 Mr Somchai, director of Sripatum University's centre for research and  the follow-up of public policies, said he had just been informed by  Pheu Thai that it would send Mr Yongyuth to represent the party in the  debate.

 To conclude, the Democrat Party would be represented by Abhisit  Vejjajiva, the party leader and No 1 list candidate; Pheu Thai by Mr  Yongyuth; Chart Pattana Puea Pandin by Goanpot Asvinvijit, the No 4 list  candidate and head of the party's economic team; Chartthaipattana by  Pradit Pattarapradit, the No 5 list candidate;  Bhumjaithai by Supachai  Jaisamut, the No 5 list candidate; and Matubhum by Sonthi  Boonyaratkalin, the No 1 list candidate.

 Since the people are interested in seeing Yingluck Shinawatra, the No  1 Phue Thai party list candiate, in the debate, the organisers would  allow the party to change its representative at the last minute if Pheu  Thai  changes its mind, Mr Somchai said.

 The three-hour debate would be televised live nationwide on several channels, he said.

 Those interested in joining the debate audience  can call the  following number for seat reservations from now until tomorrow, June 21:  02-579-1111 extionsions 1118, 1181 and 1184 and mobile phone Nos  086-3787238 to 9.

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## StrontiumDog

> why should the reds have a monopoly at that location ? they don't seem to be ashamed to go there despite what they have done
> 
> I think the Democrats are perfectly right to go there and give their side of the story, after all the lies we keep hearing from the red little terrorists


I have no problem with the idea of a rally, but it does seem in poor taste. 

Regardless of who killed who and why, people died there. 

I agree that the Dem's should be allowed to give their side, it will be interesting to see if they produce anything new of note/worth. 

I just think the location is rather an odd choice and perhaps this move may backfire on them. Poor reasoning imho (I'll go with that for now), and perhaps it could be said that it is indicative of their thinking and attitude that they chose this spot.

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## Butterfly

> a usurper, a persistent liar, and a murderer.


don't let your hate of Abhisit cloud your better judgement, DrB  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Bettyboo

This is a truly extreme and insane/inane piece of propaganda...

It's about vote buying in Roi Et, lots of claims against PT and Thaksin, standard baseless propaganda, but what a picture to link to it... nothing to do with anything in the 'article' - pure and utter extreme propaganda of the worst kind; just hate speech. 




> *Bangkok Post : 'Roi Et disease' cure costs locals*
> 
> 
> 
> *'Roi Et disease' cure costs locals*Published: 20/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsROI ET : The northeastern province of Roi Et is notorious for sparking the "vote-buying epidemic" in Isan but is unusually quiet in the run-up to the July 3 election.
> 
>  
> _Macabre reminder_ 
> _Red shirt demonstrators play dead yesterday in what they called a ‘‘mass planking’’ exercise to evoke memories of last year’s crackdown on anti-government protesters at Ratchaprasong Intersection in Bangkok. JETJARAS NARANONG_
> ...


(I cut it short as you can read it above if you wish...)

Usually the Nation is far worse, but the Bangkok Post has come out with some gems on behalf of the dems in recent weeks/months...  :Sad:

----------


## Thaihome

> [... people died there. 
> 
> ...


Actually nobody died at the intersection itself which was the site of the main stage.  By the time the Army got there in late afternoon, this is what was there.
TH

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## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

       Democrats to hold major  campaign rally at Songkhla Nakarin Univ's stadium in Songkhla this  evening with Abhisit, Chuan, Suthep, Banyat, etc

4 hours ago

.......


_I wonder if "major" is bigger or smaller than "mass"? As noted previously, the Dems' last (and so far only, I think) "mass" rally in BKK drew all of 2,000....._

----------


## SteveCM

*Democrats head south*

20 June 2011

               By The Nation


*Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva will today travel  to campaign in the southern region, which traditionally has been main  stronghold of his party.*

                              Abhisit and core party members including party  advisory chief Chuan Leekpai and Banyat Banthatan, will start the  campaign in Songkhla today. He is scheduled to campaign in Narathiwat,  Yala and Pattani later.

This is the first time the party is conducting a mass rally in the region in advance of the July 3 general election.

The  mass rally in Songkhla will start in the evening at a Prince of  Songkhla University football field with Banyat analysing the political  situation over the past few years. Abhisit will take the stage at 8pm  and talk about the party's policy for the people.

Chuan, an  exPM, will talk about the "Thaksin Regime" and the party's secretary  general Suthep Thaugsuban will then give a speech titled "Don't allow  anyone to burn the country."

After the rally, Abhisit will stay in a Hat Yai hotel. This is the first time he is staying overnight in the southern region.

----------


## SteveCM

^^



> The mass rally in Songkhla....


OK - seems to be not much difference between "major" and "mass"..... 




> Chuan, an exPM, will talk about the "Thaksin Regime" and the party's secretary general Suthep Thaugsuban will then give a speech titled "Don't allow anyone to burn the country."


Lucky Suthep - he gets to work in a book promotion. Maybe that's also the real reason for choosing Rachaprasong next Thursday - close to the bookstores?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 


BTW, 


> *Democrats head south*


 - unintentional irony from The Notion?   :mid:

----------


## SteveCM

*Yingluck says she cannot tell red shirts to stop bullying Abhisit*

20 June 2011

               By The Nation



*Pheu Thai prime ministerial candidate Yingluck  Shinawatra said Monday that she cannot tell the red-shirt people to stop  protesting against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva during campaign  rallies.*

                              She said the Pheu Thai did not send the red-shirt people to bully Abhisit and she could not tell the red-shirt people to stop.

She  said she learned about the red-shirt people's bullying Abhisit in Samut  Prakan Monday morning after the incident took place on Sunday.

Yingluck  insisted that she wanted to see constructive election campaigns so that  the country could leave the election conflicts behind after the  election.

She said she would like to call on all sides to  exercises their utmost patience and express their feelings through the  vote on 3 July.

Asked whether she felt discouraged following  relentless criticisms by the Democrat Party, Yingluck said she was not  discouraged and still wanted to serve and solve the people and lead the  country out of the conflicts.

On Sunday, Abhisit called on  Yingluck to tell the red-shirt people to stop bullying him after his  campaign in Samut Prakan was curt short.

Abhisit went to Samut  Prakan to help a Democrat candidate campaign but he met several groups  of red-shirt people carrying banners to protest him and shouted abusive  words at him.

About 200 red-shirt people gathered at a market where Abhisit would make a speech, prompting him to cancel his campaign there.

Abhisit  said Monday that he was disappointed that Yingluck would not take any  action to ensure that the red-shirt people would stop bullying other  parties.

Abhisit said it was clear that those who bullied him  during the campaign in Samut Prakan turned up to show support for the  Pheu Thai.

"They did not only protest but they also came to support the Pheu Thai," Abhisit said.

"I  am disappointed to hear Yingluck say she can't do anything because  red-shirt leaders are among Pheu Thai party-list candidates. If the they  can't do anything, the situation will be very worrying."

Abhisit  said Yingluck should have at least expressed her stand that she  disagreed with the behaviors that disrupted election campaigns of other  parties.

Meanwhile, Sutthipol Thaweechaikarn, the  secretary-general of the EC Office, said he had instructed the EC  officials in Samut Prakan to conduct an investigation as to whether the  disruption of the campaign by the red-shirt people violated Article 53  of the MPs and Senators Election Act or not.

The article prohibited anyone from using force or influence to intimidate election candidates.

Sutthipol  said the Samut Prakan election officials informed him that no violence  took place and no election candidate filed a complaint with the Samut  Prakan election office.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Abhisit 'disappointed' over Yingluck's inaction
*
*Abhisit 'disappointed' over Yingluck's inaction*

                                      Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Monday that he was disappointed that Pheu Thai prime  ministerial candidate Yingluck Shinawatra would not take any action to  ensure that the red-shirt people would stop bullying other parties.

Abhisit  said it was clear that those who bullied him during the campaign in  Samut Prakan turned up to show support for the Pheu Thai.

"They did not only protest but they also came to support the Pheu Thai," Abhisit said.

"I am disappointed to hear Yingluck say she can't do anything because red-shirt leaders are among Pheu Thai party-list candidates. If the they can't do anything, the situation will be very worrying."

Abhisit  said Yingluck should have at least expressed her stand that she  disagreed with the behaviors that disrupted election campaigns of other  parties.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Why An Unusual Number of Voters Remain Undecided 

UPDATE : 20 June 2011                     

All opinion polls recently conducted have  suggested that the number of the undecided voters in the upcoming  election could be as high as between 30 to 40 percent. This is a very  interesting occurrence. A question must be asked to why there could be  so many undecided voters or why they cannot make up their minds? 

I believe that the main reason is “reluctance” brought by their fear  that neither of the two major political parties could solve the  country’s problems. Most importantly, they might have a doubt as to  whether the country can really be peaceful again after the poll. 

This has clearly demonstrated that the Thai voter with no political  reference who does not want to pick sides, is having second thoughts on  the conflicting parties’ plans to bring the true national  reconciliation. To forge a feasible reconciliation, all sides must make  sacrifices for the common good. By continuing to resort to the political  mudslinging as everyone has been doing, reconciliation will never  happen. 

If peace is not guaranteed even with the upcoming election, Thai people  will remain distrustful to the current democratic system. 

Surely, no one wants to see another military coup which could be  disastrous to the country. We also need to ask why only a few thousand  politicians who are fighting for power could deteriorate the country to  this point.  

When dictatorship is condemned and the democratic system has not been  able to save the country, a large number of voters have become  undecided. Their faith on the candidates has been ruined. 

Another reason why some people chose to be undecided is that they are  concerned that by choosing one major political party, another party may  be enraged and start up more trouble. Some voters are afraid that the  Democrat Party will never be able to win a commanding number of MPs in  Parliament and as a result, it may have to please the smaller parties  with trade-offs in order to hold up the coalition. Many people are  simply sick and tired. 

On the other hand, there is the Pheu Thai Party, whose primary campaign  promise is to bring political amnesty for one particular person, which  might lead to more problems. 

Some people also fear the politicians are only aiming for power that  they have forgotten the “sportsmanship” and unwilling to accept defeat  quietly. 

All of the reasons mentioned might be the cause to why some voters have written Thailand off after the poll. 

Conversely, there are “decided voters”, who have been voting according  to their party affiliations from the beginning. These people do not care  about what is right or wrong as long as their candidates are elected to  power. 

Many newspapers have such headlines” “The Private Sector Concerned about  Situation after Election” or “Businesses Fear Poll Result will Affect  Investors’ Confidence.” Some foreign press believe that Thailand may be  in another round of chaos after the poll. 

Thai politics is at the edge of a cliff. Most people may have already chosen sides, but what about the rest of us? 

*Taken from Kafae Dam Column by Suthichai Yoon, Krung Thep Turakij Newspaper, Page 2, June 20, 2011

Translated and Rewritten by Kongkrai Maksrivorawan*

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## Mid

poor Abhisit ,

cry me a river  :UK:

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## SteveCM

In the absence of someone actually producing clear/real evidence of _real_ campaign disruption (i.e. something beyond ladies holding up cardboard signs and calling things out or even - oh the horror - using a loudhailer), I can see some ordinary Thai folk thinking that all this bleating about "bullying" is just making Abhisit look weak - a wimp. The Thai seem to like their leaders to show strength and capability (even at the expense of corruption and skullduggery) - not whine on about "it's not fair". 

By _real_ campaign disruption, I mean something rather more than you'll see in this news report: 



And, yes - I _know_ it's from "Democracy News Network". The point is that so far there doesn't seem to be any video/photographic evidence of worse elsewhere. Anyone seen any?

----------


## StrontiumDog

As I suggested earlier....

Bangkok Post : EC probing Samut Prakan heckling

*EC probing Samut Prakan heckling* 
Published: 20/06/2011 at 01:56 PMOnline news:
 The election committee of Samut Prakan province  has been ordered to investigate the heckling of a Democrat Party  campaign team by red-shirt supporters on Sunday, EC secretary-general  Suthipol Taweechaikarn said on Monday.

 The Democrat team led by Abhisit Vejjajiva had to call off  campaigning for fear the party's own supporters would clash with the  red-shirts.

 Mr Suthipol said the provincial election committee was to find out if  the red-shirts had acted in a threatening manner in violation of  Article 53 (5) of the Election Act.

 "Protesters may raise placards attacking the government, but if they  obstruct people campaigning then police can arrest them," he said.

 Mr Suthipol said the EC was concerned about the situation during the  13 days remaining before the election and would like  all parties to be  more amicable towards each other.

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## SteveCM

*Suan Dusit Poll shows Puea Thai takes large lead | Asian Correspondent*

_By Bangkok Pundit 
Jun 20, 2011_

In the lead-up to the July 3 election, BP has blogged on a number of polls as follows (from oldest to newest):The E-san poll, as blogged about here and here, which surveyed all 20 provinces in the Northeast which looked at who those surveyed would cast their *party* vote for (Puea Thai 63.9%, Democrats, 20.7%, and Bhum Jai Thai, 9.1%),Nationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their *constituency* vote for (Puea Thai 23%, Democrats 20%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%, undecided 53%),Nationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their *party*  vote for (Puea Thai 41%, Democrats 37%, Bhum Jai Thai 4% OR if you  remove the undecideds and those who will vote no you get Puea Thai 45%,  Democrats 41%, Bhum Jai Thai 4%),Bangkok-only DPU poll which showed that Puea Thai would win 19 *constituencies*, Democrats 5 and the rest were too close to call, andNationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their *party*  vote for (Puea Thai 43%, Democrats 37%, Bhum Jai Thai 3% OR if you  remove the undecideds and those who will vote no you get Puea Thai 47%,  Democrats 41%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%),Poll of the Lower North showing how people would cast their *party* vote for (Puea Thai 23.2%, Democrats 22.2%, 4.5% for other parties, and 50.1% were undecided),Nationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their *constituency* vote for (Puea Thai 22%, Democrats 13%, undecided 64%) and *party* vote (Puea Thai 23%, Democrats 13%, undecided 64%),Nationwide Bangkok-only DPU Poll which shows that Puea Thai is leading in the *constituency* vote 47% to Dems 40% and *party* vote 47% to Dems 39%, anda Bangkok University poll that showed that Puea Thai is leading 33.6% to 17.6% for the Democrats in Bangkok for the *party* vote.*BP*: BP has posted  about the accuracy of Thai polls and the problem of using a single poll    hence why we have the above refresher which will be included and   updated for future posts on polls. Polls may be poorly worded and not so   reflective of those who will vote on July 3, but they are no data   points and together with other information we can use them to evaluate.

 Suan Dusit have now released a large nationwide poll (PDF)  which surveyed more than 102,994 people in all 375 constituencies  nationwide. The survey is only of who people will case their party vote  for. The survey was conducted June 4-18. No survey data methodology is  available online  and there is only one question.

*Q1. Who will you cast your party vote for?*

 However, the Vote No will not be counted when deciding how to  divide up seats and  if you remove the Vote No and the Undecided  (thus, *assuming* that no party gains more than the other parties) and you get the below chart:

 Then, if you compare last weeks Suan Dusit poll to this one for the  Democrats and Puea Thai (this is with the no vote and undecideds *included*):



Then, if you compare last weeks Suan Dusit poll to this one for the  Democrats and Puea Thai (this is with the no vote and undecideds *excluded*):


*
BP*: BP has a few points as per below:

 1. The poll is good news for Puea Thai and bad for the Democrats. *Puea Thais margin over the Democrats has increased from  5.5% to 17.5%.*  There is no other way to sum up the bad news for the Democrats. Even if  the poll undersamples those in the South, it also undersamples voters  in the North and the Northeast, and oversamples voters in the Central  Region where the Democrats do comparatively better so if anything this  poll is slightly more favorable to the Democrats.

 NOTE: On undersampling, the North is about 19% of Thailands total  population and the Northeast 33% yet 52% of those surveyed are not from  the North and Northeast.

 On the raw numbers including no vote and undecideds, *Puea Thai have gone from 43% to 52% whereas the Democrats have dropped from 37.45% to 34.05%* compared with the previous Suan Dusit poll released May 29.

 The ironic thing about all of this is that the electoral system was  changed to increase the number of party list MPs from 80 to 125 MPs and  this would help the Democrats as they did comparatively better for the  party vote in 2007 and were expected to do the same this time around.  The latest Suan Dusit poll says this is not panning out as planned (for  now) and the change is not helping the Democrats

 2. Puea Thai have surged in Bangkok from 36% to 52% (raw numbers)  whereas the Democrats have dropped from 39% to 34%. If the Democrats  cannot win Bangkok, it is virtually impossible that they can form the  next government. Together, with the other recent polls looking at all 33  constituency seats, the Democrats have a lot of ground to make up.  Hence, this is one reason why they have gone more negative in recent  days against Puea Thai. They can no longer afford to play it safe so  have gone for a high-risk, high-reward strategy.

 3. The beacon of hope for the Democrats is that they are doing  comparatively better in the North  rise from 14.66% to 31.49%   although if BP was to take an educated guess that _one reason_ is that the latest poll is more _reflective_  of regions as a whole given it surveyed all 375 constituencies and was  not just of certain provinces or certain areas within provinces where  support between the Democrats and Puea Thai can vary dramatically. Note:  the same goes for the Democrats doing worse in the Northeast when in  fact the latest poll is probably a more accurate reflection of the  entire Northeast and hence they are not doing that much worse  see how  the vote totals between May 23 and May 29 for Puea Thai and the  Democrats in the North and the Northeast vary so much.

 Essentially, Puea Thai are doing much better than the Democrats because of their lead in Bangkok and the Central Regions.

 4. On the low number of undecideds compared to previous polls, there  is note at the end of the poll stating that if those polled gave the  answer undecided (ผู้ที่ยังไม่ตัดสินใจ), unsure/wavering on who to  vote for (ผู้ที่ลังเลว่าจะเลือกใคร), and those who said they  wouldnt say (ผู้ที่ไม่ยอมบอก), that the person who was surveying  then asked the person surveyed who they were voting for. The note says  this was done to provide a clearer picture.

 In polling parlance, these people are called leaners (amongst other  names). Ideally, the poll would have done two graphs: one including  leaners and one that didnt. This would be useful to see the solid vote  for each of the parties as well as who leaners were intending to vote  for. Of course, by there very nature leaners can be persuaded to  change their vote so the Democrats still have some hope to reverse the  gap

 5. On undecideds, a recent report (PDF) from Credit Suisse First Boston notes on page 4:_Edge to Suan Dusit

 That said, we give the most weight to the Suan Dusit polls. Suan  Dusit has campuses throughout the country and is able to send students  to conduct surveys in remote provinces. Suan Dusits sample sizes are by  far the largest (Figure 8). We suspect that one reason why Suan  Dusit shows much lower levels of undecided voters than NIDA is that  NIDA interviews by phone while Suan Dusit interviews in person._
*BP:* Actually, the whole report is interesting  although disagree with the analysis in parts  that is for a post for  another day  but perhaps people are more trusting to tell students (who  one assumes are in uniform) and who are local compared to someone  telephoning from Bangkok.

 Having said, the latest NIDA poll (post to come!) which usually shows  a much higher number of undecideds than Suan Dusit polls, has  undecideds dropping from around 50% to less than 30% so it is clear that more people are making up their minds.

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : PT: Dem rally is provocative*Published: 20/06/2011 at 04:46 PMOnline news:The Democrat Party's planned mass rally at  Ratchaprasong intersection on Thursday is intended to provoke the  red-shirts come out on the streets, because the prime minister's party  knows it is now the underdog, Pheu Thai deputy leader Plodprasop  Surasawadee said on Monday.

 Mr Plodprasop said that  Pheu Thai would not respond and would make  any move to counter the rally. It would let the people to see for  themselves that the Democrat Party lacks a mature approach, he said.

 The party had discussed this matter with leaders of the red-shirts and decided it  would not do anything to counter the rally.

 However, some "ghosts" of red-shirt victims of the crackdown might turn up at the rally site, he said.

 Asked about Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva's call for Pheu  Thai's Yingluck Shinawatra to tell the red-shirts to stop harassing him,  Mr Plodprasop said the party did not know if the hecklers were genuine  or not.

 If Ms Yingluck fell into his trap by telling the red-shirts to stop,  the Democrat Party would take it for granted that she had admitted they  were genuine red-shirts and submit a petition seeking Pheu Thai's  dissolution, he said.

 Ms Yingluck said earlier today she could not order the people what to  do and what not to do, brushing aside Mr Abhisit's call.  Mr Abhisit  said later that he was disappointed to hear her say so.

 On Pheu Thai de facto leader Thaksin Shinawatra's media interview  that he would returned to Thailand  to attend the wedding of his  daughter Pinthongta this December, Mr Plodprasop said it was normal for a  father to have said that.

 "Nobody can say if he will really return.  All we can say is that  amnesty will be the last thing Pheu Thai will seek.  This may involve  legal procedures," Mr Plodprasop said.

 The Pheu Thai deputy leader claimed the party had received complaints  from abroad that voting ballots issued  to them  were difficult to  read.  The complainants also said the ballots were difficult to mark and  the ink tended to disappear.

 He and other core party members would seek a meeting with the Election  Commission tomorrow to lodge a complaint and ask to see the ballots.

 He remained confident that Pheu Thai would be victorious in the election.

  Ms Yingluck might unveil some important policies at the end of the campaign, Mr Plodprasop added.

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## Mid

> If Ms Yingluck fell into his trap by telling the red-shirts to stop, the Democrat Party would take it for granted that she had admitted they were genuine red-shirts and submit a petition seeking Pheu Thai's dissolution, he said.


Advantage _Poo_  :Smile: 





> Ms Yingluck said earlier today she could not order the  people what to do and what not to do, brushing aside Mr Abhisit's call.  Mr Abhisit said later that he was disappointed to hear her say  so.


Ace ..................

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## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Chartthaipattana lowers its hopes*Published: 20/06/2011 at 02:35 PMOnline news: PoliticsThe Chartthaipattana Party has significantly  lowered its target of between 30 and 35 MPs, admitting it cannot compete  with Pheu Thai's popularity in the Northeast.

 Estimated support had fallen by 5% to 10%, said party leader Chumpol  Silpa-archa, admitting that in Pheu Thai's Isan stronghold only the  party's candidate in Ubon Ratchathani, Tun Chittawet, still had a  good chance to snatch victory.
 Most constituency seats would come from Chartthaipattanas  traditional political base in Suphan Buri and nearby provinces in the  Central Region, he said, but did not give a figure.

 In the party list competition, Mr Chumpol said, it was possible that  only he and chief adviser Sanan Kachornprasart would manage to secure  House seats. For now, his party could not even beat the popularity of  the new Rak Thailand Party led by Chuwit Kamolvisit, he said.

Chartthaipattana planned to work on bolstering its popularity by  holding more frequent  election campaign rallies in Suphan Buri and  Bangkok.

But somethings cannot be changed, Mr Chumpol admitted,  describing the election as one of the toughest political races in his  life.

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## SteveCM

> Advantage Poo


Tsk, tsk Mid.  :No:  _Pou_, if you please....

Actually, on second thoughts, as you were - then I can go on using "Mark" with a clear conscience.

Only fair.

BTW, right on about how she played the balls - good team around her. Bet Mark wishes he had a few.....  :mid:

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## SteveCM

Wouldn't want to be accused of [cough] "disingenuously" not posting a relevant Richard Barrow Tweet..... This from Twitter today:

RichardBarrow   Richard Barrow                                               
    EC to investigate red-shirts' disruption of Abhisit's campaign in Samut Prakan yesterday (TAN) => Surely that's a joke?
1 hour ago


And, for the sake of completeness and transparency, my response to it:

SteveInCM   Steve F                                                [at]              
[at]RichardBarrow Nobody's laughing, Richard - even if it IS all a pantomime.....
1 hour ago

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## Tom Sawyer

BTW, right on about how she played the balls - good team around her. Bet Mark wishes he had a few.....  :mid: [/quote]

Bet he'd settle for two..

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## Norton

> Puea Thai’s margin over the Democrats has increased from 5.5% to 17.5%. There is no other way to sum up the bad news for the Democrats.


Indeed troubling for Dems. A lot of numbers and difficult to analyze without details of each poll but first time we are seeing numbers over 50% (51.6, 53.6) voting for PT. If there is a correlation to number of seats then, PT will get 258 to 268. 

If the number nears 60% by election date the Dems will be lucky to get 150 seats with 50 going to smaller parties. It seems to look more and more like PT does not have to worry about forming a coalition.

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## Bettyboo

No hope for the dems - army to lay a few bombs out over the next ten days then; cancel the elections...

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## Rural Surin

> No hope for the dems - army to lay a few bombs out over the next ten days then; cancel the elections...


A coup is in order.
Get your tickets today.

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## Bettyboo

^ The problem is, they've miscalculated again...

They thought the dems would do enough, along with a few EC bans and cooperative minor parties to wrap things up again. They even thought (are probably still thinking) that they can ban the PT if they need to (several pathetic seeds laid already) via the CC. They were probably prepared to go for a coup if needed, but with the way the numbers are playing, especially in Bangkok - if PT get anything like a decent showing amongst the Bangkok folk then it's very very hard to conduct a 'soft' coup, so that leaves the option of a violent coup against half of Bangkok and more than half of the nation; not sure that'll be easy...

Every one knows that bombs going off now or violence at dem rallies will be all army/PAD/dems ordered and managed, so even that doesn't look like it'll work.

A lot of people are working very hard to make sure the numbers are out day by day (BP for example) and PT are closely monitoring the election stations.

What can the army do; Abhisit/Suthep have really let them down with their awful showing, and it's getting worse day by day.

I'd say they're between a rock and a hard place... I can't see them allowing a PT victory, but how do they stop it now???

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## StrontiumDog

^ Easy, see earlier posts...

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## Bettyboo

^ they are trying, but they're not succeeding...

It really is time for them to make a deal with PT and gracefully depart; Prayuth needs removing by more level headed folks around him...

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## StrontiumDog

^I think they are playing the long game. Abhisit seems to be mentioning the disruption again and again today. Really hyping it up. As I said earlier, it isn't much of a leap to see where this might lead. 

I just don't know if they have the stomach to try it on. Could you imagine the result of a dissolution case against Pheu Thai? I think living in Bangkok may become untenable for starters.

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## Bettyboo

^ yes, that's the point, they've miscalculated; especially with the PT doing so well (dems doing so badly...) in Bangkok.

I think we all see how they'd like it to go, but it's not going that way, so are they willing to go beyond the EC to the CC; that'd bring chaos, massive street demonstrations... What then? A coup? How will that work at this time? We were pointing this out weeks/months (years?) ago... Now, it looks like the time is all but here...

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## Mr Lick

Yingluck could easily wrap up the undecided vote with a cover version of 'Lady in Red'. A huge nationwde hit i suspect.

She was born to be in the pop business and i'm sure she's probably shared a few songs with her famous brother at functions over the years. Maybe if she wins the election she'll sing 'Celebration'. That would be Kool.

On the Dem's side, Abhisit's version of 'In the army now' probably wouldn't go down so well. 

Other options could be a shootout on Soi 1 at high noon. Mind you if Abhisit gets a wee bit upset merely from a few people booing, i wouldn't be expecting an epic performance of Gary Cooper proportions. 



Come on you two, we all love a song!  :Smile:

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## StrontiumDog

Thailand Opposition Party Confident 2 Weeks Before Election | Asia | English

 June 20, 2011

*Thailand Opposition Party Confident 2 Weeks Before Election*

   Ron Corben    
Bangkok                                 

Thailand’s opposition Pheu Thai Party says it is confident of an  electoral victory, with opinion polls giving the party a lead over the  governing Democrat Party less than two weeks before a national  election.  

Of the more than 100,000 voters polled by the Suan  Dusit Rajabhat University, more than 51 percent expressed support for  the Pheu Thai Party.  The ruling Democrat Party of Prime Minister  Abhisit Vejjajiva received about 34 percent support. Analysts say the  survey is an indicator of support for the remaining 375 local  constituent seats.

 At a weekend political rally, Pheu Thai Party leader Yongyuth  Wichaidit is confident the party will gain seats. "I think we are  progressing, very good.  At least both constituency and party lists it  should be 248.  If we have got an absolute majority in the parliament -  this problem will not be serious.  But if we not win an absolute  majority - less than 250 - then we should be bargaining with the middle  or small party," Wichaidit explained.

 The major parties have stepped up campaigning before the July 3rd  election, the first since 2007.  The Pheu Thai Party is led by Yingluck  Shinawatra, younger sister of former ruler Thaksin Shinawatra, who fled  Thailand in 2008 in the face of corruption charges after being deposed  in a coup in 2006.  Thaksin's hopes of a return to Thailand rest on Pheu  Thai winning the July 3 polls.

During the weekend in central Bangkok 5,000 Pheu Thai supporters dressed in the familiar red shirts rallied.

Popular activist Natawut Saikua criticized the government's policies.

Natawut,  a candidate and a leader of the  United Democratic Front Against  Dictatorship (UDD), or red shirts, is confident the party will secure an  overall majority in the 500-seat parliament. "Yes, I think we can have  more than 250; yes," he said.

The Democrat Party says the vote  will be closer than the polls indicate.  All major candidates supported  by the Democrat and Pheu Thai parties are pushing hard on populist  policies to secure victory at the polls.

The Democrat Party's  programs include income guarantee programs for rice farmers, free  education for children, and a modest pension program for the elderly.

The  Pheu Thai Party promises to double the minimum wage, sharply raise rice  prices for farmers, provide tablet computers for school children,  create a $3-billion program for villages, and a debt moratorium for low  income earners.

But leader of the Rak Thai (Love Thai) Party,  Chuwit Kamolvisit, a former massage parlor owner turned politician, says  populist policies may create problems for Thai society in the long run.

"The  point is they use the political (policy) before the economic.  All Thai  politicians try to offer populism, which means that it is an addict  [addiction].  Once you have used this to the Thai society to the poor  people they get everything for free," Kamolvisit stated.

Chuwit  says such policies may undermine people's capacity of self reliance.   Economists and business leaders also fear the impact of higher wages on  employment, with sharply higher government rice prices undermining  Thailand's global position as the leading rice exporting nation.

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## StrontiumDog

*Thaksin faces long journey home

BURNING ISSUE* 

*Thaksin faces long journey home*

                            By Avudh Panananda
The Nation
                                             Published on June 21, 2011                

*The Bangkok-Dubai flight takes about six hours - but  ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra might need at least a year to  complete his homecoming journey, provided everything goes according to  Pheu Thai's plan.*

                                                            For the past few weeks, Thaksin has revealed his desire  to attend his elder daughter's wedding in December. Even if Pheu Thai  wins a landslide victory in the July 3 vote, it will not be able to  perform miracles to bring him in from the cold by the year's end.

 As a Thai citizen, Thaksin is free to return to his homeland. Instead  he has chosen to exile himself and live as a fugitive in Dubai to evade  his two-year jail term after his conviction for conflict of interest in  2008.

 Under relevant laws, the shortest route for Thaksin to overcome his  legal wrangling is to start serving his punishment to pave the way for a  royal pardon.

 Should he decide to end his life on the run and go to jail, legal  precedents have shown that pardon could be granted in a mere month or  two. If he activates his pardon process soon after the inauguration of  the Pheu Thai-led government, he could win his freedom with plenty of  time to spare before his daughter's wedding.

 He has refused, however, to seek a pardon. Under two successive  governments, those of Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawt, he could  have served his imprisonment sentence but didn't.

 Judging from his remarks, he cannot accept what he sees as injustice  inflicted by the 2006 coup. He perceives himself as a victim deprived of  due process.

 Since he views his conviction and sentencing as unjust, it is  inconceivable for him to show remorse for a crime he believes did not  commit. He appears unwilling to comply with a mandatory first step in  seeking a pardon - to repent for his graft violations.

 An option still left open and unexplored is to whitewash himself via amnesty.

 A cascade of events since 2005 have compounded the social divisions  in Thailand and the public is being misled into believing there could be  a blanket amnesty applicable to all key players, including Thaksin.

 Incidents and circumstances must be sorted out before a legal remedy  can be concocted for each specific case. Thaksin's predicament goes  beyond the problems faced by others.

 An act of Parliament or an executive decree sanctioned by Parliament  might suffice to end all court battles in connection with street  protests led by the red and yellow shirts.

 To rescue Thaksin, his amnesty must touch on the amending of Article  309 of the Constitution. This charter provision sanctions actions and  measures undertaken by the coup leaders, such as the formation of the  Assets Examination Committee, the agency in charge of prosecuting  Thaksin.

 Legal pundits in the pro- and anti-Thaksin camps have agreed that in  the Thaksin case, Article 309 should be rewritten to negate the  prosecution mandate as grounds for the wrongful seizure of power.

 The unanswered question is how to amend the country's highest law  without appearing to benefit just one man. Furthermore, the best legal  minds in the pro-Thaksin camp have yet to form a consensus on the extent  to which Article 309 must be rewritten before Pheu Thai could start  pushing for amnesty.

 Once Pheu Thai has a firm idea about the shape and form of amnesty  designed for Thaksin, House and Senate deliberations will take no less  than five months. Then the Constitution Court would have to rule on its  constitutionality. Thaksin would be lucky if he could return by next  year.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*July 3 election seems to be very much a family affair
*
*July 3 election seems to be very much a family affair*

                            By Kornchanok Raksaseri
The Nation
                                             Published on June 21, 2011                

*Though a lot of new candidates in the July 3  election have familiar surnames, they still have to depend very much on  themselves to win the hearts of voters.*

                                                            "Obviously, a father must help his daughter, but voters  won't accept her if she doesn't prove herself," said Boontida Somchai,  who is running under the Democrat banner in Ubon Ratchathani's  Constituency 8 in place of her father Issara, who is a party-list  candidate. 

 In Ang Thong, Korrawee Prissananantakul, son of Chart Thai Pattana  Party's adviser Somsak, is running for Constituency 2 in place of his  younger brother Pakin, who quit politics to further his studies. His  older brother Paradorn is running in the province's Constituency 1.

 "An MP position cannot be inherited, and it depends very much on the  voters as to who becomes an MP," he said, adding that he wanted to  contest an election a long time ago, but was not the member of a  political party as required by law.

 Korrawee started visiting constituents after Somsak was disqualified due to the dissolution of Chart Thai Party in 2008. 

 In comparison though, Pheu Thai's Wan Yoobamrung - who is running for  a seat in Bangkok's Constituency 28 against Democrat Samart Muangsiri -  is confident his father's popularity will help him win votes. "The  Election Commission has designated me a constituency in Bang Bon and  Nong Khaem, where most of the voters are supporters of my father and the  Yoobamrung family," he said. 

Wan's assistant added yesterday that the politician was maintaining his main strategy of "meeting as many people as possible".

 Meanwhile, Surachart Thienthong, son of veteran politician Snoh, is  trying his best to win votes in Bangkok's Don Muang Constituency 11  under the Pheu Thai Party.

 Nutt Bantadtan, son of Democrat adviser Banyat, is wooing voters in  Bangkok's Constituency 15, while Akanat Promphan, stepson of the party's  secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban, is running in the capital's  Constituency 29.

 Jirawat Siripanich, son of veteran politician Prayut, is contesting  under the Pheu Thai banner in Maha Sarakham's Constituency 4. Democrat's  Kriangkrai Tharapoom, son of the late Democrat MP Nipon, is running in  Lop Buri, while Sucheen Engchuan is trying his luck at his father's  stronghold of Krabi.

 Peeradej Siriwansant, Chart Thai Pattana's MP candidate for Nakhon  Sawan's Constituency 4, who was first elected as MP in 2007, does not  believe that being the son of an established politician is that big a  deal. 

 "My father had achieved a lot as an MP and minister. The older  generation might remember his work, but now that I am an MP myself,  people want me to prove myself," he said referring to his father  Dhiravat, who won the MP seat four times. 

 Many children or relatives of politicians seem to be running as  party-list candidates, especially in the case of the Pheu Thai Party,  but none seem to be doing anything too outstanding. Instead, many are  actually just trying to inherit their parents' MP status, counting on  the fact their chance of winning votes depends very much on the party's  popularity. 

 The July 3 election might be a good chance for newcomers, but if they  are really serious about making a mark in politics, they have to work  really hard to prove that they are not just representing veteran  politicians or trying to cash in on their parents' popularity.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Yingluck denies seeking meeting with Prem
*
*Yingluck denies seeking meeting with Prem*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 21, 2011                

*Pheu Thai candidate Yingluck Shinawatra has denied  speculation about her request to meet chief royal adviser General Prem  Tinsulanonda, blaming reporters for posing a leading question.*

                                                            "I didn't seek the meeting although I would welcome an opportunity to seek advice from Prem," she clarified yesterday.

 Yingluck said if elected to lead the next government, she would  solicit the guidance and support of senior figures, including Prem.

 In earlier remarks, she also said she wanted to meet the military leaders in a bid to bring about reconciliation.

 Reacting to Yingluck's remarks, Chart Thai Pattana adviser Sanan  Kachornprasart said he viewed it as a good thing if the Yingluck-Prem  meeting happened.

 Sanan said Yingluck could act on former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's behalf and that he saw talks as a way to mend fence.

 He said he would today unveil his planned steps for fostering reconciliation.

 Yingluck celebrates her 44th birthday today. She plans to give alms  in the morning to Buddhist monks at her Bangkok residence before  resuming her afternoon campaign activities in Nakhon Pathom.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Avoid Ratchaprasong, reds told
*
*Avoid Ratchaprasong, reds told*

                            By Somroutai Sapsomboon,
Pravit Rojanaphruk,
Thanatpong Khongsai
The Nation
                                             Published on June 21, 2011                



*Bid to avoid confrontation when Democrats rally on  Thursday; Abhisit says his party wants to inform public about last  year's bloody events*

                                                            Red-shirt leaders yesterday urged their followers not  to be present at the Ratchaprasong intersection on Thursday, while the  ruling Democrat Party insisted it would take the stage there to express  its views on the bloody incidents involving the military crackdown in  May last year.  

Thida Thavornset, chairwoman of the Democratic Alliance Against  Dictatorship (DAAD), told The Nation that the red shirts would not be  present at Ratchaprasong on that day and would let the Democrat Party do  whatever it wanted. 

"I really don't understand why the Democrats have to do this; it  is not the way politicians in a democratic society should behave," she  said. 

Thida will hold a news conference tomorrow to make clear the DAAD's position on the matter. 

Some red-shirt groups, however, will gather tomorrow at the  Eravan Hindu shrine on Ratchaprasong Road to worship the Hindu god,  cursing those who killed protesters and set fire to the capital last  year. 

"The Wednesday gathering is not an official presence of the DAAD  but some of them might want to express their feelings about being  insulted by the Democrats," Thida said. 

Kokaew Pikulthong, a red-shirt leader and Pheu Thai Party  candidate, said none of the red shirts should be at Ratchaprasong on the  day the Democrats rally there. 

The red shirts don't need to do anything in reaction to the  Democrat move, he said. "Let the public judge the Democrats' action on  election day." 

The idea of holding an election campaign at Ratchaprasong where a  military crackdown killed many people could be regarded as a  humiliation of the dead people, he said. 

"If the party performed a ceremony to ask for forgiveness from  the dead, their relatives would have no problem. But I think the  Democrats would not care about them, the party would simply do anything  to win the election," he said. 

However, an unspecified num-ber of left-wing red shirts plan to  dress themselves as ghosts to attend the Democrat Party rally at  Ratchaprasong Intersection on Thursday.  

Red-shirt member Jitra Kotchadej told The Nation there were  concerns that something untoward may happen, although the Prakai Fai  Group, who will dress themselves as ghosts, insisted it would be  peaceful. 

Jitra supported the idea because "many of those killed may have  wanted to listen to what Abhisit had to say today if they were alive,  but they had no chance" because they were killed around the area. 

Democrat leader and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said his  party had the right to perform political activities at Ratchaprasong to  express its version of the bloody incidents. 

"Many groups have the basic right to express their beliefs, so why can't the Democrats do the same?" he said. 

Political observers said the Democrats wanted to take the stage  at Ratchaprasong to influence public opinion about the bloody incident  and to win over voters in the capital who disagreed with the red shirts.  The move would likely fuel conflict with the red shirts, they said. 

Abhisit said he did not expect to gain massive votes from the  rally at Ratchaprasong. "It is just a normal campaign to tell the pubic  that everybody can use the location for any activities. Ratchaprasong  belongs to all Thai people and nobody has special privilege to  monopolise the area," he said. 

Abhisit will take the stage with Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban, according to party member Ong-art Klampaiboon.  

Former prime minister Chuan Leekpai, the Democrat chief adviser,  will also take the stage at Ratchaprasong to help Abhisit and Suthep  highlight the links between ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the  red shirts, a party source said. 

Suthep will highlight the role of the red shirts in the arson attack on CentralWorld, the source said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Shun violence, say business sector, media
*
*Shun violence, say business sector, media*

                            By Siriporn Chanjindamanee
The Nation
                                             Published on June 21, 2011                


*Five business organisations and two media  associations yesterday called on all parties to desist from violence  after the election and work towards reconciliation.*

With the July 3 election less than two weeks away and  politicians running intense campaigns, concerns have been raised about  the possibility of violence after the election. 

They issued a  joint statement calling for a commitment by politicians to respect the  election results and prevent any more violence in society. Ambassadors  and envoys from many countries joined the press conference titled  "Approaching Reconciliation by Overcoming Violence." 

The five  business organisations were: the Federation of Thai Capital Market  Organisations, the Thai Bankers' Association, the Thai Chamber of  Commerce, the Federation of Thai Industries, Tourism Council of  Thailand, while the two media organisations were Thai Journalist  Association and Thai Broadcast Journalists Association.

Charamporn  Jotikasthira, president of the Stock Exchange of Thailand, a  representative from the Thai Capital Market Organisations, said that  political division had played a large part in eroding investor  confidence in the Thai stock market. He said that in one month during  the strife-torn month of May last year, foreign investors' net-sell of  Thai shares was valued at Bt60 billion. He warned if this continued,  investors would shift their investments to other markets.

"The  violence last year killed the Thai capital market's immunity. We must  come out to fight against possible violence. If all parties want to  recreate confidence and proceed with reconciliation, there must be no  more violence," he said.

Foreign investors have shown signs of a  loss of confidence, as in the past three weeks their net sales topped  Bt20 billion. Some brokerage houses also underweighted Thai stocks on  political concerns. 

"New violence could cause even more damage if  we take into account that foreign investors' net sell in the Thai  bourse within one month last year was Bt60 billion," he said. 

He  said opinion surveys pointed to a high likelihood of post-election  violence. This is a grave cause for concern as political tension in the  past 5-6 years have caused huge damage to the economy and investor  confidence, which have affected people from all walks of life. He said  that though political parties have vowed to bring about reconciliation,  there is no concrete proposal yet.

"Businesses have been worried.  There are attempts to call for justice for some groups. We are following  the situation closely and find that as it gets closer to the election,  the more worrisome the situation is becoming," said Tawachai  Yongkittikul, secretary-general of Thai Bankers' Association.

  "The media are doing their duty as a watchdog, and warning of possible  violence after the election," president of the Thai Broadcast  Journalists Association, Visoot Komwachara-pong, said. "We don't want to  see journalists taking risks on a battlefield. We don't want to see  journalists from around the world covering the fight among Thais." 

Visoot said the group would talk to more agencies that understand and agree that we need to join hands to solve the problems. 

Kriangkrai  Teeranokul, deputy secretary-general of the Federation of Thai  Industries, said, "Unless we can overcome violence, foreign investors  will overlook our country and choose to invest somewhere else." 

Piyaman  Techapaiboon, chairman of the Tourist Council of Thailand, said  Thailand's tourism industry has very high potential. It can expect up to  Bt1 trillion income from tourists. However, political turmoil might hit  it hard as in the past. 

"Even one line in a news report can  affect tourism. I am begging all parties to help avoid violence so that  Thailand can be the same, bring back the smiles," Piyaman said. 

"Unless  you take action, you'll have to take the blame as you have volunteered  to solve the country's problems," chairman of the Thai Chamber of  Commerce Dusit Nontanakorn said in his appeal to politicians. 

The  organisations jointly released a statement amid expectations of  post-election violence. In the statement, the seven organisations came  up with three proposals:

1 All political parties as well as  political groups must accept the election result, and avoid taking any  action that could lead to violence. 

2 All political parties must  be committed to engage in the process of reducing violence and bring  about reconciliation. It must be a public agreement that the process is  an urgent item on the agenda. 

3 The process of reconciliation  must be guided by an independent organisation that is not part of the  conflict, through proper and fair means. 

The Pheu Thai Party  yesterday issued a statement in response thanking the group for their  comments. The party said it agreed with all the points and viewed them  as constructive. It said the proposals were also in line with the  party's stance and policy to move on from disputes and bring peace to  Thailand through reconciliation. 

It also affirmed that if it  formed the next government, it would follow the guidelines and aim to  create reconciliation in Thailand soon.

----------


## Gerbil

> 



This planking craze is really getting out of hand.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Feeling 'bruised all over'
*
*Feeling 'bruised all over'*
Published: 21/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 With the election less than two weeks away and  several polls suggesting Pheu Thai has a clear lead, many might imagine  Prime Minister and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva would be  feeling the pressure.

 However, in an interview with the Bangkok Post, the PM showed his  dry, English-style sense of humour remains intact even in the midst of a  gruelling election campaign.

*What is it like on the campaign trail?*

 I am bruised all over. My hands have gone tender. I even have men  giving me a friendly peck on the cheek. I have had four men doing so  actually.

*Today is Yingluck's birthday, would you like to say something to her?*

 [Long pause] Happy birthday.

*You look considerably more tanned after the electioneering  started. Have you been using the high-end, La Mer skin products as  rumoured?*

 I don't use it regularly. Sometimes, it's used on me when I need make-up or go on TV. Some people also send it to me.

*Nobody from the Democrat Party is eating the red watermelon. Why? [Red and yellow watermelon was served at the interview].*

 I can't resist taeng mo [the Thai word for watermelon, also the  nickname of Mr Abhisit's wife, Dr Pimpen] but I am not afraid of the  red.

*Candidates in the race seem to be trying to outdo each other  with unusual activities during the campaign. Have you thought about  responding to Chuwit [Kamolvisit] upping the ante with his planking  pose?*

 I actually thought about it, especially on the day I was campaigning  in Prachin Buri [last Friday]. It was so hot that I thought it would be  nice if I could lie down right there [on the open-top campaign bus], but  I was afraid I might fall down.

 I even thought I could still make a "number 10" sign with my hands  during the planking pose [the Democrat Party is No.10 on the ballot  paper]. Planking only asks that your arms are level with the body, but  not your hands, right?

*How many marks out of 10 would you give yourself as prime minister?*

 I won't. Besides, I won't talk about any number that is above 10 right now.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Majority vital, says PM
*
*Majority vital, says PM*

*Democrats need to rule 'without limitations'* 
Published: 21/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva admits his  first term in office ''faced tight limitations'', but with a majority of  250 plus seats from the election the Democrats would be unencumbered in  enforcing their entire range of policies.

 
_Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva smiles during his visit to the  office of the Bangkok Post for a special interview. KOSOL NAKACHOL_

 Mr Abhisit appealed to voters to give the Democrat Party a mandate to form a majority government.

 If they do, he assured they will get everything the party has promised them.

 Mr Abhisit said in a special interview with the Bangkok Post it will  be in the Thais' best interest to vote for the Democrats in the general  election and give it the 250 House seats the party needs to form a  majority government.

 ''I will make a lot of changes and the people will get what they want from the Abhisit government,'' Mr Abhisit said.

  He said his administration in its first term had to work within tight limitations.

 During the past two years, the government had faced constraints as a  result of the economic crisis and had to spend the two years addressing  economic disparities and social inequalities before the situation had  eased, he said.

 Mr Abhisit said political factors _ including the riots over the past  two years _ had also constrained the government from working  efficiently.

 The party needed an overwhelming majority so it could work more efficiently, he said.

 Mr Abhisit admitted that opinion polls appeared to be in favour of  Pheu Thai. ''Things appear to be moving in that direction,'' he said.

 A Suan Dusit poll last week showed the Democrat Party's popularity  ratings were trailing behind the Pheu Thai Party in all regions and even  in Bangkok except in the South, the Democrats' stronghold.

 However, Mr Abhisit called into question the figures by the Suan  Dusit poll that indicated Pheu Thai were ahead of the Democrats by 51%  to 34%.

 He said a poll conducted by the Democrat Party showed the party was behind by no more than 20 seats.

 The figures released by various poll agencies remained ''volatile'',  Mr Abhisit said. He said Bangkok voters are still hard to predict and  they are assessing the situation during the remaining 13 days ahead of  the election before making their final decision as to who they will vote  for. The actual figures on July 3 will be the most decisive, Mr Abhisit  said.

 Mr Abhisit also urged Yingluck Shinawatra, Pheu Thai's top party list  candidate, to stop the red shirt supporters from disrupting other  parties' election campaigning.

 ''Today I got an answer from Ms Yingluck that she cannot order the  red shirts, which is worrying. If Pheu Thai becomes the government, will  it allow the red shirts to determine its direction?'' Mr Abhisit said.

 Mr Abhisit said Pheu Thai, the red shirts, Ms Yingluck and former  prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra cannot be separated, but now it is  obvious that the red shirts are such a dominant force that Ms Yingluck  cannot give them orders.

 Mr Abhisit said Thais will prove that they will not give in to threats.

 ''If the 46 billion baht is given back to Thaksin [if Pheu Thai becomes the government] and all the problems come to an  end, so be it. But I believe things won't actually end up that way,''  Mr Abhisit said. ''Things may end in Part [One], but there could be more sequels in the future.''

 However, if the Democrat Party is in opposition after the election,  it will continue to oppose a move to grant amnesty to Thaksin, Mr  Abhisit said, adding that the party's approach to the issue will be  through parliament, not street protests.

 Mr Abhisit said if the Democrat Party returns to power as the  government, he would ask all the independent committees set up by his  government to continue with their work. The committees include the Truth  for Reconciliation Commission headed by Kanit na Nakorn, the National  Reform Committee chaired by former prime minister Anand Panyarachun and  the National Reform Assembly headed by social critic Prawase Wasi.

 These panels have come up with key proposals, including reforming the  power structure in Thai society, which is a significant issue, Mr  Abhisit said.

 He also said if he is voted into office for a second term, he will  continue with measures to solve the economic problems and tackle drug  trafficking problems.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : Rallying at Ratchaprasong

EDITORIAL

*Rallying at Ratchaprasong* 
Published: 21/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 It is either clever or insidious to hold a big  election rally at Ratchaprasong intersection in Bangkok. Which means  there are possible benefits but also likely drawbacks to the Democrat  Party's decision to stage its first-ever rally that will block city  streets, on Thursday.



 Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who will of course be the main  speaker, said he will lay out the party's plan for national  reconciliation at the dramatic location.

 The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship sees the rally as  a provocation, a cheap political trick to try to rouse sentiment  against the red shirts for last year's deadly street violence.

 It is inevitable that in a political context, even the very name of  Ratchaprasong drags up mostly unpleasant thoughts. In 2006, it was the  centre of several marches by the yellow shirts of the People's Alliance  for Democracy. But it was last year that is mostly remembered, when the  Ratchaprasong area was simply occupied and shut down by the red shirts.

 The economic damage of the April-May 2010 shutdown of Ratchaprasong  business was staggering. But even that cost was dwarfed by the terrible  killings that accompanied the government's decision to clear the UDD  demonstrations.

 Nearly a hundred people died, most of them civilians. Plush shopping  malls were burnt, most notably the prominent CentralWorld. The rebuilt  store will form the main background prop for Mr Abhisit when he speaks  at the rally on Thursday.

 There is little doubt that Mr Abhisit wants to have his campaign cake  and eat it too. He and other prominent Democrats have hit hard at why  voters should not reward the red shirts, as personified by the Pheu Thai  Party. The message is clear: Don't vote for those who burned the city.  But the prime minister also has carried his message of reconciliation.  No doubt the country will be listening on Thursday to see just what tone  he takes.

 One of the main and valid criticisms of Mr Abhisit's approach to  national reconciliation is that he has expressed no regret or apology  for the deaths of scores of red shirts last year. That in turn has  caused some bitterness among UDD supporters, who claim there has been no  justice for the killings.

 There seems little reason for optimism. Deputy Prime Minister Suthep  Thaugsuban has vowed to take the stage on Thursday and "tell the truth  about what really happened" to spark last year's violence.

 Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit has complained that using  Ratchaprasong as the venue of a campaign rally is "inappropriate".

 One hopes, then, for a surprise on Thursday. Perhaps the prime  minister can detail some new, start-from-scratch approach to  reconciliation. So far, nothing has worked. Mr Abhisit and others have  given little if any support to the "truth and justice" committees set up  by the government.

 Trying red shirt activists as terrorists is embarrassing - and in any  case no trials have taken place. The stonewalling by security forces on  giving information about the killings is a direct slap to the  government and justice.

 The Democrats on Thursday will be the third important group to use  Ratchaprasong for political reasons. For that reason alone, it is  necessary that they come up with important new policies.

 If Mr Abhisit and his fellow politicians merely use the rally to  attack Pheu Thai through the red shirts, it would be a major opportunity  wasted.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
>  
> This planking craze is really getting out of hand.


Says who?

Did you have a husband, brother, son killed by the military? To denigrate those who have is truly despicable. 

Have you read anything other than The Nation and Post. 

A typical _disengaged_ ivory tower comment....heavy emphasis in 'disengaged' but still spouting off.

If one cannot say anything meaningful or *original*, don't say anything at all.

I hold those who minimize these military killings of unarmed, good people only wanting to be respected politically, in utter contempt.

----------


## Buksida

> Did you have a husband, brother, son killed by the military? To denigrate those who have is truly despicable.


I had a friend killed by cops in the WOD, shot in the head. Another friend's brother was found dead with his hands tied behind his back, this is in Chiang Rai, he was hill tribe and outspoken about injustices.

The army is brutal no doubt, but the coppers score much higher on the body count. Funny how their injustices get scant attention from the reds. Is it because their boss is an ex-cop?

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> 
>  
> Did you have a husband, brother, son killed by the military? To denigrate those who have is truly despicable. 
> 
> 
> I had a friend killed by cops in the WOD, shot in the head. Another friend's brother was found dead with his hands tied behind his back, this is in Chiang Rai, he was hill tribe and outspoken about injustices.
> 
> The army is brutal no doubt, but the coppers score much higher on the body count. Funny how their injustices get scant attention from the reds. Is it because their boss is an ex-cop?


Wow, you are fixated on Thaksin, aren't you Buksida.

Do you have any other train of thought, or is that the only one?

I cannot recall one solitary post of yours without referencing Thaksin.

Have their been any?

There is a thread created especially for and by Thaksin haters, so that they have a comfy home to go to.

Have you seen it? 
"*Action urged on Thaksin-related cases*"

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## Butterfly

> The army is brutal no doubt, but the coppers score much higher on the body count. Funny how their injustices get scant attention from the reds. Is it because their boss is an ex-cop?


no, it's because Calgary and friends are little nazi wannabees and will support anyone with their fascist agenda

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Prayuth: Nothing to say to Thaksin
*
*Prayuth: Nothing to say to Thaksin*

                                                            Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha on Tuesday ruled out talks with ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, saying the military had no mandate to rescue him from his legal issues.

"There is nothing to clear between the military and Thaksin," he said in reference to Thaksin's offer for talks.

Prayuth said if Thaksin wanted to return to his homeland, he could do so by facing up to his conviction and imprisonment.

The Nation

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world.....*


Nida Poll shows Puea Thai maintains lead | Asian Correspondent*

_By Bangkok Pundit 
Jun 21, 2011_

In the lead-up to the July 3 election, BP has blogged on a number of polls as follows (from oldest to newest):The E-san poll, as blogged about here and here, which surveyed all 20 provinces in the Northeast which looked at who those surveyed would cast their *party* vote for (Puea Thai 63.9%, Democrats, 20.7%, and Bhum Jai Thai, 9.1%),Nationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their *constituency* vote for (Puea Thai 23%, Democrats 20%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%, undecided 53%),Nationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their *party*  vote for (Puea Thai 41%, Democrats 37%, Bhum Jai Thai 4% OR if you  remove the undecideds and those who will vote no you get Puea Thai 45%,  Democrats 41%, Bhum Jai Thai 4%),Bangkok-only DPU poll which showed that Puea Thai would win 19 *constituencies*, Democrats 5 and the rest were too close to call, andNationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their *party*  vote for (Puea Thai 43%, Democrats 37%, Bhum Jai Thai 3% OR if you  remove the undecideds and those who will vote no you get Puea Thai 47%,  Democrats 41%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%),Poll of the Lower North showing how people would cast their *party* vote for (Puea Thai 23.2%, Democrats 22.2%, 4.5% for other parties, and 50.1% were undecided),Nationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their *constituency* vote for (Puea Thai 22%, Democrats 13%, undecided 64%) and *party* vote (Puea Thai 23%, Democrats 13%, undecided 64%),Nationwide Bangkok-only DPU Poll which shows that Puea Thai is leading in the *constituency* vote 47% to Dems 40% and *party* vote 47% to Dems 39%,a Bangkok University poll that showed that Puea Thai is leading 33.6% to 17.6% for the Democrats in Bangkok for the *party* vote, andNationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their *party* vote for (Puea Thai 52%, Democrats 34%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%)*BP*: BP has posted  about the accuracy of Thai polls and the problem of using a single poll   – hence why we have the above refresher which will be included and   updated for future posts on polls. Polls may be poorly worded and not so   reflective of those who will vote on July 3, but they are no data   points and together with other information we can use them to evaluate.

 There is a new nationwide NIDA poll  looking at who people will cast their constituency and party votes for.  The poll surveyed 1.247 people on June 13, 2011 – it was not put up on  the NIDA website until Monday (ok, it could have been put up late  Sunday, but wasn’t there Saturday). It is NIDA poll No. 5. NIDA Poll No.  4 BP missed (NIDA seem to be delaying putting up their polls as poll  No. 4 was only upload June 15) , but is here.

*Q1. Below is the breakdown for the question asking people how they would cast their constituency vote*:


*
BP*: Below are the raw figures, but this poll unusually includes those _won’t vote_ and _won’t say_  (which also includes unsure whether they will vote – so one can say  they are the ‘unlikely’ voters) when providing the party breakdown so BP  has created the below chart with those figures excluded and then done a  direct comparison with the previous NIDA poll that BP blogged on:


*
BP*: Some comments

 1.1 Undecideds are down significantly and have almost halved. It is  clear from this poll and others that many people are making up their  mind. The poll puts Bhum Jai Thai on the board, but still far  behind. The Democrats are up by 8, but Puea Thai are up by 13.

 1.2 Puea Thai’s lead in the North and Northeast is not so surprising,  the same with the Democrat’s lead in the South. It is the Central  Region and Bangkok which is the reason for Puea Thai’s lead. The  Democrats should be leading in both, but this is where the undecideds  are still high which seems to be voters who voted for Democrats at the  last election. If Puea Thai is doing this well compared with the  Democrats in both then they could get more than 240 and get close to an  actual majority.

*Q2. Below is the breakdown for the question asking people how they would cast their party vote*



Then excluding those won’t say or won’t vote/unlikely to vote compared with the June 6 poll:


*
BP*:
 2.1. In the Central region, for the constituency vote Puea Thai is  leading the Democrats by 4, but for the  party vote they are leading by  more than 11.

 2.2. Everything else is fairly self-explanatory although those in the North have mostly decided.

 2.3. Remember when the Democrats were confident that they would win a  majority of the party vote and Korbsak wanted to make this mean they  should have the chance to first form a government. To show you how far  the Democrats are behind, let’s say for around the one-third of voters  who are undecided that the Democrats win two-thirds of these and Puea  Thai only one-third. This would mean the Democrats get around 44.5% to  Puea Thai’s 47%. This would be even worse the position of the 2007  general election for the Democrats, but to even get close to that they  need convince two out of every three voters to vote Democrats to Puea  Thai’s one. Of course, this is possible, but then remember that Puea  Thai increased their lead with

 One final chart:


*
BP*: So this doesn’t include the leaners that the Suan Dusit poll includes.

 The poll includes detailed survey data methodology, but ran out of  time to blog it. As per NIDA polls, it seems fairly reflective.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : PM: Yingluck should show clear stance
*
*PM: Yingluck should show clear stance*

Published: 21/06/2011 at 11:05 AMOnline news: Local News
 Prime Minister and Democrat leader Abhisit  Vejjajiva on Tuesday called on Yingluck Shinawatra, top list candidate  of the Pheu Thai Party, to show her clear stance whether or not she  support the red-shirt people group.

 Mr Abhisit was responding to Ms Yingluck’s remark that she could not  control the red-shirt supporters of the United front for Democracy  against Dictatorship (UDD) to stop obstructing the Democrats’ election  campaigns.

 “Ms Yingluck should show to the public whether she supports such actions by the red-shirts,” he said.

 The Democrat leader insisted that he is ready to talk to relatives of  the six red-shirt protesters shot dead in Wat Pathumwanaram last May  who would attend the planned major campaign for votes by the ruling  party at Ratchaprasong intersection on Thursday, June 23.

 Mr Abhisit is now campaigning in Narathiwat and also plans to later campaign in Yala and Patani.

----------


## Mid

> Prime Minister and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva on Tuesday called on Yingluck Shinawatra, top list candidate of the Pheu Thai Party, to show her clear stance whether or not she support the red-shirt people group.


Glass houses Abby , how's ya foreign minister these days  :mid:

----------


## StrontiumDog

^^ He's really keeping on about this Yingluck-red shirt link.....in preparation for the rally I presume, where they are saying they will reveal information. 

This grabbed my attention;

"The Democrat leader insisted that he is ready to talk to relatives of   the six red-shirt protesters shot dead in Wat Pathumwanaram last May   who would attend the planned major campaign for votes by the ruling   party at Ratchaprasong intersection on Thursday, June 23."

Interesting move. 

I am surprised the relatives of the dead are going to attend this.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Police Ready for Democrat Speech Downtown 

UPDATE : 21 June 2011                     *

City police says it's prepared for the Democrat Party's poll speech scheduled for Thursday at Ratprasong intersection. 

Senior Police Advisor, Police General Ponsapat Pongcharoen stated that  the Metropolitan Police Bureau has been instructed to formulate security  measures for the Democrat Party's speech it's planning to give downtown  on June 23.

Security will cover a number of details such as the location for the  stage, traffic management, checkpoint installation, and even a talk with  the red-shirt group. 
*

Meanwhile, the senior advisor added that police will coordinate with the  Election Commission to deal with voters who will attend the advance  poll on June 26. 

He said police will help in various matters such as voters who show up  late, a traffic plan, security measures for people's valuables, and  unused ballot protection. 

The police general expects Bangkok's Bangkapi District and Chonburi's Banglamung will likely see a high turnout. 

More than 60 percent of ballots have been sent out to poll stations nationwide. 

Six million ballots in Bangkok have been sent and 65 million tickets in  the provinces have been distributed, while 39 million ballots are still  to be transported this week. 

Police Spokesperson, Police Major General Prawut Tawonsiri disclosed  that security officers will keep a close watch on risky constituencies  across the nation, as there could be some intensified violence against  political party canvassers ahead of the poll. 

He added that MP candidates have called for special protection from  police officers, and some 370 policemen have been deployed to protect  the candidates.

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world.....*


Are the Thai third parties in trouble? | Asian Correspondent*

_By Bangkok Pundit 
Jun 21, 2011_

In a previous post which partly critique the view of  _The Nation_s  Avudh who stated that the  small parties, notably Chart Thai Pattana,  Chart Pattana Puea Pandin and Bhum Jai Thai would win 45 of the 125  party vote. In response, BP wrote:_BPs complaint is the undervaluing of the two major parties. As  we saw with the 2007 General Election and we are seeing with all polls  now, it is the two major parties who are dominating the party vote yet  Avudh views they will win only 80 out of the 125 party list seats and  the smaller parties will win 45 seats. Really? This means those parties  will need to poll around 35% of the party vote together. That aint  happening.

 Now, for constituencies the medium-sized parties of Chart Thai  Pattana, Chart Pattana Puea Pandin and Bhum Jai Thai will do well in  certain provinces, but there is no indication that people will cast  their party vote for them in large numbers. BP views the smaller and medium-sized parties will win 20-25 seats.
_In addition, in this post,  BP predicted that the smaller parties would win only 90 seats between  them with the remaining 410 being won by Puea Thai and the Democrats  with Chat Thai Pattana winning 25-30 seats. Now, the _Bangkok Post_ has Chat Thai Pattana lowering their estimates:_The Chartthaipattana Party has significantly lowered its target of between 30 and 35 MPs, admitting it cannot compete with Pheu Thais popularity in the Northeast.

 Estimated support had fallen by 5% to 10%, said party leader Chumpol  Silpa-archa, admitting that in Pheu Thais Isan stronghold only the  partys candidate in Ubon Ratchathani, Tun Chittawet, still had a good  chance to snatch victory.

 Most constituency seats would come from Chartthaipattanas  traditional political base in Suphan Buri and nearby provinces in the  Central Region, he said, but did not give a figure._
_Post Today_s article in Thai has some direct quotes and those direct quotes make it easier to understand:[i]From the situation that has occurred, the party has had  to lower the goals of MPs by 5-10% especially for the party vote because  now we are even losing to Chuwit.In the current situation, if we get  30 seats from both [constituency and party list] systems then that would  be fortunate. _ dont know where the trend/momentum comes from. It is  strange. For Srisaket, [we] had high goals, but [now] we have the right  to be concerned. Surin is concerning. In the Northeast, there is only  candidate in Ubon Ratachathani, a sole candiate said Chumpol  (จากสถานการณ์ที่เกิดขึ้นทำให้พรรคต้องปรับเป้าหมาย  สส.ลดลง5-10%  โดยเฉพาะระบบบัญชีรายชื่อเพราะตอนนี้ยังแพ้นายชูวิทย  ์ กมลวิศิษฎ์  ผู้สมัครสส.ระบบบัญชีรายชื่อพรรครักประเทศไทยเล  ย ถ้าเป็นสถานการณ์ตอนนี้ได้  30 ที่นั่งรวมทั้งสองระบบก็บุญแล้ว ไม่รู้ว่ากระแสมันมายังไง แปลกจริงๆ  ขนาดศรีสะเกษตั้งเป้าไว้เต็มที่ก็ยังมีสิทธิ์น่าเป็น  ห่วง  สุรินทร์ก็น่าเป็นห่วง  อีสานคงเหลือแค่นายตุ่น จิตตะเวช  ผู้สมัครสส.  อุบลราชธานี คนเดียวนายชุมพล กล่าว)_
*BP*: Now, unlike in many western countries where  political parties will, at times, try to lower expectations by  understating their chances and then later in a campaign point to better  polls numbers suggesting they have The Big Mo,  this is not the case in Thailand. It is rare for politicians to  deliberately lower expectations and understate their chances. Their  actions and through leaks we may be able to determine what their own  internal numbers show, but publicly they will still be spinning the same  numbers. Now, Chumpol is saying they will be happy to gett to 30. CTP  are lucky that they have a solid support base in and around Suphan Buri  so they have a core support, but based on what Chumpol is saying 23-25  seats seems more likely for Chat Thai Pattana now. With Bhum Jai Thai  also not doing so well in the polls, the minor parties may win only 80  seats.

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world (though note the writer is an editor at The Nation).....


*Suthichai Yoon's personal journal: Abhisit admits the margin of defeat is widening*

Tuesday, June 21, 2011





Democrat  leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said last month that the difference between  the number of seats to be won by his party and Pheu Thai woul be "around  4 to 5."

Yesterday, he told Post Today that the margin could be 20.

That  suggests that, less than two weeks before Election Day,is conceding  that his party's slide in popularity is worsening, if all the polls so  far are to be believed.

That perhaps explains why the Democrats  are pulling out all the stops to launch their last-minute tactics,  including the big rally at Ratchaprasong Intersection this Thursday, to  narrow the margin of defeat.

Pheau Thai's Yingluck Shinawatra  isn't responding to his challenge. She has despatched Pheu Thai's  nominal head, Yongyudh Vichaidith, to the debate organized by PNet this  Thursday, to face Abhisit.

There won't be a Yingluck-Abhisit public face-off after all.

----------


## Bettyboo

> *Abhisit* will take the stage with Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban, according to party member Ong-art Klampaiboon. Former prime minister *Chuan Leekpai*, the Democrat chief adviser, will also take the stage at Ratchaprasong to help Abhisit and Suthep highlight the links between ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the red shirts, a party source said. *Suthep* will highlight the role of the red shirts in the arson attack on CentralWorld, the source said.


Showing their true colours through desperation to hang on to power at any cost; nice lot of democrates these that are desperate to incite violence in a country on the brink... utter scumbags, imho...




> EDITORIAL Rallying at Ratchaprasong





> If Mr Abhisit and his fellow politicians merely use the rally to attack Pheu Thai through the red shirts, it would be a major opportunity wasted.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^ However, the other side of the argument is that if they do actually have factual evidence to back up their claims, then they need to be aired. 

But then again, the obvious response to that is why didn't they reveal this before? They've had a year to show their side of the story and they haven't. 

It will be interesting to see if the Dem's are able to supply any facts about what happened last year, as during the censure debate they didn't have anything of real substance.

----------


## Bettyboo

> However, the other side of the argument is that if they do actually have factual evidence to back up their claims, then they need to be aired.


In a fair, legal and socially responsible manner. But, don't get confused SD; this is not a government fact finding mission. The dems are not in office and they are not acting in an adminastrative role. They are performing a Nurmeburgesque rally in a desperate attempt to turn a losing campaign into a violent campaign where anything goes - icluding the army stepping in and cancelling the election. So you point is not valid.




> the obvious response to that is why didn't they reveal this before? They've had a year to show their side of the story and they haven't.


There is nothing to reveal. The world and its cameras saw so much. I repeat, this is nothing more than a propagandering rally to raise violence in the streets of Bangkok. It is not a governmental fact finding committee...




> It will be interesting to see if the Dem's are able to supply any facts about what happened last year, as during the censure debate they didn't have anything of real substance.


Why are you linking procedures of govenance with a propagandering electioneering rally? This is not any kind of 'censure *debate*'; this is one-sided all out desperate propagandering in an attempt to change the course of their disasterous election campaign.

Ask yourself this: if PT were to hold a rally at this site and discuss the same topics in the same way, what do you think the army and the EC would do??? That's right, they'd be stepping in a.s.a.p.

----------


## SteveCM

Any "new" "fact" "revealed" at Thursday's rally must raise the question whether it was also previously and promptly reported to the [cough] "investigations". If not - why not? If not - will action be taken against those withholding this "evidence"?

[Yes, I already know the likely answer to the second question]

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : EC: Election will definitely take place*

         Breakingnews          >                
Published: 21/06/2011 at 12:05 PMOnline news:
The election commissioners confirmed at a press  conference on Tuesday, after returning from abroad, that there was no  attempt to derail the July 3 general election and that the polls will  definitely take place.

 _Election Commission chairman Apichart Sukkhaganond_

 The press conference was held by Election Commission chairman Apichart  Sukkhaganond, commissioners Wisut Bhothitan and Sodsri Satthayatham to  clarify that their overseas trips were not intended for derailing the  election as widely speculated.

The three commissioners insisted  that their trips were solely for observing elections held abroad for the  benefit of the country. They said they tried to spend less time abroad  as they wanted return to oversee the July 3 election as quickly as  possible.

Mr Apichart said the trips had been planned for a long time and there was no hidden agenda to derail the polls.

Mrs  Sodsri said she did not understand why a group of Thai people and a  political group were trying to accuse the EC of planning to derail the  election.

I insist hereby that all five EC members have no idea  about this agenda as speculated. I call on the politicians that accused  us to show their evidence on the allegation, she said, adding that all  election commissioners are ready to prove the truth.

Mr Wisut  said the overseas trips had not caused any negative impact on the ECs  work and that the commission will move forward to hold the general  election as planned.

The four election commissioners, including Prapan Naikowit, returned to Thailand on Tuesday morning.

----------


## SteveCM

*Army chief urges rethinking proposed special administrative zones in far South*




BANGKOK, June 21  

The current administration structure  Thailands the southern border provinces should remain intact but the  idea of establishing the area as a special administrative zone should be  reviewed, army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said Tuesday.

 Thailand still needs both the central and local administration. Anyone  who thinks otherwise must reconsider it as that may weaken the states  power in the future, Gen Prayuth said before leaving for the  Muslim-predominant southern border provinces Tuesday morning.

 The army chief warned that weakening the states power would be worrisome.

 Thailand is not a big country like some other countries which have vast  areas. Thais are Thais. We do not have to model on their models, he  added.

 Gen Prayuth has visited the South to follow up progress on resolving the  problems, based on strategic plans assigned six months ago. 

 Statistics on the violence showed that the number of attacks has dropped  but they still occur. Due to several factors, proactive actions by  officials and attempts by suspected insurgents to cause fear among the  public, Gen Prayuth said, the authorities must take proper proactive and  defensive measures for the safety of officials and innocent people.

 Implementation of measures for development and creating understanding must continue, he said.

 Progress can be seen in measures taken in particular with local  residents cooperating more with the authorities working in the area, Gen  Prayuth said. Travel to work and school and to meetings and social  events are safer (than before).

 This indicates that the situation has improved as a result of several  measures being implemented consistently, he said.  

(MCOT online news)

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> However, the other side of the argument is that if they do actually have factual evidence to back up their claims, then they need to be aired.
> 
> 
> In a fair, legal and socially responsible manner. But, don't get confused SD; this is not a government fact finding mission. The dems are not in office and they are not acting in an adminastrative role. They are performing a Nurmeburgesque rally in a desperate attempt to turn a losing campaign into a violent campaign where anything goes - icluding the army stepping in and cancelling the election. So you point is not valid.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Never mind.

It is just *Mr. Phoney Nuetral SD* continuing to cast aspersions on those who suffered a military onslaught. Trying to discuss the matter as if there is substance to the propagandising diversions of "The Empire".

See Andrew Spooner's quote below. 

To even think about debating the accountability of the perpetrators is giving oxygen to State nonsense.

----------


## Bettyboo

> “Thailand still needs both the central and local administration. Anyone who thinks otherwise must reconsider it as that may weaken the state’s power in the future,” Gen Prayuth said before leaving for the Muslim-predominant southern border provinces Tuesday morning.


I thought he was gonna stop talking polictics, can he not control his mouth???




> “Thailand is not a big country like some other countries which have vast areas. Thais are Thais. We do not have to model on their models,” he added.


Total ignorance... Thais are a very mixed bunch, failures to accept this have caused massive social problems throughout the nation from hilltribes to Issanites to Muslims.




> This indicates that the situation has improved as a result of several measures being implemented consistently, he said.


The facts and daily deaths say otherwise...

----------


## SteveCM

^ & ^^^
Given that some form of "Nakhon Pattani" is a plank of at least two parties' policy platforms (PT and NAP) and strongly opposed by the Dems (possibly others), this is hardly a party-politics-free statement by the Generalissimo. Seems it didn't take long for the "nothing more till after the election" promise to evaporate. Quelle surprise.....  :mid:

----------


## StrontiumDog

Chuvit questions Democrat
*
Chuvit questions Democrat’s campaign at Ratchaprasong *  

 

BANGKOK,  21 June 2011 (NNT) – Rak Thailand Party Leader Chuvit Kamolvisit has  questioned the Democrat Party about its appropriateness to launch an  election campaign at the shopping intersection of Ratchaprasong in the  heart of Bangkok. 

Speaking in a press briefing, Mr Chuvit questioned Democrat Party Leader  and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva if it is appropriate for the  Democrat Party to refer to all the political violence in the past two  years during its political campaign in Ratchaprasong area. 

The outspoken party-list candidate asked why the prime minister, who has  never clarified the incident in the past two years, has chosen to  elaborate this issue just 11 days before the upcoming election. He said  staging a big campaign in Ratchaprasong will cause trouble to businesses  in the area. 

Ratchaprasong Intersection was the major rally site of the United Front  of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) last year where 91 people were  killed in the military cordoning operation while Zen department store  and other buildings nearby were burned at the end of the protest. 

Mr Chuvit also criticised the prime minister and the Democrat Party for  trying to sway voters who remain undecided, but he believed that people  have their choices in mind but just refuse to disclose their decision  with pollsters.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Democrat will address voters at Ratchaprasong : National News Bureau of Thailand

*Democrat will address voters at Ratchaprasong *  

 

BANGKOK,  21 June 2011 (NNT) – The Democrat Party has confirmed to organise its  major election campaign at the shopping centre of Ratchaprasong on 23  June 2011, stressing that the event will not affect the traffic since  candidates and entourage will travel by BTS sky train. 

Democrat key member Ongart Klampaiboon confirmed that Democrat leader  Abhisit Vejjajiva will deliver a speech at Ratchaprasong Intersection as  earlier scheduled to explain the military cordoning operation against  the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) protesters last  year. 

Mr Ongart, also a Prime Minister’s office minister elaborated that his  party will erect a stage only in the front space of the Central World  Shopping Complex, not on the road, while motorcades of the party’s  candidates will not enter the site as candidates and their teams will  use BTS sky train to avoid causing traffic congestion.  

Asked if there will be a confrontation with UDD supporters or not as  Ratchaprasong used to be their major rallying site and a number of UDD  members were killed there at the end of the protest last year, the  minister responded that it would depend on the UDD but he believed that  the police had already made full preparations to deal with the  situation. 

Mr Ongart hence asked anyone trying to impede the campaign of his party  on the day to give up their mind in order to avoid confrontations. He  also criticised the UDD for having disturbed election campaigns of his  party on several occasions whereas the prime minister had tried to avoid  the violence during those campaigns. 

The Democrat key member gave an example by saying that the prime  minister called off his election campaign in the central province of  Samut Prakan on 19 June 2011 once there was a tendency of violence with  UDD protesters rallying nearby.

----------


## Bettyboo

> Mr Ongart hence asked anyone trying to impede the campaign of his party on the day to give up their mind in order to avoid confrontations. He also criticised the UDD for having disturbed election campaigns of his party on several occasions whereas the prime minister had tried to avoid the violence during those campaigns. The Democrat key member gave an example by saying that the prime minister called off his election campaign in the central province of Samut Prakan on 19 June 2011 once there was a tendency of violence with UDD protesters rallying nearby.


There getting a lot of mileage out of this non-event; total desperation... (Ignoring the irony of their vilence against the people and the rally on Thursday...)

----------


## Buksida

Regarding the Dems Racthaprasong rally - maybe this is a last ditch attempt to gain back Bangkok voters. There is Natawut's 'burn Bangkok speech', then the burning itself, then Natawut with Poo at campaign rallies- which have been described as merging of the red shirts and PT. Used together these could paint a powerful picture, much in contrast to Poo's well managed 'nice girl' image.

----------


## Bettyboo

> a last ditch attempt


Indeed, desperate...

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> However, the other side of the argument is that if they do actually have factual evidence to back up their claims, then they need to be aired.
> 
> 
> In a fair, legal and socially responsible manner. But, don't get confused SD; this is not a government fact finding mission. The dems are not in office and they are not acting in an adminastrative role. They are performing a Nurmeburgesque rally in a desperate attempt to turn a losing campaign into a violent campaign where anything goes - icluding the army stepping in and cancelling the election. So you point is not valid.


Incorrect BB, murders were committed. Arson was committed. A lot of people lost their lives and livelihoods. The capital was paralysed for weeks. 

I don't care whether it is today, last year or next year. Someone needs to be held accountable for the crimes that were committed. 

That we are in an election campaign is by-the-by. Of course this is a political stunt, that should be obvious and your misreading of my awareness is rather surprising. Do you not recall anything I write? 

If there are facts to come out of this charade then I will welcome it. You should too. 

The time and the place is irrelevant. People died. Facts need to be aired. End of. Any other thinking or deviation from this line demonstrates a bias on your part that you really should address. People died. I want to know the facts. 

The only consideration here is whether the Dem's have any facts to present. I doubt it. 




> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> the obvious response to that is why didn't they reveal this before? They've had a year to show their side of the story and they haven't.
> 
> 
> There is nothing to reveal. The world and its cameras saw so much. I repeat, this is nothing more than a propagandering rally to raise violence in the streets of Bangkok. It is not a governmental fact finding committee...


No they didn't. Many things that happened are in dispute. The Temple, Central World, the role of the Black Shirts and indeed who were the Black Shirts and finally who actually killed all those people. Your total certainty of what transpired is incredibly naive. One of these days I will have to meet you for that drink we talked about before and tell you what I know and what I can't post here. You may be very surprised. 




> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> It will be interesting to see if the Dem's are able to supply any facts about what happened last year, as during the censure debate they didn't have anything of real substance.
> 
> 
> Why are you linking procedures of govenance with a propagandering electioneering rally? This is not any kind of 'censure *debate*'; this is one-sided all out desperate propagandering in an attempt to change the course of their disasterous election campaign.
> 
> Ask yourself this: if PT were to hold a rally at this site and discuss the same topics in the same way, what do you think the army and the EC would do??? That's right, they'd be stepping in a.s.a.p.


The UDD have had rallies here every month for a year. What was your point again? 

You also utterly failed to grasp the meaning and intent of what I wrote. I was actually being critical of the Dem's, but never-mind eh? I was also merely referring to the censure debate. I wasn't using it for any purpose as you suggest. 

Sometimes I wonder about your skills in interpreting the written word mate.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Democrat economic policies superior and practical: economists poll
*
*Democrat economic policies superior and practical: economists poll*

                                                            A sample group of 73 economists from 26 think tanks  have given a better report card on economic policies to the Democrats  than that of Pheu Thai's, Bangkok University Poll said in a survey  released Tuesday.

The Democrats received a higher approval rating in  seven of nine key policies, which the economists saw as feasible,  realistic and practical.

Only two Democrat platforms appeared  unrealistic to impletment. The two are the eradication of illicit drugs  and the expansion of broadband services to every tambon in four years.

The  highlights of Democrat policies included the minimum wage hike, the  farmer income guarantee, the farm debt refinancing, the concessionary  education loan and the development of Laem Chabang harbour city.

The Nation

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Acting PM to Use Red-shirt Harassment to Gain Advantage 

UPDATE : 21 June 2011                     *

Democrat Party Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva feels the red-shirt group has been harassing him during the campaign period. 

The acting premier is planning to bring this issue to light at the June 23 rally at Ratchaprasong Intersection. 

Acting Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said during an interview that  there is one group of red-shirt protesters that has been following him  and harassing him wherever he campaigns. 

Abhisit believes the group was organized by someone, as he recognized all of their faces. 
*
He condemned such tactics as undemocratic and is planning to bring the  issue to light at the Democrat Party's campaign rally planned for June  23 at Ratchaprasong Intersection in Bangkok. 

Meanwhile, the Deputy Leader of the Pheu Thai Party Prodprasob  Surasawadee has slammed the Democrat Party's plan to organize the  campaign rally, saying that it is inappropriate to hold such event at an  overcrowded location as it could cause an inconvenience for the people.  

Prodprasob was unconcerned that the Pheu Thai's popularity might take a  hit from the Democrat Party's plan to play some video clips to expose  the facts behind the red-shirt group and the unrest over the last year,  including the current campaign harassment at the rally. 

Prodprasob added that the red-shirt protesters who have been following  Abhisit were merely exercising their democratic rights, and the group is  being controlled by the Pheu Thai Party as already pointed out by  Yingluck Shinawatra, who is the party's number one candidate. 

In return, the deputy leader of the Pheu Thai Party said that earlier,  the Democrat Party asked everyone to conduct their campaigns peacefully  in order to promote national reconciliation. 

However, he said that when it appeared the Democrat Party was trailing  behind in various opinion polls, the party retracted its words and  resorted to a smearing campaign. 

Prodprasob said that if his party is falsely defamed, he will file a complaint with the National Election Commission.

----------


## StrontiumDog

"_Meanwhile, the Deputy Leader of the Pheu Thai Party Prodprasob   Surasawadee has slammed the Democrat Party's plan to organize the   campaign rally, saying that it is inappropriate to hold such event at an   overcrowded location as it could cause an inconvenience for the  people._"

Alai wa?

I wasn't aware he had been critical of previous rallies held there.....

Interesting!

----------


## SteveCM

> Prodprasob added that the red-shirt protesters who have been following Abhisit were merely exercising their democratic rights, and the group is being controlled by the Pheu Thai Party as already pointed out by Yingluck Shinawatra, who is the party's number one candidate.


I suspect it's safe to assume that the word "not" is missing here. Thank you, TANN.

----------


## Scaramanga

> Alai wa?
> 
> I wasn't aware he had been critical of previous rallies held there.....



oh yes he was

----------


## DrB0b

> He condemned such tactics as undemocratic


Quite obviously the poor baby has never been anywhere near a democratic election. Heckling, shouting, and people waving placards are perfectly normal during elections in any democratic country. _This_ is the man who's going to save the country? A man who wets himself at the sight of a few old grannies with placards? :rofl:

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Prodprasob added that the red-shirt protesters who have been following Abhisit were merely exercising their democratic rights, and the group is being controlled by the Pheu Thai Party as already pointed out by Yingluck Shinawatra, who is the party's number one candidate.
> 
> 
> I suspect it's safe to assume that the word "not" is missing here. Thank you, TANN.


It may be missing, but it has been reported that when Poo and Natty started campaigning together it marked a merger of PT and the reds.

----------


## SteveCM

*The Economist: Yingluck too hot for the generals | Asian Correspondent*

_By Bangkok Pundit 
Jun 21, 2011_

_The Economist_:_A month or so on, however, and the decision is looking like a stroke of genius.  Ms Yingluck has taken the campaign by storm, generating enough buzz and  excitement to build a handy lead in the polls over the incumbent  Democrat Party

 So how has Ms Yingluck managed it? To shine a little daylight on the  magic, I joined her and her very large team for a day on the campaign  trail in Thailands deep (and largely Muslim) south. This is not natural  Pheu Thai countrytheir heartland is in the rural north of the  countrybut she was mobbed nonetheless, even if only by her own  supporters.

Warming to this theme, the egocentric Mr Thaksin was rash enough at the  start to describe Ms Yingluck as nothing more than his clone. Its  clear, however, that Ms Yingluck is rather more than the family  androidand brings to the campaign her own qualities and attributes.

 For a start, she is not quite the political ingénue that she seems.  Although at 44 years old she has never held public office, she points  out that she comes from an intensely political family; her father was an  MP for Chiang Mai, their hometown in the north-west, and her brother  was prime minister. She studied political science in Thailand and public  administration at an American university. Politics, her friends claim,  is in the blood._
*BP*:  In some ways, it is interesting how Puea Thai  have framed the Yingluck narrative. As she has not been a politician,  she does not have the baggage, but as is clear from the WikiLeaks cable  she has clearly been playing a more key role behind-the-scenes than  what we knew  she would not have gone to meet the Ambassador on  multiple occasions if there were not plans for her in the future. This  is not to suggest she is some political genius, it is more of a question  of expectations.

 The last Thaksin relative, or more accurately brother-in-law, Somchai  W was uninspiring and lacked charisma. Not much was known about  Yingluck, but from BPs own view and some views of others, not much was  expected. BP thought she would be relatively competent, but that she  would say the wrong thing and hence she would be called out because  she was politically inexperienced. So far, she has been stage-managed,  but her messaging is relentless and this has reduced the chances for her  to say something stupid. It was Thaksin who put her in the bad position  by calling her his clone because as The Economist notes her personality  is quite different from Thaksin.

 On this_ Bloomberg_ has this interesting quote from one her competitors from her AIS days:_Thana Thienachariya, former chief corporate affairs  officer for Total Access Communication Pcl, Advanced Infos top rival,  said that in business Yingluck was honest, compromising and diplomatic. He said she didnt use the media to attack her competitors or anything like that. She avoided confrontation._ 
*BP*: Despite been given ample opportunities in interviews, she has been very careful not to go negative  see this post for more details. Of course, this is part of the Puea Thai campaign message for her, but as you see from the _Bloomberg_ quote this is part of her personality.
_The Economist_ continues:_Moreover, though might be relatively new to the game herself, she has  surrounded herself with a very experienced team of older men who have  been running her brothers various campaigns for years. Thus her very  appealing freshness, youth and easy-going nature are finely balanced  against a hard-nosed, slick and pragmatic campaign  that organises every  step she takes, every camera angle and every  handshake. Not a word or a  smile is wasted. As the first woman to run  for prime minister in  Thailand she also seems to be mobilising women to  vote for the party.  Her youthfulness appeals to the Facebook  generation._
*BP*: _ThaiPBS_ on the weekend for one of their  news stories  think it was evening news on Sunday  noted that  Yingluck always wears white shirts and that there is always then a red  contrast as per the below image:

_Yingluck  Shinawatra, opposition Pheu Thai Party's candidate for prime minister  and the sister of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, gestures  upon her arrival for a campaign rally for her party in Bangkok Thursday,  June 9, 2011. Thailand will hold general elections on July 3, 2011.  Pic: AP._

 Then from last week in the campaign when Yingluck visited the Deep South, and wore a red hijab:

_Yingluck in the Deep South: Photo from Bangkok Post_

*BP*: The writer then goes onto describe the campaign as among the best choreographed and organised that Ive seen
 The article has some interesting comments on the Democrats and below is just an excerpt:_In truth, they have been completely wrong-footed by Ms Yingluck.  At party headquarters all their managers hope for is that the Yingluck  whirlwind will blow itself out (the novelty will wear off), after  which they can then subject her half-baked policies to the scrutiny that they deserve. But by that time, I suspect, the election itself will be virtually upon us. In other words, they are out of time._
*BP*: Exactly. They expected, like many, Yingluck  would be making mistakes, but as she hasnt they have had to revert to  plan b of attack

 btw, the Democrats havent been helped by Prayuth deciding he can  help them by speaking out on TV and thereby further aligning with the  red shirt narrative of the military-Democrat alignment.

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

       PAD submit case with EC  calling for disbandment of Pheu Thai Party, claiming banned politician  Thaksin is involved in party's activities

1 hour ago

----------


## StrontiumDog

^
PAD to petition for Pheu Thai disbandment

*PAD to petition for Pheu Thai disbandment*

                            By The Nation

*People's Alliance for Democracy leader Sondhi  Limthongkul has scheduled on Tuesday's afternoon to lodge a petition  calling for the disbandment of Pheu Thai Party.*

                                                            PAD spokesman Panthep Pourpongpan said Sondhi would cite the domination of Thaksin Shinawatra as ground for party dissolution.

Thaksin  is a convicted fugitive and barred party executive and Pheu Thai has  violated the political law by succumbing to his domination, Panthep  said.

He also urgedvoters to cast blank ballots, arguing if the no  votes made up the majority in 26 constituencies, this would tantamount  to an automatic nullification of the vote because the House of  Represenatives would not have a quorum to convene its first session.

The PAD's no vote campaign is designed to force every party to agree to reform the political system.

----------


## SteveCM

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Prodprasob added that the red-shirt protesters who have been following Abhisit were merely exercising their democratic rights, and the group is being controlled by the Pheu Thai Party as already pointed out by Yingluck Shinawatra, who is the party's number one candidate.
> 
> 
> I suspect it's safe to assume that the word "not" is missing here. Thank you, TANN.


Since corrected online. Paragraph now reads: 

_"Plodprasob added that the red-shirt protesters  who have been following Abhisit were merely exercising their democratic  rights, and the group is not being controlled by the Pheu Thai Party as  already pointed out by Yingluck Shinawatra, who is the party's number  one candidate".

_Give TANN their due - they at least responded promptly (and courteously) to an e-mail and took action accordingly. Not too common in LoS...._.
_

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Democrats' Final Push 

UPDATE : 21 June 2011                     *

With less than two weeks away from the  general election, the Democrat party apparently has changed its tactics  from defensive to offensive as its party leader Abhisit Vejjiva began to  retaliate by referring to last year's red-shirt riots, using that as  the final push to draw new support from undecided eligible voters.

The major campaign rally at Ratchaprasong Intersection on June 23 is  part of the offensive tactics as the area was the site of the red-shirt  mass rally last year. The months long rally crippled the business  district, resulted in bloodsheds and arson attacks in various areas of  Bangkok. The red-shirt group has been accusing the Prime Minister of  being responsible for many deaths during the government's attempt to  dispersed the protesters.* 

Abhisit said that during the Thursday rally, he will discuss the current  situation in the country and discuss measures to restore national  unity.  The Democrat Party secretary-general insisted that he will  defend the allegation against the caretaker premier and clarify the  deaths of 91 people during last year's riots.

The target audience of the Democrat party for the capaign rally would be  'the silent majority', the eligible voters who remain undecided which  candidate or political party to vote for. It is estimated that the  silent majority accounts for 30 to 40 percent of the total voters and  most of them are in Bangkok, one of the Democrat Party's strongholds. In  the 2007 election, the Democrat party won 27 out of 36 seats in the  capital.

The 91 deaths related to the 2010 red-shirt rally is a sensitive issue  and an investigation by the independent fact-finding committee, chaired  by Kanit Na Nakhon, has yet to deliver its finding. In the meantime, the  issue has been used to attack the Prime Minister and those involved.

Whether the Democrat Party's clarification on the issue will work in its  favor or improve its popularity, and by how much, has yet to be seen.  Sadly, the Democrat Party and Abhisit did not make the most out of the  two years in office as they were unable to deliver satisfactory results  even in the eyes of the urban middle-class most of whom are, or were, in  support of the party.

No one would deny that the Democrat-led coalition did not achieve  anything significant. Many of their key policies, including the 15-year  free education program, the income guarantee scheme for farmers, the  elderly allowance, the extension of social security benefits to cover 24  million unregistered workers and etc failed to catch on.  Why? Because  the coalition government failed to address important and long-standing  issues, such as corruption, national reconciliation and the true  well-being of farmers.

*Editorial, Thai Rath, Page 3, June 21st, 2011
Translated and rewritten by Wacharapol Isaranont*

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network



In the Guise of Policy 

UPDATE : 21 June 2011 

*Thailand Development Research Institute  (TDRI) instructor Ammar Siamwalla strongly accused politicians during a  recent interview on public Channel 9 of “auctioning citizens” and  “insulting” them through their campaign promises. He characterized many  of the policies declared by the various parties as empty one-upmanship,  saying that the parties have no intention to even take responsibility  for the plans they are using to win votes.* 

The TDRI educator was especially critical of the myriad reconciliation  policies and plans concerning his area of expertise; rice farming, which  he said offered no benefit to actual farmers.

Ammar's views are not unique to himself. Many have already stated how  entirely unrealistic the electioneering rhetoric of competing parties  are, underlining that they are only using enticing sums of money to sway  sentiments, offering no real substance for national progress. The  parties have even avoided one of the most important obstacles standing  in Thailand's way, corruption. 

Ammar explains this situation however, saying that the practice of  coalition governments has long allowed small parties to make completely  empty promises that can later be written off with the excuse that they  do not hold the power within the central government to follow them  through.

The TDRI member points out this lack of integrity by highlighting how  every party other than the two main runners, the Democrats and Pheu  Thai, have expressed no aversion to joining any coalition, no matter how  conflicting their policies may be. Ammar drives the point home by  noting that none of these parties have actually given any concrete  details on how they are going to carry out their pie in the sky  projects, while reminding that once they fail there will be no mechanism  for accountability. He compared the parties to predators, baiting  voters with illusions of financial gain.

The instructor's stinging description concluded with him referring to  Thai politics through the country's shameful knack for counterfeiting,  calling the parties companies that do nothing but manufacture cheap  knock offs of popular products that in no way would further their  industry, in this case Thai politics. He added that with revolution and  coup d'etat losing their impact and meaning through excessive use and no  official mechanisms to counter corruption, Thailand's self-serving  political parties are completely free to disseminate their lies in the  guise of policy and make a mockery of the democratic system.

*Matichon, June 21 2011
Translated and Rewritten by Itiporn Lakarnchua*

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> No one would deny that the Democrat-led coalition did not achieve anything significant.


Our top resident idiot "pupa" does!  :mid:

----------


## StrontiumDog

^^ Great photo, sums up so much....

----------


## Gerbil

> ^
> PAD to petition for Pheu Thai disbandment
> 
> *PAD to petition for Pheu Thai disbandment*
> 
>                             By The Nation
> 
> *People's Alliance for Democracy leader Sondhi  Limthongkul has scheduled on Tuesday's afternoon to lodge a petition  calling for the disbandment of Pheu Thai Party.*
> 
> ...


Like it or not, he has a point. For god's sake, their bloody election slogan even references him!

----------


## Butterfly

PT should be disqualified for harboring a banned politician, but this is the country where laws have no values and their implementation is inexistent

another example of the double standard of the reds and their supporters

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thaksin's 'clone' sister electrifies rural Thais - Yahoo! News
*
*Thaksin's 'clone' sister electrifies rural Thais*

   
   _
AP – In this picture taken on June 15, 2011, Yingluck  Shinawatra, right, opposition Pheu Thai Party's candidate …            _ 

                                    By TODD PITMAN, Associated Press        Todd Pitman, Associated Press          –     1 hr 16 mins ago

                                PHIBUN MANGSAHAN, Thailand – The woman who could  become Thailand's first female prime minister kicks off every campaign  stop asking electrified crowds if they miss her brother — a billionaire  ex-premier overthrown by the military five years ago.

                 "If you love my brother," Yingluck Shinawatra asks in  a carefully choreographed routine, "will you give his youngest sister a  chance?"

                 As this fractious Asian nation edges closer to July 3  elections and what many fear could be another era of unrest, the  answer, at least in this rural opposition heartland northeast of  Bangkok, is a roaring "YES!" every time.

                 The 44-year-old Yingluck is a neophyte who has never  held office. But in the space of just a few weeks she has catapulted to  near rock star status on Thailand's political stage, becoming the  opposition's main contender in the vote.

                 Yingluck and her party make no secret of the reason  why: Her bid rests almost entirely on the legacy of fugitive former  Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the brother-in-exile who calls her  his "clone."

                 Before he was toppled in a 2006 coup — allegedly for  corruption, abuse of power and insulting the nation's revered king — the  super-rich Thaksin won over Thailand's rural underclass by introducing  social welfare policies to benefit the poor. But his opponents,  including members of the urban middle class and elite, saw him as a  threat to democracy and their own privileges.

                 The campaign to resurrect Thaksin's legacy is seen as  part of a societal struggle between the powerful and the powerless,  between an entrenched army-backed elite establishment that backs the  monarchy and an impoverished swath of rural Thailand that feels left  out.

                 Bouyed by formidable charisma and an easy, photogenic  smile, Yingluck is trying to galvanize poor rural voters — as her  brother did — with pledges to raise pensions, boost the minimun wage and  enact universal health care.

                 Local polls have consistently put her Pheu Thai party  in the lead, but the contest "could simply accelerate Thailand's  political meltdown," Joshua Kurlantzick, a fellow at the U.S. Council on  Foreign Relations think-tank, wrote in a recent analysis.

                 The vote to win a majority of 500 parliamentary seats  is largely seen as a race between Pheu Thai and Prime Minister Abhisit  Vejjajiva's Democrat party. Kurlantzich said that "any of the plausible  poll scenarios — an opposition victory nullified by another coup, or a  Democrat win put together through backroom coalition building — is  likely to inflame segments of Thailand, causing more unrest in what was  once one of the most stable countries in Asia."

                 Haunting the ballot are last year's massive street  protests against Abhisit's government, which killed at least 90 people,  injured nearly 2,000 and paralyzed the city before leaving it in flames.

                 In a country where the army has staged 18 successful  or attempted coups since the 1930s, the last of which toppled her  brother, Yingluck knows to tread carefully.

                 Last week, powerful army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha  issued an ominous but vague warning urging voters not to repeat the  outcome of past elections — the last three of which were won by Thaksin,  an ally, and his brother-in-law. Each poll was reversed by military  force or by controversial legal rulings.

                 Asked if she feared that the military would step in  to block her from power if she wins, Yingluck told The Associated Press  in an interview: "I don't think it will happen again." Prayuth's  warning, she said, was merely a call to "make sure the country is  peaceful."

                 Yingluck has pointedly said she would not avenge her  brother's ouster and would not prosecute the 2006 coup plotters,  including Prayuth. Most of her public appearances — succinct, simplistic  and careful — are clearly designed to avert controversy.

                 Holding the election was a key demand last year of  the so-called Red Shirt protesters, tens of thousands of whom poured  into Bangkok from the provinces and shut down parts of it by camping out  downtown for two months.

                 One of them, civil servant Nutwara Autehaloek, said  during one of Yingluck's speeches in Trakarn Pheutphon that "if history  repeats itself" — if the opposition legally wins but is prevented from  governing — "we will return to Bangkok in greater numbers than before."

                 Although she has never said so, many believe Yingluck  plans to introduce a general amnesty to pardon Thaksin, who lives in  Dubai to escape serving a prison term at home on corruption convictions  he says were politically motivated. Abhisit has condemned that  possibility as a way to whitewash the former prime minister's criminal  record. 

 Yingluck said there was no fixed plan for an amnesty, and it could only happen "if a majority of people accept it." 

 There "cannot be any special treatment for someone, not even my  brother," she said, adding that the country's interests would come  before those of her family. "If we have amnesty, everyone will get the  same treatment." 

 Yingluck insists she is not her brother's puppet, but one of her party's  primary slogans is startlingly clear about who pulls the strings in the  organization: "Thaksin Thinks, Pheu Thai Acts." 

 Thaksin has referred to his sister as "my clone." But that only means  they are the same "in terms of logical thinking, management style, and  the way I act," Yingluck said. "In terms of my opinion, my position, and  my leadership, these are my own." 

 The two speak several times a week, Yingluck said. "He just wants to give me support." 

 Yingluck has steered clear of debating Abhisit, a substantive forum the  veteran politician would likely use to exploit her political naivety and  inexperience. In speeches and interviews, she rarely goes off-message. 

 On a recent trip to northern Thailand, Yingluck, draped in garlands and  red roses her campaign staff had earlier handed out to supporters in the  front row, froze to pose for pictures. Yet she still appeared natural,  at ease among the rural voters who surged forward to hug her and shake  her hand — something Abhisit has had much more difficulty pulling off. 

 Born June 21, 1967, Yingluck obtained a master's degree in political  science from Kentucky State University in 1990. She spent most of her  career working for her family's companies, notably as director of the  AIS mobile phone provider. In May, she quit her job as director of a  family real estate business to run for office. 

 Asked how she could govern a nation of 66 million people with no  political experience, Yingluck said she had grown up learning from a  family of politicians and trumpeted her business career. 

 "In terms of the principles of politics, I think I understand well,"  Yingluck said. Thailand "needs someone who has leadership, who has the  management skills to help the country."

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> another example of the double standard of the reds and their supporters


That's rich even coming from you "pupa"! :deadhorsebig: 

Roll on the 3rd!  :smiley laughing:

----------


## mc2

> BP: Despite been given ample opportunities in interviews, she has been very careful not to go negative – see this post for more details. Of course, this is part of the Puea Thai campaign message for her, but as you see from the Bloomberg quote this is part of her personality.


Compare that with Abhisit, who has come across as a ball of frustration/doom/gloom and negativity during this election campaign so far.

----------


## Butterfly

so she is a dreamer, while Abhisit is a realist ? no wonder she is so popular with the brain dead retards in Issaan

----------


## Tom Sawyer

Prediction (yes for what it's worth):

There isn't going to be any coup - this has been planned for at least a year. There will be an election (of sorts)

The "polls" will suddenly "tighten" in the next two weeks and the election will be "too close to call again". The Dems will "win" a razor thin majority - to seem credible - then a coalition will be formed. Status quo remains. 

There's no way the evil triad would go through everything they've done in the past several years to suddenly allow the masses to have their way at the real polls. No way.

----------


## Butterfly

I think the plan is to let PT wins, lure Thaksin back into Thailand, and then kill him  :Razz:

----------


## Takeovers

> The "polls" will suddenly "tighten" in the next two weeks and the election will be "too close to call again". The Dems will "win" a razor thin majority - to seem credible - then a coalition will be formed. Status quo remains.


I believe they intended to play that scenario, with the exception, they let win PT a small gain over the Democrats, but not enough to form a coalition, maybe up to 210-220 seats.
But it now seems the PT majority is too big to engineer a halfway believable Democrat government. Same as in the Philippines the Arroyo government had all the instruments in place for something similar but their performance in the elections was so desastrous they could not engineer a win through vote rigging.

What happens now is everybodys guess. Maybe they allow a PT government until PT really pursues that amnesty. They have every option, they can dissolve PT for a number of reasons being prepared right now or have a coup.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> ^^ Great photo, sums up so much....


Only if you buy the line that the country is "equally divided" - which apparently you have - hook, line, sinker. 

May I introduce you to wonderful new synergy as a Herbalife Sales Associate?

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> it now seems the PT majority is too big to engineer a halfway believable Democrat government.


I'd say suspend your disbelief that this wasn't planned. The more credible they can make it appear a "see-saw horse race" is ongoing through rigged opinion polls makes it that much easier to rig the outcome of the real vote - and make most people believe it was legit. We'll see.

----------


## Bettyboo

> PAD to petition for Pheu Thai disbandment By The Nation People's Alliance for Democracy leader Sondhi Limthongkul has scheduled on Tuesday's afternoon to lodge a petition calling for the disbandment of Pheu Thai Party.


This can't be right, SD - only last week you were abusing me for laughing at your 'PAD strong support for Thaksin' posts...

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thai "yellow shirts" seek to disband pro-Thaksin party - Yahoo! News
*
*Thai "yellow shirts" seek to disband pro-Thaksin party*


By Martin petty and Alex Richardson | Reuters – 55 minutes ago


_Supporters of the yellow-shirted People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) gesture during …_

            BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's "yellow shirts" protest movement  targeted the political opposition on Tuesday over its links to ousted  former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, urging the nation's election  watchdog to disband the party as it races ahead in opinion polls.

     It was unclear whether the Election Commission (EC) would take  any action following the complaint by the People's Alliance for  Democracy (PAD), which held mass protests in 2006 and 2008 that  undermined two governments led or backed by Thaksin, who is banned from  politics and lives in exile to evade a two-year prison sentence for  corruption.

     The complaint comes as the Puea Thai Party led by Thaksin's  charismatic 44-year-old sister Yingluck Shinawatra gathers momentum  ahead of the July 3 election, garnering support with promises of a  revival of her brother's populist policies.

     PAD spokesman Parnthep Pourpongpan said Puea Thai should be  dissolved for breaching rules that prohibit convicted or disqualified  politicians from participating in politics.

     The move adds to uncertainty in a country caught up in a  five-year spiral of political conflict pitting Thaksin's mostly rural  and urban working class supporters against generals, royalists and  conservative elites deeply opposed to him.

     Most independent analysts expect complications in the formation  of the next government and say street protests or legal action could be  launched by either side to contest the outcome of the election.

     Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a political analyst at Singapore's  Institute of Southeast Asian Studies suggested the PAD's complaint was  part of a broader strategy by Thaksin's powerful opponents to stifle  Puea Thai and avert the tycoon's planned return from exile without  serving jail time.

     "This is part of a trend of pre-emptive measures against Puea  Thai but right now, I don't think the yellow shirts have the capacity to  carry this through," he said.

     "They are living in fear of Puea Thai winning and need to do  something. They've come up with these different attacks but I believe  rather than discredit Puea Thai, it could actually win them more votes."

      The PAD's move coincided with a separate complaint filed with  police by two anti-Thaksin royalists who accuse Yingluck of perjury in  testimony she gave during an assets concealment case involving her  brother after he was overthrown in a 2006 military coup.

     The Department of Special Investigation said it would take about a  month to study the complaint against Yingluck while the EC said it  would assess whether there was grounds for legal action against Puea  Thai.

     Previous dissolution cases lodged by the EC have taken several months to process.

     Parnthep said his petition included more than 10 documents  showing Thaksin had interfered with Thai politics through Puea Thai.

     Thaksin has made no secret of his ties to the party, which has  used the slogan "Thaksin thinks, Puea Thai acts" to re-energize the  billionaire's supporters, who helped him win two election landslides in  2001 and 2005.

----------


## Bettyboo

> I believe they intended to play that scenario, with the exception, they let win PT a small gain over the Democrats, but not enough to form a coalition, maybe up to 210-220 seats. But it now seems the PT majority is too big to engineer a halfway believable Democrat government. Same as in the Philippines the Arroyo government had all the instruments in place for something similar but their performance in the elections was so desastrous they could not engineer a win through vote rigging. 
> 
> What happens now is everybodys guess.


I'd agree with most of that, and as stated before: a decent vote for PT in Bangkok makes it very hard for the army/bluebloods to either disband them via the EC/CC or have a coup. The feelings of the red shirts are still very very strong/angry, and with a decent Bangkok backing, if PT are disbanded then the army/bluebloods would have pushed the nation beyond breaking point, imho...

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> PAD to petition for Pheu Thai disbandment By The Nation People's Alliance for Democracy leader Sondhi Limthongkul has scheduled on Tuesday's afternoon to lodge a petition calling for the disbandment of Pheu Thai Party.
> 
> 
> This can't be right, SD - only last week you were abusing me for laughing at your 'PAD strong support for Thaksin' posts...


I know, imagine, Sondhi has had a change of heart...shocker hey!

----------


## Bettyboo

^ or perhaps you were wrong to believe Suthep's lies?

I'm almost tempted to go back and cut and paste your comments of "owning me" (EN style...).  :rofl:

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
> ^^ Great photo, sums up so much....
> 
> 
> Only if you buy the line that the country is "equally divided" - which apparently you have - hook, line, sinker. 
> 
> May I introduce you to wonderful new synergy as a Herbalife Sales Associate?


Actually I thought the posters reflected well on how both candidates are equally marred. 

But thank you for guessing incorrectly about my thinking. Again.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> ^ or perhaps you were wrong to believe Suthep's lies?
> 
> I'm almost tempted to go back and cut and paste your comments of "owning me" (EN style...).


Go ahead. Sondhi was making noises towards PT. If you are incapable of recognising that, then it isn't my problem. 

He has apparently had a change of heart. Maybe negotiations didn't go well. Maybe he is seeking to get the result he wants by this new ploy, you know, pressure...carrot and stick (this being the latter). 

Sondhi and Thaksin were once best buddies. They had a falling out. But seeing as everything here is about what you can get for yourself, amongst the various power brokers, nothing lasts forever. Enemies become allies and vice versa. Just look at Newin. 

Perhaps the support the PAD were offering Pheu Thai and thus Thaksin was rejected. It wasn't just me that was suggesting that the PAD/Sondhi were doing Thaksin's work for him. 

So yeah, go ahead. But I think it just proves your naivety and inability to understand what really goes on here. 

Personally I find Sondhi's move very interesting....

----------


## Takeovers

The split between the Democrats and PAD is as real as the court proceedings against the Democrats to disband them for wrongful use of election funds. All part of a show.

I remember quite well how some here in the forum raved about the continuing Red Shirt  demonstrations, claiming they have already won because of the court procedings. Nothing but an orchestrated smoke screen.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Loser Take All: The Democrats’ Playbook to Steal the Election | Robert Amsterdam Thailand
*
*June 21, 2011*

*Loser Take All: The Democrats’ Playbook to Steal the Election*



The  following is an extract of the introduction of the fifth and final  installment in the Thailand 2011 General Election Report Series.  Download a full PDF copy of _Loser Take All: The Democrats’ Playbook to Steal the Election_ right here.

 This paper is oddly prescient, especially given the news revealed just today that the ultra-nationalist group PAD is already calling for the dissolution of Pheu Thai.

*1.  Introduction*

 The Democrat Party and its allies have made a habit out of  rationalizing election defeats by accusing the opposition of “fraud” and  “vote buying.” Given that the Democrats have lost every election in the  last decade, the explanation has had to be proffered repeatedly. Aside  from excusing their own poor performance, the “vote buying” narrative  has served important purposes for the Democrats and the Thai  Establishment. Accusations of systemic fraud have been used to devalue  the outcomes of free elections, and with that undermine the legitimacy  of elected governments and the entire democratic process. The military  coup of September 19, 2006 was explicitly justified on that basis, as  was the subsequent dissolution of Thai Rak Thai in 2007. Weakening the  public’s confidence in electoral democracy, moreover, allowed the  generals to write a new constitution that allowed the judiciary to  intervene and make sweeping corrections to composition of parliament. It  was through these new rules, introduced after the coup, that the  Constitutional Court dissolved the then governing People Power Party and  two of its coalition partners in 2008. Some portions of Thailand’s  Establishment, like the People’s Alliance for Democracy, have gone so  far as to demand that electoral democracy be suspended, based on the  idea that electoral and legislative politics is tainted irreparably by  corruption and fraud.

 Aside from justifying authoritarian measures to nullify the outcomes  of elections, and limit the electorate’s freedom to vote for candidates  of their choice, the Democrat Party has used the “vote-buying” narrative  to set itself apart from the opposition, elevate itself to a higher  moral position, and therefore justify to the country and the  international community why a perennial loser of competitive elections  should nonetheless be entitled to govern Thailand.

 Pressed hard by a BBC interviewer about his lack of an electoral  mandate, Abhisit Vejjajiva volunteered this explanation for the event  that made it possible for him to rise to the office of Prime Minister—  the dissolution of the People Power Party and two of its coalition  partners: It was a hung parliament, they put together a majority, but  the party that had the biggest number of votes were involved in election  fraud, and therefore they were punished by law, laws and rules that  they were aware of when they actually signed on to take part in the  election.  There is some dispute about whether there is any such thing  as “vote buying” — in other words, whether giving a voter a small sum of  money really earns a candidate or party that voter’s support. Aside  from the impossibility of ascertaining what anyone does in the voting  booth, voters in many constituencies often accept small cash gifts from  the representatives of multiple candidates.

 However, there is no doubt that money plays a big role in Thai  election campaigns, especially as candidates from various parties  attempt to enlist the services of the most influential canvassers at the  local level. Canvassers, in turn, use a portion of what they receive  from the candidate as “walking around money” to pay for the campaign’s  expenses and sometimes distribute the money to prospective voters. While  both practices are illegal, they remain widespread and practiced widely  by the Democrats themselves.

 Democrat campaigns in Southern strongholds feature extensive use of  “walking around money” by candidates and canvassers.2 The Democrat  Party, moreover, has a record of far worse irregularities. The party  narrowly escaped dissolution last year, after the Election Commission  found the party guilty of accepting 258 million baht in illegal  donations and of misusing another twenty-nine million. At the same time,  some of the Democrats’ key coalition allies are widely seen as some  Thailand’s most corrupt; when these politicians were in Thaksin  Shinawatra’s coalition, they served as poster boys for the Democrats’  campaign against the supposed corruption of Thai Rak Thai’s government.  It is telling that these factions/parties were the only ones the  Democrats managed to corral, at the cost of hundreds of millions of  baht, when they put together the legislative majority that made Abhisit  the Prime Minister.

 While the Democrat Party has mounted an effective, if purely  rhetorical crusade against corruption and vote buying, beginning with  the (later annulled) 2006 election the Democrats have been by far the  greatest perpetrator and beneficiary of electoral fraud. Thanks to the  backing of the Establishment and the effective legal immunity they were  granted, unofficially, through their collusive relationship with the  judiciary, they have been able to do so without incurring any penalties.  As described in this report, much the same thing is happening in the  lead-up to the general elections of July 3, 2011.

 On the one hand, the Democrats are relying on a broad range of  variously illegal, underhanded tactics to boost their own seat share at  the expense of the opposition— as elections approach, moreover, the  likelihood of outright fraud increases with every opinion poll showing  the Democrats trailing Pheu Thai. On the other hand, much like in 2007,  the Democrat Party and its associates are laying the groundwork for once  again undoing the election results in the event of an opposition  victory. This entails framing opposition candidates that the Election  Commission might subsequently disqualify owing to presumed  irregularities, as well as fabricating cases against opposition leaders  and executives that might subsequently allow the Constitutional Court to  dissolve Pheu Thai.

Loser Take All: The Democrats’ Playbook to Steal the Election

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Quote.com News & Commentary - News Story
*
*Big bucks fly in Thailand as parties slug it out

Tuesday June 21, 2011 09:40:23 EDT*

BANGKOK, Jun 21, 2011

Under Thai election law, candidates are not supposed to spend more than 1.5 million  baht (US$49,100) each on their campaigns. 

But, said a senior Cabinet minister from the ruling Democrat Party, "that's  totally unrealistic". 

Most people would agree: Back-of-the-envelope calculations show that each  person's campaign expenses are more likely to come to 10 times that sum. And this,  added the minister, does not include "vote buying". 

Indeed, the Kasikorn Research Centre, the research arm of Kasikorn Bank,  predicts that campaign-related spending will reach 39 billion baht this year, nearly  double the 21 billion baht that was spent in the 2007 polls. 

Most of the money is likely to be spent in the north-east, which accounts  for roughly one-third of the 500 Parliament seats being contested at the July 3  polls. Much of the rest will probably go to Bangkok, where the marketing and publicity  companies that design and run campaigns for political parties are based. 

The coming elections promise an intense battle: Close to 4,000 candidates  from 42 parties are joining the fray, though only about a dozen of the parties are  serious players, and much of the action is likely to revolve around the two heavyweights  -- the ruling Democrat Party and the opposition Puea Thai party. 

For many businesses, the elections come as good news: The intense campaigning  will mean a windfall for those specialising in event organising, audio visual equipment,  printing, transport, and food and beverages. 

According to a report by the Kasikorn Research Centre, the polls could add  0.9 per cent to 1.4 per cent to Thailand's gross domestic product in the second  quarter of this year. 

MCOT, the state-owned news agency and operator of Channel 9 television, alone  is expected to earn 100 million baht from airing the messages of the various political  parties. And the Election Commission itself is primed to spend well over 500 million  baht to promote the elections and encourage people to vote. 

Thai elections have always been expensive affairs. The 1998 book Guns, Girls,  Gambling, Ganja -- a study of Thailand's illegal economy -- noted that in 1996,  election spending had risen 75 times in one decade. In the same year, total spending  in the country's elections exceeded that of the UnitedStates election campaign. 

A lot of the money has to be raised by the candidates themselves -- sometimes  it comes from rich and influential parents and relatives, sometimes from the party,  and sometimes from corporations. 

"If a candidate is a sure winner, he or she will demand funding from the  party," an insider from one party explained. "If a candidate wants to run for a  party because he or she thinks the party can win, they may have to bring their own  finances to the table." 

And much of the money is likely to go into the time-honoured practice of  vote buying. 

"It's much more advanced (in Thailand) compared with other countries," noted  Mr Ichal Supriadi of the Asian Network for Free Elections, a regional election watchdog  which is deploying about 60 observers across Thailand for the coming polls. 

But while insiders readily admit in private to vote buying -- often merely  because giving gifts in return for a favour is a cultural practice in Thailand --  it can rarely be conclusively linked to a party or a candidate. 

In a typical example, during the last election for village chief, Ms Bunthawat  Weemooktanon, a resident of Khon Kaen province, found a bottle of dishwashing liquid  in her mailbox. 

Thinking it was a gift from the manufacturer, she examined the bottle --  and found 200 baht taped to the bottom. 

She knew the money was from one of the candidates in the fray, but there  was nothing to link him to the cash. 

Aware of the scale of the problem, the Election Commission tries to keep  an eye open for vote buying, but it is easily outwitted because the local police,  who are required to report the practice, are usually the ones involved in the illegal  cash economy. 

Several figures in the opposition Puea Thai party told The Straits Times  that the party is being extra careful this time round, so that the Election Commission  will find it difficult to indict it for vote buying. 

"This time, we are not spending as much; we are campaigning on principles,"  a senior party insider claimed. 

A report this week in the Bangkok Post quoted residents from Roi Et province  in the north-east as saying that there has been no vote buying at all -- so far. 

Roi Et is a stronghold of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former premier who was  deposed in a military coup in 2006, and there is little doubt that the district  will deliver a win for his younger sister Yingluck Shinawatra, the Puea Thai party's  No.1 candidate. 

In any case, notes academic Michael Nelson from Germany's University of Passau,  who has studied electoral politics in Thailand, there are opposing views on the  impact of vote buying. 

"The conservatives say there is so much vote buying that people can be bought,  and they assume this distorts the vote," he says. "The counter-narrative now is  that villagers take the money and vote for whoever they want anyway." 

He adds: "The bottom line is many people talk about vote buying, but there  is very little data and no field studies; it is all assumptions."

----------


## StrontiumDog

*'Continue good education policies'
*
*'Continue good education policies'*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 22, 2011                


*A former senior education official yesterday urged political parties to ensure that good long-term education projects continue.*

                                                            "Don't be preoccupied with sensational short-term  policies. They may sound good, but they are not the real thing," said  Khunying Kasama Varawan na Ayutthaya, a former secretary-general of the  Office of Basic Education Commission.

Kasama was speaking at a  seminar on educational policies co-hosted by the Thai Journalists  Association, Education Reporters Club and For Thailand Group.

In  the speech, she also warned against the changing the education minister  often. "Officials are fed up dealing with a minister who is like a  trainee," she said. 

Education Minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat said  his party would continue to implement the 15-year free education scheme  if it is re-elected. "We also plan to grant loans to 250,000 more  children," he said. 

Kanawat Wasinsangworn from Pheu Thai Party  said his party was planning to offer a three-year moratorium to teachers  who owe no more than Bt500,000.

----------


## StrontiumDog

_Rally 'not just to woo voters'

Rally 'not just to woo voters'_ 

                            Starting new thread on this rally....it is distracting from the thread and is a one off event.

See here

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...011-rally.html (Democrat rally, 23rd June 2011-Rally 'not just to woo voters')

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Academics criticise parties' over-the-top wage promises
*
*Academics criticise parties' over-the-top wage promises*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 22, 2011                


*To win over workers during the July 3 election  campaign, political parties outbid each other in a Bangkok seminar  yesterday with proposed rises in minimum daily wages and other  incentives - promises slammed by academics as impractical and  unrealistic.*

                                                            Assoc Prof Lae Dilokwitthayarat, of Chulalongkorn  University's Faculty of Economy, said wages should be determined on  reality and the financial state of three crucial factors in the Thai  economy - the employers, the employees, and the state authorities. 

"If wage rates can be proposed through party bluffing - like  gambling with election promises, and treated as such afterwards - we'd  better dislodge the entire wage tripartite committee and relevant  decision making mechanism," he said. 

Labour leaders said they expected the next government to ratify  two agreements in the International Labour Organisation which would  grant labourers more power to negotiate with state agencies over their  welfare - setting up of an independent agency to take over social  security benefits; and dispensing  more fair grant hikes. 

The other labour demands were to permanently disallow  privatisation of state enterprises; to set up a body to enforce  occupational safety; to set up a fund to pay compensation for  work-related disabilities and diseases; and benefits for non-employees  and to immigrant workers.  

Democrat Party representative Buranat Samutharak said his party  would raise the minimum wage by 25 per cent in the next two years,  because too high a rate would hurt the economy. The Democrat-led group  endorsed the ILO agreements which could materialise after the election  or if the Democrats were in the next government. 

Pheu Thai Party's Jaruphong Ruengsuwan said his party would raise  the wage to Bt300, and the pension fund from the current Bt3,000 to  Bt6,000. The ILO agreements would be endorsed within six months if Pheu  Thai led the next government. 

New Politics Party's Somsak Kosaiyasuk said the wage should be  Bt421 and would comply with proposals tabled by the labour leaders. He  said PTT should be returned fully to the Thai public. 

Chat Pattana Peau Pandin Party's Olarn Kanjanaphas said the wage  should be a flat rate Bt400, to be increased by Bt100 every four years.  He said more conditions for Social Security Office (SSO) contributions  would be set up to suit arrangements chosen by them. 

Chat Thai Pattana Party's Manas Kosol said the wage should be  Bt300 and the provincial tripartite offices abolished because employees  were not fully represented in them. Self-employed people and small-time  vendors could apply for a low-interest Bt100,000 loan after they  contributed Bt100 for a minimum 100 day

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Jittra in new attack on Abhisit
*
*Jittra in new attack on Abhisit*

                            By Kornchanok Raksaseri
The Nation
                                             Published on June 22, 2011                

*The woman who coined the phrase "good only at giving  big words" has launched another attack on caretaker prime minister and  Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva.*

                                                            Abhisit sought to rebut the original claim by listing  his government's achievements in his Facebook series "From My Heart",  and said the phrase was a discourse invented by his opponents to turn  public sentiment against him. This prompted an open letter on Facebook  from his accuser, Jittra Kotchadej.

She said Abhisit should not assume that everything was politicised and that the poor could not think for themselves.

She  referred to an event in March commemorating International Women's Day,  where both she and Abhisit were guest speakers, and recalled what she  wrote on that day:

"Today, I confronted a man. I was angry. I  shouted: 'Murder, murder!' Nobody heard my voice, as they were glad with  the event. That was totally different from my mood. I wanted to cry  when I thought of the red shirts who were killed. I shouted again:  'Blood-stained hand!' 

"I grabbed a pen and wrote on a blank piece of A4-size paper: 'Whose hand?'

"He  was talking about the policies on International Women's Day. I raised  the paper sign. He answered immediately that that day was Women's Day,  and not related to politics. [He said] I should have listened to the  House debate on whose hands were blood-stained. 

"I showed my masterpiece sign: 'Yeah' I followed with 'good only at giving big words'."

Jittra said she was then taken into police custody and held for almost half an hour until Abhisit left the event.

Jittra's  open letter quoted 16 of Abhisit's remarks made on different occasions  since 2008, including his call for the Somchai Wongsawat government to  accept responsibility for the clash on October 7, 2008, between  protesters and the military.

She said Abhisit's government had not  slowed down layoffs caused by the economic crisis, as it said it would,  while its job-training scheme had failed to respond to the skills  gained by the workers involved.

Jittra led workers who were  protesting against the loss of their jobs in 2009 when their company,  Triumph International, planned to relocate its factory. A warrant was  issued for her arrest for causing public disorder during a street  protest in the same year. The group of workers later launched a new  brand of lingerie called Try Arm.

She said in her Facebook letter  that the policy providing 15 years of free education was not true  because the government's subsidies failed to cover the increased  expenses parents were having to meet for their children's education.

She  attacked the government for failing to solve the problems of the  restive South over the past two years, and then moved on to increases in  the minimum wage.

"You first said that a minimum wage of Bt250  would be enough to cover the cost of living. It was only in May that the  wage was raised to Bt215," Jittra wrote. "Why [is it that] a prime  minister's remark, once said, [is unable to] be done? Is this not 'good  at giving big words'? 

"When the House was likely to be dissolved,  the Democrat Party then said it would lift the minimum wage to Bt300.  We heard that and thought: 'You are the government. You couldn't even  keep the previous promises. Why are you saying this to draw votes'? 

"In  writing this, I would like you to think ... while writing anything.  Don't say what you can't do. Don't write what is not true. And you have  to accept criticism. People must be able to criticise and examine you as  a public figure; a politician who can use people's taxes. [If you do  not wish] to be criticised or examined, you must stay away from  administering people's taxes, and must not offer yourself as a  politician or a country administrator," Jittra wrote.

Although  Jittra was wrong about a Bt300 minimum-wage policy, which did not come  from the Democrats, her letter illustrated how some people think of  Abhisit and his party, and how his clarifications fail to change their  minds.

----------


## LooseBowels

> and how his clarifications fail to change their minds.


The only clarifications required fron abi and his morons is who killed the 91 innocent protestors?

----------


## DroversDog

> Assoc Prof Lae Dilokwitthayarat, of Chulalongkorn  University's Faculty of Economy, said wages should be determined on  reality and the financial state of three crucial factors in the Thai  economy - the employers, the employees, and the state authorities.


I agree, as Assoc Profs would end up on the minimum wage if this is the case.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
> ^
> PAD to petition for Pheu Thai disbandment
> 
> *PAD to petition for Pheu Thai disbandment*
> 
> By The Nation
> ...


Damn, I never thought of that Gerbil.

Very *original* and meaningful.

Your Posts come from someone truly engaged with his ears to the ground and in touch with the pulse of things as they happen.

I can tell your sources go well beyond the Post, Nation and TV.com

I will continue to pay close attention and learn from your insights.

----------


## Butterfly

> Only if you buy the line that the country is "equally divided"


right, because you know everything about what Thai people think, right ?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

nutter,

----------


## Butterfly

> Damn, I never thought of that Gerbil.
> 
> Very original and meaningful.
> 
> Your Posts come from someone truly engaged with his ears to the ground and in touch with the pulse of things as they happen.
> 
> I will continue to pay close attention and learn from your insights.


Calagary, the Thaksin shill and proud of it

----------


## Bettyboo

> Go ahead. Sondhi was making noises towards PT. If you are incapable of recognising that, then it isn't my problem. He has apparently had a change of heart.


No he did not. Suthep, upset the the PAD had attacked the dems, said, remember this is Suthep, perhaps the biggest liar/spinner in Thai politics, well, he said that the PAD was supporting Taksin. Only one person bought that: YOU.




> Perhaps the support the PAD were offering Pheu Thai and thus Thaksin was rejected.


Speculation of the insane... Things have gone a bit beyond that...




> It wasn't just me that was suggesting that the PAD/Sondhi were doing Thaksin's work for him.


No, it was you and Suthep.

You really are making youself look stupid, again. Just let it go; you made an error, we all do, it's no biggy; the way you protest and dig deeper is always your errror...

----------


## Bettyboo

> Khunying Kasama Varawan na Ayutthaya


Great name, and beautiful Chinese face too... I wonder how many shares she owns in Yellow Inc...

The coup/dem government has done more to set education back than any other in the last 20 years. Don't be fooled by pretty boy's sweet words, his/the coup government's actions are to cut the level of education (because their kids don't use it...).

----------


## Calgary

*When/if* PT/Yingluck win the election outright, I certainly hope there will be no reticence in correcting the excesses of the post coup military administration, IE their military constitution, courts, judicial decisions to name but a few.

I faulted Samak for wasting his electoral plurality.

Even the slightest tampering with military imposed administrivia will cause a hue and cry, so one may as well take significant and firm action based on electoral legitimacy.

Just dare them to coercively sabotage a decisive electoral mandate. They will be radically exposed if they do that, and they will know it.

Should a strong PT electoral mandate be established, wot do the denizens of this Board think should be done with it in the first 100 days?

----------


## Bettyboo

> "It would be fine if the people gave their votes to No 1 [Pheu Thai Party] after listening to our side of the story," Korbsak said. "If they agree with us, vote for No 10." "*The winner sets up the government while the loser becomes the opposition, that's the rule of the game*," he said.


Is that why, when losing the dems pulled out of the 2006 election and supported a coup? Is that how the last election winner set up the government while the dems became opposition? Utter lies; coming thick and fast from the dems...




> The Election Commission (EC) gave the green light to the Democrats to go ahead with their plan to rally at Ratchaprasong tomorrow.


Indeed. Anybdy believe that PT would be allowed to do the same? It must be very nice for the dems to have so many cards stacked in its favour...




> "As long as it is not against the law, everybody could do whatever they wanted," Wisut said.


Well, nobody believes that. Since 2006 it has been very clear that the law is interpretted very differently for different groups. How many yellows in prison? How about these PAD posters that have been banned and told to be removed; they've increased in number since; if that was PT then they'd be banned already... So, no neither the EC regulations and orders or the laws are 'fair and equal'.




> "If they listen to the other side of the truth, they would get a better understanding of the situation," he said


Excellent choice of words, Freudian?; the other side of the truth is called lies. & yes, Abhisit, Suthep and Chuan are set to roll out the lies and hate speeches...




> The red shirts have used the bloodshed to antagonise the Democrats almost everywhere during the election campaign trail. Abhisit, in the deep South yesterday, faced a challenge from a Pattani resident who displayed a poster that said "He is only good at talking".


Typical reporting: red shirts... deep south... So, a Pattani resident displayed a poster saying "He is only good at talking", and it's suddenly the 'redshirts [are]using bloodshed to antagonise the Democrats'...

Non-stop propaganda from the press and TV... I was reading Monday's Bkk Post lettters section, and even these seem to be planted; have a look at the one by "Bob Peters" (a nice foreign sounding name) which is anti-Thaksin/pro-dems/pro-general prayuth's speech... Looks to be written by a Thai; and such a one-sided message which goes along with the other 'letters'. The Bkk Post has really gone too far in recent weeks, beyond shameful, it's a full-on propagandering machine for the army/dems...  :Sad:

----------


## Calgary

^
"*Should a strong PT electoral mandate be established, wot do the denizens of this Board think should be done with it in the first 100 days?"*

So something needs to be done about this media "_propagandering machine for the army/dems (Bettyboo)"_ immediately, when/if PT acquires an electoral mandate. To be fighting an overwhelming media propaganda machine when trying to reform things, could be like "swimming upstream" every day.

I have been told this extreme media bias does not come about from conviction, but from monetary incentives provided by those whom we can only speculate about. 

How that needs to be rectified I will let people more knowledgable than I to ascertain, but when this purposeful financial largesse is removed from this media empire, perhaps their proclivities can be affected.

----------


## Mr Lick

Signs that the all powerful Thai army are preparing themselves for a post-election coup.  :Smile: 

It just doesn't come any more clearer than this.  :Smile: 


Source:- Parker/Penelope

----------


## Calgary

^
Not sure that photo is indicative of anything Mr. Lick.

I have often experienced panicky predictions by the Red Shirts around me, of pending coups. They do this every time the military makes a move of some sort that is visible to them and seemingly out-of-the-ordinary.

----------


## Buksida

> Should a strong PT electoral mandate be established, wot do the denizens of this Board think should be done with it in the first 100 days?


Umm, how about ridding the country of corruption? What would you like to them to do, Calgary?

----------


## DroversDog

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> 
> Should a strong PT electoral mandate be established, wot do the denizens of this Board think should be done with it in the first 100 days?
> 
> 
> Umm, how about ridding the country of corruption? What would you like to them to do, Calgary?


Which country has done that?

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Calgary
> ...


None, that I know of. What would you like to see them do in their first 100 days?

----------


## Gerbil

> So something needs to be done about this media "propagandering machine for the army/dems (Bettyboo)" immediately, when/if PT acquires an electoral mandate. To be fighting an overwhelming media propaganda machine when trying to reform things, could be like "swimming upstream" every day.


Nice, you are advocating more crackdowns on press freedoms? Thaksin would be proud of his apprentice little fascist. How about installing PT censors at every media outlet to make sure nothing could offend your sensitive reds?





> I have been told this extreme media bias does not come about from conviction, but from monetary incentives provided by those whom we can only speculate about.


You mean the same way that Thaksin threatened to withdraw corporate advertising from papers critical of him to make sure they printed more favourable articles? When they were treated like that, is it any wonder they would be biased against him?

Oh, have a red for being a twat. Shouldnt bother you seeing as it's your favourite colour.

Edit: Ah bugger, got to spread it around a bit first...

----------


## Butterfly

^ I will take care of it on your behalf, red is my favorite color  :Smile: 

I owe a few to mid also after he repeatedly red me with his mod power,

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Why north-east Thailand backs Thaksin Shinawatra - Monsters and Critics

Why north-east Thailand backs Thaksin Shinawatra*

By Peter Janssen Jun 22, 2011, 2:06 GMT

Khon Kaen, Thailand - Most voters in Thailand's impoverished north-east seem set to cast their ballots for Thaksin Shinawatra as the July 3 general election approaches.

The appeal of the convicted former prime minister and de-facto leader of the opposition Pheu Thai party remains so strong in the region that the party's official candidates are finding campaigning easy.

'Even if Pheu Thai fielded a dog as their candidate here, we would vote for it,' said Rassamee Klaithongdee, 43, of Khok Sung village in Khon Kaen province, 400 kilometres north-east of Bangkok.

Thaksin, who has been living overseas to avoid a two-year jail sentence for abuse of power, is not running, but the prime minister from 2001 to 2006 has remained a pivotal player in Thai politics and effectively in control of Pheu Thai.

A billionaire telecommunications tycoon before he entered politics, Thaksin has declared that he wants to return to Thailand by December - presumably not to serve his prison sentence.

He picked his sister, Yingluck, 44, to be Pheu Thai's candidate for prime minister, calling her his political 'clone.'

Yingluck, a good-looking former businesswoman with no political experience, appears to have won over some new supporters in Bangkok, a bastion for the ruling Democrat Party in the 2007 election.

But in the north-east region of Isaan, home to nearly a third of Thai voters and Pheu Thai's traditional stronghold, her arguments do not really matter.

'Villagers in the north-east only care that Yingluck is Thaksin's sister,' said Buapan Promphaping, professor at the Faculty of Social Science at Khon Kaen University. 'They think that if Pheu Thai wins, Thaksin will come back, and that's why they will vote for the party.'

Winning Isaan is crucial to Pheu Thai's chances of moving up from its current 188 seats in the 500-strong House of Representatives and becoming a majority government.

The region, home to 21 million of the country's 65 million people, holds 127 of the 375 constituencies to be contested in next month's election. And 70 per cent of voters list Pheu Thai as their favourite party, according to a poll published in The Nation newspaper this week.

Pheu Thai's popularity in Isaan goes back to Thaksin's first campaign under his since-disbanded Thai Rak Thai party, which won the 2001 general election on a raft of populist policies.

The party promised each village nationwide a fund of 1 million baht (33,333 dollars) to be used as it liked as well as write-offs of farmers' debts and a free health scheme.

The strategy was particularly effective in Isaan, Thailand's most impoverished region, where vote-buying had been rife. The practice remains rampant, but its effectiveness has diminished.

'Nowadays, the villagers know that if a candidate buys their vote they will just look out for their own interests once in government,' said Taworn Sansombat, former village headman in Baan Kamplalai, also in Khon Kaen province.

Attitudes started to change after the first Thaksin government, he said. 'I think Thaksin is loved for the clarity of his policies, and the fact that he delivered on them,' Taworn said.

A coup that ousted him and his 2008 corruption conviction did not reduce his fan base in Isaan. Instead, the region contributed large numbers of members to the United Front for Dictatorship against Democracy, the street movement affiliated with Pheu Thai, which organized anti-government demonstrations from March to May last year in Bangkok that were put down by police and troops. Ninety-two people died, including Rassammee's brother, Praison Thiplom.

'Before Praison's death, I was not interested in politics,' she said, 'but now I feel we have not gotten justice. I think under a Pheu Thai government things will improve.'

The Democrats in their two and a half years in office have delivered their own pro-poor policies that have brought widespread benefits to Isaan, including a price guarantee scheme for farm products and 15 years of free education per child.

However, these programmes - as well as Democratic Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's contention that Thaksin was responsible for last year's violence and used his followers for personal gain - are unlikely to transform into political support.

'People just remember the bad things Abhisit did,' Buapan said. 'The good things he did, Isaan people don't pay attention to.'

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Abhisit pans Pheu Thai plan for South
*
*Abhisit pans Pheu Thai plan for South*

*Authority of state will be eroded, says Prayuth * 
Published: 22/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva slammed the  Pheu Thai Party proposal to turn the three southern border provinces  into a special administrative zone, saying it would create a divide  between authorities and local residents.

 Speaking on the campaign trail in Yala, Mr Abhisit said the proposal  for the zone in the South, which is part of Pheu Thai's election  campaign policy platform, would only jettison local administrative  bodies, which act as a conduit for information from and cooperation with  the central government.

 Mr Abhisit said the Democrat Party's approach had focused on justice  and development by introducing new forms of local administration. Public  participation is also a key feature of the party's decentralisation  policy.

 He also said residents were increasingly accepting of the new  structure of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre  (SBPAC).

 Mr Abhisit said Pheu Thai could not implement the proposal  effectively if it became the next government because the party to date  has not provided details of the plan.

 Mr Abhisit also said the Democrat Party hoped to gain more seats in  Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat in this election after receiving a good  response from local voters.

 Mr Abhisit, along with party members, yesterday started campaigning  in Yala's Raman district before travelling to Pattani and Narathiwat.

 Raman district is part of Yala's Constituency 2, where Pheu Thai's  Sugarno Matha, a younger brother of former parliament president Wan  Muhamad Nor Matha, and the Democrats' Abdulkarim Dengrakeena are  squaring off.

 Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha also disagrees with Pheu Thai's proposal  to designate the three southern border provinces a special  administrative zone.

 Gen Prayuth said he was concerned that the proposal was too risky and could undermine the state authority.

 "Any risky action that will weaken the state authority is a concern," Gen Prayuth said.

 Thailand is not a big country and there is no need to transfer too  much power from the central government to the area, Gen Prayuth said.

 He stressed that the solution to the southern violence must be through understanding and public participation.

 Gen Prayuth said the SBPAC must help lead development in the three  southern border provinces with support from other government agencies.  Thus, the central government must have a strong working relationship  with regional municipalities.

 "Thailand still needs administration at both central and regional levels," Gen Prayuth said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Buri Ram shapes as a key battleground
*
*Buri Ram shapes as a key battleground*

*SPECIAL REPORT: Despite the Newin factor for the  Bhumjaithai Party, Pheu Thai thinks it can win one third of the seats in  this crucial province.*

Published: 22/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsBuri Ram may be known as the home turf of the  Bhumjaithai Party  -  its de facto leader Newin Chidchob hails from the  province which has returned him to parliament every election since 1985  until his political ban  -  but the Pheu Thai party aims to carve out as  much as one third of the nine House seats up for grabs in the province.

 Sophon Phetsawang, a former Buri Ram MP and now a Pheu Thai list  candidate, said his party was confident of victory in constituencies 6, 7  and 8.

 In Constituency 6, Pheu Thai has fielded Pornchai Srisuriyanyothin,  former vice-president of the Buri Ram provincial administrative  organisation. Ironically, the candidate used to work for Mr Newin, an  influential figure in this northeastern province. Mr Sophon said the  candidate was popular among voters there.

 Mr Pornchai defected to Pheu Thai after Bhumjaithai decided not to field him.

 If Mr Pornchai manages to clinch victory, it would be due to three  factors: his popularity, Mr Sophon's support base in Nang Rong district  and the popularity of Pheu Thai and Thaksin Shinawatra.

 Mr Sophon said Mr Pornchai could beat Bhumjaithai's candidate  Traithep Ngamkamol whose elder brother is deputy governor of Buri Ram.

 In Constituency 7, Pheu Thai has fielded Nudaeng Wankangsai, a former  MP candidate who has strong voter support in Nong Ki district, which  has the highest number of eligible voters among the four districts in  the constituency.

 In Constituency 8, Pheu Thai's Kachornthon Judto, a former MP, can  defeat Somnuek Hengwanit, also a former MP who defected from Bhumjaithai  to the Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party, Mr Sophon said.

 He predicted Mr Kachornthon will win in Ban Kruat district, while Mr  Somnuek should take Lahan Sai, his home district. The deciding factor  will be how people in Non Dindaeng district vote.

 The voter base for Rungroj Thongsri, the Bhumjaithai's candidate in  Constituency 8 is outside the constituency, so his chances are not  promising.

 Meanwhile, Sanong Thep-aksornnarong, Bhumjaithai's candidate in  Constituency 1, predicted his party would win seven out of nine  constituencies in Buri Ram because Mr Newin had worked for the province  for a long time and had good ties with locals.

 Mr Sanong is upbeat about victory in Constituency 1, saying he has  been assisting area residents there for more than two decades.

 He also said Bhumjaithai could put up Mr Newin's father, former House  speaker Chai Chidchob, to counter Pheu Thai's attempt to raise the  profile of Yingluck Shinawatra, the party's choice for prime minister.

 The party is telling Buri Ram residents that Mr Chai has been working for them for a long time.

 Mr Sanong admitted the Pheu Thai candidate in Constituency 6 had  strong voter support and that Mr Rungroj's voter base is Prakhon Chai  which is not part of Constituency 8.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Other Bangkok Post updates....

*Do not lose your voice*
22/06/2011 : _For  the first time in Thailand's 79-year old democratic system, there is a  strong campaign encouraging a "Vote No" in the national election on July  3._
*
Yet another party floats amnesty idea*
22/06/2011 : _A  national reconciliation committee should be set up to consider the  possibility of a political amnesty within six months of the election,  the Chartthaipattana Party says in its proposed reconciliation scheme._*

Elderly 'tidal wave' forecast*
22/06/2011 : _Academics  have warned that none of the political parties contesting the election  have viable policies to cater to the nation's growing elderly  population_*.

Democrat plans 'more feasible'*
22/06/2011 : _Most  leading economists surveyed in a poll say the Democrat Party's economic  policies were generally more feasible than the Pheu Thai Party's._

----------


## SteveCM

> The woman who coined the phrase "good only at giving big words" has launched another attack on caretaker prime minister and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva.  Abhisit sought to rebut the original claim by listing his government's achievements in his Facebook series "From My Heart", and said the phrase was a discourse invented by his opponents to turn public sentiment against him. This prompted an open letter on Facebook from his accuser, Jittra Kotchadej.


From the blog world.....


Thailand

*Thailands PM Abhisit Vejjajiva: Hes only good at talking*

_By Andrew Spooner 
Jun 20, 2011_

                                         There is now little doubt that in the campaign for the up  and coming Thai general election the performance of both incumbent Thai  Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, and his Democrat Party has been  nothing short of useless.

 Harried and heckled, laughed at and derided, the Democrat Party is  leaking potential voters at an astonishing rate as the opposition Pheu  Thai Party  led by Yingluck Shinawatra,  the photogenic sister of Thailands former PM Thaksin (he was ousted in  an illegal military coup in 2006)  soar in the polls (fellow Asian  Correspondent blogger Bangkok Pundit offers in-depth analysis of the  most recent polls here).

 With a planned Democrat Party rally to be held at the Ratchaprasong intersection this coming Thursday (a site associated with the deaths of the Abhisit-ordered Bangkok Massacre),  something many consider an act of deliberate provocation not befitting a  party of government or the kind of statesman Abhisit is often claimed  to be, it seems like things can only get worse for Thailands unelected,  and seemingly unelectable, party of government.



But what is really irking Thailands incredibly privileged, elitist,  Eton and Oxford educated Prime Minister? Enter a Suphanburi-born female  trade union leader who was raised without any of the privileges handed  out to Abhisit.

 To those who follow the grassroots activists of the progressive, non-Pheu Thai, non-Thaksin aligned Red Shirt movement, Jittra Cotshadet needs no introduction. After leading her co-workers out on strike at the infamous Triumph clothing factory she then went on to form the successful Try Arm  workers co-operative. Present at and involved in every single major Red  Shirt protest in the last two years, Jittra once told me in graphic  detail how she helped clean up the brains blown out of the skulls of her  fellow Red Shirts by Thai Army snipers at Kok Wua. She is as passionate  and committed an activist you could wish to meet. And Abhisit is  terrified of her.

 This person who accuses me  how dare she! This was the whining statement Abhisit placed on his Facebook page  last night  as petty and pathetic as it is possible to imagine and a  comment that formed one part of a lengthy, thin-skinned, disjointed rant  that only adds to the speculation that Abhisit could actually be losing  more than just the election. Readers must now be wondering what is the  terrible accusation that Jittra has dared to utter.

 Back in March, at a forum held at Thammasat University to celebrate International Womens Day, Jittra silently held up a series of hand-drawn placards while PM Abhisit delivered his speech (she received a death threat  just after that event and has more recently been subject to a hate  campaign by the notoriously fascistic Social Sanctions cybergroup). The  statement that has since gone on to be so irksome for Thailands  Eton/Oxbridge-educated PM was a devastating one-line put-down Hes only  good at talking.

 Unbeknown to many foreign-media commentators this simple phrase has  now become one of the key election slogans and memes for the  anti-Abhisit camp. It has caught a distinct mood amongst the Thai  public, appearing on banners, T-shirts, websites, etc etc. And Abhisits  incredibly poor reaction to it has only stoked the fires of its use   he has repeatedly whined about it (here, here and here  are just three examples). In the last 24 hours even a new twitter  hashtag has appeared (#HIOGAT) and it seems Jittras effective little  statement could now be the epitaph to Abhisits declining political  career.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : Two brands to pick from on polling day

COMMENTARY

*Two brands to pick from on polling day*
Published: 22/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 I drove my little boy to school yesterday  morning and we passed by a long line of posters along the road showing  various MP candidates. My boy likes to read their names and surnames out  loud, practising his Thai language.

 I asked him which was his favourite among the posters and he answered instantly: "No. 5."

 I was so surprised. I asked him further, why had he chosen that  number? He told me that the man in the poster holds a cute dog and is  totally different from the others, given his emotionally expressive  face.

 In this case, Chuwit Kamolvisit, the No.5 candidate, has been very  successful in using his striking gimmicks to make an impression on the  public, my son included.

 Then, my curious boy asked me back, what about my choice? I  desperately told him that I didn't have one at the moment. He turned his  face to look at me directly, and asked: "Why?"

 I hold him in a diplomatic way that I was in a decision-making process and would let him know later.

 I think many people feel the same as I do about which party or which MP candidate we should be voting for.

 On Monday night I watched a news report on TV which said many polls  showed 40% of Thai voters were as yet undecided and this would be a  major factor for the two big political parties - Democrat and Pheu Thai -  which side this segment of voters chooses on July 3.

 The polls also said the people are worried about the post-election  situation, whether there will be a new political calamity or not.

 For myself, I haven't found the policy claims and pledges of any political party interesting enough.

 And now I'm trying hard to find some clues to help my decision. I  have to say that it's not easy and it's not fun at all to have to pick  one party or one MP candidate, with only 11 days left to make a choice.

 The first helpful suggestion came from a leading retail executive,  who said she would vote for the party that would cause the least  uncertainty and chaos. She said we should think positively and be  confident in the future of Thailand. We have already been through  horrible political incidents these past few years, ranging from the  airports' closure to rampant arson in the heart of Bangkok.

 I truly support her, but I still have a question: how do I deduce  what will likely happen after the election? Thai politics is very  uncertain and most Thai politicians rarely keep their promises, as they  always think about their own power and interests first.

 Another tip came from a branding expert, who suggested that I apply a  simple marketing rule to the political parties. Treat them like the  same product and select the best brand that is worth the price you are  paying, he said.

 He told me the allegory of having dinner at a choice of restaurants.  The first restaurant is a long-established place whose quality of food  you are familiar with. But you might have to wait so long for the food  to arrive that you could lose your appetite altogether.

 Another restaurant offers new fusion food and many people are lining  up to try it. But the problem is, you don't as yet know what the food  tastes like. Despite its nice look, the restaurant's offerings might  turn out to be not as delicious as expected.

 My branding guru asked me whether I now had a clearer picture in my  mind. My answer, probably yes. At least, I've started to see the outline  of my choice candidate.

 Thus far I have many useful clues at hand and I will selectively use  some good points from all. It's neither right nor wrong, I think, to  make my choice this way. For me, the most important thing is to accept  the ballot results and pray for good consequences post-election.

 I think many Thais don't care that much which party gets to form the  coalition government because there is not much difference. What they  care about is the government's ability to manage the country and drive  the economy foward to greater prosperity. We are always most concerned  about our income and our well-being.
*
Krissana Parnsoonthorn is Deputy Business Editor, Bangkok Post.*

----------


## StrontiumDog

*10 million undecided voters crucial to tip outcome: Abac Poll
*
*10 million undecided voters crucial to tip outcome: Abac Poll*

                                      Some 10 million voters, accounting for 30 per cent of  those planned to cast ballots, remain undecided for the July 3 vote,  Abac Poll said in a survey released on Wednesday.

The nationwide  survey was conducted on a sample group of 5,349 respondents in 28  selected provinces to gauge the sentiment on party-list candidates  between June 1 and June 21.

One of the survey's conclusions drawn is  some 36 million electorates, accounting for 76 per cent of eligible  voters, plan to cast ballots. Given a seven per cent chance for error,  the voter turnout is projected to range from 69 per cent to 83 per cent.

About 25 million, or 70 per cent, said they already made up their mind on which party to vote for.

The nation

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255406220001

Pheu Thai asks EC to probe coated ballots  *  

 

BANGKOK,  22 June 2011 (NNT) – The Pheu Thai Party has demanded that the Election  Commission (EC) should investigate ballots after overseas voters had  complained that they could not vote for the Pheu Thai Party as ballots  were coated only at the no.1 box of the party. 

Speaking after filing the complaint to the EC, Pheu Thai Party  Spokesperson Prompong Nopparit said the party had received complaints  from overseas voters that they were unable to mark a cross in the no.1  box designated for the Pheu Thai Party since it was coated.  

Mr Prompong stressed that the EC must investigate the issue if the  allegation is true or not and report the result to the public. He then  asked voters who will go to cast their vote in the advance election on  26 June 2011 to help check if there are any irregularities in their  ballots. 

The spokesperson noted that voters have the rights to refuse any ballot  they find something wrong on it and request for a new one immediately.  He said electoral staff members failing to grant new ballots in this  case can be charged with negligence of duties. 

Due to the ballot scandal combined with a complaint that the logo of his  party in ballot papers is smaller than other parties, Mr Prompong asked  the EC to amend the electoral law on the characteristics of void ballot  to exclude ballots that voters fail to mark inside the voting box.

----------


## SteveCM

*Abhisit Vejjajiva: Behind Is A Good Place To Be*




             With just two weeks left before elections Prime Minister Abhisit  Vejajjiva is trailing in the polls. In an interview with the Bangkok  Post he talks about how being behind will motivate his supporters to  action and how he will take responsibility should the Democrats do  poorly at the polls. Video by Chumporn Sangvilert and Somchai Poomlard.         
Published: 21/06/2011

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Democrat Defends PM Against Red-shirt Allegations 

UPDATE : 22 June 2011                     *

The Democrat Party deputy leader defends  his party leader against allegations that he was responsible for the  deaths during last year's red-shirt protest.

Democrat Party deputy leader Korbsak Sabhavasu defended Prime Minister  and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva against allegations related  to the incident at Ratchaprasong Intersection last year, saying Abhisit  has been listening to demands of the red-shirt group and working toward  national unity.

He added that those who claim to be promoting reconciliation may in fact be the ones who caused the most problem.
*

Korbsak noted that the claims by the Pheu Thai Party-List MP candidates  Yingluck Shinawatra and Nuttawut Saikuea, that their party has no  authority over the red-shirt group, suggest that the group is ready to  disrupt the election campaigns of other political parties.

Regarding the attempt to seek amnesty for convicted politicians  including deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the Democrat deputy  leader said acquittal of criminal convictions is impermissible.

Chief adviser to Chart Thai Pattana Party leader Banharn Silpa-archa  said he is fed up with politics that he feels like being ordained and  spending some time in priesthood. 

However, he said if granted a pardon within the next two years, he may  still consider resuming his political career and be able to help solve  the political conflict in the country.

Banharn called on all parties to leave behind past conflicts and help the country move forward.

 He also expressed concern over violence during the campaign period, as  political parties are trying to pull out all the stops to win the  election.

Banharn warned the Democrat Party to be vigilant during its major campaign rally at Ratchaprasong Intersection this Thursday.

The veteran politician believes that even if the Pheu Thai Party wins  the election, no separate government will be formed with the help of the  military as many have speculated, and there will be no intervention  from any groups.

Meanwhile, he admitted that his party may win fewer House seats than expected, saying the party may get 25 to 30 seats.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

KBank: Political Turmoil Likely to Linger on 

UPDATE : 22 June 2011                     *

Kasikorn Bank says the political turmoil  in Thailand is likely to continue for at least seven years and rising  inflation will be the key factor impeding economic growth this year.

Kasikorn Bank Executive Vice President Wasin Wanichworanant is of the  opinion that the ongoing political problem will unlikely go away even  after the general election. 
*

He said it may take five to seven years for conflicting parties to start fence mending. 

Wasin, meanwhile, expects the domestic economy will be dampened by a  higher inflation rate, with growth projected at 3.6 percent. 

He said with rising inflation, more political involvement will be seen  in the economy as all political parties are proposing populist policies  like a minimum wage increase and cost-cutting measures. 

The top executive advised businesses to brace for rising labor and  energy costs, the launch of the ASEAN free trade zone, and a volatile  global economy. 

Kasikorn Bank expects its loan growth to exceed the target of 4 to 6  percent this year in light of a favorable first half year result, with  loans issued to private utilities accounting for as much as 19 percent  of the bank's total loans.

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world.....


*Why is the Puea Thai logo on the ballot paper so small? | Asian Correspondent

*_By Bangkok Pundit 
Jun 22, 2011_

Puea Thai are upset over the Puea Thai logo that the Election  Commission has used for the party vote ballot paper. A sample is below:



*BP*: Puea Thai are No. 1 and you see there logo is  barely legible. The complaint is not that people wont realize that Puea  Thai is No. 1, but that they will put the X in the logo box instead of  the box on the right-hand side (which is the correct box)  see below:



*BP*: The confusion will be because the constituency  vote ballot paper has the box for the X right next to the number as  per the below sample:


*
BP*: The explanation  from one of the Election Commissioners was that Puea Thais logo  included the wording Puea Thai to the right and hence it had to be  shrunk down to fit. He said the ballot papers have been printed so there  is nothing that can be done, but that the EC will do PR work to make  people aware of which box to mark the X in although another Election  Commissioner is surprised  noting she (yes, it is Sodsri!) hasnt seen the ballot papers before.   In response to the Puea Thai complaints some pro-government people on  Twitter posted a link to the Government Gazette on page 290 and said the  logo used by the EC is just a shrunken logo of the below


 Source: This PDF
*
BP*: Although, BP should note it is the 2008  Government Gazette so it is unclear whether a newer version has been  gazetted since then (if it was the end of May 2011 post-dissolution page  from the Gazette then it would be a different story OR if one of the  election commissioners stated that the logo in the 2008 was the latest).   Other pro-Puea Thai people pointed to the following material from the  EC which shows the normal Puea Thai logo:


*
BP*: The writing in Thai states this was distributed by the EC  you can see the real page here  and then also the below screenshot from the EC website with the normal Puea Thai logo:


*
BP*: This is a partial screenshot the EC General Election 2011 main page in English and can be found here  the page in Thai is not so colorful and we just have text.

 So BP did a google image search of the EC website for Puea Thai and found both:


*
BP*: Then if you click on the image on the left, you get to this page which has a Google cache of the image and then if you click on full-size image on that page you get a different image (i.e the image on the right-hand side of the Google image search page). This looks like the EC has changed the image.

 So was this a Puea Thai mistake? If so, why is the EC using different forms of the Puea Thai logo? Wont that confuse people?*

 It fits into the Puea Thai narrative of the EC being against them   whether true or not is another matter  and there is still time to  educate voters before they vote about which box to mark the X in

 *corrected title and updated this paragraph.

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## StrontiumDog

^As Pheu Thai are number 1 and everyone should be aware of this by now (it is after all on all their posters, of which there are a lot!), then I don't know what the big deal is. Unless of course you live under a rock...

It is odd that it is so small, but ya know...number 1!

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thai Vote May Test Economic Resilience That Lured Dow, Ford - Businessweek
*
*Thai Election May Test Economic Resilience That Lured Dow, Ford*

 June 21, 2011, 8:38 PM EDT                                                  

 By Daniel Ten Kate and Tony Jordan                     

June 22 (Bloomberg) -- The economic resilience that saw  companies from Ford Motor Co. to Dow Chemical Co. invest in Thailand  even amid its worst political violence in two decades may be tested next  month as polls indicate a win for the party removed from power twice in  the past five years.

      Pheu Thai, backed by exiled former Prime Minister  Thaksin Shinawatra, led the ruling Democrats by 13 percentage points in  a poll released June 18 by the National Institute of Development and  Administration. The army, which deposed Thaksin in 2006, has warned  voters to avoid picking the “same thing” as previous times; disputes  over the last election led to airport seizures, arson attacks and  protests that killed more than 100 people.

      Clashes between rural and urban voters in the  country of 67 million people didn’t stop successive governments  embracing trade and foreign investment or deter tourist arrivals, which  jumped to a record in 2010. The economy last year grew the fastest since  at least 1995, and Thai stocks were among the world’s 10 best  performers.

      “Our companies have endured coups over the last  few decades and survived,” Hugh Young, who helps manage $70 billion in  Asian equities at Aberdeen Asset Management Asia Ltd., said by e-mail.  “We’re just watching and hoping for the best” from the July 3 vote, he  said.

      The ability of the world’s top exporter of rice  and rubber to also attract manufacturers that account for 40 percent of  gross domestic product makes the economy more vulnerable to global  setbacks than domestic troubles. Thai GDP fell 2.3 percent in 2009 amid a  global recession, then jumped 7.8 percent last year. The government’s  planning agency sees growth between 3.5 percent and 4.5 percent this  year as global demand slows.

*Firing Zones*

      Exports rose to an 18-year high in June 2010, a  month after the military set up live firing zones in Bangkok to end a  two- month protest that killed 91 people.

      Dow Chemical, the largest U.S. chemical maker,  has been operating in Thailand for 45 years and its venture with local  partner Siam Cement Pcl “is one of our best in the world,” country  manager Molly Zhang said. Midland, Michigan-based Dow plans to open a  plant later this year that’s part of a $3 billion investment, she said.

      “We have been growing through Thailand’s recent  history and remain optimistic about the economic and business  opportunities moving forward,” Zhang wrote in an e-mail.

*Automaker Hub*

      Most industrial firms are situated around Rayong,  an area about 100 miles (161 kilometers) southeast of Bangkok.  Automakers such as Toyota Motor Corp., General Motors Co. and Ford Motor  Co. have used Thailand as a global production hub due to tax incentives  and trade arrangements that grant access to Southeast Asia’s 592  million consumers.

      “The success of Thailand’s auto industry is the  result of nearly two decades of commitment by the government to  establish and build a globally competitive auto industry and supporting  infrastructure,” said Peter Fleet, president of Southeast Asian  operations at Ford, which has invested $1.3 billion in Thailand over the  past three years.

      More than 7,000 Japanese companies making  products like automobiles, televisions and air conditioners are now in  Thailand and more are coming, said Yoichi Yajima, who works with Japan’s  External Trade Organization in Bangkok.

      “Politics and the economy are completely  separated, and history proves that,” he said. “Even with many changes in  administrations in the past, the policy of preferential treatment for  foreign companies and the manufacturing sector has remained intact.”

*Less Than Potential*

      While its favorable investment laws, scenic  beaches and abundant natural resources have helped it emerge as  Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy, Thailand may still be failing  to live up to its potential. The conflict is an extension of political  upheaval that has seen nine coups and more than 20 prime ministers since  <redacted>.

      “Unfortunately Thailand is slipping,” said Nandor  von der Luehe, chairman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in  Thailand. “It’s not that Thailand becomes worse as such, but the other  ones are lifting the bar.”

      Thailand attracted less foreign direct investment  than Indonesia and Vietnam over the past three years after outpacing  them from 2005 to 2007, Asian Development Bank statistics show.  Government and policy instability were cited as the biggest concerns for  doing business in Thailand among 13,000 executives surveyed in the  World Economic Forum’s 2010-2011 Global Competitiveness Report released  last year.

*Price of Unrest*

      The tourism industry has also expressed concern,  even after arrivals rose 13 percent last year to a record 15.9 million.  In the first five months of 2011, arrivals climbed 24 percent to 8.2  million compared with the same period last year, according to the  Department of Tourism.

      “Though the number of tourist arrivals is  improving, it would have been better without the unrest,” said Kongkrit  Hiranyakit, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand. “We are  stepping backward and can’t grow in line with our potential because of  politics.”

      Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s Democrat party  is trailing in polls against Pheu Thai, which is led by Thaksin’s  sister, Yingluck Shinawatra. Thaksin retains support in Thailand’s  poorer northern areas for his programs of cheap health care and  micro-credit even after he was ousted and fled a jail sentence for abuse  of power, a verdict he says is unfair.

*Poll Numbers*

      Of the 500 parliamentary seats up for grabs, 375  are chosen in districts and 125 through proportional representation.  About 30 percent of the 1,247 people surveyed in a June 13 poll by the  National Institute of Development and Administration will choose Pheu  Thai candidates in their constituencies, while 17 percent favor the  Democrats. For the party list, 30 percent backed Pheu Thai and 17  percent supported the Democrat party, it said.

      The prospect of Thaksin’s allies winning the most  seats in an election for the fifth straight time has prompted overseas  investors to withdraw more than $1 billion from Thai stocks over the  past month on concerns it would provoke a backlash among a royalist  elite that has used the military and court rulings to overturn his last  three victories. The SET Index has fallen 0.5 percent this year, lagging  behind Southeast Asian markets, after a 41 percent advance in 2010 that  was among the world’s best.

      A wealth gap in Thailand has helped fuel the  conflict, with Thaksin’s base in the north and northeast earning an  average income about one third that in Bangkok, according to data from  the National Statistical Office. That has prompted both major parties to  promise handouts to the poor and a minimum wage increase of between 25  percent to 99 percent in some areas, a move that manufacturers fear may  erode their competitiveness.

*Minimum Wage*

      “There is general acknowledgement that the  current minimum wage is insufficient given the higher cost of living,”  Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij said. “There’s a question of social  justice and equal distribution of economic gains that needs to be  addressed.”

      As Thais seek to reconcile their economic and  political divide with <redacted>, long-term residents like David Lyman seek to keep things in  perspective. All the governments since absolute monarchy ended in 1932  have been pro-business, said Lyman, the chairman of law firm Tilleke and  Gibbins and a governor of the American Chamber of Commerce.

      “In spite of its inept governments and its continued chaotic political situation, Thailand always survives,” Lyman said.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> 
> Should a strong PT electoral mandate be established, wot do the denizens of this Board think should be done with it in the first 100 days?
> 
> 
> Umm, how about ridding the country of corruption? What would you like to them to do, Calgary?


Not wot I think, wot do you think?

Corruption is a pretty tall order for the first 100 days. 

I mean doable and achievable.

I would probably start by _undoing_ the most eggregious thing initiated by the military right after their coup. Probably re-staff the judiciary - get rid of the 'kangaroo court' types and replace them with professionals.

Just to prevent further 'double-standard' rulings.

Tackling the military constitution would also be high on the agenda. I think all serious minded individuals would accept that a post coup, military imposed constitution is not a basis for Democratic governance going forward.

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world..... (albeit Council on Foreign Relations)

*
Asia Unbound* 

Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2011
  by *Joshua Kurlantzick*


_A  supporter of Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of toppled premier Thaksin  Shinawatra and the prime ministerial candidate for the country's biggest  opposition Pheu Thai Party, holds her poster in front of a building  decorated with banners of the Democrat party in Bangkok's notorious  Klong Toey slum June 21, 2011. (Damir Sagolj/Courtesy Reuters)_

 In the run up to Thailand’s national elections on July 3, most U.S.  officials have said very little about the country and its poll. At  recent events, for example, Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell  has tended to brush over discussions of Thailand before going on to  emphasize the United States’ other treaty allies and close partners in  Southeast Asia, such as Singapore, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

 That is probably a wise move – for now. As Bangkok Pundit notes,  though polls suggest that the opposition Puea Thai party is likely to  win, and possibly with a large majority. Thai polls are notoriously  unreliable, so the Democrat Party and their smaller party partners could  still pull off enough of a victory that would allow the Democrats to  put together a ruling coalition in parliament.

 Still, after the election, the U.S. is  not going to be able to simply defer talking about Thailand any more.  Washington will need to have a clear policy if the military steps in  again, as army commander in chief Prayuth Chan-Ocha  already has obliquely warned in public statements. Unlike in 2006, the  U.S. cannot this time even tacitly tolerate a coup, since the Thai  military already has shown, in 2006 and 2007, that a coup will only set  back the country’s economy and democratic progress badly. A coup this  time should result in suspension of future Cobra Gold U.S.-Thai joint  military exercises, and should result in the kind of harsh condemnation  of the military’s actions that the U.S. would deliver in the case of  nearly any other country. Though some American analysts worry that such a  condemnation would push Thailand closer to China, that’s a risk that –  at this point – is probably worth taking, given that the Thai government  still cannot rely upon Beijing for much of its military needs.

 What’s more, the administration should be prepared to warn Puea Thai,  as well, if it wins the election and immediately tries to use a mandate  to launch its own cycle of recriminations against the judges,  bureaucrats, and army officers it believes have made life tough for  Thaksin supporters over the past five years. After the poll, no matter  what the result, Thailand will need some kind of cooling down period,  and a new cycle of recriminations would hardly help lower the  temperature.

----------


## SteveCM

^^
I'd say one thing's almost for sure in the event of a PT-led government: _at least_ the first 100 days will be characterised by a _very_ "softly-softly" approach - thus ruling out the changes mentioned or anything approaching that scale of change/reform.

----------


## Calgary

"*Whats more, the (*US)*administration should be prepared to warn Puea Thai....................*" Quote Post #3087

Before the Americans try any warnings of any sort, they better do some big time fence-mending with this Democracy Movement.

Above all, they had better demonstrate they are not in the pocket of the Amart where they currently reside, and that means to the very top of the Amart.

----------


## Butterfly

> Probably re-staff the judiciary
> 
> Just to prevent further 'double-standard' rulings.


couldn't make that shit up  :rofl:

----------


## Calgary

^^^
That is a key issue SteveCM, does one go extremely softly after an overwhelming electoral mandate, or not.

Samak did that and look where it got him.

At which point in time do you vacate the "soft, soft" approach and bite the bullet on some things.

The Amart will come unglued the moment anything substantial is attempted. So no point in delaying it. 

It seems after a resounding election win, doing substantial things immediately is easier than tepidly attempting it later. I don't mean stupid "_bull-in-the-china-shop"_ sort of things, but firm, determined and professionally.

The Amart will try to sabotage anything substantial no matter when it is done, so in the afterglow of a huge electoral victory, I think they are the most vulnerable.

A huge electoral victory is a mandate.......so do some serious mandating immediately! (no pun intended)

They'd better release all the political prisoners up-front......that is a no-brainer.
Whether they are in jail for standing up to the Amart and are therefore 'terrorists' to those jailed because they supposedly said unfavorable things.......................

----------


## Bettyboo

> ^As Pheu Thai are number 1 and everyone should be aware of this by now (it is after all on all their posters, of which there are a lot!), then I don't know what the big deal is. Unless of course you live under a rock...
> 
> It is odd that it is so small, but ya know...number 1!


Oh dear... why do we bother with you, SD; read it again and try to understand... it's clear to everyone else... As I've suggested before, you may want to take a rest away from TD for a week or two, it has got to you.

----------


## Norton

Ber nueng, ber nueng is all I hear everyday when the daily loudspeaker truck comes through the village. Very much doubt the logo will make a difference but yes logo should have been bigger.

----------


## Buksida

> ^^^
> That is a key issue SteveCM, does one go extremely softly after an overwhelming electoral mandate, or not.
> 
> Samak did that and look where it got him.


Samak was an idiot, more focused on cooking than running the country.

----------


## Butterfly

> Samak was an idiot, more focused on cooking than running the country.


that was actually a good thing,

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> I'd say one thing's almost for sure in the event of a PT-led government: at least the first 100 days will be characterised by a very "softly-softly" approach - thus ruling out the changes mentioned or anything approaching that scale of change/reform.


100 days sounds about right, I'd hate to miss the wedding with Thaksin there! :Smile:

----------


## SteveCM

> At which point in time do you vacate the "soft, soft" approach and bite the bullet on some things.  The Amart will come unglued the moment anything substantial is attempted. So no point in delaying it.  It seems after a resounding election win, doing substantial things immediately is easier than tepidly attempting it later. I don't mean stupid "bull-in-the-china-shop" sort of things, but firm, determined and professionally.


Excellent question - and theoretically correct suggestion of using the momentum of a mandate. Personally, I still have my doubts as to how large that mandate will (be allowed to) be. At least one flaw in the theory is that it doesn't take account of the volatile nature of Prayuth and Co. It seems to me that they've a plentiful track record of jumping too far too rashly - and ballsing it up. 

On that basis, I suggest denying them the excuse (you can say - reasonably enough - they don't _need_ an excuse) or provocation to "intervene". In other words, my take is that time will be needed for things to calm down. To take that one stage further (though I think it's in danger of straying into the realms of rosy optimism), a "softly softly" approach for a sensible period will IMO also act as a national/international confidence-builder as well as rebut the ever more doom-mongering accusations that are their opponents' stock-in-trade.

That said, I can see two measures that could usefully be taken. 1) a thorough review of the previous/ongoing [cough] "investigations" into last year's events..... leading to 2) legislation to set up a proper investigation commission - this time armed with subpoena powers. Needless to say, the second stage is fraught with dangers of triggering reactions from those with most to lose.

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world.....

*
ABAC Poll shows Puea Thai has lead; Undecideds at 30% | Asian Correspondent*

_By Bangkok Pundit 
Jun 22, 2011_

In the lead-up to the July 3 election, BP has blogged on a number of polls as follows (from oldest to newest):The E-san poll, as blogged about here and here, which surveyed all 20 provinces in the Northeast which looked at who those surveyed would cast their *party* vote for (Puea Thai 63.9%, Democrats, 20.7%, and Bhum Jai Thai, 9.1%),Nationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their *constituency* vote for (Puea Thai 23%, Democrats 20%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%, undecided 53%),Nationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their *party*  vote for (Puea Thai 41%, Democrats 37%, Bhum Jai Thai 4% OR if you  remove the undecideds and those who will vote no you get Puea Thai 45%,  Democrats 41%, Bhum Jai Thai 4%),Bangkok-only DPU poll which showed that Puea Thai would win 19 *constituencies*, Democrats 5 and the rest were too close to call, andNationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their *party*  vote for (Puea Thai 43%, Democrats 37%, Bhum Jai Thai 3% OR if you  remove the undecideds and those who will vote no you get Puea Thai 47%,  Democrats 41%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%),Poll of the Lower North showing how people would cast their *party* vote for (Puea Thai 23.2%, Democrats 22.2%, 4.5% for other parties, and 50.1% were undecided),Nationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their *constituency* vote for (Puea Thai 22%, Democrats 13%, undecided 64%) and *party* vote (Puea Thai 23%, Democrats 13%, undecided 64%),Nationwide Bangkok-only DPU Poll which shows that Puea Thai is leading in the *constituency* vote 47% to Dems 40% and *party* vote 47% to Dems 39%,a Bangkok University poll that showed that Puea Thai is leading 33.6% to 17.6% for the Democrats in Bangkok for the *party* vote,Nationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their *party* vote for (Puea Thai 52%, Democrats 34%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%), andNationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their *constituency* vote for (Puea Thai 35%, Democrats 21%, undecideds 33%) and *party* vote for (Puea Thai 36%, Democrats 21%, undecideds 32%)*
BP*: BP has posted  about the accuracy of Thai polls and the problem of using a single poll    hence why we have the above refresher which will be included and   updated for future posts on polls. Polls may be poorly worded and not so   reflective of those who will vote on July 3, but they are no data   points and together with other information we can use them to evaluate.

 There is a new ABAC poll  that was released today. The poll surveyed 5,349 people between June  1-21 in 28 provinces (Bangkok, Pathumthani, Samat Prakaran, Nakhon  Nayok, Suphan Buri, Chonburi, Samut Sakhon, Ratcaburi, Sakaew, Nakhon  Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Amnat Charoen, Si Sa Ket, Ubon Ratchathani, Loei,  Nong Khai, Kalasin, Phayao, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nan, Uthai Thani,  Sukothai, Phetchabun, Surat Thani, Songkhla and Yala). The questions are  below:


*Q1. Are you intending to go to vote or not?* (​แสดงผล​การประมาณ​การจำนวนประชาชน​และค่าร้อยละของ  ตัวอย่างที่ระบุ ​ความตั้ง​ใจจะ​ไป​เลือกตั้ง)

A. Yes, 76%

B. No. 24%
*
BP*: Which suggests a slightly higher turn-out than the 74.5 of 2007.
*

Q2. Have you decided who you will vote for? Only those who will vote* ​(แสดงผล​การประมาณ​การจำนวนประชาชน​และค่าร้อยละของ  ตัวอย่างที่ตัดสิน​ใจ​เลือกอย่าง​ใดอย่างหนึ่ง​แล้วก  ับ​ผู้ที่ยัง​ไม่ตัดสิน​ใจ)

 A. Yes, 69.9% (which ABAC states equates to 25,204,398)

B. No, 30.1          (which equates to 10,853,396)

Total 36,057,794
*

Q3. Who will you cast your party vote for?* 

 1. Puea Thai, 43.7% which equates to 55 seats although the range is 46-63

2. Democrats, 39.1% which equates to 49 seats although the range is 40-58

3. Bhum Jai Thai, 6.6% which equates to 8 seats although the range is 0-17

4. Chart Pattana Puea Paendin, 3.5% which equates to 4 seats although the range is 0-13

5. Other parties, 7.1% which equates to 9 seats although the range is 0  18
*
BP*:
 1. Assume the range is because of the polls 7% margin of error.

2. The Suan Dusit poll is superior as it surveyed people in all  375  constituencies whereas this poll only surveyed 28 provinces. This   doesnt mean the ABAC poll is somehow bad. There are a good selection of  provinces from the various regions, but it is better to view the poll  as _reflective of those 28 provinces_ and not necessarily  reflective of _all_ provinces in Thailand.*

3. Having said that the Suan  Dusit poll includes leaners whereas  this poll doesnt. If BP was to hazard an educated guess  taking into  account with Abhisit conceding the Democrats are 3-4 points behind and a  look at this poll and other recent polls, if leaners are NOT included  the Democrats are around 8 points behind Puea Thai on the party vote.  Part of the problem is that leaners are going to Puea Thai so the  Democrats need to reverse that and then eat into Puea Thai support. They  dont have much time left as advance voting starts this weekend. Will  the Rajaprasong rally scheduled tomorrow help them?

 *See the below exce[r]pt for a previous poll on the Northeast:_You can also see that for the party vote that support for  Puea Thai  differs greatly by province. Puea Thai have 36.4% of the  party vote in  Buriram, 41.3% in Nakhon Ratchasima, 65.1% in Khon Kaen,  71.2% in Ubon  Ratchathani and 84.6% in Udon Thani. This can pose a  problem for other  polls, for example the ABAC poll who usually survey  only 17 or 20  provinces with 5 or 6 provinces in the Northeast. Now, 6  out of 20  provinces is representative generally. There would be a big  difference  if those provinces surveyed was Buriram and Nakhon  Ratchasima versus  Ubon and Udon. Hence, such polls should be seen as  representative of the  provinces surveyed and not necessarily reflective  of each region or  nationwide. This is particularly important when  comparing one ABAC poll  with the next one as the provinces surveyed may  be different and hence  this could lead to wild swings._

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

tulsathit   tulsathit                                               

       Democrats' campaign plea: Stop harassing us.  Pheu Thai's campaign plea: Stop framing us.

5 minutes ago

----------


## Mid

voters plea

politicians ............grow up  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
> ^As Pheu Thai are number 1 and everyone should be aware of this by now (it is after all on all their posters, of which there are a lot!), then I don't know what the big deal is. Unless of course you live under a rock...
> 
> It is odd that it is so small, but ya know...number 1!
> 
> 
> Oh dear... why do we bother with you, SD; read it again and try to understand... it's clear to everyone else... As I've suggested before, you may want to take a rest away from TD for a week or two, it has got to you.


Hmm, and you say I should take a break. 

So, what's your take on this BB? All part of the grand conspiracy? The voters are to dumb to remember the number 1, right? Is that what you think?

----------


## Calgary

*"...........2) legislation to set up a proper investigation commission - this time armed with subpoena powers. Needless to say, the second stage is fraught with dangers of triggering reactions from those with most to lose.* Quote from 3097

That will be the sad reality.

No matter what significant action a strongly elected PT Govt. would take, it would face as much flak as the Amart could generate plus misrepresentation through their media.

I wonder of a strong Government could bring balance to the media. Somebody in the know on such things swears up-and-down that a lot of the media imbalance is due to financial largesse flowing their way from agenized sources instead of pure conviction.

A strong electorally legitimized PT Govt. would be well advised to try to rebalance media activity. 

To have the Amart in your face every time you try something, plus a steady stream of oppositional media.......................

----------


## Calgary

I think it is time for a PT political rally at the airport.

The purpose of which would be to draw attention to the *double standard* inactivity of the judiciary and military in holding those accountable from the airport occupation all those years ago.

----------


## SteveCM

*Abhitist out of touch with the grassroots: Thida*

22 June 2011

               By The Nation


*Red-shirt leader Thida Thawornseth has written a  critique of Democrat Abhisit Vejjajiva, arguing he is bound to face the  voter's wrath because he is out of touch with the grassroots people.*

                              Thida's son Salaktham Tojirakarn released the critique dated Tuesday and published on VoiceTV website.

In  rebutting Abhisit's four messages describing his ordeals on the job  posted in the social media Facebook, Thida alluded to Abhisit under the  title "small bird in a goldne cage".

Here are the excerpts:

-  As a matter of fact, what happened is not entirely Abhisit's fault. He  is just a player being propped up as prime minister at a crucial period  when Thailand is confronting with a deep conflict between the  bureaucratic polity (amatiyathipatai) and the people.

- The  conservative elements in the bureaucratic polity, including the elitist  class and the military, have tried to cling to power for as long as  possible.

- The conservatives have propped up Abhisit in their fight against Thaksin Shinawatra.

-  Abhisit's backgrounds, such as coming from the upper crust of society,  getting the best of the British education and raising in conservative  environment, mean he could not understand society from any other  dimensions than those shared by elitists and conservatives.

-  Abhisit's major flaw is that he is surrounded by the people at the top  of pyramid in Thai society, hence he could not connected with the  grassroots people.

- When Abhisit has to campaign and get in touch  with the people following the crackdown, he confronts with the stark  reality that the people are angry and demanding answers from him in  connection with the last year's killings.

- Abhisit's denial for  accountability by passing the blame on to his political opponents will  eventually bring his downfall and that of the Democrat Party.

----------


## SteveCM

*Officials should not try to whitewash the government*

OPINION »

*GUEST COLUMN* 
*Officials should not try to whitewash the government*

             By Pavin Chachavalpongpun
                                             Published on June 22, 2011                

*Panitan Wattanayagorn, deputy secretary-general to  the prime minister and acting government spokesperson, dropped by my  institute in Singapore on June 3 to give a talk on the topic "Thailand's  future after the election".*

                              The objective of this talk was clear: to glorify the  Democrat Party, rather than to discuss the future of Thailand as the  title suggested.

His talk lasted for just over an hour, including a  question and answer session. Many expected that, as the government's  spokesperson, Panitan would have no problem in delivering a  straightforward and well-thought-out speech. As it turned out, some of  his statements were confusing, others simply surreal. He said that he  was a government official and not a member of any political party. Yet,  he continually spoke in favour of the Democrat Party.

Obviously, Panitan is launching a nationwide and international election campaign on behalf of the Democrats. 

Unsurprisingly,  there were two fundamental threads in Panitan's talk: eulogising the  Democrat Party for its past success, and demonising the government's  opponents. But while Panitan was keen to give his side of the story, he  refused to answer some hard-hitting questions - questions that challenge  the legitimacy of the government.

Panitan chose to look at the  Thai political situation from late 2008 onward, the period after which  the Democrat Party came to power. In so doing, it allowed him to ignore  other significant political events in the pre-2008 period, such as the  launching of the anti-Thaksin campaign by the yellow-shirt People's  Alliance for Democracy (PAD) which led to the coup in 2006; the PAD's  politicisation of the Preah Vihear Temple issue; and its occupation of  Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. Some of these political events were  supported, or even participated in, by certain members of the Democrat  Party.

Instead, Panitan reiterated an angelic image of the  Democrat government. He could not emphasise enough the success of the  Democrat Party's economic and social policies, including free education,  cash handouts to poor Thais and an income-guarantee scheme for farmers.  

Thailand under the Democrats was prosperous, he said, with the  country's economic growth reaching 7.8 per cent in 2010, with only 1 per  cent unemployment, despite the protracted political crisis. But Panitan  could have avoided a lengthy and somewhat tedious elaboration on  Abhisit's "impressive" programmes by just referring to Thaksin's past  populist policies - since both are astonishingly similar to one another.

Panitan  then embarked on attacking his government's opponents, not directly but  through sarcastic rhetoric. For example, he reminded the audience that  Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was unable to deliver a policy  statement to Parliament on December 31, 2008 because of a blockade by a  group of anti-government demonstrators. To Panitan, this marked "the  beginning of a long two years of struggle between the opposition and the  government". 

Panitan also said that the Democrat government  wanted to pull Thailand out of a vicious circle of political protests,  violence and instability that were "very much centred on the interests  of only one man". It doesn't take a genius to understand that Panitan  meant to say that Thaksin is behind all the bad things that have gone  wrong in the kingdom over the last few years. 

The government,  according to Panitan, was sincere in wanting to restore peace and  promote reconciliation, particularly after the deadly confrontations in  Bangkok in May 2010. To demonstrate this, the state authorities decided  to release some of the red-shirt core leaders from prison and permitted  them to contest the upcoming election. Panitan said proudly that Abhisit  had a clear idea at the beginning that he never wished to serve a full  term but rather to return power to the Thai people, on the condition  that the economy was strengthened and vital political reforms carried  out. And Abhisit has kept his promise. In other words, Thailand was  lucky to have a prime minister who was not power-hungry. 

On top  of that, according to Panitan, Abhisit enjoyed an amicable working  relationship with the media. Panitan stated: "In all major decisions we  made, we invited the media to come in and observe." 

Ironically,  Panitan swept under the carpet one shocking fact: Under the Abhisit  regime, more than 113,000 websites had been blocked and over 300 Thais  to date have been arrested for airing views that are different from  those of the state. 

As the focus was on the freedom of  expression, an American scholar asked why Panitan was reluctant to talk  about the contentious case of Thammasat University historian Somsak  Jeamtheerasakul, who has been charged with lese-majeste, despite the  fact that Abhisit once said that academic views were tolerated. Panitan  admitted that the case was complicated, but pointed out, "No man is  above the law in Thailand."

The glorification of the Democrat  government was fulfilled at the expense of many critical issues facing  Thailand being totally neglected. Panitan failed to discuss the ongoing  conflict in the deep South, the long-drawn-out investigation of the  brutal crackdown of May 2010 which led to 91 people being killed and  more than 2,000 injured, the political intervention of the military, the  reform of the royal institution and the repeated abuse of the  lese-majeste law.

Analytically, Panitan's Singapore tour revealed a  deep anxiety within the Democrat Party and its associates within the  governing and elite circles. They live in fear that the power of  electoral democracy will once again pose a serious threat to their  entrenched position. When asked by a journalist if the Democrats and  their backers would accept the election result this time around, Panitan  did not say a word.

Never mind. His silence provided an answer to this intricate question. 


_Pavin Chachavalpongpun is a fellow at Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. The views expressed here are his own._

----------


## Calgary

^^
The themes running through the above Thida commentary were what gained so much traction from the original "Truth Today" television program, that in turn created the Democracy Movement.

This was the major fall-out from the Coup. Nothing did more to crystalize the Red Shirt Democracy Movement then that. 

History will reveal that the coup was one of the biggest blunders of the Amart.

----------


## DroversDog

> Originally Posted by DroversDog
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Buksida
> ...


Start investigations into the judiciary would be a start. If corruption is at the judicial level then you can forget about stopping it anywhere else.

----------


## SteveCM

^



> Start investigations into the judiciary would be a start. If corruption is at the judicial level then you can forget about stopping it anywhere else.


Very good point - but that's also one of the biggest minefields. If you include political wind-blowing, it also goes _way_ back - through the 2001 assets case and beyond. A _lot_ of skeletons. Another "third rail" in Thai politics - almost makes you wonder why the actual rail system here is so under-developed.....  :mid:

----------


## SteveCM

*Cabinet or Coup?*




_Which will come first if Pheu Thai wins the elections, formation of the cabinet or coup de tat?        _ _Published: 22/06/2011_........

Bangkok Post's Voranai takes an advance look (I lost count of how many times he says "premature") at what a PT-led government might look like - and possible repercussions. Maybe I'm too much of an old video hand, but it's sad to see multimedia oh-so-clever-aren't-we? used/abused like this..... Still there are some valid points struggling to escape the gimmickry.

----------


## Norton

> Bangkok Post's Voranai takes an advance look (I lost count of how many times he says "premature") at what a PT-led government might look like - and possible repercussions.


Even if they win majority, PT may offer a few cabinet posts to small parties to further marginalizes Dems. Coup de tat? Ain't gonna happen unless PT makes it happen. The real coup would be if they offer good old number 26 the Ministry of Defense. He's well qualified and who better to show reconciliation and amnesty is PT priority.

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> Samak was an idiot, more focused on cooking than running the country.
> 
> 
> that was actually a good thing,


Even without having tried his cooking, I would have to agree.

He really showed he was a puppet during the Al Jazeera interview when he claimed only a few died at Tak Bai and that was because of Ramadan.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Girl power in Thai polls - Channel NewsAsia
*
*Girl power in Thai polls*

By Anasuya Sanyal |               
Posted: 22 June 2011 1853 hrs 

 
_Yingluck Shinawatra shakes hands with supporters at an election campaign  _  
CHIANG MAI: Thailand's fractious politics have largely been an  all-male affair, but with more women contesting seats in the kingdom's  July 3 election, Thais are facing the prospect of a female prime  minister for the first time in their history.

One of the female candidates is Pheu Thai party's Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of former Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra. 

Another female runner is Wipawan Woraputthipong, a Democrat MP candidate. 

"We (the Democrats) are looking to clarify [what happened last year]," Ms Wipawan said.

A military crackdown last year on the "red shirts" at a rally in Bangkok's Ratchaprasong intersection had left 91 people dead.

"On  June 23, I am confident that the prime minister will tell the truth, so  that people understand. Once they understand [what happened],  differences will ease," she said. 

But it is unlikely Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will convince his detractors in Chiang Mai.

All around the city, Democrat election posters with his face have been vandalised.

Meanwhile, almost certain of victory, is first-time Pheu Thai candidate Thassanee Buranupakorn. 

But she said she isn't taking any chances.

Like Ms Yingluck, Ms Thassanee has little political experience.

But she's a hometown girl whose family, like Ms Yingluck's, is well known in political circles.

"If  the majority of people vote for Pheu Thai on July 3, I hope everyone  will follow the voice of the people and give Pheu Thai an opportunity to  form a government," Ms Thassanee said.

If Pheu Thai forms a government, Ms Yingluck could be the next and first female premier.

And it appears many in Chiang Mai welcome a woman taking up Thailand's top job.

A Muslim woman vendor said: "I would like a female prime minister. There are so many competent women out there. 

"Right now, the economy is not so good. If Pheu Thai wins and forms a government, they can help vendors like me".

Said  one Thai man: "Our country's in chaos right now and we need to make  some changes. The situation may stay the same with the same male  leaders.

"With a woman in the leadership role, there could be  change for the better. She might be treated with more respect as opposed  to a male politician".

----------


## StrontiumDog

*10 days to go; don't blink
*
*10 days to go; don't blink*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 23, 2011                


*While most popularity polls have all but ruled out a  close race, a closer look at each constituency may give a little  different perspective on the July 3 general election. Here are what the Nation Group political reporters and our provincial writers have come  up with after dissecting the contest constituency-by-constituency,  taking into account past records, canvassing networks, each individual's  appeal, among other key factors. Although this is not an opinion poll,  our analytical approach was intended to augment your insight into  Judgement Day*

                                                            There are only 10 days left before the July 3 national  poll and it is still a race between the two largest political parties -  Pheu Thai and the Democrats. 

They are expected to win up to 380 House seats combined while the  remaining 120 seats are likely to be shared among six parties - Bhum  Jai Thai, Chart Thai Pattana, Chart Pattana Puea Pandin, Palang Chon,  Matubhum and Rak Thailand. 

Pheu Thai still enjoys strong support since Yingluck Shinawatra,  sister of ex-premier Thaksin, was declared the party's candidate to be  prime minister. This is coupled with the party's renewed populist  policies aimed at many categories of voters - farmers, parents, new  graduates and workers.  

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva also is trying to woo specific  groups of voters with the party's own populist platform. And today, the  Democrats will focus on last year's unrest and rioting - particularly  "the burning of the city" - at CentralWorld, which was a target of arson  attacks after the red shirts' street protest was dispersed on May 19  last year. 

Our survey of the constituencies all over the country shows that  Pheu Thai candidates are still leading in all regions, except the South,  although the party is unlikely to score a landslide victory. 

In Bangkok, the 33 constituencies are likely to be split between  Pheu Thai and the Democrats. In the latest round of surveys, Pheu Thai  seemed likely to bag 16 seats and the Democrats 12 seats, with  neck-and-neck competition between the two parties for the six remaining  seats. 

Pheu Thai is expected to take Constituencies 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12,  13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 23, 25, 26 and 29. The Democrats are likely to  pull ahead in Constituencies 1, 2, 3, 6, 10, 21, 22, 27, 30, 31, 32 and  33. Tight competition is expected in Constituencies 5, 18, 20, 24, 28  and 32.

 CENTRAL, NORTH, ISAAN  

The two parties also are expected to dominate the 96  constituencies in the Central region's 26 provinces although parties  like Bhum Jai Thai and Chart Thai Pattana are likely to share large  chunks of seats and could even eat into the seats won by the larger  parties' MPs from the 2007 poll. 

In the election four years ago, the Democrats could perform well  in Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Phetchaburi, where it could snare  all the seats up for grabs in those provinces. However, with a stronger  red-shirt movement in those provinces and the birth of a provincial  party like Palang Chon in Chon Buri, the Democrat candidates are having a  hard time trying to beat their competitors. 

In the North, which has 67 seats from 16 provinces up for grabs,  Pheu Thai is likely to dominate due to its strong support base and the  popularity of its former MPs. However, the Democrats still have a chance  to win House seats in the northern provinces where the red shirts'  influence is not strong and where the Democrats can still count on the  backing of loyal supporters. Parties like Chart Thai Pattana and Chart  Pattana Puea Pandin are likely to secure some seats in this region. 

The Northeast, with 126 House seats from 20 provinces, has the  largest number of MP seats. Pheu Thai has "owned" this region since  2001, when the party was known as Thai Rak Thai.  

Although many ex-MPs from its previous incarnation - the  now-disbanded People Power Party - are now with Bhum Jai Thai, Pheu Thai  still enjoys support from a strong network of red shirts. However, Pheu  Thai is unlikely to sweep Isaan as the Democrats and Bhum Jai Thai are  expected to gain their share of seats.

 SOUTH 

In the South, the Democrats have a good chance of monopolising  almost all of the 53 constituencies in 14 provinces. The country's  oldest party is likely to prevail in 48 out of the 53 constituencies,  with the rest expected to be divided among Matubhum, Chart Thai Pattana,  Pheu Thai and Bhum Jai Thai. 

As for the party-list election, with 125 seats at stake, it is  estimated that a party has to attract at least 240,000 votes to get a  seat from this system. This Nation Group estimate assumes that about 70  per cent (or 33.1 million) of the 47.3 million eligible voters will  actually go to the polls, as well as 1.5 million spoiled ballots and 1.5  million "no vote" ballots. 

In all, Pheu Thai is expected to acquire 55-60 House seats from  proportionate voting, the Democrats 40-45 seats, Bhum Jai Thai 8-10,  Chart Thai Pattana 5-7, Chart Pattana Puea Pandin 3-5, Rak Thailand 2-3,  and Matubhum and Palang Chon one each.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*'Good talking' PM now the subject of regular gibe

BURNING ISSUE* 

*'Good talking' PM now the subject of regular gibe*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 23, 2011                

*"Good only at using big words" has been a popular  phrase used to attack Prime Minister and Democrat Party leader Abhisit  Vejjajiva. He faces it everywhere, including when he went campaigning in  the Southern province of Pattani on Monday.*

                                                            For the PM, the phrase is a fabrication by opponents who  have sought to prevent him seeing and communicating with people, as well  as to discredit him.The first time a sign carried this message was  on March 6, when Abhisit spoke at an event to commemorate International  Women's Day. Jittra Kotchadej, leader of the laid-off Triumph  International workers, brought the sign after she thought of red shirts  who died in the political turmoil last year. She called him a "murderer"  but claimed no one was listening. She had other signs: "Whose hands are  blood-stained?" and a sarcastic "Yeah?"

No matter if Jittra is  one of the red shirts or if she supports the opposition, the reds and  Pheu Thai regularly use her words to attack Abhisit. "Good at only using  big words" is a phrase he recognises well.

In a Facebook note  Abhisit said he wrote while returning from a World Economic Forum  meeting in Indonesia, he gave a list of achievements as proof he is more  than just talk - and has accomplished a lot. 

He said that if he  just talked, his life would have been easier. He said it was Thaksin  Shinawatra who only used big words to the red shirts - wooing them to  the protest last year; someone who promised he would stand "side by  side" with them on the front lines if there were gunshots - but was  actually shopping in Paris during the drama. 

Abhisit said that in  the past two years, his government had lifted the country out of an  economic slump to almost 8-per-cent growth, turned around shrinking  exports and boosted tourism to a historically high level.
He said  his government had steered the country through a world economic crisis  without millions of people losing their jobs. His government kept  inflation low while the rate in some neighbouring countries was close to  30 per cent. Moreover, he said the country's public debt compared with  gross domestic product had been reduced to lower than 40 per cent, which  was lower than that under governments led by Thaksin.

Reacting to  Abhisit's Facebook note, Jittra wrote that the Democrats could not  really prevent unemployment. She thought its job training for laid-off  workers did not suit their skills, and that the 15 years of "free"  education cost parents much more than state subsidies as the minimum  wage had not been hiked to Bt250, as Abhisit once said it should for  workers to survive. In her view, Abhisit has not accomplished what he  promised and he must continue to face the accusation.

In fact, as  the election looms, all parties and politicians are making sweet  promises to voters via various policies. No one has been as heavily  attacked as the PM. The claim of only being good at talking - rather  than doing - may have lingered partly because the Democrats are seen as a  party full of tactful people. All eyes are watching the ruling party at  a time when people have heightened political awareness and competition  is especially fierce. 

Pheu Thai and the red shirts will,  undoubtedly, not let up on this attack on Abhisit. But this should also  be a signal to all politicians to watch their words, keep their promises  and not give big words that could take them away from reality.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Abhisit out of touch with the grass roots: Thida
*
*Abhisit out of touch with the grass roots: Thida*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 23, 2011                

*Red-shirt leader Thida Thawornseth has written a  critique of Democrat Abhisit Vejjajiva, arguing that he is bound to face  the voters' wrath because he is out of touch with grass-roots people.*

                                                            Thida's son Salaktham Tojirakarn released the critique dated Tuesday and published it on VoiceTV website.In  rebutting Abhisit's four messages describing his ordeals on the job  posted in the social medium Facebook, Thida alluded to Abhisit under the  title "Small Bird in a Golden Cage".

Here are excerpts:

-  What happened is not entirely Abhisit's fault. He is just a player being  propped up as prime minister at a crucial period when Thailand is  confronting a deep conflict between the bureaucratic polity  (amatiyathipatai) and the people.

- The conservative elements in  the bureaucratic polity, including the elitist class and the military,  have tried to cling to power for as long as possible.

- The conservatives propped up Abhisit in their fight against Thaksin Shinawatra.

-  Abhisit's background, such as coming from the upper crust of society,  getting the best of British education and being raised in a conservative  environment, means he could not understand society from any dimension  other than that shared by elitists and conservatives.

- Abhisit's  major flaw is that he is surrounded by the people at the top of the  pyramid in Thai society, hence he could not connect with the grass  roots.

- When Abhisit had to campaign and get in touch with the  people after the crackdown, he was confronted by the stark reality that  people are angry and demanding answers from him in connection with last  year's killings.

- Abhisit's denial of accountability by passing  the blame on to his political opponents will eventually bring his  downfall and that of the Democrat Party.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Parties warned against making too many
*
*Parties warned against making too many*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 23, 2011                

*Big Businessmen and academics have warned political  parties against making "unreasonable" election promises such as vowing  to hike the minimum daily wage, saying such moves would cause inflation,  boost the price of commodities and increase the cost of living.*

                                                            At a press conference held yesterday at the Federation  of Thai Industries, deputy FTI chairman Thanit Sorat said high wages  would endanger the entire economic system, trigger a further pay rise  for officials, boost the price of farm products and cut exports due to  higher operating costs.

 Citing an FTI calculation, he said the minimum wage should be  no more than Bt220, especially since the last raise was 10 per cent,  which set the minimum daily wage at Bt215.

 Assoc Prof Siriphan Noksuan, from Chulalongkorn University's  Faculty of Political Science, said the government had failed to prevent  conglomerates from monopolising businesses, and wages should be  increased in line with the price of goods.

 "In the US, an egg is priced at around Bt3.50, but they go for  between Bt5 and Bt7 in Thailand. Why is that? No political parties seem  to show any interest in solving this problem or including this issue in  their election promises," she said.

 She called on political parties to say how they would improve  vocational and other career skills, such as fluency in English, so Thais  can compete with other workers in the region. 

So far, not a  single party had said how it would prepare Thailand for the launch of  the Asean Economic Community in 2015, which would see workers migrating  to the Kingdom from across the region, she said. 

 Meanwhile, chief of the Foundation for Consumers, Saree  Ongsomwang, said offering high wages to workers could be seen as "buying  votes", especially since politicians don't seem to care about poor  services in the socialsecurity system.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Parties pandering to voters
*
*Parties pandering to voters*

                            By Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation
                                             Published on June 23, 2011                

*The National Health Commission (NHC) has criticised  all political parties over their public policies, saying their impact  would be negative and they would do nothing to eradicate inequality in  society.*

                                                            The NHC condemned policies based on promotional  marketing strategies it said were aimed at attracting voters with free  public services with no concern for the sustainability of the country's  budget.

 "All political parties still think that Thai people are just  waiting for someone to give them money - [and so] their public policies  do not eliminate inequality and conflict in society," NHC  secretarygeneral Dr Amphon Jindawattana said yesterday. 

 Speaking at a roundtable discussion titled "How Can Political  Parties' Policies Aim Their Priorities at Public WellBeing?" Amphon said  party policies had never implemented best practice, especially those  aimed at decentralising central authority to local administrations.

 "This is a big issue that would resolve not only public health  issues but also other problems in the community," he said. In the past  local authorities had great difficulty in asking the central government  to allocate budgets to resolve problems in their communities. 

 "Political parties did not want to get involved in any conflicting issues. They would rather keep quiet," he said. 

 Dr Piya Hanvorawongchai of Chulalongkorn University's faculty  of medicine said party policies were not designed to resolve public  health problems such as decentralisation of government power; public and  local authority participation; the Public Health Ministry's domination  of public health direction; medicalpersonnel management; and the  relationship between patients and medical workers.

 "Some political parties just copy public policy from the Constitution," he said. 

 Moreover, they did not give priority to prevention of  noncommunicable illness such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood  pressure.

 Former National Reform Committee secretary Dejrat Sukkamnerd  said no political party would give an assurance that it would comply  with the Constitution's Article 67 (2), requiring state agencies and  private companies to conduct environmental and health impact assessments  on potentially harmful projects. 

 "The country cannot step forward if political parties do not come up with clear answers on this mechanism," he said. 

 Dejrat said that when looking at political parties' policies  overall, he found they all considered voters as customers, not citizens.

----------


## StrontiumDog

* Shan activists cautious about anticipated Thai poll results    * 

    Wednesday, 22 June 2011 11:49                                           
S.H.A.N.                          

     As general elections in Thailand on 3 July draw near, SHAN is finding  Shan activist movements both inside and on the border of the kingdom  reluctant to comment about what will happen after the opposition Pheu  Thai, short of miracle, becomes the ruling party.


Logo Pheu Thai Party

Pheu  Thai is the offshoot of Thai Rak Thai and People’s Power, both of which  were deregistered. The party’s de facto leader is multibillionaire  Thaksin Shinawatra who is living in exile since his government was  ousted by a military coup in 2006. “We have nothing to say about what’s happening in Thailand,” said Maj  Lao Hseng, spokesman for the Restoration Council of Shan State/ Shan  State Army (RCSS / SSA), better known as the SSA “South”, to  differentiate it from another SSA (SSA “North”) that has recently  returned to the armed struggle after the offensive by the Burma Army on  13 March broke the ceasefire pact concluded in 1989. “That is definitely  not our policy.”

 The SSA “South” was pushed out of at least 3 of its border bases  during Thaksin’s tenure, 2001-2006. One of them took place during the  month long siege by the joint Burma Army-United Wa State Army forces in  March-April 2005.


Logo Democrat Party

The  SSA “South” leader Sao Yawdserk, in fact, had only kind words for  Thaksin. “In my experience, he’s the only Thailleader who has really  tried hard for the rights of us non-Burmans,” he told SHAN during a  meeting on 14 February 2006 at his base in Loi Taileng, opposite  Maehongson. “While others were calling only for democracy and human  rights, he had homed in on the rights of the non-Burmans.” Other activists were just as guarded. “I don’t think it is  appropriate to say anything at this time,” one well known  environmentalist said in response to SHAN query. “It’s obvious we’ll  have to make the best deal we can with whichever party that comes into  power, whether it be Pheu Thai, Democrat or other parties,” added a  female rights advocate.

 The Shan migrant workers, in the meanwhile, give a more positive  response to SHAN’s questions. “During the Thaksin administration, we had  lots of jobs to do and we could send enough money back to our families  (in Burma’s Shan State),” said one. “Now we barely have enough even to  survive. We hope with the return of his party to power, things will get  better.”

 There are at least 3 million migrant workers in Thailand, according  to conservative figures, the majority of whom are thought to be Shans.

----------


## Calgary

*Riceroots stuff*

Everyone may be in a tizzy about the Democrat Party divisive and provocative rally in BKK, but here it is all about Yingluck's appearance today.

It will be very interesting, observing from the inside, her entourage and how they function.

Obviously considering their success to date, they do it very professionally. 

On the other hand, their success may in part be due to the self-destructive campaign of the Democrats. 

Self-destructive is probably the wrong 'descriptor". It would probably be more accurate to quote Thida as follows, stating real reason for their ineffectiveness:
_Abhisit's major flaw is that he is surrounded by the people at the top of pyramid in Thai society, hence he could not connect with the grassroots_ (ahem, riceroots)_ people._It also doesn't help that he is an unelected, Amart appointee.

It is anticipated that Yingluck will have no problem making that connection.

----------


## Calgary

Saw a photo on the Internet last night which was very instructive.

It showed Abhisit and wifey at a meeting with other prominent people.

The other prominent people were clustered around each other in intense discussions as Abhi and wife were off to the side disengaged and ignored.

More explicitly however, in the same photo frame was the Australian PM.

It was noteworthy that here were two Prime Ministers side-by-side, who both acquired that status through parliamentary machinations.

However, one of them had the good sense to schedule an election within three months of those machinations, in order to give legitimacy to that status.

Need I say who that was?

----------


## Norton

> Abhisit's major flaw is that he is surrounded by the people at the top of pyramid in Thai society, hence he could not connect with the grassroots (ahem, riceroots) people.


Abhisit is merely another example in a long history of Dem failed campaign strategy. They have failed to recognize an inconvenient truth embodied in politics 101. To win elections one must gain the trust and support of the electorate no matter how good the policies and programs of the party. They have failed miserably to do so in the North and Northeast where as Thaksin's strategy has proven highly successful. 

The solution sits right before their eyes but the Dems continue a march of folly proven to result in failure. They want to win elections, they must do as Thaksin did but better. This will never be done by parachuting in during the election campaign, waving party banners and kissing babies. 

It will take a concerted full time effort to build a rice roots political machine capable of getting out the vote. Crucially important, Dem leadership must get out of their ivory tower in Bangkok and mingle with the peasantry. Dems have had years to do this but clearly they ignorantly don't recognize the need or they simply are incapable of getting their feet dirty slogging around in an Isaan rice paddy.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Vote buying 'getting more sophisticated'
*
*Vote buying 'getting more sophisticated'*
Published: 23/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsThai politics has never evolved beyond vote  buying and during the run-up to the July 3 election, it has become more  sophisticated and rampant than ever, speakers at a seminar said  yesterday.

 Former public health minister Phra Rakkiart Rakkitathammo (known as  Rakkiat Sukthana before entering the monkhood) said parties had become  wiser about buying votes to avoid detection and they would pull out all  the stops in their effort to win as many seats as possible.

 Phra Rakkiart said that some parties had promised to pay their  supporters for voting for them if they won the most seats in an area.

 He said the tactic was not dissimilar to giving away money to voters during an election campaign.

 The former public health minister entered the monkhood after he was  freed from jail on parole in 2009 after serving nearly five years.

 In 2003, the Supreme Court found Mr Rakkiat guilty of amassing  unusual wealth and ordered the seizure of 234 million baht worth of  assets from him.

 The former minister was also convicted of taking a 5 million baht  bribe from a pharmaceutical company. He was sentenced to 15 years in  jail. He began serving his term in late 2004 after a year in hiding.

 Phra Rakkiart yesterday spoke at the "An Exposure of Election Fraud" seminar held at Ramkhamhaeng University.

 As a former politician from Udon Thani where vote buying is  reportedly rampant, Phra Rakkiart said during the present election  campaign canvassers for some MP candidates had adopted a new vote-buying  tactic.

 "Canvassers sell [candidate] lottery tickets to voters and offer them  a big reward if their candidates win in the election," he  said."Furthermore the voters are promised a bigger prize if they vote  for the party list and the party wins the most list seats."

 "This election will be the dirtiest in history," Phra Rakkiart said,  adding that election fraud was ingrained in Thai politics and difficult  to stamp out.

 Based on his experience from earlier campaigns, election committee  members in many districts were under the influence of local influential  figures.

 Some had produced fake ballot papers and circulated them among voters.

 Voters get about 1,000 baht each if they use fake ballots to vote for a candidate backed by local influential figures.

 Somchai Srisudhiyakorn, director of Sripathum University's Policy  Watch Centre, said election fraud was taking place even before the House  dissolution.

 Mr Somchai said several political parties had organised sightseeing  trips for their canvassers to help them drum up support during the  campaign. Parties had transferred state officials under their command so  they could help canvass for their parties.

 "Big political parties don't want to buy votes because if they are  found guilty, their parties can be dissolved," he said. "But candidates  in each constituency will do it on their own because they think it's a  worthwhile investment."

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : Reconciliation's not so simple

THINK BOX

*Reconciliation's not so simple*

Published: 23/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: Life
 There is supposedly something in it for the poll contestants who parade reconciliation as their motto.

 If you'll excuse me, this kiss-and-make-up bravado has been a growing imposition backing up my oesophagus.

 The talk about reconciliation from the mouths of politicians should  be taken with plenty of salt. It keeps me wondering just how far-gone we  are in flirting with the illusion that nirvana is waiting at the end of  the reconciliation tunnel.

 So far, there is not a single whimper from Major General S on how he  intends to forge samanachan. Please feel free to fill us in on the grand  scheme with the happy-ever-after ending.

 Maj Gen S wants to be the proud host of a reconciliation banquet but no one is turning up at the table.

 Maybe the guests are waiting to hear the menu first. Maj Gen S has is  cooking up a generous portion of amnesty with peace on the side. He has  issued a gentle warning there could be war if anyone fails to RSVP the  invitation.

 This is one of those occasions when the guests need to see how the  major general plans to dish up the delicacies on the menu, every step of  the way.

 It is incumbent on the major general that he fleshes out in black and  white the processes of immaterialising reconciliation. He should avoid  making himself look as though he is coming into the room with a bag of  tricks and could pull reconciliation out of the hat.

 In fact, some people are lukewarm to the reconciliation idea thinking  the hard sell might serve merely to satisfy the major general's own  appetite for premiership. They feel that sincerity is sorely lacking,  first and foremost, in a political quest to make amends.

 But could we succeed in pushing through reconciliation even if we tried?

 Elements that are parties to the conflicts in society are so far  apart in their ideological spectrums that reconciling could tear down  the principle they said they were fighting for.

 If amnesty is to pardon political offenders across the board, the  yellow shirts shouldn't be too happy because it will bring home the  former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the popular campaign for whose ouster  had given rise to the alliance.

 Talking to Thaksin to curb the red shirts will likely ring hollow.  The mass movement is heavily segmented and there is no telling if  Thaksin is the commanding voice with the last say on the red shirts  unified direction anymore.

 Should the major general's banquet fall flat, there is another tea  party to fall back on which could give reconciliation a chance. This  party will precede the wedding bash of the eldest daughter of the exiled  boss being planned towards the end of the year.

 Some rather mean souls have even suggested that the wedding is a  tactically orchestrated means to pull off the reconciliation ends that  play into the hands of the boss who has repeated his plea to come home.

 The plea will reverberate even harder for a father who simply asks  for nothing more than to see his daughter walk down the aisle. That will  surely quench every sympathy drop from the soft-hearted Thais.

 However, this "come home" opens up the probability of an amnesty  being secured for the boss and other political offenders. Is this  plausible or even sensible? Well, its a 46-billion-baht question  considering how the boss might get a refund lock, stock on barrel of the  money he lost in the shareholding court case if he is given an amnesty.

 But an amnesty doesn't grow on trees. For all the practical reasons,  it requires multilateral efforts to realise. If the boss's party wins  big in the election and heads the next government, it will be tempted to  sponsor a gathering of people in the know to move the amnesty idea  along, make draft legislation of it and put a parliamentary stamp of  approval on it.

 The gathering will be just another tea party designed for members'  chitchat at the taxpayers' expense. Ultimately, the beneficiaries of the  amnesty are the politicians who will, as a result, be excused of their  political crimes and we will be under the threat of renewed instability  in the country if we don't keep them satisfied.

 And if were not careful, we will be fooled by the propagandistic  fervour that amnesty holds the key to reconciliation. It does not. It is  condescending as it is pretentious to attempt to reconcile in order to  condone the wrong.

 Please, reconciliation is too good to be vulgarised like that.

*Kamolwat Praprutitum is assistant news editor of The Bangkok Post.*

----------


## aging one

Big news check out the Independent and the Times websites. The Times you only get the headlines, the Independent a story but slightly watered down. The censors are going to be working over time up till the election.  Wow!!

----------


## StrontiumDog

^ Yes, but can't post any of it here, not even links....sadly.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Udon's red lustre fades
*
*Udon's red lustre fades*

*SPECIAL REPORT: Pheu Thai could lose up to four seats to rivals, despite heavy UDD presence*
Published: 23/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Udon Thani is widely regarded as the capital of  the red-shirt movement, but political observers predict that Pheu Thai  Party may not win all the House seats in the province.

 The flagship party of the red-shirt movement could lose four seats to its rivals, the Democrat and Bhumjaithai parties.

 Pheu Thai has been relying on Kwanchai Praipana, the United Front for  Democracy Against Dictatorship's provincial leader, to improve the  prospects of the party's candidates in the province by highlighting the  connection between Pheu Thai and former prime minister Thaksin  Shinawatra.

 Mr Kwanchai predicted the party would sweep all nine constituency seats.

 He admitted, though, that he was worried about Constituency 8, where  the Pheu Thai candidate had not been visiting area voters enough.

 But as of late, the candidate has changed his canvassing strategy.

 "Some rival parties have also tried to win voter support by giving away money," Mr Kwanchai said.

 "This is the capital of red-shirt people. No other party will win any  seat as long as I am here. During the last phase of the campaign, I'll  drum up Thaksin fever again."

 But some observers have said that Democrat and the Bhumjaithai Party candidates could win three to four seats in the province.

 Democrat candidates have a good chance to win seats in Constituencies 4 and 8.

 In Constituency 4, deputy education minister Chaiyot Chiramethakorn, a Democrat, has been elected an MP in several times.

 In Constituency 8, former deputy transport minister and Democrat  Choksaman Leelawonga was once elected as senator in the province.

 In Constituency 6, Uthai Saenkaeo, a former red-shirt leader and  younger brother of former deputy agriculture minister Theerachai  Saenkaeo, is running under the Bhumjaithai Party banner, but he faces  stiff competition from Pheu Thai candidate Kiat-udom Menasawat, a former  MP.

 In Constituency 3, Pheu Thai's Phen-anan Sriphan is in a tough race  with Rang Thuraphon, a veteran local politician from the Bhumjaithai  Party.

 Mr Chaiyot said he was confident the Democrat Party would win at  least the seats in Constituency 4 and Constituency 8. He is now  focussing his efforts on visiting constituents in up to eight areas a  day.

 He expects to visit all 220 villages in his constituency by election day.

----------


## aging one

yup thats why I posted it as I did.

----------


## Bettyboo

Common knowledge...

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> Abhisit's major flaw is that he is surrounded by the people at the top of pyramid in Thai society, hence he could not connect with the grassroots (ahem, riceroots) people.
> 
> 
> Abhisit is merely another example in a long history of Dem failed campaign strategy. They have failed to recognize an inconvenient truth embodied in politics 101. To win elections one must gain the trust and support of the electorate no matter how good the policies and programs of the party. They have failed miserably to do so in the North and Northeast where as Thaksin's strategy has proven highly successful. 
> 
> The solution sits right before their eyes but the Dems continue a march of folly proven to result in failure. They want to win elections, they must do as Thaksin did but better. This will never be done by parachuting in during the election campaign, waving party banners and kissing babies. 
> 
> It will take a concerted full time effort to build a rice roots political machine capable of getting out the vote. Crucially important, Dem leadership must get out of their ivory tower in Bangkok and mingle with the peasantry. Dems have had years to do this but clearly they ignorantly don't recognize the need or they simply are incapable of getting their feet dirty slogging around in an Isaan rice paddy.


But they also seem to have this curious arrogance about them.

This has been best exemplified by their PAD brethren and their stuff about considering a wide swath of the electorate too ignorant to vote responsibly.

This arrogance is also visible via a strong Democrat constituancy, the Government Officials. This privileged strata of society is very visible with their fancy uniforms.

Can you imagine being told that for whatever reason they want to remove your voting rights via an appointive system because you are not educated enough to vote in your self-interest. And that besides, your self-interest is not important.

People remember this stuff.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Poll: PT leads Dem in Bangkok
*
*Poll: PT leads Dem in Bangkok*

Published: 23/06/2011 at 11:26 AMOnline news: Politics
 More voters in Bangkok polled recently would  vote for the Pheu Thai Party than the Democrat in the July 3 election,  according to Bangkok Poll results released on Thursday.

 The poll on the general election was conducted from June 16 to 22, seeking opinion from 3,338 eligible voters in Bangkok.

 The Research Centre at the Bangkok University or Bangkok Poll,  reported that 37.9% of respondents said they would vote for constituency  MP candidates of Pheu Thai, followed by the Democrats (22.2%), and Rak  Santi (1.2%).

 A total of 22.1% of them had not yet made the decision, 7.8% did not  answer and 5.1% of them would not vote for any candidates or Vote No,  according to Bangkok Poll.

 Asked about party list MP candidates, 38.3% of the respondents would  support those of Pheu Thai, 21.6% backed the Democrats, 20.6% had not  yet made the decision, 7.8% did not answer and 1.6 would vote no.

 On the question about the person they wanted to become the next prime  minister, 47.2% said Yingluck Shinawatra, given that they wanted to  give an opportunity to the new comer and to have the country’s first  female government leader.

 Prime Minister and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva took second  place, getting support from 28.0% of the respondents who wanted him to  continue his work and that the policies of the Democrat are good.

 Rak Santi leader Purachai Piamsomboon got 5.1% support for his  honesty and 3.9% backed Chuwit Kamolvisit, leader of Rak Prathetthai  Party, for being an open person who dares to speak out.

 Asked about their confidence in the Election Commission in holding a  free, fair and transparent election, 57.1% of the respondents felt  negative, 42.9% of them positive.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : Northeast continues to be a thorn in Democrat side

THAI POLITICS

*Northeast continues to be a thorn in Democrat side*
Published: 23/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 The Democrat Party looks set to repeat its  lacklustre performance in the Northeast in the general election, as it  has failed to overcome the hurdle of being seen as a party with no  connections whatsoever to the country's poorest region.

 
_An elephant marks a mock ballot paper in Ayutthaya province on  Tuesday, during an election campaign encouraging people to cast their  votes on July 3. Around 47.3 million Thais are eligible to vote in the  general election, which will primarily be a two-horse race between Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s Democrat Party and the Pheu Thai Party of  Thaksin Shinawatra._

 The ruling party, which is trying to catch up with Pheu Thai Party in  the opinion polls, realises that voters from the Northeast can greatly  boost its chances to rival the Thaksin Shinawatra-backed party led by  his youngest sister, Ms Yingluck.

 The Northeast offers 140 seats in the lower house, or almost 40% of the 375 constituency MPs.

 Past elections have shown that any party commanding this region gives  its leader a greater chance to control Government House. Chavalit  Yongchaiyudh was prime minister in 1996, thanks to the strong showing of  his New Aspiration Party in the Northeast.

 Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai Party also grabbed most of the seats in the region in the 2001 and 2005 elections.

 For the Democrats, the northeastern region is a bitter pill to  swallow due to the poor showing of its supporters in that part of the  country.

 It has tried in vain for years to break this jinx but so far the perception remains the main barrier.

 "People in the Northeast still think that the Democrat Party is  associated with the South. They have seen no connection between the  party and its region," says Sampan Techa-atik, from Khon Kaen  University's faculty of humanities and social science.

 His assessment is in line with the Democrats' internal poll, which  has found the party could not impress northeasterners, according to key  party member Chamni Sakdiset. At least they rated the popularity of  Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva over his own party, the poll said.

 That is the reason prompting the party to shift its strategy to try  to sell Mr Abhisit in its message to drive voters in the region to vote  for the Democrats, as the political campaign moves into the final leg.  It hopes that at least the people will vote for the Democrat Party on  the party list system, if not for its candidates running on the  constituency ticket.

 The party has already projected a modest result of the competition in  the region which covers 21 provinces, including Phetchabun.

 Even Mr Abhisit did not mention the northeastern region when asked  about the Democrats' competition with Pheu Thai two weeks before the  polls.

 He only said the Democrats could beat its rival for seats in the  lower northern areas including Nakhon Sawan, Tak and Kamphaeng Phet.

 Realistically, the best chance it can get votes from the constituency  contest is in Ubon Ratchathani, which has the second most seats after  Nakhon Ratchasima. This time Ubon Ratchathani has 11 seats at stake  compared with 15 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Even in the three provinces of  Bung Kan, Nakhon Phanom and Sakon Nakhon, the party says only one out  its 13 candidates will win.

 The rest is largely a fierce fight between Pheu Thai, which rides on  the popularity of Thaksin, and the Bhumjaithai Party which is run from  behind the scenes by Newin Chidchob, who at one time had been Thaksin's  close aide.

 The main target for the Democrats this time are those as yet  undecided which party to vote for, and also members of the People's  Alliance for Democracy in the Northeast who are supposed to vote "no" on  the ballot.

 This group, most of whom are living in cities and suburban areas of  northeastern provinces, will not support the PAD's erstwhile New  Politics Party, and they reject Pheu Thai because they strongly oppose  Thaksin. This group is looking for a party to vote for on July 3.

 The Democrats have sent key members to seek votes from this group.  But it is facing an uphill task because of its weak links in the region.

 "Do not expect these people to overwhelmingly vote for the  Democrats," Mr Sampan says. "They are more likely to spread the vote to  other small and medium parties" because of the image of the Democrat  Party, he added.

 The chances of the Democrats winning over Pheu Thai in this region  are slim and the party can only hope that Bhumjaithai will significantly  undercut the popularity of Pheu Thai. The latter two parties are  running neck and neck in several northeastern provinces.

 The ruling party hopes that its combined seats with Bhumjaithai in  the nationwide contest will be enough to prevent Pheu Thai from reaching  the majority mark of 250 seats out of 500 in the lower house.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : Keeping out the frivolous

EDITORIAL

*Keeping out the frivolous*
Published: 23/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Five of the country's most important business  groups have issued one of the most common-sense statements on the  election. The associations have called for a responsible election, to be  followed by a calm study of what mistakes the country is making in  social development, and how to fix them.

 Like the groups' recent call for an organised fight against  corruption, the attempt to cool the hotheads of Election 2011 is  welcome.

 

 The call to reason by the Federation of the Thai Capital Market  Organisations, Thai Bankers' Association, Thai Chamber of Commerce, the  Federation of Thai Industries and the Tourism Council of Thailand, will  stir political opposition and support. Still, it is understandable why  the media groups _ the Thai Journalists Association and Thai Broadcast  Journalists Association _ want to support the call for national  reconciliation and fairness. Any reasonable citizen should do the same.

 One important point addressed by the business-media statement  concerned integrity. There is likely to be cheating in this election, as  there has been in every election. Blatant cheating, clear bribery,  intimidation of voters and the like must be exposed.

 But the election passions must also be properly harnessed. As the  appeal for common sense put it, everyone "must accept the election  results". This means that responsible parties must not file, and the  authorities must not accept, frivolous complaints.

 In recent days, it has been suggested that an alleged assault by a  Pheu Thai supporter on a Democrat Party backer could be the subject of a  complaint that would end up in the dissolution of Pheu Thai. Even  giddier partisans claim that heckling of candidates should be considered  as a grave example of election cheating. These are only examples from  this week's headlines, but they could set the stage for an avalanche of  flippant complaints against winning candidates and parties in the days  following the election.

 Already, one unaligned but anti-Pheu Thai group has set up a group of  "warriors" to shadow candidates to gather evidence of legal breaches,  in order to "red-card every winning PT candidate".

 This sort of mean-spirited and anti-democratic attitude will land the  election, democracy and the country in much more difficulty than it  already is. Candidates should be called to answer for clearly illegal  tactics which resulted in victory.

 Just as vote-buying and ballot-box stuffing are obvious violations of  the election laws, any attempt to disorganise the results of the  election should be considered an equally clear violation of the spirit  of the election laws.

 Silly complaints may be made by people of ill will, but must be  weeded out and discarded by the Election Commission and, if necessary,  by prosecutors and the courts.

 Anyone who makes false claims against any candidate should be held to  account before the courts. Nor can officials make political parties  responsible for the actions of their supporters. To even suggest this  would be a strong invitation to perform "dirty tricks" and blame it on  another group.

 An election is held to gauge the opinion of voters about who they  want to govern the country. Any attempt to upset the polls at any time  must be dealt with seriously. This holds true whether it is politicians  or bitterly partisan citizens trying to cheat the voters.

 It will be unacceptable if frivolous complaints are used to overturn the voters' choice.

----------


## Bettyboo

> Poll: PT leads Dem in Bangkok Published: 23/06/2011 at 11:26 AM Online news: Politics More voters in Bangkok polled recently would vote for the Pheu Thai Party than the Democrat in the July 3 election, according to Bangkok Poll results released on Thursday.


If this is true, and PT have a greater vote in Bangkok than the dems then it's over... Time for army/blueblood intervention; phase 1, dem to get enough seats, is lost. Time for phase 2...

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Prayuth's army and the post-election scare
*
*Prayuth's army and the post-election scare*
Published: 23/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 It is certain that the new prime minister after  the July 3 election will either be incumbent Abhisit Vejjajiva, or Pheu  Thai's leading lady Yingluck Shinawatra.

 
_Soldiers secure the area as Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva  campaigns for his ruling Democrat Party in Yala province on Tuesday._

 As far as several polls are concerned, Ms Yingluck is up and coming,  leading her rival in the various scenarios being painted up till polling  day. Pheu Thai is eagerly sending the message to voters to give her the  chance to become "the first female prime minister of Thailand".

 Ms Yingluck and her Pheu Thai have a good chance to win this time. But will it be easy for her to be the government leader?

 At least, she has to make sure that other political parties will join  Pheu Thai if it comes up short of a majority in the 500-seat  parliament. Then again, she has to handle the "outside factor", one of  them being the message sent out last week by Commander-in-Chief Prayuth  Chan-ocha.

 Gen Prayuth urged all voters to elect qualified candidates who are  clean, ethical and loyal to the monarchy. He also called on the silent  majority to show their power and openly opposed voters who were thinking  about voting "no", asking them to reconsider that position.

 The army leader's remarks cannot be interpreted as anything but a show of his stand against the red shirts and Pheu Thai.

 The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship is at odds with  Gen Prayuth and the army over the Task Force 315, as the red shirts  suspect that the Internal Security Operations Command is using this unit  to tame Pheu Thai supporters. The army has denied that accusation.

 Gen Prayuth is widely known as a Queen's Guard and his loyalty to the  monarchy is unquestionable. Viewing him in this context, it is no  surprise why he decided to send a clear message through army-controlled  media outlets.

 Faced with the army's opposition, Pheu Thai has only one chance to  fulfil its goal _ a landslide win in this election, so that it will not  need help from other parties. Which means Pheu Thai will have to gain  more than 250 seats in the lower house.

 And even if it can achieve that, the next stumbling block will be the  "red cards" which could reduce the number of its seats in parliament.  Soldiers under the Isoc and Task Force 315 sent to several areas across  the country are gathering evidence of vote-buying and any violation of  the election law. All information will be forwarded to the Election  Commission to punish candidates if they win the contest fraudulently.

 Thaksin realises that for Pheu Thai, the road to Government House is  not strewn with roses, so now he has another card to play _ in case his  party has to seek the support of other parties to form a government,  where his sister might not be their favourite choice for prime minister.  A high-level source in Pheu Thai said Thaksin is ready to compromise by  accepting any choice offered by phuyai (respected seniors) to become  the premier under a Pheu Thai-led government. He even is not opposed to  keeping Gen Prawit Wongsuwon on as defence minister, the source added.

 Perhaps the army commander's display of his strong stance is making  Pheu Thai seriously think about the future if it wins the polls.

 Ms Yingluck has made clear that she will not touch the position of  Gen Prayuth. She prefers him staying on as the army's No. 1 officer. "We  also want peace and stability to return to the country. We don't want  to have problems with the army. But the army must realise its duty and  responsibility," she said.

 But many key figures in Pheu Thai want to see Gen Prayuth out of his  present position because of his lack of neutrality in this election.  Those subscribing to this idea believe that this year presents the only  chance to move him out of the most powerful position in the army. This  is because Supreme Commander Songkitti Jaggabatara will be retiring at  the end of September. If the army picks the joint chief-of-staff of the  armed forces, Gen Tanasak Patimapkorn , to succeed Gen Songkitti, he  will stay in that position until 2014. Both Gen Prayuth and Gen Tanasak  belong to Class 12 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School.

 The problem is, who will be promoted to become the new army chief if  Gen Prayuth has to go, given that many top generals holding key  positions now are under his control.

 One possible choice is Gen Thanongsak Apirakyodhin, who is an army  adviser and former leader of the Third Army Region. His cousin is a  member of Pheu Thai, and he would be able to serve in the army till  2013.

 The bottom line, according to an ex-army officer in Pheu Thai, is  that "the party does not want to have problems with the army. The party  and army have their own responsibilities and we can talk. We will not  seek revenge but the army has to improve itself and know what role it  has to play".

 The same retired officer added: "If the army rejects the chance to  return to barracks and continues interfering in politics, then Pheu Thai  Party will have to take action by making changes [in the army]."

 Meanwhile, Mr Abhisit realises how slim his chances are of leading  the Democrats to an outright victory, but he seems confident his party  will be given another opportunity to form a coalition government. Mr  Abhisit dismissed the notion that Gen Prayuth had come out in his  support. "I don't think so," Mr Abhisit said. "Please don't look at his  remarks as a message to support the Democrat Party. "What's wrong if an  army officer urges voters to pick good candidates? I myself do not have  any connection with the army," he added.

 Now it will be up to what happens on July 3, when voters decide which party they support.

 The one major concern for the army remains Pheu Thai.

 "After the election, the country could be plunged into trouble if  Pheu Thai wins but cannot set up a government," an army source quoted  Gen Prayuth as telling his subordinates.

 Gen Prayuth has ordered 200 companies of soldiers to be ready after  election day and soldiers under the the 1st Division (King's Guard) also  are preparing themselves to handle possible protests, in order to  prevent any repeat of what happened in April and May 2010.

 One thing several officers do not want to receive is an assignment  for another coup. They admitted that it was what they wished to avoid  most, because it was stressful and this time things might not be that  easy. But "if the boss orders" them to do so, they said they would have  to comply.

*Wassana Nanuam reports on military affairs for Bangkok Post.*

----------


## Bettyboo

[quote="StrontiumDog"]One thing several officers do not want to receive is an assignment for another coup. They admitted that it was what they wished to avoid most, because it was stressful and this time things might not be that easy. But "if the boss orders" them to do so, *they said they would have to comply.[/*QUOTE]

To treason? They would they have to, against the wishes of 68 million Thais? Very strange... Why, exactly, would the have to?

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> The Amart will come unglued the moment anything substantial is attempted. So no point in delaying it. 
> 
> [...]
> 
> The Amart will try to sabotage anything substantial no matter when it is done, so in the afterglow of a huge electoral victory, I think they are the most vulnerable.
> 
> A huge electoral victory is a mandate.......so do some serious mandating immediately! (no pun intended)


I think so too. It's an "I dare to you to launch another coup given our mandate" move. The Amart-Military would immediately be compared to Burma and the US would have no wiggle room on that one.

----------


## Bettyboo

^ they would. Don't underestimate the stupidity of the western masses or their governments knowledge of this stupidity.

Thailand could perform a coup (or 50 EC red cards or a PT CC ban) and be supported by the US/EU, etc.

But, internally is where the problem would be; from the South, the North/North Wests, and most importantly from Bangkok and the Central region.

----------


## Takeovers

The Nation seems to predict exactly the outcome that I guessed the Democrats would be aiming for. Unfortunately it looks just a little bit too much off the poll results to be accepted by the people in the North and Bangkok

The Democrats plus the Bum Jai Thai match the Pheu Thai so only a few Red Cards and  a little arm twisting on the other small parties would be required to form a Democrat Government again.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

PM Deems Thaksin Major Snag to National Unity 

UPDATE : 23 June 2011                     *

The Democrat Party leader believes ousted  former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is the mastermind behind the  movement of red-shirt protesters who have been harassing him during his  campaign tour.

Prime Minister and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said it is  undeniable that ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is  behind the movement of red-shirt supporters protesting against him  everywhere he goes during his election campaign tour.

He added that all placards with messages aimed at attacking him imply links to the convicted politician.
*

Nonetheless, Abhisit assured that his party will be able to restore national unity if elected to resume office. 

He said if the party fails to gain support from the majority of voters,  that will mean the public is happy with the current state of the nation.

The premier revealed that he never feels angry nor wants to take revenge when people protest against him. 

He only wants to tell the public that he simply could not accept an  amnesty proposal because it's for the sake of certain individuals, and  it will not lead the country to national harmony.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

^^
Given the source (The Nation) it's not surprising they are trying to reduce the numbers of PTP. Again, I think it's all part of a long-planned move to rig this election by making sure the Dems and BJT have just enough votes to form a coalition. 

I really wonder why were not hearing more about the obvious need for a full-on international election monitoring of the Thai vote.

If EVER there was an election that needed internatonal observers "in force" then this is the one.

----------


## Bettyboo

Well the Thai EC did say last week that EU election monitors were coming, but still nothing from the EU side, so as I stated then, it seems to be lies to attempt to justify upcoming EC actions...

Press releases (or lack of) from relevant EU departments:

EUROPA - Press room
European Union - EEAS (European External Action Service) | EEAS - More news

(I'm thinking about sending an email to the EU asking if there's any truth in the Thai EC's statement...)

----------


## Tom Sawyer

^
It needs to be full-on - not some token half-dozen officials sitting at the HQs of the major parties and a couple at the main returning office. That would be pointless. They need people in the field.

----------


## Takeovers

> Well the Thai EC did say last week that EU election monitors were coming, but still nothing from the EU side, so as I stated then, it seems to be lies to attempt to justify upcoming EC actions...


It is way too late now to assemble any meaningful international observer body.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Bettyboo
> 
> Well the Thai EC did say last week that EU election monitors were coming, but still nothing from the EU side, so as I stated then, it seems to be lies to attempt to justify upcoming EC actions...
> 
> 
> It is way too late now to assemble any meaningful international observer body.


Absolutely.

And even if they did come.

Who would they meet and be briefed by.......The Amart.

Do you think naiive and innocent Europeans would have the wherewithall to overcome Thai election manipulations.

Nah, they wouldn't be smart enough

In a previous life as a teacher at a Rajabhat University (_the baby-sitting University for young Thai adults_) I made it my mission and that of my farang assistant, to beat student cheating on quizzes and exams.............Couldn't do it. Damn, I am such a loser!

The only hope for any monitoring is the UDD. They are motivated and trained and above all, Thai. The problem is there will not be enough of them.

----------


## DrB0b

> ^As Pheu Thai are number 1 and everyone should be aware of this by now (it is after all on all their posters, of which there are a lot!), then I don't know what the big deal is. Unless of course you live under a rock...


The complaint is that the box looks empty. People may mark their vote in that box instead of in the correct one on the right-hand side. If they do that then the ballot is spoiled and the vote is not counted. Pretty obvious, unless of course you live under a rock....

----------


## Gerbil

> The only hope for any monitoring is the UDD. They are motivated and trained and above all, Thai. The problem is there will not be enough of them.


They are more likely to *increase* the chance of their candidates being red carded for poll infractions. There is a ban on political activities at/near polling stations on polling days. The more 'monitors' they have, the more the chances are that some will be 'overzealous' and provoke complaints from rivals about their activities.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> The only hope for any monitoring is the UDD. They are motivated and trained and above all, Thai. The problem is there will not be enough of them.
> 
> 
> They are more likely to *increase* the chance of their candidates being red carded for poll infractions. There is a ban on political activities at/near polling stations on polling days. The more 'monitors' they have, the more the chances are that some will be 'overzealous' and provoke complaints from rivals about their activities.


Special emphasis in their training focussed on this issue of what to do - and not to do - when they spot infractions and how to monitor in an unobtrusive and non-confrontational way.

I am not sure of the details, but this was a concern, and they feel they have prepared for it.

We will see.

----------


## Gerbil

^ Yeah right.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Pheu Thai seeks court injuction on ballot design
*
*Pheu Thai seeks court injuction on ballot design*

The Pheu Thai Party has petitioned for a court injuction to force the Election Commission to modify the ballot design.

In  its petition lodged at the Central Administrative Court on Thursday,  the party said the ballot was designed in such a way as to confuse  voters intended to mark the No 1 box, designated for Pheu Thai.

The court has yet to rule on whether to launch an urgent inquiry on the issue before the advance vote on Sunday.

The Nation

----------


## StrontiumDog

^ May cause a delay to the election if they have to reprint millions, right?

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255406230011

Noppadol denied Pheu Thai a puppet for Mr. Thaksin *  

BANGKOK, 23 June 2011  (NNT)-Police Lieutenant Colonel Thaksin Shinawatra’s legal advisor Mr.  Noppadol Pattama has countered Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva over his  public letter concerning the amnesty and 91 deaths that it is not true. 

The legal advisor said he felt sorry for Mr. Abhisit for his attempt to  make the public believe that the Pheu Thai Party and its number one  candidate Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra were only Mr. Thaksin’s puppets.  

Mr. Noppadol cited the portion of the letter where it is stated that  Pheu Thai would grant the amnesty and return 46 billion THB to Mr.  Thaksin was unfounded. He added that it was not fair for Mr. Abhisit to  be making such accusations when in fact neither Ms. Yingluck nor her  party has ever said they would do such things. 

Mr. Noppadol expressed his confidence that Thai people would not believe  this was true. He then urged Mr. Abhisit to compete in this political  game in fairness and to stop making false accusations and accept the  poll result.

----------


## SteveCM

> Well the Thai EC did say last week that EU election monitors were coming, but still nothing from the EU side, so as I stated then, it seems to be lies to attempt to justify upcoming EC actions...


See https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ml#post1786619 (Thai elections 2011-Thai PM sets stage for tough election) & preceding reference post


TWO experts to observe and _The mission will be only election observation without making any  comments whether or not the election is free and fair,

_Hmmmm.......

----------


## lom

> In its petition lodged at the Central Administrative Court on Thursday, the party said the ballot was designed in such a way as to confuse voters intended to mark the No 1 box, designated for Pheu Thai.


Just shows how PT judge the intelligence of their voters.
It can't be that hard, after looking at that ballot, to understand where to put the X

----------


## Gerbil

^ Some people may just be too thick to be trusted to vote.....


Oh hang on, that's the PAD argument isnt it?  :Smile:  So now PT are saying that too?

----------


## Butterfly

> The complaint is that the box looks empty. People may mark their vote in that box instead of in the correct one on the right-hand side


then maybe they shouldn't bother to vote if they can't fucking see the difference and are that dumb,

oh wait, it's 500 THB to show up, so it's all very important  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## trisailer

[quote=Butterfly;1792761
then maybe they shouldn't bother to vote if they can't fucking see the difference and are that dumb,

oh wait, it's 500 THB to show up, so it's all very important  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): [/quote]

Obviously the people in the villages intend to vote for the PTP so if anyone is offering money it will be the dems who haven't had much of a campagn.

Apparently all humans are dumb because the exact same thing happens in the west with people unintentionally voting for the wrong candidate.

----------


## Bobcock

> Obviously the people in the North / North Easternvillages intend to vote for the PTP


corrected, they won't get anything in the Southern villages.....or will they??

----------


## Mid

> Originally Posted by SteveCM
> 
> less than the 165 seats
> 
> 
> was 170 ............. 
> 
> do I hear 150 
> 
> *Dutch Auction*




*Democrats expect to win in 130 of 375 constituencies*

*The Democrat Party has released a survey conducted  on its electoral candidates following a month of campaign making a  projection to grab 130 House seats, including 22 from Bangkok, via  direct vote in 375 constituencies.*

                              The party is expected to win 55 seats via proportionate vote for party-list candidates.

In  addition to Bangkok's 22 seats, the Democrats are projected to secure  24 seats in the Central Region, 12 in the East, 48 in the South, 15 in  the North and nine in the Northeast.

About 26 constituencies are under the neck-and-neck race and the balloting outcome might favour the Democrats.  

Additional  seats could come from Bangkok (five seats), the Central Region (six  seats), the East (three seats), the South (two seats), the North (six  seats) and the Northeast (four seats).

The projection indicates a  major defeat in Chon Buri where the Democrats would loss five of eight  seats being contested. 

A surprise victory is expected in Udon Thani,  seen as the capital of the red shirts, where the Democrats might grab  two seats.

nationmultimedia.com

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Abhisit Targets Thaksin&rsquo;s Wealth to Improve Thai Poll Numbers - Businessweek
*
*Abhisit Targets Thaksin’s Wealth to Improve Thai Poll Numbers*

 June 23, 2011, 4:24 AM EDT                                                  

By Daniel Ten Kate and Suttinee Yuvejwattana                     

June 23 (Bloomberg) -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva,  seeking to boost slumping poll numbers, said a win in next month’s  election for his rivals would allow ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra to  receive amnesty and more than $1 billion in seized wealth.

      Recent opinion surveys show Abhisit’s Democrat  party trailing the Pheu Thai party led by Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin’s  youngest sister, ahead of the July 3 election. Abhisit plans to hold a  rally later today in central Bangkok, where the military a year ago  ended two months of pro-Thaksin protests that killed more than 90  people.

      “I will not proceed on amnesty for corruption  cases and will not return” the 46.6 billion baht ($1.5 billion) in funds  a court seized from Thaksin’s family last year, Abhisit told a debate  that included Pheu Thai candidate Yongyuth Wichaiyut.

      The Democrat party is betting that Thaksin’s  opponents in Bangkok whose protests helped remove his allies from power  twice since 2006 will give them enough seats to form a government.  Concerns that a Thaksin victory may spark protests prompted overseas  investors to withdraw $720 million from Thai stocks this month, the most  among Southeast Asian markets.

      “If the Democrats lose Bangkok, they lose  everything,” said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute for  Strategic and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University in  Bangkok. Moves to highlight Thaksin’s wealth, jail sentence and last  year’s protests that led to arson attacks represent “a one-upmanship  from the Democrat party aimed to turn the tide in Bangkok,” he said.

                         Bangkok Seats

      Abhisit’s party won 27 of 36 Bangkok seats in the  2007 election in finishing second to Thaksin’s allies. Two years  earlier, Thaksin’s party had claimed 32 of 37 seats in the capital in a  landslide victory that saw it control 75 percent of the Parliament.

      Thaksin, ousted in a 2006 coup, has directed  party affairs from overseas since fleeing a jail sentence two years  later for abuse of power, a verdict he says is unfair. He read the  party’s economic policies live via video to a Bangkok rally last month  and its campaign slogan reads “Thaksin Thinks, Pheu Thai Does.”

      Last year, a court seized about 60 percent of the  76.6 billion baht that Thaksin’s children and relatives earned from the  2006 sale of holding company Shin Corp. to Singapore’s Temasek Holdings  Pte. Yingluck netted about 985 million baht in the deal, according to  stock exchange filings.

      “Amnesty will not be special for himself but will  be equal with everyone,” Yingluck said in a June 8 interview, referring  to her brother. “We have to sit down and talk together how we can make  Thailand move forward.”

                         No Amnesty Policy

      Yongyuth, Pheu Thai’s number two party-list candidate, said the party “doesn’t have a policy for amnesty.”

      “Pheu Thai will not interfere in the process,” Yongyuth said. “There is still a lot of misunderstanding about amnesty.”

      The benchmark SET Index has fallen 5.8 percent  this month, Asia’s second worst performer behind Hong Kong. The baht has  lost 0.7 percent in that time.

      Of the 500 parliamentary seats up for grabs, 375  are chosen in districts and 125 through proportional representation.  Pheu Thai held a 17-point lead against Abhisit’s Democrats for the  party-list vote, according to a Suan Dusit Rajabhat University poll  released on June 19 that surveyed 102,994 people nationwide from June 4  to June 18.

      “The probability that Pheu Thai will gain more  seats than the Democrats is high,” said Rakpong Chaisuparakul, an  analyst with KGI Securities (Thailand) Pcl. “But setting up the  government is up to negotiations.”

----------


## tomta

> Common knowledge...


Perhaps common knowledge in Thailand but not everywhere. And it is common knowledge that is only whispered here . It has a different status when it is loudly proclaimed on the front page of the Times.

----------


## Mordechai

> Originally Posted by tomta
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Bettyboo
> ...


......

----------


## Butterfly

> Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, seeking to boost slumping poll numbers, said a win in next month’s election for his rivals would allow ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra to receive amnesty and more than $1 billion in seized wealth.


the dummy cattle up North probably think that he will share his wealth with them, like they used to when he was spoiling them with cash in 2002

they actually thought that the state money and his personal wealth was the same thing,

you couldn't make that shit up,

----------


## tomta

> Originally Posted by Thaihome Quote: Originally Posted by tomta View Post Quote: Originally Posted by Bettyboo Common knowledge... Perhaps common knowledge in Thailand but not everywhere. And it is common knowledge that is only whispered here . It has a different status when it is loudly proclaimed on the front page of the Times. Thats a logical fallacy, it could easily have been fabricated by Robert Amsterdam and Thaksin. How convenient that it came out before the election. Makes you think.  TH


Don't forget the US Ambassador and Wikileaks, Handley, Stevenson, numerous academic and other sources. They must be in on  the conspiracy with Thaksin and Amsterdam too. He's paying them all, no doubt. Quite clearly Thaksin and Amsterdam found Bradley Manning, bribed him to intercept thousands of US diplomatic cables, and they cleverly got him to take only a relatively small number from the Thailand embassy to throw everyone off the track. Then they set up Wikileaks with Julian Assange as their front man. Fiends!

If this had been designed for the election there would have been much  juicier stuff in it. If you took the trouble to read it, you would see that it really is mostly fairly common knowledge for Thais and expats but the point of the article is to place this stuff in a very new perspective, and hopefully it will legitimate the dissemination and discussion of things we currently know but have to whisper and get rid of the cancerous pretences and deceptions that people must engage in to live safely here.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> Originally Posted by trisailer
> 
> Obviously the people in the North / North Easternvillages intend to vote for the PTP
> 
> 
> corrected, they won't get anything in the Southern villages.....or will they??


Apparently there won't be a problem cause they are all Mussies who write right-to-left. No chance of crossing the wrong box.
 :mid:

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> Don't forget the US Ambassador


I guess since Prem is 975 years old or something he's not worried, as for the ACM and Mr Perfect Anand, well - I'd be a bit worried about some retaliation if I were them. Wouldn't you? 

But I'm sure they all have many homes around the world paid for through the honest sweat of their brows here in Thailand - so they'll just leave.

----------


## Calgary

*Riceroots stuff*

Just returned from the Yingluck rally at the Sports Stadium here.

Wow, talk about 'star power'

The stadium was filled and people were packed tight at the entrances and exits where it was anticipated Yingluck would be.

She had a couple tough looking women move her about and escort her in/out. Soldiers, strangely enough and not policemen, created a cordon for her to enter and leave.

But holding back the surging crowd proved almost impossible. The security she received off the stage was not very good.

Nathawut was scheduled to speak as well, but did not show up, as I understand he was rebutting Abhi's speech at Rajaprasong on TV somewhere. I am not aware of the details.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/w...-thai-election
*
*Colourful characters spice up Thai election*

  AFP               
June 23, 2011, 9:01 pm            


AFP ©

BANGKOK (AFP) - A charismatic former massage parlour kingpin  and a one-time coup general are among the wilder characters wooing  voters as elections loom in politically volatile Thailand.

Among  the mostly banal images of suited hopefuls on party billboards, a few  candidates stand out -- one gripping a panda, a man who appears to be  suffering from eye-popping road rage and another with the head of a  buffalo.

With the comedy also comes controversy: one poll hopeful  was in charge of overthrowing an elected government five years ago in a  military coup that eventually led to deadly street protests and a deep  rift in society.

The man he ousted from power was Thaksin Shinawatra, whose sister is now the main opposition candidate for prime minister.

Chulalongkorn  University political scientist Thitinan Pongsudhirak described the  candidacy of General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, a Muslim hoping for votes in  the insurgency-plagued deep south, as a "farce for Thai democracy".

Only  slightly less controversial is Chuvit Kamolvisit, a businessman who  made his fortune with a string of massage parlours and hotels and has  admitted to bribing authorities in the past.

Even so he has vowed to fight corruption, a stance some see as surprising given his colourful past.

"I am the insider, I know how to pay. I know how to bribe," he told AFP.

"You  see bribery in Thailand is a deeper issue, problem than anyone can  think.... everybody likes me. They like the truth, but no one wants to  say the truth."

Chuvit -- whose posters show him in odd poses  angrily clutching a steering wheel or squeamishly holding a baby --  described the traditional party candidates as "dinosaurs" in uniform or  suits.

Former director-general of the Zoological Park Organisation  of Thailand Sophon Damnui is trying a different tactic, appearing on  posters with a giant panda in an attempt to boost his appeal.

"People  ask who they should vote for -- the one with the bald head or the one  with the black eyes," the follicly challenged politician said on a  recent walkabout at a Bangkok zoo to showcase his environmental  credentials.

The July 3 election is mainly a fight between the  incumbent Democrats and the Puea Thai party, allied to fugitive  ex-leader Thaksin, who was ousted in 2006 and lives abroad to avoid a  jail term for corruption.

But these parties represent the two  sides of a damaging split in Thai society and analysts say some voters  will be searching for alternatives.

Political analyst and author  Chris Baker said there were "people who are rather fed up of the recent  politics" and wanted to cast their vote in a "non-standard way".

Puea  Thai has pulled ahead in the voter opinion polls, but may still have to  form a coalition with smaller parties to be able to govern.

It  remains to be seen whether Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's younger sister  and the Puea Thai candidate for prime minister, would be willing to  join forces with the general who removed her brother from power.

The  most bizarre posters of all aim to persuade people not to vote for any  party by portraying politicians with the heads of various different  animals, an image Thitinan said was "very offensive" in Thailand.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Respect the Majority’s Will for the Sake of National Development 

UPDATE : 23 June 2011                     *

A prolonged political conflict has been  taken a grip of Thailand for the past 6 or 7 years. Nevertheless the  country has been experiencing a relatively strong economic growth  despite negative external factors. The general election is scheduled to  take place on July 3 with the absentee ballots to be cast this upcoming  Sunday, June 26. Various political parties have been scrambling to  campaign for votes and the continuing electoral violence has so far  brought many deaths. 

Yet in the eyes of foreign investors, Thailand remains an attractive  investment destination with high economic flexibility. As a result, many  giant multinational corporations are still looking to invest in  Thailand despite the current political situation.* 

On June 22, United States Ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney remarked  that Thailand remains an attractive investment destination for US  firms, particularly in the IT industry which has been enjoying more than  satisfactory growth rates. Kenny pointed to Western Digital, a major  hard-disk manufacturer, who also has a production base in Thailand. In  addition, some of the world’s largest dot-com companies such as Google  or Facebook are now operating in the country. Kenny added that the US  Embassy in Thailand has been promoting the Thai IT industry by  introducing suitable investors to American firms who are interested in  doing business in the kingdom.

At the same time, there have been continuous reports that some of the  giant international conglomerates such as Ford Motors and Dow Chemical  are planning to bring investments to Thailand despite the expected  change in the administration after the poll. 

According to one report, these firms do not see the conflict between the  rural and urban populations as an obstacle to the international trade  and investment policies implemented by the subsequent Thai governments.  They also do not think that ongoing social and political conflicts have  any significant impact on the tourism industry. This is based on the  record number of tourists entering the country last year. During the  same period, Thailand has been experiencing the highest economic growth  since 1995 and the Thai stock exchange has been ranked as one of the top  ten with highest investment returns. 

Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) has indicated that there are  more than 7,000 Japanese companies doing business in Thailand and that  number is like to increase. They too, also view the Thai economy and  politics as two unrelated matters.

Meanwhile the industrial sector has been developing steadily even though  the country’s competiveness has somewhat diminished in recent years  from the emerging international competitors. 

Therefore it does not matter which government will win the election. The  Thai people must preserve the democratic value of one man, one vote,  whoever they are. In a democratic nation everyone is born equal and must  respect the will of the majority. The next government must be elected  to help move Thailand forward so it will not be left behind. 

*Taken from Editorial Section, Krungthep Turakij Newspaper, Page 2, June 23, 2011
Translated and Rewritten by Kongkrai Maksrivorawan*

----------


## SteveCM

*Thailand's general election: Lucky Yingluck | The Economist*


*Even copying their opponent’s policies has done the ruling party little good* 

                 Jun 23rd 2011              | _BANGKOK_                      | from the print edition              



WITH little more than a week to go before polling day on July 3rd,  it is clear that the opposition Pheu Thai (PT) party will win more seats  than any other in Thailand’s 500-strong parliament. This will mark an  extraordinary comeback for the unofficial leader of PT, Thaksin  Shinawatra, a former prime minister ousted in a military coup in 2006  and now living in exile in Dubai as a fugitive from Thai justice. Some  even predict that PT may win an outright majority, though a hung  parliament looks more likely. But in Thai politics merely winning an  election is not enough; whether PT gets to form a government is another  matter entirely.

 The surge of enthusiasm for PT owes a lot not only to Mr Thaksin’s  enduring popularity among Thailand’s rural poor, but also to the  dizzying rise of the official party leader, his younger sister Yingluck,  who was unknown only a month or so ago. When Mr Thaksin picked her to  lead PT into the election many dismissed it as a quixotic, even bizarre  gesture. It turns out to have been a stroke of genius. 

  The 44-year-old businesswoman has never held or campaigned for  political office before. Yet she behaves as if she has been doing it all  her life and has completely wrong-footed her main opponent, Abhisit  Vejjajiva, the prime minister and leader of the Democrat Party that  heads the ruling coalition. At the start of the campaign the two rivals  were just about even. It is mostly Ms Yingluck’s bravura campaigning  that has opened up the gap. Mr Thaksin described his younger sister as  his “clone”. In fact, she brings her own qualities and attributes to the  campaign, drawing in people beyond the PT base. 

    A fresher face even than the relatively youthful 47-year-old Mr  Abhisit, and a woman campaigning in the very male world of Thai  politics, she has injected a buzz and excitement into the election. Her  seasoned, pragmatic campaign managers have exploited her looks and  easy-going nature to the full. She, for her part, has played the perfect  candidate by sticking closely to her sound bites and smiling  ceaselessly at the camera. 

  As to her policies (not that her adoring supporters care), she has  promised to continue the populist economic programmes of her brother  when he was prime minister from 2001 to 2006. She promises, for  instance, to give free Tablet PCs to about 1m new schoolchildren and to  raise the minimum wage. But, aware that triumph for Mr Thaksin’s party  will undoubtedly rile those (such as the army) who got rid of him in a  2006 coup, she has struck a conciliatory tone. She vows that there will  no revenge for the coup, and that she won’t rush into devising amnesties  for Mr Thaksin. For all the enthusiasm of his “red shirt” supporters,  he remains a divisive figure. 

  Even with the advantages of incumbency, the Democrat Party has  floundered. Their rather bewildered campaign manager concedes that the  timing of Ms Yingluck’s candidature, pretty much on the day the campaign  began, was brilliant. She stole the headlines and has never looked  back—and a month is just long enough to remain an exciting novelty while  avoiding serious scrutiny. Some mutter that she could yet have to  answer to charges of perjury arising from the sale of Mr Thaksin’s  telecoms company five years ago, but that will have to wait until after  July 3rd.

  In contrast to the smiley-feely Ms Yingluck, Mr Abhisit and his  deputy and finance minister, Korn Chatikavanij, are both Oxford-educated  technocrats, less polished at working a crowd. Mr Abhisit has looked  less stiff on the stump than in past elections, though it doesn’t come  naturally. One recent afternoon, he walked the length of a market in  Bangkok, shaking hands, posing for photos with vendors and residents, a  yellow garland draped around his powder-blue shirt and windbreaker.  Supporters foisted gifts on him; cakes, flowers and the odd baby. He  smiled—but it might as well have been a wince. Arriving at a community  centre where former drug addicts had gathered on plastic chairs, he  launched into a detailed analysis of why Mr Thaksin’s hardline policies  against dealers did not work. He lost the audience’s attention. 

  It does not help that the Democrat Party has proposed a lot of  similarly populist economic policies to PT’s. In the scramble for votes,  especially among Mr Thaksin’s core constituency of poorer supporters,  the Democrat Party—against its better instincts—has also made a lot of  expensive promises. It is offering subsidies for rice farmers and its  own version of a hike in the minimum wage. One academic commentator,  Thitinan Pongsudhirak, has called this campaign the “race to the  populist bottom”. Mr Korn has costed PT’s populism at a whopping 2.06  trillion baht ($68 billion) in the first year, but the Democrats aren’t  doing so badly either. These promises of largesse alienate their  traditional supporters in business, nervous about having to pay for the  new wages, and do Ms Yingluck no damage.

*The minnows will decide*

  For all the focus on Mr Abhisit and Ms Yingluck, if neither wins an  outright majority of seats, then it will (as usual) be Thailand’s  smaller parties that play a decisive role in a hung parliament. None has  any ideology; they will simply haggle for ministerial posts and local  pork. 

  Bhumjaithai, a vehicle for Newin Chidchob, a banned politician and  former Thaksin henchman, could come third, perhaps with 40 or so seats.  The party says it will stick with the Democrats, its current partners,  and is leery of PT. 

Another party, Chart Thai Pattana (CTP), is courting  both main parties and may well join PT in a flash. Other parties lack  the numbers but could add some ballast, particularly if PT is nervous  about fraud cases that might disqualify MPs. One tiny party is led by a  retired general, Sondhi Boonyaratglin, leader of the coup in 2006, and  so an unlikely ally for Thaksinites. But there are no permanent enemies  in Thai politics. 

  And then there is Mr Thaksin’s old foe, the powerful army. Besides  staging the 2006 coup, it was instrumental behind the scenes in the  formation of the present government. It has promised to stay in its  barracks. But a close result and the ensuing horse-trading might tempt  it to meddle again—especially if it looks as if Mr Thaksin is on his way  back.

----------


## Buksida

> *Even copying their opponent’s policies has done the ruling party little good*


If they had half a brain they would have copied their opponents marketing plan. No wonder nobody wants to vote for them, they're just too boring. Besides bribing voters with their own money, TRT had a professional media plan from the start.

Eleven years later, the Dems still haven't realized this was a key part of their success. Did anybody tell them that in Thailand, appearance is everything.

----------


## Takeovers

> If they had half a brain they would have copied their opponents marketing plan. No wonder nobody wants to vote for them, they're just too boring.


Take into consideraton, that people do remember what happened last year. And they don't see it the way the Democrats want to display it. They are by far not as stupid as you would want them to be.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Amnesty plan not for any particular individual : Yongyuth
*
*Amnesty plan not for any particular individual : Yongyuth*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 24, 2011                


*Abhisit vows no let-off for Thaksin and no return of confiscated Bt46 bn*

                                                            Pheu Thai's Yongyuth Wichaidit said yesterday an  amnesty for a particular person was not the policy of his party - while  Democrat Abhisit Vejjajiva vowed to enforce the law and provide no  amnesty for fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. 

"May  the Pheu Thai Party declare it never has a policy of amnesty. Neither  party leader nor executive [members] ever talked about that. The remarks  were by people who have no obligation to the party," Yongyuth said. 

Prime-ministerial  candidate Yingluck Shinawatra and the party would accept the result of a  free and fair election and work on reconciliation as an urgent agenda. 

Rebutting Yongyuth's claim, Abhisit said it was clear that Thaksin was linked to Pheu Thai and he was planning for an amnesty. 

He  referred to a message on Pheu Thai's posters that its policies were  "Thaksin's ideas, Pheu Thai's actions." Thaksin, he said, certainly had a  plan to get an amnesty for himself. Otherwise, he would not be able to  return to Thailand later this year as he had announced. 

"I  disagree [with an amnesty for Thaksin], and I will not work on an  amnesty for people convicted on corruption charges, and will definitely  not return the Bt46 billion," Abhisit said, referring to Thaksin's funds  seized by the government in early 2010 prior to the red-shirt protest. 

Yongyuth  and Abhisit were taking part in a debate among political party leaders  held by the People's Network for Election in Thailand. They were also  asked to talk about their party's policies on the economy, education,  drug eradication, and on borders and neighbouring countries. 

Matubhum  leader Sonthi Boonyaratglin stressed patriotism and putting public  interest over personal ambition. Bhum Jai Thai's Supachai Jaisamut said  his party would work on an amnesty for people abused by politicians who  then joined political movements in recent years. He proposed protection  of the constitutional monarchy as a common aim, so all people were  united. 

Chart Thai Pattana's No 6 party-list MP candidate Piyapan  Jampasut promoted free and fair elections. He said politicians must  stop attacking each other, support transparency in forming government,  and set up a national reconciliation committee of stakeholders and  neutral people. 

Meanwhile, Chart Pattana Puea Pandin's no-4  party-list MP candidate Goanpot Asvinvichit said his party opposed  polarisation and promoted economic opportunity and prosperity that would  allow people to live happily together. 

*Agriculture and living costs* 

Sonthi said food exports and  promoting of Thailand as the world's kitchen would lift product prices  and allow Thais more income. 

Goanpot proposed periodic egg  imports, rice stock management, development of production mechanisms and  the promotion of tourism. 

Abhisit said he would move on with the  farmers' income guarantee scheme and peg cooking gas and diesel prices  and allow free imports of breeding chickens. 

Piyapan said his  party would offer subsidies for renting farm-land, while rice pledging  and income guarantees for farmers would be available. 

Supachai  said his party would free people from debt with a maximum debt amount  and waivers for debt to government Village Funds. He also proposed  cutting VAT to 5 per cent. 

Yongyuth said his party's credit cards  for farmers, rice pledging, three-year break for debt payment and  restructuring would solve problems. 

*Drug eradication* 

Yongyuth stressed education and a civic monitoring network. Schemes to rehabilitate drug addicts must be provided in all areas. 

Besides  a civil network joining hands with state officials, Abhisit emphasised  stronger border protection to prevent drug smuggling. A consistent and  systematic process to eradicate drugs was also needed. 

Sonthi promoted law enforcement and education to reinforce people's sense of responsibility. 

Supachai  said penalties must be increased for smugglers and Thailand should join  hands with neighbouring countries to eradicate drug sources. 

Goanpot stressed reducing drug activity by increasing rehabilitation for addicts. 

Piyapan proposed immediate, serious and harsh suppression of drug sources and smuggling routes. 
*
 Long term education policies* 

Goanpot proposed quality  improvement as well as better education of students in foreign  languages, information technology and trade. 

Yongyuth referred to  his party's policy to give away tablet PCs to students, increasing  loans for education and teachers' job security. 

Sonthi stressed students' experience and ability to use knowledge. 

Supachai  said education supplies must be increased including one computer for  each student in classrooms. Teachers' income must be increased. 

Piyapan  said his party would lift teachers' quality and standard of living.  Abhisit referred to his party's 15 years of free education as well as  increasing education loans and improving the quality of teachers. 

*Borders and neighbours* 

Supachai said Thailand should have a  strong military and foreign policies while the government emphasises  talks to end conflict. 

Abhisit stressed the participation of people along the border in such policies, while Goanpot stressed trading promotion. 

Piyapan said talks should be held on major problems, but they must protect Thai sovereignty.

Sonthi  proposed having local people solve the problems of the restive South.  Thailand should be friends with neighbouring countries so they could  help each other on natural resources issues, he said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*New polls show Pheu Thai leading in capital
*
*New polls show Pheu Thai leading in capital*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 24, 2011                

*In Bangkok, Pheu Thai is still enjoying a comfortable lead over the Democrat Party according to the most recent surveys.*

                                                            Two opinion polls conducted over the past week showed  that voters in the capital favoured Pheu Thai's constituency candidates,  as well as its prime-ministerial candidate Yingluck Shinawatra over the  Democrats and their PM candidate Abhisit Vejjajiva.

However,  almost one-third of the respondents kept their choice to themselves,  with 20-26 per cent saying they were undecided and about 7 per cent  refusing to reveal whom they support. 

A survey conducted by  Dhurakij Pundit University, in cooperation with the Nation Group, showed  that Pheu Thai was leading in 22 of the city's 33 constituencies, the  Democrats have outright support in six, while it is a neck-and-neck  competition in the remaining five constituencies. The Democrats are  leading with a 5-percentage-point margin in the capital's Constituencies  1, 2, 10, 22, 27 and 32, while the competition is very close in  Constituencies 4, 5, 7, 16 and 19. 

When asked whom they would  vote for as prime minister, 47 per cent of the respondents favoured  Yingluck, 39 per cent backed Abhisit, 7 per cent picked Rak Santi Party  leader Purachai Piumsomboon and 4 per cent opted for Rak Prathet Thai  leader Chuwit Kamolvisit. The remaining 3 per cent wanted other  politicians for the post.

The survey also found that 26 per cent  of the respondents were undecided, while 6 per cent said they would keep  their options open. 

A survey conducted by Bangkok University  also showed the Pheu Thai Party leading in terms of popularity,  party-list candidates as well as the prime ministerial contender. 

In  this poll, 37.9 per cent of the respondents said they would opt for  Pheu Thai candidates, 22.2 per cent Democrat candidates and 1.2 per cent  said they would go for politicians under the Rak Santi banner. 

However,  as many as 22.1 per cent of the respondents said they were still  undecided, 7.6 per cent refused to identify their favourite candidate,  while slightly more than 5 per cent said they would tick the "no vote"  box in their ballot papers.

When asked to name their favourite  political party, 38.3 per cent of the respondents chose Pheu Thai, 21.6  per cent the Democrat Party, 3.4 per cent opted for Rak Thailand and 1.6  per cent backed Rak Santi.
The latest poll was conducted between June 16 and 22 on 3,338 eligible voters in all of Bangkok's 50 districts. 

This was done through face-to-face interviews, with the respondents being asked to answer questionnaires.

Of  the respondents, 47.2 per cent said they preferred Yingluck as the next  prime minister because they wanted to see a new face running the  country, while 28 per cent said they wanted Abhisit to continue with the  job. 

Meanwhile, the incumbent prime minister said he did not put  much weight on the Bangkok University poll, because none of its surveys  ever showed Democrats as winners. Other opinion polls, such as those  conducted by Abac and Suan Dusit, showed the margin between the two key  parties narrowing, he said.

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> If they had half a brain they would have copied their opponents marketing plan. No wonder nobody wants to vote for them, they're just too boring.
> 
> 
> Take into consideraton, that people do remember what happened last year. And they don't see it the way the Democrats want to display it. They are by far not as stupid as you would want them to be.


Who is not as stupid? It's the Democrats I'm talking about. What happened last year? Were you in Bangkok? Did you walk through the siege area, past the guards or witness anything first hand?

When you say ppl don't forget, who are you referring to, those in the provinces who have the red version or the govt version of events to choose from?

The most reliable report to date, would have to be the HRW one, which blamed the army and Thaksin.

----------


## SteveCM

*Don't rule out the possibility of a third candidate for PM*

*THAI TALK* 
*Don't rule out the possibility of a third candidate for PM*


                            By Suthichai Yoon
The Nation
                                             Published on June 23, 2011                

*The probability isn't that high, but the possibility  of a third candidate for the premiership after the July 3 election  can't be totally ruled out.*

                              Pheu Thai is poised to beat the Democrats. That's  almost a foregone conclusion. The margin of victory will decide whether  the next prime minister is a woman or a man.

The difference  between the number of seats won by the two major parties will also  decide whether a third person can steal the show from Yingluck  Shinawatra or Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The number of combined seats that  the third, fourth and fifth parties can garner will also determine the  shape of the new coalition government and the person who will lead the  line-up.

If Newin Chidchob's Bhum Jai Thai, Banharn Silpa-archa's  Chart Thai Pattana and Suwat Liptapanlop's Pattana Pheu Pandin manage to  win over 100 seats in the 500-member House, the political landscape  could assume a dramatic change from the prevailing predicated line-up.

Thaksin's  Pheu Thai Party has publicly rejected Newin's party in any future  coalition. That means Bhum Jai Thai will be stuck with the Democrats in  any fight to form the next government. 

Newin's bargaining power  will depend largely on whether he can win the 60-70 seats that he claims  he can muster. Most polls so far have suggested that he would count  himself lucky to be able to retain 40 seats. The recent assassination of  one of his main canvassers in the heart of Bangkok - a prelude to  intensified campaign-related violence - could have a significant  negative impact on his party's chances.

Pheu Thai and Bhum Jai  Thai are engaged in hand-to-hand combat in several northeastern  constituencies. If Newin cannot manage to win at least 50 seats, his  earlier braggadocio that "Neither Pheu Thai nor the Democrats can form  the next government without us" would sound hollow indeed.

Banharn's  Chart Thai Pattana may be fourth in the expected ranking in terms of  seats won. But it stands a better chance of being drawn into the next  coalition, regardless of who wins the most seats. The veteran politician  has been humble about his party's prospects in the election. "If we can  retain the 30 seats we have, I would consider our target met," he said.

But  Banharn isn't just another "party owner". He is not only shrewd but is  also manipulative. There is no doubt that he has only one aim in mind:  it doesn't matter who heads the next government; Chat Thai Pattana will  have to be part of the new line-up. Political ideology and alliance  pacts be damned.

And if there were to be a third candidate for the  premiership should deadlock ensue following the election, this party  could stake a claim to that position in Major General Sanan  Kachornprasart, the party's senior adviser, who has played the  "reconciliation" card all along.

But hasn't Banharn signed a pact  of allegiance with Newin to be bound together in another political move  after the election? Of course, that's public knowledge. But that doesn't  necessarily mean that Banharn won't find a timely excuse to wriggle out  of the gentlemen's agreement which, after all, was never meant to be a  serious bond in the first place.

Suwat's party may not win enough  seats to enable him to bargain for a large piece of the pie. But he  certainly is no less dextrous than Banharn in striking political deals,  especially if a political deadlock should materialise, for one reason or  another.

The Democrats' chances of winning a simple majority  (over 250 seats) are almost certainly out of reach. Unless the Democrats  can work out a quick and pre-emptive deal with Newin and Banharn to  hammer out a coalition with more than 270 seats, the party's political  future is in serious doubt.

And even if that unlikely alliance  could be cobbled together, the man to head the Democrat-led coalition  may not be Abhisit, who is seen to have worn out his own charisma and  effectiveness. The name of the Democrat Party's chief adviser Chuan  Leekpai as an alternative has again been raised as a more "acceptable"  choice if that scenario should come to pass.

On the other side of  the political landscape, if the campaign led by Kaewsan Atipobhi to  level perjury charges against Yingluck in Thaksin's assets case picks up  momentum, Thaksin may find it more politically feasible to pick a  second or third choice to head a Pheu Thai-led government. 

But if  the election returns don't turn out the way he wants, Thaksin, facing a  victory that may be far short of a "landslide" win, may decide to make  virtue out of necessity by handing over the premiership to the leader of  one of the third parties in the name of "national reconciliation".

After  all, if the proposed "amnesty" was to be popularly acceptable, the head  of the government that initiates such a move can't be someone so  closely linked to Thaksin. In that situation, Yingluck may be "too  close" to Thaksin for comfort.

But then, these are merely  "possible but not so probable" predictions in case the most likely  scenario - a Yingluck-Abhisit fight to head the new government - somehow  falls through. With a huge "undecided" vote (30 per cent to 40 per cent  of those surveyed by several polls) two weeks from election day,  nothing can be ruled out.

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world.....


*The Nation*

_By Bangkok Pundit 
Jun 24, 2011_


_The Nation_ has posted its election predictions and BP has created this chart  see also June 23′s _Kom Chad Luek_ p2 (although their chart says Bhum Jai Thai is 55-67!)



*BP*: As you will see _The Nation_, as the  article also states, they see that the big 2 parties will win 380 seats  and the small parties will win 120 seats. BP thinks this division is  incorrect and the smaller parties wont win more than 100 seats. More  likely around 90 although if they win more than this it will be at the  expense of the Democrats. BP thinks that Bhum Jai Thai wont win more  than 40. You can easily take 15-20 off their numbers. Chart Thai  Pattanas Chumpol and Banharn the other day both readjusted down their expectations to maximum of 30 and 25-30 respectively, but _The Nation_ thinks they will get more than this. It aint happening.

_The Nation_ does not provide a breakdown by province, but its sister language Thai publication _Kom Chad Luek_ for June 23 on pages 2-3 does for all 375 constituencies.

 For the 2007 general election, these were the results:*



 Now, the current breakdown before the dissolution:


 Source: Parliament

 From _The Nation_ for Bangkok:_In Bangkok, the 33 constituencies are likely to be split  between Pheu Thai and the Democrats. In the latest round of surveys,  Pheu Thai seemed likely to bag 16 seats and the Democrats 12 seats, with  neck-and-neck competition between the two parties for the six remaining  seats.

 Pheu Thai is expected to take Constituencies 4, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13,  14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 23, 25, 26 and 29. The Democrats are likely to pull  ahead in Constituencies 1, 2, 3, 6, 10, 21, 22, 27, 30, 31, 32 and 33.  Tight competition is expected in Constituencies 5, 18, 20, 24, 28 and  32._
*BP*: So based on the latest polls, the 19 to Puea  Thai and 14 to the Democrats seems reasonable and is roughly in line  with how BP sees things as they stand _now_ although +/- for each  side of 1-2 although if the polls including the latest Bangkok  University poll are correct, Puea Thai will win more than 19.

 For the South, _The Nation_s prediction of 48 for the  Democrats with the rest of the parties winning 8 seats between them  seems ok although BP thinks the Democrats will  1-3 seats less than this  with those shared between the smaller parties.

 For the North, _The Nation_ gives 40 to Puea Thai, 15 to the  Democrats, 1 to Bhum Jai Thai, 9 to Chart Thai Pattana, and 2 to Chart  Pattana Puea Paendin. The Dems number is about right, but they or Puea  Thai may pick up a couple extra for the smaller parties. Chart Thai  Pattana wont win 9. Around 7.

 For the Central region, this is why _The Nation_ starts to go  wrong. They are giving Bhum Jai Thai 16 seats, Puea Thai 32, Democrats  29, Chart Pattana Puea Paendin 1, Palang Chon 3, and Matubhum. BP  thinks Puea Thai will pip the Democrats, but Bhum Jai Thai are not going  to win 16 seats. They currently only have 5 seats and did not pick up  enough quality defectors from other parties. One defector defected from  Puea Thai to Bhum Jai Thai and then after internal polling showed he  wouldnt win went to the Democrats! Would add 5 each to the Democrats  and Puea Thai and take away 10 from Bhum Jai Thai.

 For the Northeast, given that Chart Pattana has stated  they are only competitive in 1 seat now, they are not going to win 4.  The Democrats can win 9, but Bhum Jai Thai are not going to win 29.  20-23 is a more likely range with Puea Thai winning the rest. _Kom Chad Luek_  has Bhum Jai Thai winning 8 out of the 9 seats in Buriram and in a  whole range of provinces where BP cant see that Bhum Jai Thai will do  that well.

 BP doesnt see that Thursdays rally will help the Democrats and while on June 9,  BP thought the Democrats would win 182 seats and Puea Thai 228 would  now adjust this to the Democrats winning 170-175, but adjust Puea Thai  upwards to 235-240. The Democrats need a miracle now and if things  continue as they are with Puea Thai picking up steam, Puea Thai could  come close to winning an absolute majority.

 *There are a few different sets of figures  some are after the  by-elections  others just have different number of constituencies

----------


## LooseBowels

I can't see how anybody but retard nutters could support the undemocratic dems, and their patrons, after all the crimes against humanity they are responsible for.
But retard nutters would do wouldnt they.
You know who you are desperados

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post updates today....

*Two parties to share spoils in Ayutthaya* 
_24/06/2011 : AYUTTHAYA : The  Pheu Thai Party may ultimately emerge as the winner in the July 3  election ahead of its main rival in this central province,  Chartthaipattana Party._ *

Warrants out for suspects in Suban killing*
_24/06/2011 : Warrants  have been issued for the arrests of three men suspected of killing  Bhumjaithai canvasser Suban Jirapunvanit last Thursday._*

Pheu Thai tops Bangkok Poll in list, constituency systems*
_24/06/2011 : The  Pheu Thai Party is the most popular choice under both the list and  constituency voting systems in Bangkok while the Democrat Party is  second, according to Bangkok University's poll._*

Prachatham woos southerners using local 'Malayu' language*
_24/06/2011 : The  Prachatham Party says the local language called Malayu is its main  selling point in its campaign to win over  voters in the  Muslim-dominated southernmost provinces._*

Democrats vow not to support amnesty if they win election*
_24/06/2011 : The  Democrat Party will not support an amnesty if it wins the July 3  election and forms the next government, says Democrat leader and Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva._*

Thanong says PM, Yingluck both have weak points*
_24/06/2011 : Despite  their strengths, both Abhisit Vejjajiva and Yingluck Shinawatra still  have weaknesses that could come back to haunt them if either becomes  prime minister after the general election, former finance minister  Thanong Bidaya says._*

Pressure mounts on Pheu Thai's Aruni*
_24/06/2011 : PHAYAO  : Aruni Chamnanya, a leading candidate from the Pheu Thai Party in  Constituency 1, is being challenged by her two key competitors who are  still hoping to triumph over her as the July 3 election draws near._
*
Somluck gloves up for a new challenge*
_24/06/2011 : KHON  KAEN : Thailand's first-ever Olympic gold medallist Somluck Khamsing is  confident he will deliver a knockout punch in Khon Kaen province during  his first foray into politics._

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Populist platforms do not necessarily mean reform
*
*Populist platforms do not necessarily mean reform*
Published: 24/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Reading the campaign posters and pamphlets of  political parties, or watching and listening to their various  representatives and candidates debating, you get the sense of a  competing ''fire sale'', not different from the price-cut coupons and  free gifts offered by department stores around town.

 
_On the populist bandwagon: Democrat Party leader PM Abhisit Vejjajiva  (seated centre-left) campaigns for votes with fellow party members on a  vehicle driven by Suthep Thaugsuban, the party’s secretary-general and  deputy prime minister, in Yala province on June 21._

 One party has proposed a 2% reduction in the 7% VAT, without telling  how they would finance the rest of the giveaways they are promising.  Some will give out cash benefits to the elderly, computer tablets to  students, a tax reduction for first-time home and car buyers. Pictures  of keys to your potential vehicle and the house of your dreams are  similar to the advertisements of companies selling their products.

 Have we gone too far with ''political marketing''? Will the political  parties be able to deliver all the goodies promised? And are the  apparent handouts really beneficial? Is this kind of commercial populism  needed in this country?

 Looking on the good side, we have come a long way from political  posters with only the picture, name, party affiliation and number of the  candidates. The ''talking posters'' or paai pood dai in Thai began in  1995, when ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra first ran under the  Palang Dharma Party banner. Thaksin brought in innovative ways to  communicate with voters, by introducing slick advertisements and Western  political campaign concepts. It developed into full-blown and  successful campaigns during Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai Party heyday in 2001  and 2005, with TRT winning the elections and delivering what was  promised.

 This was later attacked as ''populism'' with negative connotations.  But even after the coup d'etat of Sept 19, 2006 and the subsequent  election in 2007, populist political marketing has grown. Now everybody  is doing it, although Thaksin and his team running the opposition Pheu  Thai Party remain, beyond any doubt, leaders in the field.

 And are the politicians alone to blame for what they say? Politicians  have been making campaign promises since the beginning of time. What is  lacking here in Thailand are solid and independent analyses from  academics and the media on the viability of the proposed programmes and  projects, before an election is held, to provide information to the  voters for their consideration.

 Questions by the media have not been able to penetrate beyond the  rhetoric and the presentations. I doubt many Thai candidates and  political parties could pass the grilling by the media in Western  democracies during political campaigns.

 A tough and uncompromising scrutiny would be able to detect whether  politicians can live up to their words, or at least weed out the less  credible ones.

 I admit that after more than a month trying to absorb and understand  what each political party is propagandising, I am sickened by the  bombardment. In the end my feeling has been that whoever comes to power  will burn up whatever is left in the Treasury which the present Democrat  Party-led administration has not already used up in its own brand of  populism. The politicians will deliver all right _ but with the  hush-hush commissions and wastage expended as well.

 Undeniably, a lot of the projects proposed would benefit the general  population. Thaksin introduced the 30-baht healthcare scheme 10 years  ago when the country did not have a universal healthcare plan. Now it is  up and running. Populist or welfare programmes are essential for many  people lacking the basic amenities _ housing, health, education, etc.  The benefits of many of the propositions can be defended, no matter  which side you support: the Democrats, Pheu Thai or other smaller  parties.

 Some pledges are good and some are not as interesting or useful _ it  depends on how you perceive the so-called ''benefit''. And they are not  based on the cost of the projects, either. For instance, I like Pheu  Thai's idea of giving every student a computerised tablet to enhance the  child's access to knowledge and opportunities to learn. I think it  would be more useful than the Democrats' handing out free school  uniforms or books which could be outdated and need reprinting. Updating  through a computer is cheaper and less prone to corruption scandals with  the publishing houses, as in the past. However, it is the process of  delivering these public goods which needs looking into carefully. In a  country where patronage is strong and merit an afterthought, government  welfare programmes are easily abused and personal benefits reaped. It is  also an important source in building political favours and influence.  The Thai bureaucrats have always done the deed. In history, during  absolute monarchy, the monarch ap pointed lords to positions and took  the share of the benefits from the sakdina or feudal system. These lords  collected from the people and provided them with the minimum facilities  so as to quell any potential rebellion. Modern Thai bureaucrats view  their appointments similarly, but many now serve their political masters  instead. And when elected politicians become holders of public office,  they view themselves more as patrons than as public servants. They  provide favours and expect favours in return, at the very least in terms  of votes in the next election. More is expected in the form of gifts  and monetary returns.

 None of the political parties has proposed a reform of the budgetary  process, from approval to monitoring and evaluation. None has talked  about bureaucratic reform. Few have said anything about anti-corruption  measures, except for some lame slogan on campaign posters.

 The political parties have also failed to mention that even though  the populist projects now being pushed in exchange for votes may cost  taxpayers up to 400 million baht per annum (by some estimates) there are  large budgetary items not being put up for public consideration. The  military procurement expenditure is never discussed but civilian  governments have always been quick to keep the top brass satisfied. I've  never seen a serious proposal to reform the military during any  election campaign or by any administration.

 And although welfare programmes are basically ''feel good'' ones,  meaning people are happy signing on to get cash and cheques, these  programmes do not address the structural imbalance inherent in society.  Commercial populism may excite the crowds during ''promotion'' periods  like a department store's ''midnight'' sales. And the public may  temporarily enjoy what they are receiving, keeping them afloat above the  poverty line. But at the end of the day, the huge gap between the rich  and poor remains.

*Suranand Vejjajiva served in the Thaksin Shinawatra cabinet and is now a political analyst.*

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thai Election is Chance to Remove 
*
*Thai Election is Chance to Remove ‘Venom’: Abhisit*

                                                                                                                    By                     Daniel Ten Kate and Suttinee Yuvejwattana                  -                                  Jun 24, 2011 5:25 AM GMT+0700                             
 
_Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva speaks at a rally in Bangkok on June 23, 2011. Photographer: Dario Pignatelli/Bloomberg_ 

 
_Play Video
                       June 9 (Bloomberg) --  Yingluck Shinawatra, leader of Thailand's opposition Pheu Thai party and  the sister of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, talks about what  she would do if her party wins the nation's July 3 election.      Yingluck spoke with Bloomberg's Daniel Ten Kate in Bangkok  yesterday. (Source: Bloomberg)_ 

 _
                         Supporters of Thai Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva cheer during a rally in Bangkok on Thursday,  June 23, 2011. Photographer: Dario Pignatelli/Bloomberg_ 

                       Thailand’s July 3 election may represent the final chance to rid the country of the “venom” of fugitive former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said. 

 “This is the best chance for us to remove Thaksin’s venom from society,” Abhisit said yesterday in a speech to 5,000 supporters outside a shopping mall in Bangkok that was torched during a crackdown on pro-Thaksin protesters last year. “It’s time to show the world that Thailand is not the property of one person or one color. The country is the property of all Thais.” 

 Abhisit was appealing to opponents of Thaksin whose street protests helped remove allies of the former premier from power twice since 2006. Concerns that an election victory for the pro- Thaksin Pheu Thai party may spark unrest prompted overseas investors to withdraw $812 million from Thai stocks this month, the most among Southeast Asian markets. 

 Opinion polls show Abhisit’s Democrat party trailing Pheu Thai, led by Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin’s youngest sister. Abhisit told supporters that Pheu Thai plans an amnesty for Thaksin, allowing him to return to Thailand and reclaim more than $1 billion in seized wealth. 

 Thaksin, ousted in a 2006 coup, has directed party affairs from overseas since fleeing a jail sentence two years later for abuse of power, a verdict he says was politically motivated. He detailed Pheu Thai’s economic policies via video link from overseas last month, and the party’s campaign slogan reads “Thaksin Thinks, Pheu Thai Does.” 

*Fortune Seized* 

 Last year, a court seized about 60 percent of the 76.6 billion baht ($2.5 billion) that Thaksin’s children and relatives earned from the 2006 sale of holding company Shin Corp. to Singapore’s Temasek Holdings Pte. Yingluck netted about 985 million baht in the deal, according to stock exchange filings. 

 “I am ready to do everything, but I won’t give amnesty to a corrupt man,” Abhisit said. “I won’t return 46 billion baht to Thaksin.” 

 Hundreds of screaming women of all ages greeted Abhisit as he arrived at the late-night campaign rally, giving him yellow and red roses as he squeezed past them on his way to the stage. At the same location a year ago, Thailand’s military ended two months of protests by pro-Thaksin Red Shirt protesters, sparking arson attacks and clashes that left more than 90 people dead. 

 Democrat Party officials told about 40 people to remove T- shirts that said “We Don’t Want Red Shirts” to avoid inciting unrest. 

*‘One-Upmanship’* 

 Abhisit’s party won 27 of 36 Bangkok seats in the 2007 election in finishing second to Thaksin’s allies. Two years earlier, Thaksin’s party had claimed 32 of 37 seats in the capital in a landslide victory that saw it control 75 percent of the Parliament. 

 “If the Democrats lose Bangkok, they lose everything,” said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute for Strategic and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. Moves to highlight Thaksin’s wealth, jail sentence and last year’s protests that led to arson attacks represent “a one-upmanship from the Democrat party aimed to turn the tide in Bangkok,” he said. 

 Yingluck, in a June 8 interview, said “amnesty will not be special for himself but will be equal with everyone,” referring to her brother. “We have to sit down and talk together how we can make Thailand move forward.” 

 Pheu Thai “doesn’t have a policy for amnesty,” party member Yongyuth Wichaidit said during a debate with Abhisit earlier yesterday in Bangkok. “Pheu Thai will not interfere in the process. There is still a lot of misunderstanding about amnesty.” 

*Stocks Slide* 

 The benchmark SET Index has fallen 5.8 percent this month, Asia’s second worst performer behind Hong Kong. The baht has lost 0.7 percent in that time. 

 Of the 500 parliamentary seats up for grabs next month, 375 are chosen in districts and 125 through proportional representation. Pheu Thai held a 17-point lead against Abhisit’s Democrats for the party list vote, according to a Suan Dusit Rajabhat University poll released on June 19 that surveyed 102,994 people nationwide from June 4 to June 18. 

 “The probability that Pheu Thai will gain more seats than the Democrats is high,” said Rakpong Chaisuparakul, an analyst with KGI Securities (Thailand) Pcl. “But setting up the government is up to negotiations.”

----------


## StrontiumDog

*AFP: Thai elections revive drug war controversy

Thai elections revive drug war controversy*

 By Rachel O'Brien and Thanaporn Promyamyai (AFP) – 1 hour ago

 KALASIN, Thailand — Five years after he was toppled from power, the  legacy of Thaksin Shinawatra's "War on Drugs" still haunts relatives of  the dead who are horrified at the idea of his return.

"I wish I  could kill them," food vendor Somporn said of the former prime minister  and the policemen he blames for the death of his son, found tied to a  tree in a public park in the northeastern town of Kalasin.

Pravit  Sattawut died seven years ago, aged 21 -- killed, rights groups suspect,  by the town's police as part of Thaksin's notorious crackdown on drugs,  which outraged critics for its alleged extrajudicial murders and  abuses.

The anger of Pravit's father goes against the grain here in the Thai northeast.

This  is the heartland of support for Thaksin, a tycoon-turned-premier who  now lives in exile but has said he hopes to return to Thailand by the  end of the year if his political allies win a July 3 election.

Before  a coup deposed him in 2006, Thaksin won over rural hearts with his  populist platform. His get-tough approach to tackling the searing trade  in drugs, particularly methamphetamines, was also hugely popular.

Now his youngest sister is running to be premier, and widely seen as his political proxy.

Yingluck  Shinawatra told AFP in a recent interview that she would "handle the  drugs policy with care (for) human rights" -- but some fear abuses could  resume if her party wins with Thaksin as its de facto leader.

Thailand  saw an 88 percent jump in murder cases during the main phase of  Thaksin's drugs campaign, from February to April 2003, according to a  2008 report by a Thai special committee on anti-drugs policy.

The report said there were 2,873 murders in the period, 1,370 of them drugs-related.

Benjamin  Zawacki, Amnesty International's Thailand researcher, said it was  "quite frightening" to think that those behind the drugs war could soon  return to the frontline of Thai politics.

"As the same political  actors look like they're going to come back to relevance, it becomes  more relevant again -- not just the last 'War on Drugs' but a future  one," he said.

The government at the time said most of the victims  were drug dealers shooting each other, but it appeared to condone the  deaths and encourage police to take a zero tolerance approach.

"The  drug sellers have been ruthless with the Thai people, with our  children, so if we are ruthless with them it is not a big deal," Thaksin  said as he launched the 2003 campaign, which called on authorities to  draw up blacklists of suspects.

Many of the killings took place  after those who were blacklisted left police stations where they had  gone to turn themselves in or to clarify their status, according to  Amnesty.

In Pravit's case, he was arrested in Kalasin town in  February 2004 for getting into a fight, then released on bail before  returning to the police station the next day to collect his mobile  phone, his father Somporn said.
He never saw his son alive again.

"The  doctor said he died from suffocation. The next day I opened the coffin  and found bruises on his ribs, like someone had beaten him," he said.

Pravit  had been jailed before for drugs possession, but had gone through a  rehab programme and was a month off being certified clean when he died,  according to Somporn. His girlfriend was also two months pregnant.

Today,  a large plaque in front of Kalasin's town hall, dated 2002, proudly  proclaims a "drugs free province" after an initial hardline campaign in  the area, which earned praise from Thaksin and inspired his nationwide  approach.

But activists say deaths such as Pravit's led to a  legacy of ongoing police brutality and impunity, with just a handful of  Thai police prosecuted in connection with the country's drugs war.

"The  systematic cover up by high-ranking police officers at all levels has  allowed abusive officers to remain in power and continue to terrorise  the public," said Sunai Phasuk, a Thai analyst with Human Rights Watch.

Rights  groups recognise at least 27 such cases in Kalasin that implicate  police during Thaksin's premiership, and Sunai said there could be many  more that have not come to light because of "ingrained impunity".

Only  one of these cases has reached court: Six policemen have been charged  with the premeditated murder of a 17-year-old found hanging in July 2004  several days after his arrest for stealing a motorbike.

His aunt  Pikul Phromchan, an activist seeking justice in the Kalasin deaths,  lives in fear for her life under witness protection while the case drags  on -- the hearing was recently delayed until December.

"I fight as best as I can but I don't have much hope in the justice system," she said.

----------


## Pol the Pot

Who has been ruling since 2006? The new governments didn't do anything? Why didn't they investigatethose cases? Or other cases that regularly turn up when Thaksin's human rights record is brought up? 

Lots of things they _could_ have done in the past five years but didn't.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Land of the Lost*

By   Andrew Marshall 
Monday, July 04, 2011                                                   

 
*Proxy war* Thaksin's sister Yingluck on the campaign trail
           Agnes Dherbeys[EM]VII Mentor

  Sonthi Boonyaratglin must have armor-plated gonads. How else to explain  it? Five years ago, as an army general, he led a military coup that  overthrew Thailand's then Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. Now  retired and running in the country's July 3 parliamentary election, he  presents the coup as a brave and selfless act. "I'm glad we did it,"  says Sonthi, who commands his Matubhum Party from a spartan Bangkok  office. "If we hadn't, Thailand might no longer be a democracy." 

   Sonthi's presence — a coup general running as democracy's savior — in  this critical election shows just how dysfunctional Thailand's politics  have become. Thais hope to elect a government with the authority to end  years of political unrest, which culminated in May last year with the  deaths of at least 90 people during the antigovernment Red Shirt  protests in Bangkok. But peace seems unlikely. Once a democratic  trailblazer in an authoritarian region, Thailand has become a political  basket case. (See pictures of the Red Shirt protests.)

   The party tipped to win the election is Pheu Thai (For Thais), the  latest reincarnation of an electoral juggernaut that first swept Thaksin  to power a decade ago. The billionaire runs the party from a mansion in  Dubai, where he fled to evade a two-year jail sentence for corruption.  Its nominal leader is 43-year-old businesswoman Yingluck Shinawatra —  Thaksin's younger sister. If elected, she would be Thailand's first  female Prime Minister and, presumably, her brother's loyal proxy.  "Yingluck is my clone," he said recently. 

   Pheu Thai's main rival is the incumbent Democrat Party, led by Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who presided over last year's bloody  military crackdown on the Red Shirts. Abhisit's coalition government was  cobbled together with military support two years ago after the ruling  pro-Thaksin party was dissolved because of vote fraud. Many Thais feel  that the Democrats are elitist, beholden to the military-backed royalist  establishment and aloof from the problems of the people. 

   The third force is the rich and resurgent Thai military. Since the coup,  defense spending has more than doubled to $5.5 billion. The military  has staged 18 coups or attempted coups since 1932. A 19th is possible if  Pheu Thai wins power and goes after the generals who ousted Thaksin.  Generals have recently lined up to deny the constant rumors of an  impending coup. Thais have good reason to doubt them. "There definitely  won't be a coup," said Sonthi in 2006, even as he was plotting one. (See "A Year After Protests, Thai Elections Set.")

   Coup or no coup, postelection Thailand may prove unstable whoever ends  up in power. A Pheu Thai government could reignite street protests by  anti-Thaksin groups like the ultraroyalist Yellow Shirts, who occupied  the Prime Minister's Office and Bangkok's two international airports in  2008. Another military-backed Democrat government could again spark  demos by Pheu Thai's close allies, the Red Shirts, who last year had  armed militants in their ranks. 

   All this raises an important question: Who cares? The Thai economy seems  armor-plated too. Last year, despite Thailand's worst political  violence in almost two decades, the economy grew faster than it has for  15 years. The country also welcomed record numbers of tourists. Foreign  investors seem unfazed by bloodshed: Ford Motor Co. has invested $1.3  billion in Thailand in the past three years. 

   Yet politics still matters. Years of street protests show that Thais  from all walks of life have strong political views to express.  Reconciling them requires greater openness and debate, but the country  seems to be moving in the opposite direction. This is not only the fault  of the military, which always has a hard job distinguishing between  dissent and disloyalty. Politicians aren't helping either. Thaksin  intimidated opponents, cowed the media and dismantled institutions that  might check his authoritarianism. No party led by him can be serious  about political reconciliation. (See pictures of the aftermath of the Thai protests.)

   The Democrats don't appear serious either. Their government's record for  stifling free expression — it has blocked some 540,000 Web pages in the  past 14 months, estimates Freedom Against Censorship Thailand — is  worse than Thaksin's. And they still back the military's far-fetched  claim that soldiers didn't kill or even injure a single Red Shirt during  last year's bloody crackdown. 

   Thais want a bigger say, and more transparency, in how their country is  run. What they're getting is massive censorship, a dangerously resurgent  military and an election that will likely be followed by the usual  backroom carve-up of money and political influence. This is not just a  failure of leadership. It is a recipe for further violence. The  stability Thais crave is as elusive as ever. 

Watch a video from inside the Red Shirt camps.

Read more: Upcoming Polls Will Leave Thai Politics as Tumultuous as Ever - TIME

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

   

Democrat Party: Thaksin Starts Building Coalition 

UPDATE : 24 June 2011                     *

The Democrat Party secretary-general said  he has been told that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has  started to lobby several political parties for their support in forming  the government. 

Secretary-General of the Democrat Party Suthep Thaugsuban said he has  been told that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has started  negotiation with some political parties for their support in forming the  government with the Pheu Thai Party. 

Suthep added that if the report is true, it would mean that the Pheu  Thai Party is expecting to win fewer than the 270 to 300 MP seats it  previously boasted, or perhaps even fewer than 200 seats. 
*

At any rate, Suthep expressed confidence that the Democrat Party will take about 200 seats in the election. 

Suthep also believes the Democrat Party's campaign rally at  Ratchaprasong Intersection yesterday evening has reminded the people of  last year's political unrest and helped them to come to their decisions  for the poll. 

The Democrat Party is scheduled to have its final campaign rally on the evening of July 1 at the Royal Plaza in Bangkok.

----------


## StrontiumDog

And the response to the above.....

Thai-ASEAN News Network

People Close to Thaksin Deny That He has Lobbied Possible Coalition Partners Ahead of Election 

UPDATE : 24 June 2011 

People close to former Prime Minister  Thaksin Shinawatra, such as Noppadol Pattama and Yingluck Shinawtra,  have come out to deny that he has already lobbied possible coalition  partners ahead of the election. Noppadol boasted that the Pheu Thai  Party believes it will win as many as 270 seats out of the 500, allowing  it to set up the next government without competition.

----------


## Mid

> Sonthi Boonyaratglin must have armor-plated gonads.


see also :

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...overnment.html (Thailand : Coup Leader Willing To Join Government Of Thaksin's Sister)

----------


## Takeovers

> In Pravit's case, he was arrested in Kalasin town in February 2004 for getting into a fight





> "The doctor said he died from suffocation. The next day I opened the coffin and found bruises on his ribs, like someone had beaten him," he said.


Possible connection?

----------


## DroversDog

> Originally Posted by Takeovers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Buksida
> ...


Pity you think the HRW is the most reliable. Did you actually read it?

----------


## Butterfly

> Did you actually read it?


yes, but did you ?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Takeovers
> ...


Who would you suggest is most reliable?

I'd certainly like to be better informed.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Who has been ruling since 2006? The new governments didn't do anything? Why didn't they investigatethose cases? Or other cases that regularly turn up when Thaksin's human rights record is brought up? 
> 
> Lots of things they _could_ have done in the past five years but didn't.


Bit difficult for the police to investigate the police, when it is the police who carried out many of the killings....

(and btw, that applies to other things as well....)

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Takeovers
> ...


Yes. Please explain why it's a pity?

----------


## DroversDog

> Originally Posted by DroversDog
> 
> Did you actually read it?
> 
> 
> yes, but did you ?


Yes, I did read and as most found it lacked balance.
Did your French version read differently?

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thaksin in a plea for forgiveness on Twitter
*
*Thaksin in a plea for forgiveness on Twitter*

                                                            Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has apologised and asked for forgiveness from those he offended, vowing not to exact revenge on his opponents.

To mark the June 24 advent of democracy, Thaksin posted Twitter message via his account [at]ThaksinLive, calling for Thais to bring about reconciliation and make a fresh start.

"We  live in the country filled with differing ideas. But the differences  could be channelled constructively instead of ending up in  divisiveness," he said.

The Nation

----------


## StrontiumDog

tulsathit 
5 mins 23 secs ago                                                                     

Thaksin's children taking part in Pheu Thai campaign (via [at]nationphoto)  yfrog Photo : http://yfrog.com/kln9wxj Shared by tulsathit

----------


## Mr Lick

Post - 3182. The Dems have left it a bit late indeed although perhaps they were merely surprised at Yingluck's popularity. Abhisit, although a good speaker, unfortunately had a charisma bypass operation, i suspect during his teenage years

If the Dems lose the election to PTP then expect to see some dirty tricks/complaints shortly afterwards. Yinglucks perjury case, election fraud being two that spring to mind. I just can't see the amy standing idly by and allowing their arch enemy Thaksin to take the helm.

Whilst not a particular fan of Abhisit, mainly because of his dithering over the stuation in Bangkok last year and also for his reluctance to come clean over those who suffered fatal wounds during that period, it really beggars belief that the citizens of any country could possibly vote into power (de facto) someone who has defrauded the people of over $1 billion. (More if the truth be known)
Would it not be similar to electing Bernard Madoff as President of the United States of America? IMO, it's quite possibly worse as i believe Madoff only ripped off private investors on his way to amassing a fortune.

Having resided in a sizable village of North East of Thailand for over 6 years there really doesn't seem to be a strong message coming across in my area relating to election fever. Indeed, quite the opposite would seem to be true. Yes, all the election posters are out on the roadsides but i haven't seen or heard of any political rallies, merely the usual paid supporters/drivers utilising public address system on their vehicles roaming the area.
I suspect those who live in the NE cities would be privilege to a more passionate atmosphere.

If i were a native living here and not disposed to vote for any partcular party, (couldn't give a hoot syndrome) then i suppose if someone offered me 500 baht (2 days wages) to put a mark alongside their name at the ballot box then it would appear rude not to do so. Puttng food and a few drinks on the table for the family would seem to be the right thing to do in the circumstances. 
Incidentally, a reliable farang friend has informed me that a certain candidate in his area has already paid the family a visit offering financial reward for their vote so it would seem that evidence of electoral fraud is not in decline in the NE.

The only benefit i can see for myself if the PTP wins over the electorate is that the baht may weaken against other currencies and my £ will go a wee bit further (if sterling doesn't crash that is!). Bring it on!  :Smile:

----------


## DroversDog

> Originally Posted by DroversDog
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Buksida
> ...


A quote from Spooner sums it up pretty well -




> It also looks at misguided Red Shirt actions, such as the searching of Chulalongkorn Hospital, but *strangely omits other evidence* that suggested the Thai Army had been using the hospital as a base (some of Chulalongkorn Hospitals management and senior staff are long noted for their support of Thailands neo-fascist PAD).


It maybe the most reliable for you so far but it still very lacking.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^ So what is more reliable then DD?

----------


## Butterfly

> Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has apologised and asked for forgiveness from those he offended, vowing not to exact revenge on his opponents.


 :rofl: 




> To mark the June 24 advent of democracy, Thaksin posted Twitter message via his account [at]ThaksinLive, calling for Thais to bring about reconciliation and make a fresh start.


typical sociopath reaction,

----------


## Calgary

*Quotes from political discussions on Teakdoor.com*




> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> 
>  
> The Amart will come unglued the moment anything substantial is attempted. So no point in delaying it. 
> 
> [...]
> 
> The Amart will try to sabotage anything substantial no matter when it is done, so in the afterglow of a huge electoral victory, I think they are the most vulnerable.
> ...


An electoral victory is a mandate. It is a mandate that electors have given the victor and to ignore it, or to be intimidated by those who did not win the election, is doing a disservice to those who voted for Yingluck.

History has shown that the most effective time to enact the mandate is in the first 100 days. Not to do so, fritters away the electoral advantage.

Acting in a determined and professional way to undo the damage of the previous unelected Government early in the mandate will accomplish maximum results. It is when the opposition is at its' weakest.

This will be copied and given to Yingluck this afternoon.

----------


## DroversDog

> ^ So what is more reliable then DD?


Until you can get information out of the army and the minutes of the CRES meetings we will not know who ordered what. There is a huge amount of information missing of what was going on behind the scenes.

To base your opinion on a document which background section is almost exclusively about Thaksin and compacts the rest of Thailand's bloody past to a paragraph is just misguided.

----------


## Butterfly

> History has shown that the most effective time to enact the mandate is in the first 100 days. Not to do so, fritters away the electoral advantage.


 :rofl: 




> This will be copied and given to Yingluck this afternoon.


 :rofl:

----------


## Buksida

[quote=DroversDog;1793591]


> A quote from Spooner sums it up pretty well -
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 			
> 				It also looks at misguided Red Shirt actions, such as the searching of Chulalongkorn Hospital, but *strangely omits other evidence* that suggested the Thai Army had been using the hospital as a base (some of Chulalongkorn Hospital’s management and senior staff are long noted for their support of Thailand’s neo-fascist PAD).
> 			
> ...


Any other examples of how it's lacking? What is the 'evidence' that Spooner vaguely refers to?

----------


## Calgary

*"Incidentally, a reliable farang friend has informed me that a certain candidate in his area has already paid the family a visit offering financial reward for their vote"* Quote Mr. Lick, Post # 3182

What's with the secrecy here. 

Reporting a vote-buying thing is not LM you know.

----------


## DroversDog

> Are you feeling dizzy? Maybe a lay down is in order.


No, but Good Night.... Hope you feel better in the morning.

----------


## SteveCM

*Suthep: Democrat Party popularity rising*

 

BANGKOK, June 24 - Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban on  Friday said the popularity of the Democrat Party is gradually rising as  the public have more information for their voting decision-making  following the Democrat's major election campaign rally at Ratchaprasong  Thursday evening.

 Speaking in his capacity as deputy leader of the Democrat party, Mr  Suthep said theThursday night rally at Bangkok's prime commercial and  shopping area Thursday evening reminded the public of last year's  incidents and gave them more information before making up their minds as  to who who they should vote for, particularly the facts about recent  political demonstrations.

 "As I know the popularity of the Democrat party keeps rising and I'm  confident that we will win 26 out of 33 seats in the capital," asserted  Mr Suthep.

 Mr Suthep said he was told by an unnamed friend that fugitive ex-premier  Thaksin Shinawatra has a close aide seeking cooperation from coalition  parties to form a new government with the Pheu Thai Party, and that  those parties have been offered benefits and interests in return.

 The Democrat deputy leader noted that with such a move it can be  surmised that the Pheu Thai party's claim that it can win as many as 270  seats is unlikely.

 "I believe the Pheu Thai party will gain no more than 200 MP seats,  while the Democrats will get some 200 seats as well," said Mr Suthep.

 The Democrat rally at Ratchaprasong, last year's rally site for the  anti-government Red Shirt movement, was aimed at explaining facts to the  public over the clashes between security forces and protesters, as well  as appealing the silent group who remain undecided to cast their  ballots. 

(MCOT online news)

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
> ^ So what is more reliable then DD?
> 
> 
> Until you can get information out of the army and the minutes of the CRES meetings we will not know who ordered what. There is a huge amount of information missing of what was going on behind the scenes.
> 
> To base your opinion on a document which background section is almost exclusively about Thaksin and compacts the rest of Thailand's bloody past to a paragraph is just misguided.


Well....as the events of May were the subject of the report, it is fairly reasonable that they wouldn't have dwelt too much on Thailand's bloody past....

And as Thaksin has been the prime mover and the entire episode was the culmination of events (to that point in time) from when he was ousted in the coup, then it is no surprise they would've included that. 

However, you haven't given an example of a more reliable source. 

Seeing at the Human Rights Watch report is an independent report, as is the organisation and also seeing as they lay much of the blame on the army and government, why do you view it with such scorn? 

It seems fairly balanced to me. It blames the government for the majority of the violence and also criticises the UDD for some of the violence and the arson. Seems reasonable, fair and accurate.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> *Quotes from political discussions on Teakdoor.com*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Tom Sawyer
> 
> ...


Make sure you get a pic and post it here  :Smile: 

Where is Yingluck campaigning today anyway?

----------


## Mr Lick

> *"Incidentally, a reliable farang friend has informed me that a certain candidate in his area has already paid the family a visit offering financial reward for their vote"* Quote Mr. Lick, Post # 3182
> 
> What's with the secrecy here. 
> 
> Reporting a vote-buying thing is not LM you know.


 

I'm just envious because nobody's visited my family yet  :Smile:

----------


## StrontiumDog

A little light relief....

*Thaksin's sister runs for Thai Prime Minister  * 




          Uploaded by NMAWorldEdition on Jun 24, 2011        

Next Media Animation .tv

Thailand remains one of the world's most popular tourist destinations despite chronic political instability.

Most  visitors are too busy relaxing to notice the unrest. The Red Shirts  champion ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, beloved by the poor for  his generous social policies.

Shinawatra was deposed by the  military in a bloodless coup in 2006. A pro-Thaksin candidate was  elected as Prime Minister in 2007, but he was soon forced out by the  courts.

Although Thaksin remains in exile, his little sister  Yingluck Shinawatra will run for Prime Minister. He has called her his  'clone' and she is leading in opinion polls. 

What will the anti-Thaksin forces do if Yingluck prevails on July 3rd?

----------


## lom

> Until you can get information out of the army and the minutes of the CRES meetings we will not know who ordered what. There is a huge amount of information missing of what was going on behind the scenes.


It would be much simpler if Jatuporn told us, he knows who and why, he was gonna tell a month ago but suddenly got very cold feets which may be related to the laws here in LOS. 

I look forward to a PT government continuing the investigation and telling us all what happened.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Thaihome

> Originally Posted by Thaihome
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by tomta
> 
> ...


 
I guess it matters little to the rabid mob here that I did not actually make the post that is quoted. 

Pretty much shows how low the moderation has sunk to on this forum and the desperate attempts by a group of members, apparently including some mods, to discredit and drown out anyone that has a different perspective or opinion from them.
TH

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

tulsathit   tulsathit                                               

            Red leaders have warned of chemical ink that will vanish later, asking their voters to take their own pens to poll booths..

7 minutes ago

----------


## StrontiumDog

^ Now that is a whole new level of crazy!

How would the people manning the election booths know that the person is going to be a Pheu Thai voter? Or is it vanishing ink for all and then armies of ballot fillers are going to write in the X later? Could you imagine the amount of people needed for such a task!!!

Utter madness. 

And people believe these imbeciles....

Next, Natthawut will be saying there is going to be a violent incident at the Democrat rally, that will lead to the imposition of emergency law and the election will be halted....

Oh.... :ourrules:

----------


## Butterfly

> Red leaders have warned of chemical ink that will vanish later, asking their voters to take their own pens to poll booths..


whoever is feeding those rumors to the reds must be having a field day  :rofl:

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network



Democracy Must Move On 

UPDATE : 24 June 2011                     

June 24, 1932 is the day Thailand became a  democratic society, following the footsteps of many developed nations.  Through 79 years since, Thailand's democracy has been marked with ups  and downs, and Thai citizens are about to exercise their right to vote  in another general election on July 3 amid rumors of attempts to stall  the vote and attention from the international community.

In the world that virtually has no boundaries, information can travel  from one place to another in a flash and it is difficult for anyone not  avoid it. There is no excuse for Thais to say they don't have any  knowledge of democracy or that politics is distant from their daily  lives. There are currently some political movements trying to distort  the concept of democracy and deem their belief better than all others.  However, a number of Thais might be capable of distingushing between  true or fake democracy.

In other countries whose democracy have fully developed, most of their  citizens will flock to ballot stations whenever there is an election, in  order to elect those who will represent them in governing their  nations. In Thailand, democracy is characterized by political and social  divides, as well as rumors of attempts to change the governing system.  As the election nears, there have been rumors of secret plots to abort  the election. Therefore, all Thai citizens are advised not to be misled  by rumors, but to be strong and work together to fortify democracy in  Thailand.

Whether or not a country can prosper depends on its internal stadbility  and solidity of democracy. It is the responsibility of every politician  to promote democracy. A difference of opinions is common and will cause  no problems as long as people respect each other and are not too extreme  in their ideas. However, many still express concerns about possible  violence after the election. Therefore, all political parties must unite  efforts to restore national harmony and promote sustainable development  of democracy in a way accepted by all.

*Editorial, Daily News, Page 3, June 24th, 2011

Translated and rewritten by Wacharapol Isaranont*

----------


## mc2

> ^ Now that is a whole new level of crazy!
> 
> How would the people manning the election booths know that the person is going to be a Pheu Thai voter? Or is it vanishing ink for all and then armies of ballot fillers are going to write in the X later? Could you imagine the amount of people needed for such a task!!!
> 
> Utter madness. 
> 
> And people believe these imbeciles....
> 
> Next, Natthawut will be saying there is going to be a violent incident at the Democrat rally, that will lead to the imposition of emergency law and the election will be halted....
> ...


might surprise you to know that Its happened before in other parts of the world

eg 2010
Kyiv Scoop: 02/01/2010 - 03/01/2010



> Pens with disappearing ink in voting booths rendered hundreds,
> if not thousands of ballots invalid in Ukraine's recent presidential race.
> Forty such pens were seized by activists in Bila Tserkva region, Kyiv oblast.

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> 
> *Quotes from political discussions on Teakdoor.com*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You know he can't do that as it would risk exposing his Secret Sources.

Of all the red fan club, Calgary definitely has the best posts!

----------


## Butterfly

> Of all the red fan club, Calgary definitely has the best posts!


he is a complete nutter, must be American

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:


tulsathit   tulsathit                                               

       About chemical ink fear, no, it's not a joke. PT canvassers are practically training supporters how to cast "valid" votes.

14 minutes ago

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Yingluck: Dems said nothing new*Published: 24/06/2011 at 02:54 PMOnline news:The information provided by key figures of the  Democrat Party at the Ratchaprasong intersection rally last night was  not new, Pheu Thai's top list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra said on  Friday.

 It was the same information that had been debated during the censure session in parliament recently, said Ms Yingluck.

 The accusations against my elder brother Thaksin by the Democrats yesterday were also not new.

 "But I will exercise patience and not make any counterattack, she  said, insisting that she and the Pheu Thai Party are sincere about a  solution to the high cost of living problem.

 Ms Yingluck denied as baseless the claim by Deputy Prime Minister and  secretary-general of the Democrat Suthep Thaugsuban that Thaksin had  approached key figures of several smaller parties to take part in  forming the next administration.

 My brother has nothing to do with the formation of the next  government. It is too soon to talk about this at this time, she said.

----------


## Mid

> PT canvassers are practically training supporters how to cast "valid" votes.


Both feasible and understandable .

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Workers' views sought on pay promises*Published: 24/06/2011 at 03:53 PMOnline news: Local News
The Labour Ministry is collating preliminary  results of a survey of workers' reactions to political parties' promises  to increase the daily minimum wage.

 Permanent secretary for labour Somkiat Chayasriwong said on Friday  they had already received reports from  provincial  sub-committees which had interviewed labourers in at least 40 of the 76  provinces, plus Bangkok.

The survey would be completed next week.

The initial result was a mix of "yes" and "no" to an immediate increase, he said.

The complete result would be known on June 28 and then be forwarded to the new cabinet after the July 3 election.

 Labour groups were divided on the wage proposals, currently ranging  from less than 200 to 421 baht a day. The Thai Trade Union Congress was  worried that an immediate increase to 300 baht promised by the Pheu Thai  Party, would reult in manufacturers hiring hire more cheaper, foreign  workers or shifting their production bases abroad.

 Another survey on living costs countrywide, which the ministry  ministry began early this year, has found the gap between the daily  minimum wage and living costs keeps widening.

 The current minimum wages of labourers differ from province to  province, ranging from 159 baht a day in Phayao to 215 baht in Bangkok  and 221 baht in Phuket.

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Troubled path to election in Buri Ram*Published: 24/06/2011 at 02:24 PMOnline news:The lead up to the election in Buri Ram is  becoming heated with the Election Commission receiving evidence of  alleged vote buying and facing a residents' protest.

 Police had given the election watchdog a photo of a person clearly  handing out money to villagers, EC Apichart Sukhagganond said on Friday.  He would not say where this occurred.

 Investigators are looking into which party was involved and election  commissioner would meet to consider the case on June 28, he said.

 Buri Ram is the stronghold of the Bhumjaithai Party, under the de  facto leadership of Newin Chidchob, but the Pheu Thai Party hopes to win  at least three of nine seats in the northeastern province. The Democrat  Party is also contesting fiercely.

 About 100 people, including officials of the Khok Yang Tambon  Adminstration Organisation in Prakhon Chai district, have  rallied against an accusation that Khok Yang TAO's Wattana Ratchaprakhon  was not doing  her job impartially during the election period.

 Ms Wattana is a good person, insisted Bunnak Chanprakhon, chairman of  the council of the Khok Yang TAO. She was being made a victim of  political interests.

 A complaint about her alleged bias was earlier filed with the election committee in Buri Ram.

 Protestors gathered in front of Prakhon Chai district office to  petition election officials of Constituency 9 and  vowed to protest  against the provincial election commission if their case falls on deaf  ears.

----------


## DroversDog

> Originally Posted by DroversDog
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> ...


HRW like AI are not as independent as you assume.
Go back and read Spooners analysis as it pretty much sums up the document well.

----------


## SteveCM

*Pheu Thai has no policies to help Thaksin*

24 June 2011

               By The Nation


*The Pheu Thai Party on Friday issued a statement  denying it had plans to grant amnesty for ousted prime minister Thaksin  Shinawatra nor to return him Bt46 billion in seized assets.*

The party said the Democrats brought up false allegations designed for smear.
It said it was a political institution aimed at serving Thai citizens across the country and not just a particular individual.

If elected, Pheu Thai would work to uphold the law, the rule of law and equality, it added.

It vowed to campaign in a contructive manner by offering policies and solutions for the people and the country.

----------


## SteveCM

*Democrats combing Bangkok for votes*

24 June 2011

               By The Nation


*Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday's  morning presided over a dispatch of 10 campaign convoys to meet  constituents in all 33 constituencies of Bangkok.*

               Rangking Democrats, including Banyat Bantadthan and  Suthep Thaugsuban, joined the convoys along with constituency and  party-list candidates.
At daybreak, Abhisit arrived at Lumpini  Park to meet the people going through their exercise routine before  paying respect to the statue of King Rama VI as a good omen to launch  the convoys.

Many congratulated him for his rousing speech last  night, which asked voters to choose between moving on with the Democrats  or getting caught in the entanglement involving ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

----------


## DroversDog

> Originally Posted by DroversDog
> 
> Until you can get information out of the army and the minutes of the CRES meetings we will not know who ordered what. There is a huge amount of information missing of what was going on behind the scenes.
> 
> 
> It would be much simpler if Jatuporn told us, he knows who and why, he was gonna tell a month ago but suddenly got very cold feets which may be related to the laws here in LOS. 
> 
> I look forward to a PT government continuing the investigation and telling us all what happened.


It will be interesting to see what happens. It hopefully will be a change from the total BS Mark and Suthep have been spewing out. Eithen SD can occasionally see through them.

----------


## Butterfly

> The Pheu Thai Party on Friday issued a statement denying it had plans to grant amnesty for ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra nor to return him Bt46 billion in seized assets.


for mid,

want to buy a bridge ?  :bunny3:

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

No Guarantees for Press Freedom 

UPDATE : 24 June 2011                     

With so much attention piled on to the  populist policies and reconciliation drives of the competing political  parties, few have noticed that not a single party has even touched on  the important matter of freedom of expression, or more specifically,  freedom of the press.

The matter of press freedom is not just a broad and abstract issue  meaning the protection of journalists from harassment, but it is also  about public access to state information and the public's ability to  hold the government accountable. This facet of press freedom, the  ability for the media to know, analyze and criticize the workings of the  government, is fundamental to democracy.

The proper handling of press freedom is an especially pertinent issue in  the context of modern day Thailand. Whether its the emergence of the  internet completely obliterating existing rules to do with expression  and publication or the Kingdom's extremely divided state; how the  incoming government plans to deal with public communication should be a  deciding factor.

Social division itself has become a threat to press freedom, a threat  that can easily be exacerbated if left ignored by political parties. As  it stands in present Thailand, neutrality is no longer a virtue and  every attempt to investigate a certain faction or criticize a specific  idea immediately relegates the press member to one of the many sides.  This has played perfectly into the hands of Thai politicians, content to  keep media pundits segregated and weak and entirely unfazed by  Thailand's slipping freedom of expression index.

Journalistic integrity, itself, has been twisted by political groups,  which no longer see objectivism as productive. Politicians and  extra-parliamentary activists are now questioning members of the press  who have not clearly stated their allegiance or want to maintain a  detachment, characterizing them as shifty and using the pressure of  national reconciliation to coax them into unmounting the fence.

Whether officially or socially, press freedom in Thailand is under  threat. The greatest threat to the Thai press however, is the threat of  indifference from the government. Not a single political party is  campaiging on a platform of purer media freedom. Not one has even  acknowledged how integral the press is to democracy or how dangerous it  has become to be an objective, neutral press member.

Political parties can promise the triumph of democracy and popular rule  until they are blue in the face, but their quiet fear of press freedom  speaks volumes.


*Bangkok Biz News, June 24, 2011

Translated and Rewritten by Itiporn Lakarnchua*

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255406240011

Poll: CEOs concerned over politics  *  

 

BANGKOK, 24 June 2011 (NNT) – Business executives in Thailand are  concerned over the domestic political situation in the latter half of  the year, according to a recent survey by the Thai Listed Company  Association (TLCA). 

TLCA Director Pensri Suteerasarn elaborated that the survey was  conducted with CEOs from 95 companies in nine industries listed in the  Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and the Market for Alternative  Investment (MAI). 

Based on the survey, the majority of the respondents have confidence  that the Thai economy will grow by 3.5% while one-third of them expect  an economic growth of 4-4.5%.  

Nonetheless, they are worried about domestic political stability in the  latter half of the year which they consider as the most important factor  to drag the Thai economy down. Other risk factors remain in the global  economic slowdown and the rising inflation. 

92% of the respondents viewed the political problem as No.1 risk to  their business operation. Other factors are social conflict, rising  prices of raw materials and oil, and a government economic policy after  the election. 

The respondents hence called on a new government to expedite a policy  that will maintain high political stability and, at the same time,  promote investment in basic infrastructure and reduce corporate income  tax.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> *Pheu Thai has no policies to help Thaksin*
> 
> 24 June 2011
> 
>                By The Nation
> 
> 
> *The Pheu Thai Party on  Friday issued a statement  denying it had plans to grant amnesty for  ousted prime minister Thaksin  Shinawatra nor to return him Bt46 billion  in seized assets.*
> 
> ...


What a weird turnaround...

Before it was very much amnesty is on! Now it is denial. Chalerm and others are on record as saying returning Thaksin was the top priority. 

Now it is the opposite?

Perhaps the above statement was written in vanishing ink.... :Smile:

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by lom
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by DroversDog
> ...


I've no doubt it will be as thorough as any other govt investigation.

PT don't give a fuck, they want to move and move in.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Thai-ASEAN News Network
> 
> No Guarantees for Press Freedom 
> 
> _With so much attention piled on to the  populist policies and reconciliation drives of the competing political  parties, few have noticed that not a single party has even touched on  the important matter of freedom of expression, or more specifically,  freedom of the press.
> _
> <snip>
> 
> _Political parties can promise the triumph of democracy and popular rule  until they are blue in the face, but their quiet fear of press freedom  speaks volumes._


An important issue very much overlooked in the mass of populism. 

I guess it is hardly surprising that neither the Dem's or Pheu Thai have presented policies on this. 

Both are guilty of attempts to silence the press in the past. The Dem's surpassing Thaksin in this regard. 

As I have written before, the Dem's are guilty of taking censorship and media/internet control to new levels. The sad thing is that the new regime will no doubt continue with this. Can't see Pheu Thai changing it and their silence suggests they wont.

----------


## Butterfly

> An important issue very much overlooked in the mass of populism.


the term populism is really misleading,

populism is the strongest form of fascism, it's popular fascism, that's what it, always been

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by SteveCM
> 
> PT canvassers are practically training supporters how to cast "valid" votes.
> 
> 
> Both feasible and understandable .


Are you saying they can't count to one?

----------


## Gerbil

> Originally Posted by Mid
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by SteveCM
> ...


 :rofl:

----------


## Mid

^

Oh look , a couple of clowns  ::chitown:: 

There is more to casting a valid vote than counting to one ,

not that I'd expect either of you to realise  :mid:

----------


## Butterfly

the sad thing is they probably can't  :Razz: 

maybe they will confuse 1 and 10 ?  :rofl:

----------


## sabang

The tangible erosion of support for the Democrats in their physical and emotional heartland of Bangkok is sending them a message that they need to receive, albeit they surely don't like to hear. Hopefully good will come of it, if they don't sell themselves out and jump on the cheat/traitor bandwagon again. Reform comes from within.

The reality of the Dem's is that they are not truly personifed by their westernised 'technocrat' front men of Korn and Abhisit at all- but the expatriate community fell for it lock, stock and barrel. For a while, anyways. It is what they take from this going forward that will determine their ongoing relevance. For a start, the military have done them no favors at all. Currently, they are tatty and threadbare and exposed as such. No message, no real policies beyond gaining power by any means (and copying TRT/PPP/PT), no vision, nothing to sell. The electorate is in the process of returning it's verdict accordingly. Will they listen, or will they cheat again? A lot hangs on that, in the national sense.

----------


## Butterfly

> the expatriate community fell for it lock, stock and barrel.


you mean like you did for the red retards ?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Butterfly

> Hopefully good will come of it,


you can't compete fairly with fascism and idiot voters to be honest, so in that regard they will always be at a disadvantage

----------


## Calgary

*Riceroots stuff*

There is a real pattern to Yingluck's electioneering that I have seen the last couple days in this area.

She touches base in different locales but relatively briefly. Flitting about but touching many people and doing almost _'drive by'_ stops, at even smaller locations.

The stops are still still long enough to be meaningful for the crowds that have been primed to be there. They all go away pleased to have been close to her.

Her signature wave is a kiss of the finger (like in throwing a kiss), and then holding up that single digit denoting #1. She makes sure it is directed at every group within sight.

Between the motorcade and helicopter, there are six locations she visited today, and scheduled to be on a stage in Korat in about 30 minutes from now.

Seeing her up close, I did think she looked somewhat fatigued. 

I can understand why.

----------


## Mid

> The reality of the Dem's is that they are not truly personifed by their westernised 'technocrat' front men of Korn and Abhisit at all- but the expatriate community fell for it lock, stock and barrel.


didn't they just  :Sad: 

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...rat-party.html (Appeal For The Expulsion Of Thailands Democrat Party From The Liberal International)

----------


## Butterfly

^^ looks like she has been well trained for public appearance, well done

----------


## Gerbil

> There is a real pattern to Yingluck's electioneering that I have seen the last couple days in this area.





> Seeing her up close, I did think she looked somewhat fatigued. 
> 
> I can understand why.



So can I, she's realised she's got some weird farang stalker following her around.

----------


## sabang

> few have noticed that not a single party has even touched on the important matter of freedom of expression, or more specifically, freedom of the press.





> An important issue very much overlooked in the mass of populism.


Indeed- and neither has education been a policy platform of either party, sadly.
Imo, the main issue & message this election will send is one that can only really be mentioned by inference- for the Military (& soulmates) to stay out of bladdy politics and political meddling.

----------


## Calgary

*".........few have noticed that not a single party has even touched on the important matter of freedom of expression, or more specifically, freedom of the press".* Quote from Post #3229

That is a real quagmire.

The people who could most legitimately raise this issue, the PT Party, would merely set off a thunderstorm, with Abhi. and friends leading the way.

But when one is comfortably winning the election if allowed to function normally, one doesn't start complaining about the media....that is for losers, and the Democrats have nothing to complain about.

So that seems to be the end of it.

Even though this is a pressing issue as the article correctly states

----------


## sabang

> Originally Posted by sabang
> 
> the expatriate community fell for it lock, stock and barrel.
> 
> 
> you mean like you did for the red retards ?


 I supported the Democrats in the last elections actually, they lost by a considerable margin but still ended up in government. Based on the _results_ of that government, what sort of a retard would favor them now? Certainly not this one, and apparently certainly not the nation of Thailand either.  ::chitown:: 

Anyway, the plaintive bleat of the sore loser in the corner is nothing new or unique to yourself, Thailand, or any democratic nation. Yes, of course the majority are eejuts because they didn't vote for whom you wanted, farang. Rather than repeating that ad infinitum on an expats chat board, why don't you take to the streets and tell them yerself?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : 200,000 red-shirt poll watchers*

         Breakingnews          >                Published: 24/06/2011 at 06:11 PMOnline news: Local News
Up to 200,000 red-shirt supporters could be  involved in a countrywide watch for election fraud, Thida Thavornsret,  chairwoman of the pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy against  Dictatorship, said on Friday.

 She said the Election Commission needs all the help it can get to ensure a far election.

 UDD repoprts from  375 constituencies will be reported directly to  the red-shirt election monitoring centre at the  Imperial shopping mall  in Lat Phrao, she said.

 The centre will be overseen by UDD chief of security, Aree Krainara.

 Red-shirt supporters were asked to help monitor this Sunday's advance  voting and the polling on election day, July 3, Mrs Thida said.

----------


## Gerbil

^ I think the equivalent would be farmers getting in packs of foxes to guard their hen coops for them.  :Smile:

----------


## Calgary

^^
_"Up to 200,000 red-shirt supporters could be involved in a countrywide watch for election fraud, Thida Thavornsret, chairwoman of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, said on Friday"_


And that beats any superficial, international monitoring. Those monitors would be _"waltzed around the bush'_ by the Amart at every turn.

These will be Thai people who are well grounded in their mistrust of the process, hence excellent monitors.

Also considering the Thai facility for cheating, to have sceptical fellow Thai's "_watching_" instead of naiive foreigners is significant.

It takes one to know one.

----------


## sabang

Yes, congratulations to the UDD. Eternal vigilance is certainly required in this country- in fact it has been said eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

----------


## StrontiumDog

_Posting this here as it adds some analysis, see the Dem's rally thread_

Thai PM's speech boosts ruling party's election chances - Yahoo!7

*Thai PM's speech boosts ruling party's election chances*

  Reuters               
June 24, 2011, 11:11 pm            

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A tirade by Thai Prime Minister Abhisit  Vejjajiva against ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra could garner  more support for his ruling Democrat Party in a July 3 election, but a  win looks unlikely as the main opposition races ahead in opinion polls.

After  a month of low-key campaigning, Abhisit ramped up the rhetoric at a  rally late on Thursday, urging the public to back his Democrats and  "detoxify" Thailand by thwarting the fugitive Thaksin's bid to wrestle  back power from exile.

Speaking to a crowd of 12,000 people in  central Bangkok, Abhisit urged Thaksin to "stop hurting Thailand" and  said Thaksin's Puea Thai Party, led by sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, was a  vehicle to whitewash the tycoon of his graft conviction.

Somjai  Phagaphasvivat, a political scientist at Bangkok's Thammasat University,  said Abhisit's impassioned speech may win over some swing voters and  reduce the deficit between the Democrats and Puea Thai.

"The rally  may convince five percent of eligible voters who remain undecided to go  for the Democrats. That is a meaningful improvement," Somjai said.

"I  believe Puea Thai's momentum is already peaking and can only fade in  the last lap when the Democrats will try to exploit public perception of  Yingluck's political inexperience."

Any progress at Puea Thai's  expense over the next eight days could be significant for the Democrat  Party as it could still lead a government if it finishes second in the  ballot and Puea Thai is unable to form a coalition.

Analysts say  smaller parties might see an alliance with Abhisit's Democrats as a  safer bet than with Puea Thai because of its links with Thaksin, who is  widely reviled by Thailand's powerful establishment elites and military.

Abhisit's  speech took place at Bangkok's Ratchaprasong intersection, a plush  shopping district occupied for seven weeks by Thaksin's "red shirt"  supporters in April and May last year and the site of bloody clashes  between protesters and troops.

In his most emotive comments since  the confrontations that killed 91 people and wounded more than 1,800,  Abhisit said he had tried to seek a peaceful solution and reconcile all  sides of the political divide.

"I have reached out to people who oppose me ... But they instead have accused me of ordering the killings," he said.

"My eyes were filled with tears on seeing the casualties of both military officers and fellow citizens."

Pakorn  Preeyakorn of Thailand's National Institute of Development and  Administration, said Abhisit's speech could boost the Democrat's chances  of staying in office.

"Its chance to clarify the military  crackdown would allow it to get its message across, especially to the  large undecided bloc which is almost 40 percent of eligible voters," he  said.

"We still should not write the Democrats off. They have time  to catch up. The media has covered this election like boxing or soccer,  expecting a result well before the final whistle."

----------


## lom

> Originally Posted by DroversDog
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by lom
> ...


Yes they are spineless creatures with no principles who will do anything to be able to get in power.
Their bigger-than-yours gifts under the xmas tree will calm a majority of their voters, something which they are good at, but there is still a big group that won't be satisfied only by a democratic election and a few bread crumbs.
It is not on any party's program to change Thailands institutions or challenge its current power centers and the last evidence that nothing important will change was Yinglucks kiss up with Gen Prayuth.
He was the main reason for UDD not accepting Abhisits offer for a November election, a guy they painted as extremely dangerous and who was believed at that time to become the new army boss so the election had to be done before the army top reshuffle.
Oh how quick they can change their minds when they smell the food in the trough!

----------


## Butterfly

> what sort of a retard would favor them now?


the one who believe in the lesser of evils  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 




> Anyway, the plaintive bleat of the sore loser in the corner is nothing new or unique to yourself, Thailand, or any democratic nation.


how is that relevant ?




> Rather than repeating that ad infinitum on an expats chat board, why don't you take to the streets and tell them yerself?


I didn't see you at the reds gathering when I was there in April 2010 ? too busy debating with your Leo bottle ?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 




> Oh how quick they can change their minds when they smell the food in the trough!


shameful, isn't it ?

----------


## Buksida

IMO opinion many expats like the Dems due to  memories of Chuan, who would have to be the cleanest Thai PM ever.  Thais didn't have much respect for this and his humble nature, instead they prefer arrogant, aggressive leaders like Samak and Thaksin.

The Dems these days are a joke, a high school marketing student could have come up with a better campaign.

They were just as useless during the 
Thaksin years. A credible opposition is vital for democracy, something those cheering for a PT landslide don't seem concerned about.

----------


## tomta

> It would be much simpler if Jatuporn told us, he knows who and why, he was gonna tell a month ago but suddenly got very cold feets which may be related to the laws here in LOS.


It would be much simpler if the law allowed  freedom of speech.

----------


## lom

> Originally Posted by lom
> 
> It would be much simpler if Jatuporn told us, he knows who and why, he was gonna tell a month ago but suddenly got very cold feets which may be related to the laws here in LOS.
> 
> 
> It would be much simpler if the law allowed  freedom of speech.


Sure and that would also had made it simpler for Abhisit to explain what happened, he is silenced by the same law..
But that will change if PT wins the election, right?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by sabang
> 
> what sort of a retard would favor them now?
> 
> 
> the one who believe in the lesser of evils 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I am also curiuos how many of the googling, blogging red zealots witnessed the gathering? I dropped by a few times. SD was posting from there daily. Which seemed to upset newspaster Mid, as he was overshadowed.

----------


## tomta

I must admit, ThaiHome, I was puzzled by the configuration of that post by Mordechai with the signature TH at the bottom. I initially responded to a post by BettyBoo. I think I later responded to Mordechai's response, not quite sure at the time if it was Mordechai or you. So I used neither name in the response. 

My response though was what i thought about the comment not the commentator.

I just want to make it clear that I'm not part of any conspiracy and I think you're quite right to be pissed off if your name has been used in vain.

----------


## tomta

> ^ Now that is a whole new level of crazy!  How would the people manning the election booths know that the person is going to be a Pheu Thai voter? Or is it vanishing ink for all and then armies of ballot fillers are going to write in the X later? Could you imagine the amount of people needed for such a task!!!  Utter madness.  And people believe these imbeciles....  Next, Natthawut will be saying there is going to be a violent incident at the Democrat rally, that will lead to the imposition of emergency law and the election will be halted....


The tweet was by Tulsathit, completely reliable Nation "reporter". Not Nattawut. You believe everything, don't you?

----------


## tomta

> whoever is feeding those rumors to the reds must be having a field day



The confirmed source of the rumours is Tulsathit of the Nation.

----------


## Takeovers

> A credible opposition is vital for democracy, something those cheering for a PT landslide don't seem concerned about.


Agree totally with the first part.

Don't agree with the second part, because anything less than the majority of all seats is too easily stolen from them, again. Driving the PT from governing the country with more than 250 votes will make the cheating obvious.

Also with one party able to rule alone they are the only ones to blame if they fail.

----------


## tomta

> Quote: Originally Posted by StrontiumDog few have noticed that not a single party has even touched on the important matter of freedom of expression, or more specifically, freedom of the press. Quote: Originally Posted by StrontiumDog An important issue very much overlooked in the mass of populism. Indeed- and neither has education been a policy platform of either party, sadly. Imo, the main issue & message this election will send is one that can only really be mentioned by inference- for the Military (& soulmates) to stay out of bladdy politics and political meddling.


They can't. Not yet. Any discussion of freedom of the press has to include lese majeste and that's just too complicated and touchy to deal with in election mode.

----------


## tomta

> "I have reached out to people who oppose me ... But they instead have accused me of ordering the killings," he said.  "My eyes were filled with tears on seeing the casualties of both military officers and fellow citizens."


It's OK Baby. Suthep said that you weren't involved in the crackdown. He was.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> ^^
> _"Up to 200,000 red-shirt supporters could be involved in a countrywide watch for election fraud, Thida Thavornsret, chairwoman of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, said on Friday"_
> 
> 
> And that beats any superficial, international monitoring. Those monitors would be _"waltzed around the bush'_ by the Amart at every turn.
> 
> These will be Thai people who are well grounded in their mistrust of the process, hence excellent monitors.
> 
> Also considering the Thai facility for cheating, to have sceptical fellow Thai's "_watching_" instead of naiive foreigners is significant.
> ...


 
Very true - there should be PTP scrutineers at each poll and each returning office (where the locked ballot boxes are taken and counted). That's how you determine whether anything untoward happened during the movement of the ballot boxes and the number of ballots counted before or after the vote (versus the number of voters counted in the polling stations).

So pretty straightforward, right?

Where the "international" monitors make a difference is by calling "bullshit" when needed in order to preclude the Americans from quickly congratulating the right-wing government of choice.

Where ARE THEY???

----------


## tomta

> Sure and that would also had made it simpler for Abhisit to explain what happened, he is silenced by the same law.. But that will change if PT wins the election, right?


Maybe it will.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*'No policy to give Thaksin amnesty'
*
*'No policy to give Thaksin amnesty'*

                            By THE NATION
                                             Published on June 25, 2011                


*Pheu Thai accuses Democrats of false accusation; Suthep says they're lying*

                                                            The Pheu Thai Party yesterday clarified it has no  policy to give amnesty to fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra or  return him his seized assets of Bt46 billion, as claimed by the rival  Democrat Party.

 In a statement released yesterday, Pheu Thai rejected the allegations  made by Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and other key Democrats  during their campaign rally at the CentralWorld shopping mall on  Thursday night.

 "Abhisit and the Democrat Party intentionally made the false  allegation. The Pheu Thai Party has no such policies," the statement  said. 

Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban yesterday disputed  Pheu Thai's denial. He said the idea of offering an amnesty to Thaksin  had been floated by many Pheu Thai figures, including Chalerm  Yoobamrung. 

"What they said was heard by media people. But today they lie  about it. It's just a lie. They keep changing their words," Suthep said. 

Pheu Thai's three-point statement also it was a political  institution that served people all over the country, and not just any  particular individual. It promised to adhere to the rule of law if it  was elected and formed the government. 

The statement was obviously aimed at countering the Democrats'  allegation that Pheu Thai was looking after Thaksin's interests instead  of those of the public. 

Pheu Thai also said in the statement that it would focus on  campaigning constructively by proposing policy platforms and solutions  for the people and the country. 

Thaksin yesterday sent a Twitter message calling for  reconciliation and unity. He offered an apology for upsetting people in  the past and said he forgave those who had hurt him with their words. 

"We have to overcome the past to bring the country forward  together. We must not go backwards or stay put," he said through his  ThaksinLive Twitter account. 

Prime Minister Abhisit, responding to Thaksin's latest message,  said Thaksin should accept the court rulings against him. "That is a  good step if he is sincere about reconciliation," he said.  

Abhisit said he remained unsure about what Thaksin actually meant  when he asked for the relevant parties to "overcome the past". He  wondered if the ex-premier would come to terms with the court-ordered  seizure of Bt46 billion of his assets. 

Suthep yesterday expressed optimism that the Democrats would get  more voter support after the party's rally on Thursday that presented  its version on last year's political unrest. 

"I think the Democrat Party will win at least 27 House seats in  Bangkok or possibly 30," he said, adding he also expected the Democrats  to win 10 out of the 11 House seats from the three southernmost  provinces. 

There are 33 seats up for grabs in the capital. 

Meanwhile, former prime minister Banharn Silapa-archa yesterday  expressed relief that there was no incident during the Democrat rally at  Central World, which is close to the centre of last year's  anti-government rally by the red shirts at the Ratchaprasong  intersection. 

Banharn, who is chief adviser to the leader of the coalition  Chart Thai Pattana Party, said he did not think the Democrat rally was  good for reconciliation efforts.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Abhisit's 'special treatment' at forum upsets other participants
*
*Abhisit's 'special treatment' at forum upsets other participants*

                            By Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Nation
                                             Published on June 25, 2011                


*A people's forum at Rangsit University held to press  issues to be adopted by various political parties turned nasty  yesterday after representatives of two political parties complained that  the Democrat Party leader, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, was given  preferential treatment as he showed up late but was whisked to address  the crowds before many of the others had done so.*

                                                            As Abhisit finished speaking and began walking away from  the stage, New Politics Party representative Sombat Benjasirimongkol  reprimanded him from the podium in front of the thousand or so  participants. Abhisit was "taking advantage of others by not being  punctual, and then leaving after speaking. If we are this farcical, we  cannot solve the country's problems," said Sombat, party-list candidate  No 5 for the New Politics Party. "Abhisit is using his privilege as  prime minister to be above us. Advanced society must have principles and  respect others' rights." 

Abhisit did not take any notice or  pretended not to hear as he enjoyed being mobbed by many grass-roots  participants, mostly female, who visibly adored him and wanted to touch  him or take a picture with him. Even a female organiser with a  non-governmental organisation was seen trying to take a picture of the  PM. 

When Pheu Thai deputy leader Plodprasob Suraswadi got his  turn at the podium after Sombat, he also lambasted Abhisit for his  behaviour.

"What has just happened cannot be allowed to occur again in Thailand. I hope the organisers will take note."

Earlier,  the organisers, comprising representatives of 40 grass-roots  organisations and NGOs mostly aligned with Prawase Wasi, chairman of the  Abhisit-appointed National Reform Congress, announced on-stage that for  fairness, all parties would draw lots to determine which one would  address the crowd first. 

That arrangement apparently changed and  Suriyan Tonghueid, secretary-general of the Campaign for Popular  Democracy and one of the co-organisers, told The Nation that the  Democrat Party had made a request, and he defended Abhisit.

"He didn't cut the queue. They told us in advance that that's all the time they had," Suriyan explained.

The  forum got representatives from at least five parties to listen to their  demands, without the Democrat Party, which came late.

The demands  covered nine issues, including land reform, tax reform, a better social  welfare system, greater access and rights for people with disabilities,  discontinuation of hydroelectric-dam construction, greater rights and  information for people who seek bank loans, ending of prosecution of  villagers allegedly encroaching on national parks and more.

Some participants said they did not expect much from any political party. 

On-stage,  a male organiser warned in vain before the arrival of politicians that  they should concentrate on making political demands and making policy  proposals.

"Don't adore them or ask for their signatures. After  July 3, they will treat us differently. You should ask them what they  can or cannot do and not try to hug them. It's useless, as it won't  resolve land issues, or the problem of being stateless."

----------


## StrontiumDog

*EC alleges vote-buying in Buri Ram
*
*EC alleges vote-buying in Buri Ram*

                            By THE NATION
                                             Published on June 25, 2011                

*With clear evidence of vote-buying in Buri Ram, the  Election Commission chairman has ordered provincial EC members to  proceed with the case as soon as possible.*

*EC chairman Apichart Sukhagganond also said the commission  would consider on Tuesday whether to disqualify an MP candidate in Si  Sa Ket.* 

Apichart said pictures received from police clearly showed  money distribution in Buri Ram. The evidence is more explicit that that  of the alleged case in Si Sa Ket.

The EC will disqualify can?didates according to evidence, he said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Election campaigns become family affairs
*
*Election campaigns become family affairs*

                            By THE NATION
                                             Published on June 25, 2011                

*In a rare occurence, Pimpen Vejjajiva, wife of Prime  Minister Abhisit, and their daughter Prang yesterday joined him for a  campaign appearance at Chulalongkorn University.*

                                                            The participation of the low-profile members of Abhisit's  family took place after Abhisit revealed at a major rally at  CentralWorld on Thursday that Pimpen was the one who gave him words of  wisdom and moral support when he cried and suffered from the death of  people during the April 10 political turmoil last year. "She [Pimpen]  told me that day, 'When things happen in a way that was not our  intention, the only choice is to bear, to solve the problems, not to  escape or run away from the problems'. I must face the problems and  solve them," Abhisit said at the rally. 

Pimpen is a mathematics  instructor, and Prang a Fine Arts student at the university. The  Democrats drew strong support from people shopping at a flea market at  the university on Fridays. The family also had lunch together at the  university's cafeteria. 

The public appearance of Abhisit's family  came after Yingluck Shinwatra, Pheu Thai's top party-list MP and prime  minister candidate, joined her family at her birthday celebrations early  this week. Family members included Anusorn and Supasek Amornchat -  Yingluck's husband and son. 

Also yesterday, all three children of  former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra joined the election campaign  for Pheu Thai's Bangkok candidate Anuttama Amornwiwat in the Huai Khwang  area. 

Pinthongta, Thaksin's first daughter, sent a message to  him via Twitter that all the people she had met during the election  campaign were missing him.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thaksin in talks with smaller parties: Suthep
*
*Thaksin in talks with smaller parties: Suthep*

                            By THE NATION
                                             Published on June 25, 2011                

*Two parties and Yingluck deny efforts already being made to forge a Pheu Thai-led coalition*

                                                            Suthep Thaugsuban, the Democrat Party secretary-general,  revealed yesterday that fugitive former prime minister Thaksin  Shinawatra had approached smaller parties to join a Pheu Thai-led  coalition after the July 3 general election."I heard [yesterday] that  Thaksin had called different party leaders to ask them about their  conditions for supporting Pheu Thai," Suthep said.

"He [Thaksin]  also said that he suspected there would be cheating at the elections. He  appears to have come up with an excuse in case his party loses. He will  say they were cheated if they lose."

Suthep, however, said he was  unconcerned about Thaksin's reported lobbying. "I am not worried. It  all depends on the election result." 

Democrat leader Abhisit  Vejjajiva yesterday said he too was not concerned about the ex-prime  minister's reported moves: "The voters will make their decision." 

Thaksin  is believed to be pulling strings behind the Pheu Thai Party. His  sister Yingluck Shinawatra is contesting the upcoming election as Pheu  Thai's top candidate.

Yingluck dismissed Suthep's claim, saying  Thaksin had nothing to do with wooing allies for Pheu Thai. She added  that it was "too early" to seek coalition partners.

Key figures from two coalition partners denied Thaksin had approached their parties to join a Pheu Thai-led coalition. 

Chumpol  Silapa-archa, leader of the coalition Chart Thai Pattana Party, said he  had never been approached by any political party or individual. He  added that such talk would happen after the election.

The economic  chief of the coalition Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party, Goanpot  Aswinvichit, said that his party had not been approached by Thaksin. 

Suthep,  who is also deputy prime minister, acknowledged that the Democrat Party  had a plan to support amnesty for politicians involved in political  cases, but not criminal or corruption cases. Among those who would  benefit were party executive members who had been banned from politics  for five years after their parties were disbanded by a court order for  electoral fraud.

He said an amnesty law or changes to the Constitution might be needed to offer amnesty to such politicians.

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter (yesterday - just).....

bangkokpundit   bangkokpundit                                               

       1. New poll of 16,380 poll in  Northeast in all 126 constituencies conducted June 17-19 shows PT  winning 107, BJT 10, CPPD 4, and  Dems 3

       2. Party vote: Puea Thai 64%,  Dems 13%, Bhum Jai Thai 8%, No vote 5%, CPPD 3.2%. Only in Korat,  Buriam, and Ubon do PT get less than 50%

1 hour ago

----------


## Calgary

> *Quotes from political discussions on Teakdoor.com*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Tom Sawyer
> 
> ...


*Riceroots stuff*

The above was given to Yingluck yesterday afternoon.

Whether or not it is acted upon is another thing.

I am firmly of the opinion that immediate, professional post-electoral action is important, especially after a resounding victory.

To be intimidated into inaction, is the same as the other side winning the election ---what is the difference.

What action is taken is up to them.



I know three things that I would look at immediately is the following:Clean up the judiciary to prevent 'double standards' going forwardAddress the issue of 'political prisoners', both those who resisted the Amart via the Red Shirts, plus those who supposedly spoke unfavorably............... It is not public knowledge how many of this latter group is actually incarcerated. This would also include those who have left the country because of political persecution. I would repatriate them, including such people as Jakrapob, Ungpakorn and Arisman amongst others.Initiate reform of the post-coup imposed military constitution.That would give credence to the electors who gave them a majority.

It would raise a hue-and-cry from the Amart, but too bad...you lost the election. 

Just dare them to involve the military AGAIN, in the face of electoral defeat. If you do that, you are no different from Burma.

----------


## mc2

> *EC alleges vote-buying in Buri Ram
> *
> *EC alleges vote-buying in Buri Ram*
> 
>                             By THE NATION
>                                              Published on June 25, 2011                
> 
> *With clear evidence of vote-buying in Buri Ram, the  Election Commission chairman has ordered provincial EC members to  proceed with the case as soon as possible.*
> 
> ...


Although they didnt say, its a BJT MP i take it

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> A credible opposition is vital for democracy, something those cheering for a PT landslide don't seem concerned about.
> 
> 
> Agree totally with the first part.
> 
> Don't agree with the second part, because anything less than the majority of all seats is too easily stolen from them, again. Driving the PT from governing the country with more than 250 votes will make the cheating obvious.
> 
> Also with one party able to rule alone they are the only ones to blame if they fail.


It's not having 250 seats that worries me, but when they get above 30O and Thaksins still running round buying MPs and saying seats that aren't his don't get funding. 

It's happened before, he'll do it again, notice how his sister got in unamimously.

As for accountability if they fail, who will be doing the blaming? Are you expecting the likes of Chalerm, Snoah and Jataporn to care anyway? 

Always good for a laugh the red dreamers, cheering Yingluck as she helicopters in for a photo op with the peasents, then flies out to see her son at Harrow - the next best thing to Eton.

----------


## Mid

*Soldiers to facilitate polling in restive south* 
Santibhap Ussavasodhi  

 

*BANGKOK,* 24 June 2011 (NNT) – The Defence Council’s meeting has ordered  that military personnel take care of safety during the election in the  three southernmost provinces and is ready to help transport ballot boxes  if requested. 

According to Defence Ministry Spokesperson Colonel Thanathip  Sawangsaeng, Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan ordered military  personnel to help ensure safety during the election period, especially  in the restive south. However, their role will be to assist the police  which will be the principle force in the maintenance of  public safety. 

The military might help transport ballot boxes for polling stations  along the border and in the three southernmost provinces. Transportation  will also be provided for people residing in the restive south to go  and cast their votes for their safety.  

Military units are instructed to promote public relations campaigns  encouraging families of military personnel to go and cast their votes  and to deny money from vote buying; however, no restriction on political  opinion expression is made.  

The resolutions were made on Thursday at the Defence Council’s meeting  chaired by the defence minister, which was the last meeting of the  council in the current administration. The next meeting will be held at  the end of July and will be chaired by Permanent Secretary for Defence  General Kittipong Keskowit.

thainews.prd.go.th

----------


## Butterfly

> Thais didn't have much respect for this and his humble nature, instead they prefer arrogant, aggressive leaders like Samak and Thaksin.


hilarious, isn't it ? see how much he is hated here by those same farangs who are devoted to Thaksin, usually chavs and American redneck conservatives. White trailer trash rooting for white face Chinese authoritarians. 




> The Dems these days are a joke, a high school marketing student could have come up with a better campaign.


they are taking politics too seriously, they should learn from the "Faux News" style marketing of PT  :Razz:

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : Smaller parties surrender party list vote battle to Pheu Thai

INPrint

*Smaller parties surrender party list vote battle to Pheu Thai*Published: 25/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsThe penultimate stage before the last stretch of  campaigning for the  July 3 general election sees Pheu Thai Party's  popularity rising in the  North and the Northeast, notes Post Today.

 Opinion polls suggest that Pheu Thai is now galloping ahead of its   rivals in the two regions, so much so that candidates of small and   medium sized parties which still have a fighting chance against Pheu   Thai Party's candidates in some constituencies are now abandoning the   campaigns for both party list candidates and constituency candidates,   and concentrating on the latter.

 Chartthaipattana Party leader Chumphol Silpa-archa seemed ready to   concede defeat, especially in Isan. "The target of 30-35 seats is now   receding by about 5-10%, especially the party list candidates whose   popularity even lags behind Chuwit Kamolvisit's Rak Thailand," said Mr   Chumphol, adding that all party candidates in Isan seem to have no hope   of winning with the sole exception of Tun Jintavej in Ubon  Ratchathani's  Constituency 11.

 Even Pheu Thai's splinter group Bhumjaithai does not seem able to  stem  Pheu Thai's popularity in Isan. Bhumjaithai candidates now tell  their  constituents that they can go ahead and choose Pheu Thai list   candidates but help elect them to represent Isan people.

 Some even have resorted to pleading that Bhumjaithai candidates are  as  loyal to Thaksin Shinawatra as rival candidates from Pheu Thai.

 This could be seen from the fact that Phirom Pholviset told Isan   voters that Bhumjaithai would join the coalition government to support   Yingluck Shinawatra as the first female prime minister of Thailand.

 Pheu Thai responded immediately, saying the party would not welcome Bhumjaithai into a coalition government it heads.

 Yet Bhumjaithai candidates persist in their strategy of convincing   Isan voters that they are Thaksin loyalists as the party candidates used   to belong to the People Power Party formed by Thaksin himself.

 To counter this strategy, red shirt leaders Natthawut Saikua and   Prompong Nopparit advised Pheu Thai candidates in the North and   Northeast to tell the electorate that "people must choose candidates   that are direct descendants from the main dissolved parties, not other   candidates that left the parties and formed a splinter party. If the   people don't elect our own kind, Thaksin cannot come back home."

 According to a Pheu Thai source, about 17 provinces in Isan are  seeing  intense campaigning by Bhumjaithai candidates for themselves but  are  still telling voters to vote for the Pheu Thai party list in places   such as Surin, Ubon Ratchathani, Nakhon Ratchasima, Yasothon, Amnat   Charoen, Sakon Nakhon and Maha Sarakham provinces.

 When the smaller parties abandon campaigning for party list   candidates, it is no wonder that the latest Suan Dusit poll has found   that the Pheu Thai party list is leading at 51.55% or about 64 seats,   followed by the Democrat party at 34.05% or 43 seats, while smaller   parties such as Bhumjaithai scored at 3% and Rak Thailand 2.48%.

 Post Today speculates that leaders of smaller parties openly  admitting  early defeat was an oblique way of telling their constituency   candidates that if any don't have a chance of winning, they will be cut   off from the campaign fund immediately so that the limited amount of   available money will be concentrated on Grade A candidates who are   likely to succeed.

 It is also interesting to note that Pheu Thai's goal of 16 million   votes for party list candidates, or 70 seats, which was dismissed early   on by the opposition and political pundits, is now feasible as  Thaksin's  and Ms Yingluck's popularity is getting close to that of Thai  Rak Thai  in 2005 when the party drew 19 million votes for the party  list and the  party won an overwhelming 377 MPs.

 However, time will tell whether Pheu Thai can match the historic 2005   general election victory or get near enough that it can pass the magic   number of 251 out of 500 House seats, or enough to govern in its own   right, concludes Post Today.

 Abolish credit bureau?

 Political parties are campaigning hard to win the hearts and minds of   the grass roots, as they comprise the largest number of votes in a   general election, notes Post Today.

 The grass roots also have a larger debt burden than any other social   group. For this reason, all parties have promised the world to the grass   roots ranging from debt wipe-outs, debt moratoriums and restructuring   and the promise that they will gain easier access to new credit lines  as  few are targets for commercial banks over fears of increasing   non-performing loans (NPLs).

 According to the National Credit Bureau, the company has information   on about 20 million people with about 62.5 million accounts _ 37.5   million active and 21.5 million inactive. The NPL (debts that are not   paid after 91 days) involve 5.4 million accounts, or about 1.9 million   people.

 If those 1.9 million people get help, they can form a significant number of votes for political parties.

 Kornpot Aswinvichit, a Chart Pattana Puea Pandin party list candidate   and former president of the Government Savings Bank, remarked that the   National Credit Bureau is the main obstacle for all NPL borrowers who   are blacklisted and cannot start a new life as the Bank of Thailand does   not allow commercial banks to extend loans to NPL borrowers.

 Other parties have a similar idea. Some even promise to abolish the   credit bureau, characterising it as the main villain for preventing the   grass roots from getting access to new lines of credit.

 Post Today notes that the Bank of Thailand's intent to have a single   national credit bureau is to prevent fraud committed by some   unscrupulous borrowers before the Tom Yam Kung financial meltdown in   1997. They used the same collateral to borrow money from several banks   and purposely defaulted on loans. At the time, the commercial banks   could not check the borrower's credit worthiness as they did not   exchange customer data.

 Once the National Credit Bureau was established, such fraud could be   easily prevented. However, there is still a misunderstanding about the   Bank of Thailand's directive. It is not true that the BOT prohibits the   commercial banks from extending loans to NPL borrowers. They are only   told to share information at the National Credit Bureau. It is up to the   banks themselves to decide whether they dare to extend loans to a   black-listed borrower. The fact that no commercial bank dares to extend   new loans to NPL clients for fear of incurring losses is no fault of  the  Bank of Thailand.

 Once the National Credit Bureau was established, commercial banks  were  quite relieved that the major risk of potential NPLs was reduced  and  that loan approval could be processed much faster than before. It is   not a small matter that a commercial bank fails because of incurring   high NPLs because it will shake confidence in the banking sector, the   so-called domino effect. This is the main reason that the Bank of   Thailand pushed for the establishment of the National Credit Bureau   after the 1997 financial crisis in Thailand.

 When the National Credit Bureau was established, the company was   required to keep a borrowers' credit history for 10 years. This was   later reduced to 5 years and to 3 years at present. So the black-listed   borrowers have to wait at least 3 years before their bad credit history   is no longer kept at the credit bureau.

 It is also unlikely that the Bank of Thailand will allow the National   Credit Bureau to wipe out all the bad credit history to start a clean   slate as promised by several politicians as businesses need a central   credit bureau to prevent potential NPLs and having a central credit   bureau reflects the robustness of the financial system. It is also not   possible for the Bank of Thailand to lower reserve requirement for   credit defaults so as to make it easier for the commercial banks to   extend credit more liberally. The Thai central bank has to follow the   Bank for International Settlements (BIS) standard on this issue.

 The only thing the BOT can do is to adjust the National Credit   Bureau's standards such as shortening the time for keeping bad credit   history, and/or allowing commercial banks to charge higher interest to   higher risk clients than good credit borrowers.

 Post Today advocates that if the Bank of Thailand is to make it  easier  to ease requirements for commercial banks to extend new loans to  those  black-listed, other measures must be carried out simultaneously,   especially educating borrowers to change their bad behaviour and become   more fiscally responsible. The government itself also should not   stimulate or encourage the grass-roots to spend more than they can earn.   This is the root cause of NPL and financial indiscipline.

 It is true that when the National Credit Bureau was established,  those  NPLs were mostly owed to commercial banks. However, the NPL  structure  has changed over the years. Now the majority of NPLs are owed  to  non-bank financial institutions such as those who hold First Choice,   AEON cards, which mean that they are really grass roots as the Bank of   Thailand decrees that commercial banks can only issue credit cards to   those who have a stable monthly income of not less than 15,000 baht,   while non-bank institutions are not subject to this requirement. So it   is often found that grassroots people with monthly incomes of less than   10,000 baht can easily acquire consumer cards.

 If the Bank of Thailand is to help relieve debt, a measure must be   found to make sure that the financial sector as a whole is not adversely   affected so much as to shake the confidence of foreign investors. So  if  politicians in power really want to help NPLs listed in the National   Credit Bureau, they cannot avoid using the government owned banks as   these have their own laws governing them and they are under the direct   supervision of the Finance Ministry, not the Bank of Thailand.

 It is unlikely or impossible for politicians to abolish the National   Credit Bureau as promised to the grass roots people during the election   campaign. It is possible that the elected government can persuade the   commercial banks which are owed money to relax payment terms or   introduce other requirements. Ultimately, it usually falls on the   government to directly carry out debt relief for the grass roots as it   is unlikely the commercial banks would care to participate in extending   new credit to those who have an NPL history as they do not believe that   those blacklisted will reform themselves and become credit-worthy   borrowers without becoming an NPL risk again.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Thaksin's ticket home _ amnesty
*
*Thaksin's ticket home _ amnesty*

*Chalerm  faces down Pheu Thai doubts about amnesty plan by  billing it as  'national reconciliation' - Mischievous attack pamphlets  portray  Yingluck against petrol-soaked red shirt backdrop - Constitution  Court  chief judge leaves colleagues guessing on whether he will step  down*Published: 25/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsChalerm  Yubamrung did not earn himself a  doctoral degree in law for nothing.  He is now putting his legal  expertise to good use by heading the Pheu  Thai Party's team in drafting  an amnesty law that promises to be highly  controversial indeed.

 
_Chalerm: Full steam ahead on amnesty_

 There were some hiccups in the early efforts to push the amnesty initiative through.

 The amnesty idea began to be seriously explored by the party when   Yingluck Shinawatra, the youngest sister of ousted premier Thaksin, Pheu   Thai's mentor, was thrust into the political limelight and registered   as its top election candidate in the list system.

 But when it became apparent that the idea would draw more flak than   praise, its confidence in getting the amnesty proposal out of the the   blueprint stage paled, according to a party source.

 Mr Chalerm, however, remained defiant. He was apparently convinced   that the amnesty would be the ticket to bringing Thaksin home, ending   three years of life in self-imposed exile.

 Mr Chalerm believes the majority of Thai citizens are with the party all the way in securing Thaksin a passage back home.

 With so many on board, the Pheu Thai's No.3 list candidate is certain   that decreeing an amnesty to pardon everyone facing charges stemming   from the political unrest since the Sept 19, 2006 coup _ which drove   Thaksin from power _ will be a goal worth reaching for.

 Mr Chalerm thinks there has been no more opportune time than now to ratchet up the call for amnesty.

 After all, Pheu Thai's formidable rival, the People's Alliance for   Democracy (PAD), has turned on its former ally, the Democrat Party and   the military.

 Like many core leaders of the red shirt United Front for Democracy   against Dictatorship (UDD), which is closely allied with Pheu Thai, a   long list of PAD key figures have been charged with terrorism over   previous major protest incidents deemed a significant threat to national   security.

 Mr Chalerm calculates that PAD leaders have everything to gain from   Pheu Thai's plan for a mass pardon and letting bygones be bygones,   assuming the party leads the next government.

 Mr Chalerm has said the yellow shirt leaders have nothing to whine   about or object to because they stand to benefit from the amnesty law as   well.

 However, Ms Yingluck may be more of a doubter than Mr Chalerm.

 She has a lot to answer for, especially with regards to criticism  that  the only reason she is vying for the premiership is to seek amnesty   for her brother. She has steadfastly sidestepped comment on the   subject, turning her attention instead to bread and butter issues in her   election campaign.

 Seeing such a brick wall response from Ms Yingluck, Mr Chalerm has   tried to add a more agreeable ring to the amnesty plan by renaming the   proposed amnesty bill as a national reconciliation bill.

 But the essence of it will likely be intact, meaning a reprieve for   Thaksin from the two-year jail term he faces for abusing his authority   during his premiership to aid his former wife Khunying Potjaman na   Pombejra to buy a prime land plot in the Ratchadaphisek area at a   deflated price.

 Mr Chalerm is certain the bill will sail smoothly through if Pheu Thai heads the next government.

 In keeping with the reconciliation spirit, Pheu Thai may also invite   smaller parties, most preferably the Chartthaipattana Party, to join a   coalition government, even if it manages to win more than 300 seats in   the election.

 Pheu Thai may want to woo Chartthaipattana by offering to spearhead a   plan to abolish the five-year political ban against politicians who   engage in electoral fraud. Chartthaipattana is staunchly against the   ban.

* 
*_Yingluck: Too sensitive to touch_

* Slinging the red election mud

*  An election is not complete without the usual war of words and trading of accusations and the July 3 poll is no exception.

 The main target is usually the party thought to have an edge among  the  electorate, and Pheu Thai is predicted by many opinion polls to win   the largest number of the 500 seats on offer.

 As the contest intensifies, trickery in all shapes and forms has been employed to sway voters.

 Last week, anonymous documents and VCDs were handed out to voters in   many constituencies attacking Pheu Thai and its ally, the red shirt   United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship.

 Printed in full-colour pamphlets was a picture of Pheu Thai's likely   prime ministerial contender Yingluck Shinawatra wearing a red T-shirt.

 Her image is set against a backdrop of a raging fire and a man carrying petrol-soaked tyres.

 The 20-page booklet titled Our Thailand: Don't Let Anyone Burn Our   Country Again, recounts the riots and arson attacks in Bangkok and   elsewhere following the bloody clashes between the military and the red   shirt protesters in April and May last year.

 The book also publishes quotes by red shirt co-leaders including   Arisman Pongruengrong, who told UDD supporters upcountry to bring petrol   to Bangkok.

 ''Come. Bring with you an empty bottle and fill it with petrol. If  one  million of us descend on Bangkok, there will be one million litres  of  petrol,'' Mr Arisman said, predicting a ''sea of fire'' in the quote   which appeared in the book.

 Also, copies of what looks like a newspaper pull-out have found their   way to the constituencies in some provinces with headlines alleging the   most inconceivable acts of lese majeste, and that ousted premier   Thaksin Shinawatra is the reason for the red shirts' growing   ''audacity''.

 A third anti-red document is a pocket book called Thaksin's Fight To Death, An Unwinnable Fight.

 The book is authored by Sonthiyan Chuenruthainaitham, a former journalist and media executive.

 It deals with Thaksin's fights in self-imposed exile after he was   overthrown from power in the September, 2006 coup and his struggle to   return to the country.

 The writer concludes that Thaksin will never win his fight to regain   power as long as he fails to understand how Thai society functions, and   that there is a very thin line that divides statesmanship from tyranny.

 Pheu Thai has now decried the distribution of the VCDs carrying the   label ''When Thaksin Thinks, It's Catastrophe for Thailand''.

 The party has complained to the police and demanded an investigation   to catch those responsible for the production and distribution of the   VCDs.

 A source said more documents have been printed, ready to be handed   out. Some candidates of certain parties have asked for copies of the   documents for distribution in their constituencies.

 It is not known if their party leaders have told them that the police   have arrested a number of people who handed out these documents.

* 
*_Chat: A gentleman’s agreement_

* Chat keeps his peers guessing

*   Some people have been waiting since May 28 for Chat Cholaworn to   honour his ''gentleman's promise'' to stand down as Constitution Court   president.

 It had been three years to the day since Mr Chat assumed the court   presidency and promised he would relinquish the post on May 28 this   year.

 He declared he would only serve half the normal stint of six years.

 A source said Mr Chat made the promise because the race for the court   presidency was tight. He wanted to project himself as someone able to   compromise.

 However, May 28 has passed without any change.

 Some court officials are anxious to see when Mr Chat will call it a day.

 In the meantime, travel excursions have been organised for court judges and senior staff of the Constitution Court.

 The judges and staff went on a study trip to South Korea and returned   later to join a local tour to Sattahip in Chon Buri where they released   turtles into the sea to honour His Majesty the King for his 84th   birthday on Dec 5.

 Participants also took part in an activity replanting mangrove trees.

 A source at the court said four of the nine court judges joined the trips.

 The source added that another overseas tour had been planned for the   group but it was cut short after someone noted that court judges had not   met to manage the court's affairs for some time.

 The authority to call meetings rests with Mr Chat. As displeasure  grew  over the court's alleged under-performance, the court rather  abruptly  called a meeting of the judges on June 16.

 There were nine items on the agenda. Four items were brought to the   meeting for the court's acknowledgement while the others were tabled for   the judges' consideration.

 When the meeting formally convened at 10am, four judges had turned up   including Mr Chat. They waited half an hour only to be informed that   four other justices had called in sick. One judge could not be reached   on his phone.

 In the end, the meeting was adjourned due to the lack of a quorum.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Pinthongta hopes dad can attend wedding
*
*Pinthongta hopes dad can attend wedding*Published: 25/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsA daughter of fugitive former prime minister  Thaksin Shinawatra says  she hopes her father can attend her wedding in  Thailand late this year.

 Pinthongta Shinawatra said yesterday that just like any daughter, she would like her father to be present at her wedding.

 She also said she did not want the issue to be exploited politically.

 Ms Pinthongta yesterday visited Huai Khwang district of Bangkok with   her brother Panthongtae and sister Paethongtan to campaign for Pheu Thai   candidate Anuttama Amornwiwat.

 Residents gave flowers to them as well as to the Pheu Thai candidate.

 Mr Panthongtae said that if the wedding could not be organised in Thailand, then it might be held abroad.

 Thaksin, who is on the run from a two-year jail term in association   with the Ratchadapisek land case, wrote on his Twitter account yesterday   that he was calling for national reconciliation and has forgiven his   offenders, critics and those who had hurt him.

 He also apologised to any people whom he might have upset. He wrote   that Thailand should tolerate different opinions in a constructive   manner.

 He promised he would not take revenge and urged people to leave the past behind for the sake of national progress.

 In 2008, the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of   Political Positions sentenced him to two years in jail for helping his   ex-wife buy state land in the Ratchadapisek area in 2003 while he was   prime minister.

 Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Thaksin's acceptance of   the court's verdict would be an important step towards reconciliation.

 Mr Abhisit also pointed out that Thaksin's attempts to push for his   amnesty and return of 46 billion baht seized as illegal earnings were   affecting Thais' feelings.

 Mr Abhisit suggested Thaksin forget about the money so people could leave the past behind them.

 In response to Mr Abhisit's remark, Pheu Thai said that the party had   never advocated a policy of issuing an amnesty for Thaksin, nor would   it seek to return his seized money.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Other Bangkok Post updates...

*Children of revolution  lose hope* 
25/06/2011 : _Descendants of  those who staged the revolution that   replaced absolute monarchy with a  constitutional one do not believe the   election will usher in  fully-fledged democracy or the much-touted   national reconciliation._

*Bhumjaithai relying on local knowledge*
25/06/2011 : _The  Pheu Thai Party stands a big chance of gaining the   most seats in Si Sa  Ket province but it will have to campaign hard in   two constituencies  where rival Bhumjaithai has far more solid  supporter  bases.
_ 
*It's no holds barred on the campaign trail*
25/06/2011 :_ Candidates are resorting to some unusual stunts to impress voters in the election._

*Democrats offer amnesty plan*
25/06/2011 : _The Democrat Party has jumped on the reconciliation bandwagon and offered to grant amnesty to those serving political bans._

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Thailand needs a post-election roadmap*Published: 25/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsJust a little over a week before Thais go to the  polls on July 3, the sense of a runaway Pheu Thai victory pervades the  political landscape. One poll after another by disparate sources over  recent weeks has all pointed to a Pheu Thai triumph.

 _Supporters of Pheu Thai Party throng yesterdays election campaign in Phu Khieo, Chaiyaphum province._

 A Pheu Thai-led government elicits memories of the last election in  December 2007 when its predecessor, the People Power Party, won and  governed but could not rule and administer in 2008, due to protests by  the coalition arrayed against fugitive ex-prime minister Thaksin  Shinawatra.

 To avoid a post-election dead-end, an agreement and understanding  among the key protagonists is needed. Both sides of the Thai divide are  now locked in what can be framed as "mutual assured damage" whose  manifestations have sapped Thailand's overall vitality and incurred  substantial opportunity costs.

 Since the military coup in September 2006, the anti-Thaksin coalition  has failed to turn back the clock far enough to pre-Thaksin times. They  came up with a new constitution, dissolved two Thaksin proxy parties,  banned scores of Thaksin-aligned politicians, effected an opposing  coalition government led by the Democrat Party, and crushed  anti-government demonstrators during the Democrats' rule. Despite these  manipulative, coercive and suppressive manoeuvres, the forces supportive  of the 2006 coup have not, and still cannot, win elections. But they  can keep winners from ruling.

 On the other hand, Thaksin's parties have won elections at will in  the 21st century, and always by a comfortable margin. As a third-rate  team with much less political talent remaining after two party  dissolutions, Pheu Thai should not be polling well ahead of the  Democrats. Somehow the Democrats just have not got the job done if they  cannot win this election when the rules, referees and stadium guards  have all been stacked in their favour.

 But Thaksin's parties did not have the wherewithal to rule in the  face of street protests by their opponents, who were acquiesced and  supported by the army, judiciary, Democrats and other powers-that-be in  Thai society. The army did not, and is unlikely to, suppress  anti-Thaksin demonstrators (e.g. the yellow, multicolour, pink, and blue  shirts) whereas the pro-Thaksin red shirts were met in 2009-10 with  deadly force. The so-called "judicialisation" whereby judicial decisions  tried to determine political direction, was mainly set against  Thaksin's parties but did not touch the Democrats.

 If Pheu Thai were to form the post-election government, more  judicialisation may be in store. Already moves are afoot, led by Tul  Srisomwong and Kaewsan Atibhodi, to oust Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's  youngest sister, and Pheu Thai's electoral leader, who is doing her  exiled brother's bidding, on perjury allegations. After the Securities  and Exchange Commission cleared Ms Yingluck of fraud charges from her  business practices, Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij instructed the  securities watchdog to scrutinise her finances again. Such interferences  are no longer subtle.

 Of course, the ultimate reset button against a Pheu Thai-led  government would be another putsch. The army chief's muscular  exhortation last week for voters to choose "good" people and not those  who are inclined against the monarchy, does not allay coup fears,  although the army's "good" coup in 2006 fared poorly by all accounts.

 A stalemate has thus set in.

 In Thailand's electoral democracy, election winners cannot rule, but those who rule cannot win elections.

 To navigate a way forward, both sides and all other political actors  on stage and behind the curtains must agree first and foremost that  election results must not be subverted, that the next prime minister  will not succumb to a disqualification akin to the late Samak  Sundaravej's _ for hosting a cooking TV show.

 If the voice of the majority is dismissed and disenfranchised, as in  the wake of the December 2007 polls, more turmoil and volatility can be  expected.

 If Pheu Thai voters are treated the same way as those who opted for  the PPP in the last election, their rage and rampage may surpass what  was seen in 2009-10. Of course, the army can put them down again but  casualties would be much higher, which could test the viability of the  army's high command itself.

 A flexible roadmap acceptable to the principal protagonists is  imperative. In the event they win a convincing mandate from voters,  Thaksin and Pheu Thai need to make explicit and demonstrable assurances  to ensure no retribution and revenge. A grace period of three to six  months after the polls, when continuity will be emphasised over change,  can create a conducive environment for transition and negotiations.

 During this grace period, there should be guarantees from the winners  that the army chief will not be transferred, the death toll from last  year will be investigated slowly through due process of law, Thaksin  will stay away indefinitely (and take his pledge to return in December  off the negotiating table), senior bureaucrats will not be moved, key  policy fronts will not shift drastically, able hands will join cabinet,  the controversial amnesty plan will be shelved for a certain period, and  so forth.

 For his abuses in the past and his policy legacies in the present and  future, Thaksin may need to make the ultimate sacrifice of never  returning to Thailand.

 It would be an ironic price to pay for his electoral successes.

 This grace period would allow all sides to internalise the election results and their implications for Thailand.

 The anti-Thaksin coalition would also have to agree not to take to  the streets as in 2008, to keep judicialisation at bay, and to negotiate  the terms of a general amnesty that would clear the slate for the  persecuted many who are languishing in jail and those under other  charges who can then re-enter the fray.

 The details of any roadmap would have to rely on an actionable  timetable and some level of trust, possibly with the assistance of  detached third-party interlocutors, such as the Friends of Thailand  group and foreign embassies with the requisite peace-making reputation.

 All details are manageable once the agreement and mutual understanding that Thailand has suffered enough is in place.

 Alternative scenarios are likely to lead to a worsening spiral. Most  Thais probably would prefer to see a workable deal rather than a deja  vu.


*The writer [* Thitinan Pongsudhirak] *is Director of the Institute of Security and  International Studies, Faculty of Political Science,  ChulalongkornUniversity.*

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world.....


*Bhum Jai Thai predicts that Puea Thai will win 240 seats | Asian Correspondent*

_By Bangkok Pundit 
Jun 25, 2011_

                                         Bhum Jai Thais Newin previously predicted  that Puea Thai would win 210 seats, the Democrats 160 seats, and Bhum  Jai Thai would win 70 seats. Now. Bhum Jai Thais Somsak T is quoted by INN and _Daily News_ (also see tweet  by TNN reporter) as stating that Puea Thai will win 240 seats, the  Democrats 170, and Bhum Jai Thai 70. He then states that Chart Thai  Pattana will win 30 seats, Chart Pattana Puea Paendin 20 seats, and the  rest 10 seats. This means that Democrats and Bhum Jai Thai with 240  seats is equal to Puea Thai with 240 seats.

*BP*: There are only 500 seats yet Somsaks numbers  exceed 500. Interesting that he has increased the number of seats that  Puea Thai will win from 210 to 240 given BPs prediction yesterday:BP doesnt see that Thursdays rally will help the Democrats and while on June 9,  BP thought the Democrats would win 182 seats and Puea Thai 228 would  now adjust this to the Democrats winning 170-175, but adjust Puea Thai  upwards to 235-240. The Democrats need a miracle now and if things  continue as they are with Puea Thai picking up steam, Puea Thai could  come close to winning an absolute majority.
Actually, BP finds it interesting that Somsak has adjusted the  Democrat results upwards so that the Bhum Jai Thai+Democrat numbers is  equal to those of Puea Thai. BP thinks this combination is quite  important as BP blogged earlier this month:1. If Puea Thai numbers are = to or higher than Dems +  BJT numbers then it will be difficult for the Dems to form a government  without PT defections post-election (it may not be easy to defect  although need to wait until can actually get to see that the amended  organic laws say).

 For example, if the Dems win say 190 seats + BJT 40 seats and Puea  Thai 215 then it will be an easy Dem+others excluding Puea Thai to form a  government, but say that Puea Thai wins 225 whereas the Dems win 180+35  for BJT then it becomes more difficult. First, in terms of a moral  sense that the margin is so wide and that there will be  questions of  legitimacy, but also in terms of a practical sense that to have any type  of a stable government, in the knowledge that Ministers must abstain on  certain votes and that the majority for such votes will be so narrow  that the government would be on a knife-edge every vote and a handful of  defectors/those who abstain would cause the collapse of the government.  In that scenario, you would need PT defections and/or a number of red  cards issued to PT candidates and thus new by-elections with non-PT  candidates winning to have a stable government. If that happens, you  could easily see the reds + PT coming out on the streets as it will be  stated that it has been fixed.
*BP*: The problem that BP sees for Bhum Jai Thai is  that they will not win 70 seats. Halve that and it is more realistic.  Hence, BP sees the Democrats winning 170-175 seats, Bhum Jai Thai 30-35  so the combination will be about 210 compared with 235-240 for Puea  Thai. This can only mean a Puea Thai government. This is not even taking  into account a new poll of 16,000 of all 126 constituencies in the  Northeast within Puea Thai winning 107 seats. The polls can be seen as  either reflecting reality or that people will take them as reflecting  reality which doesnt help the Democrats at all as it may discourage  some Democrat voters from voting or result in the bandwagon effect with  the undecideds going for Puea Thai in greater numbers.

 *Having said that Somsak is part of a faction of Bhum Jai Thai that  is not within the Friends of Newin faction and there have been rumors  that this faction would try to join up with Puea Thai post-election if  Puea Thai formed a government although there were also rumors that the  faction would leave Bhum Jai Thai so they are so rumors.

----------


## Mid

> During this grace period, there should be guarantees from the winners that the army chief will not be transferred, the death toll from last year will be investigated slowly through due process of law, Thaksin will stay away indefinitely (and take his pledge to return in December off the negotiating table), senior bureaucrats will not be moved, key policy fronts will not shift drastically, able hands will join cabinet, the controversial amnesty plan will be shelved for a certain period, and so forth.


 :smiley laughing: 

To the victors go the spoils  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## lom

> Yet Bhumjaithai candidates persist in their strategy of convincing Isan voters that they are Thaksin loyalists as the party candidates used to belong to the People Power Party formed by Thaksin himself.
> 
> To counter this strategy, red shirt leaders Natthawut Saikua and Prompong Nopparit advised Pheu Thai candidates in the North and Northeast to tell the electorate that "people must choose candidates that are direct descendants from the main dissolved parties, not other candidates that left the parties and formed a splinter party. *If the people don't elect our own kind, Thaksin cannot come back home.*"


Has these two PT leaders forgot what this election is not about?  :rofl:

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## Calgary

^^^^
"........ the* forces supportive of the 2006 coup have not, and still cannot, win elections. But they can keep winners from ruling"*

And that is why I have been harping away on exercising an overwhelming electoral mandate, the sooner the better.

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## Butterfly

> Has these two PT leaders forgot what this election is not about?


where is DrB to remind us that PT and UDD are not about Thaksin ?  :rofl: 

he is probably back hiding into the jungle reading 18th Century Siam literature  :Razz:

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## Calgary

_"During this grace period (_6 months after winning an overwhelming electoral victory),_ there should be guarantees from the winners that the army chief will not be transferred, the death toll from last year will be investigated slowly through due process of law, Thaksin will stay away indefinitely (and take his pledge to return in December off the negotiating table), senior bureaucrats will not be moved, key policy fronts will not shift drastically, able hands will join cabinet, the controversial amnesty plan will be shelved for a certain period, and so forth_......Quote from Amart BKK Post above, Post #3283

Well, there ya go.

Win an election, but don't do anything.

Idiots!

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## SteveCM

*Don't betray the trust of those who believe you*

*EDITORIAL* 


                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 25, 2011                

*If ours is to be a genuine democracy, a victorious  Pheu Thai Party should learn to live without Thaksin, as they have  already publicly stated*

               One of the sayings most associated with Thailand's  political trouble is that the nation has never seemed able to move  beyond Thaksin Shinawatra. That's beyond doubt. The issue is why it has  to be this way. Is Thailand really obsessed with him? Or is it his "I'm  not going anywhere" determination that makes it impossible to shake him  off? The Democrat Party stirred up this controversy again during its  rally at the Ratchaprasong intersection on Thursday, prompting the rival  Pheu Thai Party to cry foul. But if Pheu Thai has had the Democrats  against the ropes on other issues, the opposition camp always sounds  defensive on this one.

The Pheu Thai Party's big lead in the  election campaign owes a lot to Thaksin's lingering popularity. However,  there are other factors as well - last year's political turbulence that  further galvanised the grass roots, the Democrats' declining ratings,  "Yingluck fever" et cetera. The most intriguing question has to do with  the "amnesty" plan. To be precise, if Pheu Thai wins, is it because  voters want to absolve Thaksin and bring him home?

If the answer  is "Yes", then it will warrant debate on whether a popular "mandate" can  override court verdicts. But it will be more disturbing if the answer  is "No". Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva might be speaking in his  capacity as Pheu Thai's chief rival, but when he warned the opposition  against abusing election votes and turning them into an amnesty green  light, he was making a solid point that warrants national  soul-searching.

First things first, an election should not be just  for one person's legal trouble. Even a specific referendum on whether a  person should be absolved of a crime begs the question whether this is  good for the checks and balances of democracy. It's all right if Pheu  Thai is to win on Thaksin's merits. It's not healthy for democracy if an  election victory, even if delivered through Thaksin's good deeds, is  used to whitewash him of his bad ones.

Thaksin has made it  impossible to avoid this debate, to move "beyond him". At the word "Go"  in the election campaign, senior Pheu Thai members threw in "blanket  amnesty" as one of the party's main platforms. Yingluck Shinawatra  distanced herself from it and later the whole party was reluctant to  discuss it that much. They all know how sensitive this issue is, but  they will not renounce it unequivocally. Why?

On Friday, Pheu Thai  denied in a statement that it was planning to give Thaksin amnesty and  return his money. The way the statement was written arguably leaves the  question of whether it would still give him amnesty without returning  his billions. Pheu Thai's ambiguity may or may not have something to do  with Thaksin's own insistence about coming home. Whatever the case, this  election proves again that Thailand can't move "beyond Thaksin". Again,  that's old news. Whether he's dragging the country back, or it can't  move beyond him, should be the point of debate.

If it wins the  election, Pheu Thai should be allowed to rule without the dangerous  shackles of having to amend the laws or Constitution so that he can  return. All that the pro-Thaksin mission would do is smear Pheu Thai's  image and destabilise its government (assuming it wins). The Samak  Sundaravej government met its demise precisely because it thought it had  an obligation to bring the man back.

If a Pheu Thai government  that managed to "move beyond" Thaksin was still doomed because all  others conspired against it, then Thailand's democracy would have a real  problem. With the way things have gone, we have been unable to tell.  For us to find out whether we really have a bad democracy - with groups  left, right and centre always lurking to undermine the party "most  loved" by the people - Thaksin must tell Pheu Thai to forget about him.  And he must mean it. 

A Pheu Thai victory will be considered by  many a romantic political story. Thaksin certainly has played a leading  part in the unfolding tale. But romance can only go so far and even its  leading star must be brave enough to face reality. There has been too  much tragedy after all.

----------


## DroversDog

> IMO opinion many expats like the Dems due to  memories of Chuan, who would have to be the cleanest Thai PM ever.  Thais didn't have much respect for this and his humble nature, instead they prefer arrogant, aggressive leaders like Samak and Thaksin.
> 
> The Dems these days are a joke, a high school marketing student could have come up with a better campaign.
> 
> They were just as useless during the 
> Thaksin years. A credible opposition is vital for democracy, something those cheering for a PT landslide don't seem concerned about.


Chuan being clean is a joke right?

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## DrB0b

> Chuan being clean is a joke right?


Not a joke, just pure and absolute ignorance. A pure and absolute ignorance typical of so many on this forum. For all the frustrations I've suffered while dealing with Thais I have yet to meet a Thai who comes even close in the stupidity and ignorance stakes to many of the farangs living in this country.

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## Mid

> If ours is to be a genuine democracy,


 :mid: 




> One of the sayings most associated with Thailand's political trouble is that the nation has never seemed able to move beyond Thaksin Shinawatra. That's beyond doubt.


wot a load of , the _political trouble_ extends way back before T was even a glint in his daddy's eye .

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## DroversDog

> Originally Posted by Takeovers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Buksida
> ...


So why do you put Thaksin in as the one who buy's candidates? It is common place in Thailand politics and the masters of it are your pet little Democrat and Newin parties.

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## SteveCM

> Originally Posted by The Nation
> 
> If ours is to be a genuine democracy,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Didn't occur to me until I read it in isolation above.....

_"One of the sayings most associated with Thailand's political trouble is  that The Nation has never seemed able to move beyond Thaksin Shinawatra.  That's beyond doubt."_  :mid:

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## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Ensuring a peaceful poll*

EDITORIAL Published: 25/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsFears of a renewed outbreak of unrest in the  wake of the July 3 elections persist despite assurances that the army is  putting troops on standby to deter any trouble. Such concerns are  understandable, given the volatility of the campaign. But any bad  behaviour by the competing parties or their supporters during the  nationwide voting or in the political manoeuvring afterward will rebound  on those causing it. For the sake of the country, the democratic  process must be unhindered and  allowed to run its course. Any attempt  to subvert it could cause immeasurable damage.

 

If needed, there are proper avenues for legitimate complaints. The  Election Commission exists to deal with poll violations, the courts to  rule on constitutional and other legalities and the police to keep  order. There will be no need for any group to stage rowdy street  demonstrations as a pressure tactic _ a post-election ploy that occurs  in some countries while coalitions are being formed but one that has no  place here.

 While not everyone will be satisfied with the outcome, the July 3  election must provide the way out from the turmoil, hate, stress and and  misery of the past three years. The wounds need a chance to heal. This  means that the country must stop living in the past and in a world where  sponsored protest, greed and rabble-rousing activities consume  otherwise productive lives. If legitimate grievances are being ignored  by the government then orderly and peaceful demonstrations are  justified. But not chaos and bloodshed. That is leaving democracy behind  and crossing into the realm of anarchy. Those events shamed our nation  and must not happen again.

 But that is the future. First, though, comes a final week of  campaigning which will provide rival parties with the opportunity to  talk about policies rather than giveaways, although word of who exactly  will be paying for all these populist handouts and their projected  impact on the economy would be welcome. Equally satisfying would be a  thorough explanation of the steps party leaders intend to take to stop,  or at least slow, the spiralling cost of living, bearing in mind that  handouts tend to be inflationary. This has become a source of worry to  many people who have listened to vague promises without hearing anything  specific.

 Then there are the big players in the tourism industry who are still  trying to get a sense of the direction a new government's policy might  take. A good start would be to stop lumping the tourism ministry in with  sport. Their biggest fear is another destabilising outbreak of national  unrest that could wreak havoc on the hospitality sector. This  uncertainty and fear of political turmoil is a concern shared by local  and foreign investors and business leaders alike, as it frustrates  forward planning. School leavers and graduates are also hoping that  stability will follow this election. They are tired of empty pockets and  fruitless job searches and many will be voting for the first time.

 Just as in the poll of December 2007, when the now defunct People  Power Party triumphed, the party winning this election with the most  seats in the absence of an outright majority, must get the first chance  at putting together a government. But this is easier said than done. The  Pheu Thai Party, if it gains the most seats and needs to form a  coalition, will almost certainly encounter challenges from potential  partners unless it rethinks its controversial amnesty proposal. Surely  no one wants a repeat of 2008, when government became obsessed with a  single issue to the exclusion of all else.

 Let us hope for a high turnout on July 3 and a result that expresses the true will of the people.

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## Mid

> Let us hope for a high turnout on July 3 and a result that expresses the true will of the people.


Hear Hear .

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## SteveCM

^^



> Fears of a renewed outbreak of unrest in the wake of the July 3 elections persist despite assurances that the army is putting troops on standby to deter any trouble.


Not unusual these days for Bkk Post to avoid identifying any contradiction between their editorial's opening line and


> If needed, there are proper avenues for legitimate complaints. The Election Commission exists to deal with poll violations, the courts to rule on constitutional and other legalities and the police to keep order.


Still. at least they didn't get quite so ridiculous as to suggest that the army putting troops on standby is a "_re_assurance".....





> Let us hope for a high turnout on July 3 and a result that expresses the true will of the people.


Too much to hope that they would add _"- and which will be allowed to stand"_.

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world.....

*
Suthichai Yoon's personal journal: Why hasn't anybody called Banharn?*

Saturday, June 25, 2011



Banharn  Silpa-archa, the de facto owner of Chat Thai Pattana Party, is waiting  anxiously for phone calls from Suthep Thuagsuban, the Democrat Party's  secretary general -- and probably from Thaksin Shinawatra from Dubai.

But so far, the two have kept strangely quiet.

Banharn's party could prove to be crucial in the formation of the next government after next Sunday' election. 

Even  if Pheu Thai wins about 250 seats, slightly over the simple majority,  it will still have to embrace one of the middle-sized parties, to form  the coalition.

As Banharn said on television last evening: "The  next government needs about 300 seats in the House to be stable. Cabinet  members can't vote in the House. So, 250 seats won't be enough," he  said.

Of course, Banharn is hoping his party could join either  Pheu Thai or the Democrat party to form the next government. There is  little doubt that he adheres strictly to the dictum that you don't have  permanent friends or enemies in politics.

Asked whether Thaksin has called him, Banharn said: "No, in fact we haven't talked for two years or so now..."

What about Suthep? "No, he hasn't called either. If he doesn't, I will call him in the next few days."

Banharn said his party would get "at least 30 seats" in the election.

With  Pheu Thai having declared that it won't consider Newin Chidchob's  Bhumjaithai Party as a coalition partner no matter what, Banharn emerges  as the most important "third party" to enable either Pheu Thai or the  Democrats to win the battle to set up the next government.

But he  is feeling lonely. I have no doubt that after he sent out that message  in his television show last evening, Banharn's phone would be buzzing  over the weekend.

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## Butterfly

> have yet to meet a Thai who comes even close in the stupidity and ignorance stakes to many of the farangs living in this country.


it's not nice to speak about yourself in those terms,

----------


## trisailer

The powers that be, the "invisible ones" have a obvious, established pattern of denying the peoples vote by manipulating the process to keep them disenfranchised. This has happened over and over and over using the military to keep Thailand from achieving a democrocy. I think that these "invisible powers" have to take responsability for the current devide because they seem determined to prevent a true democrocy. The pressure is growing. I doubt that people will settle for scraps much longer. If I were a betting man I would put money on the PAD finding a reason to nulify the election. It is obvious to me that they will go to any lengths to prevent the PTP from forming a government including killing their own people and blaming it on the PTP and using it as a excuse to deny them the chance to form a government.
Thaksin is a prick, there is no doubt about it, but he knows this system and how to get things done. The very fact that the PAD has been unable to shut him up is proof that he can play ball with these people.

----------


## DroversDog

> Originally Posted by DrB0b
> 
> have yet to meet a Thai who comes even close in the stupidity and ignorance stakes to many of the farangs living in this country.
> 
> 
> it's not nice to speak about yourself in those terms,


He was talking about you BF.

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## Thormaturge

So here is the dear Yingluck Shinawatra, our next Prime Minister in her seductive election pose



Presumably the idea is that men will think that by voting for her they might get screwed.

...and they will, when her brother returns.

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> 
> IMO opinion many expats like the Dems due to  memories of Chuan, who would have to be the cleanest Thai PM ever.  Thais didn't have much respect for this and his humble nature, instead they prefer arrogant, aggressive leaders like Samak and Thaksin.
> 
> The Dems these days are a joke, a high school marketing student could have come up with a better campaign.
> 
> They were just as useless during the 
> Thaksin years. A credible opposition is vital for democracy, something those cheering for a PT landslide don't seem concerned about.
> ...


Cleanest PM ever is what I wrote, care to name a cleaner one?

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## Mid

^

Subjective to the max  :mid: 

Chuan Leekpai - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

----------


## Gerbil

^ From your link:

_"Although generally regarded as relatively clean and honest when compared to other Thai administrations"
_

I believe that is the point that was being made and it's difficult to argue with.

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by DroversDog
> 
> Chuan being clean is a joke right?
> 
> 
> Not a joke, just pure and absolute ignorance. A pure and absolute ignorance typical of so many on this forum. For all the frustrations I've suffered while dealing with Thais I have yet to meet a Thai who comes even close in the stupidity and ignorance stakes to many of the farangs living in this country.


This forum, and the farang community as a whole, is indeed lucky to be graced with presence of the truly elite and highly intelectual, Dr.Bob.

The map he posted of Ratchaprasong Shopping District will long be remembered as a feat of googling genius. 

The man is a legend.

----------


## Mid

> ^ From your link:
> 
> _"Although generally regarded as relatively clean and honest when compared to other Thai administrations"
> _
> 
> I believe that is the point that was being made and it's difficult to argue with.


another master at subjectivity ..........

here is the reality of what was written :




> the cleanest Thai PM ever.


and here is a rebuttal :

Seni Pramoj - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255406250009

Korbsak slams Pheu Thai for denying having amnesty policy *  

BANGKOK, 25 June 2011  (NNT) – Chairperson of the Democrat Party’s election strategies  committee Korbsak Sabhavasu has criticized the Pheu Thai Party’s claim  that it does not have a policy to grant amnesty for ex-premier Thaksin  Shinawatra. 

In response to the Democrat Party’s major political speech at  Ratchaprasong Intersection, the Pheu Thai Party claimed that it had been  falsely accused of planning to seek pardon for Mr Thaksin. However, Mr  Korbsak lambasted the party for saying so after it had been advertising  the amnesty policy since the beginning of its election campaign. He  cited as proof the party’s slogan ‘Thaksin Thinks, Pheu Thai Does’ as  well as an interview by its prime ministerial candidate Yingluck  Shinawatra saying Police Captain Chalerm Yubamrung would be appointed to  oversee the amnesty process. 

If Pheu Thai received the majority votes in this election, Mr Korbsak  pointed out that it was clear the party would do everything to free Mr  Thaksin from all fraud allegations and would propose a special budget  bill to Parliament in order to pay 46 billion THB back to the  ex-premier. He thus will make sure that people coming out to vote on 26  June and 3 July are well informed of this fact.

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## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : 35,000 police for advance election
*
*35,000 police for advance election*
Published: 25/06/2011 at 03:08 PMOnline news: PoliticsA total of 35,000 policemen will be deployed at  557 poll stations nationwide to ensure law and order during the advance  election on Sunday, June 26, Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen, advisor to  the Royal Thai Police, said on Saturday.

 Nearly three million voters had registered for advance voting rights,  he said, adding that police will be on duty at the poll stations from  5am on Sunday.

 Pol Gen Pongsapat called on the eligible voters who had registered  for advance voting rights to turnout to exercise rights tomorrow.

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## lom

> another master at subjectivity ..........


and you are another master at nitpicking.
Can you name one PM that has been more clean than Chuan Leekpai?
If not, then he is bound to be the cleanest..

----------


## Buksida

> ^ From your link:
> 
> _"Although generally regarded as relatively clean and honest when compared to other Thai administrations"
> _
> 
> I believe that is the point that was being made and it's difficult to argue with.


Take it easy on them , they seem to have trouble reading....and counting past one.

----------


## Mid

> Originally Posted by Mid
> 
> another master at subjectivity ..........
> 
> 
> and you are another master at nitpicking.
> Can you name one PM that has been more clean than Chuan Leekpai?
> If not, then he is bound to be the cleanest..


already have.

read the entire post you quoted from .   ::chitown::

----------


## Buksida

> ^ From your link:
> 
> _"Although generally regarded as relatively clean and honest when compared to other Thai administrations"
> _
> 
> I believe that is the point that was being made and it's difficult to argue with.


Take it easy on them , they seem to have trouble reading....and counting past one.

----------


## lom

> Originally Posted by lom
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Mid
> ...


Well, if you want to include those who only served short time(s) then I'll trump you with *Tawee Bunyaket.  *  :mid: 
He served for 17 days only, a time too short for looting from the coffers..

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Gerbil
> 
> 
> ^ From your link:
> 
> _"Although generally regarded as relatively clean and honest when compared to other Thai administrations"
> _
> 
> I believe that is the point that was being made and it's difficult to argue with.
> ...


So do you believe the cleanest ever Thai PM was an unelected aristocrat who clashed with populist politicians from the NE?

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## Butterfly

mid owned again  :rofl:

----------


## Bettyboo

^ you muppets stick together, then claim you 'own people'; it's pathetic... I know you like a paid ladyboy gangbang, Papillion, that fool who likes to quote other people's words as his own and Gerbil (one of the most politically naive/stupid on the forum) would no doubt join you, along with Socal and DJ Pat, but poor old Mid isn't into that kind of thing... 

Papillion, the only time a saddo like you gets to 'own' someone is for an hour or so after you've paid your latest soi 4 ladyboy...

----------


## Buksida

> ^ you muppets stick together, then claim you 'own people'; it's pathetic... I know you like a paid ladyboy gangbang, Papillion, that fool who likes to quote other people's words as his own and Gerbil (one of the most politically naive/stupid on the forum) would no doubt join you, along with Socal and DJ Pat, but poor old Mid isn't into that kind of thing... 
> 
> Papillion, the only time a saddo like you gets to 'own' someone is for an hour or so after you've paid your latest soi 4 ladyboy...


If you want to discuss paid saddo gangbangs with ladyboys, pls start another thread.

This one's about the election.

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Mid
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by lom
> ...


Does that put Chuan at no.3 or should we wait for Dr.Blob to name a PM who resigned before taking office?

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## Gerbil

> Does that put Chuan at no.3 or should we wait for Dr.Blob to name a PM who resigned before taking office?


 :rofl:

----------


## sabang

Wot about Prem?

Anyway, the thing with Dem PM's is they are basically frontmen.

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## Buksida

> Wot about Prem?


Wot about him? Are you nominating him for the cleanest PM award?

----------


## lom

> Does that put Chuan at no.3 or should we wait for Dr.Blob to name a PM who resigned before taking office?


Let's wait for BettyBoo to consult his professor friends, he don't have any own opinion in the weekends while away from work.

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## StrontiumDog

*http://english.aljazeera.net/program...953604249.html

Thaksin Shinawatra                                                                                          * 

*The former Thai PM speaks to Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay about his self-imposed exile and the future of his country.*

                                                Talk to Al Jazeera                            Last Modified: 25 Jun 2011 13:44                                              

 *
Thaksin Shinawatra lives in self-imposed exile in Dubai [GALLO/GETTY]* 

Thailand's only prime minister to complete a full term and serve a second one is a devisive figure in his home land. 

 Thaksin Shinawatra was popular in the north of his country for his  healthcare programmes and farm assistance initiatives, but in 2006,  scrutiny over his financial dealings lead to his ousting in a military  coup.

 The former leader returned to Thailand but fled again in 2008 to  avoid a two year jail term for corruption. He now lives in self-imposed  exile in Dubai.

 Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay caught up with him at his home in the Gulf  emirate to discuss his future role in politics, elections in Thailand  and whether he can admit any fault on his part leading up to the coup. 

 "I can say sorry, nobody's perfect, when you rule the country for six  years you might say something that is not satisfactory to different  sectors, but what democracy is all about is the majority. Every time we  have elections, we have more and more majority and the last election we  won with 377 majority, before being ousted by coup d'etat. That's 77 per  cent of members of parliament," says Thaksin.   

*This episode of Talk to Jazeera can be seen from Saturday, June 26, at the following times GMT: Saturday:* 0430;* Sunday:* 0830 and 1930;* Monday:* 1430.

(_not on YouTube yet, obviously, but they are usually posted there after being aired_)

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Stage set for advance voting
*
*Stage set for advance voting*

                            By The Nation on Sunday
                                             Published on June 26, 2011                


*More than 2.6 million are registered to cast their  ballots today; Democrats seek clarification from Yingluck on Pheu Thai's  proposed amnesty policy*

                                                            Over 2.6 million Thais are today set to cast their  votes in advance ahead of the July 3 election, representing more than 5  per cent of the total eligible voters.

Their returns will not be counted until July 3, when all returns are collected by the Election Commission.

Out  of the country's 47 million eligible voters, about 2.6 million have  registered to exercise their right in advance as they will not be in  their constituencies on election day.

Another 210,000 Thais also  have registered for advance voting in their constituency. But if they do  not exercise their right today these people can still cast their votes  on July 3 at their respective constituencies.

Public disclosure of  opinion polls will be banned one week ahead of the July 3 election, but  pollsters can still do their work. Advance voting will run from  8am-3pm. Election Commission member Wisut Potitaen said the EC is all  set for today's voting.

From 6pm yesterday until midnight today, sales of alcoholic drinks are prohibited. 

"This  is a general election held nationwide. So I'd like to remind all people  not to violate the laws. Some people think this is a petty issue, but  it's not. Gambling has more penalties than selling alcohol," Wisut said.
The penalty for alcohol sales include six-month jail terms.

Another  EC member, Prapun Naigowit, said the ballot boxes have been distributed  and kept in a space visible for the public at district offices in  Bangkok, and at provincial police stations with 24-hour monitoring by  closed-circuit video cameras.

Three sets of three officers are  assigned to guard the boxes daily. Meanwhile, each political party can  submit an official letter to inform the EC and send one representatives  to each ballot unit. Prapun said he was worried about the traffic in the  Bang Kapi area as 104,000 people registered to cast votes there today.  He said election campaigns around the voting units today are also  prohibited.

Colonel Santhirat Mahanthana-chart, Nakhon Ratchasima  Election Commission chairman, said almost 24,000 voters had registered  for absentee voting in the province and they would have to cast ballots  at the City Hall. Meanwhile about 7,000 local voters registered for  advance voting, which would mostly take place at district offices.

Santhirat  denied reports of some groups of people illegally recruiting voters to  cast votes as the officers are very strict according to the law. They  will also check voter's identification cards carefully. However, many of  the voters are military privates recruited in May. They are from the  province's constituency 1 and 2. The Suranaree Camp had asked for the  EC's permission to provide transport for them with military vehicles, he  said.

Chiang Mai election director Suchart Jaipakdee said 43,826  voters have registered for absentee voting in Chiang Mai while 6,964  local voters registered for advance voting. At least 30,000 voters are  expected to cast their vote. However, bad weather might cause a drop in  today's turnout. 

Meteorological Department officials earlier  issued warning of heavy rains and flash floods in many provinces in the  North and the Northeast as storm Haima reaches Thailand.

Si Sa Ket  Election Commission chairman Chamroen Tippongthada said over 8,000  voters had registered to cast absentee votes in Si Sa Ket and 2,600  local voters had registered for advance voting. He believed all those  who had registered would come to vote today. Meanwhile, he expected the  turnout on July 3 at 80 per cent. 

Democrat Party election  campaign manager Korbsak Sabhavasu yesterday rebutted Pheu Thai's claim  that it has no amnesty policy for former prime minister Thaksin  Shinawatra and asked Pheu Thai's prime minister candidate Yingluck  Shinawatra to clarify the party's policies.

Besides the press  conference, Korbsak also wrote on Twitter, "This morning I will ask  Yingluck to clarify to people about amnesty policy whether she would  work on it if she becomes the prime minister."

The Pheu Thai Party  on Friday issued a statement denying it had plans to grant amnesty for  ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra or to return him Bt46 billion  in seized assets. The party said the Democrats had brought up false  allegations designed to smear. 

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva  yesterday released another article on Facebook pointing out it is Pheu  Thai's policy to work on amnesty for Thaksin and return Bt46 billion to  him.

Thaksin yesterday phoned in to an event to establish another  "Red Shirt Village" in the Kumphawapi district of Udon Thani. He said  red-shirt villages are free from vote-buying. They are formed only for  the sake of democracy with no violence involved.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Majority of voters won't sell votes: Poll
*
*Majority of voters won't sell votes: Poll*

                            By The Nation on Sunday
                                             Published on June 26, 2011                

*A recent survey by the National Institute of  Development Administration (NIDA) revealed yesterday that two thirds of  voters (66 per cent) insist they won't sell their votes in this  election.*

                                                            The survey, which interviewed 1,289 people nationwide  on June 24-25, also found that a quarter (26 per cent) said they would  take money but not cast ballots for the candidates. About 4 per cent  said they would take the money and also choose the candidates either  because they liked the candidates or they were afraid of threats.

Since  the House Dissolution until this last period of election campaigning,  19 per cent of respondents said they had been approached or had heard  about vote-buying.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Relatives of victims say no amnesty
*
*Relatives of victims say no amnesty*

                            By Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Nation on Sunday
                                             Published on June 26, 2011                


*Call on next government to investigate last year's violence*

                                                            A group of relatives of those killed or injured by the  military suppression of red-shirt protesters in April and May of last  year issued a statement yesterday calling for the next government to set  up a truly impartial and accountable fact-finding committee to  determine who were behind the deaths of 92 people in Bangkok. 

The group, calling itself "Relatives of April-May 2010 Martyrs",  said at a press conference at Thammasat University that they wanted  people responsible for the deaths and injuries to be identified and  brought to justice. 

It stated that next government must not "issue any amnesty" to those who committed "crimes against the Thai people". 

Their third and last demand was for better compensation and care  to those affected or left behind as well as justice for those still  "unfairly detained," said Banjerd Fungklinchan, who lost his son, and  spoke on behalf of the group. 

The group also condemned the government-appointed Truth for  Reconciliation Commission (TRC), whose chairman, Kanit na Nakorn, was  hand-picked by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva for allegedly being a  tool to "buy time and give political legitimacy" to the government,  while not having any direct participation from the people. 

In a symposium organised by the People's Centre for Fact and  Justice that followed, six relatives of those affected by the event  spoke, with some criticising Abhisit's alleged exploitation of the issue  during the political campaign at CentralWorld on Thursday during which  Abhisit and deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban, stated regret about the  incidents last year. 

"Why are you pretending to be shedding your tears now while  campaigning for election? What good will it do?" asked Tanyakamol  Kamnoi, who lost her younger brother, Kriangkrai Kamnoi, on April 10.  She vowed to pursue the case even if it takes "10 or 100 years" to find  out who killed her brother. 

Varanit Asawasirimankong, whose husband became paralysed after  three bullets were fired into his back while going out to eat, said that  aside from the failure to find the culprit so far, she and her family  have had to struggle hard to make both ends meet with little help.  

"I wish I could forget it. My husband is 50 something. I don't know who did it but I have regrets and often cry," she said.  

Others like Suwan Puttajak, whose wife was shot and maimed after  being shot near Bangkok's Bon Kai area, said his wife sometimes says, "I  would rather die" as things had become very difficult economically.  

Dorkchan Thanuthong, a farmer from Ubon Ratchathani province  whose husband has been charged with alleged arson at the provincial city  hall and violating the emergency decree said she really had no clue  when her husband would be released on bail.  

"I don't know how many more years I'll have to wait," she said,  adding that the maximum penalty that her husband faced was a death  sentence.  

All the relatives of those affected and spoke said they had never received any letter of condolences from the prime minister.  

Nation TV reporter Noppatjak Attanon earlier wrote a recent  article on prachatai.com online news-site saying that when he wanted to  interview the PM and asked why did the PM not apologise he was prevented  from doing so and was told by the PM's media team that for the PM to  apologise would be tantamount to admitting that it was Abhisit's fault.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Heavy police presence for advance voting by 2.6 million today
*
*Heavy police presence for advance voting by 2.6 million today*

                            By The Nation on Sunday
                                             Published on June 26, 2011                


*A total of 35,000 policemen will be deployed at 557  poll stations nationwide for advance voting today, national police  adviser Pol General Pongsapat Pongcharoen said yesterday.*

                                                            More than 2.6 million people have registered for  advance voting at 154 off-constituency polling stations and 403  on-constituency poll stations, according to Pongsapat, chief of the  centre in charge of security in the run-up to the July 3 election.

Police will be at the polling stations to ensure law and order from 5am on. 

He  also said advance poll boxes would be tightly guarded so that it would  not be possible to change a box or add ballots to benefit anyone. 

Pongsapat  also reported that a police team led by Pol Lt-General Assawin  Kwanmuang had arrested one suspect in the attempt killing of Pheu Thai  MP candidate for Samut Prakan Pracha Prasopdee. The investigation has  been extended to link with the June 16 murder of Suban Jiraphanwanich,  the chief of the Lop Buri Provincial Administrative Organisation. He  said there would be good news about the progress of the probe soon.

National  police chief General Wichean Potephosree, who presided over a video  conference from Nakhon Ratchasima, urged police to be neutral in the  election and to crack down on crime, influential figures, professional  killers and war weapons before and after the elections. 

After the  meeting he told reporters that the next week was the last curve in the  road before the election, so police were beefing up security and  updating the situation on a daily basis. He said police and election  officials must remain neutral and that three officers - one from the  Metropolitan Police and one each from Regions 4 and 5 who failed to be  neutral - faced disciplinary punishment. 

While inspecting a  polling station in front of the Nakhon Ratchasima City Hall, Wichien  said he expected 100 per cent of the people registered for advance  voting would turn up nationwide. He also commented that the red-shirt  people's poll watch was a good idea to ensure the election would be  transparent and just, and urged them to follow the law and not to  violate others' rights.

Maj-General Akara Thiprote, deputy chief  of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, said that about  20,000 people would cast ballots in advance at the three southernmost  provinces and Songkhla's four districts. Some 11,000 officers would  provide security for the polling today. As it was the day for people to  exercise their right to vote, he said there should be no violent  incidents, from politics or from the southern insurgency. 

In  related news, police presented a 32-year-old suspect linked to a recent  political killing at a press conference yesterday evening, along with a  pistol, 30 rounds of ammunition, Bt41,377 in cash, three cell phones and  a Honda Wave motorcycle and a Chevrolet car as evidence.

Ekkachai  Pompadet is accused of assisting the murder of Lop Buri official Suban  Jiraphanwanich. They said Ekkachai used the motorcycle as a getaway  vehicle for the hitman, whom police identified as Sirapong Artdech. 

Ekkachai  was arrested at a hotel in Nonthaburi on Friday evening, after police  found he was among a "hit team" captured by security cameras. He is  alleged to have confessed that the payment for killing Suban was over  Bt1 million and the team got the job through Akkharawat Petchchandra.  They were also involved in the shooting of Pracha Prasopdee. Ekkachai  confessed to watching the area while the hitman shot Pracha. Police will  take him to re-enact the Suban killing near Khao San Road this morning.

----------


## Mid

> So do you believe the cleanest ever Thai PM was an unelected aristocrat who clashed with populist politicians from the NE?


_Buksida_ you are a clown , nowhere did I say that ,  they are your words , fool .

I simply rebutted your claim that Chuan was the cleanest ever .

Rebutted successfully , so crawl back under your rock , you like most of your ilk have nothing.

----------


## Butterfly

> self-imposed exile


is that the new PC word for "fugitive" ?  :Smile: 




> revealed yesterday that two thirds of voters (66 per cent) insist they won't sell their votes in this election.


thank god for that, still 1/3 available for sale, just enough to make the results swing

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## Butterfly

> Rebutted successfully


 :rofl: 

mid, get a brain will you ? maybe Drb could spare some, he got too much of it  :Smile:

----------


## Butterfly

> you muppets stick together, then claim you 'own people'; it's pathetic... I know you like a paid ladyboy gangbang, Papillion, that fool who likes to quote other people's words as his own and Gerbil (one of the most politically naive/stupid on the forum) would no doubt join you, along with Socal and DJ Pat, but poor old Mid isn't into that kind of thing...


3 2 1 Meltdown  :rofl:

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> So do you believe the cleanest ever Thai PM was an unelected aristocrat who clashed with populist politicians from the NE?
> 
> 
> _Buksida_ you are a clown , nowhere did I say that ,  they are your words , fool .
> 
> I simply rebutted your claim that Chuan was the cleanest ever .
> 
> Rebutted successfully , so crawl back under your rock , you like most of your ilk have nothing.


Mid, see that thing at the end of my comment???? It's called a question mark, I was asking, not quoting.

The link for your rebuttal was to an unelected blue blood PM who populist politicians called elitist and out of touch.  

But if your too embarrassed to answer, that's OK.

----------


## Mid

yes it's a question mark ,

you use the technique of disguising statements with question marks same as Thai Home and Daffy Duck .

----------


## Buksida

> yes it's a question mark ,
> 
> you use the technique of disguising statements with question marks same as Thai Home and Daffy Duck .


There's no disguise, considering the info in the link and your feelings towards unelected blue blood elitist PMs, the question is relevant.

Go on Mid, be a brave boy, give us an answer.

----------


## mc2

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> revealed yesterday that two thirds of voters (66 per cent) insist they won't sell their votes in this election.
> 
> 
> thank god for that, still 1/3 available for sale, just enough to make the results swing



LOL your political naivety is breathtaking...

Keep hoping for that "swing", buddy  :rofl:

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## Buksida

double post

----------


## Butterfly

^^ you misread me, as usual

without the 1/3 for sale vote of Isaan peasants, it's very likely that PT wouldn't win, as they wouldn't bother to vote and that would actually favor the Democrats

----------


## SteveCM

*Thailands Luck-y charm*

Sunday June 26, 2011

By PHILIP GOLINGAI 
pgolingai[at]thestar.com.my


*Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva  may have been the poster boy of political freshness' in the 2007 polls  but this time around, it is Yingluck Shinawatra, youngest sister of his  fugitive predecessor Thaksin who is stealing the thunder with her  natural charm.*

 IN the streets of Bangkok, on her campaign posters, Yingluck Shinawatra is dressed in a white shirt and black jacket.

 The  collar of the shirt worn by Thaksin's youngest sister and the  opposition Pheu Thai No. 1 party-list candidate is in the words of Chris  Baker, a Thai politics expert, plain and the lapel of the jacket is  unnotched.

 The outfit is more that of a lawyer than a  businesswoman. The makeup is unobtrusive. She has no insignia and  virtually no jewellery. There is a trace of an earring on her left ear  but it is scarcely visible,' wrote Baker in New Mandala, an online site  devoted to the politics and societies of Thailand and Burma.

 The message of the costuming is simplicity and seriousness.

 Baker, who has authored several books on Thailand including _Thaksin: The Business of Politics in Thailand_, opined that Yingluck's image has been sex-down rather than the opposite.

 Yingluck's  poster, according to Baker, was a reminder that Thaksin has always  understood the importance of communication and especially of visual  communication.

 In all major opinion polls, Yingluck's Pheu Thai  is leading against the ruling party Democrat led by Thai Prime Minister  Abhisit Vejjajiva, the poster boy of political freshness in the 2007  polls.

 This year, the fresh face of Thai politics is 44-year-old  Yingluck. The businesswoman has never run for political office. But  since she was revealed as Pheu Thai's prime minister candidate last  month, she has replaced 47-year-old Abhisit as the national darling.

 To  get an understanding on how a political rookie like Yingluck could rise  to rock star status in a short period, I spoke to Suranand Vejjajiva,  who served in the Thaksin cabinet. I was also curious to know whether  her success was due to political marketing.

 The two factors that  you have to consider with Yingluck are the candidate herself and the  political machinery behind her, explained Suranand, who is now a  political analyst and the first cousin of Abhisit.

 There is no  question about (the effectiveness) of the Pheu Thai machinery. It is the  same machinery which Thaksin built 10 years ago we were there building  it. It is a machinery which has won the past three elections two under  Thai Rak Thai (TRT) and one under People Power Party (PPP), he said.

 (After  the 2006 coup which ousted Thaksin, TRT was dissolved and 111 party  leaders including Thaksin and Suranand were banned from politics for  five years by the constitutional court. TRT was re-incarnated as PPP,  which was dissolved in 2009 by the constitutional court. The Thaksinites  politicians regrouped under Pheu Thai party.)

 Suranand points out that the effectiveness of the Pheu Thai political machinery was evident in the party's campaign posters.

 If you walk on the street and you don't have any biasness, you will see that the Pheu Thai posters stand out, he explained.

 The message of TRT/PPP/Pheu Thai, according to the political analyst, has always been about hope and opportunity.

 Thaksin  has always been keen to convey the message that if you vote for his  party, you will have economic opportunity, he said.

 The party's  machinery was also effective in mobilising the masses to its rallies.  Pheu Thai's rallies have more people than other parties, observed the  political analyst.

 But having a well-oiled political machinery backing Yingluck would not have been enough if she was not a natural campaigner.

 She has got her brother's charm. She is a natural. She can blend with the common people, he explained.

 This  is evident from the photographs of Yingluck in her campaign trail. Take  the example of a Reuters photograph of her in Yala, Thailand's restive  deep south. Wearing a red scarf (of course red as Pheu Thai and the Red  shirts are the same) she looks so gorgeous and natural as her head leans  on a tudung-clad Muslim woman who was taking their picture on her  mobile phone.

 She can do whatever a politician can do and . . . she looks better, said Suranand.

 Being  good looking helps but it does not mean you are a natural campaigner.  There are many movie stars who ran unsuccessfully for public office in  Thailand.

 You have to give credit to Yingluck as she is able to  reach out and touch the voters. The two combinations Pheu Thai's  machinery and Yingluck's charm seem to work and that is why her polls  are skyrocketing, he said.

 Suranand shook his head when asked how the political newbie became a natural campaigner.

 I  don't think Yingluck is trained to be that way. She is one of those  people who are like Bill Clinton. Clinton can meet anyone and make him  feel comfortable. Yingluck has that same quality, he explained.

 I've  worked with Thaksin before and he has that quality too. But for his  other brothers and sisters, they don't have that. They (Thaksin's other  siblings) have good personal relationships but not the charisma to draw  the crowd.

I asked Suranand about his personal impression of Yingluck.

 I  might be a little biased as I know Thaksin very well. I've met Yingluck  from time to time, even after the coup. She is always a nice lady  courteous, talks well, lively and very smart, he said.

 Is there a political script that Yingluck is following?

 They  (her campaign managers) have analysed that the people are bored with  the usual bickering in Thai politics. She is careful not to antagonise  anyone or engage in mudslinging, Suranand said.

 If she starts  attacking the Democrats (who are good at counter-attack), it will make  the frontpages and she will just be a normal politician. So they (her  campaign managers) are trying to keep her away from all this bickering  so that she can talk about the future (reconciliation in  politically-divided Thailand) without being caught in a shouting match  with the Democrats.

 The other advantage Yingluck has over Abhisit is freshness.

 I  have a feeling that the people want change and they want to work with a  new face rather than stay with a group of old politicians, Suranand  said.

 It is a short campaign (about six weeks) and if she was  running in an American-style one-year presidential elections, it might  be tough for her.
 Yingluck also benefits from good press relationship.

 Business  reporters who covered her as a businesswoman liked her very much and  that helps in terms of word of mouth, said Suranand.

 When political reporters asked about her, the business reporters told them that she is a nice lady and she is down to earth.

 The  cable TV and radio talk show host added: I have not heard anything bad  about her from the media covering the campaign trail. I am told she is  always nice.

 Going back to the Pheu Thai campaign message, Suranand said the party wanted to reinforce the Thaksin brand.

 Thais  whether they hate or love Thaksin acknowledge that he is a capable and  competent manager and he has been very successful in managing the  country. And they (Pheu Thai think tank) have done their surveys and  found that Thaksin is still very popular. So they have come up with a  campaign slogan Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai implements', he said.

 And  when Yingluck (was picked to be Pheu Thai's No. 1 candidate), the  message of the slogan become stronger as Yingluck is Thaksin definitely.  If you picked another Pheu Thai leader (to be the party's prime  minister candidate), he would not have been the real thing.

 Comparing  Abhisit and Yingluck to a mobile phone, Suranand said Abhisit was the  first generation of BlackBerry phones whereas Yingluck was the new  version of the smartphone.

----------


## mc2

with about 1 week to go im predicting 170 dems and 240 PT,

... and if they keep their promises, with Abhisit and Suthep walking away, hopefully to another country.

----------


## Calgary

*Riceroots stuff*


Well, today is advanced polling day, and UDD Monitors are in their places with bright shiny faces.

Actually, they were already at 7:00 AM, just to make sure that first ballot at the 8:00 AM opening lands in an empty ballot box.

At 7:00 AM, the polling station was already swarming with fancy uniformed Government Officials.guess whose constituency they are.

The UDD Monitors are identified as such. Visibility in itself can be a deterrent.

PT Party Monitors will be there as well. But how diligent will they be? They are paid to be there in all likelihood so that may be their primary motivation. A nice social day out and paid.why not.

What will the UDD Monitors be especially vigilant about? Let me count the ways:
The diversion  Take the UDD Monitors eyeballs off the ballot box. Create a situation, ie. A fist fight, suddenly long lost friend greeting and waiing (sp?) all over the place, a sudden feigned heart attack.anything to divert everyones attention except one or twothey have other intentions.Number of voters vs. ballots - Monitors will be counting voters to make sure the number of ballots match the number of voters when counted on July 3rd.But..will the same ballots be counted then were placed in the box?Security of the Ballot box for an extended period of time - There is a whole week until the counting of advanced voting and this situation is subject to the greatest degree of manipulation. Ballots can be substituted. There will be an effort made to schedule a team to maintain eyeballs on the box 24 hours-a-day for the next week. But this will be difficult. This situation is the biggest problem almost defying a solution.Motivated cheaters - In this area, there is one non-PT party candidate who comes from an extremely wealthy, well-connected family. Those connections are highly placed and they want to win this election very badly. Some may be officialdom and will they have official access to the ballot box? Some may be in charge of it during the next week.Multiple votes - A major concern is one voter-multiple votes. It was not an accident that approx. 3 million extra ballots were printed beyond the population of Thailand. Much can be done manipulating ID stuff, enabling one voter to come back and vote againespecially if those who issue the ballots have been bought.Voter compensation - Some voters could walk outside with their ballots, show who they marked off on it, and receive compensation, and similar manipulations.*Early impressions (9:30 AM)*

A lot of voters at Advanced Poll so far. Long line-upsMany policemen voting. Perhaps because they will be busy on July 3rd. Most will probably be watermelon police.No other monitors in sight at the polling stations other than UDD. None from political parties including PT Party, and none from that phoney-baloney ELFN organization discussed previously on this Board.On special request by the UDD Monitor, officials tipped the box upside down to demonstrate there were no ballots in the box prior to the first vote.Watch for *Riceroots stuff* at end of day if you are interested. Will discuss wot happened  what situations and/or resistance did the monitors encounter if there are any worthy of note.

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## trisailer

I think this election is different. There appears to be many more people who had little interest in politics in the past (and thus more likely to sell their vote) becoming interested and trying to learn something. Kennedy got elected thanks to the US mafia handing out bags of cash and twisting arms, but I doubt that could happen today in the US. I doubt that vote buying/selling is going to be as big an issue this election. The country is falling further behind and it's failures are being put on the backs of the poor. 
I've been reading the Thai cables over the past few days and it is clear that there are powerful forces at work to deny the democratic process. 
In the end those forces are not going to allow the people to chose, they will find a way to restore their grip on control. 
The underclass of Thailand could have been brought along and molded to support sustainable progress, but the real powers are afraid of the people and will do anything to keep them shut out. We'll see how that plays out.
This election has absolutely nothing to do with Thaksin or Abhisit and everything to do with who will have the "real power" in Thailand.
I have to say that it is an amazing process to observe. I imagine it is exactly like the process that occurred in most of the countries in the west when making the transition from autocracy to democracy and we are getting a front row seat.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Vote-buying up in race to finish
*
*Vote-buying up in race to finish*
Published: 26/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Vote-buying is expected to rise as the push for victory in the July 3 general election enters its last week.

 
_PULLED TO THE POLLS: Pantomime performers put on a show at Chatuchak  district office yesterday to encourage people to vote in the July 3  general election._

 Voters get an early say on who will form the next government today,  when up to 2.6 million voters exercise their right to cast an advance  vote.

 Some may have been offered money for their votes, as a poll released  yesterday found that 18.7% of respondents had been exposed to electoral  fraud.

  Vote-buying has traditionally been particularly rampant the night before election day.

 In the past, canvassers have been seen carrying bags filled with  banknotes to offer to villagers to vote for their parties or candidates.

 Vote-buying is now carried out in a more subtle matter, such as  mobilising voters at a campaign rally, said an expert in political party  crowd management.

 "The more people are gathered to meet candidates, the more money will be spent," he said.

 Farm trucks and buses are used to take voters to campaign rallies.  The drivers of these vehicles are paid 1,000-2,000 baht each for "fuel  costs". Another sum of money will also be paid to voters, ostensibly for  food.

 Recently, voters in the three southern border provinces of Yala,  Pattani and Narathiwat said they were paid 100 baht each to attend  election rallies.

 Canvassers said they had to pay to convince the villagers to go because villagers feared militant attacks.

 Community sources said canvassers, mostly community leaders such as  village heads, gathered the names and ID card numbers of voters in their  areas to calculate how much money their party would have to spend.

 The canvassers would then give the money to voters a few days ahead of the election.

 Between 4,000 and 6,000 baht would be paid to the families of four to eight members, the source said.

 In some provinces, candidates will exert their influence on village  heads and local authorities to ensure residents vote "in the same  direction".

 After the election, these community leaders and villagers will receive "collective rewards" in return, community sources said.

 The sources also said in some areas in the lower Northeast, money to  buy votes are offered in the form of payments of dividends to members of  cooperatives _ between 1,000 and 2,000 baht each.

 Candidates will also make "donations" through canvassers to temples in their constituencies, the sources said.

 The election office in Buri Ram reported that many people have been  applying for ID cards ahead of the election. Some residents have  complained of strange names appearing in their household registration  papers, the election office said. The sources also said gamblers in many  provinces have begun to bet on the election results.

 Betting on elections is illegal and considered an act which could  influence voter opinion. Some bookmakers will pay up to 2,000 baht to  gamblers who pick a winning candidate.

 Pongsapat Pongcharoen, adviser to the Royal Thai Police Office, which  supervises election security, said about 35,000 security officers will  be deployed at 557 polling stations nationwide during today's advance  voting.

 Of the 557 polling stations, 154 will open ballots for people who  have registered to vote in advance outside their constituencies at  polling stations, while 403 will serve advance voters inside their  constituencies.

 Citing EC figures, Pol Maj Gen Pongsapat said a total of 2,647,019 people have signed up for advance voting.

 Meanwhile, a Nida poll conducted on Friday and yesterday suggested  that 18.7% of respondents have been exposed to electoral fraud. Of  these, 13.42% said they were aware of poll fraud through their friends,  while 5.27% said they had experienced it first-hand. The survey reported  that 65.94% said they would not sell their votes, while 26.3% said they  would accept the money but would not vote for those who attempted to  buy their votes. Some 4.11% said they would take the money and vote for  the buyers.

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## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Observers call for vigilance on vote-buying
*
*Observers call for vigilance on vote-buying*
Published: 26/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Independent election observers have called on  the Election Commission to closely monitor campaigning in the final days  before the July 3 poll in an attempt to prevent vote-buying.

 The observers say they have obtained information on poll  irregularities during visits to some northern provinces which suggest  the practice is continuing.

 Vote-buying has become more sophisticated and may lead to violence in  fiercely contested constituencies, said Corazon Ignacio, of the Asian  Network for Free Elections (Anfrel).

 Ms Ignacio, a veteran Filipino electoral observer, visited several  constituencies in Phayao and Chiang Rai provinces this month to monitor  campaign efforts. She said evidence of vote-buying in the form of  promises of cash payments to voters was found.

 The rate for a poor, uneducated family with perhaps two or three  eligible voters was 500 baht, while for a middle class urban family  which might have only one voter, the payment could be as high as 3,000  baht, said Ms Ignacio.

 Swaying votes through community influence was another prevalent strategy among candidates, she added.

 If an influential village figure known to others as a backer of one  candidate was to be persuaded to change their mind to support another  candidate, the vote price would also increase, she said.

 In most cases, party handlers promised to pay voters for their help after the election.

 The market force in fiercely competitive constituencies leads not  only to an increased potential for violence if votes are not delivered  but also bumps up the price of the vote, said the Anfrel observer.

 "It's ironic that all candidates have denounced money politics and denied buying votes," she said.

 She called on EC officials and the public to monitor campaign efforts and help prevent irregularities in the contest.

 Somsri Hananuntasuk, Anfrel executive director, said the role of canvassers in the election was clear.

 She said, however, it was difficult to say how much money would be  spent in the contest, or if there was an increase in the amount compared  to the previous election, in 2007.

 "Cash promises to individuals or groups have already become the flesh and bone of Thai elections," said Ms Somsri.

 "But voters should realise that the practice which seems to be normal  at local levels could easily rise to a larger scale of corruption."

 Ms Somsri urged state officials to remain neutral in the election and  said that those who refuse to do so should be punished under the law.

 She also urged opposing candidates and members of the public to  balance the power of dominant candidates by monitoring the contest  within their localities.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Touring Thaksin country
*
*Touring Thaksin country*

*A trip around the Northeast leaves little doubt that the  residents' loyalties lie firmly with the Shinawatra clan and Pheu Thai  Party* Published: 26/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: SpectrumDriving through Nong Khon village in the hot  afternoon sun, looking out the windshield at the little community or  into people's eyes, you get the feeling that the good times around here  are gone.

 

 A quiet rural village of about 150 families, Nong Khon lies in Ubon  Ratchathani province off Highway 23, which meanders in a northwesterly  direction to Roi Et, Udon Thani and finally Nong Khai on the border with  Laos.

 It is one of those northeastern communities that most outsiders pay  no attention to, except at election time. Around 80% of eligible voters  here are staunchly loyal to deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra,  who has been in self-imposed exile for the past three years and was  convicted in absentia for abuse of power. Next Sunday, the citizens of  Nong Khon will go to the polls and vote en masse for the opposition Pheu  Thai Party, led by Thaksin's younger sister, Yingluck.

 Villagers say that Thaksin's populist policies meant everything to  them. The one million baht village loan programme gave them new  opportunities to better their lives, as did the 30-baht healthcare  scheme, education loans for poor students and cheap housing units for  low-income earners, all of which were introduced by Thaksin.

 Almost all Nong Khon residents are rice farmers. Before the village  loan was introduced in 2001, many of them went to work in Bangkok and  other cities after the harvest season. With the money from the village  loan, they bought cattle to raise and opened food shops or grocery  stores in the village. Women were trained to make handicrafts in their  spare time.

 
_Kamolsilp Singhasuriya initiated the first red shirt village._

 Today, the local silk-weaving cooperative store is shut down, and  fewer visitors stop by for bamboo handicrafts, said Prayat Suesat, the  subdistrict chief who oversees Nong Khon and 50 other villages. ''The  economy is not so good, so we can't rely on extra income from home-made  products,'' he said.

 The high cost of living adds to the gloom. ''Four baht for a  medium-sized egg?'' a grandma asked incredulously. ''It's outrageous.''

 Nong Khon still has a nice, homey atmosphere. The hedges are well  trimmed. People are friendly. The farmers still get up before dawn. But  there is growing concern about what may follow the July 3 general  election.

 ''What if Pheu Thai wins but is prevented from taking power?'' asked a  young farmer, a red shirt member of the United Front for Democracy  Against Dictatorship (UDD), which organised the mass protest against the  Abhisit government in Bangkok in April and May last year.

 Although there were no Nong Khon villagers killed when the army  cracked down on protesters, the violence has left a deep mental scar.  ''It was heartless ... shooting unarmed people like that,'' said the  25-year-old farmer, tears welling in his eyes.

 Many of the villagers believe the 2006 coup against Thaksin, his  conviction in absentia for conflict of interest, and the dissolution of  his Thai Rak Thai Party and its successor, the People's Power Party,  were all masterminded by his influential opponents, among them military  generals and aristocrats.

 
Udom Suwansaeng and Ruangthong Thepsuwan.

 And if Thaksin's supporters, now comprising the Pheu Thai Party, win  again, they believe a number of its candidates could be disqualified to  weaken its bargaining power, and the party may even be dissolved for  electoral fraud.

 Sitting behind his desk several hundred kilometres away in Udon  Thani, the self-proclaimed stronghold of the red shirts, Kamolsilp  Singhasuriya dismissed the suggestion that UDD members harbour thoughts  of sedition. He said the establishment of ''red shirt villages for  democracy'', which he himself initiated in Ban Hu Ling in December last  year, is meant only as a political expression. There are now well over  200 red shirt villages in the Northeast, all with the identifying giant  red billboard showing a giant image of a smiling Thaksin. Critics of the  villages, who include Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, say they are  counterproductive to achieving national reconciliation.

 ''It's true that we support Mr Thaksin,'' said the 64-year-old Mr  Kamolsilp, a retired police officer, ''but people in Isan _ and maybe in  some other parts of the country as well _ are also fed up with the  government's propaganda and continuous attempts to discredit and  obstruct the opposition.

 ''The law is also applied unequally, resulting in the dissolution of two pro-Thaksin parties,'' he added.

 Such perceived injustices have bred anger and dissatisfaction among  the UDD members, who are still smarting from the army's violent  crackdown on red shirt protesters in Bangkok last year.

 After the bloodshed, the Abhisit government promised a process of  reconciliation, but there has been little sign of one, said Mr  Kamolsilp.

 He said there are three objectives in the establishment of red shirt  villages, one of which is to bring Thaksin home. ''We also hope that the  campaign will help secure the release of UDD protesters still in jail,  and strengthen our call for full-fledged democracy.''

 
a poster promoting Thaksin’s populist policies. Below left, a stretch  of road in the Northeast with a campaign poster for Yingluck  Shinawatra.

 While his opponents accuse him of abusing his electoral mandate to  cement his own authoritarian rule, Thaksin remains a hero to most of the  people here. Telltale signs are evident in and around the Udon Thani  municipality.

 At Samprao Village, the ex-premier's smiling image beams from a red  sign that says ''Red Shirt Village for Democracy''. It sends a message  that resonates with Udom Suwansaeng and Ruangthong Thepsuwan. The two  housewives, who joined the UDD protest in Bangkok in May last year, say  they and their fellow red shirts will continue to demand justice for the  families of those killed during the lengthy protest.

 ''We are in Village Group 2, and all 1,500 families here are UDD  supporters,'' said the 43-year-old Mrs Udom. ''We stick together.''

 To win over red shirt supporters, the Abhisit government has  announced a set of populist economic policies, such as free schooling  for 12 million students, monthly financial support for the elderly and  low-interest loans for the poor.

 But rural folks like Mrs Udom are uncon vinced that anything has  changed for the better under the Abhisit administration. ''Food and  consumer products are so expensive. You cannot have three meals with 100  baht in your pocket any more,'' she said.

 In At Samat district of Roi Et province, where Thaksin's high-profile  campaign against poverty grabbed the media spotlight in 2006, his  legacy endures everywhere. Thaksin used the community as a backdrop for  his ''reality TV show''. With the cameras rolling, the billionaire lived  a frugal existence in At Samat for seven days, all the while promoting  his poverty reduction schemes and doling out gifts to residents.

 Back then, At Samat was considered one of the poorest districts in  the country, a place nobody wanted to visit _ except top party leaders  coming to campaign for votes. Kriangsak Chamanan, Arthit Kamlang-ek,  Chatichai Choonhavan all campaigned here to make promises to the  dirt-poor farmers who invariably had schemes to strike out for the city  in search of greener pastures, which many of them did.

 Young people around here can still tell tales of their grandparents'  hardships labouring in the arid fields, but today few people are  considering moving elsewhere. New, expensive houses have sprung up on  the outskirts of the city. Many rice farmers have switched to commercial  prawn farming. They are no longer driven to desperation by debt and  drought.

 At a popular restaurant on the outskirts of the city, a photograph  from Thaksin's trip to At Samat in 2006 hangs, with the caption  ''Finding long-term solutions to poverty and social problems''.

 The owner, a vocal Thaksin admirer, is 69 but looks 10 years younger.

 ''Fifty years ago nobody believed that we could grow anything around  here. Now we serve the best grilled river prawns in Isan,'' he said with  a triumphant smile.

 Wiboon Pantana, who runs a textile shop in central At Samat, said  Pheu Thai should win comfortably here, as 80% of voters are UDD  supporters.

 Driving east through Si Sa Ket province on our way back to Bangkok,  we passed through a few more red shirt villages, with red flags strung  on bamboo fences. At a roadside stall, an old woman beckoned to a  campaign poster of Ms Yingluck and said, ''No1.''

 What about No10? ''Oh, I don't know him,'' she said, before beating a retreat.

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world.....


*Suthichai Yoon's personal journal: Don't blink. It's a full-blown war of words until July 3*

Sunday, June 26, 2011




The  gloves are off and both Abhisit Vejjajiva and Yingluck Shinawatra are  set to exchange blows during the last week before Judgment Day on July  3.

Abhisit has challenged Yingluck to make it public that Pheu  Thai Party's main policy is to offer amnesty to Thaksin so that he could  return home.

"Let the people decide on Election Day on whether they want Thaksin to be granted amnesty or not," the Democrat party declared.

Yingluck  retorts that that's not the case. The party doesn't intend to pursue  the amnesty-for-Thaksin policy at all. All it wants if it's the next  government is to solve the country's economic ills.

Yingluck says  PT will use the "Nelson Mandela" formula to implement national  reconciliation. Abhisit insists that PT is using reconciliation as a  smokescreen to cover up its real intention: Absolve Thaksin from all  guilty verdicts.

July 1 will see both major parties releasing their last series of salvos before the people cast their ballots on Sunday.

Neither side can afford to blink.

----------


## StrontiumDog

_Other Bangkok Post updates..._

*Democrats well ahead in six southern provinces* 
26/06/2011 : _SONGKHLA  : A  survey by Hat Yai University has put the Democrat Party comfortably  ahead of the Pheu Thai Party in six provinces in the lower South.
_ 
*Abhisit blasts amnesty about-face*
26/06/2011 : _Pheu  Thai's stance on its proposed amnesty policy for convicted politicians  is contradictory, says Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
_ *
Ballot split threatens status QUO*
26/06/2011 : _The  Pheu Thai Party's dominance in Chiang Rai is under threat from a  growing trend to choose different parties in the constituency and party  list elections._*

Close race for control of newest province*
26/06/2011 : _The  general election is expected to be fiercely contested in the country's  newest province of Bung Kan, with only two House seats up for grabs.
_
*'SME' parties keen on sporting issues*
26/06/2011 : _Rivals  Pheu Thai and Democrat parties are wooing voters in the run-up to next  Sunday's general election with their political and economic measures._

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## mc2

> I think this election is different. There appears to be many more people who had little interest in politics in the past (and thus more likely to sell their vote) becoming interested and trying to learn something. Kennedy got elected thanks to the US mafia handing out bags of cash and twisting arms, but I doubt that could happen today in the US. I doubt that vote buying/selling is going to be as big an issue this election. The country is falling further behind and it's failures are being put on the backs of the poor. 
> I've been reading the Thai cables over the past few days and it is clear that there are powerful forces at work to deny the democratic process. 
> In the end those forces are not going to allow the people to chose, they will find a way to restore their grip on control.


I am more optimistic. Those powerful forces have had a go but haven't made a dent in the electorate. I think they will negotiate for power rather than blatantly deny the democratic process again.

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## Butterfly

PT is not being truthful, as usual

pathological liars like their fugitive leader,

----------


## Butterfly

> Those powerful forces have had a go but haven't made a dent in the electorate.


indeed, never underestimate the stupidity of the peasants




> I think they will negotiate for power rather than blatantly deny the democratic process again.


so much for the change that PT promised  :mid:

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## trisailer

Diversion, diversion, diversion. You have to give the Thai "powers that be" credit for using the psych-opps that was refined in the west aimed at diverting attention away from the real issue which is weather or not Thailand will "become" a real democracy. This election is just one step, but there is a long road ahead. 
The real power in Thailand has too much time on it's hands and is obsessed with the political intrigue that has defined Thailand. Unfortunately this game, in which the Thai people, all of them, are merely pawns is coming to a head. All of this political maneuvering has one aim and one aim only, succession. At present the stability of Thailand, what there is of it, is determined by one beloved man and he is frail.

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## mc2

> Originally Posted by mc2
> 
> Those powerful forces have had a go but haven't made a dent in the electorate.
> 
> 
> indeed, never underestimate the stupidity of the peasants


Actually it is the stupidity of the "powerful forces" for thinking they can bully, brainwash and manhandle the electorate into submission. 

For the sake of Thailand and democracy, lets hope they have learned their lesson.

----------


## Butterfly

> For the sake of Thailand and democracy, lets hope they have learned their lesson.


nutter  :rofl:

----------


## trisailer

> Originally Posted by trisailer
> 
> 
> I think this election is different. There appears to be many more people who had little interest in politics in the past (and thus more likely to sell their vote) becoming interested and trying to learn something. Kennedy got elected thanks to the US mafia handing out bags of cash and twisting arms, but I doubt that could happen today in the US. I doubt that vote buying/selling is going to be as big an issue this election. The country is falling further behind and it's failures are being put on the backs of the poor. 
> I've been reading the Thai cables over the past few days and it is clear that there are powerful forces at work to deny the democratic process. 
> In the end those forces are not going to allow the people to chose, they will find a way to restore their grip on control. 
> 
> 
> I am more optimistic. Those powerful forces have had a go but haven't made a dent in the electorate. I think they will negotiate for power rather than blatantly deny the democratic process again.


I hope your right. As a student of history I agree that is the only way to achieve sustainable progress, but there are all these "hidden" forces at work here that make "good faith" negotiation challenging. We've seen it happen in the past. The "hidden" forces" do not value the people so much as use them in their game.
I do think it is important and impressive to hear uneducated farmers state the situation from their point of view which corresponds perfectly with the views of many international, objective observers. They must have read the "cables"

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## mc2

> Diversion, diversion, diversion. ......


Well, I think PT will 'play it cool' and just go along with it, see where the pieces fall and then cross that bridge when they come to it (and most likely go along with it)

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## SteveCM

> The gloves are off and both Abhisit Vejjajiva and Yingluck Shinawatra are set to exchange blows during the last week before Judgment Day on July 3.


This seems to be a recurrent theme for The Nation's editors. A week ago Tulsathit was saying 


> Bangkok voters will continue to get vivid reminders of what happened last year as both the rival camps have taken off their gloves. With that, "reconciliation" will remain just a beautiful word that means nothing.


Clearly, Abhisit _has_ gone unremittingly negative and "gloves off" - but, beyond some responses from lesser PT figures, where are the examples of Yingluck doing the same? 

As the Golingai piece above highlights 


> Is there a political script that Yingluck is following?  They (her campaign managers) have analysed that the people are bored with the usual bickering in Thai politics. She is careful not to antagonise anyone or engage in mudslinging, Suranand said.  If she starts attacking the Democrats (who are good at counter-attack), it will make the frontpages and she will just be a normal politician. So they (her campaign managers) are trying to keep her away from all this bickering so that she can talk about the future (reconciliation in politically-divided Thailand) without being caught in a shouting match with the Democrats.


That PT strategy seems to have been highly successful so far. Even after last Thursday's extravaganza of Dem negativity and mudslinging, Yingluck's response was very cool and measured - certainly not a "gloves off" counter-attack. Why would she make a change to a winning formula now - however much the Dems try to provoke it?

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## mc2

Yinglucks strategy is working. Any aspiring leader should act and speak like they are confident, positive and in control. Nobody wants a scared, rattled, negative PM.
But anyway, this is politics 101.

What I find most unbelievable is that Abhisit could be so spectacularly incompetent these last few weeks.

c'ya Abhisit.... dont let the door hit you on the way out  :rofl:

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## mc2

> Originally Posted by mc2
> 
> For the sake of Thailand and democracy, lets hope they have learned their lesson.
> 
> 
> nutter


god please dont tell me that you are one of those idiots that would be secretly cheering for another coup if PT get in power.

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## Calgary

_"I do think it is important and impressive to hear uneducated farmers state the situation from their point of view which corresponds perfectly with the views of many international, objective observers. They must have read the "cables""_ Post #3355 above (Trisailer)

There are not many international, objective observers. Too many of their news outlets copy the Thai domestic media. Many are not aware how compromised this media is

The reason the non-Amart have a grasp on reality,is because they have been politicised by the organization that sprung up in reaction to the 2006 coup.

If one would take the time to count the number of _Red Shirt Democracy Movement"_ rallies there have been outside Bangkok since 2006,the enormity of that figure would clearly show how it came about that these people have become so politicised

Then you add in the many massively attended BKK rallies, plus sympathetic television stations (currently Asia Update) which are subscribed to heavily by this movement members, one can conclude that this politicization has been internally generated.

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## SteveCM

From the blog world.....

*Poll of Northeast shows Puea Thai winning 107 seats; 64% of party vote | Asian Correspondent*

_By Bangkok Pundit 
Jun 26, 2011_

In the lead-up to the July 3 election, BP has blogged on a number of polls as follows (from oldest to newest):The E-san poll, as blogged about here and here, which surveyed all 20 provinces in the Northeast which looked at who those surveyed would cast their *party* vote for (Puea Thai 63.9%, Democrats, 20.7%, and Bhum Jai Thai, 9.1%),Nationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their *constituency* vote for (Puea Thai 23%, Democrats 20%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%, undecided 53%),Nationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their *party*  vote for (Puea Thai 41%, Democrats 37%, Bhum Jai Thai 4% OR if you  remove the undecideds and those who will vote no you get Puea Thai 45%,  Democrats 41%, Bhum Jai Thai 4%),Bangkok-only DPU poll which showed that Puea Thai would win 19 *constituencies*, Democrats 5 and the rest were too close to call, andNationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their *party*  vote for (Puea Thai 43%, Democrats 37%, Bhum Jai Thai 3% OR if you  remove the undecideds and those who will vote no you get Puea Thai 47%,  Democrats 41%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%),Poll of the Lower North showing how people would cast their *party* vote for (Puea Thai 23.2%, Democrats 22.2%, 4.5% for other parties, and 50.1% were undecided),Nationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their *constituency* vote for (Puea Thai 22%, Democrats 13%, undecided 64%) and *party* vote (Puea Thai 23%, Democrats 13%, undecided 64%),Nationwide Bangkok-only DPU Poll which shows that Puea Thai is leading in the *constituency* vote 47% to Dems 40% and *party* vote 47% to Dems 39%,a Bangkok University poll that showed that Puea Thai is leading 33.6% to 17.6% for the Democrats in Bangkok for the *party* vote,Nationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their *party* vote for (Puea Thai 52%, Democrats 34%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%),Nationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their *constituency* vote for (Puea Thai 35%, Democrats 21%, undecideds 33%) and *party* vote for (Puea Thai 36%, Democrats 21%, undecideds 32%), andABAC poll of 28 provinces throughout Thailand which showed who people would cast their *party* vote for ( Puea Thai, 43.7%, 39.1%,  Bhum Jai Thai 6.6%)*
BP*: BP has posted  about the accuracy of Thai polls and the problem of using a single poll    hence why we have the above refresher which will be included and   updated for future posts on polls. Polls may be poorly worded and not so   reflective of those who will vote on July 3, but they are data  points  and together with other information we can use them to evaluate.

 There is a new poll  conducted by Mahasarakham University that surveyed 130 people in each  of the 126 constituencies in the 20 provinces of the Northeast (Amnat  Charoen, Bueng Kan, Buriram, Chaiyaphum, Kalasin, Khon Kaen, Loei, Maha  Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nongbua Lamphu,  Nong Khai, Roi Et, Sakon Nakhon, Sisaket, Surin, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon  Thani, Yasothon). In total, 16,380 people were surveyed from June 17-22 (_Khao Sod_ for the period of the survey).

 The information is via a press release from the university together  with information from the different newspapers. The information is not  in the form of a question and answer, it is just the answers

*1. On whether people will vote:*

 A. Yes, 93.5%
 B. Unsure, 3.5%
 C. 1.5%

*BP*: Of course, turnout wont be 93.5% everywhere despite voting being compulsory.

*2. On who they will vote for:*

 A. Puea Thai 64.3%
 B. Democrats, 12.7%
 C. Bhum Jai Thai, 8.1%
 D. Vote No, 4.9%
 E. Chat Pattana Puea Paendin, 3.2%
 F. Chat Thai Pattana, 1.4%,
 G. Rak Prathet Thai (Chuwit), 1.3%
 H. New Aspiration Party, .6%
 I. Rak Santi, .6%
 J. Social Action Party, .5%
 K. Mathubhum, .4%%
 L. New Politics Party, .3%

*BP*: You actually need to take out the 4.9% for the  no vote when calculating how many seats will be won so for all the  parties you would need to adjust upwards their totals by about 5%. This  compares with the Suan Dusit poll which had Puea Thai 70%, Democrats  17%, Bhum Jai Thai 6%. The big difference is the higher vote no total  compared with the Suan Dusit poll.

*3. On the number of constituencies each party will win:*

 A. Puea Thai, 107 seats,
 B. Bhum Jai Thai, 10 seats,
 C. Chat Pattana Puea Paendin, 5 seats,
 D. Democrats, 3 seats, and
 E. Chart Thai Pattana, 1 seat

 Based on the answers , Puea Thai will win all constituency seats in  11 provinces, Bueng Kan, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Yasothon, Roi Et,  Loei, Sisaket, Nong Khai, Nongbua Lamphu, Amnat Charoen, and Udon Thani.

 The 10 constituencies that Bhum Jai Thai will clearly win Buriram  Constituency Nos. 2, 5, 9, it is close in 4; Nakhon Ratachasima 5 and  12; Surin 1 and 2; Kalasin 4; Chaiyaphum 1; Nakhon Phanom 2 (_Khao Sod_).

 The 5 constituencies were Chat Pattana Puea Paendin will win are Khon  Kaen 7, Nakhon Phanom 4, Nakhon Ratchasima 9 and 15; and Sakon Nakhon 4  (_Khao Sod_).

 The 3 constituencies were the Democrats will win are Nakhon Ratchasima 8, Buriram 1, Ubon Ratchatahni 11 (_Khao Sod_).

 Chat Thai Pattana will win Chaiyaphum 6 (_Khao Sod_).

 Puea Thai will win more than 50% in all provinces except Nakhon Ratchasima, Buriram, and Ubon Ratchatahni (_Khao Sod_).

*BP*: Puea Thai are finishing the election strongly,  but it is unclear from the information from the university press release  whether those polled were asked which candidate they were asked to vote  for as opposed to what party (BP thinks that Puea Thai as a party will  do stronger in the Northeast than the constituency vote) so am a little  unsure of how much weight to give to the answers. If Puea Thai wins 100  constituency seats in the Northeast, they will have easily won in excess  of 250 seats nationwide so if this poll is accurate Puea Thai will be  winning in a landslide.

 The fun and games will continue.

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## Bettyboo

> If you want to discuss paid saddo gangbangs with ladyboys, pls start another thread. This one's about the election.


Are these your words or ones you got out of a book that you're claiming as your own? We never quite know with you... 




> Let's wait for BettyBoo to consult his professor friends, he don't have any own opinion in the weekends while away from work.


When I don't know something about Thai politics/history, yet people I have breakfast or lunch with do know, have written books on, were there and part of the history, etc, it makes sense to ask them. My opinions are formed from a variety of sources, my own experiences/research, etc. 

For example, published last week was a book I edited, _Learning English with Thai Culture_, over the last year os through various drafts. The author is a Professor at Chula, has a wealth of knowledge and experience, and added to this by researching and further informing herself through conversations with her friends and colleagues. Chatting with her, reading through the book countless times etc, has helped increase my knowledge of so many areas of Thai Culture. 

Some of you, Papillion is the famous example, but he's far from alone, choose to gain your knowledge from hanging around bars and listening to people who have limited insights; and, of course, this shows in your ignorant posts...

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## Butterfly

> god please dont tell me that you are one of those idiots that would be secretly cheering for another coup if PT get in power.


god please dont tell me that you are one of those idiots that would believe everything will change after PT wins and Democracy will prevail  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Butterfly

> I have breakfast or lunch with do know, have written books on, were there and part of the history, etc, it makes sense to ask them. My opinions are formed from a variety of sources, my own experiences/research, etc.


 :rofl:

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## Butterfly

> Chatting with her, reading through the book countless times etc, has helped increase my knowledge of so many areas of Thai Culture.


thats sounds very Thaiophile  :rofl:

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## Bettyboo

> The observers say they have obtained information on poll irregularities during visits to some northern provinces which suggest the practice is continuing. Vote-buying has become more sophisticated and may lead to violence in fiercely contested constituencies, said Corazon Ignacio, of the *Asian Network for Free Elections (Anfrel)*.


& they have been set up to say just this and more; but only to help assure an army/blueblood victory, so all their complaints to the EC will be against PT...

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## Butterfly

> choose to gain your knowledge from hanging around bars and listening to people who have limited insights;


I don't need to go bars to listen to limited insights, I can just go to TD and read your posts  :rofl:

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## SteveCM

Meanwhile back at the election.....


It looks like PT are making a concerted effort to minimise any confusion caused by the ballot paper design





Uploaded by Pheuthai on Jun 25, 2011

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## mc2

> Originally Posted by mc2
> 
> god please dont tell me that you are one of those idiots that would be secretly cheering for another coup if PT get in power.
> 
> 
> god please dont tell me that you are one of those idiots that would believe everything will change after PT wins


No im not like you or Abhisit with his scare tactics.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Bettyboo

Three excellent posts, Papillion (#3364, #3365 and#3367). Well done. You just keep on wishing for another coup...

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## Bettyboo

> It looks like PT are making a concerted effort to minimise any confusion caused by the constituency vote ballot paper design


With all this confusion, the EC should be compelled to publish the number of nulled ballots due to a wrong tick.

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## Buksida

Many of you are being hard on the Dems, winning elections has never been there strong point. Nonetheless they have managed to spend a considerable time in office, which I'm sure Thaksin's envious of.

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## Bettyboo

> Many of you are being hard on the Dems, winning elections has never been there strong point. Nonetheless they have managed to spend a considerable time in office, which I'm sure Thaksin's envious of.


The irony/stupidity of your post is almost beyond belief.

You have made the point very well, now try to think about the words you just wrote...  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## trisailer

> Originally Posted by trisailer
> 
> 
> Diversion, diversion, diversion. ......
> 
> 
> Well, I think PT will 'play it cool' and just go along with it, see where the pieces fall and then cross that bridge when they come to it (and most likely go along with it)


I hope so. I do have to say that the folks running the show on both sides are doing a pretty good job of moving the process forward in sustainable ways. This could be a lot worse than it is. Every country that moves towards real democrocy has a messy trail behind it with the same kinds of forces at work. We are all humans after all.

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## Tom Sawyer

I'm so sick of the Thaksin-bashing. Don't people understand ALL of these guys are THAKSIN.

From Prem to Abhisit to the Sakdina families to the corrupt chinks in the bureaucracy to the business 'dynasty' families. They are ALL Thaksin - every last one of them.

Thailand is a country run by mafia families - probably around 1,000 families who patronize the rest of the country which in turn sucks up to them.

The big question that everyone is waiting to see answered is will these families listen to a new godfather.

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## trisailer

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> Many of you are being hard on the Dems, winning elections has never been there strong point. Nonetheless they have managed to spend a considerable time in office, which I'm sure Thaksin's envious of.
> 
> 
> The irony/stupidity of your post is almost beyond belief.
> 
> You have made the point very well, now try to think about the words you just wrote...


I think that any objective viewer has to consider the amount of time they spent in office by the will of the people as opposed to the will of the invisible forces. It appears that even Thaksin tried to work with them in the early stages. Some people feel that the PAD has gone off the rails from their origins.

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## trisailer

> Originally Posted by Butterfly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by mc2
> ...


I think this is democracy, or at least the march toward it, Thai style. Each country has to get their in their own way. American democracy would never work here, and frankly isn't working in America, 

If you look at the forces behind the scenes in the development of America you see the same kind of dynamic. Each person has their own vision of what is best for the people and they are are in a dynamic process with others who have their own vision. In America, only land owners could vote for the first couple hundred years and the Senate selected leaders. It's a very similar process.

Look at countries like Sweden and Germany where IMO democracy is working better than in the US because the people are educated and involved and they are expressing their goals for a sustainable future. Big difference.

I think it is insulting to say that the peasents are dumb. They are saying the same things as the international objective viewers are saying and seem to me to have a better grip on reality than many farang posters do.

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## Bettyboo

> I think that any objective viewer has to consider the amount of time they spent in office by the will of the people as opposed to the will of the invisible forces.


Please stop heliping the lad, let him think it through for himself; rote learning isn't effective; let him finally get a bit of inductive learning going on...




> *Some people* feel that the PAD has gone off the rails from their origins.


"Some people"??? I'd agree with you but suggest that the "some people" should be "most people".

A group such as a PAD that insists upon checks, balances and accountability is great, and Thailand is in desperate need of such a group. However, a nationalistic group, bought and paid for by a specific all controlling interest that controls the army/judiciary/media/various propaganda ministries, etc, is not anything like that type of group.

I'd like to see the PAD's account books, I'd like to see the rent books and payments (from whom to whom) for the palaces the Manager and ASTV are based in. I'd like to know why the army installed certain people in certain airport positions just before the PAD took office there...

The PAD has not gone off the rails. The PAD fooled many people into believing it was an honest group which cared about corruption, accountability and general good governance; now that everybody, including the Bkk 'middle classes and academics that previously supported them, has realised how foolish they were to join this group, well, now they are left with a few 'monks' and a few loudmouths who don't believe in the voting process.

I suspect that very many people who supported this PAD 4 or 5 years ago, will vote PT now. If PT get anything like 50% of the Bkk vote then this is very likely the case. The army/bluebloods did mange to fool a lot of people, but it is now coming back to them. So, the PAD is not off the rails, but everyone now sees where the tracks lead...

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## SteveCM

> Many of you are being hard on the Dems, winning elections has never been there strong point. Nonetheless they have managed to spend a considerable time in office, which I'm sure Thaksin's envious of.


Another "keeper".

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## Takeovers

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> 
> Many of you are being hard on the Dems, winning elections has never been there strong point. Nonetheless they have managed to spend a considerable time in office, which I'm sure Thaksin's envious of.
> 
> 
> Another "keeper".


At least it is honest. Honest gloating about the powers that get them into power.

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## SteveCM

*Thaksin's sister leads Thai polls - Asia-pacific - Al Jazeera English*

26 Jun 2011

*Thaksin's sister leads Thai polls                                                                                           

                                                                    Army's intentions weigh over elections as family of former prime minister look set to rule again.*



A week before Thailand votes in general elections, opinion polls show  the largest opposition party, Pheu Thai, leading the ruling Democrats.

 The party is led Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister of ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

 But there still remains the question of the army, which has staged or attempted 18 coups in the past, most recently in 2006.

 That was when it removed Thaksin, who was later convicted of  corruption and abuse of power. Some believe the army will intervene  again to prevent the party Thaksin controls from exile taking office.

 Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay caught up with Yingluck in Khon Kaen province in northeast Thailand.

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## DroversDog

> ^^ you misread me, as usual
> 
> without the 1/3 for sale vote of Isaan peasants, it's very likely that PT wouldn't win, as they wouldn't bother to vote and that would actually favor the Democrats


What a lot of shite. You need to get out of Bangkok a bit more. There is more to Issan then Ladyboys who you chat with!

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## Bettyboo

^ pretty much sums up the situation.

^^ pretty much sums up the situation.

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## SteveCM

*Army hovers over tense Thai election*

Jun 26, 2011

  _Soldiers wait outside a polling station  to cast their ballots in advance voting ahead of general elections at  the university campus in Udon Thani in north-eastern Thailand. -- PHOTO:  REUTERS_
 

 PHO CHAI (Thailand) - A CHARM offensive by Thailand's  powerful military in rural opposition strongholds has raised fresh  doubts about whether the generals will stay out of politics as an  election looms. 

                               Thailand has seen almost as many actual or attempted coups  as elections, although experts say the bloody crisis that has gripped  the nation since tanks rolled through Bangkok in 2006 may make the army  wary of intervening again.

                               On a whistlestop helicopter tour around the kingdom's  north-east this month, officers swooped into the heartland of  anti-government 'Red Shirts' to promote the development projects of the  revered king. 

                               'We are trying to create love and faith,' Lieutenant General  Darran Yutthawonsuk told AFP as he explained the work of his unit  within the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC). The Thai  military sees itself as the guardian of the royal institution and  frequently cites perceived threats to the beloved monarchy to justify  its actions. 

                               Lt Gen Darran denied the ISOC - responsible for communist  suppression in the 1970s and 80s - had stepped up activities in the  northeast ahead of the July 3 poll, but villagers said the visits only  started in recent weeks. 

                               'I don't know why they're here,' said Noobang-on Sangngern,  as troops swarmed around her home village of Pho Chai in Khon Kaen  province during a ceremony for the king's birthday, six months after the  monarch turned 83. This impoverished chunk of Thailand remains a  bastion of support for fugitive former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, ousted  by the army in 2006 in a bloodless coup. -- AFP

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## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> 
> Many of you are being hard on the Dems, winning elections has never been there strong point. Nonetheless they have managed to spend a considerable time in office, which I'm sure Thaksin's envious of.
> 
> 
> Another "keeper".


It was tongue in cheek, but still true, or is there something you don't agree with Stevie?

Your a funny bunch you reds, taking yoursleves so seriuosly.

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## Calgary

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> The observers say they have obtained information on poll irregularities during visits to some northern provinces which suggest the practice is continuing. Vote-buying has become more sophisticated and may lead to violence in fiercely contested constituencies, said Corazon Ignacio, of the *Asian Network for Free Elections (Anfrel)*.
> 
> 
> & they have been set up to say just this and more; but only to help assure an army/blueblood victory, so all their complaints to the EC will be against PT...


Have met them personally and agree with you completely Bettyboo.

Anything associated with ANFREL is spin from the Amart!

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## trisailer

> _"I do think it is important and impressive to hear uneducated farmers state the situation from their point of view which corresponds perfectly with the views of many international, objective observers. They must have read the "cables""_ Post #3355 above (Trisailer)
> 
> There are not many international, objective observers. Too many of their news outlets copy the Thai domestic media. Many are not aware how compromised this media is
> 
> The reason the non-Amart have a grasp on reality,is because they have been politicised by the organization that sprung up in reaction to the 2006 coup.
> 
> If one would take the time to count the number of _Red Shirt Democracy Movement"_ rallies there have been outside Bangkok since 2006,the enormity of that figure would clearly show how it came about that these people have become so politicised
> 
> Then you add in the many massively attended BKK rallies, plus sympathetic television stations (currently Asia Update) which are subscribed to heavily by this movement members, one can conclude that this politicization has been internally generated.


Notice I said international as opposed to domestic. If you want objective news you really have to go outside Thailand because of.....well you know. There is plenty of good objective information outside Thailand. I don't read the Thai media, I want the unvarnished truth.

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## trisailer

> Originally Posted by trisailer
> 
> I think that any objective viewer has to consider the amount of time they spent in office by the will of the people as opposed to the will of the invisible forces.
> 
> 
> Please stop heliping the lad, let him think it through for himself; rote learning isn't effective; let him finally get a bit of inductive learning going on...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It appears we are in agreement.

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## Calgary

"_I think it is insulting to say that the peasents are dumb. They are saying the same things as the international objective viewers_" Post #3377 (Trisailor)

I have seen you refer several times to "Objective International sources" Trisailor.

I can read Dutch and have received a number of communications from them and their media. In addition to a number of English language international sources, I have seen very little of this "objectivity" you mention.

I wish you were right about that, but I have despaired International News sources a long time for their lack of objectivity. In fact, I have seen many instances where it was very obvious they were copying from the Post and Nation.....I dont need to tell you how objective they are.

In particular, those International sources seem totally blind about subjects they could write about in an unrestricted manner, but don't. That topic is at the root of everything. Any political analysis that doesn't include it, is so incomplete as to almost be worthless. The Economist has been a bit of an exception.

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## Calgary

"*But there still remains the question of the army, which has staged or attempted 18 coups in the past, most recently in 2006".* Quote from Post #3381

To suggest the army was the sole perpetrator of these coups is not correct. To say they were even the "initiator" is questionable.

The military were the enablers, or tool, for others.

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## sabang

> Thais whether they hate or love Thaksin acknowledge that he is a capable and competent manager and he has been very successful in managing the country


Some Thai 'hate' Thaksin, some 'love' him. Their vote is predetermined accordingly. For the majority however, the above is true. How do I know? Simple- voting patterns. They speak for themself.



> Take the example of a Reuters photograph of her in Yala, Thailand's restive deep south. Wearing a red scarf (of course red as Pheu Thai and the Red shirts are the same) she looks so gorgeous and natural as her head leans on a tudung-clad Muslim woman who was taking their picture on her mobile phone.


The shot in question-



It is wonderful. In spite of the mainstream Press bluster (a non stop Thaksin diatribe), one thing stands out. PT have made the Dem's look like a bunch of amateurs, totally out of their depth on the national stage. The Dem's response of course is to blame everyone but themselves, especially if it begins with a T. I'm afraid the electorate has no time for self pity.

Perhaps this may seem a little far fetched to some, but the Dem's are the party of 'Big Brother'- when they, invariably, lose, they go running to Big Brother for help- instead of the stark choice faced by the rest of us to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, improve our game and compete again, when we have been so obviously outclassed. That is how we learn and improve. I've said it before- the Democrats have a self limiting, losers attitude- and that is why they are Losers. This is what they should be thinking about and acting on, instead of running to 'Big Brother' for more illegal help, blaming everyone but themself (Thaksin, foreign media, stoopid kwai, lese majestie, etc etc etc) and bringing the country down with them.

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## sabang

> officers swooped into the heartland of anti-government 'Red Shirts' to promote the development projects of the revered king


To do this in the final stages of an election campaign is a glaring mistake- it will only further hurt the Dem's because of the cringeworthy blatancy of it. It is rather obvious that Gen. Chan tells the Dem's what to do when push comes to shove- and he is an utterly incompetent politician. They really should have a word in his ear, but they are probably too scared to do so.

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## SteveCM

From the blog world.....


*Rajprasong News: VOTERS LEFT IN THE DARK AS EARLY ELECTIONS BEGIN*


*VOTERS LEFT IN THE DARK AS EARLY ELECTIONS BEGIN (Editorial)*

 From  this weekend, 2.6 million Thais will head to the 557 polling stations  nationwide to participate in advance voting for the national general  election, in what many observers will view as a test run for the main  event on July 3. With the future direction of the nation at stake at the  end of a tumultuous and often violent four years since the last  election, 35,000 police officers have been deployed across the country  to monitor the electoral process and keep the peace.

 But  the regulations covering advance voting themselves, despite being the  most important changes to the electoral laws since the drafting of the  2007 constitution, have been given scant attention by the media and are  poorly understood by most Thais. This was not helped by the fact that  they were hastily passed by the Government on the same day that the  election itself was called, with little explanation of its importance or  the implications they will have by the Election Commission.

 Like  many other countries in Asia, voting in Thailand is compulsory, and  traditionally those who were unable to vote on Election Day had legal  provisions to vote early and thus take part in the democratic process.  However, the 2011 changes to the electoral laws required that voters  either vote in the same location as they did at the last general  election, or register to vote in a new location by May 2, 2011- a week  before the amendments even came into force.

 The  result is that voters, including the rural poor who have come to work  in urban areas, must transport themselves at their own expense to their  home districts to vote, or risk being unable to decide over the fate of  the nation- although the Royal Thai Army has controversially declared  their intention to transport soldiers and their families to their  respective polling booths using public money. Previous funding of such  transport by political parties, such as Bhumjaithai bussing up to 20,000  voters to Sakolnakorn during a previous bi-election, have been  criticized as unfair.

 Other  amendments tightened the window within which the actual voting is  allowed to take place- from nine hours for two days to seven hours for  one day- and a requirement for voters to obtain special justification  from their employers as to why they are unable to vote on Election Day.  Pundits predict that these changes will result in voter confusion and  crowded polling booths- but on a positive note, excellent business for  bus companies over the coming week.

 Ratchaprasong News, 26 June 2011

----------


## Mid

*Advance voting starts amid tight security

*
_
BANGKOK, June 26 -  Advance voting starts on Sunday at more than 500 polling stations across  the country with more than 30,000 police officers providing security  nationwide in the run-up to the July 3 general election._

Advance voting starts amid tight security

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## DroversDog

> 


Now there is somebody who should be banned from politics....

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## StrontiumDog

> *Thaksin Shinawatra - Talk to Al Jazeera - Al Jazeera English
> 
> Thaksin Shinawatra                                                                                          * 
> 
> *The former Thai PM speaks to Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay about his self-imposed exile and the future of his country.*
> 
>                                                 Talk to Al Jazeera                            Last Modified: 25 Jun 2011 13:44                                              
> 
>  *
> ...


Here is the vid

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## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255406260006

Yingluck expressed concern over frauds in ballot box storage *  

BANGKOK, JUNE 26 2011 -  The prime ministerial candidate of Pheu Thai party, Yingluck Shinawatra  expressed concern over advance voting registration procedure especially  the possibility of frauds in ballot box storage system. Therefore she  would like the election committee to give an opportunity to each party  to be part of the inspecting team so that every action taken would be  transparent.  

As for the accusation by Democrat Party concerning Ms Yingluck alleged  plan to whitewash her fugitive brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, the prime  ministerial candidate commented that Pheu Thai party was determined to  come up with effective solutions to solve problems encountered by the  people and that it had never been a case to find a solution to help an  individual. 

  Ms Yingluck added that she believed that people had the ability in  considering the facts and there were people out there who had faith in  Pheu Thai Party and understood the true intentions of the party.  

At the campaign speech event, Ms yingluck pledged the main policy of  country’s development in the aspect of public welfare system especially  in the eastern part with the policy to raise fruit price. Moreover, the  party also has guidelines in resolving the past conflict between  Thailand and Cambodia.

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## StrontiumDog

Al Jazeera Interview...

Thaksin "_I'm self-made, i grew up in the rural_" 

Utterly false.

"_By the time Thaksin was born, the Shinawatra family was one of the richest and most influential families in Chiang Mai._"

Thaksin Shinawatra - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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## sabang

> the prime ministerial candidate commented that Pheu Thai party was determined to come up with effective solutions to solve problems encountered by the people and that it had never been a case to find a solution to help an individual.


Well put, and quite true. There are many more individuals and parties involved than one- something the local Press, as far as I can glean, has assiduously avoided mentioning. An indirect, gentle reminder from PT.

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## Butterfly

> Thaksin "I'm self-made, i grew up in the rural"


part of the myths he likes to maintain for the dummies up north and the few farang keenok here

----------


## Norton

> Utterly false.


Not utterly. 
He was born and raised in a rural area. San Kamphaeng.
He certainly wasn't born into poverty.
He did start a small business called AIS and turned it into a huge financial success. Too that extent he was self made but yes with a lot of help from his family.

----------


## Norton

> What a lot of shite. You need to get out of Bangkok a bit more.


No need. Butters has trusted "advisers" in Bangers. They keep him well informed on all things Isaan. :Smile:

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Utterly false.
> 
> 
> Not utterly. 
> He was born and raised in a rural area. San Kamphaeng.
> He certainly wasn't born into poverty.
> He did start a small business called AIS and turned it into a huge financial success. Too that extent he was self made but yes with a lot of help from his family.


Yes, I think I recall reading his early business ventures were flops. All given to him by his wealthy family. I also remember reading, in the Wikileaks cables I think (but elsewhere as well), that he was also given a tip-off before the Baht was devalued in the Asian financial crisis, by an insider friend, that enabled him to do some spectacular deals and make a packet.

----------


## mc2

> Here is the vid


Expressed himself better than I thought he would.
All those years overseas has helped his english no doubt.

----------


## DroversDog

> Al Jazeera Interview...
> 
> Thaksin "_I'm self-made, i grew up in the rural_" 
> 
> Utterly false.
> 
> "_By the time Thaksin was born, the Shinawatra family was one of the richest and most influential families in Chiang Mai._"
> 
> Thaksin Shinawatra - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia





> Lert Shinawatra opened a coffee shop, grew oranges and flowers in Chiang  Mai's San Kamphaeng district, and opened two movie theatres, a gas  station, and a car and motorcycle dealership. By the time Thaksin was  born, the Shinawatra family was one of the richest and most influential  families in Chiang Mai.


Big in "Chiang Mai" at the time is not really as big league as you are trying to portray. 




> Thaksin and his wife began several businesses while he was still in the  police, including a silk shop, a movie theater, and an apartment  building.


So SD are you saying that due to his family he started off as the country's leading Silk Barron, media mogul, and property speculator.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^ No, and only someone incapable of understanding English would draw such bizarre conclusions.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Election gambles
*
*Election gambles*
*
June 26th, 2011 by Pavin Chachavalpongpun, Guest Contributor 
*


_Image soure here_

 How to strike it rich? A trip to Yaowaraj could be the answer.  Betting on the election results, พนันผลเลือกตั้ง, is now rampant in the  run-up to the election. Indeed, it is the latest favoured pastime for  many Thais, and Yaowaraj is one of several districts in Bangkok where  illegal betting houses can be found.

This list  of betting odds is from a betting office in Yaowaraj. The bookmakers  form odds or prices to reflect the potential winning and losing  positions of the competing candidates.

 Let me explain a little bit more. This betting list reflects the  traditional fractional odds which are often used in Britain. See item 9,  the factional odds are 10/9. Fractional odds are saying that, if you  bet on Puea Thai winning 235 seats nationwide, for every 9 time you win  then 10 times you will lose. This is the same as saying you have a 90%  chance of winning and a 100% chance of losing! In other words, the Puea  Thai is likely to win 220 seats nationwide, rather than 235 seats.

 Say you wish to place a bet on an outcome which has odds of 5/4. If  you win, for every Bt4 you stake you will win Bt5 and you will receive  your Bt4 stake back, giving you a total return of Bt9. If you place a  bet of Bt10 at 5/4, then you will win Bt12.5 and have your Bt10  returned, giving a total return of Bt22.5 (although I could be wrong in  these betting calculations).

 Moving away from “betting technicalities”, the bookmakers seem to  follow closely the many recent polls that suggest that Puea Thai is  streaking ahead of the ruling Democrat Party.

 According to Ajarn Pasuk’s study on gambling in Thailand, an  estimated 70% of adults gamble regularly, and the total value added  involved is huge.

 As the Thai voters are feeling the heat of the ongoing election campaign, so are the Thai gamblers.

----------


## Calgary

*Riceroots stuff*


The Advance Voting thing finished at 3:00 PM at the local Polling Station.

There were seven monitors, 4 from PT Party and two UDD monitors.

A significant problem was identified.

The nature of the problem was such that the PT Party Monitors information was inconsequential ----because they arrived late.

The UDD Monitors were in place one hour before the Polls opened, and therefore were able to count voters starting with the very first one when the Polling station opened at 8:00 AM until the very last one when the polling station closed.

The two UDD monitors were astute, sharp little ladies, and nothing passed those two by, let me assure you.

So what was the problem?

Shortly after the close of voting at 3:00 PM, the officials posted the official information as to the number of people who voted.

OopsTheir count was 118 less than that of the two UDD ladies. 

Images immediately came to mind that now they had the freedom to discard 118 _inconvenient_ votes.

After it became clear to the polling officials that their numbers were in dispute with the UDD, there was an intense meeting.

The chief of the Polling Station insisted that his numbers were correct. The astute little retired Ajarn UDD Monitor insisted that 118 was far too large a number for them to say they were correct. Perhaps a disparity of a dozen or less could be expected  maybe the monitors blinked  but 118 was too suspect. She did not accept his assurances.

The conclusion of the meeting was that a report of this matter would be submitted to UDD Central. The Official agreed that the UDD monitor would be present when they opened the box on July 3rd at which time the ballots would be counted.

The ballot boxes were then driven to the Police station in a convoy, the UDD vehicle second in line.

The boxes were placed in a plexi-glass container in the front foyer, public space of the police station, with big locks and tape surrounding the glass container.

Four UDD members have been assigned to sit in that foyer in shifts throughout the evening and night. This will be repeated every evening-night this week.

There ya have it.the saga of the Advance Poll.

----------


## DroversDog

> ^ No, and only someone incapable of understanding English would draw such bizarre conclusions.


SD you are hilarious....

----------


## Butterfly

the UDD monitors were probably too drunk to know, or received party orders to create a problem where none existed

the UDD monitors are not an independent watchdog and therefore shouldn't be given any authority or credibility for their vote counting

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thai election campaign heats up  * 

Reuters video report
_
Jun 26 - Thailand's ruling Democrat Party is trailing in polls as voters cast early ballots. Andrew Raven reports._

----------


## DroversDog

> the UDD monitors were probably too drunk to know, or received party orders to create a problem where none existed
> 
> the UDD monitors are not an independent watchdog and therefore shouldn't be given any authority or credibility for their vote counting


 :deadhorsebig:  Wishful thinking Butters....

----------


## Gerbil

> I also remember reading, in the Wikileaks cables I think (but elsewhere as well), that he was also given a tip-off before the Baht was devalued in the Asian financial crisis, by an insider friend, that enabled him to do some spectacular deals and make a packet.


Well, he was in the cabinet that made the decision to float the Baht, so I dont think he needed the tip-off. He certainly is believed to have tipped-off some of his friends about what was going to happen  :Smile:

----------


## Butterfly

the UDD is an "underground" political party working for PT, I don't see what makes you think they deserve greater access to poll box or should be regarded as an independent authority for vote counting. They are as biased as any political party, it's basically putting the wolf in the hen house since PT has a long history of votes "playing"

----------


## StrontiumDog

Maybe this will help with understanding how things go wrong here, a video from today, of a guy voting outside the balloting area. With of course several friends about, in Phayathai.

Or as Rajaprasong says...

*Ratchaprasong News

 Is this video evidence of voting irregularities? Why are 4 men helping him vote outside the ballot area?*

----------


## Butterfly

I think PT strategy will be to create a conflict even if they have a thin majority, claiming they should have got an overall majority, throwing shit, and while everyone is busy shooting at each other, they could call on Thaksin to solve the situation  :Razz:

----------


## Calgary

I might add to my 'Riceroots" advance polling thing above, that it was a damn good thing I wasn't monitoring. 

Too many babes!

----------


## Calgary

Deleted by self

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : EC: Advance voting is satisfactory
*
*EC: Advance voting is satisfactory*
Published: 26/06/2011 at 04:42 PMOnline news: Local News
 Election Commission chairman Apichart  Sukhagganond said he is satisfied with the advance voting which largely  went smoothly throughout the country on Sunday.

 Mr Apichart said this at Ban Bang Kapi School, a venue for the  advance voting in Bangkok, where he witnessed the closing of the ballot  box at 3pm.

 More than 100,000 people turned out to vote in advance in Bang Kapi district, causing a traffic jam throughout the day.

 He said the next advance voting should take more than one day, judging from the turnout.

 In Bangkok, the ballot boxes would be kept at district offices and  watched by guards around the clock with help from closed-circuit  cameras.

 Political parties might seek permission from the directors of all  districts to send their men to join watching the ballot boxes, if they  so wished, Mr Apichart said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

_Democrat campaign stage in Yasothon collapses due to too many people going on stage to give Abhisit flowers; no one injured_

3 minutes ago

-----

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

_Advance voting over with  hundreds of complaint filed about electoral law violation; many voters  didn't make it for 3pm closing time_

----------


## Buksida

> I might add to my 'Riceroots" advance polling thing above, that it was a damn good thing I wasn't monitoring. 
> 
> Too many babes!


Which way were the polling booths facing this time?

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> 
> I might add to my 'Riceroots" advance polling thing above, that it was a damn good thing I wasn't monitoring. 
> 
> Too many babes!
> 
> 
> Which way were the polling booths facing this time?


I'm a bum man Buksida

----------


## Butterfly

> Too many babes!





> The astute little retired Ajarn UDD Monitor


we believe you  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

       EC bans all publication of opinion polls on election until July 3

14 minutes ago

......

Note: This is standard.

----------


## Bobcock

> The Official agreed that the UDD monitor would be present when they opened the box on July 3rd at which time the ballots would be counted.


That makes no sense whatsoever..... I do not see how that is possible.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> Maybe this will help with understanding how things go wrong here, a video from today, of a guy voting outside the balloting area. With of course several friends about, in Phayathai.


I don't think he's actually voting, I think he's getting his army documents in order to show the clerks and get his ballot. Notice the guy helping him - an official of some sort - and then it look slike he joins the queue (to register and get the ballot pack).

----------


## StrontiumDog

*AFP: Fugitive Thaksin vows not to seek revenge

Fugitive Thaksin vows not to seek revenge*

  (AFP) – 1 hour ago

 BANGKOK — Fugitive Thai ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has  vowed not to seek revenge over the coup which ousted him from power if  his party wins the restive kingdom's upcoming elections.

In a  television interview from his self-imposed exile in Dubai, he told the  Al-Jazeera news network his top priority was reconciliation and  reuniting Thailand, which has been riven with deep divisions since the  2006 coup.

"Never -- I never want revenge," said Thaksin, who fled Thailand before being convicted in his absence for corruption.

The  interview was aired on Sunday as up to two million voters were expected  to submit advance ballots in Thailand's first election since the  kingdom was rocked by its worst civil violence in decades last year.

"We  have to join hands and move ahead," Thaksin said. "We have to move our  country ahead. We have been wasting too much time already."

Mass  anti-government protests by Thaksin's "Red Shirt" supporters last year  triggered a military crackdown that left more than 90 people dead,  mostly civilians, in street clashes between protesters and armed troops.

"If  reconciliation (is) to unite, we need to forget the past," Thakson  said. "If we cannot forget the past, we are still talking about the past  and there is no way we can move ahead."

Although he lives abroad,  Thaksin is widely seen as the de facto leader of the main opposition  Puea Thai Party and his youngest sister Yingluck Shinawatra is pitted  against his arch-foe, current Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of the  elite-backed Democrat Party.

Yingluck, 43, is politically  inexperienced and many in Thailand feel her nomination as the opposition  candidate for premier confirms Thaksin's central role in the kingdom's  political landscape despite living in exile.

But Thaksin defended her candidacy, saying her experience in business qualified her to be prime minister.

Yingluck  has made clear that an amnesty for those on political charges is a  priority, but Thaksin said any amnesty should apply to both sides.

"We  don't want to see any more (violence)," he said. "That's the reason we  are asking for reconciliation. That's the reason we are asking for  Thailand to be one nation -- not to be divisive any more."

Thaksin  called for any process of reconciliation to be even-handed and led by  neutral organisations, adding that any amnesty should apply to both  sides.

He denied he had ambitions to return to office and agreed  that his premiership had not been perfect, adding that he would "use  more velvet glove, less iron fist" were he to return to Thailand.

"I  can say sorry, nobody's perfect, when you rule the country for six  years you might say something that is not satisfactory to different  sectors of people, but what democracy is all about is the majority," he  said.

"Every time we have elections, we have more and more  majority and the last election we won with 377 (majority), before being  ousted by coup d'etat. That's 76 per cent of members of parliament."

Some  2.4 million of Thailand's 46 million eligible voters registered for  advance votes ahead of the July 3 poll, with opinion surveys showing the  ruling Democrats lagging behind a resurgent opposition.

----------


## StrontiumDog

_Around 2.4 million voters registered for advance votes ahead of the July 3 poll (AFP, Pornchai Kittiwongsakul)_

AFP: Fugitive Thaksin vows not to seek revenge


_The vote is seen as a key test for Thailand after an often bloody political crisis (AFP, Pornchai Kittiwongsakul)_

AFP: Fugitive Thaksin vows not to seek revenge


_A picture of fugitive former leader Thaksin Shinawatra is displayed in a Red Shirt village (AFP/File, Pornchai Kittiwongsakul)_

AFP: Fugitive Thaksin vows not to seek revenge

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thai army on 'Red Shirt' charm offensive*
_
A charm offensive by  Thailand's powerful military in rural opposition strongholds has raised  fresh doubts about whether the generals will stay out of politics as an  election looms._

----------


## Takeovers

^ Nice journalistic touch by the correspondent to call the army "Green Shirts".

 :Smile:

----------


## DroversDog

> ^ Nice journalistic touch by the correspondent to call the army "Green Shirts".


The Thai military are their own worst enemy. Next villages will be declaring Green Shirt free zones.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Investors show nerves ahead of Thai poll - FT.com

 June 26, 2011 5:10 pm

*Investors show nerves ahead of Thai poll*

 By Tim Johnston in Bangkok

     The prospect of fresh political turmoil has prompted nervous foreign investors to dump Thai stocks ahead of next Sunday’s general election. 

 Overseas investors have withdrawn more than $1bn from the Thai stock market, according to some estimates, since Yingluck Shinawatra  – sister of Thailand’s divisive former leader Thaksin Shinawatra – took  over the leadership of the country’s main opposition party, Puea Thai.

Anxiety surrounding the July 3 vote  has been fuelled by recent opinion polls that suggest Ms Yingluck’s  candidacy has given the opposition a very real chance of victory. Puea  Thai is 15 percentage points ahead of the Democrats, although Thai  opinion surveys are notoriously inaccurate and the same poll lists more  than 30 per cent as undecided.

 Thailand’s “establishment” – a loose power bloc that encompasses the  country’s barracks, boardrooms and bureaucracy – is implacably opposed  to Mr Thaksin, whom they accuse of corruption. The fear for investors is  that this elite will use any methods at its disposal to prevent his  allies returning to power. Mr Thaksin , who was removed in a coup in 2006, is Puea Thai’s de facto leader,  living in exile in Dubai.

 A pro-Thaksin party won the country’s last election in 2007, a result  that sparked widespread street protests, which paralysed the government  and eventually led to its downfall. The current administration – headed  by prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva – took over, but its rule has been  tarnished by the violent suppression of last year’s pro-Thaksin  demonstrations in which 91 people died.

 Many investors fear that the cycle of confrontation will repeat itself should Puea Thai win next month, a worry that has been stoked by the government.

 “The primary concern is that there is going to be insecurity and  large disruptions if Puea Thai does form a government,” says Sriyan  Pietersz, managing director of JPMorgan in Bangkok.

 The Thai stock exchange has fallen 5 per cent since Puea Thai  selected Ms Yingluck as its prime ministerial candidate in May, while  the FTSE Asean 50 index has been flat over the same period. Thai stocks  now trade at a 25 per cent discount to the Malaysian and Indonesian  markets on a forward price to earnings basis. 

 However, many analysts believe that Thailand has been oversold. David  Beller, the head of research for Asia Plus Securities, says the markets  have fallen victim to herd mentality.

 “Generally speaking, people are pretty short-sighted about what is  going on here,” he says. “The political risk is going to remain as it  is. The fall is being driven by a bit of speculative disappointment.”

 The worst-case scenario is that the army  will launch another coup along the lines of their last foray into  government in 2006, but most analysts believe that even if Puea Thai  wins, the army is unlikely to move until they have exhausted the  possibilities of legal disqualification, and perhaps not even then. 

 The prospect of an extended legal tussle and more demonstrations is  real, but there is a question of how much effect it is likely to have.  Last year’s anti-government demonstrations had almost no impact on the  economy and tourism had a record year.

 “Looking at the economic numbers for last year, despite what  happened, Thailand did better than okay,” says Wellian Wiranto, HSBC’s  south-east Asia analyst.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Large crowds for advance voting
*
*Large crowds for advance voting*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 27, 2011                


*1.4 million turn up around country; but some unable to vote until after 3pm 'close'*

                                                            Election fever ran high yesterday as dozens of  determined citizens were still waiting their turn to cast their ballot  at their polling station by the 3pm closing of advance voting around the  country.

 In Bangkok, workers and students from the South and Northeast showed  up in droves because they could not return home on election day.

 Some 2.6 million people, including 1.07 million in the capital, had  registered to exercise their democratic rights ahead of the July 3 vote.

 Bang Kapi district witnessed the biggest turnout, with about 60,000 showing up during the 8am-3pm voting period.

 District chief Seerosankar Pathan said those coming at 3pm would be allowed to vote despite the closing time.

 Election Commission chairman Apichart Sukhaggamond said he was satisfied with the general atmosphere of advance balloting.

 Only two incidents were reported involving the unwitting destruction of ballots in Bangkok and Ayutthaya, he said.

 The rules might be amended to extend advance balloting from the  current one day to two days for the next general election in view of the  big crowds, he said.

 National Police chief General Wichean Potphosree said the day  proceeded smoothly. A 21-year-old man from Sakhon Nakhon tore up his  ballot by mistake because he thought he was supposed to put just the  portion he marked into the ballot box, he said.

 The incident happened at the Bang Na district office, a designated central polling station.

 Some 22 suspects were arrested for violating the alcohol ban on Saturday night, he said.

 He praised the many civic groups assisting to watch out for voting fraud.

 Some 2,340 police were mobilised to maintain order at 50 polling stations under 46 police stations in the capital, he added.

 Thida Thawornseth, acting chairwoman for the red-shirt movement, said  that from her inspection of polling activities in Bangkok, there were  several flaws.

 At a polling station in Muang Thong Thani, officials had failed to  identify the station where the ballots were to be cast, so there might  be some confusion in vote tallying, she said.

 Some polling stations were not cooperative in granting access to observers, she said.

 Pheu Thai candidate Yingluck Shinawatra voiced concern over security measures for the transport of ballot boxes.

 EC member Prapun Naigowit said ballot boxes would be kept at district  offices under 24-hour surveillance, with three officials taking turns  at monitoring security cameras.

 Representatives of political parties would be allowed to ensure the ballot boxes were stored properly, he said.

 Every ballot cast could be identified by a seal, which would prevent any attempts to stuff the boxes, he said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

ThaiVote2011   Thai Election 2011                                                    

            A street vendor was beaten up by 4 Dem Party campaigners after she held up one finger to show her support for Pheu Thai bit.ly/lD5qVZ

(note, the original article is in Thai)

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thai general election upended by Thaksin Shinawatra sister - Telegraph
*
*Thai general election upended by Thaksin Shinawatra sister*

*A general election that was designed to put Thailand political divisions in    the past has been upended by the emergence of Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister    of Thaksin Shinawatra, the exiled former prime minister, as front runner.  * 

 
_Mr Thaksin's description of his sister as a "clone" of himself failed to dent her rise Photo: REUTERS_

 By Ian MacKinnon in Nai Yang, Phuket 
 5:07PM BST 26 Jun 2011

To her supporters 44-year-old Miss Shinawatra, is "pretty, rich, clever,    international". 

  The businesswoman mother of one has energized the opposition Pheu *Thai*    party ahead of next Sunday's crucial election and left the ruling Democrats    - led by Old Etonian prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva – in the doldrums. 

  The telegenic Miss Yingluck's tireless campaigning and easy charm attracts    tens of thousands to her rallies. 

  A raft of opinion polls show Pheu Thai (For Thais) opening up a gap that will    give them a lead in the 500 seat parliament and maybe even scrape over the    magic 251 to allow them to form the government without recruiting smaller    coalition allies.  

  The fresh-faced woman vying to become Thailand's first female prime minister    was a virtual unknown barely a month ago.  

 Mr Thaksin's description of her as a "clone" of himself failed to    dent her rise. 

  Mr Thaksin, 61, who lives in self-imposed exile in Dubai avoiding a two-year    jail term for corruption and abuse of power, is widely seen as the power    behind his sister. Yesterday he made a barely veiled plea for his return    after next weekend's election. He said. "If we cannot forget the past,    we are still talking about the past and there is no way we can move ahead." 

  Pheu Thai's policy pledges are an echo of Mr Thaksin's tax give-aways during    his years in power between 2001 and 2006, before he was ejected in a    military coup.  

  Cheap health-care, a bump in minimum wages and guaranteed prices for rice    farmers top the pledges.  

  The ruling Democrats have been rattled by Miss Yingluck's rise. Mr Abhisit, a    youthful 47 himself, began the race more-or-less even with Pheu Thai. 

  Gen Prayuth Chan-ochan, the army chief, has signalled the powerful military    may yet step into to prevent the opposition from assuming power. He urged    voters to choose the "good people" and "make our country and    our monarchy safe". It was a thinly veiled dig at Mr Thaksin and Ms    Yingluck. 

  Gen Prayuth – <redacted>   – has repeatedly said he would keep out of politics and refuted constant    speculation of a coup if the election's outcome is not to the Thai elite's    liking. But Thailand has endured 18 coups or coup attempts since 1932. 

  Thailand has been paralysed by mass demonstrations, by Mr Thaksin's followers,    known as Red Shirts and his middle-class opponents, Yellow Shirts on a    regular basis since 2006. The last major outbreak of violence culminated a    year ago when 91 people – mostly Red Shirt demonstrators – were killed and    1,800 wounded after the movement barricaded central Bangkok for several    weeks demanding Mr Abhisit's resignation. 

  Voters are not surprisingly fearful of post-election divisions.  

  Rachin Taktin, 33, a watersports' instructor in Phuket, is a fan of Mr    Thaksin, but sees his limitations. "I don't mind if he comes back, but    not as prime minister. He must pay his taxes, and maybe even go to jail." Suchitta Plodprong, managing director of Megabooks store in the coastal    resort town of Hua Hin, will plump for Mr Abhisit "one more time to    continue his project", though she remains nervous of what comes next. 

  "I'm not sure what might happen if the Red Shirts don't accept a Democrat    victory," she said. "For us, it's very bad when Thais kill Thais.    We can't delete it from our heads. We're always afraid of politicians. Here,    the repeated turmoil of the last five years has been disastrous for business    and tourism. It's down 40%. We're at rock bottom."

----------


## Calgary

Regarding that You-tube video (Post # 3415) purporting to show election irregularities, with suspicious type voting activity taking place outside Polling station parameters, the comment was made when watching, _"Look at the haircuts. Typical military/soldier types"_

But then it may be as innocent as Tom Sawyer states in Post #3426:
_I don't think he's actually voting, I think he's getting his army documents in order to show the clerks and get his ballot. Notice the guy helping him - an official of some sort - and then it look slike he joins the queue (to register and get the ballot pack)._

----------


## Calgary

Advance voting ballot boxes are retained at police stations under some type of scrutiny, including CC video.

It is this retention at police stations that is causing the greatest degree of suspicious concern.

There is even a report last night suggesting that a political party (not the PT Party) has "bought" all the police at a particular police station in Udon Thani.

It seems to me this problem could be easily solved by counting the advance voting ballots after the Polling Stations closed yesterday.

This could be done under controlled conditions, ie just a very few carefully selected. multi-representational participants in the count, ensuring above all that the results remain secret.

It seems to me keeping the results secret by a select, very small group and placing the counting results in a small booklet or whatever, is easier than all this consternation about Ballot box security for an entire week, including video set-ups, glass containers at police stations and all of that stuff. 

It is during this week, that a lot of fraud occurs.

----------


## Butterfly

> "Never -- I never want revenge,"


typical words from a Chinese snake,

translation: "I will go after every one of you"

----------


## Butterfly

> It is during this week, that a lot of fraud occurs.


no doubt by the PT and UDD supporters to make sure they have an overwhelming majority so they can call back their darklord to rule the country with an iron fist

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by SteveCM
> 
> Take the example of a Reuters photograph of her in Yala, Thailand's restive deep south. Wearing a red scarf (of course red as Pheu Thai and the Red shirts are the same) she looks so gorgeous and natural as her head leans on a tudung-clad Muslim woman who was taking their picture on her mobile phone.
> 
> 
> The shot in question-
> 
> 
> 
> It is wonderful.


You red guys are embarrassing. Try to remember it's an election, not a Miss Popularity contest.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

Again, I wonder why there has been silence from the usual international election monitors - usually American and European government backed. Perhaps they don't want PT to win?

Abhisit keeps saying everyone must respect the outcome. He rather too confidently told BBC everyone (meaning the army and the Dems) would honor the outcome. That suggests to me that he already knows the outcome - a rigged outcome - that will show the Dems very close to PT in seats and smaller parties already bought off and told not to form a coalition with PT - or else.

Yingluck needs to appeal to the masses to ditch the godfather-smaller parties and ensure a PT majority. Then again, if ISOC is planning to stuff ballot boxes it wouldn't matter.

----------


## sabang

> Try to remember it's an election, not a Miss Popularity contest.


Just remove the gender orientation, and tell me what the difference is?
Jeez, you yellow apologists are so full of sour grapes, maybe you should make 'whine'.  :mid:

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> Try to remember it's an election, not a Miss Popularity contest.
> 
> 
> Just remove the gender orientation, and tell me what the difference is?
> Jeez, you yellow apologists are so full of sour grapes, maybe you should make 'whine'.


Winning an election should should be about policies, accountability etc, not good looking photos.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> Try to remember it's an election, not a Miss Popularity contest.
> 
> 
> Just remove the gender orientation, and tell me what the difference is?
> Jeez, you yellow apologists are so full of sour grapes, maybe you should make 'whine'.


LOL....Good one Sabang!

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Calgary
> ...


I wasn't asking about your sexual preference. The question seems simple enough, but I can try to rephrase if you like.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Traffic slows, tempers flare at poll booths
*
*Traffic slows, tempers flare at poll booths*

*Advance voting turnout in capital put at 58% * 
Published: 27/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Advance voting, held across the country  yesterday, was plagued with confusion as some voters' names went  missing, although no violence was reported.

 
_A young woman makes sure she doesn’t miss out on having her vote counted at a high school in BangKapi. - PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD_

 Traffic jams were reported outside some polling stations in Bangkok  and nearby provinces, though City Hall said less than 60% of voters from  the provinces who registered to vote in advance in Bangkok actually  turned out.

 About 40,000 people turned up to vote at the Naval Academy in Muang district of Samut Prakan.

 However, some voters could not find their names on the registration sheets and tempers flared.

 Crowds of voters flowing into polling stations caused traffic jams on  adjacent Sukhumvit Road. About 20 police were sent to manage the  tailback, which stretched several kilometres.

 Traffic also backed up outside a polling unit in Bang Kapi district,  where more than 100,000 people registered to vote in advance.

 Election Commission secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaiygarn said  the names of some voters at the academy polling station were still with  constituencies' election offices, which meant some voters could not find  their names on registration papers.

 He said voters whose names were missing should go to the Samut Prakan  election office and show an EC document confirming their right to vote  in advance.

 The office would then grant them the right to vote in the main national election on Sunday.

 In Surin, almost 3,000 soldiers flocked to a polling unit near the  Thai-Cambodian border to exercise their voting rights yesterday.

 
_Soldiers are trucked in to cast their advance votes in Lahan Sai district of Buri Ram yesterday. - TAWATCHAI KEMGUMNERD_

 The province had two polling units _ one in the downtown area, and  the second one at a school in Phanom Dong Rak border district_ to cater  to soldiers who cannot return home on Sunday. A total of 2,554 soldiers  from 45 provinces across the country voted outside their constituencies  in Surin province yesterday.

 In northern Phayao, some first-time voters were upset after they had to wait several hours to cast their ballots.

 In Rayong, traffic in front of the polling unit at the provincial sports stadium was heavy.

 Ballot boxes for advance votes are being kept under lock and key,  says Pol Maj Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen, adviser to the Royal Thai Police  Office.

 Tight security was in place, with police escorting the delivery trucks carrying the ballot boxes.

 Ballot boxes for advance votes in Bangkok will be kept at City Hall  while those in the provinces will be kept at police stations under tight  security.

 In Nakhon Ratchasima, ballot boxes for advance votes will be kept in unoccupied inmate cells at 15 police stations.

 Ballot boxes containing advance votes will say closed until the  general election on Sunday, when they will be counted alongside ordinary  votes.

 Of the 47 million eligible voters, 2.6 million registered for advance  voting, which allows voters to cast ballots at polling stations outside  their home districts.

 Bangkok city clerk Charoenrat Chutipong said unofficial figures  showed that 1,079,923 people registered to vote in advance outside their  home provinces in Bangkok. Of these, 631,513 (58.48%) turned out.

 Pheu Thai Party's prime ministerial candidate, Yingluck Shinawatra,  said she wanted the EC to allow parties to inspect the storage of ballot  boxes to make sure they are secure.

 
_Voters wait their turn to cast their ballots in Bang Kapi. Advance  voting for people living outside of their registered constituencies and  unable to return home on election day has been overwhelming this time  around. - PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD_

 
_Election officials take boxes full of ballots to a postal office in  Lak Si district. The ballots will be kept at City Hall until Sunday’s  election when they will be counted. - PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD_

 
_The footpaths to polling booths in Bang Kapi teem with voters waiting  patiently to cast their advance ballots. More than 100,000 people  registered in BangKapi. - KOSOL NAKACHOL_

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## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Thailand's appeal strong despite challenges
*
*Thailand's appeal strong despite challenges*
Published: 27/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: Business
 Thailand's new government should look at  improving the country's already good infrastructure to make it difficult  to resist for foreign investors, most of whom continue to have a  positive long-term outlook despite political ups and downs.

 "What is needed is the development of infrastructure and long-term  planning," said Peter Eliot, head of the American Chamber of Commerce in  Thailand and the country head of Citibank.

 
Eliot: ‘Don’t derail this train’

 Commenting at a recent forum held by the Bangkok Post, he said the  country was among the best in Asean region for doing business and that  the political uncertainty was nothing unusual, with minimal impact on  business.

 "If you go down Sukhumvit Road, so many hotels are being built. ...  In terms of long-term confidence in tourism industry the number of  hotels being built is a good indicator," he said.

 Tourism, he said, was healthy and short-term concerns should be  looked at in a global context as even Europe was facing similar  problems. Apart from Bangkok, hotels in places such as Phuket are also  prospering.

 In the broader picture, he said, Thailand was not going to fall off  the radar screens of multinationals as it is the second largest economy  in the Asean.

 Peter Fleet, the president of Ford Asean, said that his company to  date had invested $2.5 billion in Thailand with nearly 10,000 employees  and another 30,000 employed by the supporting industries that followed  the US automaker.

 Citing his company's decision to go ahead with its massive  investments at the peak of the political crisis in April and May 2010,  he said the overall environment in Thailand was far better than in any  other Asean country.

 "If we look at all the issues, Thailand is a better place to do  business, and although there is political instability, we can discount  this as this is a functioning democracy," he said.

 Mr Eliot agreed, saying that in the long run a democracy was able to  sustain itself as there were various ways to let out pressure, as  opposed to authoritarian regimes where pressure can boil over, as in the  Middle East and North Africa.

 Mr Fleet said that he agreed the new government must put more effort  into infrastructure and not as much into the populist policies now  making headlines.

 
Fleet: ‘Functioning democracy’ in action

 However, the panelists all agreed that the country needs to make  itself more competitive in the long run, as populist policies such as  raising the minimum wage are good, but should be accompanied by  increases in productivity.

 "The wage hike is something that would be supported as long as it  comes along with a rise in productivity," said Marc Spiegel, the deputy  chairman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce of Thailand (JFCCT)  and also the managing director of Kone Thai Lifts.

 Mr Spiegel said more consistency and transparency were essential, while some very old regulations should be amended.

 Some of the country's customs laws, he noted, have not been amended  for 80 years, hardly conducive to progress in an ever-changing global  marketplace.

 The Foreign Business Act also needs an overhaul, even though it is was passed just 12 years ago, the JFCCT maintains.

 "There are things that can be improved," Mr Fleet said, adding that  previous governments had strongly supported the automobile industry.  Thailand is the world's 12th largest automaker and soon could reach the  top 10.

 Mr Spiegel acknowledged that although large investors had not seen  much impact from the 2010 political crisis, small local industries had  been hurt and some were unable to recover.

 "Political stability is very important, and apart from this the Asean  clock is ticking and a lot needs to be done," he said, referring to the  Asean Economic Community in 2015.

 Mr Eliot said the labour shortage was an issue _ a good problem to  have, but not so good for manufacturers. Thailand's low unemployment  rate of 1.5% "pinches" the ability of business to grow.

 But everyone agreed that the successful policies implemented by the  various governments in the past should not be derailed but instead  should be improved upon.

 "It is in nobody's interest to slow or derail this train," Mr Fleet said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Democrat campaign faulted
*
*Democrat campaign faulted*
Published: 27/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsThe Democrats expect to retain three of five  seats in Phitsanulok, but poor campaigning and stiff competition from  the Pheu Thai and Chartthaipattana parties may make it difficult for  them to do so.

 Naresuan Poll director Chak Panchupetch said that while the Democrats  are popular in the province, they have done a poor job of promoting the  party ahead of Sunday's election.

 Mr Chak, of Phitsanulok-based Naresuan University, also said certain  policies have not been clearly explained, with some residents struggling  to differentiate between the crop price guarantee advocated by the  Democrats and Pheu Thai's crop mortgage scheme.

 Juti Krairiksh, the Democrat's candidate in Phitsanulok's  Constituency 3, admitted his party is inferior to Pheu Thai in terms of  marketing strategies.

 At a recent campaign rally in the province, Democrat members spoke at  length on the merits of the crop price guarantee, which the party  figures will tempt voters in agriculture-oriented Phitsanulok.

 The Democrats' Constituency 1 candidate Warong Dechkijwikrom attacked  Pheu Thai's promise to issue credit cards to farmers. He said the cards  would be prone to abuse by fraudsters.

 Dr Warong believes Democrat policies for the elderly and the farm  price scheme are policies closest to Phitsanulok residents' hearts and  these policies are potent enough to give his party the edge.

 Phitsanulok has five constituencies. The Naresuan Poll picks the  Democrats to win three seats, with Pheu Thai and Chartthaipattana taking  one each.

 In Constituency 1, covering the municipal tambons of Muang district,  Dr Warong is competing chiefly with political newcomer Nattharat  Charmpoonot of Pheu Thai.

 Dr Warong still commands a solid support base in the district but  local election observers say his Pheu Thai rival looks to run him close.

 In Constituency 2 of Phrom Phiram district and parts of Muang  district outside the municipal area, Democrat Pongmanu Thongnak runs  against Pheu Thai's Noppol Luangthongnara.

 But both may be defeated by Monchai Wiwatnat of Chartthaipattana, who has rapidly expanded his support base.

 In Constituency 3 covering Wang Thong and Noen Maprang districts, Mr Juti faces Pheu Thai's Hassanai Sornsit.

 Mr Juti, the information and communications technology minister, is  expected to secure a comfortable win. He is thought to be far more  popular than Mr Hassanai.

 In Constituency 4 covering Bang Rakam and Bang Krathum districts and  tambons Tha Pho and Ngew Ngam of Muang district, Pheu Thai candidate  Niyom Changpinit is predicted to beat Panthip Supakitcharoen of the  Democrats. Mr Niyom, a former MP, boasts a wealth of experience in  national politics, whereas Ms Panthip is lesser known.

 In Constituency 5 of Chat Trakan, Nakhon Thai and Wat Bot districts,  the Democrats' Nakhon Machim remains hugely popular due to his image as  the "lawyer of the poor".

 He is thought to command significantly more support than Pheu Thai's Wanna Kraisitpong.

----------


## Norton

> You red guys are embarrassing. Try to remember it's an election, not a Miss Popularity contest.


In fact, all elections are to a great degree popularity contests. Charisma, personality and even appearance make a big difference in a politician's ability to garner "popular" support. Abhisit and Yingluck are both engaged in a popularity contest. 

In front of me are one page political brochures from the Dems and the PTP. Both have nice pics of two attractive, young party leaders. Not surprising both point out in detail the tangible benefit the individual voter will receive if they vote for them. Not much different than what we see in any election campaign.

Like it or not, the combination of candidate charisma and direct benefit to voters adds up to "popularity" and wins elections.

Partisanship in Thailand has little to do with the platforms of either of the two big parties. It is simple a split in love/hate of the two major parties and their leaders which divide the vote. As we see here on TD each party spews rhetoric on why the opposition should be hated. Again, not much different than what we see in any election campaign.

Why anyone would think an election in Thailand should be different than in any other country is puzzling.

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## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : 'Til political death shall they part

COMMENTARY

*'Til political death shall they part*
Published: 27/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 This couple has been through the good times and  bad times together over the years. They loved each other one day and  openly criticised each other the next.

 Now the general election exactly a week from today will be the perfect test of their forced marriage.

 What happens after next Sunday will prove whether they have a long-lasting love or just politically cosmetic relations.

 The bride, Newin Chidchob, divorced Thaksin Shinawatra and was forced to get married to a new groom, Abhisit Vejjajiva.

 Most of the discussions on their life took place behind the barracks,  after the People Power Party was banned for poll cheating and people  around the barrack supervisors and others had no desire for another  Thaksin nominee to run the country.

 Before that Mr Newin stayed close to Thaksin and played a key part in  engineering his Thai Rak Thai Party's landslide election in 2005, which  ended with the humiliation of the Democrat Party. It's an open secret  too that before the Abhisit-Newin marriage, the Democrats didn't like  the man from Buri Ram that much given his past record of attacking Chuan  Leekpai and his party members on the Sor Por Kor 4-01 case.

 The Democrats were attacked by Mr Newin on cronyism by giving land  deeds to the rich and influential who had close ties with the party  rather than the landless poor.

 But in politics, anything can change. Foes can easily turn friends.

 After the marriage, Mr Abhisit gave Mr Newin a priceless wedding gift in exchange for his decision to stay with him.

 Mr Newin's Bhumjaithai took control of the Commerce and Transport  ministries, the two government agencies all political parties aim for if  they get a chance to be on the administrative side.

 Yet they haven't lived a happy life ever since.

 Good times? Of course.

 But there were bad times, too, like the new fleet for the Bangkok bus  project which was blocked by the Democrats due to suspicion of possible  corruption because of the inflated price tag and the high-speed train  project which the Democrats tried to run past Bhumjaithai to initiate  the programme.

 But at least they still managed to stick together, although Mr Newin  grumbles from time to time and questioned the sincerity of his political  partner.

 Now the pair have to temporarily go their own ways on campaigns to woo voters.

 All polls have pointed to Yingluck Shinawatra and her Pheu Thai Party  triumphing over Mr Abhisit in the forthcoming polls, some even making a  bold prediction of a landslide victory.

 That might be untrue.

 This time there won't be a clear winner or a repeat of the 2005 election, as far as the Democrats believe.

 Pheu Thai will come first. There's no doubt about that.

 Yet Mr Abhisit and his team are still upbeat that the Democrats-Pheu  Thai margin will be somewhere in the region of 20 seats or less. He  hopes that his plea at Ratchaprasong last Thursday will work out as  planned to give the party another chance to stay closer to Pheu Thai.

 The real chance for the Democrats to see this projection become a  reality is the performance of Mr Newin's Bhumjaithai. The Democrats  undoubtedly can't compete with Pheu Thai when it comes to the contest  outside Bangkok , the southern region and many provinces in the central  and lower northern regions. The rest largely will be a fight between  Bhumjaithai and Pheu Thai especially in the North and Northeast. Mr  Abhisit has to rely on help from Mr Newin to whittle down the lead of  Pheu Thai.

 He is confident his political marriage with Mr Newin is still valid  particularly when Thaksin has ordered Pheu Thai not to re-marry the Buri  Ram politician as punishment for him defecting to another camp.

 The bond between the Democrats and Bhumjaithai will keep them united  to take the lead in forming a government in case Pheu Thai is unable to  reach 250 marks and the Democrats aren't way behind.

 This time around, Mr Abhisit should love Mr Newin.

 More than ever.

 He hopes that the Buri Ram man thinks of the good old days between  them and sets aside their bad memories. His future depends on this  partner.

*Saritdet Marukatat is Editorial Pages Editor, Bangkok Post.*

----------


## Calgary

Yesterday's problem here at the Advance Polling Station show the futility of having International Election Monitors.

I cannot envisage those _'dandies_' sitting patiently counting every voter who entered the voting booth, from the first one at 8:00 AM to the very last one at 3:00 PM. But then I am not familar with their normal MO, so I may be wrong.

But without patiently sitting there with eyes glued and check marks noted for every voter, there is no way of detecting that there was a disparity of 118 votes (voters vs. # of ballots). Even the PT Party Monitors had useless information as they arrived well after the opening of the Polling Station.

I am still speculating about how they did that and what their intent was. If there was going to be any fraud at all, I expected ballot box stuffing and having more ballots than voters, but not the reverse.


The only thing I can think of, is that they could discard 118 'problematic' votes. Perhaps the person checking off the record for every voter who passed her/his station, conveniently neglected to do so 118 times which perhaps was done for a price.

But I am just speculating and perhaps far to cynical.

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## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : An old story which should not be forgotten
*
*An old story which should not be forgotten*
Published: 27/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 "This was not an election campaign, but a  campaign to incite trouble.  A malicious campaign tactic typical of the  Democrats to defame their political opponents."  So said Thida  Thavornseth, chair of the United Front for Democracy against  Dictatorship or the red shirt movement, in response to the Democrat  Party's revival of the bloody protest in April-May last year in their  last major campaign rally staged on Thursday night at Ratchaprasong  shopping district.

 Other negative comments towards the Ratchaprasong rally from people  who are no fans of the Democrats included the following: ''A rerun of an  old story'', ''A broken music record'' and ''Nothing new at all''.

 The Democrats' intention to choose Ratchaprasong to talk about the  red shirt protest over a year ago and the role of some hard-core red  shirt co-leaders, among them Natthawut Saikua and Arisman Pongruangrong,  in inciting violence among their followers is clear _ that is to revive  the memory of Bangkokians about the traumatic event and to try to  convince many of them who have not yet decided on how they should vote  on the upcoming election to make the decisions now and, hopefully, to  cast their ballots for the Democrats.

 It may be true that the campaign tactic is malicious as claimed by  the UDD chair because it may ignite resentment among the red shirt  followers and, hence, is not conducive to the concept of reconciliation  which is openly professed by all political parties contesting the polls,  including the Democrats and Pheu Thai. But didn't the Democrats tell  the truth about who among the red shirt co-leaders did what during the  two-month siege of Ratchaprasong intersection by the red shirt  protesters? Would the UDD deny that Mr Arisman, in one of his  temperamental speeches to red shirts at Ratchaprasong intersection,  openly urged each of them to bring a one-litre container to fill up with  petrol to set Bangkok on fire? Even Mr Nat thawut himself admitted he  once told red shirt followers at a rally in Chanthaburi in January last  year to set fire to provincial halls and that Bangkok would be in flames  if the government decided to use force to put down red shirt protests.  However, he denied he made such an outrageous statement at the  Rachaprasong protest as claimed by the Democrats.

 But whether it was at Ratchaprasong, Chanthaburi or anywhere in this  country, would it be right for anyone with any sense of conscience and  sense of responsibility to openly and publicly urge his people to set  fire to state buildings and property in retaliation for the government  crackdown on violent protesters?

 Yes, it is true that the Democrats did not produce any new  information about the red shirt violent protest. It is also an old  story. But it is an old story that we should not forget _ it is to serve  us a lesson so that it will never be repeated again. It is an old story  that is damning to the UDD and, in particular, its hard-core leaders  such as Mr Nathawut, Jatuporn Prompan and several others who are now  running for election as party list candidates under the Pheu Thai Party  banner.

 It is understandable why the Pheu Thai Party and the UDD are so edgy  about any public discussion about the incitement of violence openly  advocated by hard-core leaders and the burning and looting spree by  suspected red shirt protesters while the red shirts have been staging  rallies every now and then at Ratchaprasong just to remind the  government and the public of the 92 people killed during the prolonged  protest.

 Most protesters who came from the provinces may be innocent as they  felt they were fighting for democracy and against double-standard  practices, but the red shirt co-leaders and their super boss were not.  Their hands were also dirtied and, as such, they were also held  accountable for the violence and deaths.

 The Democrats' tactic to hit at the Pheu Thai and the UDD by reviving  the bloody red shirt protest a year ago may help in swaying Bangkok's  undecided voters to their favour. This last major gamble by the  Democrats may help narrow the popularity gap but not gain enough  momentum to stop the Pheu Thai Party's steady rise in popularity.

 The Democrats' latest offer of an amnesty plan for the 200 plus  politicians from the disbanded Thai Rak Thai, People Power, Chart Thai  and Matchimathippatai parties who were banned from politics for five  years is too little too late to have any effect on the voters.

 The same also holds true for the Pheu Thai statement that it has  never had a policy to grant amnesty to de facto leader, former prime  minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Nor has the party had any policy to return  to him the 46 billion baht worth of assets seized at the order of the  Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders. ''A  lie!'' said the Democrats' Suthep Thuagsuban in response to the Pheu  Thai statement. But he might be wrong.

 Nowhere among Pheu Thai's policies is there mention of an amnesty for  Thaksin and the return of his seized assets. The party ''has never  had'' such a policy, said the statement. See the wording which implies  only to the past and present. It does not imply to future policy which  can be introduced. A simple and smart statement which is also  misleading!


*Veera Prateepchaikul is a former editor, Bangkok Post.*

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## Gerbil

> The only thing I can think of, is that they could discard 118 'problematic' votes. Perhaps the person checking off the record for every voter who passed her/his station, conveniently neglected to do so 118 times which perhaps was done for a price.


To what benefit? The voter puts the vote in the ballot box. If the 'independent'  :rofl:  observers managed to count more voters than there are ballots then it's obvious they have a problem with counting.

Which is not an unheard of problem. Peoples attentions wander. The line moves at an unpredictable pace, it is very easy to count someone twice as the observers attention is distracted for a split second and they are unable to remember if they have included somebody in their count or not.

In fact if you had two teams of observers, acting independently, counting people in that situation, I can guarantee you that each team would come up with a different count at the end of the day.

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## DrB0b

> Nowhere among Pheu Thai's policies is there mention of an amnesty for Thaksin and the return of his seized assets. The party ''has never had'' such a policy, said the statement. See the wording which implies only to the past and present. It does not imply to future policy which can be introduced. A simple and smart statement which is also misleading!


By the same logic he could also claim that PT will introduce compulsory cannibalism and the sacrifice of first-born male children to Moloch :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Calgary

^^
"_The line moves at an unpredictable pace, it is very easy to count someone twice as the observers attention is distracted for a split second and they are unable to remember if they have included somebody in their count or not"_

Knowing these two sharpies....That didn't happen...Guaranteed!

To question the credibility, abilities and other spurious comments (ie. having an overiding conspiratorial PT agenda) about these two ladies sounds so ludicrous when one knows them. 

_In fact if you had two teams of observers, acting independently, counting people in that situation, I can guarantee you that each team would come up with a different count at the end of the day._

Agree........but by a dozen or less - 20 max ................Not 118 from a total of only 900 voters!
__________________

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## StrontiumDog

*Election Commission admits technical glitches in advance election
*
*Election Commission admits technical glitches in advance election*

  วันจันทร์ ที่ 27 มิ.ย. 2554

 

  BANGKOK, June 27 -- Election Commission (EC) secretary-general  Suthipol Thaweechaikarn on Monday admitted that there were some  technical glitches in the advance election on Sunday as slightly over 50  per cent of eligible voters who had registered for advance voting  exercised their rights.

 Mr Suthipol said the advance election nationwide was run smoothly in  general, with some 1.49 million voters or 55.6 per cent of some 2.6  million voters who had registered for advance voting outside their  constituencies casting their ballots. Meanwhile, some 90 per cent of  voters who registered to vote in advance at their constituencies  exercised their rights.

 However, the EC secretary general said that the main problems found were  the voters could not vote in time when the polls closed at 3pm as many  voters had registered for advance voting, while some other voters' names  went missing.

 Mr Suthipol said the EC would discuss the problem and work out the solution.

 The EC was also confident that there would be no problem in the process  of transporting the ballot boxes back to the provinces for counting on  the election day on July 3.

 Meanwhile, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) Permanent Secretary  Charoenrat Chutikarn said in Bangkok alone, 1,079,923 persons who had  registered for advance voting and 631,513 or 58.48 per cent cast their  ballots in advance at 50 districts of the capital.

 At Bangkapi district where 104,016 people registered for  off-constituency voting in advance, the highest number in the country,  59,913 or 57.60 per cent of the voters turned out to vote.

 While advance voting in constituency, 35,037 had registered and 31,144 or 88.89 per cent cast their ballots.

 The highest turnout in Bangkok districts was at Bangkhen, where 1,199  persons or 87.17 per cent of the 1,367 registered voters cast their  ballots. (MCOT online news)

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## StrontiumDog

*Abhisit urges EC to reinstate voting right of voters who fail to change status
*
*Abhisit urges EC to reinstate voting right of voters who fail to change status*

                                      Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva Monday  called on the Election Commission to reinstate the voting right of  voters who have not changed their voting status from advance voting.

Abhisit  said many people have registered to vote in advance in the last  election and did not know that they would also have vote in advance this  time on Sunday for failing to inform the EC beforehand they wanted to  vote on the election day.

Abhisit said many of such voters have just  been informed that they would not be allowed to vote on July 3 so the EC  should come up with a measure to help them.

The Nation

-----

PM urges EC to explain mishaps of advance voting

*PM urges EC to explain mishaps of advance voting*

                                      Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva Monday urged the Election Commission to explain to the public mishaps that happened during the advance voting on Sunay.

Abhisit  said he heard there were obstacles when voters wanted to cast their  vote in advance and the problems varied at each location.

"If there are doubts regarding to the advance voting, the EC should rush to clarify them," Abhisit said.

The Nation

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## StrontiumDog

*No ordinary election for Thais

No ordinary election for Thais*  

Tension mounts in run-up to polls amid deep political divide, and post-election scenario looks equally grim

*Nirmal Ghosh*
*The Straits Times*
Publication Date : 27-06-2011

On the  streets of Thailand's crowded capital, many people claim they still have  no idea whom they will vote for in Sunday's general election. Recent  opinion polls show that countrywide, around 10 million are undecided.

But some vendors and retailers in  Bangkok's Prathunam market revealed that many Thais were not so much  'undecided' as reluctant to tell anyone whom they are going to vote for.  

Those sympathising with the 'Red Shirts',  who favour the opposition Puea Thai party's candidate Yingluck  Shinawatra, are afraid of the army. Those who favour the Democrat Party  are afraid of the Red Shirts. 

The depth of this divide and the rising  level of anxiety in Bangkok - where several hotels are reporting mass  cancellations for the election weekend - point to the fact that this is  no ordinary election. Analysts are also sceptical that it has any  potential to heal the political divide. 

Thailand's ruling Democrat Party has  painted the election as a choice between order and chaos. The opposition  paints it as a last chance for a return to electoral democracy after  its predecessor parties won elections but were dissolved on court orders  for cheating. 

A Puea Thai party list candidate and  potential future finance minister, Mr Suchart Thadathamrongvech, asked  what his party was selling, drummed his hands impatiently on a  conference table top and said one word: 'Hope'.

Democrat Party list candidate Isra  Sunthornwat, asked what the Democrats were selling, sent a text message  that read: "Without dwelling too deep in details, the Democrat Party's  policies are aimed at the Thai people and for the benefit of the country  as a whole. Not for the benefit of specific groups or any individuals."

'Individuals' is a clear reference to  Thaksin Shinawatra, the fugitive former prime minister. Last week, the  Democrat Party, clearly worried at opinion polls showing it trailing  Puea Thai in Bangkok, raised its campaign rhetoric several notches,  squarely accusing the opposition of a hidden, one-point agenda - paving  the way for his return. 

Given the stakes and the recent history  of violence, anxiety revolves around how the results will be greeted by  different camps. 

Up to a month ago, the election was expected to be close. Today, Puea Thai, buoyed by the injection into the fray of  Thaksin's photogenic 44-year-old sister Yingluck, seems well in the lead  and is exuding an air of confidence. One party insider says internal  assessments indicate 'not a landslide but a tsunami' in its favour. 

But few Thais are optimistic about the  post-election scenario. A Puea Thai victory is feared not in and of  itself, but because of what it represents - possibly the return of the  establishment's bogey man, Thaksin, if not in person then through his  sister - and the potential reaction from hardline establishment  conservatives.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera news  network aired yesterday, Thaksin vowed not to seek revenge over the 2006  coup which ousted him from power, if Puea Thai wins. 

But with so many undecided voters, the  result could still be close even if the Puea Thai does emerge as the  single largest party. 

Under the Constitution, Parliament has to  be convened around four weeks after the election. The prime minister is  then chosen by a vote in the house. Thus, the period between the  election and the vote is critical; it is when horse trading is done and  deals are struck, and the single largest party may find itself short of  votes and lose the prime minister's seat to an alternative coalition.

The complex machinations and high stakes  may even produce other options for the prime minister's position - a  sidestep to defuse potential conflict. 

The Puea Thai needs a big win - 251 seats  or more in the 500-seat House - to be able to form a government on its  own. Anything less than 250 could make it vulnerable to a counter-move  by a coalition headed by the Democrat Party.

Democrat leader and Premier Abhisit  Vejjajiva has said the largest party should have a chance at forming the  government first. But he has also signalled that the Democrats - for  whom 200 seats would be a good result - will try to form a government  with other smaller parties.

In an interview, he challenged the idea that 'any one political party can have the sole right to form a government'. 

The Democrat Party's likely coalition  partner is the Bhumjai Thai party, which defected from the Thaksin camp  in 2008 to enable Mr Abhisit to become premier through a parliamentary  vote. 

Importantly, the Bhumjai Thai party  controls the Ministry of the Interior, which oversees key provincial  authorities with roles in running the election. 

And the Democrat Party has the army -  sworn to serve the monarchy - behind it. Army chief General Prayuth  Chan-ocha has openly endorsed the Democrat Party. 

If Puea Thai emerges with 251 or more  seats, it could take power but may eventually be undermined, possibly  through another dissolution case. If the Democrats form the government,  the Red Shirts who support Puea Thai may not accept it. 

The election could bring an end to the  conflict, but only if Thailand's power centres - the monarchy, the army,  the bureaucracy and major political parties - accept and live with the  results. If not, it could prove to be another landmine, and plunge the  country deeper into chaos.

----------


## sabang

Yes Nimal, we are well aware of where your sympathies lie.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 
But reallly, what I would like to hear from more Democrat leaning journalists's is that, no matter who wins, the election result _needs to be respected_. They have no real need to hide their bias, or preference.

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## StrontiumDog

*Voters will 'reset' the political button at Thai polls

Voters will 'reset' the political button at Thai polls* 

*Kavi Chongkittavorn*
*The Nation (Thailand)*
Publication Date : 27-06-2011

For  seven hours on July 3, Thai voters will either follow their hearts or  their heads. Whichever way, the result will reset the Thai political  button for years to come. The 26th election is the most pivotal Thailand  has ever held since it switched from absolute to constitutional  monarchy in 1932. What will be the future of this political system? Only  Buddha knows. But there is no turning back, especially to the vicious  cycle all too familiar to all Thais.

 The factor determining the future political landscape will be how  political settlements among elite groups at national and subnational  levels work out. Victims of injustice, brutality, poverty and numerous  murky circumstances during the recent past would also need to come  together as well. Whatever the result might be obviously depends on the  outcome of next weekend's polls.

 At the national level, the two major parties, Pheu Thai and Democrat,  provide the overarching framework on which political settlement can be  reached. At the moment, each party favours a different approach to  resolving the resolution of political violence from April and May last  year. Earlier the Pheu Thai Party, which is tipped to win more seats at  Sunday's polls, wanted a simple and across the board amnesty for all  concerned in the various incidents of 2010. Indeed, if such a solution  was to be implemented, it could be problematic in the long run as  justice for some is injustice for others.

 However, after some heated debate and criticism, Noppadon Pattama, a  close aid to Thaksin, last week quickly amended the plan saying that  Pheu Thai would now set up instead a panel of victims of injustice.  Apparently, this panel would also seek the early return of fugitive  Thaksin Shinawatra, who has lived in exile since 2008 on charges of  corruption. Letting go those who involved in the violence is one thing,  trying to reverse the court's decisions on criminal charges is another.

 Should Pheu Thai head the next government, the rightful way for  political settlements must be done through the transparent  parliamentarian process with checks and balances. Non-electoral  legitimacy must also be taken into consideration. Any extra  non-parliamentarian activities, which Pheu Thai and its red shirt  compatriots excelled in the past, must be abandoned. 

 Obviously, if the Democrats hold on to power, the ongoing judicial  and healing process will continue with the independent Truth for  Reconciliation Commission of Thailand under the chair of respected Kanit  na Nakorn. The time consuming investigation has produced some initial  results in identifying the culprits of political violence. In February,  it led to the release of several red-shirt leaders on bail as well as  other low ranking lieutenants.

 Somehow, further investigations have been hampered by an absence of  witnesses from the Thai police, particular midlevel officials who were  enforcers of law and order. The truth commission lacks the subpoena  power which has weakened the whole fact finding objective. The  government should have given a broader mandate to the commission. On the  contrary, the Office of National Human Rights of Thailand, which is  conducting a separate investigation, has more power to call on  witnesses.

 The NCHR report, which has not yet been released, is more  encompassing in naming those involved in the violence, much to the  chagrin of concerned political groups. In all circumstances, the  military has been more collaborative than the police, knowing full well  that it would be protected under the stringent rules of engagement  following the April 10 incident at Phan Fah Bridge.

 In retrospect, Abhisit has left the truth commission to do its job  without any interference. As such, it creates a unique symptom of  bureaucratic inertia due to the absence of the so-called "luang luk" or  direct "casual interception" by him, which has impacted on the country's  speed and quality of the administration of justice. During the Thaksin  years, these interceptions from the top down were quite common and  perceived as signs of leadership. However, Abhisit does not entertain  such an approach. He believes in the Thai judicial process, including  its built-in shortcomings.

 Millions of words on doomsday scenarios have been written by  political pundits about the post-election. Their views are quite  understandable, mostly based on past practices and results among  political players, their interests and key institutional engagements.  Pessimism aside, this election might very well produce some surprises  serving as game changers for the eight-decade old Thai democratic  development.

 First of all, there could be a higher vote turnout than for all  previous elections. It should definitely be more than the 74.4 per cent  of the 2007 polls. Intense political mobilisation and wider democratic  space in the past two years would encourage people to show up at the  booth. The advanced voting yesterday was also the highest, of well over 1  million. Silent majority and first time voters have come forward.

 Second, with the proliferation of new media and social media addicts-  especially 8-million Facebook and nearly 1-million Twitter registered  users - more discussion, albeit rudimentary, on politics, has helped to  forge common views. These groups, unlike those traditional voters who  are party faithful and older, would go along with trendy politicians  they can readily identify. That helps explain why political campaign  messages of all parties, big or small, are quite similar in zeroing in  on populist sentiments and emotional connections.

 Third, informal negotiations among elite groups at national and  sub-national levels will be more expedient after the election. Past  polarisation was fought out and brought to the brink with the so-called  "loselose" propositions and outcomes. This time, political settlement  among all concerns will continue to be intense but less confrontational  with malleable propositions to ensure all stakeholders don't lose out  from these arrangements.

 Finally, the Thai army, which is under close scrutiny both at home  and abroad, will have another unique opportunity to demonstrate its  commitment to stay away from politics, especially under the current  leadership of General Prayuth Chan-ocha. He has been very forceful in  guarantee the nonpartisanship of his troops. Throughout Thai history,  the Thai military has found satisfaction in protecting the country and  monarchy as well as growing developmental roles. This traditional role  should continue unabated after the election.

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world.....


*Bangkok University Poll shows large Puea Thai lead | Asian Correspondent*

_By Bangkok Pundit 
Jun 27, 2011_

In the lead-up to the July 3 election, BP has blogged on a number of polls as follows (from oldest to newest):The E-san poll, as blogged about here and here, which surveyed all 20 provinces in the Northeast which looked at who those surveyed would cast their *party* vote for (Puea Thai 63.9%, Democrats, 20.7%, and Bhum Jai Thai, 9.1%),Nationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their *constituency* vote for (Puea Thai 23%, Democrats 20%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%, undecided 53%),Nationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their *party*  vote for (Puea Thai 41%, Democrats 37%, Bhum Jai Thai 4% OR if you  remove the undecideds and those who will vote no you get Puea Thai 45%,  Democrats 41%, Bhum Jai Thai 4%),Bangkok-only DPU poll which showed that Puea Thai would win 19 *constituencies*, Democrats 5 and the rest were too close to call, andNationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their *party*  vote for (Puea Thai 43%, Democrats 37%, Bhum Jai Thai 3% OR if you  remove the undecideds and those who will vote no you get Puea Thai 47%,  Democrats 41%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%),Poll of the Lower North showing how people would cast their *party* vote for (Puea Thai 23.2%, Democrats 22.2%, 4.5% for other parties, and 50.1% were undecided),Nationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their *constituency* vote for (Puea Thai 22%, Democrats 13%, undecided 64%) and *party* vote (Puea Thai 23%, Democrats 13%, undecided 64%),Bangkok-only DPU Poll which shows that Puea Thai is leading in the *constituency* vote 47% to Dems 40% and *party* vote 47% to Dems 39%,a Bangkok University poll that showed that Puea Thai is leading 33.6% to 17.6% for the Democrats in Bangkok for the *party* vote,Nationwide Suan Dusit poll which showed who people would cast their *party* vote for (Puea Thai 52%, Democrats 34%, Bhum Jai Thai 3%),Nationwide NIDA poll which looked at who people would cast their *constituency* vote for (Puea Thai 35%, Democrats 21%, undecideds 33%) and *party* vote for (Puea Thai 36%, Democrats 21%, undecideds 32%),ABAC poll of 28 provinces throughout Thailand which showed who people would cast their *party* vote for (Puea Thai, 43.7%, 39.1%,  Bhum Jai Thai 6.6%), andMahasarakham University poll  which surveyed all 20 provinces in the Northeast which looked at who  those surveyed would cast their vote for (Puea Thai 64.3%, Democrats,  12.7%, and Bhum Jai Thai, 8.1%).*BP*: BP has posted  about the accuracy of Thai polls and the problem of using a single poll   – hence why we have the above refresher which is included and  updated  for future posts on polls. Polls may be poorly worded and not so   reflective of those who will vote on July 3, but they are data  points  and together with other information we can use them to evaluate how each  of the parties will do for the July 3 general election.

 First, there is a new Bangkok Poll  (Bangkok University Poll) which surveyed 3,338 people in all 33  constituencies in Bangkok between June 16-22. The poll includes survey  data methodology, but well ran out of time to blog it – nothing unusual  although as with most Bangkok University polls it undersamples those  aged over 46 (only 22% of survey sample).

*Q1. For the 33 constituencies*, see the below chart (BP has added a column titled “DPU Winner” which shows the winner of the DPU poll from 2 weeks ago ago )*




Note: The winner/party leading is highlighted with yellow, for the  ‘vote no’ option if it is highlighted in yellow it means that the  Democrats could win the seat if every ‘vote no’ voter (regardless of  reason) switched their vote to the Democrats, the lighter yellow just  indicates it would be close.

*BP*: So this poll shows Puea Thai leading in 28 and   the Democrats leading in five. Simply for the fact that the DPU poll  had a much larger survey sample, BP would give more weight to it on the  individual constituencies. Although, it is difficult to know the reasons  why people have chosen the ‘vote no’ option (every election the ‘vote  no’ is a couple of percent), but in constituencies 3, 21, and 31 even if  only 50% of those who were voting ‘no’ were ex-Democrat voters, if they  were to vote Democrat then the Democrats would be in the lead so  instead of only winning 5, they would have won 8. As BP blogged in August 2010 after the Bangkok council elections:_This has been BP’s thesis all along.  The NPP won’t win that many seats – they are more likely to pick up  list seats in the general election than electorate seats – but they will  cost the Democrats the chance of victory in a number of seats. This is  more likely to be the case in urban areas in Central, Northern, and  Northeastern Thailand._
*BP*: BP estimates that the ‘vote no’ option will cost  the Democrats at least 10 seats nationwide with almost all going to  Puea Thai – although this ASSUMES that these voters would vote Democrat  which given what they have heard and read about the Democrats is a  massive assumption, it is more if Sondhi L’s media empire were behind  the Democrats now on how would the result be different.

 This poll and especially those ‘vote no’ numbers are part of the  reason that the Democrats held the rally in Rajaprasong. They want to  convince such ‘vote no’ voters that to keep away the reds and Thaksin,  you must vote Democrat. As without winning a majority in Bangkok, the  Democrats will lose the election.

*Q2: Party vote* (คะแนนนิยมที่มีต่อพรรคการเมืองในการเลือก ส.ส. ในระบบบัญชีรายชื่อ)



Rak Santi also scores 1.6%.
*
BP*: As with most polls, you can see the undecideds  are falling dramatically. Puea Thai increased by 4.7%, Democrats by 4.5%  so the Democrats are not eating into the Puea Thai lead for those who  have decided in the past two weeks.
*
Q3: Preferred PM*



Reasons for Yingluck were “want to give a chance to a fresh face;  want a female PM; want a PM with business management experience”. For  Abhisit, the reasons were “party has good policies; want him to get  another term so his work can continue”

*BP*:  Clearly Yingluck fever is part of it. Like Abhisit, Yingluck now scores better than her party.

 Abhisit has criticised the Bangkok Poll results per the _Bangkok Post_:* Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has questioned  Bangkok Poll opinion survey results, which he says always tend to show  only the Democrat Party’s low popularity over the past two years.*_
 …
 Mr Abhisit said different surveys by different pollsters produced different results.

 The Abac and Dusit polls were different again, Mr Abhisit said.
They showed more significant trends.  One is the gap between the two parties is getting narrower_ _, he said._
*BP*:  This is a little odd. Other articles  in Thai confirm Abhist is criticising the Bangkok Poll and says Abhisit  gives more weight to the Suan Dusit and ABAC Polls. The last Suan Dusit  poll showed  Puea Thai gaining 13 points and the Democrats losing 10 points in  Bangkok compared with the previous Suan Dusit poll. Whereas this Bangkok  Poll shows the Democrats and Puea Thai gaining around the same, but  Abhisit has a problem with this poll – he says those polls show the gap  is narrowing which is just not correct for the Suan Dusit poll.  The  most recent ABAC poll showed a 4% gap nationwide, but it was the most  recent ABAC poll about the PT vs Dems in around a month.

 In addition, in regards to whether Bangkok Polls are biased against the Democrats, there was a Bangkok Poll  at the end of 2010 where those surveyed only gave the Democrats 4.11  out of 10. Seems quite low, right? Well, those surveyed only gave the  coalition partners 3.42 and the Opposition (i.e Puea Thai and Co) 3.85  out of 10. Bangkok Poll from December 2007  about two weeks before the 2007 General Election showed the Democrats  would receive 34%, PPP 30% (actual result about 40% each). Looking  through archives, found another Bangkok Poll from November 2009  showing between Abhisit and Thaksin that Abhisit would receive 30.1% to  24.6% for Thaksin. How is this biased against the Democrats? This isn’t  the first time Abhisit has been upset with the Bangkok Poll so there  must be some annoyance with them as he could easily have cited the fact  that both Puea Thai and the Democrats picked up just under 5% each….

 *corrected this sentence so it makes sense.

----------


## SteveCM

*DPU Poll shows Puea Thai still in the lead | Asian Correspondent*

_By Bangkok Pundit 
Jun 27, 2011_

In the lead-up to the July 3 election, BP has blogged on a number of polls as follows (from oldest to newest):
_
<snipped - repeats list from blog post above>_Bangkok Poll which shows that Puea Thai is leading in the *party* vote 38% to Dems 22% (undecideds in 20s and also those who wont answer are included).*BP*: BP has posted  about the accuracy of Thai polls and the problem of using a single poll    hence why we have the above refresher which is included and  updated  for future posts on polls. Polls may be poorly worded and not so   reflective of those who will vote on July 3, but they are data  points  and together with other information we can use them to evaluate how each  of the parties will do for the July 3 general election.

 There is a new Durakit Bundit poll (DOC)- the third such poll. This poll surveyed 9,371 people in 33 constituencies of Bangkok between June 18-20.

*Q1.*
- 88% said they intend to vote,
- 8% said they are unsure whether they will vote, and
- 5% said they think they will not vote.

*Q3*.
-62% said they had decided who to vote for and will not change their minds (last time 55%),
-6% said they had decided who to vote for, but may change their mind (last time 9%),
-26% said they are undecided (last time 31%),
-2% said they will vote no (last time 5%), and
-4% said decided, but will not disclose (last time this option was not included)

*BP:* No vote has dropped for this poll although not for other polls.

*Q3: On constituency voe for all 33 Bangkok constituencies compared with the previous DPU poll:*



NOTE: Undecideds is 5% or less. Other parties has fallen from 13% to 10%
*
BP*:  The June 3-6 poll showed Puea Thai leading in  18 constituencies, Democrats in 6, and too close to call in 9; this poll  shows Puea Thai leading in 22, Democrats leading in 6 and 5 too close  to call. This is despite the fact that the Democrats have increased by  2%, but Puea Thai have increased 1%. The main reason is that Puea Thai  is leading by just over the 5% margin in a few more constituencies. In  some constituencies, the result has narrowed, but in others, Puea Thais  margin has increased.

 Hence, it is easier to say why many predictions have Puea Thai  winning a majority of the constituency seats in Bangkok  which would be  the nail in the coffin of the Democrats chances to form the next  government and hence another reason why the Democrats were out in force  at Rajaprasong last week to convince Bangkok voters to stick with them  (the Democrats won 27 out of 36 seats in the 2007 general election).

*Q4: On party vote in all 33 Bangkok constituencies compared with the previous DPU poll*


*
BP*: Other parties down by 3% with the Democrats up by 2% and Puea Thai up by 1%.

*Q4: When asked who people want as PM (i.e preferred PM candidate)*
- Yingluck 47%
- Abhisit 39%
- Purachai 7%
- Chuwit 4%
- Others 3%
*
BP*: Yinglucks 47% is the same as the Bangkok Poll blogged about this morning, but Abhisit scores much higher on this poll.

 btw, this is the last poll that will blog on as new polls are not  allowed to be published in the last seven days of the election campaign

----------


## StrontiumDog

*A year of lost opportunity*

 Jun 27, 2011                                                         


_A  Ronald McDonald figure adorned with a Red-Shirt portest sticker, taken  May 19, 2010 close to Din Daeng Junction, Bangkok (BRThai/OJFall)_

 The end of the long and demoralising Red Shirt occupation of  Ratchaprasong on May 19 of last year left people in Thailand with a  series of shocking developments of which to try to make sense. These  included the chaos of the six-day military operation to end the  protests, the assassination of Gen Khattiya “Se Daeng” Sawatdiphon by a  sniper on the evening before that operation began, the sudden collapse  of the protests and the dispiriting arson that followed, both in Bangkok  and in provincial Thailand. The shocks also included the fatal  shootings of protestors sheltering at Wat Pathumwanaram late in the  final day of protests, the government’s decision to charge protest  leaders with “terrorism” and to launch what has been called “a witch  hunt” of their supporters, and a death toll that made March-May 2010 the  deadliest spate of political violence in the country’s modern history.

 Lost among all these shocking developments was one more. On May 3,  2010, as he sought to bring the Red Shirt protests to an end with an  offer of early elections, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva sketched out a  “road map to national reconciliation” for Thailand. Under the  circumstances, this road map was necessarily ad hoc. It was conceived  primarily to bring the Ratchaprasong stand-off to an end. It was also so  general as to be subject to any number of interpretations. When exiled  former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra apparently overruled Red Shirt  leaders’ inclination to accept Abhisit’s offer, the violent suppression  of the protests became inevitable. Yet, rather than take account of the  impact of that violence with a fresh set of meaningful measures, after  May 19 the government reasserted its determination to stick with the  road map proposed a fortnight earlier. This was the overlooked shock: a  decision as disappointing as it was shocking, one that seemed to bespeak  the unrealistic belief that the skeletal bargaining points advanced on  May 3 represented the basis for a serious and sustained attempt to end  Thailand’s slow-burn civil war on terms acceptable to both sides.

 A year later, with general elections in the offing, where has the  road map taken Thailand? The short answer is, not very far but  nevertheless in the wrong direction. The bodies charged with proposing  media and socio-economic reforms and with investigating the violence of  last year have struggled both to make progress in their work and to be  taken seriously by Thailand’s powers-that-be. Many associated with these  bodies have demonstrated sincerity and diligence in their work. But to  date that work, along with the Abhisit-led government’s studied lack of  interest in it, has amounted to a failure seriously to address the  implications of last year’s crisis.

 Only in the area of constitutional reform—overseen by the  exceptionally wily conservative scholar, NIDA president Sombat  Thamrongthanyawong—has the road map led to achievements of substance.  These include amending Thailand’s 2007 constitution to increase the  share of the lower house of parliament filled through proportional  representation (by “party-list” candidates) from 80 out of 480 to 125  out of 500 seats, to abolish multi-member parliamentary constituencies,  and to eliminate the requirement that parties win at least five per cent  of votes cast before candidates from their party lists can become  members of parliament.

 None of these changes will in itself have a huge impact on the  results of Thailand’s next general elections. But they do make clear the  vision for Thai democracy to which Thailand’s present Yellow government  has committed itself. (Despite its distance from the increasingly  erratic ‘Yellow Shirt’ People’s Alliance for Democracy, this government  must be understood as Yellow).

 Some understandings of the 1997 constitution mistake the party-list  system, like the creation of independent oversight bodies, for a  progressive measure. In fact, the purpose of that system was to ensure  the disproportionate presence of well-educated urbanites in the Thai  parliament.  We must understand the 2011 constitutional amendments in  light of that purpose. Further, since the introduction of the party-list  system a decade ago, no party has benefited so much from it as the  Democrats.


_Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (courtesy of ThaiGov)_

 At first glance, elimination of the five-percent rule on parties  eligible to seat members of parliament drawn from party lists would seem  to work at cross purposes with the amendment increasing the number of  party-list MPs. For this change favours smaller parties. It increases  the likelihood of multi-party coalition governments. But it will also  increase the availability of small blocs of parliamentary support for  larger parties to enlist in exchange for a cabinet post or two.The broad  vision to which constitutional changes like these point is pretty  clear. It amounts to the resuscitation of a political order that first  took shape with Thailand’s February 1969 elections and that defined Thai  politics during the two decades between 1980 and 2000. The principal  characteristics of this order numbered three. First, governments were  weak multi-party coalitions, many of whose members were creatures of  Thai money politics with rural constituencies. Second, the weakness and  inherent unruliness of these coalitions left them reliant for stability  on the influence and suasion of influential actors formally outside the  political realm and independent of elected politicians; that influence  and that suasion often amounted to management and direction. Third,  while less important and frequently lucrative cabinet portfolios might  go to members of minor coalition partners, well educated figures, many  schooled abroad and with family roots in Thailand’s  early-twentieth-century bureaucratic elite, filled the important posts.

 This political order served Thailand relatively well for many years.  It represented a distinct improvement on naked military rule. By the  time of the first election of this century, however, it was obsolescent.  Thailand had become too affluent and too complex for management and  direction on the part of a small, informal network of  extra-parliamentary actors. What Australian anthropologist Andrew Walker  calls the country’s “middle-income peasantry” was better informed. Many  of its members had grown aware of the impact of specific government  policies on their lives and livelihoods. They were no longer the rather  isolated villagers whom His <redacted> so often visited in the  three decades starting in the late 1950s. Sustaining the old political  order with the help of rural votes had become more difficult; it now  looks impossible. To attempt to revive the old order a decade into the  twenty-first century is to deny these changed circumstances, to will  away Thailand’s historical development, to indulge in reckless  anachronism.


_Former Prime Minister and de facto Pheu Thai head, Thaksin Shinawatra_

 The signs and perils of anachronism are today there for all to see in  Thailand. Little has brought the country so much disgrace in the eyes  of foreign observers during the year since May 19, 2010, as the revival  of PAD protests over land surrounding the Preah Vihear temple. As  historian Chris Baker has noted, attention to that land rather than to  the temple itself is “a new passion” among Thai hyper-nationalists. They  did not make it an issue until 2008, more than forty-five years after  International Court of Justice awarded the temple to Cambodia. Yet,  rather than point this out and thus signal his government’s ability  confidently to ignore the PAD, Prime Minister Abhisit seized on this  issue in early 2011 as an opportunity to demonstrate his own toughness.  In the process, he conflated domestic politics and foreign policy in a  manner that has dismayed his country’s ASEAN partners. The apparent  determination of Thai Army commander Gen Prayut Chan-ocha to control  Bangkok’s handling of the crisis did not make the premier’s life any  easier. The conduct of both Abhisit and Prayut also stirred speculation  that there is more to the government’s stance on Preah Vihear than meets  the eye, that actors behind the scenes such as those that proved so  central to Thailand’s post-1980 political order were determining the  country’s approach to this matter.

 Other examples of anachronism are less obvious, but equally telling.  In the hey-day of the political order that today’s Yellow government  would now revive, for example, Thailand drew its finance ministers  either from its bureaucratic elite or from the leaders of its domestic  commercial banks. To opt, as was common practice in countries whose  economies were dominated by transnational corporations, for a finance  minister who had served a foreign bank would have been unthinkable.  There is nothing in itself wrong with doing so today; the changed  circumstances of international finance may indeed make it desirable in  the eyes of some. But to accept thoroughly changed circumstances in one  domain while stubbornly resisting them in others smacks of folly.

 If Prime Minister Abhisit and his government would now lead Thailand  into national elections while burdened with this anachronistic vision of  Thailand’s once and future political order, what might the outcome of  those elections be? Analysts offer three general scenarios.

 In the first scenario, polls would result in a coalition government  very much like the current one. While the Thai Army discovered in 2007  that arranging election results is harder than it had figured, the  recent constitutional amendments will increase the likelihood of this  scenario. Messy but serviceable, perhaps formed and maintained with the  help of extra-parliamentary actors, such a government would conform to  the backward-looking political vision sketched out above.In a second  scenario, the coming elections would result in a Red Shirt victory. In  the eyes of some observers, this is a matter of simple mathematics.  Thaksinite parties have won at least parliamentary pluralities in every  election in the past decade and, if anything, the failure of the current  Yellow government to pursue meaningful reconciliation in the past year  has only hardened the Red base. As recent developments have made clear,  the continued banning of 111 former Thai Rak Thai politicians and the  long delay in granting bail to leaders of last year’s protests has  unfortunately given former Prime Minister Thaksin effective control of  the Pheu Thai Party. The party’s electoral victory would thus be likely  to precipitate another coup, whether military or judicial. Thailand has,  after all, seen both varieties in recent years.

 A final possibility is that the polls do not take place. Judges,  elections commissioners, soldiers and others all have the power to  prevent them. In doing so, they would be acting in accord with the  wishes of many in the Thai military and, reportedly, in Thai business  circles. This scenario would lead either to extension of the term of the  current government on one pretext or another or to an appointed  administration. The figures mentioned as potential premiers in the  latter case underline how backward-looking the advocates of an appointed  government for today’s Thailand are.


_Royal Thai Army troops deployed on the streets of Bangkok_

 Shadowing each of these three scenarios we have the twin spectres of  interference in political outcomes from behind the scenes and of those  outcomes’ provoking a return to mass violence, in Bangkok and perhaps in  provincial Thailand too. For half a decade now, Thailand’s tradition of  elitist liberalism has been in crisis. Deep-seated hatred of Thaksin  Shinawatra and an equally deep-seated state of denial regarding the  transformed nature of Thai society have driven a wedge between its  elitist and its liberal components. This wedge helps account for how far  a large segment of Thailand’s soi-disant respectable classes have  stooped in their determination to have their own way during the past  year. At the same time, former Prime Minister Thaksin’s recently  intensified political activity serves as a reminder of the cynicism of  his advocacy of human rights, the crudeness of his approach to social  inequality, and the shallowness of his economic vision. To combat such a  figure through self-serving political nostalgia is a guaranteed  dead-end for Thailand. But a year of lost opportunity to achieve  reconciliation with the social and political forces that Thaksin  unleashed leaves one wondering in which direction Thailand’s path  forward might lie.

* Michael J. Montesano is an historian on the research staff  of the Institute of Southeast Asian  Studies in Singapore.  With Pavin  Chachavalpongpun and Aekapol Chongvilaivan, he is co-  editor of the  forthcoming book Bangkok, May 2010: Perspectives on a Divided Thailand   (Singapore: ISEAS Publications, 2011).*

* This article first appeared in Business Report Thailand Issue #7, April-May 2011*

----------


## Hampsha

I thought the EC came out with something the other day which banned releasing poll numbers starting from a week before the actual vote.

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by BangkokPost
> 
> Nowhere among Pheu Thai's policies is there mention of an amnesty for Thaksin and the return of his seized assets. The party ''has never had'' such a policy, said the statement. See the wording which implies only to the past and present. It does not imply to future policy which can be introduced. A simple and smart statement which is also misleading!
> 
> 
> By the same logic he could also claim that PT will introduce compulsory cannibalism and the sacrifice of first-born male children to Moloch


Considering they have no real policies, just populist handouts, it's no wonder nothing is stated specifically.

----------


## SteveCM

> I thought the EC came out with something the other day which banned releasing poll numbers starting from a week before the actual vote.


Correct - as of yesterday there won't be any _new_ opinion polls published until close of voting on 3rd July.

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world.....


*How to interpret the* 

_By Bangkok Pundit 
Jun 27, 2011_

The ballot paper in Thailand for the constituency and the party vote  includes the option for a no vote (kind of like none of the above).  Voting is compulsory and you will lose some political rights if you  dont vote hence the no vote option provides an option for people who  dont like any of the candidates or parties, but do not want to spoil  their ballot. In the 2006 general election, the no vote was the main  opposition vote against the pro-Thaksin Thai Rak Thai party as the then  opposition parties, ie Democrats and Chart Thai, boycotted the election.  For the July 3 election, PAD has basically split from its political  party, New Politics Party (NAP) and is campaigning for the no vote (Or  vote no) in conjunction with another affiliated political party, For  Heaven and Earth Party.
VOA from earlier this month:_Hundreds of members of the Peoples Alliance for  Democracy, known as the Yellow Shirts, marched Friday through Bangkoks  financial district for their unique campaign encouraging Thai people not  to vote in the July nationwide election [BP: Actually, they are not encouraging people not to vote, but they are encouraging people to vote the 'no vote' option].

 The PAD supporters say politicians running for a July 3 election are power hungry and corrupt and should not be allowed to govern.
 The protesters rode in the back of pick-up trucks holding mock campaign signs and flyers depicting politicians as animals.

Krich Thepbamrung is a Yellow Shirt supporter who says if enough people  refuse to vote then authorities will be forced to address systemic  corruption.

 Yes, we want to choose the leader but it means everything  must change first, he says. [We] must change the politics system  first. [It does] not mean from democrat [democracy] to be communist to  be other thing  no. We also, we like democracy. We want a democracy.  But, its not mean democracy by vote one time then they hold the power,  corruption and corruption. There is a history from so long times ago  until today._
*BP*: The vote no option is part of the PAD view  that the current political system in Thailand is corrupt and needs to  be cleansed of dirty things and this includes Thailand being shut  off/closed down for 3-5 years (understand this means a 3-5 year period  of some national government).

 The EC and other government agencies have stated they will remove  the vote no election posters, but this has not happened  BP still  sees them up everywhere they used to be and while a couple may have been  removed at least most havent been  and the threat just provided. See this blog post  for a good description and photo examples of the vote no posters  depicting politicians as animals. There are many ways people can express  political speech. BP thinks letting people insult all politicians (and  not singling out individuals) and letting off steam is better than  closing down airports or occupying intersections for months on end, no?

 On the percentage of the no vote , TANN has more:_Director of the Economic and Business Research Center at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce Thanawat Polwichai said if vote no ballots account for more than 10 percent of the elections total result,  a group of people outside Parliament will come out to make their voices  heard, which could post a threat to political stability.

 Thanawat then said if the vote no outcome exceeds 20 percent, it  will represent the peoples demand for political change, which  politicians will have to consider.

 He went on to say if the vote no ballots are less than 5 percent, it  will mean the campaign is only to meet the demand of some small group._
*BP*: What about the 5-10% range???

 For the 2007 general election, for the party vote 2.85% of voters  nationwide chose the no vote option (4.11% in Bangkok); for the  constituency vote it was 4.58% of voters nationwide chose the no vote  option (6.42% in Bangkok; 9.04% in Nonthaburi, 9.90% in Phuket which was  the highest). Hence, the 5-10% range is more likely. To have any  traction, PAD need to add 5% to the the no vote option at the last  election so 7.85% for the party vote and 9.16% for the constituency  vote.

 BP would take a guess that the PAD goal is more than 10% for the  constituency vote as that will be a symbolic milestone. Although, one  should not take it to mean 10% of the population agree with the PAD  given 4.58% chose the no option in the 2007 general election, but  getting double figures would  be a symbolic achievement. It would also  mean that PAD have around 5% of the population* on their side is a  small, but powerful constituency because in future elections the  Democrats are very unlikely to be able to win significant support to  form a government without PAD support.

 *Having said that it is very difficult to state the reason that  people have chosen the no vote option will be because of the PAD (of  course, exit poll data could provide more details). A person could  simply have become bored of politics over the last few years and not  like any of the candidates, but not support the PAD. Then again this is  the advantage of the PAD piggy-backing on the vote no option as  opposed to telling their supporters to vote for the New Politics Party  because you can argue that the final figure no vote is your support  base 

 BP sees it as very unlikely that nationwide the no vote option will  reach 10% for the party vote. If it did then PAD would have done very  well  and the Democrats would have lost in a landslide.

----------


## robuzo

"BP sees it as very unlikely that nationwide the ‘no vote’ option will reach 10% for the party vote. If it did then PAD would have done very well – and the Democrats would have lost in a landslide."

An analysis in the June 25 edition of "Newsclip," one of the local Japanese free papers, comes to similar conclusion.

----------


## drawp

One fantastic thing about this election is that the baht is dropping quite fast.  From 1 usd to 30.30 THB to a current high of 1 USD to 30.92 (note this is from XE, for whatever reason Oanda is way off atm, at 30.23 ???)

----------


## SteveCM

*Bhum Jai Thai candidate banned five years*

BREAKINGNEWS »


27 June 2011

The Supreme Court Monday banned a Bhum Jai Thai Party candidate from  politics for five years after convicting him of falsifying asset  statement when he was a Puan Pandin party-list MP.

The court's  Criminal Division for Holders of Political Office found Purapat  Wisetjindawattana guilty of concealing his debt worth Bt3.5 million when  he submitted his financial statement to the National Anti-Corruption  Commission on February 18 2008 as a party-list MP.

The court initially sentenced him to two months in  jail and fined him Bt4,000. The jail term was suspended.

The ban automatically disqualified Purapat as the Bhum Jai Thai candidate in Nakhon Ratchasima's Constituency 8.


The Nation

----------


## SteveCM

*NIA denies conducting election survey*

27 June 2011

               By The Nation


*The National Intelligence Agency on Monday denied a  report that it has conducted a survey on the number of parliamentary  seats each party will win in the upcoming general election.*

               NIA chief Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana said that his office has  neither done a survey nor any political assessment concerning the  election scheduled for July 3.He was referring to a survey on Temujin  Network website that quoted what it claimed to be the NIA's survey in  reporting that Pheu Thai Party would win 286 parliamentary seats while  the Democrats of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva would win 121 seats.

It further claimed that Chat Thai Pattana would win 32, Bhum Jai Thai 24, Matubhum three and Love Thailand four.

The website's homepage read, "Urgent: Latest survey by the National Intelligence Agency."

Suwaphan said that the website did not reveal any information about the survey's procedures and data sources.

Temujin  network is run by Chanapat Na Nakhon, 40, known as Temujin. He was an  adviser to the deputy labour minister in Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh  government. 

He is also known as a supporter of convicted exPM Thaksin Shinawatra and is a strong critic of those who oppose Thaksin.

----------


## Hampsha

Found the Pheu Thai website for those interested...

http://www.ptp.or.th/default.aspx

----------


## Butterfly

so basically Yingluck has become the new leader of the Reds per her new poster campaign this week,

so much for reconciliation and national unity  :mid:

----------


## English Noodles

> Bangkok Post : 'Til political death shall they part
> 
> The bride, Newin Chidchob, divorced Thaksin Shinawatra and was forced to get married to a new groom, Abhisit Vejjajiva.


 :smiley laughing:

----------


## English Noodles

> I thought the EC came out with something the other day which banned releasing poll numbers starting from a week before the actual vote.


Yes...



> btw, this is the last poll that will blog on as new polls are not allowed to be published in the last seven days of the election campaign…

----------


## Norton

> 30.92 (note this is from XE


Better to use the Bangkok Bank rate for more accuracy to real rate.
Today 30.75 for TT transfer.

Foreign Exchange Rates

----------


## Tom Sawyer

The FT and others were saying foreigners are pulling their money out, yet the THB seems to be getting even stronger. Reason?

----------


## Butterfly

foreigners investors pulling out their money from the SET is hardly a long term indication, more like a flash correction in THB and SET Index

the hit and run by foreigners investors are considered random over the long run, value is still there for Thai stocks, but the fools always buy too late or pull out too early

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thailand's PM Warns Against Thaksin’s Return, Articles | THISDAY LIVE
*
*Thailand's PM Warns Against Thaksin’s Return*

                                                                    27 Jun 2011


                                                                                                                      Thai PM, Abhisit Vejjajiva warns Thaksin will be 'in control' if the opposition wins the election

Thailand's prime minister has warned the country may face renewed  political instability if former leader, Thaksin Shinawatra, returns from  exile.

Abhisit Vejjajiva told the BBC that the next government should not "put  one man's interest before the country's. It brings instability."

But in another BBC interview Thaksin said he was "useful" to Thailand.

Thais go to polls on July 3 in a contest that Abhisit's Democrat Party admits it could lose.

Since Thaksin's ouster in a military coup five years ago, Thailand has  been convulsed by political turbulence, largely focused around those who  love him and those who hate him, says the BBC's South East Asia  correspondent Rachel Harvey.

Just over a year ago more than 90 people died in anti-government protests.

All recent opinion polls suggest Abhisit's Democrat Party is trailing  behind the main opposition Pheu Thai party - led by Thaksin's younger  sister Yingluck and, critics say, effectively controlled from exile by  Thaksin himself.

"I give advice, I write the policy, because I have more experience than  anyone else in the party, so I give advice to them," Thaksin told our  correspondent when she travelled to meet him in Dubai, where he is  living in order to avoid a prison sentence for corruption.

He said he did not see why that should make his critics nervous.

"Why so nervous? I'm useful to the country," Thaksin said.

Thaksin's opponents, including the incumbent prime minister, would strenuously refute that, our correspondent says.

They fear that if the opposition comes to power, Thaksin will be  absolved of all past misdemeanours under an amnesty and return home  triumphant.

In an interview with the BBC's HARDtalk programme, Abhisit said Thaksin  had been "responsible for inciting the red-shirts" - opposition  supporters involved in last year's deadly clashes with the military.

He said the opposition were campaigning on their connections with  Thaksin but urged the election winner not to "put Thaksin's interest  before the people's and the country's".

"There are people who are willing to use violence and cause  instability. I'll do all I can to make sure that doesn't happen, and I'm  confident that... we'll prove ourselves to be resilient," Abhisit said.

He insisted the decision of the Thai people would be respected, whoever won.

"It's for the Thai people to decide and come July 3 they will make that  decision and we will all respect that decision - and I urge the  red-shirts to do the same," Abhisit said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*SCENARIOS - Trouble in store for Thailand after the election? - Yahoo! News
*
*SCENARIOS - Trouble in store for Thailand after the election?*


By Alan Raybould | Reuters – 8 hours ago

_A woman prays in front of a picture of ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra during …_

            BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand holds a general election on July 3  that might be a step on the road to stability after five years of  political turbulence. But it could just as easily prolong the crisis,  especially if there is no clear-cut winner.

     Some fund managers remain bullish on the Thai stock market,  saying the fundamentals trump the politics. However, foreign money has  been pulling out in recent weeks, depressing stocks and the baht .

     Below are scenarios centred on the parties vying to form the next  government: the Democrat Party of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and  Puea Thai Party, which is controlled by Thaksin Shinawatra, a former  premier ousted by the military in 2006.

     PUEA THAI FORMS COALITION GOVERNMENT

     Thailand's opinion polls come up with puzzlingly different  numbers but seem to point to the same outcome: Puea Thai wins the most  seats but not an outright majority, so it needs to secure the support of  smaller parties.

     This would be feasible, although one contentious issue would be  Puea Thai's suggestion of a possible amnesty for people banned from  politics. The unspoken aim is to allow Thaksin to return from self-exile  in Dubai without serving jail time for corruption. Not all the  potential partners would approve.

     Even if that hurdle is jumped, the resulting government could  face opposition from the street, the courts and the military. These  elements have intervened before to remove Thaksin or pro-Thaksin  governments in favour of administrations acceptable to the royalist,  "old money" elite.

     If Puea Thai is allowed to govern, the prime minister will  probably be Thaksin's sister, Yingluck Shinawatra. She has been involved  in the running of two listed company and proved an effective campaigner  but is a political novice.

     It is hard to see the stock market rallying much in the short  term under Puea Thai because of uncertainty over how long the government  would last plus the real fear of serious unrest if a pro-Thaksin  government was forced out yet again.

     If the government lasts a couple of months and looks like it may  survive, against the odds, buyers may return to the stock market, which  should also push the baht up.

     Bond prices are likely to ease because of rising interest rates  and inflation, and a Puea Thai government may accelerate that trend  because of populist campaign promises that would push up state spending  and government bond issuance.

     However, domestic investors tend to favour local bonds at times of uncertainty, which may limit any rise in longer yields.

     PUEA THAI WINS AND CAN GOVERN ALONE

     This seems less likely but cannot be ruled out. Thaksin's  previous parties won landslides in 2001 and 2005, and a party backing  him won the post-coup election in late 2007. It was dissolved by the  courts in 2008, paving the way for Abhisit to form a coalition some say  was lined up by the military.

     As above, a pro-Thaksin government would probably come up against powerful extra-parliamentary forces.

     Several well-placed sources say Thaksin's camp is seeking talks  with the military on some form of post-election modus vivendi: Puea Thai  would be allowed to govern and the military top brass would remain in  place, with early reshuffles limited to middle ranks.

     If Puea Thai is not allowed to govern, Thailand faces an even  bloodier rerun of the protests that paralysed parts of Bangkok in  April/May 2010, when 91 people died. Some analysts believe hundreds of  thousands of pro-Thaksin "red shirts" would take to the streets to  oppose any military coup.

     PUEA THAI WINS MOST VOTES BUT THE DEMOCRATS STAY IN POWER

     Smaller parties might be put off joining a Puea Thai government  because too many powerful elements are determined not to let it rule.  With ideological or political issues having little bearing, these  parties might simply opt for the side that offers their leaders a longer  period as ministers.

     The financial markets would probably be happier to see another  Democrat-led government, with one Oxford-educated economist, Abhisit, as  prime minister and another, Korn Chatikavanij, continuing as finance  minister.

     However, bond yields would still be likely to move higher, for  the cyclical reasons. And the messy nature of the coalition formation  might persuade stock market investors to hold back a while longer, to  let the dust settle.

     The potential for unrest is high after such an outcome, since Thaksin supporters would believe they were robbed again.

     DEMOCRATS WIN OUTRIGHT

     Thaksin supporters have said they would respect such a result if  it was fair. It would be the best outcome for financial markets but is  very unlikely, judging by opinion polls and a lacklustre Democrat  campaign.

     If it did, Abhisit would have a free hand in distributing  portfolios: important -- and lucrative -- ministries such as Commerce  and Transport would not this time be used to pay off coalition partners,  as in December 2008.

     Important reforms that have been neglected because of the turmoil  -- a new regulatory regime for the telecoms sector, for example --  should get more attention.

     The stock market, all other things being equal, would get a boost and the baht would be pulled higher in its wake.

     Bonds might move the other way, again for cyclical reasons, but  also because the Democrats would still have to honour commitments  included in their manifesto, pushing up public spending and inflation.

----------


## DroversDog

> Thai PM, Abhisit Vejjajiva warns Thaksin will be 'in control' if the opposition wins the election
> 
> Thailand's prime minister has warned the country may face renewed  political instability if former leader, Thaksin Shinawatra, returns from  exile.
> 
> Abhisit Vejjajiva told the BBC that the next government should not "put  one man's interest before the country's. It brings instability."


The instability is due to a far bigger problem then Thaksin.
Mark should focus on the country rather then his crusade against one man!

----------


## StrontiumDog

*At heart of Thai election, a fugitive rallies | Reuters
*
*At heart of Thai election, a fugitive rallies*

 

By Jason Szep
                  SUAN MON, Thailand |          Mon Jun 27, 2011 6:18am EDT         

   (Reuters) - Saffron-robed monks chanted and young women in silk sarongs  stretched out their arms in traditional Thai dance moves, but the big  event was the voice on a scratchy telephone line from another continent.

  "Be prepared. Good things are  about to come," billionaire former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra  said from his Dubai mansion in a telephone call to a Buddhist temple  where 38 communities declared their allegiance to Thaksin, formally  becoming "Red Shirt Villages" in solidarity with the red-shirted  movement that backs him.

In a sign  of his support, the number of "Red Shirt Villages" has doubled to more  than 700 in two northeastern provinces since a Reuters report uncovered  the phenomenon on June 7.

Although  Thaksin's younger sister and opposition leader, Yingluck Shinawatra,  leads opinion polls for Thailand's July 3 election, the vote is boiling  down to a referendum on her brother, a divisive figure who scored  landslide election wins in 2001 and 2005 only to be ousted in a 2006  military coup.

Military-backed  Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has urged voters in Bangkok to avoid  the "poison" of Thaksin, saying Yingluck and her Puea Thai Party are  clear proxies for the telecommunications tycoon, who lives in Dubai to  evade a jail sentence for conflict-of-interest charges he says were  politically motivated.

Thaksin  hasn't helped matters, describing his sister once as his "clone," and  thumbing out "tweets" on Puea Thai policy. The traditional Bangkok elite  of top generals, royal advisers and old-money families who back the  ruling Democrat Party is watching closely, fearing Thaksin will exact  revenge against those who toppled him if his sister gains power.

Many  fear something far more basic: that the election will prove meaningless  and that the real struggle for power will play out behind the scenes  among generals and political power-brokers or in the streets in a  reprise of last year's bloody clashes between the low-income red shirts  and a military intent on keeping Thaksin at bay.

That  risk cannot be ruled out. Opinion polls overwhelmingly favor Yingluck, a  telegenic 44-year-old businesswoman and political novice who has  confounded skeptics by running a disciplined, media savvy campaign. With  an actress's good-looks, she could well become Thailand's first elected  female leader --if she is allowed to govern.

Some  predict Puea Thai may win an outright majority, but a hung parliament  looks more likely, in which case smaller parties will be decisive,  opening the way for horse-trading -- and for trouble. If Yingluck wins  the most votes but ultimately fails to govern, the red shirts may  mobilize in new protests.

"I fear  there will be fraud in the election," said Pathum Sinlawong, the chief  monk in Suan Mon, a village surrounded by rice paddies and sugarcane  fields in the vote-rich northeast Thailand -- a rural bastion for  Thaksin and the opposition. "Some invisible elements can do things  behind the scenes and rob the election."

The  notion of "invisible elements," or a "third hand," has gained  prominence in Thai politics since the 2006 coup and after tacit  behind-the-scenes army intervention that helped bring the current  government to power.

To appease  the military and its powerful backers, Yingluck has struck a  conciliatory tone, vowing not to rush into an amnesty for Thaksin and  saying there will be no revenge for the coup. On Saturday, her party  issued a statement that stressed amnesty for Thaksin was not a formal  policy.

Not many appear convinced, including Thaksin himself, who this month told Reuters he hoped to return home by December.

"ARE WE READY TO FIGHT?"

In Suan Mon and other villages in the northeast, it is clear who most voters prefer - not Abhisit and not necessarily Yingluck.

"Are we ready to fight?" Anond Sangnan, a red-shirt leader, told nearly 100 villagers packed into Suan Mon's temple.

"Yes," roared the crowd.

"Do we love Thaksin?"

"Yes," they shouted back.

Anond leaned forward. "Who do we hate?" he asked.

"Abhisit," thundered the response.

Since  a Reuters report on June 7 revealed at least 320 villages in the  provinces of Udon Thani and Khon Kaen had designated themselves as "Red  Shirt Villages," the number has more than doubled to at least 710, say  local red-shirt organizers. Their trademark is a large red billboard  posted at the village entrance with Thaksin's smiling image.

Don Chainapun, a red-shirt leader in Udon Thani city, aims to launch at least 1,000 more before the election.

Abhisit  has called the villages "divisive" and a threat to national  reconciliation. Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha says they are a "concern."  Chuan Leekpai, chief adviser to Abhisit's Democrat Party, said last week  the villages "instill distorted and false information against our major  national institutions. This is a dangerous trend."

Leaders in some villages say they have faced intimidation by soldiers and police who have taken down red flags.

In  Thaksin's telephone call to the temple on Saturday as part of the  inauguration of the 38 red villages, he dismissed the government's  criticisms as falsehoods by "people who are about to lose power,"  assuring villagers they were not "separatists" and urging supporters to  avoid the temptation to sell their vote - an endemic problem in Thai  elections.

"There are no votes for  sale here," he said to cheers, adding that voters would enjoy an  expansion in village budgets if they back his party. "Other parties  should realize they cannot buy votes from these villages."

At  the ceremony, red-shirt leaders carried long lists of voters in each  village, and appeared to know exactly how many would support Thaksin's  sister. "We have about 90 to 95 percent of red shirts in each village,"  said Don.

Anond said red shirts he  calls "hawks" will monitor ballot booths on election day to prevent  fraud. "These hawks will represent us from every corner of our villages  and notify us if there is any attempt to cheat," he said.

The  red branding of villages is not openly supported by top red-shirt  leaders in Bangkok. But red-shirt leaders in the northeast say they are a  crucial mobilizing force for Yingluck, raising her chances of turning  out the sort of support that delivered unprecedented back-to-back  landslides for her brother in 2001 and 2005.

Inside  the villages, slogans on red T-shirts and posters accuse the rich, the  Bangkok establishment and top military brass of breaking laws with  impunity - grievances that echo across the northeast, a region known as  "Isaan" that is home to a third of Thailand's 68 million people.

Thaksin  remains revered as the first Thai leader to pay attention to their  needs. His cheap credit and health-care schemes proved so popular with  the poor that Abhisit's government sought to copy them.

"For  many people, Thaksin is symbolic of someone who was overthrown  illegitimately. Power was taken away from him the same way people feel  power has been taken away from them," said Peerapol Pattanapeeradej,  mayor of the capital of Khon Kaen province.

At  the temple ceremony on Saturday, women danced in front of a  larger-than-life poster of Thaksin. A monk held up a red placard with  his image. Excitement rippled through the temple when an organizer  announced a "special person" would call. It wasn't Yingluck.

"AUTOCRATIC"

But Thaksin's image as a democratic icon is at odds with his record as premier.

While  in power, critics accused him of abusing his electoral mandate to  systematically dismantle constitutional checks and balances while  cementing his own authoritarian rule and indulging in crony capitalism.

Media watchdogs say he oversaw a steady erosion of press freedom.

"Thaksin  is autocratic in some aspects. He wasn't friendly with the press. He  was never tolerant of criticism but he allows people room for  participation and a budget to manage locally, and rural people felt  politically involved when he was in power," said Luaen Srisubho, a  fugitive red-shirt activist in Sakhon Nakorn province.

For  her part, Yingluck has vowed to carry on with her brother's populist  economic programs - from free Tablet PCs for about one million school  children to minimum wage increases. Abhisit's policies are broadly  similar, but he has cast the election as a chance to rid Thailand of the  "toxin" of Thaksin.

Given Thaksin's mass support, that looks difficult.

"For  those looking for a stable outcome after this election, there is really  very little choice," said Buapun Promphakping, a sociology professor at  Khon Kaen University.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

A Graceful Finish 

UPDATE : 27 June 2011 

The end of this week will herald in a new  chapter for the Thai nation, one which has not yet come into view, but  has been acknowledged as an important new era nonetheless. With so much  expectation and importance being heaped on the general election to take  place this coming Sunday, it is only hoped that the various political  parties vying for the coveted government leader's position understand  the magnitude of what they are involved in.

In realizing the importance of the coming poll, the many competing  political parties should thus conduct their final acts of campaigning  with dignity and quality. They should respect the constituents they are  pleading for votes from and clearly explain their platforms and policies  and demonstrate the kind of upstanding individuals to take up seats in  Parliament. They should not, in this final turn, make a mad dash for  votes and recklessly disregard dignity and democratic integrity. The  smear tactics and under-handed vote baiting, so long synonymous with  Thai politics, should be left in this concluding chapter.

Offense will always garner retaliation and the flinging of accusations  and taunts seldom concern what people really need to think about.  Attacking one another on unsubstantiated claims and launching defamation  campaigns do nothing to address the issues that will enrich the nation  and solve matters of daily living.

With the two major parties, the Democrats and Pheu Thai, to hold their  final major campaign events this week, it is hoped they will push aside  provocative, evocative and all together unsubstantial speech practices  and show that they are ready for the new chapter of Thai history. If all  the political parties are able to pull through with a graceful finish  this week ahead of the election, maybe then Thailand can hope for a  bright future.

*Matichon, June 27, 2011

Translated and Rewritten by Itiporn Lakarnchua*

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Parties must work together to heal rifts

BURNING ISSUE* 

*Parties must work together to heal rifts*

                            By Avudh Panananda
The Nation
                                             Published on June 28, 2011                

*Thailand is bound to go through a never-ending rough patch unless parties concerned start working together to find a solution.*

                                                            During the final week of campaigning, rival candidates  have been relying on rousing speeches to sway votes, which at the same  time could backfire to inflame the political situation.The July 3 vote should bring about a fresh start. Instead, voters are being caught between a rock and a hard place.

Democrat  Party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban painted a grim picture,  reminding voters that they might end up installing terrorist suspects in  power should the opposition Pheu Thai Party win.

Pheu Thai  candidate Natthawut Saikua made a veiled threat that the red shirts  would pour into the streets if his party were denied the chance to form  the next government.

The yellow shirts threatened to resume their  opposition movement if Pheu Thai pushed for amnesty for ousted prime  minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Although reconciliation is the key  word in every campaign message, each rival camp has insisted on its  slice of truth, refusing to form a whole picture of the conflict.  Fence-mending appears to have become a code for "my way or the highway".

Pheu  Thai and the Democrats are not on the same wavelength regarding the  reconciliation process. The red and yellow shirts are spearheading a  fight for democracy but the two seem to live in a parallel universe on  how to achieve the ideal political system.

All sides have invoked  the rule of law to deal with their opponents. But can the judicial  system untangle a complex web of politically motivated crimes?

The  red and yellow shirts organised street protests that spiralled out of  control. Proponents for criminal prosecution should heed the Bahrain  experience. Trying and convicting protesters as terrorists would fuel  more protests and deepen discontent.

Are the jurists in a position  to rule which is the least of the two evils - the Thaksin autocratic  regime or the 2006 coup? How should the blame be apportioned - the  yellow shirts for seizing airports and occupying Government House and  the red shirts for causing the Bangkok paralysis and the Pattaya mayhem?

As politicians are trying to peddle their brand of conflict resolution, the country already has a road map for reconciliation.

Last  July, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (TRCT) came  into existence as an independent body led by jurist Kanit Na Nakorn.

The  TRCT has a term of office for two years to seek the truth related to  political violence between April and May last year, to recommend  restoration measures and to suggest measures designed to lessen social  divisions and prevent a repeat of violence. Its first six-month report  covers significant progress in uncovering facts about the violence and  the victims. Unfortunately the government and the opposition have failed  to pay due attention to the report. The two sides seem to want to  validate their version of the truth rather than heed an impartial  assessment.

Although the TRCT has a number of limitations despite  its partial adaptation of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation  Commission, the next government should try to foster reconciliation  based on the TRCT's work progress instead of starting from scratch.

One  of the TRCT's key recommendations was to introduce transitional justice  to pave the way for reconciliation. Neither blanket amnesty nor strict  criminal prosecution could heal the political and social divide. All  sides should push for the whole truth to come out in order to bring  closure and allow the country to move on. The legal proceedings should  factor in the political context of each incident. Terrorism provisions  are designed to counter the enemy of the state and not to be a tool of  suppression against political opponents.

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## StrontiumDog

*Probe into vote from outside booth
*
*Probe into vote from outside booth*

                            By THE NATION
                                             Published on June 28, 2011                


*The Election Commission (EC) will look into alleged  electoral "fraud" involving a voter casting his ballot outside a polling  booth during Sunday's advance voting in Bangkok's Phya Thai district.*

                                                            Authorities yesterday defended their decision to allow the  overweight man to cast a vote on his two ballot papers - one for the  constituency MP and the other for the party-list system - immediately  after he received them from officials at the central polling station.  Election commissioner Sodsri Satayathum said yesterday the EC  chairman was informed the voter needed help as he had developed weak  muscles and could not stand at the voting booth. She said the EC would  look into this matter and would require a detailed report.  

Wisuth Pothitaen, another election commissioner, said he did not  think the law allowed voters to cast their ballots outside of the voting  booth, even though they were inside the polling station. However, he  said the EC would investigate and take legal action against those  involved if there was a law violation.  

Deputy Bangkok Governor Malinee Sukvejworakij said an initial  check showed the man had a health problem and his muscles weakened while  he was in the polling station. She said the officials allowed him to  cast his vote outside the booth, citing the law that required officials  to provide convenience for voters.  

A 1.46-minute video clip was posted by "prainn2011" on YouTube  video-sharing website, showing the man cast his vote at Phya Thai  District Office on Sunday. He was surrounded by several other people and  helped by a person in a civil servant's uniform.  

Phya Thai district director Sawang Boonsit said yesterday the  voter came with three friends and that while in the polling station,  complained about his muscles weakening. He was then helped by an  official who handed him the ballot papers and offered a seat. The man  still could not stand up so he was allowed to mark his ballots while  seated, Sawang said.  

He said he did not think the man committed any electoral fraud,  adding that political party representatives and other voters nearby  would have protested if there anything wrong occurred.  

"If the man did not get help, the officials would have been  criticised for failing to take care of a voter who could not help  himself," he said.  

A statement by the Phya Thai District Office explaining the  matter appeared yesterday on the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's  Facebook page (Facebook.com/ prbangkok).  

The Democrat Party's Bangkok campaign director Apirak Kosayodhin  yesterday called on the EC or relevant agencies to look into the matter  and similar incidents during advance/absentee voting.  

The EC yesterday reported that 56 per cent of eligible voters,  registered to vote outside their constituencies, cast their ballots in  Sunday's absentee voting, compared to 88 per cent of those registered  for advance voting because they would be absent on election day.  

Ballot papers completed by Thai nationals living overseas during  the recent advance voting have arrived in Thailand. Chakra Boonlong,  director-general of the Department of Consular Affairs, said yesterday  all ballots cast at Thai missions in 66 countries would arrive by  tomorrow.

----------


## English Noodles

You really have to feel kind of sorry for SD. Falling for all these tales, he really is as clueless and desperate as a farang comes. :Smile:

----------


## LooseBowels

> Thailand's PM Warns Against Thaksin’s Return


Correct me if I am wrong (for once), but didnt thaksin and party win the last  three democratic elections on the run, with Toff abi being installed as the frontman of the junta?

And then the democratic will of the people crushed by the jackboot, and murderously  slainby the junta on the streets of the capital

You can't argue with that

----------


## Bobcock

> Thai-ASEAN News Network
> 
> A Graceful Finish 
> 
> UPDATE : 27 June 2011 
> 
> The end of this week will herald in a new chapter for the Thai nation, one which has not yet come into view, but has been acknowledged as an important new era nonetheless. With so much expectation and importance being heaped on the general election to take place this coming Sunday, it is only hoped that the various political parties vying for the coveted government leader's position understand the magnitude of what they are involved in.
> 
> In realizing the importance of the coming poll, the many competing political parties should thus conduct their final acts of campaigning with dignity and quality. They should respect the constituents they are pleading for votes from and clearly explain their platforms and policies and demonstrate the kind of upstanding individuals to take up seats in Parliament. They should not, in this final turn, make a mad dash for votes and recklessly disregard dignity and democratic integrity. The smear tactics and under-handed vote baiting, so long synonymous with Thai politics, should be left in this concluding chapter.
> ...


Sounds wonderful.....pipe dream....

----------


## robuzo

^If behavior so far is any indication, fuhgeddaboudit.

----------


## trisailer

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Thailand's PM Warns Against Thaksins Return
> 
> 
> Correct me if I am wrong (for once), but didnt thaksin and party win the last  three democratic elections on the run, with Toff abi being installed as the frontman of the junta?
> 
> And then the democratic will of the people crushed by the jackboot, and murderously  slainby the junta on the streets of the capital
> 
> You can't argue with that


Your absolutely correct.

The Thai "powers that be" need to accept the "will" of the people (vote) and deal with it instead of focusing on ways to deny their choice. If they think that the Thai people are too dumb to decide what is best for their country than they should have been educating them. The fact is that they know better than "the powers that be" and they need to be given a chance to run their own country. There's plenty of time for "the powers that be" to manipulate them through fake news and "think tanks" who spin facts to make people loose touch with reality like they do in the US.

----------


## sabang

> The Thai "powers that be" need to accept the "will" of the people ... and deal with it instead of focusing on ways to deny their choice.


That is the beginning and end, the alpha and omega, the totality of it.

It's either that or Burma, anyways. I note with concern the recent belligerence of Thailand in walking out of (as in resigning from) the UN World Heritage council. This sort of 'up yours' mentality to the international community puts Thailand in bed with the likes of N Korea, Burma, and Zimbabwe. Very concerning indeed- what do 'they' have in mind, what options are being considered?? If their petulance offers any clues, outright tyranny might be one of them.

----------


## Butterfly

> That is the beginning and end, the alpha and omega, the totality of it.


says who ?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 




> It's either that or Burma,


a bit dramatic ? why stop with Burma ? usually you right wingers use Cuba as an example  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Butterfly

> The Thai "powers that be" need to accept the "will" of the people (vote)


I thought the issue was Democracy, what does the will of the people has anything to do with it ? you do know what Democracy means ? no, it's not a popularity competition in case you didn't know

for example, Thai electing a dictator wouldn't be considered an act of Democracy

----------


## sabang

> usually you right wingers use Cuba as an example


I certainly don't- then again I'm not right wing.



> I thought the issue was Democracy, what does the will of the people has anything to do with it ?


The will of the people has *Everything* to do with it. What new synthesized drugs have they been dosing you on in Bangkok?



> Thai electing a dictator wouldn't be considered an act of Democracy


You cannot elect an absolute dictator in a democracy. The democratic system does not grant despotic powers to it's elected representatives- they are answerable to the Constitution, Judiciary, and ultimately the people.

----------


## Butterfly

> I certainly don't- then again I'm not right wing.


actually you are, we call your type "compassionate conservative", but you still remain right wing

for the record, PT is a right wing political party, quite far to the right actually

in contrast, the Dems are a centre right political party, which explain why they are so ineffective, like most centre right political parties in the world

Thailand is seriously lacking a real Modern Socialism political party, European style

----------


## Butterfly

> The will of the people has Everything to do with it.


no it doesn't, again your complete ignorance on that subject is telling, it's about the balance of power and continuity of that power without abuse




> What new synthesized drugs have they been dosing you on in Bangkok?


try to read a real book on the subject for once, instead of reading Reds propaganda magazine written by monkeys




> You cannot elect an absolute dictator in a democracy.


sure, you can. History has proved it a dozen of times already. Again your ignorance is telling.




> The democratic system does not grant despotic powers to it's elected representatives


sure it does, again reading political history might help




> they are answerable to the Constitution, Judiciary, and ultimately the people.


which they can get rid of or control as soon as they are granted power.

----------


## sabang

For butterfly-


Definition of DEMOCRACY

1
a : government by the people; especially : rule of the majority
b : a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections
2 : a political unit that has a democratic government
....
5: the absence of hereditary or arbitrary class distinctions or privileges

Democracy - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary


Feel free to check into the Latin roots of '_Demos_' too, if you know how and are so inclined. The basis of political power is the People, even if they don't realise it- to bring any system down, all they have to do is do nothing at all.

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## Butterfly

^ "power structure for the people" is the literate translation (actually "authority structure for the people" to be more correct)

not "power structure by the people"

again the academic and full definition is a bit more complex than simply a translation of the word

fuck, they have academics writing whole books about it  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Abhisit tries to connect in Pheu Thai bastions
*
*Abhisit tries to connect in Pheu Thai bastions*
Published: 28/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsSince the Democrat Party headed off on the  campaign trail, the public has seen its leader Abhisit Vejjajiva do a  lot of unusual things.

 
_Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva follows Phraraj Ratanakawi,  the ecclesiastical provincial governor of Yasothon, on an  alms-collecting round during election campaigning yesterday._

 While in a field, he sat down to chat with villagers, he attended  morning alms with residents and also took part in a life-prolonging  ritual to ward off evil.

 Yesterday, in the northeastern province of Yasothon he took the role  of a temple boy carrying food for a monk during the morning  alms-collecting round.

 All of this political marketing is part of the party's strategy to  woo votes, especially in the North and Northeast, which are the  strongholds of the Democrats' arch rival, Pheu Thai.

 These two regions have remained a thorn in the Democrats' side and usually kept a poll victory out of their reach.

 The prime minister looked quite awkward in the early stages of the  campaign. But as it has continued, he seems to have been getting the  hang of it.

 As Mr Abhisit is engaged in political marketing, the party's chief  adviser Chuan Leekpai is taking a more traditional approach without the  fanfare.

 The former premier has been quietly paying visits to voters in the  Northeast. He pulled some surprises by dropping by pro-red shirt  communities to exchange opinions with Pheu Thai supporters.

 Mr Chuan is a strong believer that northeastern voters will not slam  the door in the party's face and has tried to point this out to Democrat  candidates.

 According to Mr Chuan, what divides Democrats and grass roots people  is how the party treats them. Several issues have been left unexplained  and this has created the gulf in understanding.

----------


## Calgary

*Riceroots stuff*
Additional information is coming to light given hindsight, regarding the size and nature of that Democrat rally at Rachaprasong last week.
*Size*
· The domestic media has a definite pattern when reporting numbers of attendees at these rallies. 
· When referencing the size of rallies by their brethren Democrats, divide it by 3  4 to get the actual number. Conversely with the _Red Shirt democracy Movement_ rallies, multiply their reported figures by around 3  4
· This was born true again last week. The Media at one point estimated the size of that Rachaprasong rally by their allies as being around 20,000. I saw in Bloomberg News, a non-domestic media entity, an estimate of around 5,000. 
· So apply the above formula of multiplying one by 3 -4 and dividing the other to those figures, is about right
_Nature of the Ratchaprasong Rally_
_·_ In hindsight, I have heard around here, that the vast majority of attendees were from the South, and that very few were from Bangkok.
_·_ I understand that word went out far and wide in the South, Come to Bangkok for the rally
_·_ When compared to the _Red Shirt Democracy Movement BKK_ Rallies, the number of attendees almost doubled in the evening when the BKK crowd got off work. In the case of last week, the crowd did not increase by much later in the evening when the BKK people could have been expected to arrive
_·_ So in effect, Abhi/Suthep and co. were preaching to the choir_._ The only hope of their _revising-of-history-moment_ went beyond their own people was via their media, especially television. Considering that Thai television is banned from this house, I have no way of knowing how much coverage they received.

----------


## Butterfly

oh before I forget, we all know how Democracy ended in ancient Rome  :Razz:

----------


## StrontiumDog

> *Riceroots stuff*
> 
> · This was born true again last week. The Media at one point estimated the size of that Rachaprasong rally by their allies as being around 20,000. I saw in Bloomberg News, a non-domestic media entity, an estimate of around 5,000.


But don't you complain about the international media, because, as you say, they copy the domestic media? 

Or is this an exception?

----------


## sabang

> Mr Chuan is a strong believer that northeastern voters will not slam the door in the party's face


Chuan is basically right too. But we come back to the 'Losers mentality' of the cossetted Dem's. They are so used to, and hence reliant upon, the system being stacked in their favor they have forgotten how to compete.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post, other updates...
*Canvassers seen as crucial in run-up to poll*

28/06/2011 : _With  less than a week to go before voters head to the polls on July 3,  canvassers are being seen as one of the most crucial elements in  determining election results in this final leg of the race._*Newin popularity looks key to Surin*

28/06/2011 : _Bhumjaithai  looks set for a strong "home" performance in Surin, with the popularity  of de facto leader Newin Chidchob, who was born in the province, picked  to carry the party to victory in six of the eight constituencies._

----------


## sabang

I'll be curious to see Newin's performance in the coming elections, relative to his factions performance in the previous elections under the PPP banner. I'd heard it was likely to go south, but we'll know within a week.

----------


## robuzo

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Mr Chuan is a strong believer that northeastern voters will not slam the door in the party's face
> 
> 
> Chuan is basically right too. But we come back to the 'Losers mentality' of the cossetted Dem's. They are so used to, and hence reliant upon, the system being stacked in their favor they have forgotten how to compete.


They're above that sort of thing. Compete, for the approval of the plebes? How degrading.

----------


## longway

> *Riceroots stuff*
> Additional information is coming to light given hindsight, regarding the size and nature of that Democrat rally at Rachaprasong last week.
> *Size*
> · The domestic media has a definite pattern when reporting numbers of attendees at these rallies. 
> · When referencing the size of rallies by their brethren Democrats, divide it by 3 – 4 to get the actual number. Conversely with the _Red Shirt democracy Movement_ rallies, multiply their reported figures by around 3 – 4
> · This was born true again last week. The Media at one point estimated the size of that Rachaprasong rally by their allies as being around 20,000. I saw in Bloomberg News, a non-domestic media entity, an estimate of around 5,000. 
> · So apply the above formula of multiplying one by 3 -4 and dividing the other to those figures, is about right
> _Nature of the Ratchaprasong Rally_
> _·_ In hindsight, I have heard around here, that the vast majority of attendees were from the South, and that very few were from Bangkok.
> ...


I went to have a look as I live close by, there was far more than 5,000, the entire front of central world was packed, which must be around 250 m long and 20 m wide at least. I think 20,000 is a fair estimate, though upto 30,000 is possible.

The crowd looked like locals mostly.

----------


## DrB0b

> ^ "power structure for the people" is the literate translation


 ::doglol::  Is literate the illiterate translation of literal?

If you want a literal translation then you need the look at the actual word you want the literal translation of. The word is δημοκρατια. The literal translation is δῆμος, people, and κράτος, power. People power. "power structure for the people" is not even remotely close to the meaning of δημοκρατια.

Carry on Butterfly, you're doing an amazing job in pushing forward the boundaries of ignorance.

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## DrB0b

*Observation of Advanced Voting in Thailand  26 th June 2011*


                                       Asian Network for Free Elections        


 With the organization of the advanced vote on Sunday 26th June, the ongoing electoral process in Thailand has entered a new
phase: nearly 3 million voters, both residents and non-resident voters  registered to cast their vote one week prior to the General Elections on  3rd July 2011. Voters across the country were able to cast their  ballots in a largely quiet and well managed election environment.

 ANFREL complements the Election Commission of Thailand and all  supporting organizations for their efforts to organize this advanced  vote. At the same time, and based on the observations of 60  international observers across the country, ANFREL would like to comment  on the conduct of this vote in light of the upcoming Election Day.
 About 3.3 million voters who registered to vote in advance in 2007,  some as non-residents, were not aware that their names remained on the  advance voting list in their former areas. This fact left them unable to  vote this year in their actual constituencies unless they had  previously notified the ECT of their return home.  As an alternative to  the current system, advance voting registration should automatically  expire at the end of each election season. In addition, voter lists were  either not provided in sufficient numbers, or the access to the voter  lists was managed in an haphazard manner at some polling locations, a  shortcoming that should be addressed by the end of this week.

 Polling Station management has seen small but significant  inconsistencies both in the number of polling personnel on duty as well  as what concerns the correct conduct of procedures, even in cases where  polling stations were next to each other in the same polling centres.  These managerial inconsistencies should be swiftly addressed by the ECT  leadership during the yet to be held trainings for polling officials.

 Polling Centers in Bangkok and other urban centres were planned for  up to 100.000 voters. Whereas the logistics of this operation went  remarkably well in most cases, it became evident that halving the  advanced voting period from two days to one day caused traffic jams and  led to overcrowded polling stations, resulting in some voters turning  away without having cast their votes, especially in Bang Kapi (Bangkok),  Chiang Mai, Samut Prakarn, etc. In cases such as these, ECT  commissioners should use their authority to order some polling station  officials to extend their voting time when necessary.

 Advanced voting day falls during the campaign period and, while  campaigning was forbidden around polling locations, ANFREL advocates for  the advanced voting date to be treated as an Election Day where  campaign activities such as rallies, campaign vehicle circuits, and  house-to-house visits should not be allowed at all.

 The presence of party agents inside the polling stations was scarcer  than one might have expected. ANFREL calls upon all political parties  and their candidates to train and send more agents to witness the polls  inside the polling station. ANFREL also reminds all political actors to  conduct a fair campaign finish according to the “Code of Conduct for  Electoral Campaign”.
 Security was adequately provided for the advanced polls, but the  voting of soldiers has raised significant concerns in some parts of the  country: In Narathiwat, Pattani, and Songkhla, military personnel cast  their ballots while carrying arms to polling stations. Additionally,  over one thousand soldiers at a polling center in Kanchanaburi were  given priority at the ballot box, causing regular voters to return to  their homes disappointedly.

 ANFREL calls upon the ECT and the supporting organizations, in  particular the Royal Thai Police and the Thai Post, to maintain the  transparency and accuracy that was observed during the close of the  advanced vote and the handover/ takeover of ballot papers. The ballots  must be stored securely during the entire week. The transmission of  non-residential ballot papers must not invoke any doubt about the  integrity of the transport chains and the accuracy of them being counted  after the close of polls next Sunday.

 ANFREL further calls upon the media to constructively support the  electoral process without overemphasizing singular violent incidents;  upon civil society organizations to continue the recruitment and  training of national election observers; and upon the voters to make  their decisions independently and to vote freely on Sunday 3rd July.

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## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255406280003

Those who fail to vote will lose their political rights*  

BANGKOK, 28 June 2011  (NNT)-One week before the 54th election takes place on 3 July 2011, the  Public Relations Department emphasized  that eligible voters could lose  certain rights if they did not vote in this election. 

Those requesting to vote in the advance voting last Sunday but failed to  do so are required to provide the authority with reasonable explanation  until 10 July if they wish not to lose their rights. 

By not voting on the election day, their rights to become a member of  parliament and a senator would automatically be renounced. They will not  be able to object the election of MPS, senators, local councils and  local senators. And lastly, they will lose their rights to run as head  of a sub-district or a village.

----------


## Butterfly

> Is literate the illiterate translation of literal?
> 
> If you want a literal translation then you need the look at the actual word you want the literal translation of. The word is δημοκρατια. The literal translation is δῆμος, people, and κράτος, power. People power. "power structure for the people" is not even remotely close to the meaning of δημοκρατια.


^ I was suspecting you would come in with that, not missing an opportunity with your pedantic post about mindless details, and missing the big picture in the process, as usual

cracy (kratia) refers to "power", but in Latin and for non-Barbarian languages like French, it refers also to "power structure" and that's how we translate it

now we can go on forever about the merit of such translation, while still missing the greater picture, per your usual tradition  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## DrB0b

BTW, there is a website monitoring election irregularities here

à¸à¸±à¸à¸à¸²à¹à¸¥à¸·à¸[at]à¸à¸à¸±à¹à¸â54

It's run by the Political Science department at Thammasat. I have no idea how non-partisan it is but it's still interesting.

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## Butterfly

something for Sabang, and DrB, should distract the latter from his romantic 19th century Siam literature  :Smile: 

interesting blog on that topic
Democracy




> Definition: 
> 
> In practice it is all about a certain "elite power" that takes over the government and rules under fictitious slogans and pretenses. They might apply the "equal sharing the power" concept exclusively among themselves, but always flatly denied it to the rest of the population.

----------


## DrB0b

> Originally Posted by DrB0b
> 
> Is literate the illiterate translation of literal?
> 
> If you want a literal translation then you need the look at the actual word you want the literal translation of. The word is δημοκρατια. The literal translation is δῆμος, people, and κράτος, power. People power. "power structure for the people" is not even remotely close to the meaning of δημοκρατια.
> 
> 
> ^ I was suspecting you would come in with that, not missing an opportunity with your pedantic post about mindless details, and missing the big picture in the process, as usual
> 
> ...


Ah, the Butterfly technique. Make a stupid statement, defend it over several posts. When statement is shown to be utterly stupid rapidly move on to something else. In the Butterfly technique accuracy is not important, knowledge is not important, understanding is not important. Even consistency between posts made less than 10 minutes apart is not important. The only important thing is the flatulent mishmash of ignorance, egomania, stupidity and the stream of semi-consciousness that makes up the entity known as Butterfly :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Why the Democrats will lose the election | Asian Correspondent
*
*Why the Democrats will lose the election*

_By Bangkok Pundit Jun 28, 2011 11:00AM UTC_ 


Despite seemingly having a good chance of winning enough  seats to form the next government a few months ago, things have gone  very badly for the Democrats. Three major reasons: (1) Yingluck, (2)  rising prices/inflation, and (3) failure to communicate policies/connect  with voters. Without (2) though you can’t get the rise of (1).

 BP has written repeatedly about rising prices/inflation in the lead up to the election –  post on March 6 entitled “Will inflation damage Abhisit’s election chances?” and April 11 entitled “World Bank: Thai economy threatened by inflation” – and then as blogged about on March 23:Clearly, rising food prices are a greater concern, but  with oil prices rising and prices for non-food products rising this can  have a flow-on effect (i.e fertiliser prices rise then the cost inputs  for farmers rise). The government has been hit by the trifecta of floods  last year impacting on agricultural products, events in the Middle East  with cost of oil increasing, the events in Japan. None of these events  would have been in the Democrat’s plan for an mid-year election, but  they have to deal with them.

 As former British PM Harold Macmillan is famously quoted as saying  when asked what represented the greatest challenge for a statesman,  Macmillan replied: “Events, my dear boy, events.” No doubt these will  not be the only events that Abhisit has to deal with. BP would have  placed the Democrats as favorites to return to power in a Democrat-led  government, but rising inflation despite other strengths to the economy  are putting this seriously at risk…*BP*: Things are quite different now.

 Nirmal Ghosh of the _Straits Times_:FROM street to street across this sprawling city of 10  million, Bangkok’s ubiquitous food vendors tell the same story — of how  they are being squeezed by rising costs.

 Tanyathorn, 44, who has been selling cooked food in Nam Daeng market for 13 years, runs through a quick list:*  the price of pork has gone up from 90 baht per kilo a few months ago to  126 baht today; sugar too, from 12 baht  a kilo to 28 baht; and fish  sauce, a key ingredient in local food, up from 22 baht to 55 baht a  bottle.*

 She has raised the prices of her dishes but there is a limit to how often she can keep doing so.

 “I lose money almost every day now,” she said, adding that she had to let a stall helper go.
 …
*Varin, 24, an office worker, says she now spends 150 baht a  day on her regular streetside lunch compared to just 100 baht  less than  a year ago.*
 Economists say high food prices are being driven partly by scarcity  arising from natural disasters and also the recent spike in the price of  fuel, with its knock-on effects on other goods.*BP*: For more on this Hozefa Topiwalla of Morgan  Stanley wrote a report on May 25, 2011 entitled “Thailand Equity  Strategy: Initiating Coverage: Fully Valued, Risks to Downside” (not  available freely as far as BP is aware). Below are some relevant  excerpts:P16
*Within ASEAN, Thailand is most vulnerable to high oil prices*, in our view, especially if they are supply-side driven. *At  13.6%, the energy-related CPI weight is the highest. Every US$10/bbl  increase in the oil price also has a negative effect on the trade  balance of 0.9% of GDP.*

 P34
Bank of Thailand is in the process of normalizing interest rates to  control inflation. Our Economist Deyi Tan expects Bank of Thailand to  hike policy rate by another 25bps, bringing it to 3.0% by June. Average  quarterly inflation is *expected to peak at 3.8%YoY in 2Q11 and average 3.5%YoY for 2011.*

 P35
*Thailand’s CPI inflation is primarily driven by food inflation, which is 8.59% as of April 2011*.  A combination of rise in global commodity prices and adverse weather  conditions domestically has been fueling Thailand’s food inflation

 P44
Thailand’s Business Sentiment Index has recovered quite sharply from  ‘GFC’ lows and now is at a level which is 4.4% higher than the peak in  2003

 P53
* A spike in crude oil prices will impair domestic demand as it  will fuel further inflation. Overall market performance is likely to  suffer, although the energy sector could likely outperform in a  demand-led crude oil price spike.*

 P55
To mitigate such inflation pressures, policymakers have been using a  mixture of measures. On the monetary policy front, policymakers have  continued to normalise policy rate, raising it by 150bps to 2.75% to  soften the potential spillover of non-core inflation into core  inflation. On the other hand, fiscal measures have also been implemented  (cost-of-living measures and diesel subsidies to cushion disposable  income of the lower-income group).

 P57
*Every 10% increase in oil price will lead to a direct 0.47%*  addition to headline CPI. The second-round impact in terms of the  spillover to utilities and public road transport services can also be  “guesstimated” by the weights. The latter two have a weight of 9% so  every 10% increase in prices in these segments will lead to 0.9%  addition to CPI headline. The impact of 10% increase in oil price from  these two segments will likely be lower than 0.9% as energy costs is not  the only cost component in these items.*BP*: As you can see a minor change in the oil prices  has a an effect on inflation and this effect is the most in ASEAN.  Hence, with the rising oil prices and the flow-on effect on inflation  has weakened support for the Democrats. Now, the Democrats don’t have  control over world oil prices, but there is the question of the their  response to rising prices and particularly shortages  of palm oil which then enabled Puea Thai and particularly Yingluck to  seize the advantage when many voters were disenchanted with the  Democrats. Her reconciliatory tone has helped together with Puea Thai  policies and, in particular, minimum wage of 300 Baht a day. Without the  rising prices/inflation though, voters would unlikely been willing to  give Yingluck that much of an opportunity .

 Finally, on (3), Voranai’s classic _Bangkok Post_ column the other week. Key excerpts:The cab driver continued. ”For party list, I will vote  Chuwit. But for individual constituency, I will vote Pheu Thai, 80 or 90  percent of people like me will always support Pheu Thai.”

 ”Why is that, brother?” I asked. He paused for a moment, looked up at  the rearview mirror and replied: ”There’s no reason. It’s in here.” He  tapped the left side of his chest. ”It’s in the heart.”

 Curious, as my nature dictates me to be, I inquired, ”Please explain, brother. What do you mean?”

*The cab driver told of how life is just easier with Pheu Thai  in control. Making a living is easier. Everything just seemed easier.  There’s a trust. There’s a relationship. When a Pheu Thai MP talks to  you, you understand what he or she is saying. He or she speaks the  language of the people.*

 You can always pick up the phone or knock on the door. Pheu Thai MPs  are always around, always accessible. If you need a string pulled, a  connection made or some cash, Pheu Thai MPs provide. Pheu Thai takes  care of the people.

 It’s the fluidity of the patronage system, I thought to myself, and the Pheu Thai Party is a master at it.

 ”But brother, what about the Democrats and their MPs?” I asked.

 He laughed a little. ”They come around once or twice, maybe three times – and you never hear from them again.”

 He sighed. ‘*‘When they talk, we never know what they are talking about. We just can’t understand. They talk about things we can’t touch.”*

 This reminds me of when I moderated a debate between two MP candidates from the Pheu Thai and Democrat parties.

 When the Pheu Thai candidate spoke, I thought, ”You’re full of it,  but at least you are speaking Thai and the people can understand you.”

 When the Democrat candidate spoke, I thought, ”You’re full of it, ‘it’ being Greek.”

*The human touch – this connection, this bond – is stronger  than any logical or rational motivation that could propel one to cast a  vote.*
 …
 I’m often reminded of the image of Thaksin sitting in some little  hut, talking to farmers. He always looked comfortable, friendly. When he  was prime minister, this image was marketed very effectively by his  vast media empire. He’s a good actor, with a good marketing team behind  him.

 On the flip side, there are two images of Abhisit Vejjajiva that  still have me shaking my head, the first of his visit to a flood-ravaged  South last year.

*Prim and proper, white shirt buttoned to the neck and wrists,  sitting on a boat, with his entire entourage, while others – some say  soldiers, some say locals (prai) – are tugging along in chest-deep water*.

 The other image is more recent. On the campaign trail, in a rice  paddy, again with white shirt buttoned to the neck and wrists, looking  uncomfortable as can be, with two farmers flanking him attentively,  making sure he doesn’t trip or something as he pretends to work the  fields.

 Who is advising him? Who is his publicity manager? Is there one? The  prime minister isn’t a good actor, and he has a terrible marketing team  behind him. This is something the Democrat Party should address.

 None of this has anything to do with what makes a good prime minister, *but it has everything to do with the ability to win the hearts and minds, and hence the votes, of the people*.

 Thaksin is a salesman. Abhisit is an academic. Selling isn’t his  forte. Democracy is a popularity contest, so the salesman often wins,  because he has the human touch. As for the academic, more learned and  intelligent though he may be, students tend to doze off in class.*BP*: There are plenty of other tidbits in the article  and you should read it in full if you haven’t. Like Voranai, BP just  doesn’t get the Democrat marketing. From those awful campaign posters of Abhisit – also see this analysis  – although some different and more recent campaign posters with a  different-looking Abhisit look much more appealing. One could say this  is all superficial, but as Voranai states there is an element of the  human touch. You need to have that to connect voters and to win the  hearts-and-minds….

 Yes, in theory the election is not over, but the Democrats need very good luck and a minor miracle + help behind-the-scenes…

 Now.

----------


## Butterfly

> knowledge is not important, understanding is not important.


having knowledge without understanding any of it, is not important, I will give you that. You are just another Google, faster and more precise, that's all, you don't even understand what you know, that's the best part  :Smile: 




> Accuracy is not important,


oh please, is there such a thing as power without "power structure" ? it's really the same thing, so stop diverting the issue by trying to be a smart ass Google, will you ?  :Smile: 

power == power structure

happy ?  :Razz:

----------


## sabang

> resulting in some voters turning away without having cast their votes, especially in Bang Kapi (Bangkok), Chiang Mai, Samut Prakarn, etc


These are all Red areas, aren't they? Surely a coincidence.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Election countdown: polls and policies
*
*Election countdown: polls and policies*

*June 28th, 2011 by Aim Sinpeng, Guest Contributor*



 The roughly 10 million undecided voters will have to make their  choice on Sunday. The countdown has begun. Given that this election is  likely to be a close race between Pheu Thai and the Democrats, both  parties are seeking to win the hearts and minds the undecided voters,  particular in Bangkok. Although the argument that polls can have an  impact on voters as well as electoral outcomes remains contested among  academics, the fact that Pheu Thai is leading in all the major polls  taken in the last week of June (see graph below) bodes badly for the  Democrats.



*Notes:* Dusit Poll (4-18 June; 102,994 respondents);  Nida Poll (7-8 June: 1,338 respondents); ABAC Poll (1-21 June; 5,349  respondents); Bangkok Poll – BKK residents only (16-22 June; 3,338  respondents). For ABAC poll, the percentages of voters intending to vote  for either PT/DP are based on the portion of already decided voters.  *Sources*: Matichon Online, Sanook News, RYT9 News, MThai News.

 For the undecided, below is a summary of key rival policies between the two parties.

*1. Hike in minimum wage*

Pheu Thai: Raise minimum wage from an average of around 200 baht/day (provincial rate differs) to 300 baht/day.

Democrat Party: Raise minimum wage by 25% in 2 years

 DP says that raising the minimum wage gradually and over time is more  realistic because business owners will be able to adjust accordingly. A  major hike (like PT) is impossible for any business to adjust.  Traditionally the minimum wage is set based on a compromise between  labor, business and government. No government can just say the minimum  wage will be 300 baht without consulting with the other two groups.

 PT argues that 300 baht per day can be done and it must be viewed as  part of the overall economic policy. The party’s economic plan is in  three parts. First you reduce corporate income tax from 30% to 23% and  then 20% by 2013. Then you raise the minimum wage to 300 baht as well as  raising the wage for university graduates to 15,000 baht per month. The  party claims that the money businesses save from a reduced tax rate  will offset the rise in minimum wages. Overall, the purchasing power of  minimum-wage earners and new graduates will improve.

*2. Agriculture policy*

PT: Credit card for  farmers and guaranteed price of paddy white rice 15,000 baht/ton;  jasmine rice 20,000 baht/ton. Currently white rice sells for 8,000  baht/ton and jasmine rice 13,700 baht/ton.

 Farmers can set up a joint rice scheme 50:50 with the state-owned  agricultural bank and the bank will give each farmer credit of up to 70%  of expected income from their rice, based on the guaranteed price of  15,000 baht/ton.[1]  They can use this credit to buy raw materials, seeds or fertilizers.  The crop mortgage program will be supporting this plan so farmers can  pledge their rice with the bank if they expect market prices to exceed  the minimum level of 15,000 baht. Debts will be deducted from income at  the end, interest free. This scheme is designed to give farmers cashflow  in between crops and keep loan sharks at bay. A 3-year debt moratorium  would also be offered to farmers with debts less than 500,000 baht.  Those with debt of up to 1 million baht will have to refinance.[2]

DP: Crop insurance program

 The Democrats’ agricultural policy aims to raise farmers’ incomes by  25% through price insurance that now covers rice, tapioca andmaize.  Development of new seed strains and the expansion of irrigation and  water management systems will be a focus. The party vows to accelerate  land reform by allocating community land deeds for 250,000 farmers using  state-owned property; extending social security to cover 25 million  farmers and informal workers as well as setting up special farm economic  zones to improve the efficiency of the production and distribution  chain.[3]

*3.* *Amnesty*

 Abhisit has said during the DP campaign rally at Ratchaprasong and  elsewhere that PT will give amnesty to Thaksin and return his 46 billion  baht. So far Yingluck maintains that amnesty is considered a “political  issue” and that it is not a priority for PT right now. PT will work on  economic policies first. While statements from Yongyuth Wichaidith,  Yingluck and Natthawut confirm that PT has no intention to give an  amnesty to any one  person, it does not mean PT will not seek an amnesty  at all. In fact, both Chalerm and Yingluck were seriously considering  the various parliamentary channels for an amnesty just a month ago.[4]

 Abhisit has declared a Facebook war on PT via his “From the Bottom of Abhisit’s Heart to My Fellow Thais Series”[5]  that PT lied outright when claiming that an amnesty is not the party’s  policy. DP’s policy is clear: absolutely no amnesty. Abhisit confirmed  during the six-party debate on June 23 that the Democrats will not give  an amnesty to any one single person and anyone charged with corruption  and fraud will be punished accordingly.[6]

[1] See Bangkok Post May 27, 2011 “Credit cards for farmers and more”

[2] The Nation. Pheu Thai proposes new income distribution method

[3] For more detail, see Democrat Party website: à¸™à¹‚à¸¢à¸šà¸²à¸¢à¸ªà¸³à¸«à¸£à¸±à¸šà¸žà¸µà¹ˆà¸™à¹  ‰à¸[at]à¸‡à¸Šà¸²à¸§à¹€à¸à¸©à¸•à¸£à¸à¸£ | à¸žà¸£à¸£à¸„à¸›à¸£à¸°à¸Šà¸²à¸˜à¸´à¸›à¸±à¸•à¸¢à¹Œ (Democrat Party)

[4] See: Kom Chad Luek May 23, 2011 “เฉลิมพร้อมลุยนิรโทษกรรมหลังลต.”

[5] http://www.facebook.com/notes/abhisit-vejjajiva/จากใจอภิสิทธิ์ถึงคนไทยทั้งประเทศ-6/218400991534000

[6] à¸[at]à¸[at]à¸´à¸ªà¸´à¸—à¸˜à¸´à¹Œ:à¸™à¸´à¸£à¹‚à¸—à¸©à¸à¸£à¸£à  ¸¡à¹„à¸¡à¹ˆà¹ƒà¸Šà¹ˆà¸™à¹‚à¸¢à¸šà¸²à¸¢à¹€à¸žà¸·à¹ˆ  à¸[at]à¹„à¸—à¸¢?

----------


## robuzo

> Originally Posted by DrB0b
> 
> resulting in some voters turning away without having cast their votes, especially in Bang Kapi (Bangkok), Chiang Mai, Samut Prakarn, etc
> 
> 
> These are all Red areas, aren't they? Surely a coincidence.


My ex, to her credit, went early, found the polling station hopelessly crowded, and so went back later. Not everyone has the leeway to do that. (She didn't vote PT, not that it matters- hates the yellows, sympathizes with the reds but can't abide Thaksin. I think she voted for "I'll punch you in the face if you don't vote for me" Kh. Yak, which is kind of more her style anyway.)

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by DrB0b
> 
> resulting in some voters turning away without having cast their votes, especially in Bang Kapi (Bangkok), Chiang Mai, Samut Prakarn, etc
> 
> 
> These are all Red areas, aren't they? Surely a coincidence.


Note, it says especially in those areas, not exclusively in those areas. 

To be fair, it was gridlock in parts of Bangkok while the advance voting was taking place. Quite ridiculous. I am not surprised people missed out in Bang Kapi. Phahonyothin road was a parking lot. All intersections had massive queues. Going anywhere was a very slow, torturous procedure.

----------


## Butterfly

> "I'll punch you in the face if you don't vote for me" Kh. Yak


what a waste of a vote,

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Violence feared after key Thai elections
*
*Jun 28, 2011                                         * 

*Violence feared after key Thai elections                                         * 

 _
The divisions that plague Thai society  will deepen further after Sunday's election unless arch-enemies within  the political realm agree to respect the verdict of the polls, analysts  say. --PHOTO: AFP_


 BANGKOK - THE divisions that plague Thai society will  deepen further after Sunday's election unless arch-enemies within the  political realm agree to respect the verdict of the polls, analysts say.  

Ahead of the July 3 vote which is crucial to the future of  the South-east Asian nation, few observers expect the winner will be  able to quietly take power for a four-year term and face opposition  merely from within parliament. 

The election is largely a battle between the  establishment-backed, ruling Democrats led by Prime Minister Abhisit  Vejjajiva, and the opposition Puea Thai, spearheaded from exile by  former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. 

Five years on from a military coup that deposed Thaksin and  triggered years of bloody political crisis, the billionaire remains a  figure who crystallises debate in Thailand, where he is still both  widely adored and hated. 

Two major political movements have formed around his  personality: the anti-Thaksin, royalist 'Yellow Shirts' tacitly backed  by the nation's elites, and the largely working-class and rural 'Red  Shirts' who are his loyalists. The years since Thaksin's expulsion from  power have been marked by mass street rallies by both movements. 

Last year the Reds brought Bangkok to a standstill with a  two month-long demonstration that drew an estimated 100,000 people at  its peak, and ended in an army crackdown that left more than 90 people  dead. -- AFP

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : PT denies approaching Gen Prawit
*
*PT denies approaching Gen Prawit*
Published: 28/06/2011 at 11:03 AMOnline news:
 Top list candidate of the Pheu Thai Party  Yingluck Shinawatra on Tuesday morning denied as baseless a report that  her party had invited Gen Prawit Wongsuwon to serve as defence minister  in the event that Pheu Thai wins the July 3 election, reports said.

 “It is too soon to talk about setting up of the next cabinet lineup at this time,” she said.

 Ms Yingluck will today visit people affected by the flash floods in  the northern province of Nan, en route to  scheduled campaigning in the  nearby province of Phrae.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*ANALYSIS: Thailand heads for crossroads at general election - Monsters and Critics
*
*ANALYSIS: Thailand heads for crossroads at general election*

   By Peter Janssen  Jun 28, 2011, 3:02 GMT 

  Bangkok - The political upheaval Thailand has endured over  the past  five years is unlikely to find a quick fix from Sunday's  general  election, analysts say.  

  Some 47 million Thais will be eligible to place a vote for the  future of their country, which is at a crossroads.  

   The two main contenders are the ruling 65-year-old Democrat Party,   which has come to represent the establishment, and the Pheu Thai  Party,  whose de facto leader Thaksin Shinawatra has made a political  career  out of shaking up the status quo.  

  Another key player in this  election is the military, which has  staged 18 coups over the past 79  years, the most recent of which  overthrew then-prime minister Thaksin  in September 2006.  

  Army Commander-in-Chief General Prayuth Chan-Ocha has expressed a  keen interest in the polls.  

   In a television appearance on June 14, Prayuth urged Thais to vote  for  'good people' in the election 'for the institution,' a reference  to  the <redacted?.  

  Given Prayuth's well-known dislike for Thaksin,  it can be assumed  that 'good people' was not a reference to Pheu Thai's  candidates.  

  <snipped a chunk, board rules, see the article at the link>

  The military's advice has proven  thought-provoking for  north-eastern Thailand, the country's poorest  region and a stronghold  for the Pheu Thai Party since Thaksin's  populist policies in the  region when he was prime minister.  

   'I think this was a signal that he supports the Democrats, but  what  happens if they lose?' said Buapan Promphaping, a professor of  social  science at the region's Khon Kaen University. 'It could be a  disaster  for the army as well.'  

  It is highly likely that the Democrats will not win the most seats  in Sunday's election.  

   All opinion polls have shown the Pheu Thai Party ahead of the   Democrats, even in Bangkok, where the latter won 27 of 33 contested   seats in the last general election of December 2007.  

  This time around, the Democrats will be lucky to win 11 Bangkok  seats, a party executiveadmitted.  

   Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the 46-year-old leader of the   Democrats, has been pushing hard in the last weeks of the campaign to   win back the capital.  

  At a rally on Thursday at Ratchaprasong  Road in the city centre,  the scene of six weeks of anti-government  protests last year, Abhisit  blamed that unrest, in which 92 people  died, squarely on Thaksin.  

  The demonstrations that called on  Abhisit to dissolve parliament  and hold a snap election occurred weeks  after the Supreme Court ruled  to seize 46 billion baht (1.5 billion  dollars) of Thaksin's family  assets on an abuse-of-power conviction.  

   'Thaksin failed to gain power through extra-constitutional means.  Now  he is trying again under the guise of democracy,' Abhisit said.  

   Abhisit has claimed that the main election goal of the Pheu Thai  party  is to obtain amnesty for Thaksin, who faces a two-year prison  sentence  for corruption, and to recover his money.  

  Thaksin, who has  been living abroad to avoid the sentence since  mid-2008, has indicated  that he would like to return to Thailand by  December.  

  Thaksin designated his youngest sister Yingluck, a former  businesswoman with no political experience, as the party's candidate  for premier, referring to her as his 'clone.'  

   Given the close family ties, it is unlikely that Yingluck will  show  independence of mind from her brother if she is successful in  her bid  to become the first female prime minister.  

  But a Pheu Thai victory is not a foregone conclusion, even if the  party wins the most number of seats.  

   There are 500 contested seats. Pheu Thai held 187 in the last   government after a mass defection in December 2008 that brought the   Democrats to power, so it would need to gain 63 to claim a clear   majority in the next lineup.  

  If Pheu Thai secures the most  seats but fall short of a clear  majority, the Democrats could still  muster a coalition. Such a move  might reassure the military, but could  lead to frustrated Pheu Thai  voters feeling inclined to march on  Bangkok again.  

  'The establishment forces behind the Democrats  are stuck now,  because they took a gamble on the election but it's not  going to turn  out well for them,' Thitinan predicted.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*PROFILE: Thaksin's "clone" steals the limelight in Thai campaign - Monsters and Critics
*
*PROFILE: Thaksin's "clone" steals the limelight in Thai campaign*

   By Somchai Kwankijswet and Peter Janssen  Jun 28, 2011, 3:02 GMT 

  Bangkok - One thing to be said for fugitive former Thai  prime minister  Thaksin Shinawatra, he's got his marketing skills  down.  

   Choosing his youngest sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, 44, to be the  prime  ministerial candidate for the Pheu Thai Party, of which Thaksin  is the  de facto leader, has proven a campaign coup.  

  A week before  Sunday's general election, the party is  significantly ahead of its main  rival, the Democrats, led by Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva,  according to all opinion polls.  

  Yingluck, a former  businesswoman with no political experience, has  glided through the  campaign season without a major hitch or memorable  faux pas, charming  many with her good looks and simple messages.  

  'Food prices are  up, and drug trafficking is rampant,' she said at  a campaign rally.  'If Thaksin were still on the job, you wouldn't  have these problems,  would you?'  

  Thaksin has gone so far as to call his sister, who  has spent most  of her career running Shinawatra family-owned  companies, his 'clone.'  

  Yingluck, who has a good chance to  become Thailand's first female  prime minister, didn't seem to mind her  big brother's description.  

  'Feel sympathy for Thaksin, OK?' is one of her more oft-repeated  election messages.  

   Thaksin, a former telecommunications tycoon-turned-politician, has   been living abroad since 2008 to avoid a two-year jail term in  Thailand  on an abuse-of-power conviction.  

  He was ousted in a coup in 2006 on corruption charges after  serving more than five years as prime minister.  

   He and his former Thai Rak Thai Party introduced populist policies  to  Thailand's election scene, winning themselves a loyal backing from  the  poor.  

  Thaksin's election campaigns were always characterized  by thorough  market research and winning sales strategies, and Yingluck  has proven  the right product for the market this voting season.  

   'The people call her 'suai, luai, geeng, inter' ['pretty, rich,  clever  and international'], said Krich Upachanpangwong, a Pheu Thai  candidate  in Buriram in north-east Thailand. 'If she visits my  constituency,  I'll win for sure because they all want a female prime  minister.'  

  Most people suffering from 'Yingluck fever' have never gotten over  their dose of 'Thaksin fever,' analysts said.  

   'Yingluck was a brilliant stroke,' said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a   political scientist at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University. 'She's not   an idiot, not unattractive, younger than Abhisit, female and not   tarnished by the past. She just has to go on cruise control.'  

   Yingluck might be as good-looking as Abhisit, 46, but she has  perhaps  wisely avoided his challenge to a public debate, something  the  Oxford-educated, 20-year political veteran excels at.  

  'This is  not the right time for talking,' Yingluck deferred. There  will  presumably be plenty of time after the polls to hear what she,  or her  brother, has to say.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*PROFILE: Thailand's Oxford-educated premier gets passing grade - Monsters and Critics
*
*PROFILE: Thailand's Oxford-educated premier gets passing grade*

   By Peter Janssen  Jun 28, 2011, 3:03 GMT 

  Bangkok - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has faced  his fair  share of challenges during his two-and-a-half years in  office, which  come to an end on Sunday with a general election.  

  On April 13,  2009, anti-government demonstrators surrounded his  Mercedes Benz at  the Interior Ministry, threatening his life shortly  after he declared  emergency law in response to their disruption of a  regional Asian  summit in nearby Pattaya.  

  Luckily the car's locks worked, as did the shatter-proof window  panes.  

   During much of April and May last year, Abhisit was forced to move  his  office to the compound of Infantry Regiment 11, on the outskirts  of  Bangkok, as red-shirted protesters took over portions of the  capital  demanding he dissolve parliament and call for a snap  election.  

  Throughout the turmoil, that left 92 dead and more than 2,000  injured, Abhisit kept his cool, some have said too much so.  

   The 46-year-old Oxford-educated Abhisit, a 20-year-veteran of Thai   politics, is obviously more at home in the halls of parliament than  the  rice fields of rural Thailand, where elections are won or lost.  

   'I am not good at showing my emotions,' Abhisit admitted at a  rally on  June 23 in front of thousands of supporters of the Democrat  Party,  which he leads.  

  In a bid to revive flagging enthusiasm for the  Democrats in  Bangkok, usually a stronghold for the 65-year-old party,  Abhisit  recalled the trauma of April 10, last year, when protesters and   authorities engaged in a bloody street battle on Ratchadamnoen Road,   leaving 25 dead, including five soldiers.  

  'I cried for a long time on April 10,' Abhisit said. 'I knew that  no matter what I decided, people would hate me.'  

  Plenty of people do.  

   'Ninety-two people died last year and he has never accepted   responsibility,' said Kwanchai Salakham, one of the leaders of last   year's red shirt protest movement. 'Abhisit is like Srithanonchai. He   never admits the truth,' Kwanchai added, referring to the notorious   prankster-deceiver character of ancient Thai literature.  

  Paradoxically perhaps, it is Abhisit's reputation for honesty that  wins him the most accolades among his admirers.  

   He has won praise, for instance, for keeping his promise to go  ahead  with a general election on July 3, months before his term was  up in  December, despite a high likelihood that the Democrats will not  win at  the polls.  

  'You know, I like this prime minister,' said Nipon  Poapongsakorn,  President of the Thailand Development Research  Institute. 'He is not  corrupt. He is an honest person and he did what  he said he would.'  

  Nipon also praised Abhisit for pushing  through policies during his  tempestuous term in office that have  benefited the poor, such as a  price guarantee scheme for farmers, and  increased old age pensions  for the poor.

  'I'd give him a  grade A on social issue, but only a C on economic  issues. On the  economy I don't think he had much vision,' Nipon said.  

  Even  without the vision thing, Abhsit managed to steer the Thai  economy  through one of the world's severest global recessions to  witness 7.8  per cent growth in 2010.  

  Such achievements have not, however, translated in to popularity  at the ballot box, at least according to opinion polls.  

  The Democrats, like Abhisit, are not good self-promoters.  

  'I think we are too careful, and being careful you become  colourless,' said Democrat executive member Kraisak Choonhavan.  

   Like many Democrats, Kraisak worries about the what lies in store  for  Abhisit should his political opponents triumph at the polls.  

   'Abhisit was probably one of the best prime ministers we've had,  and  the establishment used him and now they're going to throw him  away,'  Kraisak said.  

  Abhisit came to power in December 2008 through a reshuffle in  parliment which some claim was orchestrated by the military.  

  'There are many long-tusked politicians waiting for him in the  wings,' Kraisak said.

----------


## Bettyboo

> Most people suffering from 'Yingluck fever' have never gotten over their dose of 'Thaksin fever,' *analysts said*.


Such BS tells you all you need to know about such articles; propaganda...




> Yingluck might be as good-looking as Abhisit, 46, but she has perhaps wisely avoided his challenge to a public debate, *something the Oxford-educated, 20-year political veteran excels at.*


This is just untrue. I've watched him many times being interviewed, he is awful. He comes across as a shallow liar. Now, that's most Thai politicians/pu yais for ya, but this constant 'Abhisit is an excellent speaker' is just not true... He is better than Samak and Suthep, but by any reasonble scale he certainly does not "excel"...

----------


## robuzo

^Has a link to the BBC Hard Talk interview been posted? On the one hand, he's a weasel, but on the other hand, at least he can explain himself in comprehensible English, unlike the "I'm too vain for an interpreter" Thaksin. What a shame, Mark, you could have done some good, if only you had some balls.

----------


## Bettyboo

> By Peter Janssen


Seems to be extremely pro-Abhisit... He sneakily pretends to balance out his argument, but his bias is very very clear, and goes against the facts of the last few years...




> Throughout the turmoil, that left 92 dead and more than 2,000 injured, Abhisit kept his cool





> The 46-year-old Oxford-educated Abhisit, a 20-year-veteran of Thai politics





> it is Abhisit's reputation for honesty that wins him the most accolades among his admirers.





> He has won praise, for instance, for keeping his promise





> 'You know, I like this prime minister,' said Nipon Poapongsakorn, President of the Thailand Development Research Institute. 'He is not corrupt. He is an honest person and he did what he said he would.'





> Nipon also praised Abhisit for pushing through policies during his tempestuous term in office that have benefited the poor





> 'I'd give him a grade A on social issue





> Abhsit managed to steer the Thai economy through one of the world's severest global recessions





> Abhisit was probably one of the best prime ministers we've had


Almost beyond belief really.

He could have chosen to mention:

Abhisit pulling out of the 2006 election to help the staged coup.
Abhisit supporting the PAD to bring down legally elected governments.
Abhisit handing the army the keys to the country.
Abhisit looking afraid and weak during the majority of the last few years.
Abhisit's non-stop lies regarding the deaths at the red rallies; over the last few weeks he has blaimed the blackshirts for the deaths.
Abhisit heading a government that has seen the judiciary and many other instituitions (DSI, ministry of spying, etc) being politicized away from free and democratic stances.
Abhisit residing over the government that sent snipers to murder numerous political protestors, medics and media personnel.
Abhisit residing over a government that has decimated freedom of speech.

One could go on and on.

Peter Janssen seems not to have noticed any of these events... Non-stop propaganda doesn't seem to have fooled the electorate however, with dem voters flooding away from Abhisit's sinking ship. One thing we do know is that Abhisit is too much of a coward to go down with the ship (despite his promises otherwise...)...

----------


## StrontiumDog

^^ Only slightly under 4 minute clips...

BBC News - Thaksin Shinawatra: I am not the devil

*Thaksin Shinawatra: I am not the devil*


BBC News - Hardtalk - Thai PM warns against 'instability' and 'more conflict'

*Thai PM warns against 'instability' and 'more conflict'*

----------


## Bettyboo

> ^Has a link to the BBC Hard Talk interview been posted? On the one hand, he's a weasel, but on the other hand, at least he can explain himself in comprehensible English, unlike the "I'm too vain for an interpreter" Thaksin. What a shame, Mark, you could have done some good, if only you had some balls.


But it was a crap interview wasn't it... The stupid interviewer just allowed MrT to be the central talking point, and completely avoid the real issues... It was a dream interview for Abhisit, would've been difficult to feed him easier questions...& still Abhisit came across as a complete liar with nothing to offer... Just because he can speak English well (his first language?) might seem nice to us, as folk who can't speak Thai well, but it means nothing to the Thai electorate...

----------


## Buksida

> ^Has a link to the BBC Hard Talk interview been posted? On the one hand, he's a weasel, but on the other hand, at least he can explain himself in comprehensible English, unlike the "I'm too vain for an interpreter" Thaksin. What a shame, Mark, you could have done some good, if only you had some balls.


I don't think it has, I watched it last night, shame it was so short. He kept his cool, something Thaki can't manage. I would be interested to hear ppl's opinions of better Thai speakers.

Of course he's a better than the other politicians, look at his education. Saying his a good speaker, is not saying his honest, a great economist etc. 

The problem with so many reds here is they're fundamentalists, everything is black and white.

----------


## robuzo



----------


## Bettyboo

> Of course he's a better than the other politicians, look at his education.


Sums you up... very very sad...  :Sad: 

(Did Bush go to Harvard or Yale...)

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Most people suffering from 'Yingluck fever' have never gotten over their dose of 'Thaksin fever,' *analysts said*.
> 
> 
> Such BS tells you all you need to know about such articles; propaganda...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Amusing... 

Abhisit is well regarded amongst Thai's for his speaking skills. One of the red shirts has even made it a slogan. He speaks well but doesn't do what he says, is the main thrust of the argument, which is fair criticism. 

However, no criticism of Thaksin from you. He lied throughout his interview with Al Jazeera the other day. You should swat up on body language. It was most amusing to watch him. He was all seductive (maintaining eye contact constantly, that many still believe indicates honesty but actually indicates the opposite), but when the interviewer asked him if he was to seek revenge, he produced a half-smile, quickly dismissed, with a slight sideways inclination of the head, and then afterwards shook his head while he made affirmative statements (the says yes, but shakes head, indicating no)

No criticism of the well managed Yingluck who hasn't been tested throughout this campaign. She is still very much an unknown quantity. And she is to be the new PM! 

BB, your bias is getting more and more extreme. I'm not going to even bother replying to your other post on the Abhisit profile, it is just too bizarre....the sad thing is I bet you aren't even aware of why it is bizarre.

----------


## SteveCM

> ..but it means nothing to the Thai electorate..


Not quite "nothing" - there will be some who are taken by the idea of a Thai PM being able to "talk the talk" in international venues. But it's still a
point well worth remembering for those occupying the English-language VIP ghetto - almost none of whom has an actual _vote_.

----------


## robuzo

> The stupid interviewer just allowed MrT to be the central talking point, and completely avoid the real issues... It was a dream interview for Abhisit, would've been difficult to feed him easier questions...& still Abhisit came across as a complete liar with nothing to offer... Just because he can speak English well (his first language?) might seem nice to us, as folk who can't speak Thai well, but it means nothing to the Thai electorate...


Mmmm, not a total waste of time, especially the last 10 minutes. The look of pure confusion and one might even say embarrassment when the interviewer presses him about respecting electoral results and in doing so brings up the coup in 2006- and the best Mark can manage is, "It was different situation . . .I came out against the coup. . ." making him look not only like a rank hypocrite, but a chancer of the first order. Nice of him to say the army must respect the results of the election, but the question isn't really the election, it's the possibility of amnesty of Thaksin. The interviewer does press him well on the army's propaganda efforts and Prayuth's threats.

----------


## Bettyboo

> However, no criticism of Thaksin from you.


Because he is a smokescreen. He is a typical sino-Thai liar, just like Abhisit and Suthep, etc.  

The more that the PAD/army/bluebloods can talk about Thaksin, the less they and their instituitions are the focus. That is what it is all about...




> BB, your bias is getting more and more extreme.


My bias is consistent:

I don't like Thaksin, I never have done. 

I support the people's vote, regardless of my own opinions; the people's vote being respected is the cornerstone of equality and fairness within society. Thus, I have zero respect for the army/PAD/bluebloods, etc, who have no regard for anything other than a totally corrupt and controlled system.

I supported Abhisit in the early days. When he pulled the dems out of an election because he would not win it, thus promting a coup, and alligning himself with the people that committed the coup (and supporting them financially, giving them ministerial positins, etc), I saw him for what he was/is: a total liar who works with the army/bluebloods, and against the people.

If the dems won fair and square then I'd be happy. But, working with the army, killing political protestors, pooring money into the general's pockets, erroding instituitions such as the judiciary, press freedom, personal rights, and many many more, is the reality of Anhisit and his actions.

History speaks clearly.

----------


## Bettyboo

> The look of pure confusion and one might even say embarrassment when *the interviewer presses him* about respecting electoral results and in doing so brings up the coup in 2006- and the best Mark can manage is, "It was different situation . . .I came out against the coup. . ." making him look not only like a rank hypocrite, but a chancer of the first order.


Just repeating the question, isn't really pressing, imho. Whilst I agree with many of your comments, I thought the interviewer was either ill prepared with information or ill-prepared to get to the heart of the issues. He was very crude, which is pretty easy for the interviewee to deal with.

SD's comments on body language are very funny. Abhisit has some of the weakest body language I have ever seen. I particularly enjoy enjoy the way his head moved (shakes/nods) truthfully while his words say the opposite. With questions like "do the army control you" (not this interview), he says "no" while his head is nodding; very very funny...

----------


## SteveCM

As it seems Part 2 of the BBC "Hardtalk" interview hasn't yet been posted, here it is:

----------


## robuzo

^It's the better part.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^^ Thanks Steve and robuzo

----------


## StrontiumDog

*FEATURE: Thailand's ex-massage parlour king sends out angry message - Yahoo! News
*
*FEATURE: Thailand's ex-massage parlour king sends out angry message*


By Philip Golingai in Bangkok/The Star | ANN – 1 hour 18 minutes ago

     Bangkok  (The Star/ANN) - The most striking election posters on the streets of  Bangkok are that of an angry politician clasping his aching head. A  message in Thai states: "Bored with politics but have to vote. Let me be  in opposition to fight corruption."

 Another poster shows the angry politician with his left eyebrow raised and his right index finger pointing accusingly.

 Another poster shows him carrying a baby with the message:  "Politicians are like diapers, the more you change them, the better."  There's even one with him shaking hands with a bull terrier (which looks  angrier than him).

 Introducing Chuvit Kamolvisit, Thailand's angriest politician.

 The 50-year-old former massage parlour king is the leader of a  one-man show political party Rak Thailand. Rak Thailand's core message  is: Chuvit is against corruption.

 And voters, disillusioned with politics-as-usual politicians, are  expected to vote in the maverick Chuvit as one of the 500 MPs on July 3.

 The millionaire with an MBA from the United States is a colourful  character. He dared to campaign at where "angelic" politicians fear to  tread. His campaign trail includes Soi Thaniya, a lane which houses  nightspots exclusively for Japanese, in Bangkok's famous Patpong. In  Facebook, there are photographs of him being kissed by scantily-dressed  women of pleasure.

 Chuvit also did planking. He had to do "something strange" to get  publicity in a race dominated by Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva  and latest media darling Yingluck Shinawatra.

 "You can talk all day and all night but nobody can hear you unless you are in the newspaper and television," he explained.

 In an interview at Chuvit Park (which is as controversial as the  owner who allegedly forcibly evicted tenants to make way for the park)  along the Thai capital's congested Sukhumvit road, Chuvit said he looked  angry in his campaign posters because he wanted to show Thais that  their country's problem was serious.

 "I get a headache thinking that there is no way out (of Thailand's  violent political conflict). And then I get angry thinking about  politicians who talk about reconciliation but are not honest about it.

 "If they really wanted reconciliation they could have done it before  the city was on fire," he explained, referring to last year's bloody  conflict which saw 91 people killed and several buildings razed.

 "Now that there is an election they are talking about reconciliation again."

 Is he an angry person in real life?

 "I have to admit that I have a hot temper," said the politician,  whose punchline for the 2008 Bangkok governor elections was: "I'm crazy  enough to hit a TV news host three days before the Bangkok governor  election, so I hope you will be crazy enough to vote for me."

 Recalling the incident, Chuvit said: "That guy had no manners. He was not polite and he should not be in the media."

 The angry politician is running in this polls so that he could sit on the opposition bench.

 "I want to show Thailand has a problem because politicians (from both  ends of the political spectrum) refuse to compromise," he said.

 Chuvit believes voters will vote him in as they are bored with Thai politics.

 "They want someone who will speak the truth," he explained. (In the  Thai party list seats, he needs about 250,000 votes to make his way to  Parliament.)

 The Thai 2011 polls, observed Chuvit, was "just a little hole to release the air" in the country's political pressure cooker.

 "We are waiting for the next storm. After this election you will  either see a Pheu Thai or a Democrat government. If it is Pheu Thai,  then someone will say the party was a nominee of Thaksin Shinawatra and  someone will launch the Yellow Shirts to kick it out of government.

 "If it is a Democrat government, the Red Shirts will be in the street  to protest," explained the politician, who like many Bangkokian Chinese  is a Teochew.

 "The Yellow Shirts and Red Shirts are political machines that can be turned on and off anytime."

 What does Chuvit think of the two leading candidates for Thai Prime Minister?

 Abhisit, he opined, is a good liar.

 "All politicians are liars. But some are bad liars. If Abhisit spoke the truth, nobody will vote for him," he said.

 Yingluck was 100% a Thaksin nominee.

 "You can see that Thaksin does not trust anyone except his family," he said.

 However, he concedes that Yingluck other than being Thaksin's youngest sister is a "good politician".

 "Like a new diaper she is still fresh. You will only know after a  couple of months or years whether you need to change her," he said with a  big grin.

 What with the poster of him shaking hands with his bull terrier?

 Dog, explained Chuvit, is a symbol of honesty as it served its master regardless whether he is rich or poor.

 "Politicians should emulate the honesty of a dog," he growled.

----------


## Norton

> it's the possibility of amnesty of Thaksin


Has become a central issue between the two parties. Dems claiming it is the intent of the PTP and PTP claiming it is not. Political rhetoric and argument of intent aside, I am confused as to how this "amnesty" will be accomplished if PTP is in power.

The Thai courts have convicted, fined and sentenced Thaksin. This is a fact no matter the argument of fairness.

The Thai Parliament has no power to override the decision of Thai courts so PTP no matter their majority cannot do so.

Only the monarchy has the power to grant "amnesty". The one granted amnesty is still guilty as charged by the courts but punishment is curtailed. Chances of amnesty being granted are nil. 

This leaves only an appeal to the courts to completely reverse it's earlier sentence (not going to happen) or reduce punishment which would allow Thaksin a return to Thailand without fear of arrest plus some sort of restrictions.

Perhaps someone wiser than I can correct me but only the courts can set the stage for Thaksin's return to Thailand. The issue of which party gains power in Parliament feeds the political debate but has nothing to do with the dread or joy Thaksin's haters/followers have.

Will a PTP led parliament support Thaksin's return? No doubt but the courts will have to make it happen. We already know the Dems do not and never will support his return.

----------


## Butterfly

PT is on record saying they will seek to pardon fugitive Thaksin

it's a fact,

they can't say it during the campaign as it could scare away the swing votes,

----------


## StrontiumDog

^^ I think I recall reading somewhere earlier that they would need to tinker with the constitution to get this amnesty working. So they need a majority first....then tinkering can proceed!

----------


## Bettyboo

> ^It's the better part.


Yep. I'd only seen the first part, on the BBC website (outside UK server).

----------


## DroversDog

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> Of course he's a better than the other politicians, look at his education.
> 
> 
> Sums you up... very very sad... 
> 
> (Did Bush go to Harvard or Yale...)


Pity Mark has not shown the benefits of his education in ways other then his command of the English language.

----------


## robuzo

Norton sez: "Perhaps someone wiser than I can correct me but only the courts can set the stage for Thaksin's return to Thailand. The issue of which party gains power in Parliament feeds the political debate but has nothing to do with the dread or joy Thaksin's haters/followers have." My understanding also, so much headscratching here. Anybody have a different, better-informed take that doesn't consist of "You just know they'll bring him back!" Sure they want to- practically speaking, how?

----------


## Bettyboo

> ^^ I think I recall reading somewhere earlier that they would need to tinker with the constitution to get this amnesty working. So they need a majority first....


Like they had before... Wasn't enough to block army guns...

The constituition needs changing (back to 97 and improve would be the best route); get rid of appointed senators, reduce army powers, etc. That's gonna be hard, the army has entrenched themselves...

This must be the route to bringing Thaksin back too, which is why the PAD/army are so against it...

----------


## robuzo

> ^^ I think I recall reading somewhere earlier that they would need to tinker with the constitution to get this amnesty working. So they need a majority first....then tinkering can proceed!


A constitution that easily tinkerable isn't worth a tinker's cuss.

----------


## Bettyboo

It's not the constituition itself that's the problem, it's the army/blueblood's ability to tear it up whenever they want to.

----------


## Butterfly

> Sure they want to- practically speaking, how?


dude, this is fucking Thailand. They can do pretty much what they want once in power.

They can buy a constitutional judge and tell him to vote a certain way, and it's done

----------


## Butterfly

I hope the PAD will be back in the streets with UDD if PT wants an amnesty for Thaksin

----------


## Bettyboo

^ that is pretty much how it happened from 2006 onwards, but then they had the guns and the 'hidden hand'; it'll be much more difficult to do for an elected government that does not have a certain group/instituition telling the judiciary/any other that suits their cause, exactly what to do...

----------


## Butterfly

> that is pretty much how it happened from 2006 onwards, but then they had the guns and the 'hidden hand'


don't need to have gun, Thaksin bought an AMLO judge in 2001 so he could swing his vote on the asset concealment case

the judge is on record saying publicly his decision was political, not judicial, I mean WTF ???

that was the first judicial coup for Thaksin, soon to be followed by many in his favor

----------


## robuzo

^^Sure, with right backers you can do anything, even take over the international airport and disgrace the nation without ever having to say you're sorry. 

Still, amending the constitution just to help one guy would one hopes drive more than just the yellow loons into the streets. Maybe they could just assure him a fair trial if he comes back. . .what the hell, set a up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and. . .aw, fuck it.

----------


## Butterfly

> Maybe they could just assure him a fair trial if he comes back. . .what the hell, set a up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and. . .aw, fuck it.


yep, you got it

listen, the guy had his fair share of chances and he blew everyone of them. First, he had his judicial coup of 2001, instead of ruling the country like a stateman, he ran it like a railway Barron

then he had a chance to step down after the January 2006 protests, but he played game and refused to comply, and the list goes on etc...

----------


## Mid

> Pity Mark has not shown the benefits of his education in ways other then his command of the English language.


ain't that the Truth  :Sad:

----------


## Bobcock

Can we just agree they are all c****?

----------


## Gerbil

> This must be the route to bringing Thaksin back too, which is why the PAD/army are so against it...


Nothing to stop him coming back and serving his sentence, except for the fact he doesn't have balls to do so.

----------


## Buksida

> Can we just agree they are all c****?


A lot of ppl here have fallen in love with Yingyuck.

----------


## robuzo

> Can we just agree they are all c****?


True enough. The problem, as I see it, is that on one side you have paternalistic, authoritarian, mystical fascism, and on the other, at least at the top level, your basic corrupt greedhead Chinese crony-capitalist crime family. At the grass roots, one side wants to disenfranchise the electorate, the other side wants a say in government and bigger piece of the pie. Not much of a choice, but still not exactly a difficult one.

Actually, if I had a vote I'd probably waste it on Chuvit.

----------


## English Noodles

> Originally Posted by Butterfly
> 
> ^ "power structure for the people" is the literate translation
> 
> 
>  Is literate the illiterate translation of literal?


 :rofl:  :deadhorsebig:  :tieme:

----------


## SteveCM

> Originally Posted by robuzo
> 
> ^It's the better part.
> 
> 
> Yep. I'd only seen the first part, on the BBC website (outside UK server).


"Better" as in..... ? A bit more to-and-fro lively - but what else?

On the matter of body language, the notion that a public figure (i.e. one used to interviews and other public/on-camera appearances) is likely to be betraying anything by making eye-contact or not making it is, frankly, nonsensical. Most of these figures have "learned on the job" what works and/or have received targeted "performance" training by professionals to achieve it. I've produced training sessions for that myself and observed many more. Beyond the physical (smiles, nods and facial expressions to show "understanding"/"concern" etc - as well as looking engaged and confident rather than distant and defensive), training includes verbal techniques of _appearing_ to answer the question while actually _not_ answering it and, ideally, neatly using it as a stepping stone to a different point or angle  that the interviewee wants to get across. Time is limited and a good interviewer will want to cut that short - but there are also limits as to how far he can go with this..... it's just too easy for the interviewee (smilingly) to turn the tables and make him look like he's not willing to listen to the answers.

I'd say a good comparison is chess. There are many moves that land no serious "hits" - most of the play is parrying. While an interviewer may score a few points along the way, he's unlikely get anything like a checkmate when up against an experienced/well-trained subject. Conversely, a session that ends in just a stalemate - i.e. with the interviewee having merely defended well but _not_ having got his points across - must be regarded as a failure for him/her.

The back-of-a-cereal-packet potted psychology approach to body language is best left to the likes of Mocks News' Bill O'Reilly - who loves to bring in an "expert" to analyse the "truth" of what was "really" happening in an interview or some other performance. Conveniently enough, the expert is always able to identify those "tell-tale signals". As far as the psychology of this kind of flim-flam exercise goes, it better illustrates the point that people will generally manage to "find" what they _want_ to find when examining these examples.

Being no admirer of either Thaksin or Abhisit, I think I'm fair in saying that both handled themselves well enough for the purpose - almost inevitably neither got "sunk" and both made quite a few of their pet points. I wasn't expecting much from Wayne Hay's questions, but he was surprisingly thorough and yet fluid - his interview with Thaksin came across as a good, fairly meaty conversation. IMO that actually worked in Thaksin's favour - he _looked_ less polished/slick and more "real". On a much broader canvas, Sackur with Abhisit plainly set out to be more "hard" and in a more formal - almost formula - way. It was never on the cards that the well-practiced Abhisit would be at a loss for words -  and he wasn't. Job done.

----------


## robuzo

> Originally Posted by Bobcock
> 
> 
> Can we just agree they are all c****?
> 
> 
> A lot of ppl here have fallen in love with Yingyuck.


Horseshit. Who on here has? Name some names, give us some quotes. Saying they wouldn't mind (or at least think they wouldn't mind) giving her the high hard one is not the same as saying she'd make a good PM.

----------


## Bobcock

> A lot of ppl here have fallen in love with Yingyuck.


Oh Christ.....




> Actually, if I had a vote I'd probably waste it on Chuvit.


I've loved him since he punched that guy at Channel 3, I'd vote for him too.

----------


## Bobcock

> giving her the high hard one is not the same as saying she'd make a good PM.


Well she won't make a good PM on the evidence so I guess people can dream......and yes....dream about bonibng her because that would make far far more sense.

But love....Oh Christ

----------


## robuzo

> On a much broader canvas, Sackur with Abhisit plainly set out to be more "hard" and in a more formal - almost formula - way. It was never on the cards that the well-practiced Abhisit would be at a loss for words -  and he wasn't. Job done.


A "What do you mean 2006 was a different situation? How was that coup justified?" would have been nice, but there were time constraints, etc. Otherwise, I wouldn't say Ahbisit did all that well. Not sure why he bothered with the interview at all, unless it was because he cares about what his old boys in England think about or he was trying to reassure foreign investors (the latter I suppose).

----------


## robuzo

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> A lot of ppl here have fallen in love with Yingyuck.
> 
> 
> Oh Christ.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If he would just come out and promise to punch someone if elected he would probably do a lot better. Maybe have a "Who should I slug if elected?" poll and promise to come through if he wins. I bet the powers that be would find him to be a right pain in the ass.

----------


## SteveCM

> Originally Posted by SteveCM
> 
> 
> On a much broader canvas, Sackur with Abhisit plainly set out to be more "hard" and in a more formal - almost formula - way. It was never on the cards that the well-practiced Abhisit would be at a loss for words -  and he wasn't. Job done.
> 
> 
> A "What do you mean 2006 was a different situation? How was that coup justified?" would have been nice, but there were time constraints, etc. Otherwise, I wouldn't say Ahbisit did all that well. Not sure why he bothered with the interview at all, unless it was because he cares about what his old boys in England think about or he was trying to reassure foreign investors (the latter I suppose).


I agree that would have been a good _potential_ skewer - but Abhisit would slip off it easily enough and divert into even more talk of how he was against it, all coups are bad, the army has promised and I expect them to keep their word etc etc....

I'm not saying he "did all that well" - rather that he did "well enough". Sackur was clearly trying to lead him to go"on the record" with explicit statements and did succeed to a very minor extent - IMO that's the part where Abhisit looked the most uncomfortable. I've seen Sackur bait the trap better than on this occasion.

As to the purpose? I still have the idea that struck me during his Rachaprasong session - and the Facebook "bottom of my heart" pieces. Yes, those would have some effect on voters, but IMO there seems to be a strong flavour of  "before I go" self-justifying "my place in history" about them, too. Obviously enough, other than getting a few more quotes into Thai media, I can't see the BBC interview doing anything as far as the election is concerned. I do think he's both vain and insecure enough that you may well be right about him wanting the chaps back in England to think well of him. But also, don't underestimate his capacity to really believe that he's in the right - did the best anyone could in the circumstances etc - and would want to defend that view to everyone. Even politicians are human.....

----------


## robuzo

> As to the purpose? I still have the idea that struck me during his Rachaprasong session - and the Facebook "bottom of my heart" pieces. Yes, those would have some effect on voters, but IMO there seems to be a strong flavour of  "before I go" self-justifying "my place in history" about them, too. Obviously enough, other than getting a few more quotes into Thai media, I can't see the BBC interview doing anything as far as the election is concerned. I do think he's both vain and insecure enough that you may well be right about him wanting the chaps back in England to think well of him.


Vanity and narcissism probably get short shrift as motives. The Blogoyevich (sp) case might come to mind to Americans.




> But also, don't underestimate his capacity to really believe that he's in the right - did the best anyone could in the circumstances etc - and would want to defend that view to everyone. Even politicians are human.....


To the extent that people rarely think to themselves, "I know what I am doing is wrong but will do it anyway." Justification probably comes at base in the form of the high-bred, elite-educated patrician contempt for the masses, combined with a thorough lack of interest within Thai society of those below his class/caste.

----------


## tomta

> I thought the issue was Democracy, what does the will of the people has anything to do with it ?


Brilliant. You outdo yourself.

----------


## tomta

> for the record, PT is a right wing political party, quite far to the right actually


So what? The people are allowed to vote for any wing they choose.

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## tomta

> Feel free to check into the Latin roots of 'Demos' too,


Annoyingly pedantic, i know,but the word is Greek. The Latin word might be something like Popula regula. Anyway, the Romans went for populism a lot more - bread and circuses - which are better than nothing.

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## tomta

> While in a field, he [Abhisit] sat down to chat with villagers, he attended morning alms with residents and also took part in a life-prolonging ritual to ward off evil.


The Oxford education of course. It's still not gonna work.

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## tomta

> Yesterday, in the northeastern province of Yasothon he [Abhisit] took the role of a temple boy carrying food for a monk during the morning alms-collecting round.


Practising for his next job.,

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## Norton

> Can we just agree they are all c****?


C****? Crooks! Absolutely. They all are. We know it, they know it and all Thais know it. Election is all about electing folks favorite crook/s. If the big boss of the crooks (aka, the Don) wants to remain the big boss he must adhere to the adage "honor among thieves is the ancestor of all honor.". 

The boss of the crooks must share the spoils of his thievery with the rest of the criminal gangs. Winning an unprecedented majority, Thaksin and his gang made the fatal mistake of not sharing with the other gangs. Result, all the other gangs turned against him and suddenly he was no longer the big boss.  

Lesson learned by Thaksin's gang? Time will tell but I would think they have. Especially with the biggest baddest Thai gang.

----------


## tomta

> 'I think this was a signal that he supports the Democrats, but what happens if they lose?' said Buapan Promphaping, a professor of social science at the region's Khon Kaen University. 'It could be a disaster for the army as well.'


And it could be the start of a process that sets the Army on the way to becoming a proper military force that defends the country when the need arises, rather than a place where sinecures can be purchased for a bunch of corrupt generals with a massive sense of entitlement and ego.

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## Hampsha

> Thaksin and his gang made the fatal mistake of not sharing with the other gangs. Result, all the other gangs turned against him and suddenly he was no longer the big boss.


Don't agree with this. There's only one 'Don' in Thailand. Everyone has to share with him and show complete obedience to him or else. He's got his hitmen by his side all the time and when necessary they come out and do the deed to anyone who even thinks they might be born equal. That's the total truth.

----------


## Norton

> Don't agree with this.


Then you missed this bit.
vv



> Especially with the biggest baddest Thai gang.

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## Bobcock

> Thaksin and his gang made the fatal mistake of not sharing with the other gangs. Result, all the other gangs turned against him and suddenly he was no longer the big boss.


Close, but it wasn't only about money...

----------


## tomta

> My bias is consistent:  I don't like Thaksin, I never have done.  I support the people's vote, regardless of my own opinions; the people's vote being respected is the cornerstone of equality and fairness within society. Thus, I have zero respect for the army/PAD/bluebloods, etc, who have no regard for anything other than a totally corrupt and controlled system.  I supported Abhisit in the early days. When he pulled the dems out of an election because he would not win it, thus promting a coup, and alligning himself with the people that committed the coup (and supporting them financially, giving them ministerial positins, etc), I saw him for what he was/is: a total liar who works with the army/bluebloods, and against the people.  If the dems won fair and square then I'd be happy. But, working with the army, killing political protestors, pooring money into the general's pockets, erroding instituitions such as the judiciary, press freedom, personal rights, and many many more, is the reality of Anhisit and his actions.



I think you speak here for a lot of people like me, Bettyboo, and it is very annoying for us to get constantly cast as manipulated shills for Thaksin. I joined the very small crowd of about 300-400 (and about the same number of cops) protesting against Tak Bai when it happened, I wrote numerous open letters to the English newspapers asking that they call the "extra-judicial killings" of the War on Drugs by the proper name of murders. Nothing even faintly heroic but I exercised my democratic rights even as a farang in a democracy that had an authoritarian leadership. But then the coup happened and it was ridiculous to see the army and other important people suddenly getting upset with Thaksin's corruption and Human Rights abuses when they'd been completely complicit. 

Thaksin was challengeable because he had been elected and could be unelected. A military junta was not because they deny the validity of elections and democracy. A coup is when the leadership of the army and their connections decide that their opinion as to what is best for the country is unchallengeable.

Has Thailand been a more open and free society since the coup? I don't think so. Thaksin is to blame for a lot of things but not for everything.

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## Hampsha

> Originally Posted by *Norton* 
> _Especially with the biggest baddest Thai gang._


Guess your right on then.

----------


## tomta

> Quote: Thaksin and his gang made the fatal mistake of not sharing with the other gangs. Result, all the other gangs turned against him and suddenly he was no longer the big boss. Don't agree with this. There's only one 'Don' in Thailand. Everyone has to share with him and show complete obedience to him or else. He's got his hitmen by his side all the time and when necessary they come out and do the deed to anyone who even thinks they might be born equal. That's the total truth.


Dead right. But things may be changing.

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## Norton

> Close, but it wasn't only about money...


Interesting. Care to elaborate?

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Jatuporn denied right to vote*

         Breakingnews          >                

Published: 28/06/2011 at 05:44 PMOnline news:

The Criminal Court on Tuesday turned down an  application to allow Jatuporn Prompan to temporarily leave the prison to  vote on July 3.

 The petition was submitted earlier today by United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) lawyer Winyat Chartmontree.

 Mr Jatuporn, the No 8 Pheu Thai party list candidate, is being  detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison on  charges of terrorism in  connection with last year's violent  UDD protests. His bail was revoked  after he addressed a red-shirt meeting in Bangkok. The court ruled his  comments breached bail conditions.

 The court said today that the charges against Mr Jatuporn are serious  and there is sufficient reason to believe that he could again cause  unrest in the country if allowed out of prison to vote.

 Election commissioner Sodsri Sattayatham said earlier today that Mr  Jatuporn might be disqualified if elected, if he was not allowed out of  prison by the court to vote.

 The law denies people in prison the right to vote. A person who cannot vote cannot be sworn in as an MP.

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## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : EC accused of disenfranchising 500,000 voters*Published: 28/06/2011 at 05:10 PMOnline news: ElectionTwo independent election watchdogs have  criticised the Election Commission over its handling of advance voting  on Sunday, accusing the poll agency of effectively disenfranchising  hundreds of thousands of voters.

 As many as 500,000 eligible voters lost their right to vote because  of a misunderstanding caused by the Election Commission's poor public  relations and an outdated regulation, the People's Network for Election  in Thailand (Pnet) said on Tuesday.

It said these people had  registered in 2007 to vote in advance outside their home constiuencies  and had not been properly informed they needed to advise the authorities  if they intended to vote elsewhere this time.

 They had not voted last Sunday in the area they were previously  registered, and as a consequence they were now denied the right to vote  on July 3.
 The Asian Network for Free Election (Anfrel) also criticised the EC  for this oversight, but said advanced voting was, in general, well  managed but safeguards needed to be put in place for this weekend's  voting.   

 Pnet committee member Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said the people  disenfranchised had registered to vote in advance outside their  constituencies in the last election, but had not withdrawn their names  from the list of advance voters, not knowing that they were required to  do so by an EC regulation.

They wrongly believed that their names  would be automatically put back in the lists of eligible voters in  their home constituencies after the 2007 election and did not go to cast  an early vote on June 26.

As a result, they had lost their right to vote in their home constituencies on July 3.

Mr Somchai said this was clearly the result of the EC's poor public relations, and was not the voters' fault.

The EC should put their names back on the voter lists so they can vote in their home constituencies on July 3, he said.

A  report from the Asian Network for Free Election (Anfrel) said 60  international observers across the country had found some hiccups due to  the EC's use of old lists from the 3.3 million voters who registered to  vote in advance in 2007, but it was otherwise well managed.

The  Bangkok-based free election advocacy group said some advance voters were  not aware that their names remained on the old advance voting list in  their former area of residence.



 "This fact left them unable to vote this year in their actual  constituencies unless they had previously notified the EC of their  return home," the Anfrel report said.

As an alternative to the  current system, advance voting registration should automatically expire  at the end of each election period, it said.

"In addition, voter  lists were either not provided in sufficient numbers, or the access to  the voter lists was managed in a haphazard manner at some polling  locations, a shortcoming that should be addressed by the end of this  week," the Anfrel statement said.

The observers also found some  small but significant inconsistencies concerning polling station  management, both in the number of polling personnel on duty as well as  the correct conduct of procedures, even in cases where polling stations  were next to each other in the same polling centres.

Polling Centres in Bangkok and other urban centres were planned to handle up to 100,000 voters.

While  the logistics of this operation went remarkably well in most cases, it  became evident that halving the advanced voting period from two days to  one day caused traffic jams and led to overcrowded polling stations,  resulting in some voters turning away without having cast their votes,  especially in Bang Kapi (Bangkok), Chiang Mai and Samut Prakan, the  report said.

"The election commissioners should use their  authority to order some polling station officials to extend the voting  time when necessary. Other managerial inconsistencies should be swiftly  addressed through training of polling officials," it said.

Anfrel  has suggested that advance voting should be under the same conditions  as Election Day, when activities such as election rallies, cruising  campaign vehicles and house-to-house visits are not allowed at all.

There  were fewer political party representatives inside the polling stations  on Sunday than might have been expected, the Anfrel report said.

"We  call upon all political parties and their candidates to train and send  more agents to witness the polling procedure inside the polling  station."

While security was adequate, the voting of soldiers had raised significant concerns in some parts of the country.

In  Narathiwat, Pattani and Songkhla, military personnel cast their ballots  while carrying weapons to polling stations. At a polling centre in  Kanchanaburi, over one thousand soldiers were given priority at the  ballot box, resulting in many frustrated civilian voters turning away  and returning to their homes.

The international observers called  upon the EC and the supporting organisations, including the Royal Thai  Police and Thai Post, to ensure transparency and accuracy observed  during the close of advance voting extends to the storage and handover  of ballot papers for tallying.

"The ballots must be stored  securely during the entire week. The transmission of non-residential  ballot papers must not raise any doubt about the integrity of the  transport chain and the accuracy of them being counted after the close  of polls next Sunday," it said.

Anfrel also urged the media to  constructively support the electoral process without overemphasising  isolated violent incidents, and upon civil society organisations to  continue the recruitment and training of national election observers,  and for voters to make their decisions independently and to vote freely  this coming Sunday.

----------


## Gerbil

> Election commissioner Sodsri Sattayatham said earlier today that Mr Jatuporn might be disqualified if elected, if he was not allowed out of prison by the court to vote.
> 
> The law denies people in prison the right to vote. A person who cannot vote cannot be sworn in as an MP.



Ah.... what a shame.  :rofl:

----------


## Gerbil

> Mr Somchai said this was clearly the result of the EC's poor public relations, and was not the voters' fault.


Bollocks. Ignorance of the law is no excuse.




> In Narathiwat, Pattani and Songkhla, military personnel cast their ballots while carrying weapons to polling stations.


Considering what is going on down there, it would be bloody stupid if they had gone unarmed. Truckloads of unarmed soldiers would have been prime targets for the insurgents.

----------


## tomta

> They had not voted last Sunday in the area they were previously registered, and as a consequence they were now denied the right to vote on July 3. The Asian Network for Free Election (Anfrel) also criticised the EC for this oversight, but said advanced voting was, in general, well managed but safeguards needed to be put in place for this weekend's voting.


It was in general well managed but half a million people people have lost their right to vote?

The changes to the system were pushed through at  5 minutes to midnight with a whole host of other measures. I was very surprised that PT didn't kick up a fuss at the time. I can only assume that their strategy is not to rock the boat and appear calm and reasonable which does appear to be working but this and the invisible PT logo smell very bad.

Someone on this site has been saying that ANFREL are puppets and I'm increasingly inclined to believe that. What happened to the European observers? Oh , that's right. Suthep doesn't like farangs. Also, four out of five of the Election Commisioners have been away in Europe on study tours. Nice timing.

I hope I'm just being paranoid but given the multitude of ways the ammar have found to null and void election results, my suspicions may be accurate.

----------


## tomta

> The law denies people in prison the right to vote. A person who cannot vote cannot be sworn in as an MP.


So much for the presumption of innocence. By the way what has happened to those terrorism charges? 14 months and still at preliminary hearings? The evidence must be overwhelming. Oh yes I forgot, he's in jail now for LM after having been accused by the army, that paragon of neutrality. If PT somehow lose, events like these will be remembered. And added to the bitterness which is accumulating.

----------


## tomta

> Ah.... what a shame.


yes it is always a shame when people are denied their legitimate democratic rights, when these rights are trampled because of mere accusations of wrongdoing that have not yet been tested in a court.

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## Bobcock

> Interesting. Care to elaborate?


Nope, not here

----------


## Tom Sawyer

SD is getting more shrill as the fake-vote approaches. Relax Mr Neutral, your Amart friends will have sorted it all out (with the help of ISOC) by mid-July - to your liking I'm sure.

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## tomta

> In Narathiwat, Pattani and Songkhla, military personnel cast their ballots while carrying weapons to polling stations. At a polling centre in Kanchanaburi, over one thousand soldiers were given priority at the ballot box, resulting in many frustrated civilian voters turning away and returning to their homes.


Great! Every citizen is equal but some are more equal than others. On what possible pretext could this have been done.

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## tomta

> SD is getting more shrill as the fake-vote approaches. R


So am I, Tom because I'm leaning to your way of thinking. The fix may be in.

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## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network



Lost in the Confusion 

UPDATE : 28 June 2011                     *

The 2007 Constitution of Thailand states  that all eligible citizens are obligated to exercise their democratic  right to vote and those who fail to carry this out without reporting a  valid reason are penalized by having the right revoked.

In support of this regulation, the charter establishes a system of early  voting and accountability to protect citizens from needlessly being  punished. Previously, two days were set aside for advanced voters, one  for those outside of their constituencies and one for those still in  their registered areas. This time around however, the alternative poll  date was lumped into a single day.* 

The loss of a single day resulted in throngs of people showing up at the  limited supply of polling stations across the nation. Some stations,  such as the Baan Bangkapi School saw as many 100 thousand voters set to  cast their ballots. Making matters worse, the entire process is by law  made to finish within seven hours. Places such as Baan Bangkapi thus saw  a mad dash of people rushing to make good on the constitutional  mandate. The resulting traffic and lines allowed only 59,913 registered  voters at Baan Bangkapi to make their voices heard, a sad 57.6 percent  of the entirety.

Election Commission reports indicate that only 55.67 percent of those  set to vote outside of their constituencies actually did, while a  satisfying 90 percent of those registered within their constituencies  were successful. The report does not however, account for the  aforementioned mayhem of the day.

Election Commissioner Praphan Naikowit himself fell victim to the  confusion of the day, deciding after a long cue that he would vote on  the actual election day of July 3. Thankfully, his own experience has  led him to suggest that this shortcoming be amended.

This may seem like a small aspect of the recent advanced vote and the  numbers of those who missed the chance may be negligible compared to the  total amount of eligible voters, but in a democracy, the loss of even  one single vote to mere inconvenience is unacceptable. With the harsh  punishments involved, this is one issue that must be resolved ahead of  Thailand's next major poll.

*Daily News, June 28 2011
Translated and Rewritten by Itiporn Lakarnchua*

----------


## tomta

> Election commissioner Sodsri Sattayatham said earlier today that Mr Jatuporn might be disqualified if elected, if he was not allowed out of prison by the court to vote.


The first definite red card has been flagged.

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## Tom Sawyer

> Originally Posted by Tom Sawyer
> 
> SD is getting more shrill as the fake-vote approaches. R
> 
> 
> So am I, Tom because I'm leaning to your way of thinking. The fix may be in.


Never would have progressed this far if the Amart and ISOC implementers hadn't thought it through months ago (maybe years ago). Just sit back and watch it unfold - we can do little else anyway. They know it - otherwise we'd have been shut up long ago.

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## StrontiumDog

> SD is getting more shrill as the fake-vote approaches. Relax Mr Neutral, your Amart friends will have sorted it all out (with the help of ISOC) by mid-July - to your liking I'm sure.


Wow, where on earth did that come from?

Delusional much Tom?

I thought you'd been doing rather well of late, as in, not too crazy, but here you are once again, proving to all that you have no rival when it comes to making bizarre, unprovoked statements, which are completely at odds with reality. Do you actually read any of my posts? It appears not.

Quite mad.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

Paranoid much SD?

----------


## tomta

> Election Commission reports indicate that only 55.67 percent of those set to vote outside of their constituencies actually did, while a satisfying 90 percent of those registered within their constituencies were successful. The report does not however, account for the aforementioned mayhem of the day.


How on earth can this be judged by ANFREL to be a success. It's a total schemozzle. This report goes on to mention that "Election Commissioner Praphan Naikowit himself fell victim to the   confusion of the day, deciding after a long cue that he would vote on   the actual election day of July 3. Thankfully, his own experience has   led him to suggest that this shortcoming be amended."

Well very nice for him. He's probably got free time and a limousine. Or maybe even a helicopter, But does Somchai working in Samut Prakarn but registered in Nong Khai get the weekend off work and a subsidy for the petrol or bus fare to Nong Khai or does he just say to himself that the system is completely stacked against him and just write off altogether  the idea of a peaceful democracy in which everyone has an equal vote?

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## Tom Sawyer

Determining poor people can't vote on election day if they'd registered for advance voting (but didn't make it to the poll) is what I'd call a trial balloon by Amart-Dem-ISOC.

They are trying to see if that balloon will 'fly' as an excuse to later say that many PT voters were too lazy or didn't make it to vote and so their candidates lost.

The numbers simply wouldn't be big enough to matter - but they're trying it on to see the reaction. These guys have Hill and Knowlton or some other regional chink snakehead working for them. Hopefully the other side has done similar.

----------


## tomta

Jatuporn has been  charged with terrorism and lese majeste. He has been convicted of neither crime. He is in prison.  He has been denied bail. He has been denied the possibility of voting.

If he does not vote, no matter how many people vote for him, his election will be null and void.

How does this resemble democracy?

----------


## Tom Sawyer

Ask Washington. I'm sure they've been working on the pro-Dem spin for some time (if not actually helping ISOC rig the whole fucking thing anyway).

----------


## SteveCM

> If he does not vote, no matter how many people vote for him, his election will be null and void.


The decision smells, but he's actually a party list candidate. That being the case, he wouldn't have anyone voting directly for him and, if he's disqualified, his position on the list will simply go to the next name on the list.

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## Bettyboo

I think the process is very clear like we've been saying for a while:

1) Massively stack the cards in the dems favour and hope they win. This failed.

2) Use the EC and other bodies (ANFREL is certainly one, the judiciary and DSI are others) to limit the number of PT votes so that the dems can form a government. This might not work, the dems have been awful, Y has performed really well, and the people are voting PT in massive numbers; essentially, in Bagkok too.

3) Constituition court ban, as before, almost certainly before PT can take office. This will cause massive street protests around the country, and we'll then be bordering on a violent revolution, imho; the people have had enough of the PAD/army/bluebloods and their masters. This could well be the straw that breaks the camels back.

4) Coup/violent crackdown. This will cause a split in the army, imho, things have gone too far, and Prayuth will be removed of command by others with more sense that don't want to see the army kill thousands of Thais...

The other option is that phase 3 or 4 also brings out a certain voice to appease the masses and let the coup government have a chance to rule; this would bring the worst case scenario, imho...

The army/bluebloods would prefer to stop at the earlier stages, but are prepared, well Prayuth is, to go all the way to Burma. But, it can't be done here... Too many massive forces stacked against them, including massive instituitional religous power which could well be a wild card...

If the PT win is not accepted (and I don't think it will be) then it might be a good idea to leave the country...

----------


## Gerbil

> The decision smells, but I believe he's a party list candidate. That being the case, he wouldn't have anyone voting directly for him and, if he's disqualified, his position on the list will simply go to the next name on the list.


Yep. Bit of a win-win for everyone, except him.  :Smile:

----------


## SteveCM

^
*Remand threatens Jatuporn's electoral hopes*

               By The Nation
                                             Published on June 29, 2011                 

*Pheu Thai candidate Jatuporn Promphan is facing a  dilemma - he stands a good chance of winning his party-list seat through  the proportionate vote, but may be disqualified because - as he is  being held on remand - he may not be allowed to cast his ballot.*

                              The Criminal Court yesterday rejected his latest bail  application which sought a one-day release to enable Jatuporn and  another remanded suspect, Nisit Sinthuprai, to vote on the July 3  election day.

 Although the defence plans to seek appellate review, legal pundits  see virtually no chance of overturning the lower court's decision.  Jatuporn and Nisit are under remand for a second time for violating the  conditions for temporary release.

 Jatuporn's lawyer Winyat Chartmontri said his client was a party-list  candidate obligated to vote at Polling Station No 28, located on Soi  Lat Phrao 96, Bangkok's Wang Thong Lang district.

 Winyat said should Jatuporn be deprived of his voting right, it might impact on his candidacy right to contest the elections.

 He said he believed his client should be allowed to perform his  constitutional duty on balloting since he was an electoral candidate on  remand pending trial and not a convicted inmate.

 Election Commission member Sodsri Sattayathum cited Article 100 of  the Constitution to explain that Jatuporn was banned from voting due to  his remand.

 The charter provision bars any individuals under court-sanctioned  custody to vote, Sodsri said, ruling out the possibility of his casting a  ballot regardless of his candidacy.

 Since he was barred from voting, the EC would likely refuse to  endorse his seat allocated under the proportionate vote, she said,  arguing that voting status was one of the crucial factors determining  the qualifications for MPs.

 Jatuporn cannot vote, therefore he is automatically disqualified from holding a seat in the House of Representatives, she added.

 "The Jatuporn case is about being disqualified from the job and not  about campaign offences, the red and yellow cards and removal from the  electoral process," she said.

 She said should the EC decide not to endorse Jatuporn's victory, he  could still appeal the decision by petitioning the Supreme Court for a  judicial review.
 Under Article 26 of the Elections Act, electoral candidacy is forfeited upon the failure to cast a vote without justification. 

 In case the EC turned down Jatuporn's arguments to justify his  absence from voting, he would have to petition the high court to  intervene in the matter.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

Yet the foreign minister Kasit is running for the Dems, is that correct, or did he stand aside?

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## SteveCM

^^
Looks rather a mish-mash of legislation being quoted by the wonderful Mrs Sodsri. I suspect this won't be the end of the matter - it's part of what the Thai courts feast on.....

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## SteveCM

> Yet the foreign minister Kasit is running for the Dems, is that correct, or did he stand aside?


Makes no matter - not "under court-sanctioned  custody". Apart from a pair of gun-toting felons from way back, which yellow is?

----------


## Bettyboo

^ but it does matter to many Thai voters who, unlike the belief of many Bangkok living posters on this thread, are knowledgeable about politics, social responsibilities and cause and effects. 

This, of course, is coming back to haunt the dems/PAD who are being slaughtered at the polls. 

I've said it many times before, but my FIL, a little rice farmer in Nakhon Nayok told me all about Thai politics 10 years ago; I thought he was stupid, but he has been proven 100% correct' Thais know very well what is going on...

----------


## Rural Surin

> ^ but it does matter to many Thai voters who, unlike the belief of many Bangkok living posters on this thread, are knowledgeable about politics, social responsibilities and cause and effects. 
> 
> This, of course, is coming back to haunt the dems/PAD who are being slaughtered at the polls. 
> 
> I've said it many times before, but my FIL, a little rice farmer in Nakhon Nayok told me all about Thai politics 10 years ago; I thought he was stupid, but he has been proven 100% correct' Thais know very well what is going on...


Yep. It's the Farang that have missed the boat.

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## Tom Sawyer

^
You keep contradicting yourself RS. BB said his father in law had it figured years back, but you keep saying they can't change their thought patterns. BB says this guy knew exactly what was going on. Most farangs here have it pretty much figured out too. There's nothing mysterious going on. No eternal mysticism.. as bad as you may want.

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## tomta

> Quote: Originally Posted by tomta If he does not vote, no matter how many people vote for him, his election will be null and void. The decision smells, but he's actually a party list candidate. That being the case, he wouldn't have anyone voting directly for him and, if he's disqualified, his position on the list will simply go to the next name on the list.


That's good to know.

----------


## Bobcock

> Determining poor people can't vote on election day if they'd registered for advance voting (but didn't make it to the poll) is what I'd call a trial balloon by Amart-Dem-ISOC.


I'm not sure that makes sense to me.

The pre-register was to vote in a different place to where you are from.

In the week in between the votes are transferred to your home province for counting after the polls close on the 3rd.

Both my wife and nanny did this rather than travel home next week.

So how do you work out that you can register to do this.... miss it and then expect to vote the next week?

There will be no facility to poll in BKK for counting in Buriram as an example, and one is not registered in ones home province to vote as one registered in BKK so that can't be done.

You can't register for one thing and then do another..... That's common sense.... and who said only poor people A) are the only ones who screw this up and b) vote against Prachartipat?

Tom....sometimes to do yourself a diservice.

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## tomta

> Quote: Originally Posted by Tom Sawyer Determining poor people can't vote on election day if they'd registered for advance voting (but didn't make it to the poll) is what I'd call a trial balloon by Amart-Dem-ISOC. I'm not sure that makes sense to me.  The pre-register was to vote in a different place to where you are from.  In the week in between the votes are transferred to your home province for counting after the polls close on the 3rd.  Both my wife and nanny did this rather than travel home next week.  So how do you work out that you can register to do this.... miss it and then expect to vote the next week?  There will be no facility to poll in BKK for counting in Buriram as an example, and one is not registered in ones home province to vote as one registered in BKK so that can't be done.  You can't register for one thing and then do another..... That's common sense.... and who said only poor people A) are the only ones who screw this up and b) vote against Prachartipat?  Tom....sometimes to do yourself a diservice. __________________ Can't win on a compromise, I'd rather lose on my own.   TEAK DOOR FORUM - 'Giving wackjobs a voice' Bobcock is online now Add to Bobcock's Reputation Report Post   	 Digg this Post!Add Post to del.icio.usBookmark Post in TechnoratiFurl this Post!


Poor people aren't the only ones that mess this up, I'm sure, but I think poor people are the large majority of voters who are resident in places like Bangkok and Phuket and Chonburi who are registered somewhere else. And its always easier to do things if you have the money - fly, drive, to the polling booth, take a day or two off work. It's not so easy if you really need 500 or 1000 baht.

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## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Bobcock
> ...


Well, I'm not sure love is the correct term, best to ask the poster directly. But here are the quotes:




> Originally Posted by *sabang*  (Thai elections 2011-Thai PM sets stage for tough election) 
> _ Quote:
>      					Originally Posted by SteveCM 
> Take  the example of a Reuters photograph of her in Yala, Thailand's restive  deep south. Wearing a red scarf (of course red as Pheu Thai and the Red  shirts are the same) she looks so gorgeous and natural as her head leans  on a tudung-clad Muslim woman who was taking their picture on her  mobile phone.
> 
> The shot in question-
> 
> 
> 
> It is wonderful._

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## StrontiumDog

*Thai opposition woos voters with credit cards, tablet PCs - Channel NewsAsia
*
*Thai opposition woos voters with credit cards, tablet PCs*

By Ken Teh |               
Posted: 28 June 2011 2101 hrs 
 
_Pheu Thai Party promises a new credit card for farmers if it wins the election  _  

CHIANGMAI, Thailand: Thailand's leading opposition Pheu Thai  Party has rolled out a generous raft of populist policies ahead of the  election.

These include free credit cards for farmers and tablet PCs for school children.

But  some Thais doubt their practicality and critics have attacked the  policies as extravagant and unsustainable in the long term.

It's part of the Pheu Thai Party's grand vision to remake the Thai countryside.

And its candidate is planning to give farmers credit cards if it wins the election.

The  credit card is a foreign concept in the countryside, but will in theory  allow them to get interest free loans on seeds, pesticides and farming  tools.

"It's the first time such a credit scheme is proposed. It  will help to reduce farmers' burdens," said Pheu Thai Party candidate  Withaya Songkham. 

Many farmers are staunch supporters of the  Thaksin-backed Pheu Thai Party, having benefitted from many populist  policies during the Thaksin era.

"I think the past policies are  good, but I'm not sure if these current ones are practical. If they win  and they help farmers like us, I will be happy," said Kongkaew Pali, a  Thai farmer. 

The rural heartland is the main support base of the  Pheu Thai Party. And in addition to credit cards, the party is offering  some US$3 billion to villages, as well as debt restructuring and rice  subsidies to farmers. 

Critics of the party said their policies of giving out free cash and easy loans could move Thailand into a public debt crisis.

Pheu Thai candidate Surapong Tovichakchaikul said his party has a plan to pay for its schemes.

He  is promoting new education policies that includes giving free low-cost  tablet PCs to Thailand's 10 million students, which he said will cost  only US$35 each.

If voted in power, his party will also double starting salaries for fresh graduates to US$480 a month.

Taxes will be cut to help businesses cover the costs.

"People  think Pheu Thai's populist policies are about giving away free money  but in fact it is not. We have a way to generate income for all our  policies," said Tovichakchaikul. 

The party is also planning to give each university US$32 million to hand out as loans to students starting businesses.

Some students are sceptical of the schemes.

"Instead  of spending money to buy tablet PCs for students, they should instead  spend money to develop the country in the other way, such as the  economy," said Lalita Gunpai, an undergraduate at Chiangmai University. 

Analysts said what's worrying is that the party does not have a credible plan to generate income to fund their schemes.

Attachak  Sattayanurak, an Associate Professor at Chiangmai University said:  "Many policies of Yingluck or Thaksin fail before they start. During the  time of Thaksin, Thaksin always talks about the new plan or policy  every week, sometimes the Thai society cannot recognise his plan, but  every plan makes the people think a new life will start now."

But  many Thais are sold on the hope that the Pheu Thai's populist policies  could bring, even if they don't fully understand its implications.

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## StrontiumDog

*Top PM hopefuls change campaign plans
*
*Top PM hopefuls change campaign plans*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 29, 2011                


*The widespread flooding in Nan prompted Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Pheu Thai's No 1 partylist candidate  Yingluck Shinawatra to ditch their campaign itineraries yesterday and  head to the Northern province to console the 100,000 suffering  residents.*

                                                            The provincial election committee was reportedly forced  to relocate some polling stations, while severely hit Wiang Sa district  might postpone the July 3 election if the situation does not improve by  tomorrow. 

 Abhisit, accompanied by PM's Office Minister Satit  Wongnongtaey and Industry Minister Chaiwut Bannawat, visited Wiang Sa  and Muang districts. Deputy Government Spokesman Marut Massayawanit said  the Cabinet meeting yesterday was told that floods in Nan, Chiang Rai,  Tak and Phayao had claimed two lives in Tak's Mae Sot district, affected  99,416 people and damaged 31,891 rai (more than 5,100 hectares) of  farmland. 

 The prime minister instructed the Interior Ministry's Disaster  Prevention and Mitigation Department to assist victims, the Justice  Ministry to aid flooded prisons, the Transport Ministry to survey  damaged roads and the Agriculture Ministry to survey washedout farms, he  said. 

 Earlier in the morning, Yingluck dropped her plan to stump in  Phrae, Phetchabun and Sa Kaew and hopped on a private jet to fly to Nan.  

 Although the law prohibits the distribution of relief rations  by candidates, she said she would listen to people's problems and try to  boost their morale. She would take experts to find longterm solutions  for the people of Nan. 

 Mongkol Sitthiweerakul, head of the provincial election  committee, said 30 per cent of the 921 polling stations were flooded.  They would be moved to a new location and if all of them were still  flooded and could not recover by tomorrow, officials were allowed by law  to suspend the election scheduled for Sunday. 

 Narin Laoaraya, president of the Provincial Administration  Organisation, said this flood was almost as bad as the big flood of  2006. There was a dire need for cooked food, as his office's 30,000  lunch boxes per day were not enough to feed the 100,000 flood victims. 

 Thawat Phetchweera, the provincial disaster prevention and  mitigation chief, said the flood waters in 795 villages of 15 districts  had peaked and were gradually receding but the Nan River in Muang  district remained critical at 8.20 metres - 1.2 metres beyond capacity. 

 The Army dispatched 400 soldiers, 11 trucks, three boats and  three tapwater sets to assist flood victims as well as sent in a mobile  kitchen with 150,000 bottles of water to cook 1,500 meals per day. 

 A thousand relief kits were sent to Phu Phiang district and  100 soldiers were deployed to Tak's Mae Ramat district to pile up  sandbag barriers. Those wanting the Army's aid can call 054710066. 

 Sathit Boonthong, president of the Nan Chamber of Commerce,  estimated that this flood had caused at least Bt10 million in damage to  business and the tourism industry in the past two days and one to two  weeks would be needed to recover. 

 Dr Phaijit Worachit, permanent secretary of the Public Health  Ministry, said eight hospitals in Nan were temporarily closed by floods,  while mobile medical teams were moved in to assist flood victims. 

 Narathip Phrompreuk, Wiang Sa district chief, said houses were  submerged in up to 7 metres of water, while Wiang Sa town was under as  much as 3 metres of flood water. Many residents could not go to collect  relief supplies, he said. 

 The flood severely hit 38 villages in seven tambon out of the 127 villages in 17 tambon, affecting 26,000 residents, he said.

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## StrontiumDog

*Society at risk, for goodness' sake
*
*Society at risk, for goodness' sake*

                            By Pravit Rojanaphruk
                                             Published on June 29, 2011                

*Thai society appears heavily afflicted by the cult  of the "good person". Vote for "good people", Army chief General Prayuth  Chan-ocha said this month. Many more have expressed similar views as  the general election draws near.*

                                                            The problem is, whose "good people" should we vote for and how is a "good person" defined?

 The belief that there exists a single, universally accepted notion of  a good person/politician too conveniently neglects the fact that there  exist competing ideologies, interests and classes that would certainly  ensure different notions of good person/politician in any society. 

 Consider some aspects of the following "good people". 

 "Good person" No 1: Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the  Democrat Party, is a "good man" in the eyes of his supporters. This is  despite the fact that in late 2008, the "Democrat" Party dispatched a  very senior member to hold the crucial government-coalition talks at the  residence of then Army chief General Anuphong Paochinda. The Army has  since expanded its influence in politics with no "withdrawal date" set. 

 Abhisit is a "good man" to his supporters even though he presided  over the bloodiest military suppression in Bangkok's history. Between  April and May 2010, at least 92 persons died, mostly red shirts, and  2,000 were injured. Not a single letter of condolence from this "good  man" was ever sent to any relatives of the largely unarmed red shirts  who were killed. 

 This "good man" (khon dee) did express regret a year later. However,  it came just a week before the general election, after he trailed big in  all public polls, and at a political campaign rally. He also had  conveniently forgotten to point out that the burning of buildings in  Bangkok and elsewhere came after the month-long bloody suppression, and  did not take place right after the first slaughter of 20 people on April  10. 

 "Good person" No 2: Thaksin Shinawatra is a good man from his  supporters'/fans' perspective. His supporters do not really recall (or  care for?) the 2,000-plus extrajudicial killings during Thaksin's war on  drugs or the deadly Tak Bai/Krue Se incidents in the deep South. Never  mind if Thaksin was corrupt, abusive, authoritarian and even a  megalomaniac in the eyes of millions while in power, because millions  more Thais adore the man and his populist policies. Thus his younger  sister, the Pheu Thai Party's prime-ministerial candidate Yingluck, must  be good too. 

 "Good person" No 3: Army chief Prayuth. He is "good" despite  crucially taking part in the September 2006 military coup and the bloody  crackdown of April-May 2010. 

 "Good person" No 4: Yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy  co-leader Sondhi Limthongkul is a "good man" to his followers although  his current "Vote No" campaign is a slightly veiled open invitation for  another Army/invisible hand(s) to meddle "legitimately" in post-election  politics. 

 "Good person" No 4, No 5 and more? The so-called "invisible hand(s)"  are also still seen by millions as a "good bunch of special people".  They manipulate politics from behind and through proxies and propaganda  while the mainstream media either support them or, out of fear of  "legal" prosecution and social sanction, simply exercise  self-censorship. A large but decreasing number of Thais still believe in  their "goodness" despite rumours, critical private discussions and the  lack of transparency, accountability and legitimacy. 

 Many Thais continue to root for their good people. Like football  hooligans, it doesn't matter whether the referee is right or wrong, they  will boo him if the call goes against their team. Their team can do no  wrong. 

 Thailand is ruled by these "good people" to the point where the rule  of law, free and fair elections, voices of the voters, good governance,  transparency and accountability count for little. Many simply want their  good man/woman to rule the country, through whatever means, because of  their "goodness".

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## Bettyboo

^ that's a good article.

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## StrontiumDog

^ Indeed it is. Fully agree with it.

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## StrontiumDog

*Thailand's Electoral Showdown Nears
*
*Thailand's Electoral Showdown Nears* 

 By RICHARD S EHRLICH/ Asia Sentinel                           
 Tuesday, June 28, 2011                   

 
 _Yingluck Shinawatra, opposition Pheu Thai Party's candidate for  prime minister and youngest sister of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin  Shinawatra, receives roses from her supporters during an election  campaign rally for her party in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, June 27,  2011. (Photo: AP)    _ 

 With five days to go before national elections, tension continues to  grow in Thailand as the warring pro- and anti-Thaksin Shinawatra forces  face off against each other. As an example, 35,000 policemen were  deployed Sunday at 557 polling stations across the country as advance  voting by 2.6 million voters got underway. 

Police say  assassins have shot dead several politicians and their supporters who  represented various parties.  Authorities are offering rewards up to  $3,300 for their capture, and created a wanted poster (à¸›à¸£à¸°à¸à¸²à¸¨à¸ˆà¸±à¸šà¸¡à¸·à¸[at]à¸›à¸·à¸™à¸£à¸±à¸šà¸ˆà¹‰à¸²à¸‡ : à¸¨à¸£à¸ª.à¸¥à¸•.à¸•à¸£.) online. 

Although  Thailand's polls are often poorly worded and subject to interpretation,  they are consistently showing that the Pheu Thai Party headed by  Thaksin's sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, a surrogate for the fugitive  former prime minister, is pulling away from the Democrat Party headed by  Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva although many remain undecided.  The  polls have a margin of error of up to 7 percent. 

The July 3  election is for 500 seats in Parliament's lower house, contested by  several parties likely to be forced into a coalition government, whoever  wins, because it is unlikely that either of the two major parties, Pheu  Thai or the Democrats, will have the numbers to rule outright. Some  parties in Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's coalition, particularly  the Bhum Jai Thai Party headed by political opportunist Newin Chidchob,  have offered to switch their loyalty to Yingluck if she wins. 

Both  major parties offer similar polices including cheap health care,  financial assistance for the poor, investment in big infrastructure  projects, subsidized commodity prices, improvement in education and  other tax-funded plans. 
In other words, this election is not  about policy.  It is a referendum on Thaksin, on the run for five years,  with US$1.2 billion of his fortune confiscated by the government after a  corruption trial.  He has described his sister as his "clone."  The  slogan for their Pheu Thai Party, or Party for Thais, is: "Thaksin  Thinks. Pheu Thai Acts." 

Thus Thailand, which has undergone  nearly five years of political and electoral tumult, is about to leap  into uncharted territory. Immunity from prosecution is the real game  behind all the campaign speeches on both sides.  Many Thais wonder if  the military will tolerate a Yingluck victory or stage another coup if  Abhisit is defeated after only 30 months in office. The country's  military is dead set against allowing the former prime minister to come  back. Pheu Thai and Thaksin, not just Yingluck, threaten seven decades  of dominance of Thai politics by its generals, broken only by the  interregnum between February 2001 and September 2006 when a coup drove  Thaksin from power. 

If Yingluck becomes the country's first  female prime minister, observers say, she may start tribunals against  the current government and military for their role in the deaths of 91  people during the army's assault against an anti-coup insurrection in  April and May 2010 although she herself has repeatedly said she would   grant a blanket "amnesty" to several people, including her brother. 

Thai  analysts warn an amnesty could cause a violent backlash by the  anti-Thaksin generals, politicians and their supporters, the royalist  Yellow Shirted People's Alliance for Democracy, which put on its own  violent campaign for months, occupying the parliament and closing  Bangkok's two airports for nine days before the People's Power Party,  another Thaksin surrogate, was forced from power by a questionable court  ruling. Abhisit himself has warned that an amnesty for Thaksin would  “subvert the rule of law.” 

Certainly, the country's top generals  hardly believe any talk of amnesty. The military, which has staged 18  successful or attempted coups since the 1930s, is worried that an  increasingly likely win by Pheu Thai would enable her and her party to  investigate the coup which toppled her thrice-elected brother.  Thaksin  and his candidates want to "subvert the rule of law" by granting him  amnesty,  Abhisit recently said in a live televised debate hosted by the  British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

Abhisit and top Democrat  Party leaders also have reason to be afraid of being prosecuted for the  deaths of the protesters who were gunned down when the military  violently shut down last year's massive anti-government demonstration  after weeks of tumult in the center of Bangkok.

"If there is evidence, then there must also be fair trials," Thaksin  himself said from his exile in Dubai when asked about the killings  during a Der Spiegel magazine interview published on June 15.  "I  recently read that an arrest warrant has been issued for [Libya's  leader] Muammar Qaddafi, for ordering his troops to use live ammunition  and deploying both snipers and tanks against protesters. Abhisit also  did all that."   

Abhisit, however, blamed the demonstrators.  "I can confirm that the kind of wild allegations made against me -- that  I ordered a violent crackdown, killings -- that doesn't just square up  with the facts if you look at the chronology of events," he said in a  televised Australian Broadcasting Corp. interview also shown on June 15.  

"Should we hand the country to the very people who torched  our nation's assets and public property?"  Abhisit said in a recent  election speech. "Don't let anyone further harass the country. Make it  known that we are done with mob rule, violence and intimidation." 

Vengeful  members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, the Red  Shirts, are blamed for setting fire to 20 buildings in Bangkok during  the 2010 crackdown, including luxury shopping malls, banks, the Stock  Exchange and other offices, after the army crushed their bamboo  barricades. The Reds say the focus should be on those -- mostly  civilians -- who were killed during their nine-week insurrection which  demanded that the 2006 coup be reversed so that Thaksin could return to  Thailand as a free man. 

However, "They opted for more deaths, so  they can press the charge of killing people against me,"   Abhisit wrote  on his Facebook page.  on June 23, the embattled prime minister staged  his final election rally in the wealthy Ratchaprasong intersection which  the Red Shirts had barricaded, and where several people died during the  army's final assault. 

Immediately after their 2006 coup the  military sought to cloak itself in immunity from prosecution and now  wants to keep its generals out of court, including Gen. Prayuth  Chan-ocha who played a role in the putsch.  Prayuth was later promoted  to his current powerful post as army chief.  The generals and Abhisit  also draped themselves in additional immunity when they clamped much of  Thailand under a lengthy "state of emergency" during and after their  crackdown on the Red Shirts' 2010 insurrection. 

While the Reds  tend to support Thaksin's return, they also seek equal justice, wealth  distribution, and tax-funded assistance, especially for poor  agricultural and industrial workers.  They sometimes simplistically cast  their struggle as a class war between deserving Red prai -- a feudal  description of lower-class citizens -- against a selfish ammart or  ruling elite, which includes Abhisit, the military, royalists and many  rich politicians and businessmen. 

Thaksin, however, is a  billionaire and his 44-year-old sister, an executive in his corporate  empire, is also rich.  But they successfully positioned themselves as  pro-Red, while advancing their personal financial interests and boosting  Bangkok's nouveau riche who are challenging traditional power centers,  institutions, and "old money."  Although Thaksin and the Reds may  cynically use each other for their own gains, their alliance has shaken  Thailand's rigid hierarchy and ancient kraab system of physically  kowtowing to those above them.  

_Richard S Ehrlich is a Bangkok-based journalist who has reported news from Asia since 1978._

----------


## LooseBowels

> If Yingluck becomes the country's first female prime minister, observers say, she may start tribunals against the current government and military for their role in the deaths of 91 people during the army's assault against an anti-coup insurrection in April and May 2010


Thats the first thing any democratically elected politician must do, and there is one or two silent more to consider as well.

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## Takeovers

> Thats the first thing any democratically elected politician must do, and there is one or two silent more to consider as well.


However unfortunately if they attempt to do that there will be a coup, even if nothing else would cause one. So they won't do it, they won't commit suicide.

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## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Red shirt power shores up Pheu Thai in the North
*
*Red shirt power shores up Pheu Thai in the North*
Published: 29/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 When it comes to the upper North, "native ties"  give the Pheu Thai Party a boost, as Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra  hail from the area. But it's the red shirt factor that has most  sharpened its competitive edge over other parties.

 In general, northern people favour Pheu Thai as they consider it the party of fellow northerners.

 In this light, Ms Yingluck, fielded as Pheu Thai's top list  candidate, and Thaksin are key to maintaining the party's popularity in  the upper North, as they are natives of Chiang Mai province.

 At ground level, however, it's the red shirt movement of the  pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) that  is playing an important role not only in supporting Pheu Thai candidates  but also in discouraging favour for other political parties in the  region.

 In the upper North, red shirt members who have the media under their  thumb are supporting the Pheu Thai Party both directly and indirectly.  Their campaigns are having a profound effect in each locality.

 The red shirt groups are strong in their organisation. They  apparently fear no one and can serve to discourage supporters of other  political parties.

 Business people in Phrae say although there are many capable figures  in the province, these figures are reluctant to offer themselves up as a  choice for voters.

 The province only has candidates from the two main parties - Worawat  Aueaaphinyakun of Pheu Thai and Siriwan Pratsajaksatru, from the  Suphasiri family, representing the Democrats.

 According to these business people, other capable figures have  decided not to run in the election because they do not want red shirt  members to consider them their enemies.

 Even Pheu Thai candidate Dr Niyom Wiwatthanaditthakul had to  apologise to red shirt leaders in Phrae before registering his candidacy  because he had previously expressed his intention to defect to the  Bhumjaithai Party.

 "In the North, red shirt people have their society and all of them  favour the Pheu Thai Party," said Mr Worawat, the Pheu Thai candidate in  Phrae's Constituency 3.

 "Those who do not want to vote for Pheu Thai live uncomfortably in their own villages because others dislike them."

 In Phayao, red shirt demonstrators set up a stage for their campaign  speeches almost every day, while supporters of the Democrat Party dare  not reveal themselves.

 During a recent visit to the province by Democrat leader and Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Democrat Constituency 1 candidate  Mallika Boonmeetrakul, urged villagers who benefit from the government's  community title deeds and farm price insurance projects to meet him and  express their gratitude. But no one did so because they were afraid of  the local red shirt members.

 Key figures of many agricultural cooperatives in Phayao said they  agreed with the Democrat Party's produce price insurance scheme but they  were simply too afraid to express their support.

 Candidates from many parties in Phayao are of the view that red shirt  supporters are in control of the area. They are thought not to be  afraid of the provincial governor or local administrators and their  solidity can frighten some villagers.

 For Pheu Thai, the red shirt card has proven highly beneficial. The  groups' activities, some of which were held as "democracy" forums, could  end up influencing local people who tend not to stand in the way of  other people, as is often characteristic of northerners.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Inflation hits the cost of a vote
*
*Inflation hits the cost of a vote*

*Money flows freely  as election day nears* 
Published: 29/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 The fierce race to claim victory at the polls  has resulted in more rampant vote buying nationwide, with the average  price of vote buying in central provinces  higher than in other regions,  a survey has revealed.

 Sukhum Chaloeysap, director of the Suan Dusit Poll by the Suan Dusit  Rajabhat University, has revealed the results of the survey the pollster  had conducted to assess the vote buying situation.

 The vote buying problem was far worse than in the previous elections, Mr Sukhum said.

 This time, vote buying was divided into three phases including a  period before the candidate registration, during the official election  campaign after the election registration, and in the final leg of the  race, he said.

 In the first phase, vote buying was aimed purely at boosting the  popularity of the political parties and the average price of such vote  buying was 300 baht per voter per candidate, Mr Sukhum said.

 In the second phase, the vote buying price was on average 200 baht per voter per candidate, he said.

 The vote buying competition had become far more intense in this third  phase when the price started from 500 baht and currently the average  price per voter per candidate had risen to 1,500 baht in the central  region constituencies, Mr Sukhum said.

 The vote buying prices in the North, Northeast, and South were equally lower than that of the Central region, he said.

 The vote buying price in these regions started from 300 baht to 1,200  baht per voter per candidate, he said, adding that the current average  price of vote buying in these regions was 1,200 baht.

 The highest price reported in one constituency in the Northeast was  as high as 1,700 baht per voter per candidate but that was a rare case,  he said.

 "The price was particularly high in a constituency where candidates  from a small party were struggling hard to win over a leading candidate  from a large party," Mr Sukhum said. In the South, the most serious vote  buying situation appeared to be in the three southern most provinces,  he said.

 Even in some specific areas such as Chon Buri that had been for a  long time dominated by winning candidates from a political group run by  fugitive Somchai Khunplome, alias kamnan Poh, the power of vote buying  money had begun to weave its magic, said Mr Sukhum.

 Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Sodsri Satayathum challenged Mr  Sukhum to disclose the sources of information obtained by the Suan Dusit  Poll if the poll results were to believed.

 She said she had sent some officers to ask him in person about the  evidence of the vote buying mentioned in the survey, but Mr Sukhum  simply did not answer their questions and appeared frustrated by that.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Other Bangkok Post stories
*Bhumjaithai banks on local lure*
29/06/2011 : _The  Bhumjaithai Party is putting its trust in its strength at local  political level in Loei province to snatch at least two seats from the  Pheu Thai Party, as well as gambling on strong support from the red  shirts, who traditionally back Pheu Thai._*Bloom time for marigold flower farms*
29/06/2011 : _The  traditional Thai belief that dao ruang (marigold) flowers symbolise  success and prosperity holds especially true during elections._*Pheu Thai rice policy 'ripe for corruption'*
29/06/2011 : _The  Pheu Thai Party's proposal of reverting to a previous rice mortgage  policy with a high premium from existing rice price guarantees could  incur huge fiscal damage and open opportunities for corruption by  millers, says academics._

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thai voters eager to cast ballots

Thai voters eager to cast ballots*  

Many migrant workers will make long trek from Bangkok to home provinces despite cost

*Nirmal Ghosh*
*The Straits Times*
Publication Date : 29-06-2011

Pounding out a dish of spicy _somtam_ (papaya  salad) in downtown Bangkok's Sathon business district, Daeng Chanphong,  36, talks with enthusiasm about her upcoming eight-hour bus journey  back to Ubon Ratchathani province in the north-east on Friday to vote -  for the first time ever.

  "I want to go back this time," she said. "I would like a government  that can take care of the people, in terms of better health and living  standards."

 Like Daeng, many of Bangkok's toiling classes, who oil the wheels of  commerce in the capital, often did not bother to return home to vote in  past elections. But this time, more than a few, who say they are fed up  with the political turmoil and hope for peace after the election, will  make the long trek home this weekend, though many can ill afford to.

 Others say they just want a government that actually attends to  everyday problems - like inflation and debt. But almost all agree that  Sunday's election is no ordinary one, and many who may not have  exercised their political rights are determined to do so now.

 Migrants from around Thailand form a large percentage of Bangkok's  workforce. This constituency has been politically energised by the  events of the last five years, much of which took place on their  doorsteps and often severely affected their livelihoods.

 Last summer, prolonged anti-government protests by the 'red shirts',  who support the opposition Puea Thai party and ousted former premier  Thaksin Shinawatra, paralysed life in much of downtown Bangkok. Clashes  with troops over a two-month period left almost 100 dead, most of them  civilian protesters.

 While often dismissed as crass and undereducated by the capital's  relatively well-heeled middle and upper classes, these voters from the  working class are more politically aware than ever.

 "This election is more important than any before - if we don't go and  vote, we will lose democracy," said Pat Khanyot, 50, who has been  selling noodles in Bangkok for five years.

 The father of two from Chiang Rai will be making the long trip up  north with his entire family to vote - even if it means closing his  noodle business for three days. 

 "We are going to vote from our hearts, not because we are paid," he  said. "We have educated our kids to know what democracy is. And now that  the telecommunications system is so quick, nobody can close the eyes  and ears of the people to information."

 The years of unrest have made many cynical. 

 "I don't expect much," said Daeng. "It is difficult to control  corruption. If you look for a government with clean hands, you probably  won't find it."

 She is also worried that the election result may not be accepted by  the losing party, which may lead to more people on the streets and more  military interference.

 Yupin Sae Lim, 44, a mother of two from Nakhon Pathom province, said  she would make the three-hour round trip to vote on election day itself.

 "I just want an honest government, with no corruption - a government that takes care of poor people," she said.

 Not that she is above taking money from the vying candidates. When  asked what she would do if political parties handed money out, she  laughed and said: "I will take it, why not?"

 Of the eight people interviewed by _The Straits Times_, none  said who they were going to vote for - and some, like office worker  Supaporn, 31, from Ratchaburi province, did not reveal their full names.  Supaporn has voted in every election she has been able to. She wants a  government of good people but is not sure she sees any qualified  candidates. Politicians "just... fight over power, because if they have  power, they can do everything", she said.

 "The new government must support poor farmers," she added. "Rich people are very rich, but poor people are very poor."

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Democrats treading on eggshells as they lose support

Democrats treading on eggshells as they lose support* 

*Philip Golingai*
*The Star*
Publication Date : 29-06-2011

If the  ruling Democrat party wants to know why it is losing support of  Bangkokians who usually vote for the party, it should conduct its  forensic investigation at the supermarket.

 Better still, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit  Vejjajiva could whip out a frying pan and fry an egg while pondering  why loyal voters in the Thai capital would abandon his party on the July  3rd polls.

 Never in my life have I gone to a  supermarket looking for cooking oil and found none on the shelf,  related Pimrapaat Dusadeeisariya[at]kul, a programme manager with the  Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Bangkok.

 Last year, even if cooking oil was  available, a family could only buy one bottle each at a price that had  tripled. Some families opted to buy the more expensive olive oil.

 The fact that cooking oil is produced  from oil palm plantations in the Democrats stronghold in the south  aggravated Bangkokian anger towards the party.

 The price of cooking oil went down just after Abhisit dissolved parliament.

 Last year Abhisit also had an egg crisis. The price of eggs was soaring.

 Eggs used to be cheap. And the (urban) poor could at least buy an egg for his meal, related Pimra-paat.

 The government of the Democrats (which  has been stereotyped as elite technocrats who do not understand the  plight of the common people) decided that eggs should be sold by weight.

 People made a joke that never in their life they had to buy eggs by the kilo, Pimrapaat said.

 Before the price went up, an average-sized egg cost about 3 baht. Now it is about to 4 baht.

 After many protests, Abhisits government abandoned its unpopular egg policy.

 The two economic boo-boos will cause the Democrats to lose votes among its supporters.

 The way they handled the cooking oil and  egg situations reflects how insensible they are in seeing the peoples  everyday problems, explained Pitch Pongsawat, who teaches political  science in Bangkoks Chulalongkorn University.

 People on the streets  regardless  whether they are (pro-Thaksin Shinawatra) Red Shirts  are fed up with  the Democrats handling of the economy,

 Democrat spokesperson Buranaj Smutharaks  admitted that his party might lose votes from its handling of the  cooking oil and egg problems.

 But the price of goods is rising everywhere in the world. Even Malaysia is facing that situation, he explained.

 Although the rising cost of living is a  big issue among Democrat supporters, Pitch says the other reason it is  losing support is its clash with the Yellow Shirts.

 Upfront, the Democrats and the Yellow  Shirts are bickering over the Thai/Cambodia border issue, he said. But  some of the Yellow Shirt leaders are angry they were not rewarded for  bringing down the government of Somchai (Wong[at]sawat, the brother-in-law  of Thaksin) in 2009.

 The Yellow Shirts are campaigning for a  Vote No. Its posters have the heads of monkey, buffalo, dog, tiger and  monitor lizard wearing suits and its message is: Mark no so that  animals do not enter parliament.

 In the 2007 Thai elections, the Democrats won 30 out of the 33 constituency seats in Bangkok.

 Opinion polls show that pro-Thaksin Pheu  Thai, which is led by his youngest sister Yingluck, will win 18 seats in  Bangkok, Democrats six seats, and the remaining nine seats still  undecided.

 My guess is the vote for the Democrat party will go to a smaller party, opined Pimrapaat.

 Among the favourite is Chuvit Kamolvisit, Thailands angriest politician.

 The chatter among Bangkokians aged 18 to  35 on Facebook and Twitter is they are fed up with politics as they  perceive politicians to be corrupt.

 When you ask them who they would vote for they would say Chuvit because he is anti-corruption, noted Pimrapaat.

 It is also because of his appealing campaign message, which echoes the youngs anti-politician sentiment.

 The young, according to her, perceive the  Democrats as slow and non-performers and the Red Shirts (Pheu Thai)  as troublemakers.

 Last years bloody political chaos in the  Thai capital, which saw 91 people killed and several buildings razed,  will play in the mind of the voters.

 People born in Bangkok will remember the  tragedy (and vote against Pheu Thai), related Pimrapaat. But not  those who come from different parts of the country to work (in Bangkok).

 Translation: It is a political divide  between the Bangkok middle class and the working class from Thai[at]lands  poverty-stricken northeast.

 Bangkokians red at heart, according to Pitch, will vote for Pheu Thai.

 There is no need to convince them that  the elitist Abhisit has never fried an egg in his life. If he did, he  probably used olive oil.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Fugitive ex-leader Thaksin dominates Thai election - Yahoo! News
*
*Fugitive ex-leader Thaksin dominates Thai election*


By Janesara Fugal | AFP News – 35 minutes ago


A picture of fugitive former leader Thaksin Shinawatra is displayed in front of the …


Yingluck Shinawatra (C) is greeted by supporters during her election campaign in …

     With  his vast riches and family ties, fugitive former Thai leader Thaksin  Shinawatra may be on the verge of a remarkable comeback, despite being  convicted of graft and wanted on terrorism charges.

 But if his opposition Puea Thai Party wins this weekend's election,  as polls suggest is likely, the controversial ex-premier will have to  savour victory from afar.

 Ousted in a military coup five years ago, the former tycoon lives in  self-imposed exile in Dubai, having fled Thailand in 2008 before a court  sentenced him in absentia to two years in prison for corruption.

 The 61-year-old remains an idol for many rural and working class  voters for his populist policies while in power, but is hated by the  ruling elite who see him as corrupt and a <redacted>.

 "People who thought that the coup of 2006 was going to be the flush  of the toilet for Thaksin were absolutely wrong," according to Thailand  expert Paul Chambers.

 Parties linked to Thaksin, the former owner of Manchester City  football club, have won the most seats in the past four elections, but  the courts reversed the results of the last two polls, angering his  supporters.

 Today he is seen as the driving force behind Puea Thai, whose  candidate for premier is none other than his youngest sister Yingluck  Shinawatra.

 But not all the family is happy with Thaksin's efforts to return to the political limelight.

 "His father wouldn't support him if he were still alive," Thaksin's  82-year-old aunt Taowan Shinawatra told AFP in an interview at her home  in northern Thailand, saying he should stick to business.

 "We have enough as it is. We don't need to go into politics. People  who go into politics can't let go of the prestige. He is obsessed by  it."

 Many think Thaksin would continue to call the shots if the opposition  wins, and its campaign slogan -- "Thaksin thinks, Puea Thai does" --  appears to leave little doubt.

 Far from trying to ignore him, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has  made his rival a central theme of his own election battle, urging voters  "to get rid of the poison of Thaksin."

 The ex-premier remains a hugely divisive figure in Thailand, where he  faces a raft of criminal charges including terrorism -- an accusation  linked to mass opposition protests by his "Red Shirt" supporters last  year that turned deadly.

 If found guilty, he could in theory face the death penalty.

 The opposition has proposed an amnesty for convicted politicians if  it wins the election -- a move apparently aimed at bringing Thaksin  home.

 But many doubt the Bangkok-based elite in government, military and palace circles would allow him to return a free man.

 "I don't think Thaksin will be coming back to Thailand any time soon.  I think if he does, that would be a green light for a possible coup,"  said Chambers, a senior research fellow at Payap University in northern  Thailand.

 Born into one of the most prominent ethnic Chinese families in  northern Chiang Mai province, Thaksin, whose father was also a  politician, gave up a brief career with the police to study in the  United States.

 He went on to form telecoms giant Shin Corp and in 1998 moved into  politics when he started his own political party, Thai Rak Thai (Thais  Love Thais).

 He was elected as prime minister in 2001 -- becoming the country's  first premier to serve a full term -- and re-elected four years later to  create Thailand's first single party government in seven decades.

 In the Shinawatra family's hometown of Sankamphaeng, famous for its  fine silks, the boy who used to sell coffee and ice cream at his  father's shop is still a hero to many.

 "He was a good boy, very kind," said 79-year-old market vendor Somjit  Suwanthip. "He helped the country. I want to see him back."

 As well as his sibling, Thaksin also has a niece standing for  parliament in northern Thailand and a son at the helm of a media group,  Voice TV, which gives prominence to the family's political activities.

 The former tycoon, who insists he has no ambition to lead Thailand  again, describes his youngest sister as his "clone" -- a description she  says underlines their similar thinking.

 "We are alike in the sense that I have learned from him in business  and I understand his vision, how he solves problems and the way he built  everything from the beginning," Yingluck told AFP on the campaign  trail.

 She makes no secret of her attempt to ride on her brother's coat-tails.

 In a careful choreographed campaign, she starts her rallies by asking  the crowd: "I don't know how much you love Thaksin. But can you share  some of this love for me, his younger sister?"

----------


## Mordechai

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> If Yingluck becomes the country's first female prime minister, observers say, she may start tribunals against the current government and military for their role in the deaths of 91 people during the army's assault against an anti-coup insurrection in April and May 2010
> 
> 
> Thats the first thing any democratically elected politician must do, and there is one or two silent more to consider as well.


That will be double standards. She has too many conflicts of interest to pull something like this off successfully. Her brother, for example, is the elephant in the room.

----------


## Bobcock

> Poor people aren't the only ones that mess this up, I'm sure,


Yes, highly likely, but the rule is logical, hardly created by the great Amart to rig the election.

You cannot have people registered in two places can you? that would be open to rigging (and yes, probably does take place...)

----------


## Hampsha

Up in northern surin the electoral districts have been changed so in my wife's area, they only get to elect only one representative whereas in the past they could elect two. Not sure how much changed has gone on throughout Thailand but screwing around with voting district maps has always been a way to manipulate this. You guys may have talked about this in the past on here. I would think it's not an issue because Pheu Thai doesn't seem to be complaining. In my district, most people will vote for the BhumJai Thai or PheuThai candidates. The funny thing about this is the current BhumJai representative was with Thaksin in the past and I think the PheuThai guy was with another party in the past. Really, there are only two real possiblities in my district and both are connected local families of Chinese backgrounds. In total there are six people running but if you ask anyone, you hear they are all going for either the current rep or the other one in PheuThai. Nothing much changes in Thailand. Those electoral maps did though.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*In Thailand, money can buy anything, including a vote | Reuters
*
*In Thailand, money can buy anything, including a vote*


 
 By Nick Macfie
                  BANGKOK |          Wed Jun 29, 2011 10:22am IST         

   (Reuters) - A well-heeled candidate championing the poor in the Thai  election sits back in the shade outside a Bangkok Buddhist temple and  says: "In Thailand, money can buy anything."

      And that includes votes in a  pivotal election that many fear will deepen the divide between the poor  on one side and the elite on the other, a rift that drove the "Land of  Smiles" close to civil war last year.

     Vorapong Tantivechayanont, a former rugby player known to his  constituency as Big Ben, is standing for the Puea Thai Party, backed by  the "red shirt" protest movement of the rural and urban poor, and he is  fed up with the ballots-for-baht corruption that mars every election.

     He said the poor, many of whom handed him flowers during campaigning  under the hot midday sun, were an easy target in his constituency, part  of it slums and part working neighbourhoods where timber-frame shacks  with corrugated iron roofs line picturesque if rubbish-strewn "khlongs",  or canals.

    "People pay them  1,000 baht ($32) for their identity cards" so they cannot vote on the  day, Vorapong said, without pointing the finger of blame ahead of  Sunday's election contested by 42 parties, including Puea Thai and the  Democrat Party of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. "The poor can't  stand up for themselves."

    There  have been many stories in the media of villagers being paid to attend  election rallies and truck drivers paid to take them there. Only  two-thirds of voters questioned in a poll this month said they wouldn't  sell their votes.

    POSTER BOY

     Roadside posters in Bangkok have been vandalised. In the  north-eastern Lad Prao district, Democrat posters had either been  slashed, shredded or sprayed over with "91 dead bodies", referring to  the death toll in last year's Bangkok riots, most of them red shirts.

     Bangkok candidate Vorapong, who made his money from a thriving  foreign exchange business, said many of his 1,000 eight-foot-tall  campaign posters had been ripped down. "Last week, I went out to count.  There were only 300 left."

    The  Bangkok Post quoted former Public Health Minister Phra Rakkiart as  saying Sunday's election would go down as the "dirtiest in history".

     "Canvassers sell (candidate) lottery tickets to voters and offer  them a big reward if their candidates win in the election," he said,  adding that election fraud was ingrained.

    The stakes are huge and fear of a return to violence is real.

     According to some reports, the Puea Thai camp, controlled by former  premier Thaksin Shinawatra, ousted by the military in 2006, is in talks  with the generals on some way of working together should it emerge  victorious. Puea Thai would be allowed to govern and the military top  brass would remain in place, with early reshuffles limited to middle  ranks.

   If Puea Thai were not  allowed to govern, Thailand faces an even bloodier rerun of the protests  that paralysed parts of Bangkok in April/May 2010. Some analysts  believe hundreds of thousands of pro-Thaksin red shirts would take to  the streets to oppose any military coup.

     The Election Commission is supposed to guarantee free, fair and  transparent elections but a different sort of "fear factor" was taking  its toll, The Nation newspaper said in an editorial.

    "Commissioners seldom take the initiative to guide politicians and their parties to follow the rules," it said.

     "They fear that doing so would ... create a bad impression for  winning parties in future days. In more ways than one, this approach  leads to inertia and passivity."

     Some voters living away from their home provinces were allowed to vote  in an advance ballot on Sunday. The ballot paper in Bangkok reproduced  the Puea Thai logo so small it was impossible to read. The Election  Commission said it was merely a printing error.

    In some places, those ballot papers have been locked up in empty police cells for safekeeping.

     Sodsri Satayatham, one of the five election commissioners, said the  agency needed to be careful in disqualifying candidates accused of poll  fraud or nullifying vote results.

    "Without sufficient evidence, it is liable for damages suits from affected candidates," she said.

     "For the commission to take legal action against any candidates,  allegations of vote buying must be backed by sufficient or unequivocal  material evidence like pictures, video clips including those taken from  mobile phones that are not doctored or edited."

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai troops accused of pre-vote intimidation - Univision Wires

*Thai troops accused of pre-vote intimidation*

                                                               Fecha: 29/06/2011

AFP                        

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Four Thai soldiers have been  arrested in the northeast of Thailand for allegedly intimidating  opposition activists ahead of a general election at the weekend, police  said Wednesday.

The arrests came after Puea Thai party canvassers  complained the troops drove to their villages in Nakhon Ratchasima  province and told them not to get involved in politics, Police  Lieutenant Colonel Suebtragool Theppiyawong said.

Two sergeants, a  private and a sub-lieutenant, along with one civilian, have been held  since Tuesday and have denied intimidation. All five were also charged  with carrying illegal firearms, Suebtragool said.

The powerful  Thai army has a long history of meddling in politics in Thailand, where  there have been 18 coups or coup attempts in the past 79 years, the last  in 2006 deposing the now-fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra.

The  commander-in-chief of the military, General Prayut Chan-O-Cha, has  pledged to be neutral in Sunday's election but has also waded into the  political fray by calling for the electorate to cast votes for "good  people".

His comments were taken as an attack on Yingluck  Shinawatra, Thaksin's sister, who is the main opposition candidate for  prime minister and likely to win the election, according to polls.

She  is up against incumbent Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, head of the  Democrat Party, whose rise to power in 2008, through a parliamentary  vote, is widely thought to have been backed by the military.

The  army has been making its presence felt ahead of the election in parts of  the Thai northeast, the opposition's stronghold, visiting villages to  promote the development projects of the <redacted>.

<snip>

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## StrontiumDog

^ A very interesting development...!

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## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Abhisit: Border issue won't derail polls*

         Breakingnews          >                
Published: 29/06/2011 at 12:30 PMOnline news:
The longstanding border conflict with Cambodia  is not a factor which could derail Sunday's general election, Democrat  Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said while campaigning in Samut Sakhon on  Wednesday morning.

 The caretaker prime minister was referring to reported comments by  Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, that  Thailand would launch an attack  across the border into Cambodia and then use the border conflict as a  reason to cancel the election.

 Mr Abhisit said he did not worry about the border situation because  he was confident the Thai military was  ready to protect the country.

 He said there was no reason for Thai forces to clash with Cambodian  soldiers and the election would definitely not be cancelled. 

 However, he admitted that polling in certain localities could still be postponed for other reasons.

 Hun Sen should not be trying to interfere in Thai politics, he said.

----------


## Bobcock

The Democrats won't beat them so it has to be down to the army for them to get their own way.

Messy getting messier is my weather forecast for Thai politics.

Someone doesn't want Mr T back and is determined to have their own way.....erm....I suspect.

----------


## SteveCM

> However, he admitted that polling in certain localities could still be postponed for other reasons.


Nan (floods), yes. Where else and for what _"other reasons"_?

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## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Army pledges full support for election*Published: 29/06/2011 at 11:49 AMOnline news:
                                                                                          Forces under the command of army chief Gen  Prayuth Chan-ocha are certain to remain  neutral and to fully support  the July 3 election, Army Region 1 commander Udomdej Sitabutr said on  Wednesday.

 Lt-Gen Udomdej said he believed that at this stage nobody could  derail the election and all, or nearly all,  soldiers would go to the  polls to cast their individual ballots.

 "We have told all army personnel that they have the right to vote for  any candidate or party of their choice.  What is of high importance is  that the monarchy must be safeguarded," he said.

 The Army Region 1 commander denied that soldiers had been lobbied to vote for a certain party.

 "What we are doing is urging as many as  soldiers as possible to exercise their voting right," he said.

 Lt-Gen Udomdej expressed concern over possible violence during the last stages of campaigning.

 As a preventive measure,  Internal Security Operations Command  intelligence units have been collecting  information and Isoc would  inform police if anything suspicious was detected, he said.

----------


## longway

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> If Yingluck becomes the country's first female prime minister, observers say, she may start tribunals against the current government and military for their role in the deaths of 91 people during the army's assault against an anti-coup insurrection in April and May 2010
> 
> 
> Thats the first thing any democratically elected politician must do, and there is one or two silent more to consider as well.


The last thing they want is an independent investigation into what happened there, ALL of them are upto their eyeballs in it. 

They will just look for a face saving way to whitewash everyone involved. They may try to scapegoat Abhisit and perhaps Suthep, but thats about it.

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## Pol the Pot

You mean the army^?

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## Scaramanga

postponement of the election.





> url=http://news.voicetv.co.th/thailand/13239.html]à¸à¸à¸•.à¸Šà¸µà¹‰à¸«à¸²à¸à¹€à¸à¸´à¸”à¸ªà¸¹à¹‰à  ¸£à¸šà¸Šà¸²à¸¢à¹à¸”à¸™à¹„à¸—à¸¢-à¹€à¸‚à¸¡à¸£ à¸ˆà¸°à¹€à¸¥à¸·à¹ˆà¸[at]à¸™à¸§à¸±à¸™à¸¥à¸•.à¸—à¸±à¸™à¸—à¸µ - Voice TV[/url]
> 
> Home> News> Thailand> กกต.ชี้หากเกิดสู้รบชายแดนไทย-เขมร จะเลื่อนวันลต.ทันที
> กกต.ชี้หากเกิดสู้รบชายแดนไทย-เขมร จะเลื่อนวันลต.ทันที
> 
> กกต.เผยหากเกิดปัญหาชายแดนไทย-กัมพูชาจะเลื่อนวันลต.ทันที
> 
> นางสดศรี สัตยธรรม กรรมการการเลือกตั้ง (กกต.) ด้านกิจการพรรคการเมือง กล่าวถึงกรณีความไม่สงบบริเวณชายแดนไทย-กัมพูชา่ กกต.ได้เตรียมมาตรการรองรับการเลือกตั้งอย่างไร  ว่า ปัญหาชายแดนไทย-กัมพูชา เป็นเรื่องที่เจ้าหน้าที่ฝ่ายความมั่นคงเป็นผู้จัดกา  รดูแลความเรียบร้อย ส่วนกกต.ทำหน้าที่จัดการเลือกตั้ง โดยจะดูแลพื้นที่ที่ติดกับชายแดนเป็นพิเศษว่าจะวางแผ  น หรือปรับย้ายสถานที่การเลือกตั้งให้เข้ามาอยู่ในพื้น  ที่ที่ปลอดภัยหรือไม่
> 
> ...




Basically it says Election Commissioner, Sodsri Sattayatham claimed that if new hostilities broke out between Thailand and Cambodia could lead to an “emergency situation” and a postponement of the election.

----------


## Bettyboo

^ one on their list of options to stop the PT from winning, but they all eventually lead to the same end point; massive internal violence (never mind the external violence of the Thais starting a war solely for internal political gain)...




> "We have told all army personnel that they have the right to vote for any candidate or party of their choice. What is of high importance is that the monarchy must be safeguarded," he said.


The first point is reasonable, but why add on the second comment???

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## Bettyboo

> scapegoat Abhisit and perhaps Suthep,


 :smiley laughing:

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## robuzo

> The Democrats won't beat them so it has to be down to the army for them to get their own way.
> 
> Messy getting messier is my weather forecast for Thai politics.
> 
> Someone doesn't want Mr T back and is determined to have their own way.....erm....I suspect.


Hell hath no fury. . .off with his head.

----------


## Gerbil

> Pounding out a dish of spicy somtam (papaya salad) in downtown Bangkok's Sathon business district, Daeng Chanphong, 36, talks with enthusiasm about her upcoming eight-hour bus journey back to Ubon Ratchathani province in the north-east on Friday to vote - for the first time ever.


If she didnt vote in the previous election, then it's a bit pointless as she's lost the right to vote in this one.

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## sabang

Let them eat cake.

----------


## Norton

> Those electoral maps did though.


They have in Roiet as well but really no competition as you have in Surin. Roiet by far will vote PTP.

Being from Hamsha (the new one :Smile:  you would be aware electoral districts are contentious in the US as well. Known as Gerrymandering.

----------


## Hampsha

Yep. That's why I mentioned it. Just seems odd.

I'd guess most people know of this. I don't know how it worked in the past when they could elect two candidates. Did they use one form? If so, I'd bet some people might check two candidates rather than one. That would disqualify the voting ballot. In addition, those in districts which might have two reps now might just vote for one. That would have an effect too.

 There are other issues related to disqualifying votes which the general public hasn't been informed of. The rules are there but the media hasn't given it good coverage. Why? One example that would get a ballot disqualified is if a voter kissed the ballot with lipstick. That's tossed. I did see that mentioned on Channel 3 a week ago but still even on channel three they are covering the floods and other bs news. Their should have been more awareness brought up about ways people get disqualified and ballots get disqualified. I'm sure after the election the stink will come up if the military throw a tantrum before and pull a coup. One way or another, Big Brother is going to show his stinky head.

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:


 [at]TAN_Network     TAN News Network          


        Abhisit promises Bt2,500  immediate salary hike to EGAT employees upon his visit to the EGAT  Bangkruay office if he is voted into power

1 hour ago          via TweetDeck

----------


## SteveCM

^ Wonder if they'll take an IOU?  :mid:

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## Bettyboo

^^ this obviously needs more context. Surely the dems are not going around the unions/large bodies of employees/voters offering instant wage increases if they vote dem. Apart from the fact that the dems and their media supporters have been damning PT/Thaksin for years for doing similar, does it not need some prior thought on Abhisit's part; did he just make it up on the spot? Is it part of a declared policy?

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## sabang

> Abhisit promises Bt2,500 immediate salary hike to EGAT employees .... if he is voted into power


Thats what I hate about PT. Populism and elaborate campaign promises.  :mid:

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## sabang

^^ The State enterprise unions were a large source of trumped up support for the early PAD demonstrations & sieges. Problem is, once they found out they had been shafted they distanced themselves from them. I doubt their members vote can be relied on now by the Dem's.

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## robuzo

> From Twitter today:
> 
> 
>  [at]TAN_Network     TAN News Network          
> 
> 
>         Abhisit promises Bt2,500  immediate salary hike to EGAT employees upon his visit to the EGAT  Bangkruay office if he is voted into power
> 
> 1 hour ago          via TweetDeck


Why, that's just outright vote-buying! Who does he think he is, Thaksin?

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

       Veteran politician Sanoh says  he will quit politics if Yingluck does not get to become PM; confident  Pheu Thai will win more than 300 seats

35 minutes ago

----------


## Bettyboo

> I doubt their members vote can be relied on now by the Dem's.


Doesn't seem to stop Abhisit from trying.




> that's just outright vote-buying!


If PT did exactly the same, would some multi-shirt member lodge some kind of legal appeal?

----------


## Bettyboo

> From Twitter today:
> 
> TAN_Network TAN News Network 
> 
> Veteran politician Sanoh says he will quit politics if Yingluck does not get to become PM; confident Pheu Thai will win more than 300 seats
> 
> 35 minutes ago


That's a big win; can't see it happening with all the behind the scenes efforts. Maybe that's what he is trying to point out, that in truth, the PT have won by a massive margin; but will the election results show this?

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## Norton

> Maybe that's what he is trying to point out, that in truth, the PT have won by a massive margin; but will the election results show this?


Can't always trust exit polls but a big difference of numbers in the poll and the vote count would indicate something not quite right. Certain will be used by PTP as "evidence" of fraud.

Opinion - ABAC to conduct exit poll on advabce voters

----------


## Bobcock

> Veteran politician Sanoh says he will quit politics


No...NO!!!...Heaven forbid, what a loss to the Thai people.....

----------


## robuzo

> Originally Posted by SteveCM
> 
> Veteran politician Sanoh says he will quit politics
> 
> 
> No...NO!!!...Heaven forbid, what a loss to the Thai people.....


He'll be disappointed in them, too.

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

ThaiElection11   ThaiElection2011                                               

       Democrat spokesman promised no mud-slinging speeches during Democrat major campaign rally Friday.

15 minutes ago

----------


## SteveCM

^
I don't know..... these desperate Dems will try anything.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Butterfly

the FCCT last night had an interesting panel of Thai speakers about the upcoming election,

most of them were giving the usual boring propaganda you would expect from PT and the Democrats, even though they did a good job with their English

but the last speaker, which name I didn't catch, a veteran political commentator I suspect, did an excellent job at describing the current situation and the change that Thailand face, and what was at stake (the big question we all know). 

He went after everyone, Democrats, the army, the elite, and of course Thaksin. The look on their face of his PT colleague sitting next to him when he said something to that effect "let's not forget that this election is a referendum to bring back a fugitive corrupt despot criminal, Khun Thaksin"

the rest of his speech was great, and truthful, he got a good round of applause by everyone  :Smile:

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> You can't register for one thing and then do another..... That's common sense.... and who said only poor people A) are the only ones who screw this up and b) vote against Prachartipat?
> 
> Tom....sometimes to do yourself a diservice.


Sure it's not an unreasonable thing to lay down.

When I said a 'trial balloon', I meant that if the Amart plan to rig the election they can use excuses such as this example (e.g. from the Returning Officer for Nakon Nowhere): "Well, x-hundred-thousand people registered to vote in advance polling but most didn't make it to the polls.." - an excuse then used to reason why the PT candidate didn't win and someone else did (it gives wiggle room to explain a narrow victory by a non-PT candidate). hope that's clearer.

----------


## Bobcock

Clearer, but based on what fact?

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : EC gets 521 poll violation complaints
*
*EC gets 521 poll violation complaints*
Published: 29/06/2011 at 03:09 PMOnline news:

 The Election Commission has received a total of  111 direct complaints about alleged campaign violations, backed with  evidence, since May 23, and nearly half of them are about slander and  intimidation by candidates.

 The EC also received another 410 poll-related complaints lodged via its hotline and website without any supporting evidence.

 The commission said on Wednesday that of the 111 complaints, 51   alleged slander and acts of intimidation, 17 allege  cash handouts in  return for votes,  four complained of candidates organising parties to  woo votes, 20 questioned the political neutrality of  government  officials and 19 were related to campaign billboards and campaign  rallies.

 Election commissioner Sodsri  Satayathum said the EC had resolved to  drop 10 cases against election candidates because it found no grounds to  the election violation allegations.

 The EC will issue red cards to disqualify candidates if they are found to be involved in vote buying, she said.

 She called on members of the public to quickly alert the EC about any  vote buying  in their constituencies and to submit evidence to the  commission so an inquiry can begin immediately.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Thailand's PM Warns Against Thaksins Return
> 
> 
> Correct me if I am wrong (for once), but didnt thaksin and party win the last three democratic elections on the run, with Toff abi being installed as the frontman of the junta?
> 
> And then the democratic will of the people crushed by the jackboot, and murderously slainby the junta on the streets of the capital
> 
> You can't argue with that


No, I can't argue with that, and I wont Loosebowels

Sorta sums it up!

----------


## Calgary

Deleted

----------


## SteveCM

> the last speaker, which name I didn't catch, a veteran political commentator I suspect


Thitinan Pongsudhirak - Director of the Institute of Security and International Studies, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University.

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

ThaiElection11   ThaiElection2011                                               

            Red shirt leader Jatuporn  Promphan might still be able to retain MP seat if elected, Election  Commission members and academic said.

42 minutes ago

----------


## Hampsha

You can never get a straight answer in Thailand.

----------


## SteveCM

*Asia Times Online :: ASIA HAND : The deal behind Thailand's polls*

                                                                                Jun 30, 2011

*ASIA                                HAND* 
*The                                deal behind Thailand's polls* 
By Shawn W Crispin 

..........

_* Reproducing the article here would require so much cutting as to make the result almost unreadable - so follow the link to read it complete.
__
It's IMO fair to say that Crispin has an at best mixed reputation. He has written pieces__ before that are allegedly based on what he claims to be his "high-level" contacts - and they have proved anything but reliable. On the other hand..... some turn out to be largely correct.

Read and draw your own conclusions about this one.
_

----------


## Calgary

I keep hearing stories around here, about unusual visits after dark. Even power in some areas being disrupted.

Allegedly to provide cover for when money is being exchanged for electoral purposes.

One of the candidates in this area is extremely wealthy, and would not be constrained by insufficient funds from Party HQ. He has enough of his own.

----------


## Rascal

so Scrotum where do you seeing this going? Who is going to win this??

----------


## Calgary

Well, I guess I can say, "I told ya so", when branding this bogus ANFREL organization as apologists for the Amart.

The following quote from their report on alleged election monitoring.
_ANFREL complements the Election Commission of Thailand and all supporting organizations for their efforts to organize this advanced vote. At the same time, and based on the observations of 60 international observers across the country, ANFREL would like to comment on the conduct of this vote in light of the upcoming Election Day._Happy they weren't given the time of day when they tried to glad-hand local people who were involved in election stuff.

They were nowhere to be seen where _'the rubber hits the road'_, at the actual polling station.

BTW, when voting station officials were challenged about an irregularity I have reported on before, they were all very accomodating excpet for the Election Commission guy in charge. He was less than coopperative I was told.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> Clearer, but based on what fact?


Oh come on.. FFS. 

We need to wait and see if they pull this out of their hat after polling day. If it's not used - then it still could have been a trial balloon. They use it as an excuse - or they don't. That's the advantage of being in power in a corrupt bureaucratic patronage system. In'it?

----------


## Tom Sawyer

No credible international election monitoring - un-fucking-believable.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> _It's IMO fair to say that Crispin has an at best mixed reputation. He has written pieces__ before that are allegedly based on what he claims to be his "high-level" contacts - and they have proved anything but reliable. On the other hand..... some turn out to be largely correct._


He's biased, hates Thaksin over his personal experiences with the TRT regime, writes spiteful (as you say) un-attributable crap often wrong, his career collapsed with FEER and he now works for a Sondhi publication - is there any other reason anyone would give him the time of day?
 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Hampsha

> No credible international election monitoring


Even Thai news hasn't given this the attention it deserves. Other stories have been stealing the headlines: the border temple, the floods in the north.

----------


## longway

> "_I went to have a look as I live close by, there was far more than 5,000, the entire front of central world was packed, which must be around 250 m long and 20 m wide at least. I think 20,000 is a fair estimate, though upto 30,000 is possible._
> 
> *The crowd looked like locals mostly."* 
> *(*Post #3507 (longway) commenting on last week's revision-of-history Democrat rally)
> 
> You are "full of it" Longway.
> 
> You don't live close by, you didn't go have a look, those measurements are bogus and you couldn't tell the difference between locals and others.
> 
> ...


 :bananaman: 

You give me your email address I will send you pics of the rally that I took. Why don't you go to google maps and measure the frontage yourself?

I was there through most of the red occupation also.

Its easy to tell they were locals as they just looked like office workers and there was no sign of baggage or food.

I don't know why this news is so shocking for you, or so hard to believe.

You are one strange guy.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> 
> *Riceroots stuff*
> Additional information is coming to light given hindsight, regarding the size and nature of that Democrat rally at Rachaprasong last week.
> *Size*
> · The domestic media has a definite pattern when reporting numbers of attendees at these rallies. 
> · When referencing the size of rallies by their brethren Democrats, divide it by 3  4 to get the actual number. Conversely with the _Red Shirt democracy Movement_ rallies, multiply their reported figures by around 3  4
> · This was born true again last week. The Media at one point estimated the size of that Rachaprasong rally by their allies as being around 20,000. I saw in Bloomberg News, a non-domestic media entity, an estimate of around 5,000. 
> ...


You are "full of it" Longway.

You don't live close by........you didn't go have a look.......... those measurements are bogus............... you couldn't tell the difference between locals and others because you were nowhere near the place.

I've seen someone pull the same sort of stunt on TV.com once.

Probably the same guy.

----------


## SteveCM

*Court throws out Pheu Thai ballot plea

*               By The Nation
                                             Published on June 30, 2011                 

                                             The Supreme Administrative Court has cited lack of  judicial purview as grounds for declining to intervene and order a  redesign of election ballots, throwing out a petition filed by the Pheu  Thai Party last Thursday.

               Pheu Thai said the ballot design was unfair for two  reasons - the party's logo was too small and the layout of the ballot  made it confusing for voters.

 The party voiced concern that ballots cast might become invalid.

 In explaining the judicial decision, Election Commission (EC)  secretary-general Suthiphon Taveechaiyagarn said the court dismissed the  case because Pheu Thai sought a court injunction but failed to outline how and why the ballot design had deviated from prescribed regulations.

 Furthermore, Pheu Thai asked  for the judicial intervention to validate yet-to-be cast ballots that  might subsequently be deemed invalid, Suthiphon said, pointing out that  this was a postulation beyond judicial purview and that the mandate for  administrative litigation did not cover sorting between valid and  invalid ballots.

 In another development, the EC has reminded absentee voters who  failed to cast advance ballots last Sunday that they are obliged to fill  out a form at their district office explaining their absence by July  10. 

 Otherwise, an unjustified no-show would result in the mandatory  forfeit of certain rights, such as sponsoring legislation and contesting  the elections.
 No-show absentee voters will not be able to cast ballots on election  day if they registered to vote outside their designated polling station.  

 Those registered at a designated constituency will have a second chance to vote on Sunday.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> In another development, the EC has reminded absentee voters who failed to cast advance ballots last Sunday that they are obliged to fill out a form at their district office explaining their absence by July 10. 
> 
> Otherwise, an unjustified no-show would result in the mandatory forfeit of certain rights, such as sponsoring legislation and contesting the elections.
> No-show absentee voters will not be able to cast ballots on election day if they registered to vote outside their designated polling station. 
> 
> Those registered at a designated constituency will have a second chance to vote on Sunday.


Uh - Bobcock - please decipher this?

----------


## Butterfly

> I keep hearing stories around here, about unusual visits after dark. Even power in some areas being disrupted.


what about the black helicopters ? you forgot to mention them,

----------


## Gerbil

> You give me your email address I will send you pics of the rally that I took.


Here you go: He's deleted it from his profile, but I got a copy: nutter[at]iwanttoshagyingluck.com

 :bunny3:

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Poll Panel Asked to Probe Democrat Party 

UPDATE : 29 June 2011                     *

Supporters of the red-shirt group in  Chiang Mai have filed a petition with the local poll panel office  demanding it suspend broadcast of a political analysis television show  on NBT Channel. 

The group calls for the Democrat Party to be dissolved for using the program as a tool to smear its rival Pheu Thai Party.

Members of the Chiang Mai red-shirt group led by deputy secretary  general of the Chiang Mai Coordination Center Supol Fumoolcharoen  traveled to the provincial Election Commission or EC office to file a  complaint on possible poll violation. 
*

Director of the Chiang Mai EC Suchart Jaipakdee receieved the complaint. 

The group demanded the poll panel suspend the broadcast of a political  analysis television program called Klai Pom, broadcast on NBT Channel.  

The Chiang Mai red-shirt network claimed that the content of the show  aimed mainly at mudslinging against Pheu Thai Number One party-list MP  candidate Yingluck Shinawatra and the red-shirt group. 

The group mentioned the episode on May 22, which it claimed can be considered defaming. 

Moreover, the Chiag Mai red-shirt group also accused NBT Director  Rattana Chareonsak of  breaching the 1997 Constitution's organic law on  election of MPs and senators and for negligence of duty by committing  either favorable or infavorable action against an MP candidate. 

The complaint also accused acting Prime Minister Abhist Vejjajiva, also  leader of the Democrat Party, and interim PM's Office Minister Ongart  Klampaiboon, who is in charge of NBT Channel, of using state media to  defame the Democrat Party's political rival. 

The group said the action is against the electoral law and demanded the  poll panel probe the matter which could lead to the Democrat Party  dissolution. 

The group leader revealed that the complaint was earlier filed with the  local public relations office in order to be brought to the Public  Relations Department but no action has been taken so far.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> 
> "_I went to have a look as I live close by, there was far more than 5,000, the entire front of central world was packed, which must be around 250 m long and 20 m wide at least. I think 20,000 is a fair estimate, though upto 30,000 is possible._
> 
> *The crowd looked like locals mostly."* 
> *(*Post #3507 (longway) commenting on last week's revision-of-history Democrat rally)
> 
> You are "full of it" Longway.
> ...


When I mention above, a similar stunt by someone, it was during an event when there was a humongous Red Shirt column snaking through the streets of BKK, estimated to be in the thousands by impartial observers.............All-of-a-sudden this anti-red shirt guy appeared with the message:
_I live close by, so walked down the street to see for myself. I stood on the corner and counted the number of people per block, and when adding them up, there were about..........500_.Identical to this one in style and content, when he wanted to diddle the facts surrounding last weeks _History revision_ Democrat Party rally 

You are exposed Longway. You can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all the people all of the time.

----------


## longway

^ Earth calling Calgary. Are you still with us?

How do you post pics? When I click on image, I just get a space to insert a url.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

Nice one. Owned. So he's a returning or at least double-nic. BAN.

----------


## Gerbil

> Moreover, the Chiag Mai red-shirt group also accused NBT Director Rattana Chareonsak of breaching the 1997 Constitution's organic law on election of MPs and senators and for negligence of duty by committing either favorable or infavorable action against an MP candidate.


May surprise them to learn that the 1997 constitution was torn up and thrown away. Maybe news hasnt spread that far to the backwaters yet?  :Smile:

----------


## longway

^^ Glad that Calgary has company up there.

Some guy once posted that he saw 500 red shirts, and that in your opinion constitutes proof that I am a double nic and am 'owned' and should be banned?

 :bananaman:  ::chitown::

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by SteveCM
> 
> Veteran politician Sanoh says he will quit politics
> 
> 
> No...NO!!!...Heaven forbid, what a loss to the Thai people.....


 When TRT was formed, TIME did a peice on Thaksin calling him Mr Digital, he was very happy. A little while later, Sanoh came on board and TIME changed it to Mr Analog.

Thaksin spat the dummy, an early sign of his intolerance of bad press.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Fix Early Voting Glitches 

UPDATE : 29 June 2011                     *

The Electoral Commission should have  realized how much the advance voting on June 26 was fraught with  problems and started to think about how to correct them.

With the advance voting period being cut down from two days to one day,  polling stations apparently were unable to efficiently accommodate  throngs of early voters. More importantly, many people who had cast  advance vote in the previous election did not know that their  registration continued to apply to subsequent polls too, and so did not  turn up at polling stations. The Electoral Commission is to blame for  poor public relations on the point.* 

A number of early voters outside their constituencies in the last poll  who did not cancel their registrations as they wish to cast their votes  on July 3 and did not turn out on July 26, would see their voting rights  revoked. They also lose eight other rights, including the rights to run  in an election or the rights to file for impeachment against  politicians.

The Electoral Commission cannot say it was not aware of the problems  because on the early voting day the agency's chairman Apichart  Sukhakkanont inspected polling stations himself and noticed the  problems. The thing is the effect of advance voting registration from  one election should not have extended to another and the Electoral  Commission is largely to blame for not clarifying the matter to the  public properly. Because of that many voters already lost their voting  rights because they were not informed by the responsible agency. 

There is still time to fix the glitches before the next election.  Changes should be made to the regulations on early voting that the  registration should be one-off because it would be highly inconvenient  for the public to cancel their registration. Moreover, Thais do not have  to lose their voting rights unknowingly and wastefully.

*Editorial, Kom Chad Luek, Page 4, June 29th, 2011
Translated and rewritten by Wacharapol Isaranont*

----------


## Gerbil

> Nice one. Owned. So he's a returning or at least double-nic. BAN.


longway - Join Date: Sep 2008
Calgary - Join Date: Apr 2011

So I assuming it's Calgary you are accusing?

----------


## SteveCM

*Court throws out Pheu Thai ballot plea*

               By The Nation
                                             Published on June 30, 2011                 

                                             The Supreme Administrative Court has cited lack of  judicial purview as grounds for declining to intervene and order a  redesign of election ballots, throwing out a petition filed by the Pheu  Thai Party last Thursday.

               Pheu Thai said the ballot design was unfair for two  reasons - the party's logo was too small and the layout of the ballot  made it confusing for voters.

 The party voiced concern that ballots cast might become invalid.

 In explaining the judicial decision, Election Commission (EC)  secretary-general Suthiphon Taveechaiyagarn said the court dismissed the  case because Pheu Thai sought a court injunction but failed to outline how and why the ballot design had deviated from prescribed regulations.

 Furthermore, Pheu Thai asked  for the judicial intervention to validate yet-to-be cast ballots that  might subsequently be deemed invalid, Suthiphon said, pointing out that  this was a postulation beyond judicial purview and that the mandate for  administrative litigation did not cover sorting between valid and  invalid ballots.

 In another development, the EC has reminded absentee voters who  failed to cast advance ballots last Sunday that they are obliged to fill  out a form at their district office explaining their absence by July  10. 

 Otherwise, an unjustified no-show would result in the mandatory  forfeit of certain rights, such as sponsoring legislation and contesting  the elections.

 No-show absentee voters will not be able to cast ballots on election  day if they registered to vote outside their designated polling station.  

 Those registered at a designated constituency will have a second chance to vote on Sunday.

----------


## Buksida

> ^ Earth calling Calgary. Are you still with us?


He never was.

----------


## Gerbil

> There is still time to fix the glitches before the next election.


Yep. Shame about this election though, can't change the law in the next 2 days.....

Could be interesting on Sunday when potentially millions are not allowed to vote because they should have gone last Sunday. Should be more than enough to tip the balance to get the 'right' result  :Smile:

----------


## Tom Sawyer

^
..which was my point to Bobcock. A handy wiggle room to rig the vote and cover it up under said guise. I recall earlier they were saying they wouldn't allow advance voting outside of the home constituency. Outrage of course - and thus the system they subsequently introduced. Anyone think they haven't been planning this for a couple of years now???

----------


## longway

> Originally Posted by longway
> 
> scapegoat Abhisit and perhaps Suthep,


Abhist offered a deal 2 times, once when the reds were at their strongest and once when they were at their weakest. He is one of the few worth a shit.

Thaksin wanted people to die for him and made sure that they did, and that's the truth of it. 

The only good thing is that I think this weakens his position, and he will have to play ball. Unless PT do manage to win 300 seats or more.

----------


## Buksida

Anybody remember the election back in 06 when all the booths were facing the wrong way, making it possible to see how ppl voted? Not very democratic that one.

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Natthawut criticises Sodsri*Published: 29/06/2011 at 04:58 PMOnline news:Red-shirt leader Natthawut Saikua on Wednesday  lashed out at election commissioner Sodsri Satayatum for her remark that  imprisoned Pheu Thai party-list candidate Jatuporn Prompan will not  qualify as an MP if he is not allowed out to vote on Sunday.

 Mr Natthawut, also a Pheu Thai party-list candidate, said he  wondered whether Mrs Sodsris remark was intended to influence the  courts..

  Mr Jatuporns legal team would file a fresh application that the  Pheu Thai list candidate be given temporary leave from prison to vote on  Sunday.

 He expected the second application would be approved.

  Mrs Sodri made her remark on Tuesday after the Criminal Court turned  down an application filed by the red shirt United Front for Democracy  against Dictatorship (UDD) legal team.

 The election commissioner said Mr Jatuporn would be lacking in  qualifications to be an MP if he failed to exercise his right to vote on  July 3.

 Mr Jatuporn, also a UDD core leader, is being detained at Bangkok  Remand Prison of charges of terrorism in connection in with last years  UDD violent protests.

 His bail was revoked after the court found him guilty of violating  bail conditions after he made a speech  at a public gathering of  red-shirt protesters in April this year.

 Mr Natthawut faces similar charges, but remains out on bail.

----------


## DrB0b

> Anybody remember the election back in 06 when all the booths were facing the wrong way, making it possible to see how ppl voted? Not very democratic that one.



Yes, and what a ridiculous situation that was. The constitutional court was ordered to find reasons to annul the results and, as they couldn't find any real reasons, had to fall back on the positioning of the booths. Of course they conveniently overlooked the fact that the booths were positioned that way by the Electoral Commission to prevent people photographing their ballot sheets to prove that they'd voted for those they'd been paid to vote for, a common practice.

The positioning was never, in fact, illegal. The charge was brought by the PAD (the _only_ people at the time to allege that there was anything inappropriate about the positioning) and the finding was based on a vague technicality. 

The election was annulled on a minor technicality because the wrong party won the election. Yes, not very democratic.

----------


## Gerbil

> He expected the second application would be approved.


Larger shoebox delivered this time?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 




> Mr Natthawut faces similar charges, but remains out on bail.


Completely unfair and a clear case of double standards. Lock him up too!  :Smile:

----------


## SteveCM

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> 
> Anybody remember the election back in 06 when all the booths were facing the wrong way, making it possible to see how ppl voted? Not very democratic that one.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, and what a ridiculous situation that was. The constitutional court was ordered to find reasons to annul the results and, as they couldn't find any real reasons, had to fall back on the positioning of the booths. Of course they conveniently overlooked the fact that the booths were positioned that way by the Electoral Commission to prevent people photographing their ballot sheets to prove that they'd voted for those they'd been paid to vote for, a common practice.
> 
> ...


Rather too much information for some here, I imagine.....  :mid:

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thitinan Pongsudhirak: Let Thais Make a Deal - WSJ.com
*
*Let Thais Make a Deal* 

*A grace period following the upcoming polls will ensure stability and allow all sides to internalize the results.*

*By THITINAN PONGSUDHIRAK* 
JUNE 30, 2011

After five years of protracted volatility and  turmoil, Thais are going to the polls on July 3 in hopes of a return to  democracy. But whether Thailand finds a way out of its political  stalemate hinges not so much on the result, but rather what happens  afterward. If the two sides continue to treat politics as a  win-at-all-costs, winner-takes-all game, recent history will repeat  itself. But if they reach a compromise and establish some norms that  both abide by, there is a chance for progress.

 The structure and storyline of Thailand's conflict have not changed  fundamentally since a military coup in September 2006 deposed and  effectively exiled then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Mr. Thaksin  is an intensely polarizing figure who still haunts the political  landscape, and his fate may hold the key to a deal.

 On the one hand, from when he was first elected in 2001 to when he  was ousted, Mr. Thaksin virtually monopolized Thai politics and created a  patronage network beyond anything Thailand had ever seen. His  administration was characterized by conflicts of interest, cronyism,  abuse of power and accusations of human rights violations, among other  sins of misrule. 

 On the other hand, Mr. Thaksin's pro-poor populist platform made him  wildly popular among marginalized sections of the electorate. He  promised government services and delivered, thereby generating  unprecedented demands and expectations for upward mobility. He also  boosted Thailand's international profile and upgraded its economic  competitiveness. His Thai Rak Thai party started out in power with less  than an outright majority after the January 2001 election, but went on  to win 75% of the seats in parliament in February 2005, when Mr.  Thaksin's political power reached its peak. 

 After the coup, the anti-Thaksin coalition led by the elites in the  army, palace and bureaucracy hoped to turn back the clock to pre-Thaksin  times. They came up with a new constitution, dissolved two Thaksin  proxy parties, banned scores of Thaksin-aligned politicians from holding  office, pressured smaller parties into joining a coalition government  led by the Democrat Party, and crushed anti-government demonstrators  during the Democrats' rule. But all these maneuvers failed. Polls  suggest that the pro-Thaksin Pueu Thai Party is on track to win a  plurality in Sunday's election, and perhaps even an outright majority. 


_ASSOCIATED PRESS_ _Yingluck Shinawatra of Puea Thai on the campaign trail._

As  the third incarnation of Mr. Thaksin's political vehicle—the previous  two were outlawed by the anti-Thaksin coalition—Pueu Thai has much less  political talent than its predecessors, and yet it is still clobbering  the incumbent Democrat Party. After more than two years in power with  the rules and referees in their corner, the Democrats have failed to  connect with the Thai people.

 Even if they don't prevail on Sunday, however, the anti-Thaksin  forces still have the power to suspend democracy again. That is the  curse of Thailand's distorted democratic deadlock: The election winners  can't rule and the rulers can't win elections.

 If Pueu Thai forms a government, more judicial interventions and army  meddling may follow. Already moves are afoot to oust Yingluck  Shinawatra, Thaksin's youngest sister and Pueu Thai's electoral leader,  on perjury allegations. The commander in chief of the army, Gen. Prayuth  Chan-ocha, has exhorted voters to choose "good" people and not those  who are inclined against <redacted>. 

 To navigate a way forward, all sides of the Thai divide must agree  first and foremost that election results must no longer be subverted and  manipulated. If the voices of the majority are dismissed and  disenfranchised again, as in the wake of the December 2007 polls, more  turmoil and volatility can be expected.

 From this agreement, a flexible election roadmap acceptable to the  principals is possible. In the event they win a convincing mandate from  voters, Mr. Thaksin and Pueu Thai need to make explicit assurances that  they will not take retribution on their enemies. 

 A grace period of three to six months after the polls, when  continuity will be emphasized over change, can create a conducive  environment for transition and negotiations. During this grace period,  the winners should guarantee that the army chief will not be  transferred, the death toll from last year's violence will be  investigated through due process of law, Mr. Thaksin will stay away  indefinitely, senior bureaucrats will not be moved, key policy fronts  will not shift drastically, able hands will join cabinet, the  controversial amnesty plan will be shelved for a certain period, and so  forth. 

 This grace period would allow all sides to internalize the election  results and their implications for Thailand. The anti-Thaksin coalition  would also have to agree not to take to the streets as in 2008, to  refrain from judicial interventions, and to negotiate the terms of a  general amnesty that would clear the slate for the persecuted many who  languish in jail or face other charges.

 The details of any roadmap would have to rely on an actionable  timetable and some level of trust, possibly with the assistance of  detached third-party mediation. The details should be manageable once a  consensus that Thailand has suffered enough is in place. Alternative  scenarios are likely to lead to a spiral into chaos or dictatorship. A  deal is preferable to déjà vu.

_Mr. Thitinan is director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University._

----------


## SteveCM

*Signs look good for Yingluck*

*BURNING ISSUE* 
*Signs look good for Yingluck*


                            By Piyanart Srivalo
piyanart[at]nationgroup.com
                                             Published on June 30, 2011                 

*In the final days before the upcoming election, all political parties are working flat-out on their campaigns.*

               Yingluck Shinawatra, the Pheu Thai candidate  for prime minister, has worked hard on her campaign in a bid to win the  most seats or even secure a landslide. However, she has had to skip  many of her campaign appointments after reportedly complaining of being  tired.

But she seems to be determined. If there was an urgent  campaign date, she was willing to make it. For example, she changed a  visit from Phrae to Nan, which was hit by severe floods. Her trip was  regarded as an effort to go one up on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Yingluck enjoys the strong backing of her brother. Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has set up a 24-hour war room at his home in Dubai. He checks each Pheu Thai candidate's popularity all day, every day. 

"Unlike his sister, Thaksin can  remember all the candidates' names. Yingluck sometimes makes a mistake  when introducing candidates. He always calls them and asks them about  the situation in their constituencies," a source from Pheu Thai Party said. 

The source said the latest poll from Pheu Thai showed they would win 267 seats. The number has reportedly satisfied Thaksin to the point where he has decided not to spend much more money on the campaign.

The Bhum Jai Thai Party of Newin Chidchob hoped  to keep and win more seats in Northeastern provinces, its stronghold.  It aimed to win around 40 seats. According to its latest poll, it will  now win only 30 seats. Bhum Jai Thai has used every tactic to try to  beat Pheu Thai.

"It's tough for us in the Northeast contest. Bhum  Jai Thai gave it their all. Our boss [Thaksin] thinks differently as he  thinks our popularity is on the rise so he doesn't want to spend more," a Pheu Thai MP candidate in the Northeast said. 

For  the Democrat Party, Abhisit has done things people will only see during  an election campaign. He stayed overnight at a temple in the  Northeastern province of Yasothon. He turned himself into a "temple  child", an assistant to a revered monk, receiving alms early in the  morning. 

However, the Democrats did not seem to achieve much from  one of their last campaign pushes at the Ratchaprasong intersection in  Bangkok last week. The "remove Thaksin's venom" campaign worked well  with the Democrats' fan club, but not with people planning on voting  "No", whom the Democrats had targeted.

What made things worse was Yingluck choosing to stay quiet and not counterattacking the Democrat campaign. Instead, Pheu Thai chose to emphasise its policies. 

If  the Democrats' last big rally at Royal Plaza on July 1 fails to deliver  a knockout punch, it could be difficult for the Democrats to boost  their popularity and get more votes. 

Although it is almost certain that Pheu Thai will  win the election, it's not certain that they will be able to form the  government. It all depends on the number of seats the party wins. If the  margin between Pheu Thai and the Democrats is big, it should not be a problem.

Yingluck  seems to be confident. She told foreign media who interviewed her that  she would hold a press conference to say thank you for a Pheu Thai victory on the night of July 3.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Crowd-sourcing the Thai election
*
*Crowd-sourcing the Thai election*

*June 29th, 2011 by Andrew Walker 
*



Thai Election Watch isan  all-volunteer project started at the Faculty of Political Science,  Thammasat University, Bangkok. It is independent, non-partisan and  politically unaffiliated. The project develops an online platform, based  on the open source platform Ushahidi,  that unifies and visualizes data on electoral misconduct and violence  during the Thai parliamentary elections 2011. The data sources are  reports from official bodies (police, Election Commission of Thailand  etc.), established news outlets, accredited election observers, and “the  crowd”. Anybody can report their observations by filling an online form, sending an email or sending an SMS (phone: +66 (0)88-876-5768).

 Thai Election Watch is grounded in the belief that citizens’ reports  on election-related events in their local constituencies can add greatly  to the free flow of information, which in turn increases the  accountability and transparency of the election process. This approach  of “crowd-sourced” information gathering is hoped to give an overview of  events as they are unfolding, in near real-time, while at the same time  providing an internal “corrective” for checking the veracity of  reports. This is done by giving users the opportunity to comment on and  to rate other people’s reports, thereby providing a system of checks and  balances.
 The project website serves as a one-stop shop for information on  electoral misconduct and violence. The geographical display of data  allows users to see nationwide trends at a glance or on-the-ground  reports in any given constituency. If successful in harvesting large  numbers of citizens’ reports, the website can become a permanent tool,  available for monitoring local elections in Thailand.

*Some preliminary observations*

 As of 29 June 2011, there have been a total of 145 reports submitted.  About 45% out of these are related to violence, which in the project’s  definition also includes property damage, harassment and intimidation. The majority of violent events in turn are harassment (31%) and physical  assault (39%). The rampant destruction of campaign posters remains as  of now underreported, as it seems to be perceived as a relatively minor  violation. Physical violence on the other hand is to a large extent  reported in the mainstream media, and therefore easily captured on the  website. The vast majority of assaults are directed against vote  canvassers (หัวคะแนน), at least five of whom have already been killed.  This certainly underlines the persistence of local politics as a major  driving force of electoral violence, since those canvassers compete  mainly for direct votes in specific constituencies and are thus heavily  embedded in local power struggles between individual candidates and  their networks.



 While some observers point out that the level of violence is as of  now still lower than in previous elections, the big hike in violence  might come after the election. Canvassers who fail to “deliver” the  votes they have been contracted for might face the consequences. On a  bigger scale, the possibility of renewed protests also looms, depending  on how a (more and more likely-looking) Phuea Thai victory will be dealt  with by the losing side.

 Vote-buying and other attempts at electoral fraud are also reported  on the website. While not representative of the full extent of these  diverse activities, the reporting shows that citizens are willing to  become more involved in the monitoring of the Thai elections, and are  willing to use the open space provided by the online platform.  Naturally, the majority of reports cover the Bangkok area, since  crowd-sourced information is much more likely to come from areas with a  high percentage of internet-usage. These preliminary observations as  well as any further results should therefore be regarded as only an  approximation of the “true” extent of electoral irregularities.

----------


## robuzo

> *Asia Times Online :: ASIA HAND : The deal behind Thailand's polls*
> 
>                                                                                 Jun 30, 2011
> 
> *ASIA                                HAND* 
> *The                                deal behind Thailand's polls* 
> By Shawn W Crispin 
> 
> ..........
> ...


So, that would be reconciliation before truth? The Thai way. Kind of like this "Thitinan Pongsudhirak: Let Thais Make a Deal - WSJ.com" later in the thread. Should be the other way around if you want it to stick.

----------


## LooseBowels

> Thaksin wanted people to die for him and made sure that they did, and that's the truth of it.


The only truth of it is that 91 innocent protesting citizens were shot to shreds on the streets of the capital, by abisits murderous illegitimat junta criminals.

Forgot who declared the live fire zones have you.

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by DrB0b
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Buksida
> ...


Rather too much BS for me. The court decided that the positioning of the booths breached voter confidentiality as stated in the constitution.

The argument about preventing ppl photographing ballot papers is ludicrous.

The Court also decided that the constitution called for 45 days notice before an election, as less was given this was another breach.

Shortly after the verdict a teary Thaksin resigned on TV, as many will remember.

Problem was the sneaky bastard did keep his word.

----------


## LooseBowels

^ In't it amazing how the same justice system let the "guilty" dems walk over the 258 m baht violations   :Smile:

----------


## sabang

> The argument about preventing ppl photographing ballot papers is ludicrous.


What is ludicrous is attempting to dishonestly argue that the 'judiciary' in Thailand has been anything but a biased kangaroo court, acting in concert with other elements to keep the peoples electoral choice out of political power. As a result, the Judicial branch in this country stands as a sick joke.

----------


## Butterfly

> As a result, the Judicial branch in this country stands as a sick joke.


indeed, and that's how we got Thaksin in the first place

so the coup was just a reset of a corrupt judicial, perfectly legitimate to overthrow along with the government

Democratic system need to override the votes of the people when they are electing dictators, that's how it works, and that's what you red loons keep missing

----------


## Gerbil

^

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."

----------


## sabang

^ Then I can understand the establishments paranoia.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Bettyboo

> Anybody remember the election back in 06 when all the booths were facing the wrong way, making it possible to see how ppl voted? Not very democratic that one.


Dr B beat me to it (and a better answer too...) :Sad:

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Anfrel reps monitor poll fight upcountry
*
*Anfrel reps monitor poll fight upcountry*
Published: 30/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Sixty representatives of the Asian Network for  Free Elections from 24 nations have begun travelling to the provinces to  monitor Sunday's election.

 They will assess political developments and keep an eye on  electioneering, especially in fiercely contested areas, said Anfrel  chairman Damaso Magbual yesterday.

 Mr Magbual yesterday met with national police chief Wichean Potephosree.

 Royal Thai Police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri said after the meeting  that Mr Magbual had asked about the security measures that had been in  place for the election.

 The Anfrel delegates had also expressed their concerns about how  ballot boxes would be transported from the various polling stations to  where the ballot counts would be conducted, said Pol Maj Gen Prawut.

 They were then assured that stringent measures were in place to ensure transparency and security, he said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Senators ask voters to reject riot instigators
*
*Senators ask voters to reject riot instigators*

*Pheu Thai red shirts a target of campaign* 
Published: 30/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 The senator-led Siam Samakkee group has urged  people not to vote for candidates who allegedly played a role in the  Bangkok arson attacks last year, but is still being careful to appear  neutral.

 
_Abillboard on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road in Bangkok urges people not to  vote for thosewhoset the nation ablazeand whodislike the monarchy. It  apparently refers to the violent protests of pro-Thaksin Shinawatra red  shirt demonstrators last year. Appointed senator GenSomjet Boonthanom,  former chief of the secretariat of the now-dissolved Council for  National Security that staged the 2006 coup, admitted hewas behind the  billboard campaign.Hedenied hewassupporting the Democrat Party in the  election. THITIWANNAMONTHA_

 Its call put the spotlight on some Pheu Thai party-list candidates  who were red shirt leaders in the violent rally last year, but leader  Somjet Boonthanom insisted the group is not an enemy of supporters of  the pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship.

 Neither is it a supporter of the Democrats, he added, but admitted  the group's campaign was launched at the same time the Democrats were  seeking votes from people upset by the arson attacks in Bangkok and  other provinces.

 Gen Somjet had been a former chief of the secretariat of the  now-dissolved Council for National Security (CNS) before being appointed  a senator in April.

 He said his group, which is joined by such prominent figures as  senator Somchai Sawaengkan and former senator Prasan Maruekkhaphitak,  had been founded before the election campaign period and was not  intended to promote certain parties.

 Yesterday it launched a campaign against election candidates with  notorious backgrounds, including those with alleged roles in the arson  attacks and lese majeste.

 Large turnouts were needed on Sunday as their votes would shape the  future of Thailand and tell whether the country would avoid "three  disasters", Gen Somjet said.

 First was a threat to the monarchy, which was not just people  uttering inappropriate words, but a systematic movement now working  through media channels, he said.

 Next was a revived attempt to seek amnesty for former prime minister  Thaksin Shinawatra, who was found guilty by the Supreme Court last year  of illegally accruing wealth during his premiership. This attempt, if  successful, would be a disaster to the national pillar of justice, he  said.

 Finally, Gen Somjet said he was worried about further arson attacks.

 He asked people whether they remembered who said "one million bottles  of oil will make Bangkok a sea of fire" before many buildings in the  capital were set ablaze on May 19 last year when red shirt demonstrators  were dispersed.

 Noppadon Pattama, a legal adviser to Thaksin, opposed Siam Samakkee's campaign.

 He is not convinced the group is neutral, but suspects it might be  "hired or ordered" by "a certain party" for political purposes.

 Some members of the group had reportedly helped the now-defunct CNS, a  coup group which toppled the Thaksin administration in 2006.

 It was better to let people decide the future of Thailand themselves, Mr Noppadon said.

 As rival parties are vying for most House seats to form a new  government under its pro- and anti-Thaksin campaigns, social critic  Prawase Wasi yesterday called on all politicians to unite and set up a  genuine reconciliation government which is made up of all parties.

 "Thailand is encountering an unusual situation that requires them to  sacrifice, reduce arrogance and join hands," said Dr Prawase in a  10-point recommendation for the incoming prime minister.

 Among other suggestions are the establishment of a national  reconciliation committee and the provision of land and shelter to  farmers and low-income labourers, whose numbers are about 40 million of  the 63 million Thai population.

 "If the majority of people do not feel secure, how will the nation feel secure?" Dr Prawase said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Democrats look to end strong
*
*Democrats look to end strong*

*Abhisit says Yingluck's novelty wearing off * 
Published: 30/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Prime Minister and Democrat leader Abhisit  Vejjajiva says his party is gaining momentum in its bid to reverse  sagging poll numbers ahead of the election.

 "I am optimistic," he said in an interview at a campaign stop in Samut Sakhon province yesterday.

 "We are gathering momentum. After the initial bounce in terms of  novelty value for my opponent, now I think people begin to see the real  alternative."

 Polls show the Democrats trailing Pheu Thai, led by Yingluck  Shinawatra, the youngest sister of exiled former prime minister Thaksin  Shinawatra. Parties linked to billionaire Thaksin have won at least 49%  of parliamentary seats in the past four elections dating back to 2001,  only to have the last three results overturned through court rulings and  a coup.

 The Democrats will hold their last major campaign rally before the  election at Royal Plaza in the capital tomorrow evening, at the same  time as Pheu Thai rallies at Rajamangala National Stadium in the Hua Mak  area.

 The Democrats also urged Ms Yingluck to clarify her remarks about US  Ambassador to Thailand Kristie Kenney's concern over a possible coup.

 Democrat spokesman Buranaj Smutharaks yesterday said his party wanted  to ask Ms Yingluck whether a coup had been discussed during her  conversation with the US ambassador.

 A coup was a big issue because the election is near and discussing  such a topic would affect confidence in the the country, he said.

 Ms Yingluck on Tuesday admitted the US envoy expressed concern about  the potential for a coup in Thailand during a private talk on Monday.  She declined to give further details, saying it would be better to let  the US give information about the matter itself.

 The Pheu Thai No.1 party-list candidate met Ms Kenney at the  ambassador's residence on Monday. She had said their meeting simply  followed a postponement of several earlier appointments caused by  schedules clashing.

 Ms Yingluck quoted the US envoy as saying that the US supported the election and democratic rule in Thailand.

 Meanwhile, Democrat chief adviser Chuan Leekpai dismissed the  possibility of a coup, saying there were no reasons to fear that the  military would stage a putsch.

 Mr Chuan said the question of a coup should not have been raised as the country is heading for an election.

 He said by principle a party that had the most seats should have the  right to form a government. It is tradition, not a rule, that the party  which musters enough votes to earn a majority in the House also gets to  form a coalition government.

 On speculation that red shirts might be mobilised to stage protests  and that chaos would ensue if Pheu Thai won but was unable to form a  government, Mr Chuan said Pheu Thai should ask the red shirts not to  stir up any unrest.

 First Army commander Udomdej Sitabutr yesterday said that forces  under the command of army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha were neutral and would  not derail the election.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Other Bangkok Post stories...

*Pheu Thaifears there'll be a doctor in the House* 
30/06/2011 : _CHIANG MAI : A  rural doctor running for the Chartthaipattana Party remains a thorn in  the side of the Pheu Thai Party which is looking for a clean sweep of  the province on Sunday._

*Bhumjaithai believes local ties will win day* 
30/06/2011 : _SUKHOTHAI : The  Bhumjaithai Party hopes to draw on its ties with local officials to  sweep all four seats in this northern province, but it has found its  candidates coming under intense scrutiny by rival parties wary of undue  influence._
*
Natthawutangered by Sodsri claim*
30/06/2011 : _Red  shirt leader Natthawut Saikua has lashed out at election commissioner  Sodsri Satayatum for her remark that jailed Pheu Thai party list  candidate Jatuporn Prompan would not qualify to become an MP if he fails  to cast his vote on Sunday._*

Big two pledge to improve children's TV programmes*
30/06/2011 : _The two main parties yesterday pledged to increase the availability of high-quality television programmes for youngsters._

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : EC must patch up the flaws

EDITORIAL

*EC must patch up the flaws*
Published: 30/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 It is not known how many advance voters missed  the chance to cast their ballots last Sunday, for the simple reason that  they were unable to get to the polling units in time because their cars  got stuck in an unusual traffic gridlock, which occurred along several  roads leading to the polling units.In Bang Kapi constituency alone,  where a total of 104,000 eligible voters were registered to vote in  advance, over 100 advance voters who'd just overcome the traffic  nightmare had to be turned away when the gates to a school being used as  a polling unit were shut at exactly 3pm. They were told to notify the  authorities in their constituencies if they wanted to exercise their  voting rights on July 3.



 Of course, these unlucky voters were partly to blame for not leaving  home much earlier so as to avoid the heavy traffic. Yet, other problems  which occurred at several polling units, such as the shortage of car  parking space and long queues of voters waiting for hours to cast their  ballots, clearly showed that the Election Commission was ill-prepared  for the advance voting and had failed to take proper precautions,  despite its full knowledge of the anticipated high turnout and the fact  that many of the voters, especially in Bangkok, would arrive at the  polling units in their private cars.

 The EC must to be better prepared for this Sunday's general election.  Which means all the problems which surfaced during the advance voting  must be addressed and rectified to make sure that the polling process is  smooth and voters do not miss their chance to vote because they are  caught up in traffic.

 It is, however, disturbing that up to half a million eligible voters -  according to an estimate by independent election watchdog P-Net - who  had registered to vote outside their constituencies since the last  election in 2007, and who did not turn up to vote in advance last  Sunday, may lose their voting right this coming Sunday, if they have not  notified authorities in advance that they would be voting within their  constituencies.
 Clearly, most of these advance voters do not know that once they  register to vote outside their constituencies, they will have to  continue doing so for future elections - unless and until they notify  the authorities concerned. This is what the election law says. But how  many of them have ever read or seen the election law?

 Of course, the law is ridiculous. Common sense dictates that advance  voting outside a constituency should be a one-time exercise and, for the  next election, the voters should be able to vote in their  constituencies. Still, it is the responsibility of the EC to inform  these advance voters well in advance about switching to vote from their  constituencies. Regrettably, the commission has failed to do its job  properly, although it tried to make amends by suggesting that advance  voters report themselves to the district authorities in their areas of  domicile. That means the advance voters - many of them migrant workers -  may have to take leave much earlier to return to their hometowns to  have their names registered as eligible voters. Otherwise they will  forfeit the chance to vote.

 As for the general voters, especially those who are undecided, this  Sunday's election is special and unlike previous polls because of the  high political stakes involved and because it will shape this country's  political future and destiny. Hence, going to the polls is not just a  right but also a moral responsibility for all voters alike, whatever  their political affiliation or colour. Citizens should vote with a clear  conscience for those parties and candidates who they believe will best  serve the interests of this country and its people.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*UN urges democratic elections in Thailand - Monsters and Critics
*
*UN urges democratic elections in Thailand*

    Jun 29, 2011, 19:48 GMT 

  New York - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday  called for  Thailand to hold 'credible, fair and transparent'  elections this  weekend in order to build democratic norms in the  country.  
  Thais will cast ballots for a new government on Sunday.  

   Ban said in a statement that a peaceful and democratically held   election would contribute to national reconciliation and the   consolidation of democracy.  

  'He urges all parties to refrain  from violence before, during and  after the elections and to accept and  respect the will of the people  as expressed at the ballot box,' Ban  said.

----------


## Bettyboo

> *Bangkok Post : Senators ask voters to reject riot instigators*
> 
> *Senators ask voters to reject riot instigators*
> 
> 
> 
> *Pheu Thai red shirts a target of campaign* Published: 30/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsThe senator-led Siam Samakkee group has urged people not to vote for candidates who allegedly played a role in the Bangkok arson attacks last year, but is still being careful to appear neutral.
> 
>  
> ...


Is this legal???

I suppose when they are coup appointed senators, former CNS, the coup appointed judiciary aren't gonna stop them.

Yet more intrusion into politics by a certain group, which just antagonises the electorate...

Free and fair elections, indeed...

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Exiled Thai leader's sister poised to become country's first female PM | World news | The Guardian
*
*Exiled Thai leader's sister poised to become country's first female PM*

 Yingluck Shinawatra denies her brother, Thaksin, in exile to avoid corruption charges, is pulling the strings from Dubai

 guardian.co.uk,            Wednesday 29 June 2011 20.03 BSTTania Branigan in Surin, Thailand 
_Yingluck Shinawatra greets supporters in  Burirum. On Sunday, she is expected to be voted Thailand's first female  prime minister. Photograph: Paula Bronstein/Getty_

   Songwan Khomwang has never voted before, but it did not take the  19-year-old long to pick a candidate for next Sunday's general  election. "I would like a woman to lead the country," she declared, as  her choice roused a cheering crowd of thousands in a dusty field in the  north-eastern district of Sikhoraphum. "I've seen too many men in  power."

Yingluck Shinawatra, 44, could become Thailand's  first female prime minister. But that is not her sole attraction,  conceded her admirer: "I hope if she gets in she will bring back  Thaksin."

When the Puea Thai party unveiled the youngest sister of  the exiled former Thai leader as its candidate, most people thought it  would play into hands of the incumbent Democrats. Now the decision looks  like a masterstroke, because Yingluck is putting a fresh, attractive,  feminised face on her brother's brand.

"Thaksin thinks, Puea Thai  acts," is one party slogan, while the billionaire Thaksin described his  sister as "not my nominee but my clone". He later said he meant they  shared the same ideas and attitudes. She is surrounded by his aides and  advisers.

But even living 3,000 miles away in Dubai,  Thaksin – who won two landslide election victories but was ousted in a  2006 coup – remains a bitterly divisive figure in Thailand. His  supporters paint him as a champion of the rural underclass, who was  toppled for challenging the elite establishment; his opponents say he  was corrupt and authoritarian. He was convicted on corruption charges in  absentia after he fled the country.

"I feel Yingluck basically  follows in the footsteps of Thaksin, maybe because of her team," said  rice farmer Thaitun Piwon. "[But] I think because she is a woman she  will listen to all sides."

The political newcomer has zoomed ahead  in the polls, while the Democrats have stalled. Sidestepping demands  for a debate with the incumbent, Abhisit Vejjajiva – where her  inexperience might have become more evident – Yingluck has sprinted  through her tightly managed campaign with a permanent, dazzling smile on  her lips, a relentlessly positive message and a string of ambitious  spending pledges to improve rural life.

On Tuesday she zipped  through eight speeches in three provinces in the north-east, a party  stronghold. Crowds, tens of thousands strong, thrust red roses towards  the stage and cheered as she ran through a string of popular themes,  such as soaring food prices – and her brother.

Her inexperience is  being touted as an asset: "I believe at this time people don't want me  to be acting as a politician. I can use my experience from management,"  she said.

She insisted that Thaksin would not pull the strings if  she became prime minister: "Of course I have leadership and management  and will make decisions. [But] why do we have to reject good ideas from  him? It doesn't mean we have to rely on him ... the role he will play  will be supporter."

Thaksin's critics say he is running the party  from exile and plotting his return; he has said he would like to return  for his daughter's wedding this year. Yingluck refused to rule out an  amnesty, repeatedly touted by Puea Thai colleagues. "Our priorities are,  first, to solve the economic problems and, second, reconciliation to  make Thailand united as one," she said.

"Reconciliation means we  need to discuss it with every party involved ... If a committee decides  to do that, my brother would be just one [person involved], the same as  everyone else. We don't have any policy specially for my brother."

Even  if Puea Thai tops the poll, it may not become the government; without  an outright majority, it will have to scramble to form a coalition with  minor parties. Opponents have already floated perjury claims against  Yingluck – which she denies – in relation to the seizure of Thaksin's  assets. Others believe the military may step in again; Thailand has seen  more than a dozen coups in eight decades.

Earlier this month, the  army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha urged voters to back "good people"  who "know what is right and wrong", warning: "If you allow the election  [outcome] to be the same as before, you will not get anything new."  Puea Thai is thought to have approached the military to discuss a  possible deal.

"I don't think we will have this kind of problem [a coup] occur," Yingluck said.

Analysts fear the election is more likely to lead to fresh conflict than the reconciliation Yingluck promises.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*TheRecord - Thai PM says ruling party 
*
*Thai PM says ruling party ‘gathering momentum' as election looms        * 


 BANGKOK — Thai Prime Minister Abhisit  Vejjajiva said Wednesday his ruling Democrat party is "gathering  momentum" in its bid to reverse sagging poll numbers ahead of a July 3  election as stocks and the currency gained.

                                                              "I am optimistic," he said at a  campaign stop in Samut Sakhon province outside of Bangkok. "We are  gathering momentum. After the initial bounce in terms of novelty value  of my opponent, now I think people begin to see the real alternatives."

                                                              Polls show Abhisit's Democrats  trailing opposition party Pheu Thai, led by Yingluck Shinawatra, the  youngest sister of exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.  Parties linked to the billionaire Thaksin have won at least 49 per cent  of parliamentary seats in the past four elections dating back to 2001,  only to have the last three results overturned through court rulings and  a coup.

                                                              Abhisit is aiming to win enough seats  to form a government with his current coalition partners, who abandoned  Thaksin's allies in 2008 to elevate him to the premiership. Thai  stocks, which have fallen this month on concerns a disputed result will  lead to a repeat of violence that has left more than 100 dead since the  2007 election, rose the most in almost two months. The baht had its  biggest gain since Jan. 31.

                                                              "There has been a sign of momentum  swing for the Democrat party among undecided voters," Visit  Ongpipattanakul, a managing director at Trinity Securities Co., said in a  telephone interview. "The return of the ruling Democrat Party as the  government will be positive for the stock market as history shows  equities have usually outperformed with the continuity of government."

                                                              "Everybody should respect the results  of free and fair elections and also the parliamentary process," Abhisit  said. "I'm confident the Thai people will go for stability and for  moving the country forward."

                                                              Of the 500 parliamentary seats up for  grabs next month, 375 are chosen in districts and 125 through  proportional representation. Pheu Thai will win 52 per cent of the party  list vote compared with 34 per cent for the Democrats, according to a  Suan Dusit Rajabhat University poll released on June 19 that surveyed  102,994 people nationwide from June 4 to June 18.

                                                              "The contest is no longer close,"  said Chaturon Chaisang, a former Cabinet member under Thaksin, who  predicted Pheu Thai would win by as  many as 80 seats. "If Pheu Thai  doesn't win with an outright majority, say 245, I still think it's very  likely the party can form the government, but of course there will be  interference from the elite and the military."

                                                              Thailand has seen 10 coups since  absolute monarchy ended in 1932, the latest in 2006 against Thaksin.  Soldiers declined to disperse Thaksin's opponents when they seized  Bangkok's airports in 2008, while cracking down on his supporters the  past two years after Abhisit took power.

                                                              Abhisit has sought to make up ground  by saying Pheu Thai plans an amnesty for Thaksin, allowing him to return  to Thailand and reclaim more than $1 billion in wealth seized after the  2006 coup that ousted him. Pheu Thai plans to open talks with all  parties to rectify injustices since the coup, Yingluck said in a June 8  interview.

                                                              Thaksin has steered his political  ambitions from overseas since fleeing a jail sentence in 2008 for abuse  of power, a verdict he says is unfair. He detailed Pheu Thai's economic  policies via video link last month, and the party's campaign slogan  reads "Thaksin Thinks, Pheu Thai Does."

                                                              "We are very concerned and I'm sure  the Thai people are concerned," Abhisit said, when asked about the  possibility of Thaksin returning. "That's why on July 3 they will vote  for stability."

_With assistance from Anuchit Nguyen in Bangkok._
_Bloomberg News_

----------


## Bettyboo

> "I am optimistic," he said at a campaign stop in Samut Sakhon province outside of Bangkok. "We are gathering momentum. After the initial bounce in terms of novelty value of my opponent, now I think people begin to see the real alternatives."


But, all the polls say the opposite...




> "We are very concerned and I'm sure the Thai people are concerned," Abhisit said, when asked about the possibility of Thaksin returning. "That's why on July 3 they will vote for stability."


Indeed, Abhisit has been a bastion of reconcilliation and offers Thailand a bright future of: increased LM (might as well add the privvy council, army generals, senators, judges and various other appointed folk to ths list...), decreased freedom of speech, etc. 

The dems and their army/blueblood friends have really shown what they're made of over the last few weeks...

Anybody else see a 'shock' dem win on the horizon (just enough to form another coalition)??? With ANFELS (or whatever this scam group are called...) and EC help, of course...

----------


## Tom Sawyer

*New UN report outlines measures to prevent electoral violence in Asia*

29 June 2011  (UN News Centre)

A new United Nations report warns that Asian nations are at risk of electoral violence, driven by real and perceived fraud and corruption, and stresses the need for strong oversight and other measures to strengthen election credibility. 

In Understanding Electoral Violence in Asia, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) studies electoral processes in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines and Thailand, drawing lessons and making recommendations to reduce the risk of electoral violence. 

The mere suspicion or allegation of fraud is often enough in democracies where there is a lack of confidence in authorities for people to react violently, says the study. 

According to the report, in a number of cases political parties and political party supporters were the main instigators of physical violence, citing several types of groups and organizations that play key roles in either preventing or perpetuating electoral violence. 

The design of political systems, the mandate and powers of electoral laws and election monitoring, as well as the role of civic education, media and civil society in informing voters can all help to reduce or prevent the likelihood of election-related violence, it adds. 

The report points out that the state itself can also contribute to election disorder. In instances where security forces are seen to be partisan or corrupt, there is a higher chance that they will be purveyors of violence rather than protectors of peace. 

The media, when controlled by special interests, can also have a destructive role in promoting narrow interests, inflammatory political rhetoric and retarding democratic processes, it says. 

The report recommends measures to strengthen election credibility, which it says is key to preventing electoral violence. These include strong oversight and enforcement powers for election commissions, wide-ranging dispute resolution mechanisms and systems to track party political spending, as well as ensuring perpetrators of electoral violence are brought to justice.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> The report points out that the state itself can also contribute to election disorder. In instances where security forces are seen to be partisan or corrupt, there is a higher chance that they will be purveyors of violence rather than protectors of peace.


No shit.

----------


## Butterfly

Yingluck is cattering to the reds, not all Thais, and for that she is just another divisive red leader

does anyone seriously think she will serve more than 6 months ?

----------


## Rural Surin

> Yingluck is cattering to the reds, not all Thais, and for that she is just another divisive red leader
> 
> does anyone seriously think she will serve more than 6 months ?


6 days if your lucky....

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> "I am optimistic," he said at a campaign stop in Samut Sakhon province outside of Bangkok. "We are gathering momentum. After the initial bounce in terms of novelty value of my opponent, now I think people begin to see the real alternatives."
> 
> 
> But, all the polls say the opposite...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No, all the polls suggest a comfortable Pheu Thai win. The only  question will be whether they achieve a majority on their own or need a  coalition partner. The vote is just 3 days away. 

However, if by some miracle (as it would indeed need to be an act of  god) the Dem's appear to get a far higher slice of the vote than seems  predicted, I would imagine there's going to be uproar. I am not sure certain elements of the public would tolerate an EC manipulation or contrived result and do the establishment have the balls to try it? The result could be nasty....

However, a late minor swing back in the Dem's favour was always on the cards as  the Yingluck effect wore off and the undecideds go for what they know, rather than an unknown. Although, I haven't seen much evidence of  this logical and expected reversal so far, it appears Yingluck's novelty value and inexperience is seen as a bonus, despite her obvious family ties (and with horror shows like Chalerm still skulking about). Lets not forget she is the face (the front-women!), but the party is essentially the same bunch of 'interesting' characters....

Momentum is with Pheu Thai. They are the only ones who could screw this  up now. All signs indicate that the election will proceed and Pheu Thai  are going to win comfortably. The Dem's late tactic of using the May 2010 arson to try to win votes doesn't appear to be working either. 

Unless... :Smile: 

(the army could always start a war with Cambodia...that would be timely!)

Personally I think what happens after the election is going to be more  interesting. If all the opinions about the army etc not being happy with  Thaksin/Yingluck are correct....then of course there's always a party  dissolution case that can be conjured up....everyone is aware of how compromised the judiciary is. 

But the piece by Shawn Crispin (  Asia Times Online :: ASIA HAND : The deal behind Thailand's polls) seems to  suggest a deal has been done between the various factions...This would seem logical. As I wrote a long time ago, I can't see Thaksin/Yingluck/PT starting an investigation into what would be their own armed forces (and police) over the May 2010 deaths. It would be a recipe for unimaginable conflict! And lets also not forget Thaksin has said he wont be seeking revenge (even if his body language suggested the opposite). 

I wonder how the red shirts will feel about this. Can they be seduced/silenced/controlled by Thaksin et al. ???????? Thaksin is going to need to juggle some powerful forces and try to appease all sides. Is this even possible? 

It will be  interesting over the coming months of that there can be no doubt.

----------


## Perota

> I wonder how the red shirts will feel about this. Can they be seduced/silenced/controlled by Thaksin et al. ???????? Thaksin is going to need to juggle some powerful forces and try to appease all sides. Is this even possible?


If someone can do it, it's him.





> (the army could always start a war with Cambodia...that would be timely!)


But that would be terribly stupid. The USA won't allow it and I've serious doubt the army would jeopardize their good relation with the USA




> But the piece by Shawn Crispin (  Asia Times Online :: ASIA HAND : The deal behind Thailand's polls) seems to  suggest a deal has been done between the various factions...This would seem logical. As I wrote a long time ago, I can't see Thaksin/Yingluck/PT starting an investigation into what would be their own armed forces (and police) over the May 2010 deaths. It would be a recipe for unimaginable conflict! And lets also not forget Thaksin has said he wont be seeking revenge (even if his body language suggested the opposite).


AsiaTimes is part of Sondhi's group (Manager, ASTV, TAN ...). So if now Sondhi is on Thaksin side, the democrats are history.
Thaksin is a pragmatic. The army was just following orders, there is nothing personal between them. 

The army acted to restore order between two waring fraction, the PAD and Thaksin. The democrats were just opportunists who saw an empty seat and jumped to fill it without realizing it was much too big for them. 

Now if the PAD doesn't send its thugs in the street to create chaos, there is no reason why Thaksin can't resume power.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Yingluck is cattering to the reds, not all Thais, and for that she is just another divisive red leader
> 
> does anyone seriously think she will serve more than 6 months ?


She makes the perfect front. 

She is conciliatory, doesn't rise to the obvious bait. Avoids conflict. She looks okay. Is charming, almost natural at times. 

Her brother can tell her what to do. She will do it. 

But, he is also being the protective older sibling and there has been talk of another being put forward to be the actual PM. So you may well be right. 

I imagine he might want her to use her obvious talents to get through some of the important/tricky stuff for him first (like the amnesty/Thaksin return). She could do this. She has shown she can deliver the message well. Can speak publicly. Can sway public opinion. Can stay on task and not be distracted. She is obviously a canny operator and knows what to do when dealing with the public....so far....

She hasn't been tested though. Not one bit. There's been no placing of her in situations where she can be examined or pushed. I wonder how she would deal with confrontation. Speaking of which....

She has also interestingly avoided the Cambodian border dispute issue (there was some statement on how Pheu Thai would deal with this differently, but not much else). The thinking there of course is that when Thaksin/Yingluck win the election the border issue will mysteriously disappear or be resolved. As if by magic.... It will indeed be interesting to see if the Hun Sen-Thaksin relationship has been the driving force behind this. Time will tell. However, if it isn't then she will have to deal with this conflict soon and that will demonstrate her true abilities. Personally I think the Preah Vihear issue will be resolved surprisingly soon, some deal made etc etc. The PAD will no doubt kick up a fuss, but they are so insignificant now that no one will take much notice (unless they suddenly find their support increases post-election....! It may....). 

So yeah, I think she may be around for a little while. I wonder for how long though. As long as she is useful I guess or serves the purpose for which she was put forward. There's always Mingkwan, Chalerm or others to do some of the dirty work too, just in case.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*AFP: US nervous ahead of Thai election

US nervous ahead of Thai election*

 By Shaun Tandon (AFP) – 1 hour ago

 WASHINGTON — The United States is nervously watching Sunday's  election in Thailand, with policymakers worried it may set off new  instability that diminishes the role of Washington's oldest Asian ally.

President  Barack Obama's administration has made Southeast Asia a priority but  has focused on building ties with Indonesia and former war foe Vietnam  amid concern that Thailand is too absorbed in internal strife.

US  officials are hoping Thailand's election will proceed smoothly and pave  the way for reconciliation, but some fear for the worst -- particularly  as the campaign has been dominated by divisive former premier Thaksin  Shinawatra.

Kurt Campbell, the assistant secretary of state for  East Asian affairs, said in May that the United States wanted "very much  to work more closely" with Thailand and that the election period would  be "decisive" in setting the course of relations.

The United  States has since reached out to both sides to encourage calm, with a US  envoy meeting recently with opposition leader Yingluck Shinawatra -- the  sister of Thaksin, who was deposed in a 2006 coup and now lives in  exile.

But the United States has been careful not to interject  itself directly in the election. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's  government protested last year when Campbell met members of the "Red  Shirts" waging major street protests.

Foreign policy has not  played a major role in the election. Most observers believe both the  opposition, which enjoys support in rural areas, and Abhisit's  establishment-backed Democrats want warm ties with the United States.

Thailand  is one of Washington's oldest allies, famously offering elephants to  President Abraham Lincoln to wage the Civil War. Thaksin closely  assisted former US president George W. Bush in his global "war on  terrorism."

"Thailand is friendly to the West -- and to pretty  much everyone. But since the 2006 coup, Thai-US relations have been  stuck in neutral and this has given an opportunity for Indonesia,  Vietnam and others to step up to the plate," said Timothy Hamlin, a  research analyst at the Stimson Center.

Hamlin said much of Thai diplomacy now consisted of explaining its complex domestic situation to an overseas audience.

"I  think the ideal outcome from a foreign policy perspective would be  peaceful elections, whichever party is a legitimate victor forms a  government, and the foreign ministry can actually go back to normal  diplomacy," he said.

But the outcome may not be so smooth -- and  it remains to be seen how the United States would react if there were  another intervention by the military, which sees itself as the guardian  of the <redacted>.

The United States suspended some $24  million in defense aid to Thailand after the 2006 coup, in line with US  law that restricts aid to militaries that topple democratic governments.  Washington resumed the assistance in early 2008.

The US response  drew mixed views. Some friends of Thailand -- notably Congressman Eni  Faleomavaega -- accused Washington of needlessly alienating a trusted  ally, while many policymakers saw the aid cutoff as largely symbolic.

Joshua  Kurlantzick, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, expected a  tougher response if the Thai military attempted a new coup.

"It's just so anachronistic. This is not the Cold War; it's 2011. No middle-income emerging democracy has a coup," he said.

In  a circular effect, the rise of other Southeast Asian nations lowered  Thailand's strategic importance and made it easier for the United States  to criticize developments in Bangkok, according to the analyst.

"Thailand  has started to be grouped with states like Vietnam, while in the past  it was grouped with fellow democracies in terms of how people are  viewing them," he said.

Thailand has been seeking to address  foreign concerns, with Abhisit last year deploying Thai forces as UN  peacekeepers in Sudan. Thailand also benefits from a broadly positive  image among the US public.

But conflict involving Thailand has  also remained upfront. Street clashes last year between troops and Red  Shirt protesters left 90 people dead, while at least 28 people died this  year in border fighting with Cambodia.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*In Asia : The Asia Foundation Blog
*
*Will Thaksin Outmaneuver Thailand’s Military and Traditional Elites?*

 June 29, 2011
  By John J. Brandon

Between March and May 2010, Thailand experienced its worst political violence  in decades. Since then, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has insisted  that he and his government are committed to national reconciliation.  Shortly afterward, a truth and reconciliation commission was established  to investigate the military crackdown that culminated in May, leaving  91 dead and more than 2,000 injured.


_Violent  protests in Bangkok ended with a deadly government crackdown on May 19,  2010. Soon after, Prime Minister Vejjajiva established a truth and  reconciliation commission to investigate the crackdown. So far, no one  has been indicted or convicted of any crime. Photo by Roland Dobbins._ 

 This commission is chaired by Kanit na Nakorn,  a former Attorney General. Kanit has experience in heading such  commissions in the past. He was put in charge of investigating the  violence and unrest in Bangkok during the “Black May” of 1992 when 52  people died and 3,500 were arrested, of whom many claimed to have been  tortured. In 2003, Kanit led the investigation of the more than 2,500  extra-judicial killings of suspected drug traffickers in the Thai  government’s war on drugs. In neither of these investigations was anyone  indicted or convicted of committing any crimes. As nothing came of  these investigations, it is highly likely that no one will be charged  with crimes for those murdered or injured in 2010.

On July 3, millions of Thais will cast their votes  for the candidate they wish to lead their country. Polls indicate that  neither major political party, Democrat or the Pheu Thai (“for Thais”),  will win a majority. Although Pheu Thai leads in opinion polls, the  polls suggest that a significant percentage of the Thai electorate  remains undecided with the election just days away. Consequently, minor  parties will likely once again play a crucial role in determining which  party forms the next government.

 Before dissolving parliament, the Abhisit government held a 16-hour,  marathon meeting to put into place a series of populist spending  measures ahead of the election – from a new mortgage subsidy scheme for  first-time home buyers, through low-interest loans for workers in the  informal sector, to transportation and utility subsidies, among others.  Abhisit’s government is hoping such programs will resonate with people  in the Central Plains and the lower part of the northern region to  complement their traditional support from the South and the upper middle  class in Bangkok. Nonetheless, such measures are unlikely to enable the  Abhisit government to win an outright majority.

 The leader of the Pheu Thai party, Yingluck Shinawatra, is a  political newcomer and youngest sister of Thaksin Shinawatra, who is  simultaneously the country’s most divisive and most popular political  figure. Thaksin has remained in self-imposed exile since 2008, after  having been found guilty in absentia of corruption and abuse of power.  Although a political novice, Yingluck has been using her charm and  sex-appeal (the latter being a first in Thai electoral politics) to  strengthen Pheu Thai support in northeastern and northern strongholds,  and is campaigning nationwide, promising credit cards for farmers, debt  relief, and better health care. Yingluck’s campaign promises  of lowering corporate taxes and building a high-speed rail network also  resonate with elements of the Thai business community. But what makes  Yingluck formidable is that her brother remains a key figure behind the  election; and because of the former prime minister’s significant  financial resources, he has the power to dictate who can lead the party.  The party’s election slogan is “Thaksin Thinks, Pheu Thai Does.” 

 If the Pheu Thai wins enough seats to form the next government, Yingluck will become Thailand’s first-ever woman prime minister.  But more significantly, Thaksin may have out-maneuvered the country’s  military, bureaucracy, and other traditional elites. It would allow him  to wield power from behind the scenes without having to be held  accountable to a nation’s populace. Thaksin, through Yingluck and the  Pheu Thai, will attempt to lure the country’s minor political parties  with all kinds of financial incentives in order to form a government.  However, minor political parties may shun these incentives – not because  they would not appreciate them, but out of concern that aligning with  the Pheu Thai would irritate the military and other members of  Thailand’s political establishment.

 Whoever loses the July 3 elections is likely to cry foul. The  election will not resolve Thailand’s five-year political impasse.  Instead, it is likely to serve as a prelude to another round of turmoil.  Under this scenario, about the only thing all Thais will be able to  claim, be they red, yellow, or colorless, is that truth and  reconciliation have not been achieved.

----------


## Calgary

_"Yingluck might be as good-looking as Abhisit, 46, but she has perhaps wisely avoided his challenge to a public debate, something the Oxford-educated, 20-year political veteran excels at_" 

Quote from media propaganda in Post #3525.

This statement is not designed to comment on Abhisit's skills, which are inflated here for effect (As Bettyboo states in a subsequent Post)

As opposed to describing Abhisit, it is is actually a put-down of Yingluck

They are still smarting from their inability to sucker Yingluck into a debate, with which they could roast her later, regardless how the debate went.

----------


## Butterfly

what we see in this election is that Thaksin hasn't change a bit and is doing the same tricks as last time

using members of his family, usually weak, so he can dictate them what he wants them to do

He will be throwing shit as soon as he doesn't get his way, and I hope the election will be canceled or they find a way to kick out PT again

the cattle won't be back in the streets, they have 91 reasons not to do so

----------


## Calgary

> ^Has a link to the BBC Hard Talk interview been posted? On the one hand, he's a weasel, but on the other hand, at least he can explain himself in comprehensible English, unlike the "I'm too vain for an interpreter" Thaksin. What a shame, Mark, you could have done some good, if only you had some balls.


His English is a lot like Jakrapob (sp?)

But Jakrapob is exciled because he was pro-democracy, while a similar guy like Abhi. was elevated.

If Mark had been aligned as Jakrapob, he would also have been on the outside, looking in.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> _"Yingluck might be as good-looking as Abhisit, 46, but she has perhaps wisely avoided his challenge to a public debate, something the Oxford-educated, 20-year political veteran excels at_" 
> 
> Quote from media propaganda in Post #3525.
> 
> This statement is not designed to comment on Abhisit's skills, which are inflated here for effect (As Bettyboo states in a subsequent Post)
> 
> As opposed to describing Abhisit, it is is actually a put-down of Yingluck


And arguably it should be. 

This is supposed to be an election where an unknown is about to assume the position of responsibility for the nation. She should be scrutinised. Put to the test. Properly evaluated. 

Abhisit's record is clear. For good or ill (mostly ill though). 

Yingluck has none. 

However, the party backing her is made up of the same bunch of Thaksin cronies that it always has been, which suggests many things...

She has dodged being pinned down. I don't know about you, but I am usually wary of those who avoid taking responsibility for themselves and worried by those who aren't open to scrutiny......but each to their own eh? You obviously admire those who hoodwink and connive.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> By Peter Janssen
> 
> 
> Seems to be extremely pro-Abhisit... He sneakily pretends to balance out his argument, but his bias is very very clear, and goes against the facts of the last few years...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Excellent and insightful summation.

Have no idea who this Jansen guy is, but by virtue of a Farang name, one could perhaps assume he is involved with Foreign media.

When you analyze his quotes above, you can see how much he has bought into, and copied the Domestic media. 

The foreign media can do that easily. Their home readership would never know that compromised media is being copied, and probably wouldn't care. They have political problems of their own.

It is also my suspicion that foreign media funding is such, that these reporters seldom stray out of Bangkok.

Also, their local, fellow Thai journalists with whom they probably socialise, merely reinforce the domestic media agenda over several beers.

So without any pressure for accuracy from the homefront, and this singular influence locally, it is no wonder the results come out as demonstrated in above Jansen quotes.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Bettyboo
> 
> ..but it means nothing to the Thai electorate..
> 
> 
> Not quite "nothing" - there will be some who are taken by the idea of a Thai PM being able to "talk the talk" in international venues. But it's still a
> point well worth remembering for those occupying the English-language VIP ghetto - almost none of whom has an actual _vote_.


Those Thai people who are taken by the idea of a Thai PM being able to "Talk-the-talk" in international venues are part of his flock anyway, singers in his choir.

He has effectivelly alienated so many of the electoral majority, that beatification wouldn't reverse it.

But then I think too much emphasis is on this guy anyway. One must never lose sight that he is dangling on the end of strings being manipulated by others. That is essentially why he arrived at his status. It certainly was unearned politically.

For anything of political significance, he is just a 'conduit'

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://news.xinhuanet.com/english201...c_13958478.htm

Thai PM says he won't take revenge on red-shirts * 
English.news.cn 
2011-06-30 

 BANGKOK, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit  Vejjajiva said during the ruling Democrat Party's major campaign rally  in Bangkok on Thursday that he has never thought of "taking revenge" on  anyone.

 Abhisit, leader of the Democrat Party, was referring to the  event in 2009, in which the anti-government "red-shirt" supporters  attacked him at Interior Ministry compound.

 "What happened to me that day entitled me to say I have no  thought of taking revenge on anyone," said Abhisit to about thousands of  supporters on Thursday night at the Ratchaprasong intersection,  Bangkok's business area.

 Earlier this morning, Yongyuth Vichaidith, leader of the main  opposition Phue Thai Party, said in the policy debate among six leading  political parties that one of Phue Thai's policy is "not to take  revenge."

 Phue Thai party is affiliated with the red-shirts who took  month-long protests against Abhisit government in 2009 and 2010. The  2010 led to about 90 dead and more than 2,000 injured.

 Abhisit said instead of taking revenge, he was determined to solve political conflict and other problems in Thailand.

 The rally ended about 10:30 p.m. local time as Abhisit was the  last speaker, following Acting Deputy Prime Minister, Democrat Secretary  General Suthep Thuagsuban and former prime minister Chuan Leekpai.

 About 700 metropolitan police were deployed to maintain law and  order and checked for weapons. There is no report of violence during  the rally.

 The election will decide whether the Phue Thai Party,  affiliated with fugitive prime minister Thaksin Shinnawatra and  anti-establishment red-shirt supporters, or the Democrat Party will rule  the country.

 Thailand's general election is set on July 3 after the prime minister dissolved the House of Representatives in early May.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Reverse gear on amnesty: It's just a strategic retreat
*
*Reverse gear on amnesty: It's just a strategic retreat*

                            By Suthichai Yoon
The Nation
                                             Published on June 30, 2011                


*It can best be described as Pheu Thai  back-pedalling, a clear sign of a "strategic retreat" - to fight one  political battle at a time.*

                                                            In politics, timing is everything. First things first. The  immediate goal is to win, and win big in this Sunday's election. And  anything related to an amnesty plan will have to be shelved for the  moment. Thaksin Shinawatra may have made it public on several  occasions that he intends to come home in November this year, suggesting  that he is confident he won't have to face his two-year jail term if  his party heads the next government with his sister Yingluck as prime  minister. But the proposed amnesty could boomerang and may dent the  margin of victory for the party. 

Pheu Thai therefore beat a big  retreat with a statement last week making it clear for the first time  that the party won't pursue amnesty for its de facto leader.

The  move came the day after Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva launched a  verbal offensive at Ratchaprasong Intersection on June 23, aimed at Pheu  Thai's most vulnerable point - the general belief that its primary  goals in winning this election are to absolve the former premier of  guilt, to abolish the court verdict and find ways to return to him the  Bt46 billion in assets seized by court order.

If Pheu Thai were to  win a landslide victory so that it could assume almost absolute power,  the controversial amnesty issue would have to be put aside, at least for  the time being. 

But didn't some of the party's leaders - and  even Thaksin himself -suggest that a blanket amnesty would be on the  way? Blanket amnesty is one thing; a move that could be seen to benefit  only Thaksin is another.

In fact, Pheu Thai's nominal head,  Yongyudh Vichaidit, was compelled to declare during a six-party debate  that the party's executive committee "had never resolved to pursue an  amnesty bill, and any remark on this issue by any party member is merely  a personal view".

He must have been referring to, among others,  repeated comments by Chalerm Yoobamrung, another senior party executive,  who made it his personal mission to trumpet the "Thaksin shall return"  call as the top priority in Pheu Thai's campaign. But he has been  conspicuously absent from the party's public line-up since Yingluck was  named leader for the election campaign.

But what did Thaksin mean  when he told several foreign reporters that he planned to return to  Bangkok later this year - to join the celebration for His Majesty's 84th  birthday and to attend his daughter's wedding in December?

Yingluck,  trying to deflect the negative impact of that statement, explained that  her elder brother had merely "expressed his personal wishes as a father  who obviously would very much like to be with his daughter on such an  important day". 

Downplaying the amnesty-for-Thaksin issue is also  crucial for any Pheu Thai manipulation in inviting smaller parties to  join a coalition. Having rejected Newin Chidchob's Bhum Jai Thai Party  from any possible future association, Pheu Thai's leadership may have to  make sure that Banharn's Chat Thai Pattana will find it politically  unacceptable to join any other future coalition.

In fact, some  Pheu Thai insiders will tell you off the record that they would like to  see Thaksin remain in exile rather than come back here, since without  the "big boss" directing the party's operations at home, they could  still hold some real bargaining power. Of course, publicly they will  invariably argue for "fairness" and "justice" for the former premier.

Pheu  Thai's strategists want to fight one battle at a time. First, win a  landslide victory. Then, form a government in which the party has an  absolute say. Amnesty could come "when the political atmosphere is  right".
"We are not in a hurry to get Thaksin back now," one senior Pheu Thai adviser told a reporter. 

On  the very same day, Chalerm Yoobamrung declared: "The draft bill to  offer Thaksin amnesty to bring him home has been drawn up. If Pheu Thai  forms the next government, it will be immediately presented to the House  for approval."

But the official tone on the issue is: the less it  is discussed publicly, the better the chances of winning the election.  And if you win big, who can stop you from doing what you promised not to  do?

Does Thaksin approve of that long-drawn-out strategy? In  principle, he knows that's the only option. But one never can fully  understand his mood and psyche. He is an impatient man. Making haste  slowly has never been his forte.

----------


## Calgary

^^
*"Abhisit said instead of taking revenge, he was determined to solve political conflict and other problems in Thailand"*

So he has resorted to mimicking Yingluck.

"_If ya can't beat 'em, join 'em_" I guess.

One Political true-ism, is to find the biggest crowd, and get out in front of it.

PT and Yingluck certainly has the biggest crowd, so Abhi is trying to muscle his way into the front as well.

Pitiful. 

Too little, too late and too insincere

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Yingluck: Dubai deal 
*
*Yingluck: Dubai deal ‘a rumour’*
Published: 30/06/2011 at 11:25 AMOnline news: Local News
 Top list candidate of Pheu Thai Yingluck  Shinawatra on Thursday morning brushed aside  reports of a "Dubai deal"  that paves the way for the party to form the next government, saying it  was just a rumour.

 Ms Yingluck said she had no knowledge of a deal and insisted that her  elder brother, fugitive former prime minister Thaksin, is not involved  in politics.

 The _Asia Times Online_ newspaper reported that Wattana  Muangsuk, a list candidate of the Pheu Thai Party and former commerce  minister in the Thai Rak Thai government, had taken Defence Minister  Prawit Wongsuwon to Dubai to make a deal.

 Under the deal, the army would allow Pheu Thai to form a government  in exchange for the Pheu Thai led-administration refraining from taking  legal action against army commanders involved in the bloody crackdown on  the anti-government red-shirt protesters in April and May last year.

 The _Asia Times Online_ said  Pheu Thai had also agreed not to  interfere with the military annual reshuffle in September and that  Thaksin must direct those of his supporters who had attacked the high  institution to stop doing so.

 Mr Wattana also described the report by _Asia Times Online as_  baseless, insisting that he had noy gone  to  Dubai with Gen Prawit as  was reported. He admitted that he had made trips to Dubai to visit  Thaksin because he was a cabinet member in his former government.

 On the reports that on behalf of Thaksin, he had approached key  figures of several political parties inviting them to take part in the  forming of the next administration, Mr Wattana said that was also wrong.

 “I don't have the charisma to do that. I believe there has been no  discussion on the formation of the next government as speculated because  all parties have to wait for the results of the election first,” Mr  Wattana said.

 Asked about the possibility of another coup if  Pheu Thai  forms the  next government, Mr Wattana said it was just a story made up by his  party’s political rivals.

 He expected his party to win at least 250 House seats and possibly as  many as 300 in Sunday's  election. Even with that landslide win,  smaller parties would also be needed in a coalition because a vase  cannot have only flowers, fern fronds are also necessary to make it more  beautiful, he added.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by robuzo
> 
> it's the possibility of amnesty of Thaksin
> 
> 
> Has become a central issue between the two parties. Dems claiming it is the intent of the PTP and PTP claiming it is not. Political rhetoric and argument of intent aside, I am confused as to how this "amnesty" will be accomplished if PTP is in power.
> 
> The Thai courts have convicted, fined and sentenced Thaksin. This is a fact no matter the argument of fairness.
> 
> ...


I'm not sure how this will be accomplished either, unless previous courts are considered the "_military kangaroo courts that they were with their double standards_" and therefore not considered to have been viable. 

And that therefore their politically associated judgments are considered _'null and void'._

But this is just shallow speculation with no substantive support.

----------


## SteveCM

*In Asia : The Asia Foundation Blog*

In The News
*
Does Campaign Rhetoric Resonate or Ring Hollow with Thai Voters?*


                                       June 29, 2011
By Kim McQuay

At first glance, the lead-up to Thailand’s July 3 national  parliamentary election seems little different from previous electoral  countdowns. The campaign period has been fairly low-key, with political  leaders occupied for the most part in defining their individual campaign  personas and fairly measured in their comments on the character and  record of opponents. Only now, in the closing days of the campaign, have  reciprocal criticisms borne a sharper edge.

_Posters  fill Bangkok's streets in the lead up to the election on July 3. Above,  a poster in central Bangkok depicts a political candidate as a monkey  to urge voters to vote "no" on the ballot. Photo by Arpaporn  Winijkulchai._

 The streets and sidewalks of Bangkok are, as in other campaign  seasons, reduced to narrow corridors of colorful campaign posters in  which national political leaders and constituency candidates strike  poses and expressions that range from effortlessly poised to  deliberately irreverent. Some posters feature the clever slogans of  candidates that challenge the political mainstream, including: “Politics  are like Pampers diapers – the more you change them, the better they  are”; “When politicians use the word ‘honest’ how can anyone be happy?”  and “If you love Thailand, then wrong must be wrong and right must be  right.” Others feature less-than-subtle appeals by proponents of the “no” vote,  urging voters to exercise the formal ballot option of rejecting all  political candidates – the latter depicted as a menagerie of drooling  dogs, banana-wielding apes, and vacant-eyed buffalos.

 But while the campaign might appear rather subdued, one has only to  digest the daily editorial sections of national newspapers, visit the  Facebook and Twitter pages of contesting parties or the plethora of  election-related social media sites, engage Bangkok taxi drivers in the  savvy political analyses that they revel in, or mark the thoughtful  reflections of Thai friends and colleagues to appreciate that this  election is different, and one of profound significance to the political  future of Thailand.

 This election follows five years of political tension and tumult, a  period whose legacy includes a succession of disputed parliamentary  elections, judicial dissolution of established political parties and  individual politicians, military intervention, blockades of airports and  government buildings, and large-scale street demonstrations. The crisis  culminated in an angry wave of violence  and bloodshed in the streets of Bangkok in May 2010, traumatizing a  nation that had not experienced political violence on such scale for  nearly two decades. In addition to fueling public apprehension of  further violence, the political crisis has diverted the attention of  government and political leaders from critical issues. These include  national economic recovery, regional leadership and competitiveness,  resolution of the bitter communal conflict in the southern border  provinces, and the heated border dispute with Cambodia over the  management of the Preah Vihear temple site – each of which have barely  figured in campaign discourse.

 While 40 political parties are contesting the election, the key  electoral race is that waged between the incumbent Democrat and  opposition Pheu Thai parties. The Democrats have held power since  December 2008 through a coalition arrangement with several smaller  political parties. As proxy for exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin  Shinawatra, Pheu Thai succeeds several previous Thaksin parties that  were dissolved by the courts. The two parties occupy very different  places in the national political landscape. The Democrats, led by  Oxford-educated Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, have historical ties  to elite interest groups that have tended to prefer guided democracy  over hands-on engagement with the population at large. Pheu Thai  commands a traditional base of support among rural farmers and urban  wage earners, many of whom continue to embrace Thaksin – notwithstanding  the controversies that now surround him – as the first national  political leader to genuinely identify and engage with their needs. Pheu  Thai supporters have extended a similar welcome to Thaksin’s youngest  sister, business executive and political initiate Yingluck Shinawatra,  as the party’s lead candidate for prime minister.

 The respective Democrat and Pheu Thai campaign rhetoric is  predictably divided on certain issues, including the parties’ approaches  to national economic management and political reconciliation following  the May 2010 political violence. The Democrats cite the national  economic recovery as evidence of their able stewardship of the economy,  while Pheu Thai insists that the economic vision, leadership, and  empathy of its rivals do not extend beyond urban elites. The Democrats  likewise point to the institutional steps taken to understand and  determine responsibility for the May 2010 violence, while Pheu Thai  insists that the sum of their efforts amounts to nothing more than  window dressing. Beyond these and other strident differences, the lines  separating the rival parties have converged in nearly identical populist  overtures to ordinary citizens. These appeals to the working class  place Pheu Thai on familiar terrain, while the Democrats adjust to a  strategy borrowed from Thaksin’s grassroots playbook and bureaucrats  struggle to calculate how the nation will bear the expense of  implementing whichever of the rival populist undertakings prevails at  the ballot box.

 Independent local public opinion polls conducted over the course of  the election campaign have consistently placed Pheu Thai ahead of the  Democrats. The polls acknowledge that a significant percentage of the  voting population remains undecided, but stop short of projecting  whether one or other party stands within reach of an outright majority  of 251 or more seats on Election Day. Tradition holds that the party  that wins the most seats, short of a full majority, has first right to  form a coalition government through alliance with smaller political  parties. While speculation abounds – and, in the closing days of the  campaign, includes increasing talk of an outright Pheu Thai victory –  the most widely held view among election watchers has been that the next  government will be determined through a coalition arrangement. In  reflecting on prospective Democrat or Pheu Thai coalitions, one can  imagine the combination of historical considerations, unusual  precedents, and risk assessments that must weigh in the calculus of  small parties that are positioned to play a determining role in the  final outcome.

 Speculation was further stirred by the recent remarks of the senior  army commander who, after asserting that the military would not  interfere in the election, cryptically added that voters would do well  to vote for “good candidates and parties” and to avoid a repeat of  recent elections. The remarks have drawn criticism from some quarters  and prompted debate on the prospect of blanket amnesties that Pheu Thai  seemed previously ready to discuss but from which it has recently  distanced itself. Observers have also asked whether the added comments  indicate that military influence over electoral politics will remain a  significant factor or thinly-veiled threat in post-election settlement.  Will the election results stand as an expression of popular will,  regardless of the outcome? Have understandings and agreements already  been struck among key stakeholders that will guide the formation of the  next government? 

 Taking stock of the combination of change and continuity in the  election environment, it is arguable that the factor that most  distinguishes the 2011 election campaign and the broader governance  environment from past experience is a sharpening of the political  understanding, values, and expectations of the Thai people. The Asia Foundation’s 2010 national public perception survey  found that 93 percent of respondents of legal voting age maintained  that democracy is the best form of government, while 59 percent observed  that the optimal democratic government is one that is most  representative of the citizenry. At the same time, respondents held  little confidence in the integrity of elected Members of Parliament;  believed that elected officials care little for ordinary citizens;  conveyed a low sense of individual and collective political efficacy;  and called for a process of national reconciliation as the route back  from the brink of political chaos. By the standard of public values and  expectations of this kind – from those that animate conversations in  rural tea shops to those that flood the internet – campaign rhetoric  rings hollow. Clearly, Thai voters face difficult choices in weighing  the respective strengths and weaknesses of rival political parties and  candidates that take the current electoral stage clothed in a  combination of assets and liabilities, virtues and vices, and  certainties and question marks. However, there is a strong sense in this  election campaign that voters are clear in their understanding that  Thailand’s future political settlement is not a one-off choice between  old and new political orders, between rival political parties, or  between traditional elite-guided democracy and a more broadly inclusive  model of governance that takes greater account of citizen views and  expectations.

 The international community joins the people of Thailand in their  hope for a free, fair, and credible election; a spirit of thoughtful  dialogue, sensitivity, and compromise among all stakeholders as the  results are confirmed; and trust and confidence in the will of the  electorate.  

_Kim McQuay is The Asia Foundation’s country representative in Thailand. He can be reached at kmcquay[at]asiafound.org. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the individual author and not those of The Asia Foundation._

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai Democrats struggle in 'Red Shirt' heartland - [at]Latest news around the world and developments close to home - MSN Malaysia News

By Agence France-Presse, Updated: 6/30/2011

*Thai Democrats struggle in 'Red Shirt' heartland*

In  the northern hinterlands that may hold the key to victory in a hard  fought Thai election, the ruling party seems as unpopular as ever,  despite decades of wooing rural voters.

The  establishment-backed Democrats came to power in a parliamentary vote  two years ago but it is almost 20 years since they won a popular  mandate, and observers say a flatlining campaign is unlikely to reverse  their fortunes.

It's a quandary that candidate Suntorn Leeseetuan  was reluctant to admit as he hit the campaign trail ahead of Sunday's  vote, in a long-shot bid to win a seat for the Democrats in his  northeastern hometown of Khon Kaen.

"It's not too bad, at least  they don't throw eggs at me," the 51-year-old told AFP, referring to a  fate that befell the deputy prime minister in another stronghold of the  opposition Puea Thai party.

The rural north and northeast are home  to more than half of the Thai electorate, and are the heartland of the  "Red Shirt" anti-government protest movement.

The mainly  working-class Reds took to the streets of Bangkok last year in two  months of mass demonstrations aimed at toppling the Democrats and Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, a man they say is a puppet for an unelected  elite.

The Reds' loyalties lie instead with Thaksin Shinawatra,  the charismatic but controversial former premier who won over the rural  and urban poor with his populist policies such as cheap healthcare  before his ouster in 2006.

Seen as corrupt and authoritarian by  the elites, he nevertheless tapped into resentment against Thailand's  centralised governance and had a relaxed style of leadership that  appealed to farmers -- unlike the more reserved Abhisit.

"I think  he comes across as a very cold leader in an ivory tower," said Thai  academic Pavin Chachavalpongpun, at the Institute of Southeast Asian  Studies in Singapore.

"He looks so uncomfortable every time he goes to the rice fields."

Not  convinced by Oxford-educated Abhisit's attempts to emulate Thaksin's  vote-winning platform, the Reds' mistrust of the Democrats was only  inflamed by the army's assaults on their 2010 protests, during which  more than 90 people died.

"Listen to me, the Democrats will not  win," an amulet seller told AFP, as election hopeful Suntorn was  campaigning in a Khon Kaen market.

"People who died weren't shot  by civilians. They were shot by the military. People in Bangkok know  what was going on... they don't want to take responsibility," said the  seller, whose stall bore a picture of Thaksin.

When blue-shirted Suntorn saw the image, he walked swiftly past.

Anger  here seems to directed mainly at the Democrats' top brass: on several  election posters bearing pictures of both Suntorn and Abhisit, the local  candidate's face is untouched, while the leader's image is cut or  blacked out.

As Thailand's oldest party, a conservative and  pro-monarchy force, the Democrats have traditional support bases in the  south and Bangkok among both middle-class and the elites. It came to  power in 2008, it is widely assumed, with army help.

Although  rising consumer prices are thought to be compounding the Democrats'  current difficulties, the economy has shown resilience under the party's  helm, in the face of the global financial crisis and last year's  political turmoil.

Yet Abhisit and his team have been wrong-footed  by the appointment of Thaksin's youngest sister, Yingluck Shinawatra,  as the Puea Thai's main candidate for premier and a political proxy for  her fugitive brother.

The cheerful businesswoman and political  newcomer has quickly appealed to the masses with a slick and  well-managed campaign, riding on Thaksin's popularity and populist  approach.

"The momentum is with Yingluck and if nothing untoward  happens she can expect to end on a high," said a Western diplomat in  Bangkok.

"The Democrats really are sort of flatlining."

In a  last-ditch bid to reverse his flagging fortunes, Abhisit last week  launched a scathing attack on his rivals at the site of the Red Shirts'  rally last year, calling on voters to "get rid of the poison of  Thaksin."

But Pavin said such negative campaigning was a "very  risky" approach that could drive away the large chunk of undecided  voters, especially as many feel the Democrats have failed to close  Thailand's deep political divide.

"I think people feel they have widened the rift," he said.

----------


## longway

> Originally Posted by longway
> 
> Thaksin wanted people to die for him and made sure that they did, and that's the truth of it.
> 
> 
> The only truth of it is that 91 innocent protesting citizens were shot to shreds on the streets of the capital, by abisits murderous illegitimat junta criminals.
> 
> Forgot who declared the live fire zones have you.


You forget alot more than me.

----------


## Bettyboo

> However, a late minor swing back in the Dem's favour was always on the cards as the Yingluck effect wore off and the undecideds go for what they know, rather than an unknown.


Why? What logic is this? Momentum grows, that's the proven logic...




> but the party is essentially the same bunch of 'interesting' characters....


As are the others...




> Momentum is with Pheu Thai. They are the only ones who could screw this up now. All signs indicate that the election will proceed and Pheu Thai are going to win comfortably.


They have been slick; I've been surprised.




> The Dem's late tactic of using the May 2010 arson to try to win votes doesn't appear to be working either.


Ridiculous naivity; awful tactic...




> then of course there's always a party dissolution case that can be conjured up....everyone is aware of how compromised the judiciary is.


Quite.




> But the piece by Shawn Crispin ( Asia Times Online :: ASIA HAND : The deal behind Thailand's polls) seems to suggest a deal has been done between the various factions...


Nope. All sides trying to play all sides as per usual. Deals are never done here; the army/bluebloods almost always stick together, that's the only proven pattern in Thai politics...




> The army acted to restore order between two waring fraction, the PAD and Thaksin.


Untrue. The PAD are a tool of the army/bluebloods, that is very obvious.

----------


## Calgary

> Thaksin and his gang made the fatal mistake of not sharing with the other gangs. Result, all the other gangs turned against him and suddenly he was no longer the big boss.
> 			
> 		
> 
> Don't agree with this. There's only one 'Don' in Thailand. Everyone has to share with him and show complete obedience to him or else. He's got his hitmen by his side all the time and when necessary they come out and do the deed to anyone who even thinks they might be born equal. That's the total truth.


*YUP!.........*

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Analysis: A Thaksinomics renaissance in Thailand | Reuters
*
*Analysis: A "Thaksinomics" renaissance in Thailand*

 
 By Jason Szep
                  BANGKOK |          Thu Jun 30, 2011 1:45am EDT         

  (Reuters) - Festive campaign posters across Thailand promise voters the world in Sunday's election: free tablet PCs, wage increases, high-speed trains, tax cuts. The list goes on.

  These could deliver a burst of  consumer spending and investment but also fuel a host of problems --  from higher debt to delays in economic reforms and an inflationary rise  in the cost of business in Southeast Asia's second-largest economy.

With  inflation already accelerating, and the economy slowing, some  economists question whether Thailand is ready for a new round of  "Thaksinomics," as the signature expansionary policies of ousted prime  minister Thaksin Shinawatra are known.

But that looks inevitable, regardless of who wins.

"Everyone  seems to compete over how much more they can hand out than the other  party without looking at the bigger picture -- the long-term sustainable  growth," Bank of Thailand Assistant Governor Paiboon Kittisrikangwan  told Reuters in an interview.

Policies  of the two main parties are strikingly similar, promoting big-ticket  spending on infrastructure projects - from high-speed trains to subway  extensions - and various giveaways aimed at boosting spending power,  especially in rural areas.

That  approach helped Thaksin, a telecoms magnate, score landslide election  wins in 2001 and 2005 before his ouster in a 2006 coup. His programs --  from low-cost health care to cheap credit -- were so popular the current  government adopted them.

Ahead in  opinion polls as candidate for prime minister, Thaksin's younger sister,  Yingluck Shinawatra, promises to revive her brother's policies if her  Puea Thai (For Thais) party wins enough votes to govern.

The  rival Democrat Party of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva promises  similar short-term populist measures and could end up ruling again if  Puea Thai wins the most votes but fails to form a coalition, as some  predict.

"If you look closely at  the two parties' policies, there is not that much difference," said  Usara Wilaipich, an economist at Standard Chartered Bank in Bangkok.

THAKSINOMICS - KNOCK-ON EFFECT

In  theory, billions of extra dollars pumped into Thailand's rural economy  will stimulate consumption, creating a Keynesian multiplier effect.

Under  Thaksin, money funneled into villages through a debt moratorium for  farmers and cheap loans had a knock-on effect on the whole economy,  fuelling a boom in household spending.

Gross  domestic product (GDP) grew on average by 5.7 percent a year between  2002 and 2006, despite the headwinds of high oil prices, the Iraq war  and an outbreak of the SARS virus. That compared with growth of 2.2  percent in 2001 and the economic turmoil of the late 1990s.

But  critics said Thaksinomics was little more than pork-barrel politics and  failed to substantially boost jobs or end a dependency on exports,  which were equivalent to about 50 percent of total GDP in 2005, a ratio  that is now about 65 percent.

The cheap credit also drove household debt as a percentage of income above 57 percent from below 50 percent in 2001.

The largesse this time around could cause other problems, depending on how it is funded or whether it gets watered down.

Thailand's  debt-to-GDP ratio already was expected to rise from a current 42  percent to above 60 percent -- generally regarded as the safe limit for  developed economies -- within six years, according to the central bank.  Sudden expansionary policies could accelerate that trend.

Developing or emerging economies are generally urged to keep debt-to-GDP ratio at around 40 percent.

Thailand's  problems are compounded by weak tax revenues. Its proportion of tax  revenue to GDP is just 17 percent. Compare that with 27 percent in Japan or about 40 percent in Britain.

"This  is a real economic risk going forward," Nuchjarin Panarode, an  economist at Capital Nomura in Bangkok, said of the impact on Thailand's  finances. "They may only implement some of the populist policies,  otherwise it would mean major funding."

Paiboon  at the central bank said that while the size of the budget over the  past four years had swollen by 8.8 percent a year, revenue had grown by  less than half that rate, at 4.2 percent. And 80 percent of Thailand's  budget goes into current expenditure, with less than 17 percent pumped  into investments.

He said the next  government needed to consider major tax reforms, such as raising its 7  percent value-added tax and closing tax loopholes.

"WAGE-PRICE SPIRAL"

Another  worry is inflation, which reached 4.2 percent in May, its highest in 32  months, and could accelerate to nearly 15 percent if the opposition  prevails with promises to lift the minimum wage to 300 baht ($15) a day,  said Tisco Securities.

That is 40  percent above the current average minimum wage. While campaigning on  Wednesday, Yingluck suggested the minimum wage would keep rising under  her administration, reaching 1,000 baht a day within nine years.

The  Democrats promise to lift the minimum wage by 25 percent over two  years. Both parties face pressure to reverse a trend in which Thailand's  minimum wage has trailed inflation for the past decade -- an issue that  has fueled working-class frustrations that led to violent protests last  year.

"The key risk is that inflation will be extremely higher," Tisco said.

Higher  wages could threaten Thailand's cost advantage. An average Thai factory  worker earned $263 a month according to a 2010 survey by the Japan  External Trade Organization, less than India's $269, Malaysia's $298 or  China's $303.

Economists at Credit  Suisse said Thailand could see a "mini wage-price spiral" that would  keep pressure on the Bank of Thailand to be "more hawkish than initially  expected this year," following seven increases in the benchmark policy  rate by a total 175 basis points since last July.

Chutima  Woramontri, an economist at BNP Paribas, said the key policies of  Yingluck's party would cost about 264 billion baht ($8.5 billion) -  including cutting corporate tax from 30 to 23 percent next year and to  20 percent the year after.

Puea  Thai has also promised to introduce credit cards for farmers, raise the  wage for new graduates in state enterprises by 41 percent and provide a  two-million-baht payout to each of Thailand's 73,000 villages.

About  800,000 children entering the school system would also receive a free  tablet PC under policies intended to cement the party's appeal among the  urban and rural poor.

That's a  crucial demographic in a country in which the richest 20 percent of the  population earns about 55 percent of the income while the poorest fifth  gets 4 percent, among Asia's widest income disparities, according to the  World Bank.

The Democrats have  promised to build a high-speed rail network, extend subsidies on diesel,  provide free electricity for low-income households and raise farm  incomes by 25 percent through subsidies among other policies.

Chutima at BNP said the key Democrat promises would cost about 235 billion baht ($7.6 billion).

The central bank is urging whoever wins the election to keep the current government's pledge to balance the budget by 2015.

Pimonwan  Mahujchariyawong, an economist at Kasikorn Research Center, said a  combination of reducing public holdings in state enterprises, private  sector investments and state funds could help the next government meet  its promises.

"There is room to  draw private participants into government investment projects,  especially profit-making projects. That could help the government  proceed with key public projects," she said.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> But Jakrapob is exciled because he was pro-democracy, while a similar guy like Abhi. was elevated.
> 
> If Mark had been aligned as Jakrapob, he would also have been on the outside, looking in.


Jakrapob would have been a good PM in my opinion. You're right he is quite articulate and sensible. They elites ran him out of the country on trumped up charges of LM because he talked about Thailand's corrupted bureaucratic patronage society (I heard him speak - he was making reference to the patronage of inter-family connections and remnants of Sakdina culture - not royal patronage - but they cooked his goose anyway). He's been very quiet in recent years. Anyone know where he is?

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thaksin lawyer suspects fraud in Thai election*

*        Posted By Joshua Keating 
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 - 11:50 AM     * 



 I spoke this week with Robert Amsterdam, a Canadian lawyer whose made a  name for himself in recent years representing prominent business and  political leaders who've fallen afoul of authoritarian regimes,  including Russia's Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Singapore's Chee Soon Juan.  

  Amsterdam is currently representing former Thai Prime Minster Thaksin  Shinawatra, who was deposed in a miltiary coup in 2006 and has filed a petition  on his behalf in the International Criminal Court against current Thai  Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, accusing him of the massacre of  civilians during last year's Red Shirt protests.  

  Although currently living in exile in Dubai and facing a wide array of  criminal charges in his home country, Thaksin is certainly still a factor in this week's Thai election, in which the Puea Thai party led by his sister Yingluck is currently leading in the polls. But Amsterdam isn't ruling out foul play by the Thai government, pointing to recent reports of ballot irregularities:   Whether it will be an army coup or the kind of fraud we’ve already been  seeing – it’s come out that not only are the ballots mismarked with the  Puea Thai emblem very small but on the actual ballot, if you mark the  Puea Thai spot, the ink is drying and you can’t see the vote.       

 Even now that we’ve seen the polls -- showing that  majority have turned to Puea Thai – with all the forces arrayed against  the people of Thailand, - whether the government they want will be  elected is a big question mark.Amstedam also drew parallels between the Thai opposition and recent  developments in the Arab world, saying that the Red Shirts "see  themselves as the beginning of the Jasmine Revolution" and wondering why  the United States continues to provide support to a military whose  "only successes seem to be against unarmed civilians." He also accused  the Western financial press and business interests of accepting the Thai  government's demonization of Thaksin and the Red Shirts:  The western financial industry seems to be supporting the continued  rule of the Democrats, even though it's clear they're not the party the  majority of people want. Somehow the narrative has emerged that Thailand  being governed by a government that is not popular is more stable than  being governed by a government that is popular. I think that's pretty  frightening. You would think after the Arab Spring and what's happened  in Russia with Putin, that we in financial circles and the western media  would stop voting for autocracy.          The Thai government has attempted to protray Yingluck as a proxy  candidate for her brother, aimed solely at rehabilitating him. I asked  Amsterdam how involved his client was in the Puea Thai campaign. He said  he couldn't be sure, but that Yingluck "has turned out to be a dream  candidate. If you watch this woman campaign, she seems to have it all --  not only the right answers but a really moderated tone. There's this real  electoral prodigy out there, and she just happens to be Thaksin's sister."  

  Whether that's enough will become clear on Sunday.

----------


## StrontiumDog

BBC News - Thailand's election and the rural debt trap

29 June 2011 Last updated at 06:21 GMT                *

Thailand's election and the rural debt trap*

                                By Vaudine England                 
BBC News, Taai Ban Mai, Thailand


Politicians are making grand promises ahead of national elections, stoking fears of surging public debt.

                      Thailand's  politicians have been promising anything from 25% wage hikes to free  laptops in a bid to woo voters in Sunday's general election. But behind  the promises lies a system which experts say keeps many Thais heavily in  debt.

         Orapin Yaemyai wanted to start a small business frying fish  balls to sell at market. She went to a local moneylender, and was soon  caught in a cycle of rocketing interest payments.

         "At the beginning I could pay them daily," said the 34-year-old mother of two.

         "But customers got bored so I thought I had to create  something new, so I borrowed more money. There was more and more debt -  it got beyond me."
         Ms Yaemyai should not have needed to go to moneylenders.

         As a small-scale entrepreneur, she should have been able to  benefit from the Village Fund - a system of funding for rural Thailand  instituted by former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra a decade ago.

         The policy - which allocates 1m baht ($32,000; £20,000) to  each of Thailand's almost 75,000 villages - helped bring him to power in  2001.

         It is supported by the main opposition Pheu Thai party -  which Mr Thaksin in effect controls from exile in Dubai. And the current  government also supports the policy.

      But there are problems. Ms  Yaemyai found the paperwork required to get some of the funding too  onerous, so went to the loan sharks instead.

         Chuchart Doonyapapassorn, village head in Taai Ban Mai,  Samutprakarn province, near Bangkok, says most people do not use money  from the fund in a productive way.

         "There are some good points with the fund, but not many," he said.

         "It's good for anyone who has a business trade or who has had  a financial accident. But the useless part of it is the people who  borrow to spend it to pay back loans. And they spend it wastefully."

         Mr Doonyapapassorn says the fund is called on most heavily at  times of the English football FA Cup Final, so people can lay bets.

         The fund was a revolutionary idea when Mr Thaksin first came  up with policies directed towards the ordinary Thai, rural and urban.

      It has been supported, even  expanded, by subsequent governments. A committee in every village  administers the revolving credit, which people are supposed to pay back  on set terms every year.

         The government of Abhisit Vejjajiva is aware of the growing  addiction to easy money, and his ministers have been desperately  searching for a way to compete with the Thaksin legacy.

         His government has enlisted state banks to buy up expensive  debts, and refinance them at much lower rates of interest for repayment.

         But this too has been open to exploitation. Some Thai  villagers simply found a friend to act as a loan shark, and concocted  fake debts that the state bank would then buy up.

         Ammar Siamwalla, senior economist at the Thailand Development  Research Institute, said the money from the Village Fund is useful in  that it stays in the village, and can be reinvested.

         But he said the system fails to solve larger problems.

         "Politicians know that for the Thai government to increase  technological, marketing and human resource is laughable, they haven't a  clue," he said.

         "But credit is easy. All you do is dish out money. This government is particularly bad at that."

         He says elections have become part of the game, and Mr Abhisit's government finds itself at a disadvantage.

         "They can't say 'we'll give you more'. Why didn't they give it in the first instance?" said Mr Siamwalla. 

         "Yes it is an auction. It's obscene. It's very contemptuous of the electorate."


*The Village Fund*

 Implemented by then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2001 Allocates 1m baht to each of Thailand's almost 75,000 villages Individual loans usually a few thousand baht (about $100) One of the most quickly implemented micro-credit programmes in the world No political party is aiming to end it

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thais Face Prison for Twitter, Facebook Campaigning on Election Day-Eve - Bloomberg
*
*Thais Face Prison for Twitter, Facebook Campaigning on Election Day-Eve*

                                                                                                                    By                     Daniel Ten Kate and Supunnabul Suwannakij                  -                                  Jun 30, 2011 12:21 PM GMT+0700                             

                      Thai candidates and their supporters face jail time if caught campaigning on social media websites Twitter or Facebook on the evening before the July 3 election, police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said. 

 Thai law forbids campaigning after 6 p.m. on the night before the vote until midnight the next day, with offenders facing a 10,000 baht ($326) fine and six months in prison. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Yingluck Shinawatra, who heads the main opposition Pheu Thai party, both plan to hold final campaign rallies tomorrow night. 

 “We have to monitor what the candidates say and do,” Prawut said by phone, adding they could be disqualified if violating the law. About 100 police officers are ready to monitor about 1,000 websites, he said. Alcohol sales will also be banned nationwide in that time. 

 Abhisit’s Democrat party, seeking its first election win since 1992, is trailing Pheu Thai in opinion surveys. A win for Yingluck’s party would be the fifth straight in elections dating back to 2001 for allies of her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. 

 Polls open at 8 a.m. on July 3 and close at 3 p.m. The Election Commission plans to announce unofficial results after 8 p.m., according to spokesman Paiboon Lekprom. 

 The commission can punish candidates found guilty of cheating with either a “yellow card,” making them stand in a re-run by-election, or a “red card” that disqualifies them for one year, he said. About 70 percent of Thailand’s 67 million people are eligible to vote. 

 A poll released June 19 by the Bangkok-based Suan Dusit Rajabhat University showed Pheu Thai with 52 percent of the vote and the Democrats with 34 percent. Of the 500 parliamentary seats up for grabs, 375 are chosen in districts and 125 through proportional representation.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Video news report from the BBC. Click the link, but it summarises points most will already know about. 

BBC News - Thaksin Shinawatra's sister in Thailand PM bid

*Thaksin Shinawatra's sister in Thailand PM bid*

30 June 2011 Last updated at 02:47 GMT           
_
Controversial former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin  Shinawatra's younger sister, Yingluck, is standing to follow in her  brother's footsteps._

_All recent opinion polls suggest current Prime Minister  Abhisit's Democrat Party is trailing behind Yingluck Shinawatra's Pheu  Thai party._

_Critics say the party is in effect controlled by Mr Thaksin  and Mr Abhisit has warned the country may face renewed political  instability if Mr Thaksin returns from exile._

_Thais go to polls on 3 July._

_Rachel Harvey reports._

----------


## StrontiumDog

(please note, I was going to include Saksith's interview, but one of the foreign interviewers strayed into topics that are forbidden, so it isn't added here. Click the link for the interview)

Read more: Thai Elections: Lions, Tigers, and Bears? Vote 'No'! | The Stream - Al Jazeera English

*Thai Elections: Lions, Tigers, and Bears? Vote 'No'!*

_A beastly campaign urging voters to abstain from  electing specific officials has the blogosphere buzzing, and critics  becoming more leery about the effects of social media conversations on  Thailand's upcoming elections._ 

The Stream interviewed Saksith Saiyasombut, a Thai political blogger.

Thai law mandates that all citizens vote in the country's  elections, but for voters who are unhappy with their choice of  candidates, there is a unique option: "No." A campaign movement created  by People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), or the Yellow Shirts, is  encouraging citizens exercise that option and 'Vote No' on election day.  Dissatisfied with corruption and disorganization, the movement aims to  use this option to create further political instability, forcing  officials to reevaluate the voting system. Campaign posters depict  animals dressed as politicians, emphasising that all of politicians are  "wild beasts." Mong Palatino wrote up an explanation on Global Voices.

PAD believes the people must reject the  corrupt electoral system which they think is dominated by power hungry  politicians. Instead, they want political and electoral reforms to be  instituted first.                                                     

  

Not all "Vote 'No'" supporters are affiliated with PAD.  Demonstrators have been taking to the streets in support of the movement  but motivated by different reasons.




“I vote no because [current candidates] only  want money and power,” said Jakhawan Agachat, 51, while she handed out  information pamphlets.  Brathuan Broongkamma, on the other hand, voiced  disapproval of politicians’ behavior. “We’ve noticed politicians act as  animals in the parliament. They’re impolite, just like animals,”  explained the For Heaven and Earth supporter, as he shook his placard of  a buffalo in a suit.isaanrecord.com 

Another demonstrator, who identified himself  as Ajarn Jinda, was more concerned with a corrupt voting system than  with the candidates themselves. “I don’t believe in the voting process  in Thailand. People don’t focus enough on the process. They only focus  on who will be the next prime minister,” he complained.
isaanrecord.com                     

A counter campaign has been launched by the United Front  for Democracy Against Dictatorship, or Red Shirts, citing that a  20-percent 'no' result could have a negative effect on the country's  political structure.

Some pundits warn that a 20 percent ‘no’  result would affect the political stability of Thailand since some  forces might interpret it as loss of confidence of the people on the  legitimate institutions of the country.
globalvoicesonline.org                     

"Vote 'Yes'" stickers have been placed by on "Vote 'No'"  posters around the country. Many netizens are sharing images of the  campaigns via Twitter.

 
With the country's Facebook and  Twitter usage skyrocketing in the recent year, Thailand's political  pundits have turned to social media in an effort to rally support in the  2011 election. Incumbent Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and main opposition candidate Yingluck Shinawatra are both very active online.

Yingluck Shinawatra's Twitter Page:
  

Yingluck Shinawatra's Facebook Page:
 

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Twitter Page:                                    



Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Facebook Page:
 

Although some are critical of social media's role in the upcoming election...

In Thai society, it is widely believed that  television is the best media political parties can employ to garner  support for their candidates or discredit their rivals.thailandoutlook.tv 

The primary tool Apirak mentioned is not the  mainstream media like newspapers, radios and television that we are  familiar with, but it is the major means of communication that his party  will employ apart from outdoor and print media or even door-to-door  visits.thailandoutlook.tv 

It is undeniable that with the recent surge in online  usage, social media forums like Facebook and Twitter will certainly have  a part to play in who becomes Thailand's next political leader.

Based on growth over the last six months,  Thailand is the third fastest growing market in the world’s top 20  behind only India and Brazil. That is very significant as Facebook very  much remains the new boy in these two huge countries having only just  surpassed Google’s Orkut in both markets.asiancorrespondent.com


asiancorrespondent.com 

The introduction of a dedicated Thai-language  version of the site, combined with the Bangkok protests – which saw  Thai netizens flock to Facebook for updates and discussion – helped  drive increased adoption as groups of friends migrated over from from  Hi5, Friendster and others.asiancorrespondent.com 
 socialbakers.com

----------


## Thormaturge

Perhaps if Abhisit displays his support for Phuea Thai, maybe he will make some friends.



 Yes, that's right, Abhisit, party number one.

----------


## lom

> Now if the PAD doesn't send its thugs in the street to create chaos, there is no reason why Thaksin can't resume power.


Thaksin doesn't necessarily have to resume  power as PM, at this point in time it is enough for him to be able to control the governing party.
His time will come when the inevitable happens and he and his buddy the sprog can end their self imposed exile. It will be the time for Thaksin to cash in on the investment he has made over more than 10 years time.
Thaksin will be much needed at that time for his superior marketing skills..

----------


## lom

> Ms Yingluck said she had no knowledge of a deal and insisted that her elder brother, fugitive former prime minister *Thaksin, is not involved in politics*.


Sell me a bridge Yingluck.. :rofl:

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Alcohol and online campaigning banned*
Published: 30/06/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsAny political campaigning via Facebook, Twitter and other online social  networks will be banned from 6pm on Saturday until midnight on Sunday,  police said.

No alcohol will be on sale or served during these hours as well, police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri said.

More than 900 websites will be monitored for signs of a breach of the electoral law during those hours, Pol Maj Gen Prawut said.

 The ban covers not only political parties and their candidates but also the general public.

 Pol Maj Gen Prawut said the use of online campaigning tools such as  Facebook and Twitter is of serious concern and police are stepping up  efforts in making the users aware of the restriction.

 "We are asking the Election Commission to help spread the word," he  said. He added police had received some complaints about vote-buying but  found nothing when looking into them.Police have set up a hotline,  1599, for the public to report irregularities they suspect in the  election campaign.

----------


## SteveCM

^



> The ban covers not only political parties and their candidates but also the general public.


Quite a potential trap for the unwary..... not to mention a ripe opportunity for some post-election shenanigans to "adjust" the result.

----------


## Butterfly

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Ms Yingluck said she had no knowledge of a deal and insisted that her elder brother, fugitive former prime minister *Thaksin, is not involved in politics*.
> 
> 
> Sell me a bridge Yingluck..


shhhhtt, our reds supporters haven't noticed  :Razz:

----------


## StrontiumDog

*EC invites envoys from EU, 10 countries to observe election
*
*EC invites envoys from EU, 10 countries to observe election*

                                      The Election Commission has invited representatives from 10 countries and the EU to observer the Sunday election.

EC  secretary-general Sutthipol Thaweechaikarn said the EC had invited  representatives of the EU and ten countries to observe the election.

The ten countries are Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, South Korea, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Switzerland and Japan.

The Nation

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

       Army chief affirms no coup if Pheu Thai wins election; says he's ready to be transferred to an inactive post

10 minutes ago

----------


## SteveCM

*World Blog - 'Pretty, rich and smart' woman to be Thailand's first female PM?*

13 hours ago

*
'Pretty, rich and smart' woman to be Thailand's first female PM?

*
_Paula Bronstein / Getty Images
Yingluck  Shinawatra reaches out to shake hands with supporters after speaking at  a rally during her election campaign on June 29, 2011 in Burirum,  Thailand._


_By Warangkana Chomchuen_
_NBC News_

BANGKOK,  Thailand  Less than a week before Sundays general election, opinion  polls unanimously suggest that Thailand is likely to get the first  female prime minister. Only a few months ago she was nowhere near the  political limelight. But its not that hard to see why Yingluck entered  into politics with a bang and is rising quickly to the countrys top  job.

Her last name is Shinawatra. She shares it with her older  brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, the two-time elected prime minister who was  ousted in a 2006 military coup, and is now living as a fugitive from  Thai justice in Dubai.

Thaksin picked his sister over other  candidates to lead the Pheu Thai, or For Thai, party that he founded  originally as Thai Rak Thai. This nepotism, to some peoples disdain,  turned out to be a brilliant move on Thaksins part.

Despite  little political experience, the 44-year-old business executive has  generated as much buzz as a veteran politician: Yingluck has monopolized  covers of major political weekly magazines for weeks. Thousands  gathered to wait under the blazing sun to see her on her campaign tour.

 I  know you love my brother Thaksin, she cooed in northern dialect to an  animated crowd of supporters in Chiang Rai. I wonder if you could also  love me, Thaksins little sister?

At another appearance in a  northeastern province, a group of a hundred schoolgirls rushed to greet  her after her helicopter descended. They squealed as they pushed to get  close to her, busily snapping photos from cell phones while holding up  one index finger to show support for her party, which is No. 1 on the  ballot.

*Pretty, rich and smart

*Yingluck embodies the suai, ruai, keng  a Thai description of pretty, rich and smart woman.

She looks youthful, confident and at ease. Cameras love to capture her ceaseless smiles.

Her  clout and celebrity aura match those of her major rival, Abhisit  Vejjajiva, prime minister and leader of the ruling Democrat Party.

They  are equally presentable: under 50, well-educated, and successful in  professional and personal life (married with kids), which differentiate  them from other candidates.

But while Abhisits Oxford education,  wit, charm and impeccable British-accent English translate well with  elites and the Bangkok middle class, these qualities often alienate him  from residents of rural parts of the country, who make up the majority  of the vote.

He may exude confidence and poise at international  forums or during interviews, but when mingling with crowds, hes stiff,  appearing uneasy before his constituents.

Yingluck, on the other  hand, is easier to connect with. Her provincial upbringing and self-made  success at her family-run telecommunications and real estate companies  make her likeable. Thai people feel that she and her brother understand  the hardship and grievances of the poor. 

*Thaksins clone

*Her supporters are aware shes a political  novice. But they also trust that she has an army of top-notched  political pundits and economic advisers lurking behind the scene to  support her and even coach her public speaking.

Her shrewdest  campaign manager is Thaksin, the actual de facto leader of the party. He  called Yingluck my clone and the Pheu Thai party readily responds by  using a slogan, Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai implements.

Yingluck isnt the first Thaksins proxy premier candidate.

Thailand had two prime ministers who acted as Thaksins proxies, but they didnt last very long.

Cantankerous  Samak Sundaravej was forced by court order to resign overa  conflict of  interest linked to his cooking show on TV. His successor, Somchai  Wongsawat, Thaksins brother-in-law, had to step down after a  constitutional court found his party guilty of electoral fraud.

By  appointing Yingluck, Thaksin makes it clear that this election is about  him. Its his biggest battle yet against the countrys old power  the  military and royal establishment  who tried to uproot him.

*Reconciliation, not revenge*

 One of Yinglucks Facebook profile pictures is that of her wearing a  red hijab next to a Muslim woman who snapped their picture from her  Blackberry.

The picture was taken during her campaign trail in the  Islamic south, the Democrats political stronghold where Thaksin,  leader from the north, could never quite penetrate.  

The picture  bodes well with Pheu Thais PR scheme to promote Yingluck as a  baggage-free, fresh face leader who can heal the divisive country.

But her imminent victory at polls is making the military and the 2006 coup makers jittery.

Her  Pheu Thai party says it will issue a blanket amnesty for all its allies  and rivals charged in relation to the 2006 coup, which could pave the  way for Thaksins whitewashing and triumphant return.

After all, Thaksin is the man the coup makers have put tremendous efforts in different devising to get rid of.

Critics  fear the military will be tempted to stage another intervention.  Thaksins return will be a big blow that can change the political  landscape and dynamics of power in a significant way.

Yingluck  tries to ease the fear by saying her first priority is the peoples  wellbeing and moving the country forward, not one mans fate.

But  so far, she has never clearly stated her political opinions or  standpoints. She lets Thaksin handle all the tough talks, in-depth  interviews with foreign media from abroad. At home, she chooses to stick  to scripts and keep her messages simple.

Besides her commitment  to continue her brothers populist policy legacy  i.e. free tablet PCs  to a million school children, a wage hike, and low interest loans to  villagers  its hard to say what kind of leader she will be.

Nevertheless, it doesnt appear to bother her supporters, who remember what it was like when Thaksin ruled.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thai massage king prefers pimp label to politician | Reuters
*
*Thai massage king prefers "pimp" label to politician*

           By Martin Petty
                  BANGKOK |          Thu Jun 30, 2011 2:17am EDT         

   (Reuters) - Graft-busting "Massage Parlor King" Chuwit Kamolvisit must  be the only candidate in Thailand's election who wants to be in  opposition -- and he prefers being labeled a pimp rather than a  politician.

  The fiery former massage parlor  tycoon who blew the whistle on scores of corrupt police is proving  hugely popular with his Rak Prathet Thai (Love Thailand)  Party but says he will shun offers to join any government, preferring  to be a big-mouthed backbencher on an anti-corruption crusade.

"I  have a lot of enemies -- before it was policeman and now it's  politicians. They don't like me because I have a big mouth, but how can I  shut up?," Chuwit, 49, told Reuters.

"I  just want to be in parliament. I don't have any friends in politics, I  accept that. If I had friends, I wouldn't have to form my own party."

The  angry man of Thai politics has brought some much needed cheer to a  gloomy but pivotal Thai election and his climbing popularity in opinion  polls shows he is no novelty candidate, appealing to voters bored by  money politics and under-the-table deals.

Chuwit's  frantic canvassing has stretched from Thailand's insurgency-plagued  Muslim south to Bangkok's racy neon-lit go-go dancing bars.  Universities, supermarkets and congested intersections are lined with  comical campaign posters showing the mustachioed mafia-esque Chuwit  pulling angry faces.

"Politics is  like diapers: the more you change them, the better they are," reads one  poster showing a stern-faced Chuwit holding a baby.

Another shows him clutching a steering wheel, scratching his head: "How many more times will you lose the way?"

Chuwit  entered politics in 2003 after a month in prison having been accused of  ordering the illegal demolition of dozens of unlicensed bars on a piece  of prime Bangkok real estate he owned.

The  police, whom he says he had bribed an average $160,000 a month, refused  to protect him, so he went public, releasing the names of the top  officers, the sums they were paid, and their frequent visits to his six  massage parlors.

SEEDY EMPIRE

He  sold off a lucrative but seedy empire that employed more than 1,000  women and started a hotel business before winning a parliamentary seat  in 2005, which he later lost when a court ruled he had registered as a  candidate too late.

Chuwit says  corruption is eating Thailand and he wants to become a one-man  parliamentary watchdog to root out the politicians he says are no better  than the country's ubiquitous Mafioso and vice tycoons.

"They  say I'm a pimp, but I don't mind. Sometimes I think a pimp and a  politician is the same," said Chuwit. "In fact, a pimp is better than a  politician. The whole system is corrupt and the government is so  corrupt."

The son of a Hong-Kong  born father and Thai mother, Chuwit earned a Master of Business  Administration degree in San Diego, California, before marrying an  American woman, to whom he is now divorced.

Chuwit  insists he's not in politics for the money and is the sole financier of  a big-spending party that has 12,000 members but only 11 candidates.

He  owns a prime piece of land in Bangkok worth an estimated $60 million  but refused to sell it to hotel chains, instead turning it into a public  park named "Chuwit Garden," the playground for his famous dog  "Motomoto," a three-year-old bull terrier whose honesty Chuwit says puts  politicians to shame.

He has no regrets about his shady past and says he wants to work to make Thailand a better place.

"I don't feel bad about massage business but I feel bad about my country," he said.

"Maybe  I need some respect. I owned massage parlors before, and people  insulted me. Even if I am a pimp, I can do something for this country."

Chuwit  has twice run for Bangkok governor but his last campaign tanked in 2008  after he punched a reporter in the face. Bangkok seems to have forgiven  him and his tiny party has placed third and fourth in several opinion  polls.

He admits he made a mistake entering politics but says it's like a gambling addiction he can't give up.

"I  don't even like politics," he said. "What I like is to be in a hot tub,  with a brandy, a cigar with beautiful girls all around me. I really  miss that."

----------


## Bobcock

> Under the deal, the army would allow Pheu Thai to form a government in exchange for the Pheu Thai led-administration refraining from taking legal action against army commanders involved in the bloody crackdown on the anti-government red-shirt protesters in April and May last year.


Big brave army.....

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by tomta
> 
> If he does not vote, no matter how many people vote for him, his election will be null and void.
> 
> 
> The decision smells, but he's actually a party list candidate. That being the case, he wouldn't have anyone voting directly for him and, if he's disqualified, his position on the list will simply go to the next name on the list.


They'd best be careful when messing with Jatuporn.

Abhi and friends believed their media, who at every turn downplayed the _Red Shirt Democracy Movement_ as they were powerfully massing at rallies outside Bangkok, never mind the one's in Bangkok.

The resistance he has met from them at every turn during this election campaign surprised the hell out of Abhi. In his shocked state, all he could do was bitch about it, even ask Yingluck to save him. 

Jatuporn was central to all of that. 

The very logo of the Red Shirts features three persons meeting together.....one of them is Jatuporn.

If they screw him around in the end, they may be biting off more than they can chew.

----------


## Bobcock

Yep, he certainly has the reputation as thug....

----------


## StrontiumDog

_Reuters updated these articles today as well, much of which was posted in various forms and at various times...but just in case you are interested..._

*Factbox: Quick Guide to Thailand's high-risk general election* 

*Scenarios: Trouble in store for Thailand after the election?* 

*Q+A: Will Thailand's election go smoothly?* 

*Factbox: Thai opinion polls put pro-Thaksin party ahead* 

*Factbox: Election promises of Thailand's two main parties*

----------


## SteveCM

From Twitter today:

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

       Abhisit is confident Democrats will win most seats but will not block Pheu Thai from forming govt if it wins more than 300 seats

13 minutes ago

----------


## Thormaturge

> At another appearance in a  northeastern province, a group of a hundred schoolgirls rushed to greet  her after her helicopter descended. They squealed as they pushed to get  close to her, busily snapping photos from cell phones while holding up  one index finger to show support for her party, which is No. 1 on the  ballot.


but we all know where she got the idea....

----------


## Thormaturge

> Abhisit is confident Democrats will win most seats but will not block Pheu Thai from forming govt if it wins more than 300 seats



  "A poll of 5,349 potential voters in 28 provinces including Bangkok on June 1-21 projected that Puea Thai would win 55 of the 125 "party list" seats in the new parliament, while the Democrats would win 49.2

 Abhisit is seeming a tad "slow" these days

----------


## Pol the Pot

Whaddya expect?

In that other thread, concerning the mauling of the female medic by car, the alleged perp, an army colonel, went to the hospital with his mother...

Fucking pansies.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Embassies focus on election reaction
*
*Embassies focus on election reaction*
Published: 30/06/2011 at 12:05 PMOnline news: Local News
 Foreign embassies are monitoring this general election every bit as closely as they did  the last one in 2007, but this time special attention is being paid to whether Thai  society can avoid the potential for violence after Sunday's polls.

 China has paid special attention to Pheu Thai's decision to run a  female candidate for the prime ministership. Beijing is not alone in its  interest.

 The Chinese,  Japanese, Belgian, US, British and Japanese envoys  all had getting-to-know-you lunches with Thaksin's youngest sister,  Yingluck Shinawatra,  to discuss the political situation some time  before she was nominated as the party's top party list candidate.

 
_A billboard on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road in Bangkok urges people not to  vote for those who set the nation ablaze and who dislike the monarchy.  It apparently refers to the violent anti-government demonstration last  year. (Photo by Thiti Wannamontha)_

 Japan sent five diplomatic staff, accompanied by Thai staff,  to   highly competitive constituencies in the Central and Northeast  regions  last Sunday observe the advance voting.  Three more diplomats will join  this on-the-ground observing team to the two regions this Sunday.

 "It's normal for us to look around, at how people vote in the  election, as there are more than 40,000 Japanese living in the country.  So far, there have been no significant glitches, but some managerial  hiccups," said a Japanese diplomat who asked his name not be used.

 He said electoral violence was not an issue of concern as there were  several precedents for canvassers being shot in the run up   to  elections in Thailand.

 The European Union (EU) has sent two experts from Brussels to gather  information. They are not official observers since the Election  Commission  did not sign a memorandum of understanding for an election  monitoring mission.

 "For the 2007 election, the EU  wanted a memorandum of understanding   with the Election Commission, hoping to deploy a full team [up to 20  people] to monitor the first election after the coup, but Thai  authorities did not enter into the deal, so there was no one here from  EU headquarters,"  a European diplomat said.

 Embassies from nearby countries are also keen to observe the election  and their representatives have been visiting high-interest  constituencies in the past few weeks.

 Among them is Singapore. Malaysia's electoral authority is sending representatives to observe Sunday's polls. 

 Australia has not sent a monitoring team, but is funding the Asian  Network for Free Election (Anfel), which is actively observing the  general election.

 Many foreign diplomats said they were concerned about how  conservative and progressive forces would would react and adjust to the  post-election reality, which ever side wins, and how Thai people would  address the issue of political violence and the process of  reconciliation.

 The US embassy has deployed a total of eight teams - each comprising  one diplomat, a Thai staffer and driver - from Bangkok embassy and its  Chiang Mai consular office. They are touring the North, the Central  plains, upper Northeast, lower Northeast, and Bangkok and nearby  provinces.

 This is only half the size of the US monitoring team deployed to  observe the 2007  election, because Washington considered the first  election to restore democracy in Thailand after the coup was a high  priority, an American diplomatic source said.

 Mentioning of coup allegedly by the US top diplomat in Bangkok over  lunch with the Pheu Thai top candidate has prompted the U.S. embassy to  clarify its neutral stance in the Sunday election.

US Embassy  spokesperson Walter Braunohler said the choice of who would head the  next Thai government was a choice for the Thai people to make. "The US  will look forward to working with the government that emerges from the  upcoming election, as well as the opposition and non-partisan civil  society, as we have always done," Mr Braunohler said on Thursday  afternoon.

The embassy, he said, regularly met with political  party leaders from across the political spectrum, including several  meetings with the Prime Minister, in order to get perspectives from all  sides to fully understand the political dynamics in Thailand.

The  spokesman reminded the Thai politicians that it was important for all  political forces to be gracious in both victory and defeat. 

"That  is something that occurs in the US, despite our own sharp political  differences. It happened with Al Gore in 2000, John Kerry in 2004 and  John McCain in 2008. Americans may have differing views, but we are all  Americans; Thais may have differing views, but they are all still Thai,"  said Mr Braunohler implicitly referring to the Democrats and Pheu Thai.

The  US spokesman said it was normal for those who did not win to be  disappointed, but it's important for leaders to channel energy into  positive efforts.

 Meanwhile, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has called  for electoral reforms to reduce violence in a study report,  Understanding Electoral Violence in Asia, released on Thursday.

 While the nature and design of political systems were important in  understanding electoral violence, all electoral systems were open to  manipulation and abuse if political parties and supporters did not  accept the systems’ legitimacy, the report said.

 The 20-page report followed a study of the electoral processes in  seven countries in South and Southeast Asia -- Bangladesh, India,  Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand. It identified  real and perceived fraud, corruption and patronage as the key "drivers"  of election-related violence.

 The report cited several types of groups and organisations that play  key roles in either preventing or perpetuating electoral violence. In a  number of cases political parties and political party supporters were  the main instigators of physical violence, according to the report.

 The UNDP report recommended that Thai political parties abide by a  "Code of Conduct for the General Election Campaign 2011" to ensure the  election campaign was peaceful and the outcome was respected by all.

 The code of conduct  calls on election commissioners and all  independent bodies that monitor state power to stay independent and  ensure any political efforts to influence their decisions are held  accountable.

 The EC should also stand up against candidates who cheat in the  campaign and the law should be enforced to prevent ruling parties from  misusing state facilities, the report suggested.

----------


## Mid

> the cattle won't be back in the streets, they have 91 reasons not to do so


you are a nasty piece of shit butters  :Sad:

----------


## StrontiumDog

Interesting new posters from the Dem's, making the most out of last years arson....and yes I was taking a photo of the Dem's poster, it just happens that the other one got caught too...taken from a taxi along Phahonyothin...

----------


## SteveCM

> The European Union (EU) has sent two experts from Brussels to gather information. They are not official observers since the Election Commission did not sign a memorandum of understanding for an election monitoring mission.  "For the 2007 election, the EU wanted a memorandum of understanding with the Election Commission, hoping to deploy a full team [up to 20 people] to monitor the first election after the coup, but Thai authorities did not enter into the deal, so there was no one here from EU headquarters," a European diplomat said.


This is something that we _should_ - and almost certainly _won't_ - hear more about.




> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Asked about the Election Commission's approval for  the European Union to send representatives to observe the general  election, the [UK] ambassador said the EU would send *two* experts to observe the July 3 polls.  The mission will be only election observation *without making any comments* whether or not the election is free and fair, he said.
> 
> 
> The question "Why bother?" springs to mind.....

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> ^
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Bkk Post
> 
> The ban covers not only political parties and their candidates but also the general public.
> ...


Personally I support the idea. But I think it's unenforcable.

----------


## Butterfly

hilarious to see PT already finding an excuse when they are not going to meet expectations,

----------


## SteveCM

*Pheu Thai to stream Bangkok rally to 375 centres nationwide*


                                             Published on June 30, 2011                 

                              The Pheu Thai Party  will stream its campaign rally on Friday from the Rajamangala National  Statidum to its 375 election centres nationwide, its spokesman said  Friday.

Prompong Nopparit said the stadium could house 70,000 people but the Pheu Thai expected the stadium would not be able to house all of its supporters.

So, the party would use live stream technology to broadcast its 375 election centres, Prompong said.


The Nation

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : FInal Democrat rallies Friday night*

*Last Democrat rally tomorrow*
Published: 30/06/2011 at 04:39 PMOnline news:
 The Democrat Party will hold its last major  rally at the Royal Plaza on Friday night, the party's chief strategist  Korbsak Sabhavasu said on Thursday.
 Mr Korbsak said key party figures will begin to give their speeches  on stage at 7pm.  They will include party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva,  Apirak Kosayodhin and Korn Chatikavanij.

Mr Abhisit will speak on the party's policy for further developments  of the country and to build justice for the people throughout the  country.
 Concerning reconciliation, the party has a clear policy of not  granting amnesty to criminal or terrotist suspects, Mr Korbsak said.

 The speeches will be relayed live to 10 other rally sites - in Chiang  Mai and Sukhothai in the North; Udon Thani and Ubon Ratchathani in the  Northeast; Phetchaburi and Rayong in the Central; and Surat Thani,  Nakhon Si Thammarat and Narathiwat in the South - where key party  members in repective regions will be present.

----------


## SteveCM

^ Not forgetting 


> From Twitter today:
> 
> ThaiElection11   ThaiElection2011                                               
> 
>        Democrat spokesman promised no mud-slinging speeches during Democrat major campaign rally Friday.
> 
> 15 minutes ago



I suspect that by the end of Friday evening we'll be able to file that "promise" with all the ones about "never before disclosed" details that would be unveiled at the Dems' Rachaprasong junket....

----------


## Hampsha

Bangkok Post : Alcohol and online campaigning banned




> Any political campaigning via Facebook, Twitter and other online social networks will be banned from 6pm on Saturday until midnight on Sunday, police said.
> 
> No alcohol will be on sale or served during these hours as well, police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri said.
> More than 900 websites will be monitored for signs of a breach of the electoral law during those hours, Pol Maj Gen Prawut said.
> 
> The ban covers not only political parties and their candidates but also the general public.
> Pol Maj Gen Prawut said the use of online campaigning tools such as Facebook and Twitter is of serious concern and police are stepping up efforts in making the users aware of the restriction.
> 
> "We are asking the Election Commission to help spread the word," he said. He added police had received some complaints about vote-buying but found nothing when looking into them.Police have set up a hotline, 1599, for the public to report irregularities they suspect in the election campaign.


Big Brother will be watching you. Beware comrade

----------


## SteveCM

Uploaded by AlJazeeraEnglish on Jun 30, 2011        

                General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the Thai  military man who overthrew former Prime minister Thaksin Shinawat, is  one of the candidates running in the country's general election on  Sunday. 

This is seen by some as evidence of the deep link  between politics and the Thai army, which has staged or attempted 18  coups over the years.

And if General Sonthi's party is able to  win seats in parliament, he may also end up having to work in a  coalition with the very man he kicked out in the coup. 

Al Jazeera's Wayne Hay reports from Bangkok.

----------


## Norton

Poll in Thai Rath today predicts PTP will take 252 seats. Dems 150. Thai Rath leans a bit favor PTP.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thailand to overcome poverty by 2020
*
*Thailand to overcome poverty by 2020*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on June 30, 2011                

*Thailand is projected to overcome poverty by 2020  when a university graduate will earn Bt30,000 per month for entry job  and the minimum wage is expected to rise to Bt1,000 per day, if Pheu  Thai wins the July 3 vote.*

                                                            Pheu Thai candidate Yingluck Shinawatra has unveiled her  party's Vision 2020 Statement, posted for the first time on her Facebook  page coinciding with the home stretch of campaigning."I present  Vision 2020 with the hope to help my fellow Thais to form a decision  ahead of election day," Yingluck said yesterday in her Facebook message.

She  said Pheu Thai, if elected to administer the country, would strive to  achieve some 20 targets within the next nine years or two terms of  office.
Key targets include the followings:

- Gross national  income to reach Bt24 trillion enabling every Thai to live above the  poverty line, every family to own a home and every farmer to own a plot.

- Salary for entry job to start at Bt30,000 and daily minimum wage at Bt1,000.

- Good public health care for every Thai, freed from illicit drugs.

- World-class education instilled with moral and ethics.

- Numbers of business proprietors to double.

- Bangkok commuter transport system to complete with 10 train routes fuelling the development of satellite towns.

- High-speed train and rail transport services to complete nationwide, cutting logistic cost by 25 per cent.

----------


## SteveCM

^^ Do you know the date of that poll? I thought nothing new could be published since last Sunday (and until polls close on July 3rd).

----------


## Hampsha

These days people hear the dirty truth so much they have just come to accept it worldwide. Most have gone past being upset into apathy. It's just the world we are in.

----------


## Butterfly

> Originally Posted by Butterfly
> 
> the cattle won't be back in the streets, they have 91 reasons not to do so
> 
> 
> you are a nasty piece of shit butters


which part is nasty, it sounds pretty accurate, the lambs were sacrificed with the help of your beloved red leaders, you should rejoice

----------


## Bobcock

Well, everyone should vote for this then.

----------


## Butterfly

> Thailand is projected to overcome poverty by 2020 when a university graduate will earn Bt30,000 per month for entry job and the minimum wage is expected to rise to Bt1,000 per day, if Pheu Thai wins the July 3 vote.


that's overcoming poverty ?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world.....


*Philip Golingai: Chitpas aiming to make a change for Thailands poor*

Thursday, June 30, 2011



 By PHILIP GOLINGAI

Under the broiling morning sun, at a lane where hawkers sell grilled  pork and live chickens in a working class area in Bangkok, the  26-year-old Singha beer heiress was door-to-door campaigning.

The heiress, wearing pink sneakers, tight jeans and a white T-shirt with  the Democrat party logo, pressed her palms together and bowed to a  middle-aged hawker.

Hello! My name is Chitpas Bhirombhakdi. I am the Democrat candidate for  this district. Please dont forget to vote for No. 10, said the  heiress in Thai, referring to the number the ruling Democrat got for  party list candidacy.

The woman returned the _wai_ (a respectful Thai greeting) while clutching a campaign brochure with Chitpas photograph and said, You look more _suay_ (beautiful) in person.

The rookie politician is contesting in Bangkoks Dusit-Ratchathewi constituency.

Located in the old part of the Thai capital, Dusit is a prestigious  neighbourhood with Chitralda Palace (the official residence of King  Bhumibol), Government House (the office of the Prime Minister),  Parliament, Dusit Zoo and Boon Rawd Brewery (where Singha and Leo beer  are produced).

Ratchethawi is a high-rise building area famous for Pratunam Market (one  of Thailands largest clothing markets) and Pantip Plaza (Thailands  Low Yat Plaza).

Chitpas is a scion from one of Thai[at]lands wealthiest business families.

Does your surname carry weight in making the people vote for you? I  asked the heiress while she was taking a break next to a smelly railroad  track from her campaigning.

I dont think it is going to help with votes. But it helps me in terms  of recognition. People recognise my surname. They will say, you are  Singha brand, she related.

It has always been Chitpas dream to be a politician.

My parents have always told me I was fortunate to be born in a family which can fully support me in my education.

I was lucky they could send me to boarding school (Godstowe school,  Buckinghamshire) in England when I was nine years old. I decided after I  graduated that I wanted to help in the development of my country, said  the woman with a bachelors degree in Geography from Kings College.

Isnt politics too low brow for a hi-so (Thai slang for high society) like you?

Chitpas said: I grew up in a society where we like to complain about  politics and corruption. And we dont really do anything about it  because we are fortunate enough to get away from all that.

But if you let the corrupt politicians run the country, eventually it  would affect you  maybe not now but definitely it would affect your  children or grandchildren.

But, I said, wouldnt it be easier ... And Chitpas laughed and said ... not to do anything?

I have tried to explain to people that you cant really pick what you  are born into but you can pick the life that you want to have and this  is the life that I have chosen, explained the politician, who once told  Tattler magazine that she wanted to be Thailands first female Prime  Minis[at]ter.

I am not thinking of myself but the 90% of the population who are not  hi-so. If I was going to have a child in the future, I want my child to  grow up in a society where there was equality in the quality of life.  And I want to close the gap between the rich and poor.

Chitpas said she was happy that she was campaigning in the poorer part of Bangkok .

Today I am not just walk, walk, walk, introduce myself, hello! hello!  hello! When I go home I will write and think what can be done here, she  explained.

On that day, Chitpas said she saw that the community lived in a compact area where there was no room to breathe.

You have a little room where 10 people sleep and yet everyone has a dog, she related.

They have a dog for security. And we are planning to install 200,000  CCTVs around Bangkok and that will improve security and cut down the  number of dogs so that the kids can live in a hygienic place.

In December 2009, Chitpas, a staff member of Thai Prime Ministers secretariat, was embroiled in a Calendar girl controversy.

She had to resign from her post because she gave away sexy Leo beer calendars at the Government House.

The lesson I learnt is not to trust people. And that I need to be more  careful, she said, adding it would have been okay if she distributed  the calendars outside the August Government House.

In the race to be MP for the Dusit-Ratchathewi constituency, Chitpas is  neck-and-neck with the pro-Thaksin Shinawatra Pheu Thai party candidate  Leelawadee Watch[at]arobol, a former Miss Thai[at]land and TV star.

And in the ballot boxes, the heiress is hoping she will be as popular as the iconic Singha beer.

----------


## tomta

> Abhisit is confident Democrats will win most seats but will not block Pheu Thai from forming govt if it wins more than 300 seats


Very generous of Abhisit. 251 is an absolute majority, I believe.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^^"_Gross national  income to reach Bt24 trillion enabling every Thai to  live above the  poverty line, every family to own a home and every  farmer to own a plot._"

Now, this sounds just fine and dandy....but...no country has achieved this, even the USA still has people who are defined as living in poverty......

Poverty in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

_Poverty in the United States is cyclical in nature with roughly 13 to 17% of Americans living below the federal poverty line at any given point in time, and roughly 40% falling below the poverty line at some point within a 10-year time span.[citation needed] Poverty is defined as the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions.[1] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 43.6 million (14.3%) Americans were living in absolute poverty in 2009, up from 39.8 million (13.2%) in 2008._

So, what does this say about Pheu Thai?

"_Good public health care for every Thai, freed from illicit drugs._"

Again, no country in the world has a society "freed from illicit drugs". So what does this say about Pheu Thai?

And the salary hikes are just plain lies. It would make Thailand highly uncompetitive with its neighbours and drive foreign companies to setup elsewhere. And don't even get me started on the inflationary pressures such dramatic wage increases would cause. It is not stretching things to far to say that such a policy would utterly destroy the Thai economy. So what does this say about Pheu Thai?

----------


## Butterfly

PT is just a bunch of bullshit salesmen, but why would they need to oversell themselves like that if they were so sure to have a majority ? or are they looking for a landslide ? and why would they need a landslide to rule "democratically" ?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## tomta

Post deleted

----------


## Hampsha

Sure wish I knew what got deleted. I see 'Post deleted' a lot here. The invisible revolution has begun. It started on the net.

----------


## Norton

> Do you know the date of that poll?


Will check. Just saw in local shop. Didn't notice date. As you say probably the last poll Thai Rath conducted before cut off date.

----------


## Buksida

^^^^
It says they are full of shit. Is there another country in the world who raised the min wage by 36% in a few months? If so what were the results.

----------


## SteveCM

> *Asia Times Online :: ASIA HAND : The deal behind Thailand's polls*
> 
>                                                                                 Jun 30, 2011
> 
> *ASIA                                HAND* 
> *The                                deal behind Thailand's polls* 
> By Shawn W Crispin 
> 
> ..........
> ...


From the blog world..... 

Bangkok Pundit has posted detailed comments on/analysis of this article and subsequent (non-)coverage of certain aspects of it in Thai-based media. Given the content, for the same reasons as above, I won't cut it to reproduce here. 

Even the post's title is problematic, so here's a link to Pundit's main site - you'll see the *Crispin*-related piece there:

*Bangkok Pundit by Bangkok Pundit | Asian Correspondent*

----------


## Hampsha

Thai society by Manit Sriwanichpoom, The Pink Man. 2010

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Sure wish I knew what got deleted. I see 'Post deleted' a lot here. The invisible revolution has begun. It started on the net.


No, it just means the user deleted their own comment, maybe it was offensive or ill-advised. If the moderators delete a post, then it goes permanently off the board or to MKP. 

No need to go all conspiracy theory on us  :Smile:

----------


## SteveCM

> She said Pheu Thai, if elected to administer the country, would *strive to achieve* some 20 targets within the next nine years or two terms of office.


^ Just something that seems to have got lost in the predictable froth.....

Politicians _guaranteeing_ a result? Sounds like "man bites dog".

_"You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose."_  - Mario Cuomo

----------


## Hampsha

Is the election a big topic among your Thai friends? 

In my wife's village the big chatter is about who is going to take over the village head's job. They vote for that a bit after the 3rd. The village head just lost his position because he screwed around with some sort of insurance or savings plan they had among the local's. The news of a vote for a new village head came out just three weeks ago.

----------


## Buksida

^No, I almost never initiate a political discussion with Thai freinds. Generally they say all politicians are crooked bastards, none have good intentions. A couple have said they'd vote for Yingluck cos of big brother.

----------


## noelbino

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Thailand is projected to overcome poverty by 2020 when a university graduate will earn Bt30,000 per month for entry job and the minimum wage is expected to rise to Bt1,000 per day, if Pheu Thai wins the July 3 vote.
> 
> 
> that's overcoming poverty ?


So that's 9 years from now and with economics 101 everything doubles after 10 years== that will be worth 200 baht.
Where ,or What do these DH's from PT drink?

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Butterfly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> ...


The PT Brigade don't talk about policies, just polls and conspiracy theories.

They are quiet now, 'cos of the story that talks are underway involving Dear Leader's billions, but no mention of the 91 dead.

----------


## sabang

Economically, neither party send shivers down me spine. Thaksins team tends to advocate a more expansionary monetary and fiscal approach, as well as privatisation and decentralisation (met with concerted resistance from Amat). The Dem's like to keep things more centralised and 'within the club' as befits their Bangkok and Amat heritage. The reputation they had as fiscal hawks though has been somewhat compromised by their largesse to the Military.

----------


## Buksida

Re: the BP peice, in point 5 he asks about the red shirt reaction to an amnesty and claims the upcountry ones are indifferent to Thaksin and the leadership. 

This statement needs to be qualified. Does he mean all or just a few and what exactly is upcountry?

----------


## SteveCM

*http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/01/wo...1thailand.html*

June 30, 2011

*Rural Thais Find an Unaccustomed Power*

     By THOMAS FULLER

              BAAN NONG TUN, THAILAND   Smiling farmers knee deep in emerald rice paddies and shirtless  children riding on the backs of mud-caked water buffalo  these are the  romantic images of the Thai countryside. There is one problem with it,  says Udom Thapsuri, a farmer here and a local sage. It does not exist  anymore.        

  No one walks to their farm with a big bamboo hat on. Thats over, said Mr. Udom, 63, sitting next to his pickup truck.        

  As campaigning for the national election Sunday entered its final days,  there was broad consensus that rural votes would be crucial in deciding  the outcome. But no one is quite sure what rural means anymore.        

  Villagers here complain of slow Internet download speeds. On a single  street that winds past rice paddies, residents tell of work stints in  Taiwan, Singapore, Israel and Saudi Arabia, enough frequent-flier miles  to rival the inhabitants of a tony Bangkok condominium.        

  Once passive and fatalistic, villagers are now better educated, more  mobile, less deferential and ultimately more politically demanding.         

  Researchers who study rural life say villages like Baan Nong Tun may be  ground zero for understanding why Thailands political crisis  warring  political factions, five years of street protests and violent military  crackdowns  has been so intractable. The old social contract, whereby  power flowed from Bangkok and the political establishment could count on  quiet acquiescence in the Thai countryside, has broken down.        

  Villagers describe a sort of democratic awakening in recent years and  say they are no longer willing to accept a Bangkok-knows-best  patriarchal system. It is an upheaval that has been ill-understood by  the elites, said Attachak Sattayanurak, a history professor at Chiang  Mai University, in northern Thailand.        

  The old establishment and the Thai state have a picture of an agrarian  society frozen in time, he commented on a television program that aired  in June. They maintain a picture of local people as well-behaved and  obedient, which in fact they arent. Peasant society doesnt exist  anymore.        

  If the countrys leaders do not understand these changes, they will not  be able to solve our problems, Mr. Attachak said.        

  Charles Keyes, a U.S. academic who first studied village life here  nearly five decades ago, describes a transformation from peasants to  cosmopolitan villagers.        

  There is a sense in Thai society that the social contract is being  renegotiated, said Mr. Keyes, a professor emeritus of anthropology at  the University of Washington.        

  The convulsive changes to village life and the breakdown of a national  political consensus are not just relevant to Thailand, but are a  cautionary tale for other countries in Asia that are developing so  rapidly, Mr. Keyes believes.        

  Its definitely something the Chinese, for one, should be more aware of, he said.        

  For most of Thailands tumultuous modern history of military coups and  countless constitutions, democracy trickled into this rice-farming  village. Villagers felt far removed from national elections and rarely  met the members of Parliament they voted for.        

  Then, in the 1990s, as part of an effort to decentralize power, the  government introduced a system of local councils, known as township  administrative organizations.        

  Kayun Thapthani, who won a seat on the first council in Baan Nong Tun,  remembers a timid gathering of farmers in a meeting hall next to the  Buddhist temple. Villagers listened quietly and politely to proposals  for road building and support for the elderly. But as time wore on, and  when budgets rose and meetings dealt with controversial projects, the  deference dissipated. Mr. Kayun described rowdy sessions when  everything became messy, everything went mad.        

  The councils gave villagers a sense that they could control their own  political destiny, said Mr. Udom, the village wise man. The system has  come with its disappointments  council budgets are strained and have  shrunk in recent years  but the system has brought a greater sense of  political intimacy than elections for the national Parliament in  Bangkok, a seven-hour drive away. We have a lot more expectations, Mr.  Udom said.        

  Those expectations were partly answered after the election a decade ago of the populist prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra,  whose power base was in rural areas, especially here in northeastern  Thailand. Mr. Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon and thus a seemingly  unlikely champion of the peasant class, managed to cement his popularity  by introducing universal health care and funneling government funds  into villages, where local officials decided how to distribute it.         

  When Mr. Thaksins party was re-elected in 2005 by a wide margin, Mr.  Keyes, the professor, remembers a villagers elation. It used to be  that the elite decided who was in power, Mr. Keyes remembers the  villager saying. Today we decide.        

  But Mr. Thaksins concentration of power  his critics would say his  abuse of power  alienated many voters, especially the elite. Mr.  Thaksin faced large-scale street demonstrations in Bangkok against his  rule and was overthrown in a military coup in 2006, polarizing the  country. Two subsequent prime ministers, allies of Mr. Thaksins, were  also removed from office by the courts in highly politicized cases that  many Thaksin supporters say reflected the wishes of the elite.        

  Mr. Thaksins allies are trying once again to win power in the election  Sunday with the tycoons sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, as the candidate  for prime minister. Ms. Yingluck, who is leading in the polls, is up  against the party of Abhisit Vejjajiva, the current prime minister, who is allied with the military leadership and the Bangkok establishment.        

  Thailands divisions are often described as rural versus urban and rich  versus poor, but William Klausner, another U.S. academic, who has  studied Thai rural life for more than five decades, says that is an  oversimplification. The salient changes to rural life, he says, are that  villagers have been unbridled by the dismantling of traditional  hierarchies, have broadened their ambitions and are emboldened to speak  their minds. In recent years, busloads of villagers have traveled to  Bangkok to protest  for and against Mr. Thaksin.        

  More than two-thirds of Thailands population lives in rural areas,  according to government statistics. But migrations in recent decades  have blurred the distinction between countryside and city.        

  Every family has someone who has gone to work in Bangkok or abroad, says  Nirand Nammontri, the owner of a grocery store in Baan Nong Tun who  built her house with money that her husband made working at a printing  factory in Taiwan.        

  Although her home is a stones throw from rice fields, her lifestyle is  only marginally bucolic. Her family sometimes raises chickens, but her  husband, who now drives a pickup truck modified to serve as a school  bus, hires someone to slaughter them. He feels very sorry for the  chickens, Ms. Nirand said.        

  Her 21-year-old son, who is studying to become a computer programmer,  does not know how to plant or harvest rice. Young people cant plant,  Ms. Nirand said. They say it hurts their backs.        

  Technology has brought great changes to many parts of the world in  recent decades, but the pace of change has been particularly breathless  in the Thai countryside.        

  Five decades ago, Mr. Keyes and Mr. Klausner, now a senior fellow at the  Institute of Security and International Studies in Bangkok, separately  witnessed isolated, self-sufficient villages where farmers grew their  own food and rarely used money because they counted on their neighbors  to help with farm work or build stilt houses out of local timber. There  was no electricity, piped water or telephone service.        

  Villagers rarely challenged their superiors, believed in the wrath of  the supernatural and had a strong sense of right and wrong that was  buttressed by a reverence for local Buddhist monks.        

  Today, Baan Nong Tun is plugged into the rest of Thailand by television,  radio and the Internet. Traveling to other provinces is routine, and  every family has a motorcycle or pickup truck.        

  Mr. Udom squeezes his eyes shut when asked about the changes.        

  Villagers are more individualistic, and no one works for free, he said.  Young people routinely go to college, and families also have more debt.  People want to buy things they cannot afford, he said.        

  There is less shame. People dont believe in sin and virtue anymore, Mr. Udom said, his eyes still shut.        

  The generation gap  from peasant to cosmopolitan villager  is evident  in villagers hands. Mr. Udoms calloused fingers are swollen by years  of farm work. Younger people have the soft, thin fingers of city  dwellers.        

  Even the buffaloes have changed their comportment, Mr. Udom said. They  used to put in long workdays, hauling and plowing, tasks now done by  machines. The buffaloes of today are more disobedient, lazy and fat. And  children in the village, who watch television or congregate at Internet  cafes when they are not at school, no longer ride on buffaloes backs,  Mr. Udom said.        

  I havent seen that in a long time, he said.

----------


## Gerbil

> The buffaloes of today are more disobedient, lazy and fat.


Very true.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by LooseBowels
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by longway
> ...


But then you live close by dont you Longway, and sauntered over to have a look and discovered that over half of those 91 deaths were actually soldiers and most of the other half were wearing yellow shirts.

----------


## Butterfly

the red loons are becoming more crazy by the days,

must be the attraction to Thaksin madness gravity,

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> 
>  
> But Jakrapob is exciled because he was pro-democracy, while a similar guy like Abhi. was elevated.
> 
> If Mark had been aligned as Jakrapob, he would also have been on the outside, looking in.
> 
> 
> Jakrapob would have been a good PM in my opinion. You're right he is quite articulate and sensible. They elites ran him out of the country on trumped up charges of LM because he talked about Thailand's corrupted bureaucratic patronage society (I heard him speak - he was making reference to the patronage of inter-family connections and remnants of Sakdina culture - not royal patronage - but they cooked his goose anyway). He's been very quiet in recent years. Anyone know where he is?


Quizzed someone usually in the know on these things, and got nothing definitive. Her response: 
_>Some say he is in Europe but that is just a ruse._

_>He is most likely closer by, probably Cambodia._ 

_>It is felt that it is unsafe for him to declare where he is exactly._

----------


## tomta

> Sure wish I knew what got deleted. I see 'Post deleted' a lot here. The invisible revolution has begun. It started on the net.


In that particular case, Hampsha, nothing. I realized I was wrong. So I wrote Post deleted when I edited because I couldn't figure out how to make the post completely disappear.

However, when my posts are deleted by the mods which happens from time to time, presumably because I'm talking about things which must not be talked about (even though I try to be as careful as possible), my posts just completely disappear. I think it would be a better and more open policy if the mods indicated that the post has been deleted for whatever reason it might be.

----------


## Calgary

> Yep, he (Jatuporn) certainly has the reputation as thug....


Yeah, that is what your media told you, so it must be true!

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Butterfly
> 
> the cattle won't be back in the streets, they have 91 reasons not to do so
> 
> 
> you are a nasty piece of shit butters


Yeah, common knowledge Mid.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

The Police and Elections 

UPDATE : 30 June 2011 

*In only two days Thai voters will head to  poll. During the final stretch to the election, the contesting  political parties are scrambling for votes. These parties have been  using various tactics to win regardless of the legality of the means.  Time and time again, some candidates would recruit help from local  powerful figures, particularly the high-ranking police and military  officials, to help them win elections. Often than not, this has resulted  in electoral violence. 

National Army Chief Prayuth Chan-ocha has pledged that the army will  have no hand in the politics. National Police Chief has also said that  the police force will not involve itself with the politics.* 

In addition, the National Police Office has authorized disciplinary  measures to prevent corrupt police officers from being subservient to  the candidates. 

Deputy Police Inspector General Police Major-General Jaturong Pumarin  has pointed out that the Office of the Inspector General has set up a  center headed by Police Inspector General Police General Sataporn  Laotong to receive complaint on police during the period leading up to  the election. The center is established to investigate complaints made  on the police officers’ inappropriate behaviors in order to ensure  electoral fairness.

The police force is a law enforcement authority which is also  responsible for preventing any illegal electoral activity, including  vote buying, which usually takes place during the last few days before  the election date. The police also have to keep an eye out for other  activities prohibited on the election date such as defacing of ballots,  selling and distributing of alcohol. 

The duty of the police force is to enforce the laws thus it is  unacceptable if the police themselves are breaking the laws just to give  one political party an electoral advantage over others. These corrupt  police officers must be harshly dealt with. 

Whatever the election result will be, the will of the majority must be  accepted by all people. The country will have peace and order only if  everyone plays by the rules. They need to denounce all illegal  intimidation. It must be acknowledged that corruption exists even within  the police force. Those who have witnesses unlawfully acts committed by  the police could report to www.jaray.police.co.th or 0-2205-1184,  0-2205-3194 hotlines or file a complaint at the National Police Office. 

Each person could play a part to ensure that the election will be fairly  conducted. All of us need to keep the bad police in check and report  any suspicious incidents promptly. 

*Taken from Editorial Section, Kom Chad Leuk Newspaper, Page 4, June 30, 2011
Translated and Rewritten by Kongkrai Maksrivorawan*

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

10 Things the Incoming Prime Minister Should Do 

UPDATE : 30 June 2011                     *

Although the identity of Thailand's new  prime minister remains unknown, the violently divided state of Thailand  has necessitated a laundry-list of obligations for the as of now  faceless national leader.

The citizens of Thailand are crying out for an end to strife and for  peace and progress to return to the Kingdom. Here are the ten  suggestions from Dr. Prawes Wasee as to how the incoming prime minister  may achieve these things:* 

1) Form a national re-conciliatory government that comprises members of  every party, including rivals. If Thailand's politicians can show some  humility and work hand in hand with their opposers, they will be a  shining example for the public. The national government should also be  supported by an advisory panel of former premiers and the prime minister  should work closely with representatives of communities.

2) Draft a communication strategy that does away with hateful and  destructive rhetoric, replacing it with a national conscience for  constructive discussion and debate.

3) Form a new National Reconciliation Commission, or resurrect that of  Dr. Kanit Na Nakorn and allow the body to adopt the reconciliation  techniques of strife ridden countries such as South Africa to the Thai  context.

4) Support self-sufficiency amongst rural communities. By allowing small  villages and towns to be able to deal with their own problems in an  effective manner, 80-90 percent of the pressure on the central  government and capital can be alleviated. Barricades between local  action and central resources should be torn down.

5) Create Small Social Enterprises in which retailers, manufacturers and  material producers are part of the same community and exist in a state  of perpetual co-dependency. The enterprises will safeguard such  communities from the anomalies of the national and international level  and afford the entire nation a strong economic foundation.

6) Properly manage agricultural and labor land to fully utilize the  Kingdom's 40 million farmers and manual laborers. Insuring that this  massive segment of the population is self-sufficient would only require  an estimated two Rai of land per household. The benefits however, would  be immense, as the nation's farmers and workers would have the tools to  combat economic changes on their own and have a sense of personal  mandate on their circumstances, doing away with their need to depend on  the ill-intentioned and to rally in the capital.

7) Connect mega-businesses with community businesses to take advantage  of their distinct qualities. Where mega-businesses have power and  international influence, community businesses have sustainability; their  relationship would equip the Kingdom with high competitiveness.

8) Establish Thai brands by supporting the nation's strongest  performers. Whether they be the best in Thailand in sports, art,  medicine, etc. the time of squandering the nation's best and brightest  must end. In elevating what human assets the country has already been  blessed with, foreign businesses will be attracted and competition on  the world stage will be sharpened by an improving image.

9) Set up Thailand as a paragon of peace. Though it may seem ridiculous  to say now, up until only a few years ago, Thailand was recognized as  having strong fundamentals for peaceful living. Peace, meanwhile, is a  capital in its own right that the Kingdom can utilize to center itself  within ASEAN. By being peaceful both domestically and internationally,  Thailand can benefit from relations with the 10 nations of ASEAN and  their combined population of 600 million people; double that of the  United States of America.

10) Formulate a strategy for intellect. To achieve and sustain the  aforementioned nine suggestions, the Thai people will require a large  amount of intellect, a characteristic comprised of three factors;  learning, research and communication. Experts in promoting intellect  should be drafted into the cause and an intellectual revolution should  be set off amongst the population.

These 10 suggestions may seem daunting, or even impossible, but to  imagine Thailand to continue on in its tattered state is just as equally  unfathomable. To achieve the outcomes of peace and progress, the Thai  people will need selflessness and open-minds. Their prime minister on  the other hand will have to make a choice as to whether to be a  politician thinking only of personal benefit or a statesman thinking of  national benefit.

*Post Today, June 30 2011
Translated and Rewritten by Itiporn Lakarnchua*

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thai ruling party faces struggle in the north - Channel NewsAsia
*
*Thai ruling party faces struggle in the north*

By Ken Teh             
Posted: 30 June 2011 1724 hrs

 
_Pheu Thai Party promises a new credit card for farmers if it wins the election_  

CHIANGMAI: Thailand's ruling Democrat party is facing an uphill battle in the north.

The party is having trouble getting its policies understood by the largely rural population there.

Just  days before the election, Interim Finance minister Korn Chatikavanij  flew to rural communities in Chiangmai to promote his party's policies,  in a last ditch mission to win hearts in the rural hinterland.

The  Democrat Party is guaranteeing fixed incomes for farmers even during  crop failures as well as schemes to help them refinance their debt.

But  the party has been caught on the defensive in this region where the  majority support the Thaksin-backed opposition Pheu Thai party.

Farmers in the rural north are sold on the Pheu Thai's populist policies of giving out free credit cards and price subsidies.

Mr  Chatikavanij said: "The policies of other parties, I don't want to get  into it but there are some really crazy ones. I don't think they can  possibly be serious about actually wanting to follow through with any if  not most of the policies they are using in their campaign, it's just  fiscally impossible."

The Democrats are facing an uphill task to  win votes in an area where former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's  legacy still holds great sway.

In the Lampaeng village just north  of Chiang Mai, the Democrat Party has spent a large amount of time and  resources to promote their policies for farmers and the elderly.

However,  the opposition Pheu Thai party remains the popular choice, as row after  row of houses are spotted with red flags, indicating their support for  the opposition.

Villagers said that despite the Democrats' efforts, they feel they can't quite relate to the party.

The  Democrats have made some inroads in the countryside with cash handouts  to the elderly and free education, but many still feel the sting of  having been left out of the country's economic growth.

Reanthong  Jomngarm, one of the villagers, said: "They (the Democrat government)  are not good, everything is expensive, people have debt and goods are  costly."

Another villager Srithorn Chaipen said: "I want Pheu  Thai and Thaksin to return home so our land prices will go up and we  would have more money like we did in the past. Nowadays I don't go to  the evening market because the economy is so bad and money has less  value."

Analysts said the Democrats also suffer from an image problem and are seen as elitist.

Attachak  Sattayanurak, Associate Professor, Chiangmai University, said: "They  cannot win their hearts because of their poor propaganda. Ordinary  people can understand what Thaksin talks more than what Abhisit talks  because when Abhisit speaks about something it is not directly, it's  very abstract."

And this will be the struggle for the Democrats in the countryside, where people vote more with their hearts than their minds.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thai PM accuses rivals of hidden agenda - Yahoo! News
*
*Thai PM accuses rivals of hidden agenda*


By Nicolas Asfouri | AFP News – 49 minutes ago


_A woman walk past a campaign billboard for Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's …_ 

     Thailand's  embattled premier on Thursday lashed out against his opponents three  days ahead of a key election, accusing them of talking of reconciliation  as a "cloak" to bring back his arch-rival.

 Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Democrat Party campaign is  struggling to match the appeal of the opposition Puea Thai, unofficially  led from abroad by Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted from power by a  military coup in 2006.

 Puea Thai's main candidate for the top job is Thaksin's sister  Yingluck Shinawatra, who has discussed an amnesty for convicted  politicians to bring reconciliation to Thailand -- which could pave the  way for her brother's return.

 "Reconciliation is now being used as a cloak for amnesty for Thaksin  so far as Puea Thai is concerned. That is not right," Abhisit told AFP  in an interview at the Democrat headquarters in Bangkok, ahead of the  pivotal vote on Sunday.

 "We think it's unfair to the Thai people for a political party to  place Thaksin's interests before the people's or the country's."

 The controversial Thaksin lives abroad to escape a jail term imposed  in absentia for corruption, and is also wanted on terrorism charges.

 Since his ouster, a series of street protests by rival groups have  rocked Thailand, culminating in two months of mass rallies last year by  his "Red Shirt" supporters that left more than 90 people dead in clashes  with the army.

 Political newcomer Yingluck is widely considered to be her brother's  political proxy and she has taken the lead in the polls, but Abhisit  remained defiant.

 "The latest published polls may have us behind, but we are convinced  that the momentum is behind us and we've had tremendous responses in the  last couple of weeks, so we're confident," he said.

 The Democrats took power in 2008 after judicial rulings threw out  previous Thaksin-allied administrations, and Oxford-educated Abhisit is  accused by critics of being an unelected puppet of the military and the  establishment.

 In a bid to reverse his flagging fortunes ahead of the vote, Abhisit  has turned up the heat on his rivals, calling on voters to "get rid of  the poison of Thaksin" during a rally at the site of last year's  crackdown on the Red Shirts.

 "When you enter into a race there is always a possibility of a defeat  but we have a few more days," he told AFP. "It's not time to think  about it."

----------


## StrontiumDog

*What you can't do this weekend
*
*What you can't do this weekend*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on July 1, 2011                

*Election authorities and police yesterday laid down  the law for the big day, including a ban on vote-buying or accepting  money or other benefits in exchange for votes.*

                                                            Selling booze and gambling on election results are also disallowed. 

People  involved in the election campaign, the public, mass media, eligible  voters, and businesses were reminded to be aware of and heed the  prohibitions in the election law.

Maj-General Prawut Thawornsiri,  National Police spokesman, said yesterday that the ban on the sale and  distribution of alcoholic drinks started from 6pm on the eve of election  day and ended at midnight of the polling day on Sunday. 

The aim is to prevent election candidates and their canvassers wooing votes by giving away free drinks or throwing parties.

The law prohibits advertising and campaigning, as well as the attacking of rivals, from 6pm tomorrow to Sunday. 

This  year the Election Commission will look at the social-network accounts -  mainly Facebook and Twitter - of political parties and election  candidates to make sure that they do not violate this rule. 

EC  inspector-general Chonrat Jitnaitham said the ban was aimed at  preventing candidates from trying to influence voters, so any  "violation" made after the closing of polling stations would likely be  disregarded because it would not sway votes.

Voters are warned  against wearing shirts showing any candidacy number into polling  stations, including jerseys of their favourite soccer team that carry  the number of their favourite player.

The law also proscribes  attempting to prevent eligible voters from going to the polls, arranging  free transport for voters, tearing ballots, taking photos of marked  ballots and releasing the result of any opinion survey seven days before  election day until closing time.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Voters should double-check details: EC
*
*Voters should double-check details: EC*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on July 1, 2011                

*Voters should double-check their name and designated  polling station in order to rectify any errors ahead of Sunday's vote,  Election Commission member Prapun Naigowit said yesterday.*

                                                            "Checks can be done through the voting kit mailed to  each voter, the list of eligible voters posted at every district office  and the website www.khonthai.com," he said.

Prapun  said absentee voters, who registered to cast advance ballots outside  their designated polling station but failed to show up last Sunday,  would not get a second chance to vote on election day.

Under  Article 97 of the Elections Act, only absentee voters registered at  their designated polling station can choose to vote either in advance or  on election day, he said.

Election watchdog P-Net has called for  those who planned but failed to vote outside their designated polling  station to get another chance to vote at their constituency. The EC  cannot comply with such a request due to the law, Prapun said.

In  regard to concerns that there might still be voters lining up to cast  their ballots at closing time, he said officials at each polling station  could use their discretion in allowing those arriving before or  precisely at 3pm to vote.

He urged voters to plan ahead in order to avoid being late.

Should  an unanticipated incident disrupt voting, each polling station can be  moved to a safer place, he said, adding that the EC could, under dire  circumstances, reschedule the ballot if necessary.

He said the  public should not be overly concerned about balloting obstacles because  the floods in Nan had receded and there were no reports about military  skirmishes breaking out on the Thai-Cambodian border.

In a related  development, the EC yesterday organised a briefing about the Thai  electoral system for international observers from the European Union,  foreign watchdogs and 10 countries.

At the EC's invitation,  representatives from Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, South Korea,  Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Switzerland and Japan will observe Sunday's  balloting to ensure a free and fair vote.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Chart Thai 'will lead a coalition you could trust'
*
*Chart Thai 'will lead a coalition you could trust'*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on July 1, 2011                

*Abhisit says he does not know what Banharn is alluding to*

                                                            The Chart Thai Pattana Party hopes to lead an alliance  that would keep its electoral promises - but it is the voting outcome  that will determine the coalition, the party's chief adviser Banharn  Silapa-archa said yesterday. 

"I don't want to speculate on the winning party that will lead  the coalition," he said, reminding all sides not to jump to conclusions  before counting of the ballots. 

Banharn said a winning party should emerge by Sunday night after the unofficial outcome. 

He ruled out speculation about post-election chaos, arguing that  the winning party would have a first chance at forming the government.  If the first round of government formation collapses, then the runner-up  party will get the opportunity, he said. 

Reacting to Banharn's remarks, Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva  said he did not know which party or promise Banharn was alluding to. 

When Chart Thai Pattana joined the Democrat-led coalition in  2008, the Democrats reportedly promised to push for charter amendments  designed to repeal party dissolution as a punishment, and to pardon  barred party executives, including Banharn. 

The promise was not fulfilled because the Democrats cited  conflict of interest, since they too were targeted for a court battle  that could have resulted in their party's disbandment. 

In another development, Pheu Thai candidate Natthawut Saikua said  he suspected the motive of certain elements in society was to derail  the balloting. 

Natthawut said the People's Alliance for Democracy and former  charter-drafting chairman Prasong Soonsiri were trying to negate the  vote, hinting at attempts to deny Pheu Thai's likely victory. 

Former coup proponents, such as General Somjet Boonthanom, had  set up a movement to sling mud at Pheu Thai, he said, voicing concern  the stage was being set for power seizure. 

Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha said all sides should not try to involve the military in politics. 

Prayuth said the Army would stay inside the barracks regardless  of the winning party. He said the military did not want to take sides in  the face of social and political divisions. 

The Armed Forces would accept the voting outcome and could live  with it, he said, dismissing suggestions that the military would  intervene in the event of a Pheu Thai victory. 

He urged political parties and opposing sides to abide by the  rule of law. The country will never be at peace if politicians act above  the law in their power struggle, he said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*A last-ditch attempt

ANALYSIS* 

*A last-ditch attempt*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on July 1, 2011                


*Democrats to focus attacks on Thaksin and red-shirt riots at Royal Plaza today*

                                                            As the election campaign reaches its end, arch-rivals  the Democrat Party and Pheu Thai are expected to try and land knock-out  punches on each other in a final bid to sweep up undecided voters in  Sunday's election. 

The Democrats have a clear strategy to attack Pheu Thai on two  perceived weak points: last year's bloody red-shirt protest and the  proposed amnesty for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.  

The party claims Pheu Thai is contesting the polls only to take  power for Thaksin. By contrast, the Democrat Party says it works for the  whole country, not just one person. 

Democrat strategist Korbsak Sabhavasu said speakers at the  party's rally at Royal Plaza this evening would focus on telling people  the truth. "We will not say the same things as on the Ratchaprasong  stage, but will provide information for voters to make their decision on  election day," he said. 

"We will provide analysis to the audience to show clearly that  most of Pheu Thai's policies are not consistent and keep changing all  the time," Korbsak said. 

One day Pheu Thai promised to raise minimum wages to Bt300 for  unskilled labourers. On another day it said only skilled labourers would  receive that wage, he said. 

The Democrats also have a policy for national reconciliation but  will not grant amnesties to anyone who commits crimes and corruption, he  said. 

Only political cases will get amnesty, he said. Asked if red  shirts and their leaders such as Jatuporn Promphan would be included in  the Democrats' reconciliation plans, Korbsak said arson and terrorism  were not political cases.  

The Democrats are also heavily promoting the election in order to  get the maximum number of voters to cast their ballots. Not only are  they promoting the message through social media such as Facebook and  Twitter, they are asking their supporters to tell 10 of their family  members and friends to vote.  

The party believes there are a large number of undecided voters  and if they receive information from the party they will certainly vote  for the Democrats. 

Democrat leader Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he would  take the stage at Royal Plaza to show the voters the future of Thailand  if his party is elected to run the country again. 

Next time it will not allocate key ministries to other coalition parties, he said on a television programme yesterday. 

Meanwhile, the final stretch of Pheu Thai's campaign will focus  on policy and avoid responding to the Democrats' attacks. It will also  avoid talking about Thaksin's amnesty. If it does, it will say only that  it is not Pheu Thai's policy to secure an amnesty for Thaksin. 

Pheu Thai's top candidate Yingluck Shinawatra recently posted an  article titled "Thailand Vision 2020" on Facebook explaining what the  Thai people would get if Pheu Thai got the chance to govern until 2020.  The policies covered the cost of living, mass transportation, the  economy and finance. 

Yingluck said that if Pheu Thai won the election, Thailand would  overcome poverty by 2020. University graduates would earn Bt30,000 per  month for an entry-level job and the minimum wage would rise to Bt1,000  per day, she said. 

Yingluck and her party will today take the stage at Rajamangala National Stadium to make their final appeal to voters. 

The stadium is huge, with the capacity to accommodate 70,000  people, but the party believes the number of people attending would  exceed the capacity. 

Live Internet streaming will broadcast from the stage to the  party's 375 stations in every constituency of the country, party  spokesman Prompong Nopparit said. 

Pheu Thai candidate Natthawut Saikua said the party would not  need a knockout punch at Rajamangala as he believed most voters had  already decided who they would vote for. 

"Indeed, its thanks to the Democrats, as their strategy of verbal  attacks really helped Pheu Thai to get a lot of sympathy from voters,  notably in Bangkok," he said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai ruling party battles to win back votes - FT.com

 June 30, 2011 5:51 pm

*Thai ruling party battles to win back votes*

 By Tim Johnston in Bangkok

     It is 11pm on a hot Friday in Bangkok’s red light district, and  Thailand’s finance minister – wearing a T-shirt and chinos – is weaving  his way between bemused tourists and pavement stalls selling knock-off  Calvin Klein underwear.

 Heading to DJ Station, one of Bangkok’s best-known gay clubs, Korn  Chatikavanij is in search of more votes for Sunday’s elections. His  Democrat party is trailing in the polls, with most surveys indicating  they are 15 percentage points or more behind the opposition Puea Thai  party.

The  Democrats are struggling to turn the advantages of incumbency into  votes. They have been hit by external factors such as rising prices, but  they have also mounted a campaign that has looked lacklustre against  the slick marketing of Puea Thai and Yingluck Shinawatra, their young and photogenic prime ministerial candidate.

 She is the youngest sister of Thaksin Shinawatra,  the controversial telecommunications billionaire and former prime  minister who was removed in a coup in 2006. He now lives in exile in  Dubai to avoid a two-year jail sentence for corruption, but his populist  policies ensure he remains a hero to many rural Thais despite a record  of human rights abuses and autocratic rule.

 The Democrats, the party of the establishment, say they are still  confident of victory. They say that opinion polls in Thailand are  notoriously unreliable.

 “We always lose in the polls,” says Mr Korn. “We expected a spike, but she had a better spike than we anticipated.”

 But for Mr Korn and Abhisit Vejjajiva,  the country’s increasingly strained prime minister, the uncomfortable  truth is that they also usually lose at the ballot box: the Democrats  have not won a general election since 1992. They hold power because of a  controversial parliamentary vote in 2008 in which a bloc of erstwhile  Puea Thai allies were persuaded to cross the floor.

 The Democrats’ rule has been turbulent. Red-shirted anti-government  protesters mounted nine weeks of demonstrations in central Bangkok last  April and May. The army were sent in to disperse the crowds and 91  people, the vast majority of them protesters, were killed and more than  30 buildings were set alight, apparently by furious opposition  protesters.

 At the start of the election campaign the Democrats tried to fight on  their policies, emphasising assistance for rice farmers, programmes to  alleviate household debt and widening the pensions net.

 But the campaign has never found momentum. If the Democrats are  promising medicine and making a cogent argument for their policies being  healthier for the country, Puea Thai is promising candy: tablet  computers for students, a 40 per cent raise in the minimum wage and a  solution to the country’s drugs problem within 12 months.

 In the last week the Democrats have tried to wrest back the initiative,  explicitly linking Puea Thai with the violence surrounding the  demonstrations. But it is unclear how this is playing in a country where  many voters say they are tired of politicians exacerbating the  divisions in the country.

 “They bring nothing new to the table: they’re just re-emphasising old  problems,” Pakwaran, a 22-year-old student, says of the two main  parties. She says she will probably spoil her ballot in protest.

 Democrat rallies are sober affairs. This week some 1,500 Democrat  supporters gathered in the northern town of Lampang – the heart of  opposition territory – to hear Mr Korn speak. They used election fliers  to fan themselves in the torpid humidity as the minister explained how  the party had helped the economy and the advantages of their rice price  guarantee scheme.

 By contrast, Puea Thai rallies have the giddy atmosphere of  revivalist meetings, long on emotion and short on hard policy. As with  their food, Thai voters like their politics with strong flavours.

 “Do you think the noodle sellers will have 4 per cent GDP growth and 1  per cent unemployment on their minds when they go to the polls? It’s  too intangible for them,” says Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a political  scientist at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.

 But back at DJ Station, appearing on stage alongside a drag queen in a sequinned frock, Mr Korn found some supporters.

 “The Democrats have a lot of good and knowledgeable people,” says  Mos, a young man with extravagantly upswept hair. “They have good hearts  and they want to do something for the country.”

----------


## longway

> Originally Posted by longway
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by LooseBowels
> ...


Only in your rather fevered imagination. You obviuosly live far out on the edge, good luck with that.

Just for the record, I am not anti red, nor am I pro yellow. 

I cant stand Thaksin, watching him speak to the masses is like watching a pedophile groom a young girl for gang rape.

----------


## LooseBowels

> watching him speak to the masses is like watching a pedophile groom a young girl for gang rape.


Did you join in then   :Smile:

----------


## LooseBowels

Abisits big problem is that he is now tagged, nationally, and internationally as an unelected, murderous, weak ,  failure.

The people see this and want progressive, not regressive politics , to improve their lot.

They see the future in Yingluk, they will vote for who they trust most, wouldn't you ?

You can't argue with that   :Smile:

----------


## Buksida

> Economically, neither party send shivers down me spine. Thaksins team tends to advocate a more expansionary monetary and fiscal approach, as well as privatisation and decentralisation (met with concerted resistance from Amat). The Dem's like to keep things more centralised and 'within the club' as befits their Bangkok and Amat heritage. The reputation they had as fiscal hawks though has been somewhat compromised by their largesse to the Military.


Not sure what all that has to do with their policies. Neither parties seem possible, but it's most likely to be PT so let's look at theirs:
- 36% Min wage increase in 3 months?
- Big drop in corporate tax
- Graduates start on 15k
- Useless tablet PC to be used in even more useless schools
- a vague idea to build a sea wall around Bkk, that would cost billions.
- Gauranteeing a high rice price no matter what the market offers.

IMO very little of this is achievable, which PT knows but figure it'll get them elected, after which they probably don't give a fuck.

Would be interesting to hear from the PT fans, but I'm sure they'll remain quiet.

----------


## Buksida

> They see the future in Yingluk, they will vote for who they trust most, wouldn't you ?


Yingluck can win ppls trust with her winning smile, she has a bright future ahead advertising tooth paste.

But in govt or public admin, she doesn't know fuck all.

----------


## LooseBowels

> Originally Posted by LooseBowels
> 
> 
>  
> They see the future in Yingluk, they will vote for who they trust most, wouldn't you ?
> 
> 
> Yingluck can win ppls trust with her winning smile, she has a bright future ahead advertising tooth paste.
> 
> But in govt or public admin, she doesn't know fuck all.


Neither did a few more others who became  fabled world leaders; maybe abisit should start showin his arse around in that case,  :kma:   :Smile:

----------


## Hampsha

> Any political campaigning via Facebook, Twitter and other online social networks will be banned from 6pm on Saturday until midnight on Sunday, police said.


So does this mean this website will be lock these political discussion forums at 6pm Sat night? Does it mean the gov't is going to block UDDs facebook as well as the others if they see political chat going on? Will people like Butterfly stay offline to show their support for the government's censorship?

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Buksida
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by LooseBowels
> ...


Any recent examples?

----------


## sabang

> Chart Thai 'will lead a coalition you could trust'


Oh yeh, just like the last one.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 
(Just a historical reminder, the Chart Thai/ Banharn ('Mr 10%') government was quite likely the most corrupt civilian government Thailand has had.)

If PT wins, there will be government corruption. If the Dem's win (_snigger_), ditto- no change there. But if a weak coalition is tacked together with some small party leader put in as titular PM for 'face' or 'compromise' reasons, corruption will be even worse. No doubt the BJT's & Chart Thai's would love that.

----------


## Butterfly

> Originally Posted by LooseBowels
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Buksida
> ...


he probably means GW Bush, one of his hero  :rofl:

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## Butterfly

> If PT wins, there will be government corruption. If the Dem's win (snigger), ditto- no change there. But if a weak coalition is tacked together with some small party leader put in as titular PM for 'face' or 'compromise' reasons, corruption will be even worse. No doubt the BJT's & Chart Thai's would love that.


how do you measure "more corruption" ?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## sabang

^ Meaningless post of the week. Your point is?

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## Butterfly

^ point is "less concentrated" corruption is better than "concentrated corruption"

and guess who goes for "concentrated corruption" ?

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## sabang

> point is "less concentrated" corruption is better than "concentrated corruption"


Operatively, I tend to agree with that- mainly because less concentrated corruption implies less concentrated distribution of the goodies that arise.
From a legal and control perspective however, not so- concentrated corruption is easier to 'control', by which I mean reduce. Thailand, naturally, has both. 

But no society has eliminated corruption, and none ever will.

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## longway

> Originally Posted by longway
> 
> watching him speak to the masses is like watching a pedophile groom a young girl for gang rape.
> 
> 
> Did you join in then


Yes and I also ate some of the dead reds, I loved the taste of their fear.

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## Bobcock

> I cant stand Thaksin, watching him speak to the masses is like watching a pedophile groom a young girl for gang rape.


55555555

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## Bobcock

I suggest a coalition between PTP and Prachartipat......

Anything to see Banharn, Sanoh and Newin in the wilderness.

That would be a true reconciliation government and would provide entertainment for years.....

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## HansuMan

*Wednesday, June 29, 2011*

* "Stolen Elections" Battle Cry of the Color Revolution* 


_Rhetorical stage set by globalist Robert Amsterdam to destabilize Thailand. _ 

 click to enlarge Tony Cartalucci, _Contributing Writer_
*Activist Post*

*Bangkok, Thailand, June 30, 2011* - Having reported on the engineered "Arab Spring" since January,   the Land Destroyer Report has attempted to accurately reveal the inner   workings of foreign-funded "color revolutions" drawing both on  firsthand experience here in Thailand, and by sourcing the exemplary  work of  geopolitical analysts like Dr. Webster Tarpley and William Engdahl.    Having amassed a considerable amount of insight on this phenomenon,   the Land Destroyer Report believes an "Asian Summer" is imminent and   that it will start right here in Bangkok, Thailand. It is unlikely that   the Thai government is unaware of the totality of what it faces, and   thus most likely prepared, with the "Arab Spring" in hindsight, in   unpredictable ways difficult to discern.

What is certain is that the stage is now fully set with a Tunisian-Egyptian-style Wikileaks hit piece circulating through the corporate-owned media, and now the foreign-backed opposition party already attempting to decry the elections as "stolen," just as Egypt's Mohamed ElBaradei did   prior to Egypt's 2010 elections and then revolution. All that can be   done now is wait and see how the July 3rd, elections this Sunday play   out. The Land Destroyer Report will attempt to cover these events in   full detail, and while "Thailand" may not be a subject of interest to   many readers, the repercussions, especially regarding China most   definitely will affect everyone.

more:
Activist Post: "Stolen Elections" Battle Cry of the Color Revolution

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## The Bold Rodney

> and why would they need a landslide to rule "democratically" ?


"pupa" the above illustrates clearly jusy what a stupid prick you really are!

Anyway on another subject...not long now so are you getting excited re the 3rd?  :rofl:

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## Calgary

> ^No, I almost never initiate a political discussion with Thai freinds. Generally they say all politicians are crooked bastards, none have good intentions. A couple have said they'd vote for Yingluck cos of big brother.


I initiate and discuss politics with Thai's every day.

I am surrounded by them, many are political junkies from way back, and several speak impeccable English.

They are all Democracy activists, and have very clear views on the Amart, it's machinations over the years and above all, who within the Amart structure is paramount.

The years of indoctrination has fallen away, and as the song goes, "_They can see clearly now"._ 

What you see in my Posts reflect in large part the influence of these Thai's. 

I am amazed at some of the tremendous insights from other Farangs on this Board however. I concur with many of them completely, but would not have their insight without that significant Thai input.

Without it, I probably would be just another Farang drone spewing out what the Domestic, English language media fed me, and mistake it for insight.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by longway
> ...


Awright, another nuetral PAD...........Oops, I mean "nuetral guy"

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> Without it, I probably would be just another Farang drone spewing out what the Domestic, English language media fed me, and mistake it for insight.


Exactly and despite what many of these "Drones" like to believe many, many Thai educated farangs are NOT blindly pro Thaksin.

I've spoken with many Thais about politics here and most say Thakisn was simply the best of a bad bunch!

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## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Big mango is a tough nut
*
*Big mango is a tough nut*
Published:  1/07/2011 at 09:31 AMNewspaper section: News
 Bangkok is and always has been the toughest election arena for pollsters and political parties.



 It has repeatedly embarrassed many poll agencies trying to predict  election outcomes. It has also posed a major challenge to big political  parties trying to win the hearts of its inhabitants who are relatively  knowledgeable and wealthy.

 On July 3, city residents will cast their votes once again. Their  voices could  determine whether the country will be run over the next  four years by Chiang Mai native and female challenger Yingluck  Shinawatra of the Pheu Thai Party, or the Democrat Party, the defender  in Bangkok, led by Abhisit Vejjajiva.

 Mr Abhisit has a lot of insights about campaign strategies in  Bangkok. He has experienced polling in the capital eight times as a  candidate and as campaign director for the Bangkok governor election and  has successfully helped Democrat candidates get elected to City Hall  three times. Yet, he admits that Bangkok is the most difficult polling  arena as many of its eligible voters make a decision on who to vote for  just before election day comes around.

 Mr Abhisit does not argue about the results of opinion polls which  indicate that his party is the underdog in the capital, noting only that  they reflect the views of some people. He tries to take a positive  stance by saying that the polls should motivate all Democrat candidates  and campaigners to work harder.

 But the Democrat leader has even warned his candidates in promising  constituencies not to take winning for granted. This warning went out to  Constituency 1 comprising Phra Nakhon, Pomprap Sattruphai and  Samphanthawong districts where Democrat Jermmas Jeunglertsiri is running  against Pheu Thai's Pol Maj Gen Rungroj Pekanant and to Constituency 2  of Pathumwan, Bang Rak and Sathon districts where Democrat Orn-anong  Kanchanachusak is vying with Pheu Thai's ML Nattapol Devakula.

 The other stronghold that has become rather less promising for the  Democrats is Constituency 3. Mr Abhisit, deputy Democrat leader Korn  Chatikavanij and Democrat Bangkok campaign director Apirak Kosayodhin  have in the past represented this constituency, comprising Bang Kholaem  and Yannawa districts.

 In this election, the key figures are party-list candidates, and the  fate of Democrat candidate ML Apimongkol Sonakul hangs in the balance in  the race against Pheu Thai's Pongpisut Jinta sophon, who may end up  winning a relatively easy victory.

 Two weeks before the election, polling agencies indicated that the  ratio of Pheu Thai House seats to Democrats in Bangkok would be 2:1.

 Some poll organisations even predicted the Democrat Party would get only two to five out of the 33 seats in Bangkok.

 A survey for the Pheu Thai Party showed that it would capture at least 30 seats in the capital.

 The Democrat Party did its own poll and found differently _ that it  would win at least 20 seats in Bangkok. Some academics and pollsters  echoed this expectation.

 The lowest turnout is usually in Bangkok and it has often not even  reached 60% of eligible voters. Those who exercise their voting rights  are mostly the grass roots who vote either with the flow or on the  orders of political canvassers.

 Both Democrat and Pheu Thai have similar numbers of eligible voters  in hand. Each of their candidates has about 30,000 voters but to  guarantee victory, they need at least 60,000 votes.

 Therefore, the deciding factor in Bangkok depends on the mood in the capital three days prior to the election.

 Victory will go to the party that can woo support from middle-class voters and those who are undecided.

 The Democrat Party has often succeeded in convincing uncommitted  voters in Bangkok. In this election, the Democrats hope the outcome in  Bangkok  will be the deciding factor for victory in both the  constituency and list systems. The party believes it can defend its 24  seats in the capital.

 Meanwhile, Pheu Thai, which has stayed the front-runner in opinion  polls from the beginning to the last chapter of campaigning, does not  think that Mr Abhisit's speech about last year's violence at  Ratchaprasong  intersection in Bangkok on Thursday and the cabinet's  decision for Thailand to withdraw from the World Heritage Convention  will impress voters in the city so much that they will decide to vote  Democrat.

 Chalerm Yubamrung, the third-ranked list candidate of Pheu Thai,  predicts that his party will enjoy a landslide victory in Bangkok  despite close contests in some constituencies.

 He said that so far there have been no developments beneficial for the Democrat Party.

 Nutt Bantadthan, the Democrat candidate in Bang Kapi district, admits  that his popularity is below that of Pheu Thai candidate Pakdiharn   Himathongkham. But he is ignoring poll results and trying to reach as  many constituents as possible. He still hopes for victory on Sunday.

 Democrat Tankhun Jitt-itsara, who runs in Don Muang, also admits he  is the underdog against Pheu Thai's Karun Hosakul but said the  difference between their support has dropped from 20% to 8%. Mr Tankhun  believes he can overtake Mr Karun.

 Pheu Thai and Democrat candidates will compete fiercely until the last minute of their campaigns in all Bangkok constituencies.

 Warakorn Samkoset, rector of Dhurakij Pundit University, said the  campaign speech rally of the Democrat Party at Ratchaprasong  intersection last Thursday should remind people of past incidents in the  capital and thus benefit them, especially in constituencies where the  call is close.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : What is this election about?

COMMENTARY

*What is this election about?* 
Published:  1/07/2011 at 09:17 AMNewspaper section: News
 It's about having an election at all

 The results of the past three polls have been set aside. The  government installed by the 2007 poll was dissolved by a court  judgement, opening the way for outside intervention to concoct a new  coalition.

 The results of the 2006 poll were nullified after the Democrats and  other parties boycotted the election and successfully lured the  now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party into transgressions of the electoral  law.

 The remains of the parliament elected by the 2005 poll disappeared  when the army rolled the tanks through the streets of the capital, a  manoeuvre so primitive that it had last succeeded half a century  earlier.

 As the timing for a new poll approached, panicky voices raised many  objections _ with three polls overthrown, why hold another that may  produce the same result; close down the parliamentary system for several  years and carry out a house cleaning; install a ``national government''  chosen by some system other than elections; or adopt the ``China  model'' of a liberal economy and closed politics?

 Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva repeatedly promised to hold new  elections, however he then added a string of conditions such as  ``unity'' which are unobtainable and thus could be used to delay the  poll.

 The demonstrations which wracked Bangkok in both 2009 and last year  had a single demand _ to hold new polls _ but the government  never  entered into serious negotiations (a couple of hours in front of TV  cameras does not suffice).

 Against this background of election results reduced to dust and  near-panic over the prospects of another poll, the fact that these  elections are going ahead is historic in its own right.

*It's about policy

* Not about particular policies or promises. The messages shouted from  platforms and blazed along the streetside posters merge into a fuzzy  blur. This giveaway. That tax reduction. This new infrastructure. That  freebie.

 Few voters are going to make their choice because they prefer the  menu on the red poster over the menu on the green one. But this blur of  promises  signals a huge change _ the assertion of the popular will.

 A dozen years ago, elections were much blander affairs. Posters were  just a mug shot and a number. Voters showed little interest. The loudest  campaigns were by the Interior Ministry, trying to persuade people to  vote at all. The disinterest was quite understandable. The average  citizen cast a vote once every four years, choosing from a menu of rich  businessmen to send to a remote parliament that seemed to have little or  no meaning for the average citizen's life and well-being. People sold  their votes for a promise to pave the local road because that seemed the  most value that could be got from it.

 This situation changed around the turn of the century. With the 1997  constitution and 1998 decentralisation law, the average citizen now  voted for MPs, senators, village headmen, provincial councillors, local  mayors and subdistrict councillors. In the local elections, they  actually knew the candidates and could easily tell whether they did what  they promised or took the money without taking any action.
 The education in the value of the vote was rapid and revolutionary.

 In 2001, the Thai Rak Thai party campaigned on a policy platform and  implemented that platform in full after its victory, showing that the  vote was an even more valuable weapon at the national level.

 The cacophony of campaign promises at this poll is the result. This  is the will of the people in action. Parties have not yet found elegant  ways to translate this will into party platforms and regular support.  But they have to signal their readiness to be responsive to popular will  by sticking up policy platforms like flypaper to catch voters.

 The Democrat Party has been transformed by this trend. For a long  time the party stood for liberal economic policy and a minimalist social  policy.

 Now it is promising cradle-to-grave social support. The party has  moved so far so quickly that its old support base of tax-shy businessmen  and work-shy bureaucrats is horrified.

*It's about Thaksin

* When the election was called, the Thaksinite side looked a mess. The  UDD  was fragmented. Red shirt protesters and Pheu Thai MPs were  arguing.

 Squabbles loomed over the allocation of candidacies. The camp had  three non-leader leaders with limited popular appeal. There was a  question over the relationship between the nominal party head and the  real leader overseas.

 Voting for Pheu Thai would mean voting for what? Nothing was clear.

 And then suddenly everything was clear. Yingluck Shinawatra was  nominated as Thaksin's puppet, proxy, clone, or whatever. The slogan  ``Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai does'' was pasted all over town. Thaksin  intervened to settle the squabbling over candidacies. Chalerm Yubamrung  announced that the party would pass an amnesty law and bring Thaksin  back to Thailand.

 No more fuzziness. The election is about Thaksin, and about what has  happened to him, to his supporters, and to Thai democracy since the  fateful coup of 2006.

 Certainly some voters will plump for local favourites, irrespective of party.

 In Suphan Buri, Buri Ram, Nakhon Ratchasima and Chon Buri, the  electorate will plump for local parties  headed by local celebrities. A  few will register a protest vote by choosing Chuwit Kamolvisit or the  ``Vote No'' campaign. But the vast majority of citizens will want their  vote to count on the big issues confronting the country.

 This will be especially strong on the party-list vote. At the last  poll in 2007, almost one in six voters chose a small party with their  constituency vote, but then shifted to one of the two major parties on  the party-list vote. This trend will likely be even more evident this  time around.
*It's about the military

* Who knows whether they have learnt yet that their interventions  (coups, sponsoring political parties, issuing instructions to voters,  and so on) tend only to delay and complicate the resolution of issues  and conflicts best left to the democratic process?

* Scholars Pasuk Phongpaichit and Chris Baker have written a number of  books concerning Thai politics and the economy including ``Thaksin: The  Business Of Politics In Thailand'' (2004) and ``Thai Capital After The  1997 Crisis'' (2008)
*

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Huge rallies wind up campaign
*
*Huge rallies wind up campaign*

*Democrats, Pheu Thai make final voter push * 
Published:  1/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 The Democrat and Pheu Thai parties will today  wrap up their election campaigns with massive rallies in Bangkok in a  final push to drum up public support and get a decisive majority.

 
Driven to speak out More than 1,000 drivers from the Public Taxis  Association yesterday kicked off a campaign against vote buying and to  encourage people to turn out for the election. They gathered at the  Royal Plaza in Bangkok before driving their cabs with campaign stickers  around the city. NATTHITI AMPRIWAN

 The Democrats hope about 90,000 supporters will fill the Royal Plaza  while the 70,000-seat Rajamangala stadium will host Pheu Thai voters.

 A 600-strong force from the Metropolitan Police Division 1 has been  assigned to the Democrat's venue and another 700-man unit from  Metropolitan Police Division 4 will be deployed to the Pheu Thai rally.

 The two rallies will be broadcast live via satellite to their provincial election centres and streamed online.

 Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva will stress that when the people  exercise their rights on Sunday they will determine the direction the  country will take for the future. He will also highlight how he is  prepared to work to achieve the kind of future the people want.

 "[Mr Abhisit] will show why they should vote for the party and how  the country will benefit from it," said Democrat Sathit Wongnongtoey.

 Mr Abhisit said yesterday the party was buoyed by a warmer-than-usual response over the past two weeks.

 He reiterated that the country would go beyond one man and start to  focus on problems facing the nation if they elect the Democrats.

 Other key speakers are Apirak Kosayodhin, the party's election  director for Bangkok, and deputy party leader Korn Chatikavanij. The  rally is scheduled to kick off at 6pm.

 Pheu Thai's Yingluck Shinawatra will present the party's "Vision 2020".

 Vision 2020 outlines 20 targets Pheu Thai will try to achieve,  including improving infrastructure, increasing the use of green energy,  graft reduction and improved administration of justice. She said the  party is looking ahead to the next eight years.

 "The voters will see what they are in for if they elect Pheu Thai to power.

 "We are projecting a daily minimum wage of 1,000 baht a day and a  salary of 30,000 baht for university graduates at entry level," she  said.

 The Pheu Thai rally is scheduled to start at 4pm. Key speakers  include Chalerm Yubamrung, Plodprasop Suraswadi and Natthawut Saikua. Mr  Natthawut yesterday likened today's rallies to two cinemas screening  different movies, with Pheu Thai showing the way to the future as the  Democrats focus on political violence and struggle.

 "So select the theatre you want to go to," he said.

 According to Mr Natthawut, the Pheu Thai Party has asked people about  the government's handling of national affairs during the election and  been told it was a failure.

 Meanwhile, Democrat strategist Korbsak Sabhavasu said yesterday his  party will not be picking up from its previous campaign rally at  Ratchaprasong intersection.

 The Democrats last week took their campaign to Ratchaprasong, where  last year's red shirt protest turned chaotic, and blamed the ensuing  riots and fatalities on ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

 Mr Korbsak also took Pheu Thai to task for failing to stick to its  campaign platform, saying the party's economic chief Olarn Chaiprawat  backpedalled on several issues."At first it was a daily minimum wage of  300 baht for all. Now he is saying it is for skilled labour only.

 "The party promised a 15,000 baht salary for graduates, but it is  saying it will be limited to certain groups of civil officials," he  said.

 "Pheu Thai also talked about amnesty for Thaksin, but the plan is  being shelved." Mr Korbsak demanded the party be fair to the public by  clarifying these issues before election day.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Post-election landscape
*
*Post-election landscape*
Published:  1/07/2011 at 09:12 AMNewspaper section: News
 A fter the war of words and gruelling political  campaigning, the Democrat and Pheu Thai parties go to the election on  Sunday with two words which could decide their fate: majority and  margin.



 The magic number is 250 out of the total 500 seats available, both  constituency-based and party list. If Pheu Thai manages to win the  highest number of seats and it gains the majority too, then it's game  over for the Democrats and Bhumjaithai.

 There's really not much doubt which party will win the most seats on  Sunday. Based on past performance and opinion surveys both by  independent organisations and the political parties themselves, it's  almost a foregone conclusion that Pheu Thai will sail past the finish  line first, followed by the Democrats and then Bhumjaithai.

 It's the number of seats that each party will win that remains in question.

 The Election Commission bars publication of poll results a week  before the election. One week before the deadline, Suan Dusit Poll with  the largest poll size of more than 100,000 people nationwide, released  its results which said that the Pheu Thai Party would win 260 seats, the  Democrats 170 and Bhumjaithai 18.

 Pheu Thai's own survey estimated it would bag at least 270 seats and  at most 300. With such favourable readings, the party's tactic going  into the final leg of the election has been simply maintaining the  positive momentum.

 The Democrats have their own estimates too. Although it is coming  from behind, the country's oldest party and current core of the  government remains confident it will fare better than suggested by the  surveys and that it could win as many as 190 to 200 seats.

 The Democrats also do not believe that Pheu Thai will do as well in  the election as in the polling. Contrary to most other estimates, the  Democrats still hold to the belief that Pheu Thai will win only 210  seats at the most.

 With its ally Bhumjaithai projecting that it will do three times  better on election day than in the opinion polls, winning some 50 to 60  seats, the Democrats are hopeful they can still form the next government  even from a second-place position.

 Pheu Thai's confidence lies with its large voter base _ its  predecessor the People Power Party won as many as 233 out of 480 seats  contested in the 2007 election _ and powerful marketing strategies  prompted it to announce early on in the race that it wouldn't join hands  with Bhumjaithai in forming the next government. This move turned the  election into a race to win a majority.

 The Democrats fought back during the last leg of their campaign _  starting with their controversial rally on June 23 at Ratchaprasong, the  scene of last year's red shirt protest that led to the military  crackdown with scores killed. The Democrats called on voters to give  them more than 250 seats so that they could ``detoxify'' Thailand from  any lingering legacy of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

 Another game-changer is the controversial issue of amnesty.

 Even though Yingluck Shinawatra and the Pheu Thai cadre came out to  deny that the party has a policy of granting an amnesty for a single  person _ Thaksin _ the party has not yet clearly stated what its stance  is on this thorny issue.

 The Democrats wasted no time capitalising on Pheu Thai's ambivalence,  its Achilles' Heel as far as this election goes, in the Democrats'  view. On top of that, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's stance  supporting the threat made by the Thai delegation to the World Heritage  Committee meeting on the Preah Vihear temple to withdraw Thailand's  membership of the World Heritage Convention could gain him some votes  from undecided voters or some members of the yellow shirt People's  Alliance for Democracy who could find the Democrats' nationalist gesture  to their liking.

 If Pheu Thai gets to form the government after the election, the  amnesty question will continue to haunt it. The party may bank on the  possibility of it winning a landslide victory as a mandate for it to go  ahead with a sweeping am nesty, possibly for all cases both political  and criminal since the 2006 coup. It has already assigned a key leader,  Chalerm Yubamrung, to work on a draft law on amnesty which it renamed a  national reconciliation draft bill after public sentiment turned against  the proposal.

 Not only is a government led by Pheu Thai destined to meet a  formidable opponent in the Democrats but it's highly possible that  members of the middle class, business leaders and intellectual leaders  would also line up against it if the party pushes ahead with the amnesty  proposal.

 After some leaders of Pheu Thai made the threat they would settle  scores with state officials and justice authorities such as Department  of Special Investigation director-general Tharit Pengdit, whom red shirt  leaders within Pheu Thai con sider their arch enemy, this means  reconciliation is unlikely to be the name of the game for a Pheu Thai  government. More conflicts and possibly confrontation can be expected.

 If the Democrats manage the incredible in the last stretch and win  enough votes to form a government, they will have an equally tough task  of proving themselves. There is no question that the ruling party did  not spend its last two years in power wisely. Its performance was less  than impressive even in the eyes of its hardcore fans. It has to show  that it really does know how to implement its policies.

 In terms of public sentiment, a Democrat-led coalition would likely  be more acceptable to business leaders and members of the establishment,  some of whom have expressed the desire to see  the incumbent carry on  its initiatives including the independent committees on truth and  national reform.

 Still, it is certain the Democrats will continue to face red shirt  wrath if it usurps the likely election winner Pheu Thai and forms the  next government. Again, the road ahead would be sewn with more conflicts  and possibly violence.

 With such a reading of the post-election landscape, it's no surprise  both Pheu Thai and the Democrats are racing for the magic majority _ the  250 seats which would give either party the much-needed mandate to  forward its agenda, whatever it might be.

 If neither party can win a majority of seats and the margin is not  substantial, then the country will likely be heading towards more trying  times and a return to instability.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Governor, police chief to answer bias claims
*
*Governor, police chief to answer bias claims*
Published:  1/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 The Election Commission has asked the superiors  of Surin's governor and provincial police chief accused of taking sides  with parliamentary candidates to decide their fates.

 The EC met yesterday to consider a complaint asking for the transfer  of governor Serm Chainarong and Pol Maj Gen Ronnapong Sapkaew, who is  also a member of the EC's sub-panel investigation team, for allegedly  failing to maintain their political neutrality.

 Election commissioner Prapun Naigowit yesterday said the EC decided  to let agencies supervising the two accused officials consider the case.

 A source said evidence submitted to the EC included video clips  featuring Mr Serm and Maj Gen Ronnapong having dinner with Bhumjaithai  party-list candidate Chai Chidchob and two other Bhumjaithai candidates  at a luxury restaurant in Surin province.

 The candidates wore their party jackets emblazoned with No.16.Mr  Chai, a former House speaker, is the father of Newin Chidchob, who is  the de-facto leader of Bhumjaithai. The EC has not given its ruling on  the case although the evidence suggested the pair might be viewed as  being politically biased, the source said.

 Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen, an adviser to the Royal Thai Police  Office (RTPO), said he was coordinating with the EC to ask for evidence  about the alleged biased behaviour of Pol Maj Gen Ronnapong.

 An investigation would be immediately launched against the Surin  police chief after the evidence was supplied, Pol Gen Pongsapat said.

 Earlier, Pol Maj Gen Ronnapong had been investigated for allegedly  helping parliamentary candidates campaign for votes in Surin province.

 The RTPO held an inquiry and found no grounds to the allegation.

 Meanwhile, the EC yesterday resolved to endorse the reinstatement of  Wongsak Sawasdipanich as chief of the Provincial Administration  Department (PAD).

 Mr Prapun said the EC voted 4-1 to endorse Mr Wongsak's reinstatement  and the transfer of Mongkol Surasajja, director of the PAD, to the post  of Interior Ministry inspector-general.

 Mr Prapun said the EC's resolution would be submitted to the cabinet on July 5 for acknowledgement.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Reporters face probe over Pheu Thai bribery claim
*
*Reporters face probe over Pheu Thai bribery claim*
Published:  1/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsThe Thai Journalists Association is looking into  allegations that reporters have taken money in exchange for publishing  pictures of the Pheu Thai Party's top list candidate Yingluck  Shinawatra.

 Association president Chavarong Limpattamapanee said an inquiry was under way.

 It was sparked by a purported email message by a person named "Wim", published at the ASTV Manager online news website yesterday.

 The email gave nicknames of reporters allegedly paid to keep Ms Yingluck's election campaign pictures in the news.

 In the email sent on June 14 to a "Pongsak", Wim said the reporters in question had cooperated well.

 The email said television reporters were treated to meals and wine.  Wim also attached his recommendations on what the party should do to  keep the profile of "Khun Pou" in the public eye. Pou is Ms Yingluck's  nickname.

 It is not known if, or how, Wim and Pongsak are connected to the  party. Pheu Thai deputy spokesman, Wim Rungwattanajinda, said the email  is fake.

 He said he wrote an email to Pongsak Rattapongpaisal, a former  politician from the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party, about the party's  sports policy. He had no idea about the money supposedly paid to  reporters.

 He said the purported email was an attempt to discredit him and sabotage the party.

 "I don't think any media outlet would risk its prestige and dignity  by taking the money," said Mr Wim, who is also a Pheu Thai list  candidate.

 Meanwhile, Mr Chavarong said he has not talked to the reporters whose names appear in the email.

 The TJA, however, has contacted Pheu Thai to seek information  regarding the issue. Mr Chavarong said a thorough investigation was in  order and the email must be verified.

 Pramote Fai-upara, chairman of the National Press Council of  Thailand, denied he had received anything from Wim. He had interviewed  Ms Yingluck before, but he went to interview her with many other  reporters. He said he had no reason to want money from politicians  because it was him who treated politicians to meals, not the other way  around.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Pheu Thai Party rallies in Nakhon Ratchasima – a photo essay | Asian Correspondent
*
*Pheu Thai Party rallies in Nakhon Ratchasima – a photo essay*

_By Siam Voices Jul 01, 2011 10:00AM UTC_ 

_Reporting from Bangkok: Saksith Saiyasombut_

_On June 29, 2011 – the last week before the election – the leader  and prime minister candidate of the opposition Pheu Thai Party,  Yingluck Shinawatra was on a campaign tour through the north-eastern  part of the country, also known as Isaan. Stations include Ubon  Ratchathani and Si Saket. The last station of her swing through Isaan  was__ in Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat)__. Before her arrival,  the supporters waiting in front of the city hall were warmed up by red  shirt leader and MP candidate Nattawut Saikua. With a small delay,  Yingluck arrived at the stage and was greeted by the ecstatic cheers of  estimated 6,000 supporters.
_

A  member of the opposition Pheu Thai Party rallies the crowd at a  campaign rally in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand on June 29, 2011. (Photo  by Saksith Saiyasombut/IHA)


Kwanchai  Praiphana, one of the red shirt leaders, waiting backstage at a  campaign rally in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand on June 29, 2011. (Photo  by Saksith Saiyasombut/IHA)


Nattawut  Saikua, red shirt leader and MP candidate, addresses the crowd at a  Pheu Thai Party campaign rally in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand on June  29, 2011. (Photo by Saksith Saiyasombut/IHA)


Nattawut  Saikua, red shirt leader and MP candidate, addresses the crowd at a  Pheu Thai Party campaign rally in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand on June  29, 2011. (Photo by Saksith Saiyasombut/IHA)


Supporters  of the opposition Pheu Thai Party cheer at a campaign rally in Nakhon  Ratchasima, Thailand on June 29, 2011. (Photo by Saksith  Saiyasombut/IHA)

 
    Nattawut Saikua, red shirt leader and MP candidate, addresses the  crowd at a Pheu Thai Party campaign rally in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand  on June 29, 2011. (Photo by Saksith Saiyasombut/IHA)


A  local member of the opposition Pheu Thai Party cheers at the crowd at a  campaign rally in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand on June 29, 2011. (Photo  by Saksith Saiyasombut/IHA)


Pheu  Thai Party leader and prime minister candidate Yingluck Shinawatra  arrives at a campaign rally in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand on June 29,  2011. (Photo by Saksith Saiyasombut/IHA)


Pheu  Thai Party leader and prime minister candidate Yingluck Shinawatra  greets the crowd at a campaign rally in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand on  June 29, 2011. (Photo by Saksith Saiyasombut/IHA)


Pheu  Thai Party leader and prime minister candidate Yingluck Shinawatra  addresses the crowd at a campaign rally in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand  on June 29, 2011. (Photo by Saksith Saiyasombut/IHA)


The  crowd cheers at Pheu Thai Party leader and prime minister candidate  Yingluck Shinawatra at a campaign rally in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand  on June 29, 2011. (Photo by Saksith Saiyasombut/IHA)


Pheu  Thai Party leader and prime minister candidate Yingluck Shinawatra  addresses the crowd at a campaign rally in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand  on June 29, 2011. (Photo by Saksith Saiyasombut/IHA)


A  supporter of the opposition Pheu Thai Party cheers at a campaign rally  in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand on June 29, 2011. (Photo by Saksith  Saiyasombut/IHA)



Pheu  Thai Party leader and prime minister candidate Yingluck Shinawatra  addresses the crowd at a campaign rally in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand  on June 29, 2011. (Photo by Saksith Saiyasombut/IHA)

----------


## StrontiumDog

> *Bangkok Post : Reporters face probe over Pheu Thai bribery claim
> *
> _Reporters face probe over Pheu Thai bribery claim
> 
> The Thai Journalists Association is looking into  allegations that reporters have taken money in exchange for publishing  pictures of the Pheu Thai Party's top list candidate Yingluck  Shinawatra._
> 
> <snip>
> 
> _Pramote Fai-upara, chairman of the National Press Council of  Thailand, denied he had received anything from Wim. He had interviewed  Ms Yingluck before, but he went to interview her with many other  reporters. He said he had no reason to want money from politicians  because it was him who treated politicians to meals, not the other way  around._


Ah wouldn't it be most amusing if this were true. 

I love the last line, about not wanting money from politicians...of course, no one ever wants money from anyone, I refuse it all the time! Very very poor excuse or attempt to divert. It suggests.....

----------


## Butterfly

> of course, no one ever wants money from anyone, I refuse it all the time! Very very poor excuse or attempt to divert.


an answer you would expect from a Thai caught red handed,

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : Undesirable scenarios which threaten Thai democracy

COMMENTARY

*Undesirable scenarios which threaten Thai democracy*

Published:  1/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 The election is in two days' time. On Sunday  July 3, the Thai people will again have the opportunity to cast their  votes. And if the opinion polls are right, for the fourth election in a  row over the past decade, the political party led _ in person or in  absentia _ by ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will prevail.

 Waiting in the wings for a comeback: Thaksin Shinawatra, former premier turned fugitive.

 However, only for the first term after the 2001 election was Thaksin  able to hold on to power for the full four years. With the simple  majority won in 2005, Thaksin grew to become a threat to the so-called  establishment, as his influence at the time undeniably wielded itself  across the board _ in politics, business, bureaucracy and, through his  classmates, in the military.

 The organising and financing of the People's Alliance for Democracy  and subsequent coup d'etat of Sept 19, 2006 were designed to get rid of  Thaksin. But to no avail _ and unprecedented for any deposed leader in  Thai political history _ Thaksin fought back, starting a continuous  tug-of-war, now in its fifth year.

 Many Thais may believe Thaksin is corrupt, a charge he has vehemently  denied, although in recent interviews he admitted to his "mistakes" and  abuse of power by some cabinet ministers. But whatever was wrong with  Thaksin or his administration, the establishment had miscalculated in  resorting to a "mob stir and coup put down" _ a success formula in the  past.

 This was because the times have been a-changing, with democracy up  and rising worldwide after the fall of communism, while in Thailand the  new middle class has gained status with the economic recovery and with  political consciousness raised by the events of the May 1992 bloodshed  to the drafting of the 1997 constitution. The wheel of history was and  remains turning in Thaksin's favour. The rhetoric of the red shirt  leaders gives voice to democratic sentiments in calling out against  injustice and double standards. It has gained momentum and support,  evolving into a political movement in its own right.

 Looking back, the pre-coup political conflict should have been fought  out within the parliamentary context and under the judicial process in a  democratic regime. But this was not possible due to the fact that there  are influential groups of people who believe they are intellectually  superior and higher in ethics than others. They perceive themselves as  defenders of the establishment and disregard the need to legitimise  their thinking through elections and convince others for votes. Theirs  remains an elitist view of the world.

 It was thus a shock to them when the technocrat government of Gen  Surayud Chulanont was accepted neither by the international community  nor the Thai public in general. The dissolution of Thai Rak Thai Party  and banning of its 111 politicians was designed to subdue and dismantle  Thaksin's political machine. On the contrary, voters answered by  electing the People Power Party, TRT's substitute vehicle.

 The intensity of the political conflict which followed, and the  depths of the pit into which the establishment was willing to drag the  country down, was reflected in the takeover of Government House and  Suvarnabhumi Airport by the yellow-shirted PAD, with the sole purpose of  toppling Thaksin's supporters who were in power.

 The manipulation that gave rise to the present Democrat Party-led  coalition is an attempt at disguise, lurking behind a democratic facade.

 On the other hand, the use of force with live ammunition in last  year's bloody crackdown which left 92 dead and thousands injured without  remorse or accountability from the government, is another indication of  how far those in power are willing to go to prevent Thaksin's returning  home and to power.

 The Democrats' latest rally and the negative campaign being waged  emphasising the blame on the red shirts, demonstrates the unwavering  hardline position.

 What, then, can one make of the predicted landslide win of Yingluck  Shinawatra, de-facto leader of the opposition Pheu Thai Party and  Thaksin's youngest sister? After five years of intense conflict and  escalating violence, will the establishment just simply give in to  Thaksin _ or vice versa, with Thaksin lying low and letting a compromise  be worked out? No chance, so far.

 A few undesirable scenarios seem to feed the conspiracy theorists in this rumour-filled society.

 First, a war with Cambodia could be declared and thus the election  postponed. This "wag the dog" scenario is a little farfetched but not  entirely impossible. Nevertheless, the nationalistic uproar the  government had hoped to cause with the withdrawal from the World  Heritage Committee, has not materialised. It has even backfired,  exposing the government of its continuing incompetence in diplomacy _  another reason to vote them out of office and expedite in a new  administration.

 Such a move, however, would seem to help mend ties with PAD, which  could be a basis for another joint  anti-Thaksin/anti-Yingluck-government-to-be protests in the near future,  especially during the selection of the House Speaker and Prime Minister  within 30 days of the election.

 Second, confusion and havoc created by nationwide election fraud  could delegitimise the election results. The Election Commission could  hand out red and yellow cards like free discount coupons. Parliament  would lack a quorum. The Senate, half appointed and with many already  having voiced their opposition to Pheu Thai, would then take charge.

 It is not clear whether the Democrats may also have to take the fall,  as an appointed national government could be ushered in by some murky  legal interpretation. A coup without tanks in an attempt to avoid a  "Thailand Spring" could perhaps be in the making.

 Third, run an outright clampdown on the red shirts and Pheu Thai with  anti-monarchy charges. The seeds of hatred have spread, with the  Democrats' campaign to "detox" the people of Thaksin once and for all,  telling a one-sided story against those who pao baan pao muang (those  who "burned down the house, burned down the city").

 Thaksin is considered the ultimate enemy of the state, and the red  shirts are like rebellious communists living in "red villages". This  harks back to the rhetoric of yesteryear, but that is the frame of mind  the establishment and the military operate in.

 None of the above scenarios is healthy for Thai democracy. Many  others are being hatched somewhere. All haunt and threaten the fabric of  democracy: liberty, freedom and equal rights.

 Many have told me I am naive to call for democratic values when power  is up for grabs. But we have to believe and argue for democracy to take  root, since without a democratic framework both sides will decide to  take matters either to "mob rule" or "gun rule", disregarding the public  interest. Democracy, for all its faults, best protects the people. And  the power belongs to the people, so let them decide.

*Suranand Vejjajiva served in the Thaksin Shinawatra cabinet and is now a political analyst.*

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Deal between Thaksin and army? Not true, says sis

Deal between Thaksin and army? Not true, says sis 

*Two days before Thailand's national polls, issues still evolve around exiled ex-PM 

*Nirmal Ghosh*
*The Straits Times*
Publication Date : 01-07-2011

Thailand's  opposition Puea Thai party candidate Yingluck Shinawatra has pledged to  "talk to all parties" in order to heal the divisions in Thailand if she  becomes prime minister.

 But she denied reports of a secret deal  under which the country's powerful military would allow her to govern in  return for a guarantee that some of the top generals, who oppose her  party, would not be removed.

 Yingluck, who is leading her rivals in  opinion polls, was speaking as she made her last election campaign swing  on Wednesday (June 29) through Puea Thai's north-eastern power bases.

 Thailand has been hit by one political  crisis after another since Yingluck's brother Thaksin was ousted as  prime minister in a coup d'etat in 2006. The 44-year-old Yingluck, who  was a top manager in the Shinawatra family's business empire, could be  Thailand's first female prime minister if she wins Sunday's general  election. 

 Yingluck, who is visibly more confident  now than at the start of her campaign over a month ago, addressed crowds  of several thousand at six rallies on a road trip covering more than  300km across four provinces. 

 Puea Thai, which already dominates the  populous north-east region known as Isaan, is relying on it to give the  party a decisive win on Sunday. Isaan accounts for roughly one-third of  the constituency seats in Parliament. 

 At the rallies, crowds of supporters cheered wildly as hundreds presented Yingluck with red roses.

 Flanked by local candidates, she spoke  about how Puea Thai, if it wins power, would build high-speed rail  links, give every child a tablet computer and provide free Wi-Fi in  villages. The party would also raise minimum wages, set up a debt relief  programme, improve the universal health-care scheme and launch a new  crackdown on drugs.

 Turning up at one of the rallies, held in  an open field at the edge of rice fields, was a woman who had travelled  30km just to see Yingluck.

 "Having a woman in charge will be better for the country," said Sumin Boonmak, a 45-year-old mother of three.

 An older woman who overheard what she said nodded in agreement.

 Sumin said people living in the fertile  but relatively poor region of Isaan were supporting Yingluck because of  her brother Thaksin and his policies while he was prime minister. He  delivered on his promises, Sumin noted. 

 The ruling Democrat Party won only four  seats in Isaan in the last election in 2007. The party came to power  through a parliamentary vote in December 2008, after the then ruling  party loyal to Thaksin was ordered to be dissolved by a court for  violating election laws. 

 Yingluck, whose body language reminds many of her brother's, smiled and reached out to clasp hands.

 Stopping at a remote village where the  Shinawatra family's Thaicom Foundation had set up an Internet education  centre for young children, Yingluck gave her take on having a woman in  charge.

 "Women are open to compromise, and are  more detailed. I will use this as my strength to talk to everyone, and  unite Thailand as best as I can," she said.

 She downplayed the emotive issue of her  brother, who is seen as a threat by Thailand's old elites and is a  fugitive from the law in Thailand. In 2008, he was sentenced to two  years' jail on a corruption charge and later had a chunk of his assets  seized by the state. 

 "I believe that if we apply the rule of law and follow due process and be fair to everyone, peace will come," she said.

 "It doesn't mean I will do anything  special for my brother; he will be (treated) the same as the next  person. We will talk to every party to agree on a framework together and  an agreement that the majority will accept," she added.

 Puea Thai's top priority, she said, would  be to narrow the income gap, which has been widening for the past 20  years, by sharing the country's resources more equitably. 

 Thailand's national wealth was  fundamentally underpinned by the majority of Thai people and they had to  be given their due, she said. She quashed reports of a deal between her  brother and the army in anticipation of a victory by Puea Thai, which  hopes to win more than 250 seats in the 500-seat Parliament. The number  would ensure that it could ward off any challenge by the incumbent  Democrat Party in coalition with smaller parties. 

 The Asia Times Online newspaper Thursday  (June 30) reported that a deal had been struck at meetings in Brunei and  Dubai - Thaksin's home in self-exile.

 Under the deal, the report claimed, the  army would allow Puea Thai to form the government in exchange for  non-interference in military appointments and budgets. The party would  put a curb on anti-monarchy elements in the 'red shirt' movement made up  largely of pro-Thaksin supporters, and which forms a big part of Puea  Thai's power base. 

 A source close to Thaksin's inner circle told _The Straits Times_ that there had been no such deal. But there had been "feelers", he said.

 "At this stage I don't think anyone wants  to move until they see the numbers (on Sunday). We are not in any  position ourselves to say yes or no at the moment."

----------


## Perota

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> Without it, I probably would be just another Farang drone spewing out what the Domestic, English language media fed me, and mistake it for insight.
> 
> 
> Exactly and despite what many of these "Drones" like to believe many, many Thai educated farangs are NOT blindly pro Thaksin.
> 
> I've spoken with many Thais about politics here and most say Thakisn was simply the best of a bad bunch!


When in Thailand, I spend almost exclusively my time with Thais. The same, when reading foreigners forum, I'm always amazed to see how people who pretend to live here for years really "don't get it".

I live in the Bangkok Thai middle class. Most of them are democrats but still a number of them vote for Thaksin, for the reason The Bold Rodney gives. They are not in love with Thaksin, but compare to the rest he's the best option available.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : The way we were . . . the way we are
*
*The way we were . . . the way we are*
Published:  1/07/2011 at 10:22 AMNewspaper section: NewsNo one haunts and hovers over Thailand's  political landscape like Thaksin Shinawatra. Deposed in a military coup,  convicted for corruption and banned from political office, Thaksin  still casts long tentacles from his self-imposed exile. His political  parties have been the overwhelming champions of 21st-century Thai  politics, having triumphed at the polls in January 2001, February 2005,  April 2006 (those results were later invalidated) and  December 2007.  Now he is at it again. His Pheu Thai Party, electorally spearheaded by  Yingluck Shinawatra, his youngest sister, looks set for victory.



 Thaksin's name is synonymous with divisiveness. Evoking it elicits  either adoration or animosity in deeply polarised Thailand. His  detractors may project more volume and carry more clout, but those  arrayed against him are outnumbered by his legions of fans. Prime  Minister and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, the incumbent who  has been in office for two and a half years since winning a  parliamentary vote to lead the coalition government that replaced the  Somchai Wongsawat administration, is banking on the projection of  Thaksin as evil incarnate to help him secure a second term. Voting for  Pheu Thai, Mr Abhisit has admonished in stump speeches, will be to  invite the Thaksin demon to return.

 But what is it about Thaksin that so divides Thailand? Nostalgia and retrospection of years gone by are instructive.

 In bygone eras prior to the 21st century, Thai elections came and  went. So did military coups. The electorate were bought and sold on the  open market like commodities. After their vote-selling, the electorate  hardly saw their MPs who went on a course of rampant corruption. In  turn, elected MPs lost legitimacy, paving the way for military coups.  Constitutions and  fresh elections ensued. The famously vicious cycle of  coups, constitutions, elections and coups was repeated.

 Those eras were mostly encapsulated under Cold War exigencies. The  pillars of the Thai state - nation, religion and monarchy - struck a  unifying, collective chord. The resultant stability enabled economic  development, although this was to become increasingly uneven. Communism  was kept at bay. Challenges to the established order, with the  military-monarchy-bureaucracy triangulation as its anchor, were  invariably put down. The left-wing politics and student uprisings in the  1970s were a case in point.

 It was a time when Thai schoolchildren sang martial songs each  morning in addition to the national anthem, an orderly time when we knew  what to expect and what our place in the Thai socio-political hierarchy  was, reinforced by socialisation and indoctrination in classrooms and  living rooms where only state-run media could enter. It was a time when  Thais knew who they were. Dissenting views of "Thainess'' found little  traction.

 The rise of Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai Party threw unprecedented  spanners in  the works. It pursued a scientific approach to elections,  underpinned by expensive polling by foreign experts, clear and   deliverable party platforms and strong leadership. Although Thai Rak  Thai, and its immediate successor, the People Power Party, were both  ultimately dissolved, it was the first post-Cold War party to capture  the collective imagination. Voices of marginalised electorates began to  count. Votes were of course still sold but the bond between party and  policy on the one hand, and voters on the other, took root. Vote buying  may still have been important but it was increasingly insufficient.

 By 2001, the Cold War was well over. Political leaders who dissented  from the status quo could no longer be easily thrown in jail on  communism-related charges. The growth of the internet and mobile phones  meant the moulding of Thai minds became more difficult. Information  became diffused, media sources multiplied, even while state propaganda  continued to function. New international norms came to the fore.  External powers that turned a blind eye to previous coups and repression  postured around democracy and human rights. The demographics shifted.  Unlike past schoolchildren fed on the Cold War-induced unity and  stability, the newer generations can hardly relate to them. Most  university students today were born after the Cold War ended.

 The combination of what happened at home with Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai  and abroad with the Cold War's passing in view of advancing technology  and changing norms fostered a new political environment. Thaksin was  well positioned to seize the moment and exploit it.

 In August 2001, eight months after the National Counter Corruption  Commission indicted him by eight to one for concealing assets, the  Constitution Court narrowly acquitted Thaksin by a vote of eight to   seven. The phu yais of Thai society wanted to give him a chance. He  proceeded to overhaul the bureaucracy, delivered on his pro-poor  populist pledges, mapped out industrial upgrading, and designed an  overstretched foreign policy agenda, among other innovative policy work.  Of course, the underside of the Thaksin years was corruption,  legislated conflicts of interest, cronyism, human rights violations and  abuse of power, among other sins of misrule.

 Such is his mixed legacy. The opportunities, hopes and dreams  delivered to the downtrodden and the vision and plans for Thailand's  future were inextricably enmeshed with his own personal ambition,  corruption, and abuse of office. "Thaksin Incorporated'' went hand in  hand with "Thailand Incorporated''.

 Yet his opponents and enemies have been unwilling to concede to his  policy innovations and populism and ultimately discarded him for  corruption. But they needed to adopt his pro-poor platform. In the end,  they came up with the Abhisit government and its "welfare'' programmes.  For them, conceding to Thak sin's spectacularly successful populism  would be tantamount to admitting that most people in this hospitable,  smiling kingdom of Thailand have been poor - and were deliberately kept  that way.

 How else could we explain the populist policies and projects now  being espoused by all major parties, particularly the Democrats? And how  could we explain Pheu Thai's polling ahead of the Democrats despite the  dissolutions of its predecessors and bans on their leading politicians?

 Despite the tinkering and tampering at the margins in the coming days  and weeks by forces of the incumbent order, that Pheu Thai is on course  to election victory reveals a new Thailand. It is hardly palatable to  many who have retired, invested, toured and resided in this well-  endowed and fun-loving land, but times have changed. Thaksin was the  self-serving, unwitting agent and catalyst that propelled Thailand into  the 21st century when his adversaries still dwelled in Cold War times.

 We will never know whether those who vote Pheu Thai this Sunday are  so enamoured with Thaksin, or whether they are more repulsed by the  systematic post-coup distortions and disenfranchisements of Thai  democracy, because Thaksin's adversaries have banned potential  alternatives from electoral politics.

lw-1 Although he has committed many  infractions, Thaksin's most  egregious crime and gravest sin was that he changed the way Thais were.  Some see this as usurpation and manipulation for him and his cronies,  others as Thailand's deliverance from the Cold War to the 21st century.

 Those who ruled in the past must accept this reality as much as those who rule from the polls must accept the past.

 The writer is director of the Institute of Security and International  Studies, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University.


*Election special articles & commentary:*

Central region not an easy battlefield for Democrats
Muslims flex muscle in far south
Candidates bask in glow of Yingluck
Pheu Thai's northern HQ vulneragble

----------


## longway

> Originally Posted by longway
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Calgary
> ...


I say something and you twist it into something else. I never said I was neutral.

----------


## DrB0b

*Open Letter to PM Abhisit on Election Concerns*

 by Robert Amsterdam




Hon. Abhisit Vejjajiva
Prime Minister of Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand
(By email: Abhisit[at]abhisit.org)


Dear Mr. Abhisit,
 As you are aware, I act on behalf of the United National Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).  Our members have sacrificed beyond all measure  to ensure that Thais from all political persuasions would have the  opportunity to freely cast their ballots in a fair and competitive  environment in the upcoming July 3rd general elections.  Many fear that  the pre-election polling results present a threat to the current  leadership, the Democrat Party and elements of the Royal Thai Army, and  that, consequently, the legitimacy of the election is now at risk.
 Of critical importance to the pro-democracy movement in Thailand are a  number of actions undertaken by your government that undermine the  democratic process:
The accelerated criminalization of free speechInstrumentalization of the border dispute with CambodiaThe disenfranchisement of voters’ rightsManipulations of ballot forms and other administrative details
 The ability of Thai citizens to speak freely without fear of  punishment is essential to the democratic process, however in Thailand,  the opposition is under siege.  Almost 500 lese majeste cases  were prosecuted over the past year.  Major international news  organizations have been pressured into self-censorship.  A recent  statement from the Asian Human Rights Commission commented that “_free  expression has become an even more dangerous endeavour in Thailand than  it was earlier, as highlighted here by three cases which signal the  gravity of the threat not only to the freedom of expression in the short  term, but also to human rights more broadly. The first is the case of  Mr. Aekkechai Hongkangwan, who has been released on bail; and, the  others are the cases of Mr. Joe Gordon and Mr. Somyos Preuksakasemsuk,  who remain under detention._”


 In addition to Thailand’s attack on free speech, the Democrat Party  has not hesitated to instrumentalize the border dispute between Thailand  and Cambodia, including the provocative withdrawal  from the World Heritage Convention, and statements from the Election  Commission that the poll could be suspended in the event of an “emergency situation.”   We are also very concerned by the belligerent and inflammatory  statements you made on June 23, promising that he would not hesitate to  “to order the army to defend our territory.”  This rhetoric of  unnecessary war has no place in a civil democratic process.


 This “militarization” of the process arises in the context of massive  military intervention in the pre-election process, which includes  statements from General Prayuth Chan-Ocha indirectly expressing the  army’s preferences to the voters, and implying consequences if they did  not vote as instructed.


 I need not remind you that your government won power not through the  democratic choice of voters, but rather through the manipulations of  pliant courts.  Ahead of this election, it appears that many voters  won’t even have the opportunity to cast their ballots.  It was recently  reported in the Thai press that the Election Commission had failed to  notify as many as 500,000 voters  who had registered for advance voting outside their home constituencies  in the 2007 election that they would be considered ineligible to vote  on July 3, 2011 unless they notified the authorities that they intended  to vote elsewhere in this election.  Because these voters unwittingly  failed to vote last Sunday in the areas where they had previously  registered, they have now been disenfranchised.  While this decision by  the Election Commission has been attributed to “poor public relations,”  such a characterization strains credulity and, at minimum, undermines  the legitimacy of the electoral process.


 There are also well documented investigations into the mysterious “misprinting”  of the ballot form, in which the logo of the Pheu Thai Party is printed  in an extremely small size, making it difficult to read for elderly  voters.  Out of 40 competing parties, of course this is the only one  whose logo is incorrectly printed, and the Electoral Commission has  refused to correct the issue.  This is just one outstanding issue among  many other complaints regarding the ballot forms, including issues with  the ink, pressures against PTP canvassers, and other  extra-administrative efforts that impinge upon the fairness of the  process.


 These interferences with the right of the voters to a free and fair  election flagrantly violate Thailand’s international obligations.  The  Universal Declaration of Human Rights requires that elections must be  “genuine,” while the International Covenant on Civil and Political  Rights mandates that elections must guarantee the “free expression of  the will of the electors.”  Where voters are persecuted for expressing  their political views, massively disenfranchised, and subjected to  military intimidation and ballot manipulations, no resulting election  can be deemed either genuine or free.


 Be under no illusions that the end point of your subversion of the  democratic will of the Thai people has been reached. If democracy is  derailed yet again in Thailand, then it would be legally incumbent upon  those persons standing for election, who would have almost certainly  been elected as leaders by those same citizens, to form an effective  government to combat your unconstitutional and prosecutable actions.  We  demand, on behalf of our clients in the UDD and more than 67 million  Thai citizens, that the July 3rd general election is held and its  results fully respected.


 Govern yourselves accordingly.


 Sincerely
Robert Amsterdam
Amsterdam & Peroff LLP
International Counsel to the UDD
London, United Kingdom
 CC:
 Apichart Sukhagganond
Chairman
Election Commission of Thailand
Government Complex (Building B)
120, Chaeng Wattana Road
Thung Song Hong, Laksi Bangkok 10210 THAILAND

----------


## Butterfly

> I live in the Bangkok Thai middle class. Most of them are democrats but still a number of them vote for Thaksin, for the reason The Bold Rodney gives. They are not in love with Thaksin, but compare to the rest he's the best option available.


you can't deny that Thaksin did bring a lot of positive changes in the country, but at what cost ? and what future costs ?

you can't deny or forget entirely his legacy, however he is a just revengeful bastard and a pathological liar, so when he says he wants peace and no revenge, he basically means the other way around.

He is also the only one with a modern vision for Thailand and the future of Thailand, no doubt from his overseas traveling he can make the right comparisons and see what's missing in Thailand.

so like someone else, he is the big white elephant in the room you can't ignore, and to deny that this election is about him, like so many red farangs are trying to persuade themselves here, is beyond naive, it's plain stupid. The only topic of this campaign has been Thaksin and his return.

----------


## Butterfly

> Sincerely
> Robert Amsterdam
> Amsterdam & Peroff LLP
> International Counsel to the UDD
> London, United Kingdom


that guy is garbage, shame on you DrB to post such stupid drivel from a sold out lawyer posing as some kind of guarantor of Democracy and Freedom in Thailand

----------


## Perota

> Originally Posted by Perota
> 
> I live in the Bangkok Thai middle class. Most of them are democrats but still a number of them vote for Thaksin, for the reason The Bold Rodney gives. They are not in love with Thaksin, but compare to the rest he's the best option available.
> 
> 
> you can't deny that Thaksin did bring a lot of positive changes in the country, but at what cost ? and what future costs ?
> 
> you can't deny or forget entirely his legacy, however he is a just revengeful bastard and a pathological liar, so when he says he wants peace and no revenge, he basically means the other way around.
> 
> ...



Agree with you, the election is about Thaksin. When people say PT or the UDD should dump Thaksin, it's absolutely stupid. Without Thaksin they wouldn't exist, or at least wouldn't enjoy the support they have now

The other stupid thing people say is Thasin supporters are dumb rural idiots, it's the Bangkok "elite" against the stupid farmers from Isaan. Completely wrong, a large number of Bangkok top and middle businessmen support Thaksin.

The democrats and the PAD made Thaksin much bigger that he really was to get rid of him. I guess they should regret it now.

----------


## StrontiumDog

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

            Abhisit claims 3rd party  looking to cause chaos if he loses election; confident there will be no  coup and military fully democratic

----------


## StrontiumDog

JULY 1, 2011*Thailand's Military Is Wild Card in National Elections* 

*By JAMES HOOKWAY* 

BANGKOK—Victory in this Sunday's national election  may be only the first step to power in Thailand, as the leading  candidate for prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, is likely to discover  if her party wins.


_European Pressphoto Agency_ _Yingluck Shinawatra, center, greeted supporters Thursday while campaigning by boat on Bangkok's outskirts._

With  Ms. Yingluck leading opinion polls, analysts said the key question is  whether Thailand's conservative armed forces will accept an outcome that  places the youngest sister of exiled populist billionaire Thaksin  Shinawatra—a former prime minister whom the army ousted in a coup five  years ago—in Thailand's top job.

 Many residents and political analysts said they believe Ms. Yingluck  will have a hard time assuming or holding on to power even if her  opposition Puea Thai, or For Thais, Party wins the vote as expected,  with the military and its allies in parliament jockeying to block her  ascent, contest the results or otherwise work to remove her. They note  that the military has a history of past interventions, including  numerous coups over the years.


_Reuters_ _Puea Thai Party's Yingluck Shinawatra greets her supporters during election campaigning outskirts of Bangkok Thursday._

"The  military is so powerful now that party politics might just be a  sideshow," said Paul Chambers, a professor at Payap University in Chiang  Mai, northern Thailand, and longtime observer of Thai military affairs.  "How they react to the prospect of a Puea Thai victory is what really  matters."

 In a worst-case scenario, some residents fear, there could be another  coup, though analysts said such an outcome for now seems unlikely given  the failure of the last coup to bridge the country's deep political  divides.

 Army officials in recent weeks have denied plotting a putsch, though  they have openly urged voters not to cast their ballots for Ms.  Yingluck. 

 Members of the ruling Democrat Party have said they will happily  assume the role of the opposition if they lose. And in interviews with  The Wall Street Journal and other media, Mr. Thaksin has repeatedly  sought to assure the army's top brass that he won't seek vengeance for  the 2006 coup if his sister heads Thailand's next government. Ms.  Yingluck also has taken up the theme. "Because I'm a woman, I think I  can help people find a compromise," she said in a recent interview. 

 
_Apichart Weerawong,/Associated Press                     Yingluck Shinawatra_

"Mr. Thaksin is pursuing a dual strategy,"  Marc Saxer, Bangkok-based director of Germany's Friedrich Ebert  Foundation wrote in a research paper this week. "Puea Thai is supposed  to collect the necessary political capital with a victory in the  elections, with a view to prepare a 'Grand Bargain' with the traditional  elites afterwards."

 The election aftermath is crucial not just for the stability of one  of Asia's most important economies, but also for the U.S.'s continuing  re-engagement in Southeast Asia. Although Washington counts Thailand  among its oldest allies in Asia, relations soured somewhat after the  last coup.

 This time, U.S. officials have privately lobbied Thai officials to  respect the outcome of the vote. Any move to contest or reject the  results likely would further strain relations between the two countries  at a time when the U.S. is trying to shore up relationships across  Southeast Asia to counterbalance China's growing influence over the  region's important trade routes and energy resources.

 Despite her lack of political experience, Ms. Yingluck, a 44-year-old  business executive, has benefited from her relative youth, her  photogenic appearance and her connections with her brother Mr. Thaksin,  who remains wildly popular. All that has allowed her to outflank the  incumbent Democrat Party, which had already begun mimicking some of the  populist policies pushed by Mr. Thaksin before the army removed him from  power in 2006. She rarely veers off a prepared script and frequently  begins campaign speeches by asking voters, "If you love my brother, will  you give his sister a chance?"

 Mr. Thaksin, 61, now operates out of Dubai to avoid imprisonment on a  corruption conviction he claims was cooked up to thwart any potential  comeback. He also is wanted in Thailand on terrorism charges for  allegedly orchestrating violent antigovernment protests in Bangkok last  year.

 By choosing Ms. Yingluck to run as his proxy, just as he appointed  her to help run his telecommunications empire after he became prime  minister in 2001, Mr. Thaksin has turned the election campaign into a  referendum on the 2006 coup, analysts said.

 Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, 46, has tried to turn the tide.  Last week he led a rally in the center of Bangkok to warn voters against  siding with the Shinawatra clan's backers, whom he accused of  instigating clashes between protesters and security forces that claimed  more than 90 lives last year. "I am here to tell Thailand that from July  3, we will move Thailand forward and restore the international  community's confidence in Thailand," he said at the rally.

 The momentum, though, seems to be staying with Ms. Yingluck, and the  army appears deeply concerned. It is openly urging voters not to cast  their ballots for her.

 For years top generals have pointed to their self-proclaimed role as  defenders of Thailand's <redacted> to justify their frequent political  interventions, which have included numerous coups over the years. After  the 2006 coup, military leaders frequently claimed that Mr. Thaksin  wasn't sufficiently deferential to Thailand's revered <redacted>—an allegation Mr. Thaksin denies.

 On June 14,  army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha used a specially  recorded television interview at army headquarters to urge voters to "do  their bit to help protect the <redacted>"—a clear warning not to vote for  Puea Thai, analysts said.

 <snipped, due to content> 

 That, analysts said, could leave the army with less influence in the  years ahead, which in turn may be raising the pressure on top generals  to either assert their power now—or to cut a deal with Mr. Thaksin and  his backers while the military is still in a strong bargaining position.

 Some investors and a large portion of Bangkok's middle classes are concerned about the possible outcomes. 

 Thailand's recent history suggests they are right to be uneasy. In  the five years since the 2006 coup, rival groups of protesters have  besieged airports and barricaded parts of Bangkok's main shopping  district. 

Thailand's courts have forced two pro-Thaksin premiers to step  down—one for vote-buying and another for accepting payments to host a  television cooking show. And the tensions boiled over in last year's  deadly clashes.

 Now, anti-Thaksin activists are accusing Ms. Yingluck of perjury by  falsely declaring that she owned some of her brother's assets while he  served as premier. She denies it, but Thai police are investigating the  case, and, if she is charged and convicted, the case could end a  Yingluck premiership.

 Analysts said that if Puea Thai doesn't secure an outright majority,  then the army might pressure smaller parties to form a government with  Mr. Abhisit's Democrats instead. Indeed, one prominent member of one of  smaller groups, Chumpol Silpa-archa, recently complained about how the  military pressured them to defect to the Democrats' side in 2008,  enabling Parliament to elect Mr. Abhisit prime minister.


*Four Who Figure*

                 Read more about civilian and military figures in the race to form Thailand's next government.

View Interactive

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...N=wsjie/6month

----------


## robuzo

From the Amsterdam letter: "I need not remind you that your government won power not through the democratic choice of voters, but rather through the manipulations of pliant courts." "Need not remind" could be changed to "there is no point in reminding," because we know the response.

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## robuzo

> TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               
> 
>             Abhisit claims 3rd party  looking to cause chaos if he loses election; confident there will be no  coup and military fully democratic


"If he loses"? OK, so why the need on his part to be coy. Would naming them be illegal somehow, or just hazardous to his health?

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## Norton

> The only topic of this campaign has been Thaksin and his return.


It is the "topic" because the media has made it so but in talking with many Thais here it is not the major topic. The major topic is simply this. The folks I've spoken with will vote PTP because they know in past elections their votes were deemed null and void via maneuverings conducted by the elite. As far as they are concerned the current government is illegitimate no matter what the courts or the Dems profess.

Weather Thaksin returns or not is way down the list of reasons for their vote. The folks I've spoken with split near 50/50 on their opinions related to Thaksin's return. Half are ambivalent or slightly in favor and the other half would just as soon he not return for various reasons.

The perception that anyone who votes PTP is a hard core Thaksin supporter is not the case. Also the perception that all those voting PTP are UDD supporters is not the case. 

It's very easy to fall prey to the daily barrage of pro/anti media and political rhetoric from both side but to jump to conclusions based on this propaganda is folly.

The reasons folks vote a particular way are as varied as the voters themselves. It may be convenient to glump everyone into a black (red) or white (yellow) group to support your particular argument of choice but the grey areas dominate the majority.

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## Calgary

> Abisits big problem is that he is now tagged, nationally, and internationally as an unelected, murderous, weak , failure.
> 
> The people see this and want progressive, not regressive politics , to improve their lot.
> 
> They see the future in Yingluk, they will vote for who they trust most, wouldn't you ?
> 
> You can't argue with that


And I wont LooseBowels.

Truer words were never spoken!

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
> TAN_Network TAN News Network 
> 
> Abhisit claims 3rd party looking to cause chaos if he loses election; confident there will be no coup and military fully democratic
> 
> 
> "If he loses"? OK, so why the need on his part to be coy. Would naming them be illegal somehow, or just hazardous to his health?


I take it he means the Amsterdam letter and its associates. He's being coy to avoid a libel charge.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> Weather Thaksin returns or not is way down the list of reasons for their vote. The folks I've spoken with split near 50/50 on their opinions related to Thaksin's return. Half are ambivalent or slightly in favor and the other half would just as soon he not return for various reasons.
> 
> The perception that anyone who votes PTP is a hard core Thaksin supporter is not the case. Also the perception that all those voting PTP are UDD supporters is not the case.


I think many are just fed up with the elites telling them what to do. And many were sickened by the killings and maiming by the army on the orders of the elites. This is their chance for revenge.

The so-called 'undecided' voters are, in my guess, not undecided at all. They just don't want to answer the pollster's question in public - e.g. that they plan to vote for PTP and give the middle finger to the establishment's choice. They'll wait for the secret ballot. The one that matters.

----------


## robuzo

> Originally Posted by robuzo
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> ...


That depends on who "he" is- I assumed it meant cause chaos if Abhisit loses, meaning the PAD and whoever pulls their strings will go haywire.

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## Butterfly

> Agree with you, the election is about Thaksin. When people say PT or the UDD should dump Thaksin, it's absolutely stupid. Without Thaksin they wouldn't exist,


absolutely and my point from the beginning. To think PT could fly on its own is ludicrous and wishful thinking. It would be nice, but it's not going to happen, above all with all the snakes gravitating around PT.




> The other stupid thing people say is Thasin supporters are dumb rural idiots, it's the Bangkok "elite" against the stupid farmers from Isaan. Completely wrong, a large number of Bangkok top and middle businessmen support Thaksin.


The dumb rural idiots are there though and provides an "equity" blanket to the 
legitimacy of a fascist movement, the UDD. The Elite and the middle class were always strong supporters of TRT, mostly because of the 1997 crisis, and the national pride that was hurt from that time. You can't forget 1997, that's when the "revolution" started.




> The democrats and the PAD made Thaksin much bigger that he really was to get rid of him.


yes and no. The PAD overreacted eventually, and things were crazy. Things were fine under Samak actually, and could have been for another 3 years.

----------


## StrontiumDog

* Thailand: Make Human Rights a Priority* 

*Political Parties Silent on Rights During Election Campaign*

                                June 30, 2011               

_The violence and abuses since 2010 demand that Thai political parties put forward a strong human rights agenda._
Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch

          (Bangkok) - Thailand's political parties  and newly elected members of parliament should make human rights a  priority following general elections scheduled for July 3, 2011, Human  Rights Watch said today. 

 During the election campaign, parties and candidates paid little  attention to the country's deepening human rights crisis, particularly  the lack of accountability for the violent confrontations in April and  May 2010 that left at least 90 people dead. Other major concerns are the  increasing repression of the media, and killings in the south and in  the "war on drugs."                             "The violence and abuses since 2010 demand that Thai political  parties put forward a strong human rights agenda," said Brad Adams, Asia  director at Human Rights Watch. "But while speaking broadly about the  need for reconciliation, they have failed miserably to present any  concrete plans on how to reverse the continuing repression of basic  rights."

 Human Rights Watch called on all elected officials, whether in the  majority or minority, to tackle the serious human rights problems facing  the country. The government, the army, and the various political  movements continue to trade accusations about responsibility for the  loss of life and destruction of property during the 2010 upheavals, but  the government needs to step forward to investigate and prosecute those  responsible.

 There has been no accountability for serious human rights violations,  Human Rights Watch said. Human rights defenders have been murdered and  "disappeared" without a single successful prosecution of those  responsible. Thousands of extrajudicial killings and other serious  abuses connected to the government's anti-drugs and counterinsurgency  operations remain unresolved. Government interference with the media has  resulted in enforced and self-imposed censorship. People holding  dissident opinions, including those on the internet, have been subjected  to harsh punishment. 

 "Holding elections will not make Thailand's human rights problems go  away," Adams said. "For the country to move forward, Thai political  parties will need to present concrete measures to end abuses, stop  censorship, and eliminate impunity."

*Lack of Accountability for Politically Motivated Violence* 

 Thailand suffered political violence during 2010 that left at least  90 people dead and more than 2,000 injured and resulted in extensive  damage from arson attacks in central Bangkok and several provincial  capitals. Research by Human Rights Watch found that a number of factors  contributed to these deaths and injuries, including excessive and  unnecessary use of lethal force by government security forces, attacks  by armed elements within the United Front for Democracy against  Dictatorship (UDD), known as the "Red Shirts," and incitement to  violence by some UDD leaders (see Human Rights Watch report "Descent into Chaos"). 

 Human Rights Watch called on all sides of the political divide to  actively support and participate in credible, independent, and impartial  inquiries into politically motivated violence and abuses. Holding all  those responsible to account is needed to end the vicious cycle of  violence and impunity in Thailand. 

 The government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva established the  Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (TRCT) to investigate  and report on the 2010 political violence. However, the commission was  not given all-important subpoena power, which is necessary to obtain  evidence and question reluctant witnesses, particularly police officers  and soldiers. The commission has been unable to obtain complete  information about security force deployment plans and operations,  autopsy reports, witness testimony, photos, or video footage from the  now disbanded civilian-military Center for the Resolution of Emergency  Situations (CRES). Other official inquiries, such as those conducted by  the National Human Rights Commission and the Senate, have made little  progress. 

 While the government has charged many protest leaders and UDD  rank-and-file members with serious criminal offenses, very little  progress has been made by the Justice Ministry's Department of Special  Investigation and the police to prosecute soldiers and government  officials implicated in abuses.

 There have also been few serious  investigations into alleged criminal offenses committed by the People's  Alliance for Democracy (PAD), known as the "Yellow Shirts," during the  violent 2008 protests. Cases of senior PAD leaders and members have  stalled before reaching trial, as have efforts to seek compensation for  damages caused by their protest. At the same time, authorities made  little progress to hold legally accountable the politicians identified  as responsible for ordering police to use excessive force to disperse  the PAD protesters rallying in front of the Parliament on October 7,  2008.

*Crackdown on Media Freedom and Freedom of Expression*

 The Thai government has used vague and overbroad criminal laws to  repress media freedom and freedom of expression. Using sweeping powers  of the emergency decree proclaimed on April 7, 2010, Thai authorities  shut down more than 1,000 websites, a satellite television station,  online television channels, publications, and more than 40 community  radio stations, most of which were considered closely aligned with the  UDD. 

 Even after the state of emergency was lifted in December 2010, media  outlets of the UDD continue to be targeted. On April 26, 2011, armed  police officers joined officials from the National Broadcasting and  Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to raid 13 community radio stations  in Bangkok and surrounding provinces associated with the UDD. The  stations were forced off the air in response to a complaint filed by the  army that they were broadcasting material deemed offensive <redacted>. 

 <snipped>

*Abuses in the Southern Border Provinces*

 Since January 2004, Thailand's southern border provinces of Pattani,  Yala, and Narathiwat have been the scene of a brutal internal armed  conflict. More than 90 percent of the 4,000 people killed have been  civilians, from both the ethnic Thai Buddhist and ethnic Malay Muslim  communities. The Pejuang Kemerdekaan Patani insurgents in the loose  network of National Revolution Front-Coordinate use violence to drive  out the Thai Buddhist population, keep Malay Muslims under control, and  discredit the Thai authorities. 

 The government's counterinsurgency campaign has been characterized by  extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention,  and torture. In some instances, these abuses were reprisals for  insurgent attacks on the Thai Buddhist population and security  personnel. State agencies at all levels, including the newly created  Southern Border Provinces Administration Center, have failed to hold  abusive officials accountable. No member of the security forces, either  from regular or volunteer units, has been prosecuted for human rights  abuses in the southern border provinces. 

 Thai authorities have also failed to resolve satisfactorily any of  the enforced disappearance cases, including the "disappearance" and  presumed murder of the prominent Muslim lawyer Somchi Neelapaijit by a  group of police officers in March 2004. The Emergency Decree on Public  Administration in Emergency Situation, enforced in the southern border  provinces since 2005, gives government officials and security personnel  effective immunity from prosecution for most acts committed while  enforcing the decree.

*Abusive "War on Drugs"*

 Thailand continues to face a boom in the use and trafficking of  methamphetamines. For that reason, harsh measures against traffickers  are politically popular. During the 2003 "war on drugs" campaign of  then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's government, thousands of people  across Thailand were killed and many more were arbitrarily arrested. 

 The 2007 Independent Committee for the Investigation, Study and  Analysis of the Formulation and Implementation of Narcotic Suppression  Policy found that the policy formulation and assessment of the "war on  drugs" were driven by all-out efforts to achieve the campaign's  political goals rather than respecting human rights and due process of  law. The committee recommended further inquiry into the killings of  2,819 people during the "war on drugs." Prime Minister Abhisit's  government announced support for reopening those cases. But his  government then made almost no progress in bringing those responsible to  justice, or in ending systematic police brutality and the abuse of  power in drug suppression operations.

 There are also concerns regarding the policy that subjects drug users  to compulsory treatment at facilities run by the military and the  Interior Ministry. Each year, 10,000 to 15,000 people are sent to such  centers, where drug treatment is based on boot-camp-style physical  exercise. Most people sent there experience withdrawal from drugs with  little or no medical supervision or medication.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thailand's election: Hands off the result | The Economist

Hands off the result*

*Who wins Thailand’s election matters less than how the loser copes with defeat* 

                 Jun 30th 2011                    | from the print edition          



 THAT Thailand is holding a general election at all on July 3rd is  welcome. That the campaign to date has been more peaceful than expected  comes as a relief. After an army coup in 2006 ousted Thaksin Shinawatra,  the former prime minister now living in exile in Dubai, politics in  Thailand fled parliament for the streets, leading to colour-coded  stand-offs and violence: last year central Bangkok became a battlefield,  when more than 90 people died during the suppression of protests by  pro-Thaksin “red shirts”. Now, against recent odds, many Thais dare hope  that the election will mark a clean break from the recent gridlock and  violence, and that politics will move back from the streets to  parliament. After all, that is what both main parties say they want. 

  Both parties also make a play of listening to the concerns of the  large numbers of poor Thais who have long felt marginalised in an  over-centralised country dominated by a Bangkok elite. These have long  been Mr Thaksin’s electoral base, which has been re-energised by a woman  whom Mr Thaksin calls his “clone”: his good-looking younger sister  Yingluck, head of the Pheu Thai party. But the Democrat Party, led by  the prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, has also borrowed Thaksinite  prescriptions, such as promises of free or cheap access to health care  and education.

*Puppet versus clone*

   Mr Abhisit and his key government ally, the finance minister, Korn  Chatikavanij, say they are cosmopolitan, fiscally conservative market  liberals. But they have not ruled as such. And the prime minister has  one huge point against him: he owes his position to an army-backed  stitch-up. However well-meaning, he has been shaped by events instead of  controlling them. The suspicion remains that in a crisis he is still  the puppet of what is often described as the “irresistible force” of the  army and the monarchist establishment. 

 Meanwhile, Ms Yingluck is running a slick and brilliant campaign. She  deserves credit for a conciliatory tone. She promises not to avenge the  coup or to rush into pardoning and bringing home her brother. But there  are doubts about her sincerity, worries about her inexperience and a  real fear that her brother may overrule her and rush home. His  unbrokered return would probably be disastrous, taking the country back  to the brink of breakdown. Another risk is that Pheu Thai’s spending  promises prove ruinous; though with luck, Ms Yingluck—a successful  businesswoman in her own right—has the nous to recognise that Thailand  cannot afford her most extravagant promises.

  Pheu Thai has pulled ahead in the polls. The powerful people in the  military and monarchist camps who are used to running Thailand do not  like this. Having overthrown Mr Thaksin in a coup and backed the  toppling of elected pro-Thaksin governments through parliamentary and  legal manoeuvres, the army will not cheer a Pheu Thai victory. But it  has amply showed what a mess it makes of politics, and should stay  firmly in its barracks now. Whatever the doubts about Ms Yingluck, if  Thais vote for her their choice must be heeded.

  Mr Abhisit’s other powerful supporters among the monarchists and the  Bangkok rich are similarly loth to accede to the electorate’s  infuriating habit of returning unacceptable governments. They too must  accept the result, whatever it is. Pheu Thai is more likely to win a  plurality than a clear majority and then try to entice a few small,  venal parties into a governing coalition. If it handsomely beats the  Democrats yet is kept from power by a blocking coalition or by the  disqualification through the courts of some of its candidates, its  supporters will feel, yet again, that they have been cheated. They may  abandon hopes for change through the ballot box.

  The election was the easy part. The difficult bit comes now. Two  huge issues—devolving power away from Bangkok and defining the future  role of the <redacted>—were ignored in this campaign. If they are to be  addressed, the normal process of government must resume; and for that to  happen, the losing party must learn to behave as a loyal opposition.

----------


## Mickmac

This Thaksin must be an amazing man.
Most of the people I have spoken to up here in Chiang Mai honestly believe that the minute he returns to power there will be no more problems of any kind in Thailand and everyone will be happy.
Makes me wonder why they kicked him out of the country, if he is that good.

----------


## Takeovers

> Makes me wonder why they kicked him out of the country, if he is that good.


You are new to Thailand? No offence.

----------


## StrontiumDog

There are so many pieces on the election now that I thought I'd just post a few snippets. Most have info already posted here. However, some highlights included that appear to be new or interesting. 

Strife-torn Thailand set for tense vote - Yahoo!7

*Strife-torn Thailand set for tense vote*

_"We've seen the growth of the military as a political force," said Chambers._

_"If  this trend continues, we'll see a more permanent role on the political  stage for the military in terms of what happened to Burma in the 1960s."

-----

Coup maker's party in the race for Thai polls - Yahoo! News

_*Coup maker's party in the race for Thai polls*

_Asked which party he would support once the votes were counted,  Sonthi said, "I will join (the coalition government) which has the same  mission and vision as my party."_

_In Thailand politics, that is the code phrase for: "Regardless of  political ideology, I will join whichever party that forms a coalition  government."_

_Interestingly, the coup maker is willing to support Pheu Thai headed by Yingluck, Thaksin's youngest sister._

_A political analyst said, "Not a surprise as this is Thailand."_

_Sonthi is gunning for a minister post which complements his job experience Defence Minister._

_"If not, then maybe a minister post where I can help to build up society," he revealed._

_-----_

Thaksin 'clone' frontrunner to be Thai PM | My Sinchew

*Thaksin 'clone' frontrunner to be Thai PM*

_While her business credentials are well known, observers say she has  given few concrete clues about what kind of leader she would be._

_"She is at the moment sticking by what Thaksin has asked her to do in  a very detailed way," said a Bangkok-based Western diplomat. "I don't  think we have yet seen what she is capable of."_

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Many Thai Voters Uncertain as Elections Draw Near | Southeast Asia | English
*
*Many Thai Voters Uncertain as Elections Draw Near*

   Ron Corben                                         
Bangkok                                 

  Thailand is readying for general elections Sunday seen as marking a  further test of country's democratic institutions. Opinion polls  indicate a tight race, with about one third of voters still undecided.  Thailand's recent troubled political past is weighing upon people's  uncertainty in choosing the next leader in fragile economic times.

 Adorning the walls of Na Buk's home in Baan Plah Kao in northeast  Thailand are calendars, images of revered Thai King Bhumipol Adulyadej,  marking each year.

This Sunday Na Buk, a retired domestic worker,  will join 46 million other eligible voters in choosing a new government  from more than 40 parties and some 3,800 candidates.

The prize is a place in the 500-seat parliament.  Competition has been strong.

*Regional interests*

Surveys say the northeast  provinces are a stronghold of the opposition Pheu Thai Party led by  businesswoman Yingluck Shinawatra, 44, the sister of former prime  minister and Thai telecom tycoon, Thaksin Shinawatra.

Fighting to  make up ground is the governing Democrat Party of Prime Minister  Abhisit Vejjajiva.  Despite living in Pheu Thai's political heartland,  Na Buk says she supports Abhisit.   

Na Buk says she supports  Abhisit because his government has helped local communities with funding  and she believes he is good person.

The election, the first  since 2007, is being held a year after Thai security personnel forced an  end to two months of anti-government protests in Bangkok.

The  rallies, led by pro-Thaksin United Democratic Front against Dictatorship  (UDD) or red shirts, had attempted to force the Abhisit government from  power by occupying the capital's main business district. Clashes  between soldiers and protesters left more than 90 people dead and  hundreds injured.

The Bon Gai community in central Bangkok was at the center of fighting.

Du,  a street restaurant owner, says she cannot decide who she will vote for  between the ruling party and the main opposition Pheu Thai.  She says  after the violence of a year ago she is tired of politics and fears the  problems will persist even after the election.

*Economic concerns* 

The Bon Gai community people say the main concern lies with the economy and rising food and fuel prices.

Yeng,  a restaurant owner and Pheu Thai supporter, says life for the poor has  been getting harder.  He adds that past governments have ignored the  poor.  Prices of goods are rising and people do not have enough money.   He says he hopes a new prime minister will solve the problems.

But  after years of political conflict in Thailand fears remain that the  election may fail to resolve the tensions in the country.

Chuwit  Kamolvisit, the leader of the Rak Thailand (Love Thailand) Party and a  former massage parlor owner turned politician, doubts the election will  end the conflicts in Thai society, but it may ease the mounting  pressures building over recent years.

"No it does not resolve  anything," said Kamolvisit.  "But it releases something.  You know it is  like a bubble.  So what the election is for is to release some pressure  in Thai society and it is good.  So the problem we have two big parties  - Pheu Thai and Prachatipat [Democrats] - they are fighting. They want  to be the government that is what they want to do."

*Political strategy* 

The  Democrat Party's has followed a political strategy of warning voters  that the election of a Pheu Thai government will trigger further  troubled times ahead.  

"People have a clear view of comparing  between Khun Yingluck and Khun Abhisit as to who is best fit to lead  Thailand," said Democrat Party spokesman is Baranuj Smutharak.  "The  choice will be clear whether Thailand moves ahead and can continue with  its path towards stability, towards peace to whether the country will  need to be reset and go back to square one."

The Pheu Thai Party,  running ahead of the Democrats in opinion polls, has a similar,  opposite argument.  The party says the election of Yingluck will mark a  step to reconciliation in Thailand.

Pheu Thai member Kanawat Wasingsangworn says regardless of the outcome, all stakeholders should accept the outcome of the vote.

"I  positively hope that this election will at least pave the way to at  least open talks for reconciliation and basically if every party, every  stakeholder in this country accepts the rule of the game, just accept  the result of the election, that should at least to a certain level put  this country back to normal," he said.
*Undecided voters 
*
Recent opinion polls say as  many as 30 percent of the 46 million eligible voters remain undecided  about which party they will support.

Chantana Banpasirichot, is a  political scientist from Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University who says  voters have much to weigh before heading to the ballot box.

"I  think people have a lot to think [about]," she noted.  "Maybe it's not  simply a choice of policy, different policies; they have been thinking,  but not revealing. Not sure if their choice could mean a big change in  how the country is running. So for example the amnesty for Thaksin and  probably more than that - could mean a big change to a number of  people."

Analysts say the outcome Thailand's general elections  Sunday will set the stage for fresh political turbulence if the  political players fail to accept the outcome.

*Thailand's 26th Election*

*Main Candidates:*

- *Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva* 

The    Oxford educated Abhisit enjoys strong backing from the Thai  military  and the country's royalist elite.  He was appointed   prime  minister in  2008, following two years of political upheaval triggered  by a 2006  military coup that toppled then-  Prime Minister Thaksin  Shinawatra.   Controversial court rulings later disbanded two  pro-Thaksin ruling  parties accused of   electoral fraud, clearing the  way for the rise to  power of Abhisit and his Democrat Party. 

 - *Yingluck   Shinawatra* 

Yingluck  is the younger sister of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin, who  faces a  two-year   prison term at home and currently lives in exile in  Dubai.   As head of the populist opposition Puea Thai party, the 44-   year-old  businesswoman - like her exiled brother - enjoys broad support  by  Thailand's rural and urban lower classes, as   well as some "new  money"  business people. 

 - *Others* 

A total of 29 parties are   contesting the election.

*The Parliament:*

Voters will fill 375 seats  in the 500-seat parliament, with lawmakers    serving four-year terms.   The remaining 125 seats will be filled by  the parties, based on the  percentage of votes each   party wins.

*The Electorate*

There are about 47 million  voters in the country of 67 million  residents,   and voter turnout in  recent polls has been high.  Nearly  75 percent of the electorate voted  in 2007 polls.

*The Military*

Thailand's military has a long  history of interfering in politics,  having   mounted 18 coups or  attempted coups since 1932, and its  powerful army chief, General Prayuth  Chan-ocha, recently urged the    Thai public to elect "good people."

----------


## ENT

The whole country is addicted to scam and corruption. The adrenaline value of intrigue is vastly underrated by Farang. Ask the school girls what is a white p

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapc...ions.analysis/

World watches for fair Thai election*

  From  *Benjamin Gottlieb*, CNN

July 1, 2011 2:38 a.m. EDT

*STORY HIGHLIGHTS*United States, China and ASEAN will be watching the outcome closelyFurther unrest in Thailand could affect balance of power for regionBower: "Unhappy scenario" is if a party does not accept the result or processThai democracy stands at a crossroads, says Pongsudhirak, another observer
*(CNN)*  -- Thailand's first elections since last year's violent protests place  it at the crossroads between national reconciliation and further  destabilization, a scenario analysts believe could have serious  implications beyond its borders.

 Squaring off against incumbent  Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of the Democratic Party is Pheu Thai  party leader Yingluck Shinawatra, whose party is leading by a narrow  margin in pre-election polls. Yingluck is also the sister of ousted  Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who faces a warrant for his arrest on  terrorism charges related to last year's protests.

 Thaksin now lives in exile. His lawyer said the charge "violates logic, law and any claim of hopes for reconciliation."

 Tensions  between the two political factions, which reflect deep divisions within  Thai society, erupted last year, with protests against Abhisit's  government leading to a military crackdown, in which more than 90 people  were killed and hundreds injured.

 After the riots, the Thai government pledged to work toward a process of national reconciliation to heal these class and political divisions.

 But  just who wins Sunday's vote is far less important geopolitically than  whether or not the results are accepted, according to Ernest Bower,  Southeast Asia program director for the Center for Strategic &  International Studies.

 The main regional players -- the United States, China and Thailand's neighbors from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations  (ASEAN) -- will be watching the outcome closely, knowing that further  unrest in what has historically been one of the most stable countries in  Southeast Asia could affect the balance of power.

_Thailand goes to the polls
_ 
"The best outcome for the U.S. and the region as a whole is that  there is an election, that the Thai people agree that it was run fairly  and that all parties accept the results," Bower told CNN.

 The  fear, or "unhappy scenario," as Bower put it, is if a party wins, and  the other side does not accept the result, either by rejecting the  election results or the process itself.

 Just days before the  election, Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha dismissed what he called "rumors"  that the military would stage a coup in the event of a Pheu Thai win.

 "Thai  democracy is healthy, but its enemies are many," said Michael  Montesano, an assistant professor of Southeast Asian studies at the  National University of Singapore. 

 "There is no question that if  Thailand is able to let its democracy prevail -- to become a country  that is ruled by its elected parliament -- that it will have an  important effect in the long term."

 One  major effect will be on its relationship with the United States. As  Washington's oldest treaty ally in EAST Asia -- dating back to 1833 when  it was known as Siam -- Thailand remains a key security ally of the  United States, its third-largest single country trading partner after  China and Japan. 

 Thailand is also one of the five founding  members of ASEAN, the economic and political body representing 10  nations -- and 600 million people -- in Southeast Asia.

With China's growing economic power and maritime assertiveness in  Southeast Asia, a bitterly divided Thailand comes at an "extremely bad  time for the region," Bower said. Additionally, the deadly Thai-Cambodia  border dispute around an ancient temple has further undermined ASEAN  cohesion, he added. 

 "That in turn undermines a strong ASEAN able to send messages to China, most notably now the South China Sea."

 In  recent weeks, there have been reported incidents between Chinese patrol  boats and Vietnamese and Philippine survey ships, raising tensions in  disputed waters where China has estimated untapped oil that could be  second only to Saudi Arabia's.

 From the U.S. perspective, ASEAN  provides a regional architecture that would make China "play by the  rules," Bower explained. Such a plan is contingent "on a strong and  compressive ASEAN," he added. 
 "With an unstable Thailand, this is undermined."

 China,  on the other hand, prefers not to negotiate with ASEAN and prefers  bilateral negotiations, Bower said. "From a very Machiavellian point of  view, China has not indicated that it supports a strong Thailand. But  Chinese policy says they do support a strong ASEAN economically."

 Another  observer, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security  and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, said  that Thai democracy stands at a crossroads. 

 "If the Thai  elections on July 3 lead to genuine democratic rule, and that becomes  the basis of government administration in Thailand, this would reinforce  the trend that Indonesia has set toward democratization."
 On the  other hand, he added, "if the election results are usurped, and  Thailand ends up with a kind of managed democracy, this would fall into  the hand of China." Read a Thai political blogger's opinion on the need to vote

 Montesano,  of the National University of Singapore, disagreed that any Thai  election outcome could pose a threat to ASEAN. "ASEAN is so divided and  so weak diplomatically that I don't think China has any particular fear  of ASEAN."

 "The real stakes here are whether Thailand can finally  begin to get its politics right, so that it's not weak, so that it's  not a less and less attractive destination for investment."

 Lief  Eskesen, chief economist for India & ASEAN at HSBC, said the  elections are not anticipated to have an impact on the ASEAN economies.

 "The  interesting thing about Thailand is that there have been these  political tensions issues for a while. Despite that, it hasn't really  deterred investors from coming in," he said, crediting sound economic  stewardship, a good business environment and less red tape than in  Indonesia and the Philippines -- fellow ASEAN democracies.

 "The greatest risk to growth related to the elections is for Thailand itself," he said._

Thai democracy is healthy, but its enemies are many
 --Michael Montesano, assistant professor, National University of Singapore_

----------


## SteveCM

> Originally Posted by SteveCM
> 
> Do you know the date of that poll?
> 
> 
> Will check. Just saw in local shop. Didn't notice date. As you say probably the last poll Thai Rath conducted before cut off date.


Norton, the following blog post from Bangkok Pundit seems to cover the Thai Rath piece you saw - their predictions rather than a new poll report. Very interesting reading.

*
Thai Rath predicts Puea Thai will win more than 250 seats | Asian Correspondent
* 
_By Bangkok Pundit 
Jul 01, 2011_

_ Thai Rath_‘s political news team have an article with their predictions on who will win the election. Below is a summary:_For the 67 constituencies in the 16 provinces in the  North, Puea Thai will win 43 constituencies (ประเดิมที่ ภาคเหนือ 16  จังหวัด มีเก้าอี้ให้แย่งชิงกัน 67 ที่นั่ง  เพื่อไทยยังครองความเป็นเจ้าสังเวียน กวาดไป 43 เขต). In the Upper North  where the reds are strong, Puea Thai will win all 7 constituencies in 7,  4 in Lampang, 2 in Lamphun, 3 in Nan, 3 in Phayao, and 3 in Uttaradit,  but in Thaksin’s home province they will win only 9 of the 10  constituencies with Chart Thai Pattana (นพ.ไกร ดาบธรรม) winning 1 seat._

 I_n the Lower North, where the reds are diluted in strength, Puea Thai  will win 1 in Kamphaeng Phet, 1 in Phitsanoluk, 2 in Nakhon Sawan, 1 in  Sukothai, and 4 in Phetchabun,

 The Democrats will in 13 seats from the Lower North with 3 each in  Kamphaeng Phet,  Phitsanoluk, and Tak; and 1 each in Phetchabun,  Sukhothai, and Phichit.

Chart Thai Pattana will win 8 seats; 2 each in Phichit and Nakhon  Sawan; 1 each in Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Phitsanoluk, and Phetchabun._ _

 Chat Pattana Puea Paendin will win 2 seats, one each in Nakhon Sawan and Sukhothai.

 Bhum Jai Thai will win 1 seat in Sukhothai which is the area of Somsak Thepsuthin.

 For the Northeast, there are 126 constituencies. Yingluck fever and  the red machine has resulted in a desire for the first female PM in Thai  history.

 Puea Thai will win all seats in 12 provinces, namely Loei, Nong Khai,  Udon Thani, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Sakon Nakhon, Maha Sarakham,  Mukdahan, NongBua Lumphu, Sisaket, Kalasin, and Bueng Kan, for all 66  seats.

 Amnat Charoen, Buriram, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Loei, Maha Sarakham,  Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nongbua Lamphu, Nong Khai,  Roi Et, Sakon Nakhon, Surin, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Yasothon)

They will win another 23 seats in Roi Et, Ubon Ratchathani, Nakhon  Phanom, Yasothon, Surin, and Amnat Charoen to give them a total of 89  seats._ _

 Bhum Jai Thai will only get 17 seats winning 6 seats in Buriram  because Puea Thai have sent both former senior military and police  officers to the province. Puea Thai will 2 of the 6 seats in  Constituency 2 and 5 in Surin. Bhum Jai Thai will win in Constituency 5  in Nakhon Ratchasima.

 The Democrats will win just 4 out of their target of 10, namely in  Ubon Constituency 3 and 8; Amnat Charoen Constituency 2, and Yasothorn  Constituency 1.

 Chart Thai Pattana will win only 6, namely 4 in Khorat, 1 in Roi et,  and 1 in Nakhon Phanom, but not Constituency 6 in Khorat or in Ubon and  Udon as expected because of Puea Thai’s strength.

 Chart Thai Pattana will win 3 seats, namely Constituency 11 in Ubon,  Constituency 1 in Roi Et, Constituency 4 in Surin. Mathabhum will win  just 1, namely with Somchai Thepprasert in Khorat.

 There are 6 seats that are too close to call, 1 in Khorat, 1 in Buriram, and 4 in Ubon.

In the Central region all parties are competing. Puea Thai will do  well in provinces that surround Bangkok and win 41 seats in total._ _

They  will win 7 in Samut Prakarn, 6 in Pathum Thani, 5 in Nonthaburi, 4 in  Ayutthaya, and 4 in Nakhon Pathom. They will also win 3 seats in Lopburi  and Chonburi; 2 each in Samut Sakhon, Chachoengsao, and Kanchanaburi; 1  each in Saraburi, Angthong, and Ratchaburi.

The Democrats will win 25 seats; 4 in Rayong; 3 each in Chanthaburi,  Phetchaburi, Prachuab Kiri Kan; and 1 each in Nonthaburi, Saraburi,  Angthong, Chonburi, Samut Songkram, Samut Sakhon, Lopburi, Ratchaburi,  and Trat._ _

Chart Thai Pattana will win 12 seats. They will win 5 seats in Suphan  Buri, 1 in Singburi, 2 in Uthai Thani, Nakhon Pathom 1, and 1 in  Prachin Buri. Kuakul will just keep his seat in Constituency 1. For  Angthong, the Prissanananthaku clan will lose out to Puea Thai._ _

 Bhum Jai Thai will win 10 seats; 3 in Ratchaburi; 2 in Chainat; 2 in Chachoengsao, Saraburi 2, and Prachinburi 1.

 For Palangchon, they will win 4 seats in Chonburi.

For Chart Pattana Puea Paendin, they will win 1 seat in Prachin Buri._ _

In the South, the Democrats will win 47-48 out of the 53 seats. They  will win all seats in Chumpon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Sri Thammarat,  Ranong, Phang Nga, Trang, Phatalung, Songkhla, Satun, Krabi and Phuket._ _

 It is just in the 11 constituencies in the 3 southern border  provinces where there will be competition. The Democrats will win 6 of  the seats, Chart Thai Pattana will win 1 seat in Narathiwat Constituency  No. 4; Puea Thai 1 seat Yala Constituency No. 2, Mathabhum 2 seats  Narathiwat Constituency 1 and 3; Bhum Jai Thai 1 in Pattani Constituency  3.

In Bangkok, despite the best effort of the Democrats will win only 15  seats in inner Bangkok seats with Puea Thai gaining from “Yingluck as  female PM” fever will win the remaining 18 seats._ _

 In total, Puea Thai will win 192 constituency seats and together with 60 party-list seats giving them 252.

The Democrats will win 104 constituency seats, 45-48 party-list seats giving them 149-152 seats in total._ _

 Bhum Jai Thai will win 29-30 party list seats + 5-10 party-list seats giving them 35-40.

 Chart Thai Pattana will win 24 constituency seats + 5-6 party-list seats giving them 29-30 seats.

 Chart Pattana Puea Paendin will win 9 constituency seats + 3-5 party-list seats giving them 10-12 seats.

 Palangchon will win 6 constituency seats + 1 party-list seat giving them 5 seats.

 Mathabhum of Sonthi B will win 2-3 constituency seats, but no party-list seats meaning that Sonthi B will miss out.

 Chuwit’s Rak Prathet Thai will will 3 party-list seats.

Purachai’s Rak Santi will win only 1 party-list seat._ _

 Suwit’s Social Action Party will just scrape over to win a party-list._
*BP*: The Democrats winning around 150 is in line with _The Nation_‘s prediction  last week. The difference is that Puea Thai win 10 seats from Chart  Thai Pattana and 20 seats from Bhum Jai Thai giving them just over 250.  For now, BP thinks the main question is, will Puea Thai be able to get a  majority or just a plurality? A plurality seems more likely still, but  as predicted last week Puea Thai are picking up steam so it may just be  possible.

----------


## Pol the Pot

> This Thaksin must be an amazing man.
> Most of the people I have spoken to up here in Chiang Mai honestly believe that the minute he returns to power there will be no more problems of any kind in Thailand and everyone will be happy.
> Makes me wonder why they kicked him out of the country, if he is that good.


True. The people you're speaking to are right. The best PM Thailand has ever had.

Military couldn't deal with that so they couped. Then got a court to sentence him. So he had to flee.

Coming back soon though, I hope.

Hope they don't pull a Ninoy on him when he arrives, wouldn't put it beyond those bastards.

----------


## Pol the Pot

[Double posted.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> *BP*: .... For now, BP thinks the main question is, will Puea Thai be able to get a majority or just a plurality? A plurality seems more likely still, but as predicted last week Puea Thai are picking up steam so it may just be possible.


*TS:* Well thanks BP - Tom Sawyer thinks you've missed an option. Even if Puea Thai doesn't get a majority - but has a healthy plurality - but the minority parties have been ordered by the elites and army not support them in a Coalition Government - the Puea Thai could still attempt to form a *Minority Government*. To refuse them the chance to form a minority government (if they have far and away the most seats) would be asking for real trouble from the masses. Now of course once in the Parliament the other parties could gang up on PTP and bring them down forcing another election. The Liberals tried that in Canada against the Conservatives and got absolutely hammered by the voters and driven deep into the Canadian backwoods.

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## DrB0b

*http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/01/wo...pagewanted=all
*

*Rural Thais Find an Unaccustomed Power*

         BAAN NONG TUN, THAILAND[1]  — Smiling farmers knee deep in emerald rice paddies and shirtless  children riding on the backs of mud-caked water buffalo — these are the  romantic images of the Thai countryside. There is one problem with it,  says Udom Thapsuri, a farmer here and a local sage. It does not exist  anymore.        

 “No one walks to their farm with a big bamboo hat on. That’s over,” said Mr. Udom, 63, sitting next to his pickup truck.        
 As campaigning for the national election Sunday entered its final days,  there was broad consensus that rural votes would be crucial in deciding  the outcome. But no one is quite sure what rural means anymore.        

Villagers here complain of slow Internet download speeds. On a single  street that winds past rice paddies, residents tell of work stints in  Taiwan, Singapore, Israel and Saudi Arabia, enough frequent-flier miles  to rival the inhabitants of a tony Bangkok condominium.        
 Once passive and fatalistic, villagers are now better educated, more  mobile, less deferential and ultimately more politically demanding.         
 Researchers who study rural life say villages like Baan Nong Tun may be  ground zero for understanding why Thailand’s political crisis — warring  political factions, five years of street protests and violent military  crackdowns — has been so intractable. The old social contract, whereby  power flowed from Bangkok and the political establishment could count on  quiet acquiescence in the Thai countryside, has broken down.        

Villagers describe a sort of democratic awakening in recent years and  say they are no longer willing to accept a Bangkok-knows-best  patriarchal system. It is an upheaval that has been ill-understood by  the elites, said Attachak Sattayanurak, a history professor at Chiang  Mai University, in northern Thailand.        
 “The old establishment and the Thai state have a picture of an agrarian  society frozen in time,” he commented on a television program that aired  in June. “They maintain a picture of local people as well-behaved and  obedient, which in fact they aren’t. Peasant society doesn’t exist  anymore.        
 “If the country’s leaders do not understand these changes, they will not  be able to solve our problems,” Mr. Attachak said.        
 Charles Keyes, a U.S. academic who first studied village life here  nearly five decades ago, describes a transformation from “peasants to  cosmopolitan villagers.”        
 “There is a sense in Thai society that the social contract is being  renegotiated,” said Mr. Keyes, a professor emeritus of anthropology at  the University of Washington.        
 The convulsive changes to village life and the breakdown of a national  political consensus are not just relevant to Thailand, but are a  cautionary tale for other countries in Asia that are developing so  rapidly, Mr. Keyes says.        


“It’s definitely something the Chinese, for one, should be more aware of,” he said.        

For most of Thailand’s tumultuous modern history of military coups and  countless constitutions, democracy trickled into this rice-farming  village. Villagers felt far removed from national elections and rarely  met the members of Parliament they voted for.        
 Then, in the 1990s, as part of an effort to decentralize power, the  government introduced a system of local councils, known as township  administrative organizations.        
 Kayun Thapthani, who won a seat on the first council in Baan Nong Tun,  remembers a timid gathering of farmers in a meeting hall next to the  Buddhist temple. Villagers listened quietly and politely to proposals  for road building and support for the elderly. But as time wore on, and  when budgets rose and meetings dealt with controversial projects, the  deference dissipated. Mr. Kayun described rowdy sessions when  “everything became messy, everything went mad.”        
 The councils gave villagers a sense that they could control their own  political destiny, said Mr. Udom, the village wise man. The system has  come with its disappointments — council budgets are strained and have  shrunk in recent years — but the system has brought a greater sense of  political intimacy than elections for the national Parliament in  Bangkok, a seven-hour drive away. “We have a lot more expectations,” Mr.  Udom said.        

Those expectations were partly answered after the election a decade ago of the populist prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra[2],  whose power base was in rural areas, especially here in northeastern  Thailand. Mr. Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon and thus a seemingly  unlikely champion of the peasant class, managed to cement his popularity  by introducing universal health care and funneling government funds  into villages, where local officials decided how to distribute it.         
 When Mr. Thaksin’s party was re-elected in 2005 by a wide margin, Mr.  Keyes, the professor, remembers a villager’s elation. “It used to be  that the elite decided who was in power,” Mr. Keyes remembers the  villager saying. “Today we decide.”        

But Mr. Thaksin’s concentration of power — his critics would say his  abuse of power — alienated many voters, especially the elite. Mr.  Thaksin faced large-scale street demonstrations in Bangkok against his  rule and was overthrown in a military coup in 2006, polarizing the  country. Two subsequent prime ministers, allies of Mr. Thaksin’s, were  also removed from office by the courts in highly politicized cases that  many Thaksin supporters say reflected the wishes of the elite.        

Mr. Thaksin’s allies are trying once again to win power in the election  Sunday with the tycoon’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, as the candidate  for prime minister. Ms. Yingluck, who is leading in the polls, is up  against the party of Abhisit Vejjajiva[3], the current prime minister, who is allied with the military leadership and the Bangkok establishment.        
 Thailand’s divisions are often described as rural versus urban and rich  versus poor, but William Klausner, another U.S. academic, who has  studied Thai rural life for more than five decades, says that is an  oversimplification. The salient changes to rural life, he says, are that  villagers have been unbridled by the dismantling of traditional  hierarchies, have broadened their ambitions and are emboldened to speak  their minds. In recent years, busloads of villagers have traveled to  Bangkok to protest — for and against Mr. Thaksin.        
 More than two-thirds of Thailand’s population lives in rural areas,  according to government statistics. But migrations in recent decades  have blurred the distinction between countryside and city.        

Every family has someone who has gone to work in Bangkok or abroad, says  Nirand Nammontri, the owner of a grocery store in Baan Nong Tun who  built her house with money that her husband made working at a printing  factory in Taiwan.        
 Although her home is a stone’s throw from rice fields, her lifestyle is  only marginally bucolic. Her family sometimes raises chickens, but her  husband, who now drives a pickup truck modified to serve as a school  bus, hires someone to slaughter them. “He feels very sorry for the  chickens,” Ms. Nirand said.        
 Her 21-year-old son, who is studying to become a computer programmer,  does not know how to plant or harvest rice. “Young people can’t plant,”  Ms. Nirand said. “They say it hurts their backs.”        

Technology has brought great changes to many parts of the world in  recent decades, but the pace of change has been particularly breathless  in the Thai countryside.        
 Five decades ago, Mr. Keyes and Mr. Klausner, now a senior fellow at the  Institute of Security and International Studies in Bangkok, separately  witnessed isolated, self-sufficient villages where farmers grew their  own food and rarely used money because they counted on their neighbors  to help with farm work or build stilt houses out of local timber. There  was no electricity, piped water or telephone service.        

Villagers rarely challenged their superiors, believed in the wrath of  the supernatural and had a strong sense of right and wrong that was  buttressed by a reverence for local Buddhist monks.        

Today, Baan Nong Tun is plugged into the rest of Thailand by television,  radio and the Internet. Traveling to other provinces is routine, and  every family has a motorcycle or pickup truck.        
 Mr. Udom squeezes his eyes shut when asked about the changes.        
 Villagers are more individualistic, and no one works for free, he said.  Young people routinely go to college, and families also have more debt.  “People want to buy things they cannot afford,” he said.        

There is less shame. “People don’t believe in sin and virtue anymore,” Mr. Udom said, his eyes still shut.        
 The generation gap — from peasant to cosmopolitan villager — is evident  in villagers’ hands. Mr. Udom’s calloused fingers are swollen by years  of farm work. Younger people have the soft, thin fingers of city  dwellers.        

Even the buffaloes have changed their comportment, Mr. Udom said. They  used to put in long workdays, hauling and plowing, tasks now done by  machines. The buffaloes of today are more disobedient, lazy and fat. And  children in the village, who watch television or congregate at Internet  cafes when they are not at school, no longer ride on buffaloes’ backs,  Mr. Udom said.        
 “I haven’t seen that in a long time,” he said.

----------


## Mid

_This Sunday voters in Thailand head to the polls to choose their next government, and the Southeast Asia experts at New Mandala will be following every step of the way with live blogging from 6pm on Sunday night and a video update once the results are in.

_snip_

The New Mandala team will begin live blogging the election  from 6pm Canberra time  as the polls come to a close in Thailand. The  updates will continue late into the night and into the early hours of  the morning, and will include a late-night video update from Walker and  Farrelly. The video will be online at the ANU YouTube channel sometime after midnight._

_You can read about the unfolding results on New Mandala or follow the team on Twitter  [at]newmandala_

ANU News

----------


## mc2

If the Dems only get 150 seats as predicted, I wonder if Abhisit and Suthep will stick to their words and quit politics.

----------


## Norton

> Norton, the following blog post from Bangkok Pundit seems to cover the Thai Rath piece you saw - their predictions rather than a new poll report.


Yep. That's the one. Apologies. Thought it was a poll rather than a prediction as I struggled to read in my less than speed reading Thai.

----------


## StrontiumDog

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

            Pheu Thai denies giving media members Bt20,000 each to publicize Yingluck; says e-mail of party's deputy spokesman was hacked

----------


## Gerbil

> Pheu Thai denies giving media members Bt20,000 each to publicize Yingluck; says e-mail of party's deputy spokesman was hacked


Oh dear.... Dissolution case coming up.  :rofl:

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thaksin looms large as Thai parties make final campaign push | Reuters
*
*Thaksin looms large as Thai parties make final campaign push*

 
 By Jason Szep
                  BANGKOK |          Fri Jul 1, 2011 5:38am EDT         

   (Reuters) - Big rallies in Bangkok marked a final push by candidates in a  national election on Sunday aimed at resolving Thailand's sometimes  violent six-year political crisis but which many fear will only fuel  more turbulence.

  Opinion polls overwhelmingly  favor the opposition Puea Thai (For Thais) party led by Yingluck  Shinawatra, sister of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, figurehead of a  red-shirted political movement of the rural and urban poor whose  protests last year sparked a bloody military crackdown.

The  telegenic 44-year-old businesswoman and political novice has  electrified supporters as Thailand's first possible elected female  leader, vowing to revive Thaksin-style populist policies - from a  minimum wage hike to subsidies for farmers.

Many  of her supporters want her to go further and bring back Thaksin  himself, their red t-shirts often emblazoned with the smiling image of  the former telecoms tycoon, who was removed in a 2006 military coup and  lives in Dubai to evade jail for graft charges he says were politically  motivated.

Recent polls suggest Puea Thai could win at least 240 seats in the 500-seat parliament.

But  that is no guarantee Yingluck will govern. Most doubt either side will  secure an outright majority, opening the way for both to wheel and deal with smaller parties to form a coalition.

"The  question is not who will win, but by how much they will win," said  Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian  Studies in Singapore.

"If there is a  Puea Thai landslide, it would make things easier for everyone. It would  shut up the Democrat Party and make it difficult for the military to  intervene."

If Puea Thai fails to  win an absolute majority, it might struggle to find willing partners to  form a coalition, he said. Many see that as a recipe for unrest.

If  Yingluck's red-shirted supporters cry foul and believe the election was  robbed, there is a risk they could mass again in a reprise of last  year's violent street protests.

ABHISIT'S STRUGGLES

Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, a 46-year-old British-born, Oxford-educated  economist, is believed to have the backing of the Bhum Jai Thai Party,  which could win as many as 30 seats, enough to create a domino effect  with smaller parties anxious to avoid being in opposition.

In  an interview with Reuters on Thursday, Abhisit said he was confident of  winning 200 seats. Most analysts say he will struggle to win more than  170.

"Our assessment of the last few weeks of campaigning shows an improving public response," he said.

He has cast the vote as a chance to rid Thailand of the "poison" of Thaksin and warns of instability if Yingluck wins.

But  despite his urbane manner, Abhisit is also seen as a polarizing figure  who failed to mend a divide in society between the urban and rural poor  on one side and the traditional elite on the other, a rift that drove  Thailand close to full civil conflict last year.

After  91 people, mostly civilians, were killed, his denial that troops were  responsible for a single death or injury was mocked even in the Democrat  stronghold of Bangkok, where a web-savvy generation could, with a few  mouse-clicks, watch videos on YouTube showing military snipers firing on  civilians.

That has fanned fears  that the losers of the election will not accept the results, a tangible  risk in a country that has seen 18 coups since the 1930s and five years  of sporadic protests.

Army chief  Prayuth Chan-ocha sought this week to allay fears of another coup  d'etat, stressing the army neutrality, but he is widely accused of  taking sides, appearing on television on June 14 to urge the public to  vote for "good people" and to avoid the results of previous elections.

The  traditional Bangkok establishment of top generals, royal advisers and  old-money families who back the Democrats have much at stake, fearing  Thaksin will exact revenge against those who toppled him if his sister  gains power.

Online magazine Asia  Times, however, said the palace, military and Thaksin had held  "high-level secret talks" in which the military agreed to allow Puea  Thai to form a new government unopposed in exchange for a vow from  Thaksin not to pursue revenge or legal prosecutions of top military  officials.

Thaksin, it said, had  also agreed to refrain from intervening in military affairs, including  the annual reshuffle that determines the army's leadership.

Officials  in both parties have not confirmed the report but Thaksin told Reuters  last month that he expected he would have to negotiate with the army in  order to come home.

Abhisit does  not have history on his side. While Thaksin scored landslide election  wins in 2001 and 2005, Abhisit's Democrats -- the traditional party of  Thailand's royalist establishment -- have not won an election in 19  years.

He has sought a mandate since coming to power in a 2008 parliamentary vote many believe was a stitch-up by the army.

He  has promised populist, big-spending policies similar to Yingluck's but  has presented Sunday's vote as a referendum on Thaksin, who remains as  idolized by the poor as he is reviled among Bangkok's elite.

Yingluck  has struck a conciliatory tone, vowing not to rush into an amnesty for  Thaksin and saying there will be no revenge for the coup. Her party has  issued a statement that stressed amnesty for Thaksin was not a formal  policy.

Not many appear convinced, including Thaksin himself, who last month told Reuters he hoped to return home by December.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Pheu Thai rally about nowish...

Lockerz.com .:. Weeranan kanhar's Photos - 



Democrat rally about now (heavy rain there...and here too!)

yfrog Photo : http://yfrog.com/h8gdmsij Shared by Aim_NT



Edit, bucketing down at the Pheu Thai rally now too....

http://lockerz.com/s/115878383

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Top 10 strange moments of Thailand's 2011 general election | CNNGo.com
*
*Top 10 strange moments of Thailand's 2011 general election* 

                                       As the nation heads to the polls on Sunday,  here's a look back at some of the best political gaffes and oddities  that took place in the run-up to the vote                        

                     By Saksith Saiyasombut                                       1 July, 2011                                                         

                This Sunday, Thailand goes to the polls. Given the tumultuous events of the  last few years, it has been one of the most heated election campaigns in recent history.

  As with every election campaign, all 40 political parties are prowling around the country to woo voters every possible way they can. 

But since this is Thailand, the run-up has its own rules and, much to our enjoyment, many laughable moments. 

Here are the top 10 noteworthy campaign oddities of the 2011 Thailand general election. 

* 10. Yingluck and her ‘customers’*


_Taking a final campaign visit to the northeast this week, Yingluk Shinawatra makes an appearance in Buriram. _ 

It was an open secret that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra would send his youngest sister Yingluck into the race to lead the Pheu Thai Party. And much to the disgust of opponents, the former business executive did indeed throw her hat into the ring. 

During a presentation on May 16, she made a very good impression. Even the questions in English were answered confidently and flawlessly. With the exception of one little slip-up (see 

), when she referred to the electorate as her “customers.” 

One could argue that she is still warming up to politics, having just come from the business sector. And hey, everybody gets their target audience mixed up from time to time.

* 9. Sophon and the Panda*


_Lin Ping already has her own reality show so making the transition into politics was a breeze for the celebrity panda._ 

Despite the nation's political divisions, there's one thing that warms the heart of nearly all Thais (with the notable exception of this author): Lin Ping, the panda born in Chiang Mai Zoo.  Over-exposed already thanks to her own 24-hour TV channel, Lin Ping made an appearance on this poster of MP candidate Sophon Damnui of the Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party (Development of the Nation’s Land Party). 

Coincidentally, Sophon is the director of the Zoological Park Organization, which overlooks all zoos in the country. 

Best of all, he's promised to get Lin Ping to visit Bangkok if elected. With such a promise, what can go wrong?

* 8. Abhisit versus the football*

Prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is known for being an avid Newcastle United fan. After all, just like the prime minister himself, the English Premier League club had some turbulent moments in recent years. 

While out campaigning, the Oxford-educated premier didn’t pass up the opportunity to put on a pair of football boots and play a game with some young potential voters.

  But things literally turned upside down when he made a cross-move and passed the ball only to fall down. Luckily, the PM was up and running again just moments after the incident. 

Some say this was the literal stumbling block of his election campaign.

*7. Paradorn and the forgotten vote*


_In  April, retired tennis star Paradorn Srichaphan announced plans to run  for parliament, saying he wanted to boost sport in the country._ 

Staying with sports, having former athletes run for your ballot is another oft-used trick to lure voters. The Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party (yes, them again) hired a whole all-star team of former champions, among them retired tennis player Paradorn Srichaphan. 

The problem though was that Paradorn wasn’t even allowed on the ballot. Why? Because he "forgot" to vote in the last general election in 2007. 

Since voting is compulsory in Thailand, he not only lost his right to cast a ballot this time around, but also was barred from running for MP. Talk about an unforced error.

* 6. Bhumjaithai and the wife beaters*

A couple of the Bhumjaithai (Thai Pride) Party's election posters certainly got people talking. 

The two different shots depict a tennis player and a football player with a slogan that translates into: “If you want to take care of your wife (or your family), you have to strike!” 

Strike what? Or who? Are they promoting domestic abuse?

Not really.  

Despite the odd choice of words, the party is actually promoting their sport-centered policies, like more financial support for sport associations and building sport centers nationwide. This all falls under their theme, “Fight to become rich!”

*5. Chuwit Kamolvisit's entire campaign* 


_Chuwit waves as he tours Bangkok red-light district Patpong as part of his electoral campaign._ 

If there’s one underdog of the election who still somehow manages to hog the headlines, it’s got to be Chuwit Kamolvisit. The former massage parlor tycoon (some international media have even referred to him as a "super pimp") and now self-proclaimed “Mr. Clean” is, following runs in 2004 and 2006, taking another shot at political power.

This time he's running under the new Rak Prathet Thai (Love Thailand) Party. His aim: to join the opposition and crack down on corruption.

His in-your-face election posters (e.g. “Politicians are like diapers, the more often they’re changed, the better”) are certainly a breath of fresh air. 

And given how much he enjoys taking "baths," Chuwit is probably one of the cleanest men in the whole kingdom. 

*4. Pheu Thai and the too-small-logo*


_Pheu Thai countered the ballot blunder by printing signs to remind its supporters how to vote. _ 

When Thais overseas received their ballot papers in advance, some reportedly had difficultly making their cross in the right place. At least those who wanted to vote for the opposition Pheu Thai Party (For Thais). 

That's because they had to really squint to actually find the Pheu Thai logo, whereas the other parties’ logos were perfectly visible. 

Whether this was deliberate or a screw-up cannot be determined. Nevertheless the Pheu Thai Party hastily made new posters to make sure their supporters would not mess up their vote.

*3. Don't vote for animals*


_One of the PAD's 'Vote No' posters, reminding the Thai electorate that politics has no shortage of monkey business._ 

The ultra-nationalist "People’s Alliance for Democracy" are ironically against the elections –- well, this one at least -- claiming that the whole political system is corrupt to the core. In order to win over supporters for their "campaign," they have plastered posters everywhere urging the people to "not let these animals into the  parliament.” The posters depict politicians as wild dogs, monkeys,  buffaloes, tigers and so on. 

There’s one small logical oversight: these animals have more backbone than most politicians. Even the monitor lizard.

*2. Sanan and his pink shoes*



_It takes a confident man to pull off pink sneakers. _ 

According to the Chart Thai Pattana (Thai Nation Development) Party, reconciliation only comes in pink, the color of the party. Hence its leader, Sanan Kajornprasart, went for a fully pink outfit, right down to his snazzy pink sneakers. (Click here to see a 

 of him rocking his outfit.)

The story behind this odd wardrobe choice is that the party actually bought pink shoes for everybody to wear on the campaign trail, but only its leader wore them more than once. 

Throw in a cool hat and some shades (again, see video) and you have the best-dressed dude of the entire Thai election campaign. 

*1. “Rock the Vote” -- Thai Style*

Ending on a high note, the election commission has produced not one, but two music videos with numerous famous singers to convince people to go to the polls coming this Sunday. 

While the 

  is aimed at the young urban crowd, urging them put their electronic devices down  long enough to cast a ballot, the top spot goes to this folksier version  with complete instructions on how to vote. 

So, enjoy this video and do as these lovely ladies say: GO VOTE!




Read more: Top 10 strange moments of Thailand's 2011 general election #2 | CNNGo.com Top 10 strange moments of Thailand's 2011 general election #2 | CNNGo.com

----------


## Mid

* Thais face jail if they send campaign Tweets during poll* 
Jul 1, 2011      

 _
Thais face jail if they campaign during  Sunday's election on social media sites such as Twitter, with more than  100 police monitoring sites to make sure the law is enforced._
PHOTO:  REUTERS

*BANGKOK* - THAIS face jail if they campaign during  Sunday's election on social media sites such as Twitter, with more than  100 police monitoring sites to make sure the law is enforced. 

People will not be able to comment on any candidate or party  in the election - which many hope can revitalise democracy after six  years of crisis - from 6pm (7pm Singapore time) on Saturday until  midnight on Sunday when the results should be known. 

Polls open at 8am on Sunday and close at 3pm.

'Any candidates and their supporters will face jail time if  they are caught campaigning on social media websites on the evening  before the July 3 election,' said Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn,  secretary-general of the Election Commission. 

Offenders face a maximum six months in prison and a 10,000  baht (S$398) fine. Saturday evening is a cooling-off period with all  campaigning banned. 

The ban includes sending short telephone texts and  forwarding emails. The sale of alcohol is also banned over the same  period, as normal in Thailand during elections.

straitstimes.com

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## SteveCM

Online streaming from PT rally here: ptpstream on USTREAM: .

Anyone know equivalent for Dem rally?

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## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

An External Assessment 

UPDATE : 1 July 2011 

The knee-jerk reaction to United Nation's  Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon's urging for Thailand to carry out its  upcoming election in a peaceful, transparent and trust-worthy way seems  to have been one of offense. The UN chief's call for political groups  and activist networks to accept the outcome of Sunday's poll hit on the  sensitive side of many of Thailand's politically active.

Even if Thailand has seen some dark times over the past six years,  surely with neighbors like Myanmar and Cambodia and nations on the  African continent still enveloped in civil war, Thailand shouldn't need  to be given any reminders from the United Nations.

Pushing personal and national pride aside however, Ban Ki Moon's words  can be seen for their good intentions. Though Thailand may not be  infamous for the human rights abuses of Myanmar, as mired in suspicion  as Cambodia or as torn by strife as countries in Africa, it does not  mean its democracy is in healthy condition and, most importantly, it  does not mean it is immune to the situations those countries have fallen  into.

It should not be forgotten that not too long ago, Thailand was  considered a prototype for developing democracies and often entertained  visitors from other countries looking to study its political practices.  Today however, foreign observers are looking for signs of dishonesty,  corruption and violence. Thailand has fallen far.

In a country where the threat of revolution and coup d'etat are just as  real as an <redacted> movement, the public should be more humble  about their claims to democratic purity. If being humble begs the  question of how does Thailand get back on the track, the answer can be  found in the comments of the UN Secretary-General.

All the Thai people have to do to is fulfill their duty in full if they  wish for the Kingdom to regain its momentum and continue on the road of  progress. Not only must the Thai people vote for who they truly believe  can do the nation good, they must also prepare to accept if that party  or individual does not win.

Amidst the current division of Thai society is a prime opportunity for  it to embody all that democracy hopes to accomplish. If either side  wants the other to 'play fair' and not use underhanded means to divert  the outcomes of the poll, they themselves must be ready to not exert  their own influences.

Thailand is currently a powder keg that can be set off by the slightest  trigger. The explosion however, will affect every side and bring damage  to everyone in the nation. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon's  observations should thus be heeded, because they are not mockery of the  Kingdom's situation but rather a warning.


*Thai Post, July 1, 2011

Translated and Rewritten by Itiporn Lakarnchua*

----------


## SteveCM

*Bangkok Post : Final election rallies in Bangkok tonight*Published:  1/07/2011 at 05:38 PMOnline news:The Democrat Party could win all seats in the  South and win more seats in Bangkok than other political parties, but is  likely to trail the rival Pheu Thai Party in the North and Northeast,  Democrat chief adviser Chuan Leekpai said ahead of the party's final  campaign rally in Bangkok on Friday.

 _Democrat Party chief adviser and former prime minister Chuan Leekpai (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)_

 "There's a possibility that the Democrats will get all the seats in  the South. If not all, we'll get more seats there than in the previous  election.

"We might not win as many seats as the Pheu Thai Party  in the North and Northeast, but we expect to win more seats there as  well," said former prime minister Chuan, who is helping the Democrat  candidates campaign in the southern provinces of Phatthalung and Nakhon  Si Thammarat today.

Mr Chuan said his party should win more seats  in Bangkok than other parties, as the Democrats believed people in the  capital still have confidence in the ruling party.

The political  veteran said he will addres  tonight's final election  rally at the  Royal Plaza, but will give a speech via videoconference.

Democrat  secretary-general and Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said his  party has the right to form the next coalition government if the party  can put together a majority, despite his rivals' demands the party with  the most seats should have sole right.

"The law allows the  Democrats to set up the next government, since a majority vote in  parliament is required to elect a prime minister.

"Other  political parties know what it's like to work with the Democrat Party  and they also know what problems will arise if they work with Pheu  Thai," Mr Suthep said.

He expressed confidence that his party  would be able to come to  a better understanding with Chartthaipattana  Party chief adviser Banharn Silpa-archa.

"I always respect and think well of Mr Banharn, and I have not even once broken my word with him," Mr Suthep said.

 Former prime minister Banharn, whose party is in the coalition  government under the Democrat Party, said again yesterday that he was  fed up with people who do not keep their word.

 At Pheu Thai Party's closing  campaign rally at the Rajamangala  National Stadium,  top party list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra said she  was confident they would win more than 250 seats in Sunday's general  election - a simple majority in the 500 seat House.

Ms Yingluck  said she will wait for the election result before deciding on which  parties Pheu Thai would approach to form a coalition government.

She said her elder brother, fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had no involvement with Pheu Thai.

"Pheu  Thai members have made key decisions on different policies of the party  and Thaksin has not made any phone calls to the party yet," she said.

Ms  Yingluck said Pheu Thai wanted to present it's "Vision 2020" plan  during the final turn of the campaign so the public would know what  actions the party will carry out if it wins the election and becomes a  government.

 _Pol Maj Gen Piya Uthayo (Photo by Apichart Jinakul)_

 Vision 2020 outlines 20 targets Pheu Thai will try to achieve,  including improving infrastructure, increasing the use of green energy,  graft reduction and improved administration of justice.

 Meanwhile, about 1,300 police have been deployed tonight to the  final  election campaigns rallies of the Democrat and Pheu Thai parties  in Bangkok. 

A total of 600 police from Metropolitan Police  Division 1 and the riot control unit have been deployed at the Royal  Plaza and nearby areas to ensure peace and order during the Democrat's  last campaign rally, Metropolitan Police Bureau spokesman Piya Uthayo  said.

For the Pheu Thai Party's rally at the Rajamangala National  Stadium in Hua Mak area, 700 police from Metropolitan Police Division 4  and the riot control unit were on duty there.

The spokesman said  the Social Action Party will campaign at in Lumpini Park and the Rak  Prathet Thai Party at Sukhumvit Soi 10. Police have been deployed in  those areas to control the situation and provide security for people  attending the events.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Pheu Thai Denies Bribing Press 

UPDATE : 1 July 2011                     *

The Pheu Thai spokesman denies that his  party paid some members of the press to report news on its Number One  party-list MP candidate. 

But he admits that the e-mail account of the party's deputy spokesperson was hacked.

Spokesman of the Pheu Thai Party Prompong Nopparit brushed aside some  newspapers' reports on an e-mail sent by the party's deputy spokesperson  Wim Rungwatanachinda. 
*

The e-mail from Wim was sent to several media outlets, promising cash  payment in return for reporting of news about Pheu Thai's Number One  party-list MP candidate Yingluck Shinawatra. 

Prompong insisted that there is no need for Pheu Thai to buy off members  of the press because being a major political party means it gets its  share of  media attention. 

He stated that after speaking to Wim, it is evident that there is a group of people trying to tarnish Pheu Thai's reputation. 

Wim affirmed that his e-mail account was hacked and the e-mail message  forged in order to create misunderstanding about Pheu Thai. 

Prompong said the party will continue to find the mastermind behind this  mudslinging attempt and bring the individual to justice. 

He also urged members of the public not to fall prey to this political  ploy as the action only aimed at shrinking Pheu Thai's popularity.

----------


## Norton

Abhisit is losing it. Listening on TV. Ranking on about Thaksin's evilness. The Dems are really into gutter politics. Basically, a vote for PTP is a vote for disaster for Thailand. Seen it all before. Desperation politics. 

Yingluck sticking to script. Talking about economic programs, trade promotion, etc. Nary an unkind word about Abhisit or Dems.

Pundits now commenting on what they heard. Pretty clear their assessment is Yingluck is kicking ass.

Oh my. Abhisit looks to be losing it completely. Again after more accusations about the evilness of Thaksin. He now has the crowd chanting, Thaksin, Thaksin, Thaksin so they remember who not to vote for.

If it was the Dems mission to bring undecideds to vote for them, they have likely turned off far more than they gained.

The Dems are doomed. Believe we are looking at a landslide even the most ardent PTP supports could not envision.

But ain't over yet. The fat lady has yet to take the stage. :Wink:

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Democrat, Pheu Thai candidates neck and neck in polls - Channel NewsAsia
*
*Democrat, Pheu Thai candidates neck and neck in polls

* By IndoChina Bureau Chief Anasuya Sanyal           
Posted: 01 July 2011 1932 hrs 

 

  BANGKOK : With two days to go before a key election, Democrat  and Pheu Thai candidates are running neck and neck in some of Bangkok's  33 constituencies.

In certain neighbourhoods like upscale Ari, it is a battle between the Democrats and opposition Pheu Thai.

It is said that whoever controls Bangkok will run the country as well.

Bangkok has generally been considered a Democrat Party stronghold but this time around, polls show Pheu Thai ahead by 2 to 1.

Rising food prices and a higher cost of living have alienated some in the Thai capital.

Wages for the most part have the stayed the same.

One  Thai resident said: "The Democrat Party has been running the country  for a while and has faced huge problems. The more problems an incumbent  party faces, the more its popularity declines."

Another resident  commented: "The majority of lower class people in Bangkok might see a  certain party's policies as more concrete, unlike the others which are  seen as more abstract and not as effective."

And there are quite a few undecided voters.

Some people also distrust the polling data.

A resident said: "I am not sure who the poll respondents were. If they asked food vendors, they will side with the Red Shirts."

Another  added: "I think there is a silent majority of voters who still have not  made up their minds. And polls have not taken into account the middle  class who remain undecided."

Both parties will stage their last  rallies on Friday evening. They will make their case to Thai voters who  face a crucial choice.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*BERNAMA - D-Day For Thais In Less Than 48 Hours
*
*D-Day For Thais In Less Than 48 Hours*

    BANGKOK, July 1 (Bernama) -- The time for ordinary Thais to get the  "wai" greeting with a slight bow and palms pressed together from  politicians in Thailand has almost come to an end.

 In less than 48 hours, Thais will go to the polls on Sunday in  determining their 500 members of parliament and party to lead the  government for the next four years.

 A total of 47.3 million voters or the exact number of 47,321,136 voters  in the country with a 66 million population, are eligible to exercise  their right to vote at 90,860 polling stations nationwide.

 Forty parties are taking part in this 26th General Election but the  main focus is on the Democrat, the core party in the previous  government, and Pheu Thai led by de facto leader Thaksin Shinawatra, the  premier who was toppled in a 2006 coup.

 Political analyst Assoc Prof Thanavath Phonvichai predicted that Pheu Thai would win the election.

 "My assessment is that Pheu Thai could grab close to 250 seats but not  more than half, the Democrat about 180 seats while the medium and small  sized parties will share another 70 seats," he said.

 He said the question whether Pheu Thai could form a single party  government with a simple majority of 251 seats or a coalition government  would depend on the voters' sentiment towards the party right up to the  polling day.

 The party, he said, was still popular especially among the lower-middle  and lower income groups as they preferred its policies which suit their  needs.

 After all, Pheu Thai and its predecessor parties, People Power Party  and Thai Rak Thai, have managed to maintain support from the group's  base since 2001, he said.

 During the 2007 general election, the now defunct People Power Party  (PPP) won 233 seats while Democrat 165 seats but before the dissolution  of Parliament on May 10, Pheu Thai controlled 186 seats while Democrat  172 seats.

 Democrat clung to power in December 2008 after two leaders from PPP,  Somchai Wongsawat and the late Samak Sundaravej failed to maintain their  governments.

 Others factors contributing to the rising popularity of Pheu Thai in  this election include the selection of Thaksin's youngest sister,  Yingluck Shinawatra as the party's prime minister candidate.

 Yingluck, 44, is a first timer politician and her campaign strategies  including smiling when meeting voters, keeping her speeches short and  not attacking her opponents, have paid well for increasing her  popularity as well as her party.

 "It is normal for a first timer politician to get a good rating in the  beginning," said Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Democrat leader who is the  caretaker Prime Minister.

 On the other hand, Abhisit said his party was gaining momentum as the election drew closer.

 Abhisit is trumpeting on its government's record success in various  areas including economic and social as well as its policies which aimed  at solving the people's problems and not just one person's problem in  obvious reference to Thaksin.

 Abhisit also attacked his rival's plan of introducing an amnesty law  which he claims is to forgive Thaksin and bring him back home as well as  the involvement of Pheu Thai's ally, the Red Shirts during unrest in  this country in May last year.

 Apart from its solid support base, Pheu Thai has also tried to win the  hearts and minds of voters through its election promises including  giving free tablet computers to all students, about one million of them,  and the latest to double the salary of fresh graduates from 15,000 Baht  (about RM1,500) to 30,000 Baht (about RM3,000).

 Both sides are holding major rallies in this capital today.

 People from all walks of life are concerned with the post-election  situation with troops have been put alert to face any untoward incident  while some business community redrawing their business strategy should  the need arise.

 "I believe the Thais do not want to see uncertainty after the election  as they want to move on with their lives," said Assoc Prof Thanavath.

 Political observers believe there should not be any problem if any party won with a landslide victory.

 However, they are concerned if the winning party failed to secure a  simple majority, it would pave the way for behind closed door tussles in  forming the next government.

 The process will decide who will give and receive "wai".

----------


## Calgary

*"Major international news organizations have been pressured into self-censorship*" Quote from Amsterdam letter above, Post #3872

This quote particularly spoke to me.

Today I was reading the latest Time Magazine I am subscribed to, dated July 4th.

A writer by the name of Andrew Marshall provides an analysis of the upcoming Thai election on page 55.

Either by way of this self-censorship Amsterdam speaks of, or simply lack of knowledge, this writer bears out what Amsterdam is saying. This is typical of most foreign journalists

These articles are not worth the paper they are written on. It is akin to doing an analysis of French Military history without ever mentioning  Napoleon.

----------


## Butterfly

> Abhisit is losing it. Listening on TV. Ranking on about Thaksin's evilness. The Dems are really into gutter politics. Basically, a vote for PTP is a vote for disaster for Thailand.


he is right though, Y is going to be as divisive as her brother, and might get hurt physically in the process




> Yingluck sticking to script. Talking about economic programs, trade promotion, etc. Nary an unkind word about Abhisit or Dems.


she is losing it, like a good spokesperson repeating the same propaganda crap over and over again, basically a spokemodel with nothing to say




> If it was the Dems mission to bring undecideds to vote for them, they have likely turned off far more than they gained.


maybe they did, we don't know yet




> The Dems are doomed. Believe we are looking at a landslide even the most ardent PTP supports could not envision.


I don't know, I wouldn't be so quick to make such judgment, I suspect we might see a surprise this Sunday.

Ok I will make this insane prediction, the Dems will win over PT  :Razz:

----------


## lom

> A writer by the name of Andrew Marshall provides an analysis of the upcoming Thai election on page 55.


Andrew MacGregor Marshall is his name and his knowledge about Thai politics is far ahead of yours.

----------


## SteveCM

From the blog world.....*


Philip Golingai: Coup makers party in the race for Thai polls*

Friday, July 01, 2011

   By PHILIP GOLINGAI

IT was a scene reminiscent of the Happy Coup in 2006 where elated Bangkokians showered the soldiers with roses.

Arriving at a makeshift stage in a Buddhist temple in Samut Prakan,  about 20km from Bangkok, retired General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin was  mobbed by about 100 Thais  mostly women  who excitedly presented him  with red roses on Wednesday night.

It was a warm reception for coup maker-turned-politician at his campaign  stump in Samut Prakan, a town located at the mouth of the Chao Phraya  River to the Gulf of Thailand.

It is typical of Thai politicians to be showered with roses by adoring fans.

In 2006, Army Commander Sonthi launched a coup which brought down the  government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Sept 19, 2006.

The 64-year-old former general, who retired in October 2007, is now the head of Matabhum Party (Motherland Party).

His party is targeting Malay Muslim voters living in Thailands deep south provinces of Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani.

After his campaign speech, in an interview held behind the stage,  Sonthi, speaking through a translator, said in Thai that he was in  politics because he did not want Thailand to be politically divided.

I dont want my country to be separated by Red Shirts and Yellow Shirts, he explained.

If you are not red and yellow, then whats your colour? I asked the smiling general.

If you mix red and yellow what you get is .... he said, pointing to his orange-coloured Matabhum t-shirt.

Kevin Hewison, the director of the Carolina Asia Centre in the  University of North Carolina, said Sonthi had always claimed not to be  interested in politics.

But after the coup  Im not sure if he was the major player running  the coup but he became the head of it  he kind of liked the power he  had, said the Australian who is an expert on Thai politics.

And it looks like the changes made in the 2007 Thai constitution give small parties more (bargaining) power.

Sonthi is the head of a very, very small party which might win four or  five MP seats and he might get a minister post out of that.

Sonthi does not regret launching the 2006 coup.

It was the people who wanted to coup. And it is the duty of the army to  protect the county, the soldier, who is economical in his answers,  said.

Asked if he was afraid that Thaksin would return to Thailand and take  revenge on him, Sonthi smiled and said: Not at all. It all depends on  the population.

If they love me they will protect me.

There was no indication the former general feared for his life as he was lightly protected during his visit to Samut Prakan.

Unlike the Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who has complained he  was hounded by the pro-Thaksin Red Shirts during his campaigning, Sonthi  said he was warmly received wherever he went.

Sonthi said he formed Matabhum as his mission was to solve the violent conflict in the three restive provinces.

A big party would not fully focus on these provinces, he said.

Just allow the locals to solve their own problem as they know who the masterminds behind the (killings and bombings) are.

They can report to their village heads on who these people are.

The retired general, who is a Muslim, added that he did not agree with  the governments policy of sending soldiers to quell the violence in the  three provinces.

Sonthi believes the Malaysian Government fully supported Thai[at]land in  solving the bloody conflict in the Muslim-dominated provinces bordering  Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur wants it solved as soon as possible as they know the violence can affect them along the border, he explained.

The former general expects his party to win about 15 out of the 500 MP seats up for grabs.

Asked which party he would support once the votes were counted, Sonthi  said, I will join (the coalition government) which has the same mission  and vision as my party.

In Thailand politics, that is the code phrase for: Regardless of  political ideology, I will join whichever party that forms a coalition  government.

Interestingly, the coup maker is willing to support Pheu Thai headed by Yingluck, Thaksins youngest sister.

A political analyst said, Not a surprise as this is Thailand.

Sonthi is gunning for a minister post which complements his job experience  Defence Minister.

If not, then maybe a minister post where I can help to build up society, he revealed.

On Sunday, Sonthi hopes Thais living in Malaysia will return to their homeland to vote him back to the seat of power.

----------


## SteveCM

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> A writer by the name of Andrew Marshall provides an analysis of the upcoming Thai election on page 55.
> 
> 
> Andrew MacGregor Marshall is his name and his knowledge about Thai politics is far ahead of yours.


Wrong. It _is_ Andrew Marshall and _not_ the other ex-Reuters Andrew (now MacGregor*) Marshall. * Precisely in order to avoid confusion like yours.

https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ml#post1793519 (Thai elections 2011-Thai PM sets stage for tough election)

What the second part of your sentence has to do with anything is beyond me. Do you see TD as just a pissing contest forum for off-duty correspondents?

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Mickmac
> 
> 
> This Thaksin must be an amazing man.
> Most of the people I have spoken to up here in Chiang Mai honestly believe that the minute he returns to power there will be no more problems of any kind in Thailand and everyone will be happy.
> Makes me wonder why they kicked him out of the country, if he is that good.
> 
> 
> True. The people you're speaking to are right. The best PM Thailand has ever had.
> ...


Agree Pol The Pot.

The Ninoy thing has crossed my mind also.

But the fact you and I have thought of it, I am sure it hasn't escaped smarter people in authority than you or I.

The Ninoy thing was a good warning for similar circumstances, and the scenario you describe is very similar. I trust the warning will be heeded by those who need to do the 'heeding'.

----------


## mc2

> Ok I will make this insane prediction, the Dems will win over PT


considering the predictions are suggesting a 100 seat difference, that is insane.

The dems have got nothing left in the tank. 
Yingluck will anounce the 2020   x20 plan and get 250+  :bananaman:

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by SteveCM
> 
> 
>  
> *BP*: .... For now, BP thinks the main question is, will Puea Thai be able to get a majority or just a plurality? A plurality seems more likely still, but as predicted last week Puea Thai are picking up steam so it may just be possible.
> 
> 
> *TS:* Well thanks BP - Tom Sawyer thinks you've missed an option. Even if Puea Thai doesn't get a majority - but has a healthy plurality - but the minority parties have been ordered by the elites and army not support them in a Coalition Government - the Puea Thai could still attempt to form a *Minority Government*. To refuse them the chance to form a minority government (if they have far and away the most seats) would be asking for real trouble from the masses. Now of course once in the Parliament the other parties could gang up on PTP and bring them down forcing another election. The Liberals tried that in Canada against the Conservatives and got absolutely hammered by the voters and driven deep into the Canadian backwoods.


Yeah, I know.....My Liberals. 

But a result of that Liberal decimation at the Polls, was the almost immediate resignation of its' leader.

Since Abhi has never won a national election to my knowledge, and should he lose this one massively as well, what will he do? 

If the comparison to the Australian Prime Minister holds true, (who immediately called an election to validate her status acquired through parliamentary machinations), Abhi's 'thick face' will not be affected by yet another electoral defeat.

----------


## Calgary

Deleted..................................

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> A writer by the name of Andrew Marshall provides an analysis of the upcoming Thai election on page 55.
> 
> 
> Andrew MacGregor Marshall is his name and his knowledge about Thai politics is far ahead of yours.


I said his name was Andrew Marshall. Wot's the problem.

I would not dispute that he knows more about Thai Politics than I. Perhaps he does - perhaps he does not. Don't know the man, and you don't know me. 

My point is that not including significantly.....................................  .......... in all historical and current analysis of Thai Politics renders same worthless.

What does an analysis of French military history without Napolean leave you.....nothing and worthless.

An additional point. Whenever the foreign media is exercising self-censorship, perhaps they should add that tidbit to their article as a footnote or something. That at least honestly gives the reader knowledge he/she is not getting all the goods.

Footnote: _I exercised self-censorship in writing this post_

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Candidates rally ahead of vote in divided Thailand - Yahoo! News
*
*Candidates rally ahead of vote in divided Thailand*


By GRANT PECK 

Associated Press | AP – 1 hour 13 minutes ago

BANGKOK  (AP) — Thailand's two biggest political parties exhorted their  supporters in rain-soaked rallies Friday ahead of elections that are the  latest battle in a five-year struggle between supporters of an ousted  prime minister and his rivals.

The top contenders are Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and opposition leader Yingluck Shinawatra,  sister of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was deposed by a  2006 military coup.

Thaksin fled overseas to escape a jail  sentence for corruption and is not a candidate. But many voters will be  judging him and his populist policies when they cast their ballots  Sunday.

Since the coup, political battles have mostly been fought  in the streets, most notably in protests by Thaksin's supporters last  year that degenerated into violence in which 91 people were killed and  about 1,800 injured.
The election campaign, however, has been vigorous but generally peaceful.

The  two front-runners held major rallies in the Thai capital Friday  evening, the last chance to catch a nighttime crowd before a  "cooling-off" period Saturday eventing through election day, during  which campaigning is banned, including the use of social media such as  Twitter and Facebook to solicit votes.

"Our country is ready to  move forward," Abhisit declared. "Those who love Thailand, who do not  want to see any divides or violence" should vote for his Democrats. He  claimed a government led by Pheu Thai would only stir up social conflict  because it would likely grant Thaksin amnesty and return his seized  assets, triggering outrage akin to that which brought him down.

Yingluck  said in her speech that a Pheu Thai-led government would lead the  nation to economic prosperity again, trading on the perception that  brother and his business acumen had brought good times to the country.

Opinion  polls were halted last week as absentee voting started but have showed  Yingluck's Pheu Thai party with a healthy lead, though not quite a  majority. The party is expected to win in the rural north and northeast,  while the Democrats have a lock on the south, their traditional  stronghold.

Yingluck, a 44-year-old political neophyte, stresses  her connection with Thaksin, telling campaign rallies, "If you love my  brother, will you give his youngest sister a chance?" She has called for  an amnesty for convicted politicians that many believe could lead to  her brother's return.

The military ousted Thaksin, a former  telecommunications tycoon, after he was accused of corruption and  disrespecting the monarchy. That sparked a sometimes violent struggle  between his supporters who seek to restore his political legacy, and  opponents who contend he was a corrupt and dangerous autocrat.

Thaksin's  backers claim he was forced out because the Thai establishment — big  business, the military and circles around the royal palace — was jealous  of his popularity and fearful of losing power and influence.

Thaksin's  vast fortune helped build Thailand's most sophisticated political  machine, and he cemented his support with populist policies that  appealed to the rural majority and urban poor.

Abhisit's Democrats  came to power in December 2008 by luring away lawmakers whose parties  had been in a pro-Thaksin coalition government. Thaksin's supporters  charge that Abhisit cobbled together his ruling majority only with the  help of pressure from the army.

"It's a vote for or against Pheu  Thai and directly that means for or against Thaksin, what he has done  for and against Thailand," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political  scientist at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University. "But most importantly,  this election is a referendum on what has happened to Thailand since the  military coup — all this manipulation, coercion, suppression from  above, from the side, whether people agree or disagree."

Many people fear political strife will continue regardless of the election outcome.

Should  Thaksin's supporters feel they are cheated out of forming a government,  they could well return to the streets. And there is wariness that the  army — whose leadership is strongly anti-Thaksin — could stage another  coup if it is unwilling to accept another pro-Thaksin government.

"Personally,  I think the unrest will persist because the old powers will not give up  their authority so easily," 41-year-old food vendor Sayumpawn Salapanya  said. "There will be violence on the streets and protesters surrounding  Government House again."

----------


## StrontiumDog

July 1, 2011

Value of the vote in Thailand

 Posted: 1445 GMT
 

The first time I ever voted was in 2000. I turned 18 exactly two  weeks before election day. I was excited to finally take part in the  democratic process. After making my selections, I eagerly waited to find  out who would be the next President of the United States. And waited.  That was the year of the "hanging chad" and the final decision  ultimately rested on the Supreme Court.

 To put it mildly, the democratic process did not work the way I had expected.

 So I  wonder what it must be like for young voters ahead of  Thailand's election. The country has been through 18 attempted military  coups since becoming a democracy in 1932. It has had the same number of  constitutions. That's a new governing document just about every 4.5  years.

 The 2006 coup that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was  actually the first in 15 years. His allies won the following election  held in 2007. But courts essentially overturned the result, throwing out  the next two pro-Thaksin prime ministers. Lawmakers then voted to put  current prime minister, Abihisit Vejjajiva, in office.

 That somewhat daunting precedent does not discourage 18-year-old  Pattariya Jusakul. She is a first-year student at Bangkok's  Chulalongkorn University. Pattariya says, "I'm really excited to vote  for the first time. Every vote makes a small difference and people must  not have the attitude that their single vote is insignificant."

 Fellow members of her school's debating society echoed her sentiment.  But believing in the value of the vote is not the same as supporting  the system.

 "The nature of Thai politics being corrupted, leads me to make a  decision not on who's better but who's less worse," says club president  Kitprasert Nopparat. He adds that the country needs a free media to  become a more democratic society.

 The two main candidates and their parties have embraced social media  tools in this election. Prime Minister Abhisit posts frequently to his  Facebook page and has used Livestream for campaign events. His chief  rival, Pheu Thai's Yingluck Shinawatra, also is on Facebook and Twitter.

 It's unclear what sort of impact social media might have on young  voters. If this were a battle based on follower-count, then Abhisit  would be winning. But the polls put him behind Yingluck  –  even in the  Democrat's traditional base of Bangkok (though Thai opinion surveys can  be a bit off the mark).

 Still, neither party is expected to win an outright majority on  Sunday. And the party that wins the most seats is not necessarily the  one that goes on to govern. Coalition negotiations will be crucial. The  outcome could leave many people upset and potentially spill into another  round of massive street protests. As Pattariya puts it, "Maybe the  result isn't so important, but the way the country behaves about the  result."

http://newsstream.blogs.cnn.com/2011...e-in-thailand/

----------


## StrontiumDog

_"The nature of Thai politics being corrupted, leads me to make a   decision not on who's better but who's less worse," says club president   Kitprasert Nopparat.

_Indeed....

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011...-30159267.html

Yingluck: We'll reconcile*

                            By PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK
THE NATION
                                             Published on July 2, 2011                


*Final Pheu Thai rally vows to allow independent truth panel to continue its work*

                              The opposition Pheu Thai Party's final election  campaign push yesterday highlighted national reconciliation, promising  to empower the existing panel set up after the bloody protests last year  to continue its work.

If it took power, Pheu Thai would allow the  Independent Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Thailand (ITRCT),  chaired by lawyer |Kanit na Nakorn, to continue |its fact-finding task,  the |party's prime minister |candidate Yingluck Shinawatra said. 

"We  would love, not quarrel with each other anymore," she said. "The party  will bring peace and international respect back to our country."

Kanit's  panel was set up nearly a year ago to probe the military crackdown on  the red-shirt protests that caused 91 deaths. The panel has yet to yield  any results.

Yingluck said she would bring more lawyers who specialised in public law to the panel to boost its efficiency. 

Key  leaders of the Pheu Thai Party took to the stage at Rajamangala  National Stadium amid heavy rain yesterday to explain their policies to  run the country.

Yingluck, who is tipped to become the next prime  minister, began her speech by denying accusations made by rightist  movements that the Pheu Thai was anti-monarchy.

She told a crowd  of thousands that it was not true. "But I don't want to pay much  attention to the issue or settle any scores," she said. "I would use my  brain and heart to create policies to run the country in accordance with  Vision 2020," she said, referring to the party's plans to develop the  country over the next nine years. 

The party has a clear policy to  reduce living costs by terminating the fuel fund, she said. |It would  review prices of goods once it got the chance to run |the government. It  would also review the healthcare system and ensure it had good medicine  and adequate hospitals, she said. 

The party has a policy to  allocate Bt100 million to every province to establish a fund for women,  she said. It would also adjust incomes for the ageing population as well  as issue credit cards to farmers and energy cards to taxi and  motorcycle taxi drivers, she said. 

If the party won the election  and took power, by next January all grade one students would get tablet  PCs, while maximum personal income tax would be reduced from 30 to 23  per cent. The minimum wage would be raised to Bt300 and basic salaries  for bureaucrats adjusted to Bt15,000. Those buying their first cars and  houses would get a tax refund from the government, she said.

Pheu  Thai deputy leader Plodprasop Surasawadee told the crowd that the time  was up for Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Democrat Party leader.

 "The time for the Pheu Thai Party has arrived, Yingluck's time has come," Plodprasop shouted.

Traffic  on Ramkhamhaeng Road was jammed from 4.30pm onwards. Supporters took  the initiative of distributing party leaflets or setting up stalls  selling Yingluck and Pheu Thai T-shirts.

Pheu Thai supporters at the stadium expressed confidence that the party would win tomorrow's election.

"The  poor people will get out for this election. In the past they've stayed  in, but they're going to be No 1," said one woman from the Northeast.

Whether there will be peace after the election is the big question, however. 

The  prospect of violence seemed to lurk in the back of the minds of  attendees. Those that did acknowledge it expressed a range of emotions,  from belligerence to fear.

"I've thought about it for a long time  and I've made up my mind not to be afraid," said an elderly attendee.  "If they come, so be it."

A monk in attendance admitted to being  worried and confused about the state of the country after the election.  Still, he was firm in his support for Pheu Thai.

"They might not complete 100 per cent of their policies but they'll probably still do good work," he said.

One foreign student from Ramkhamhaeng University who was at the event expressed fear.

 "I have the same feelings that other people have, I know what happened last year," he said. 

Still, the general atmosphere at the stadium in advance of this crucial election was one of excitement.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Abhisit: It's us or chaos
*
*Abhisit: It's us or chaos*

                            By KITTIPONG THAVEVONG,
KORNCHANOK RAKSASERI
THE NATION
                                             Published on July 2, 2011                

*Final Democrat rally promises progressive nation free of 'mob rule'*

                              In his Democrat Party's final election rally, Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva last night called on voters to choose his  party over the rival Pheu Thai Party. In doing so, Abhisit promised,  Thais could be assured that the country would go forward and his new  government would serve all groups of people fairly - like being "under  the same sky".

 With this phrase, which was the theme of the Democrats' final rally  before tomorrow's general election, he said every Thai citizen was  fairly treated under the constitutional monarchy, with no group staying  above the law or benefiting from "mob rule". 

"If you want to extinguish the fires in the country and want the  country to go forward on an acceptable path, you need an honest  government that works 100 per cent. The Democrat Party and I volunteer  to lead Thailand on this path," Abhisit told his audience under a  downpour at the Royal Plaza. 

"People who love Thailand do not want the see social division and  violence in the country," he said during his one-hour address.  

In the rally's background was the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall -  once housing the country's parliament. There were also screens  broadcasting simultaneous rallies from other provinces, including  Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Surat Thani, and  Nakhon Si Thammarat. 

He said that by voting for Pheu Thai, people could expect some  hardline red-shirt leaders in a new government, in addition to efforts  to whitewash politicians linked to the party, particularly fugitive  ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. 

The rain began drizzling shortly before 5.30pm. It was still  raining while Abhisit was addressing the large crowd of Democrat fans  carrying umbrellas and wearing raincoats. The heavy rain failed to  discourage tens of thousands of supporters occupying almost all the  seats provided. 

Abhisit greeted the crowd and told them they would stand upright saluting the national anthem then the rally would begin. 

He took to the stage at 7pm, after former Bangkok governor Apirak  Kosayodhin and Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij reminded people what  the Democrats, as the ruling party, had done for them and what they  planned to do next. 

Abhisit's address began with a video presentation of his selected  words from the recent Democrat rally at Ratchaprasong Intersection -  where the red shirts held their protest last year. At that earlier  rally, Abhisit called on the voters to help "detoxify Thaksin". He said  the voters should show the world that "Thailand cannot be bought" and  that "Thailand must belong to every group in this country". 

The Democrats also brought a large group of people on to the  stage yesterday. They were described as people who benefit from the  Democrat-led government's policies over the past two years. They  included farmers, street vendors, taxi drivers, motorcycle-taxi riders,  and low-income parents. 

Under umbrellas and plastic mats used as shelters, Democrat  supporters in the meantime danced with the party's songs and shouted  "number 10" in support of the party's election number, after the calls  of the MCs: "Democrat," "Abhisit," and "Prime Minister."  

The rain got stronger but the supporters still stood to listen  while listening to the event's presentations including the displays of a  motorcycle the owner was able to afford with the compensation received  from the party's farmer-revenue guarantee. 

Holding a Nation reporter's hand firmly and looking into the  journalist's eyes, Mariam Saisanae, 57, said: "I will vote for any party  that protects the monarchy. You know well which party is attacking the  monarchy. I can't accept that. Those who are the enemies to the  monarchy, I'll fight to death."  

She came from Bangkok's Min Buri district, a stronghold of Pheu Thai candidate Vicharn Minchainant. 

Wirun Saisanae, 60, Mariam's husband, said he had been a Democrat  fan since he was in secondary school. MR Seni Pramoj was the prime  minister at that time. 

Kannika Somsuwan, 32, who was with a 16-month-old baby, said she  had come to the rally site at 4pm. She said she liked Abhisit and  thought she wanted to give the Democrats the chance to continue  development of the country. 

At least the party does not cheat, she said, adding that the only  reason she had to go home before the rally ended was that she was  concerned that her baby would get sick. 

Reanu Uris, 69, said she came from Nonthaburi. Her origin was in  the South, so she said there was no doubt she would support the party.  She would not flee from the rain and would stay at the rally as long as  possible. Her only concern was whether she could find a public bus to  take her and her friends back home.

----------


## SteveCM

The Notion's front page for Saturday:


 

Source: yfrog Photo : http://yfrog.com/gzl74oqj Shared by lekasina

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> Kanit's panel was set up nearly a year ago to probe the military crackdown on the red-shirt protests that caused 91 deaths. The panel has yet to yield any results.


Well if they're allowed to continue who knows they may yet reach a conclusion?  ::chitown::

----------


## The Bold Rodney

A fine example as to why so many farangs are so confused regarding politics in Thailand, (the nation) I had to turn my laptop upside down for it to make any sense! :Smile:

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Police step up security as poll day approaches
*
*Police step up security as poll day approaches*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on July 2, 2011                

*The Metropolitan Police Bureau stepped up security  as a precaution as the two major parties, the Democrats and Pheu Thai,  held their final campaign rallies yesterday, while a number of police  officers have been temporarily transferred due to their partisanship.*

                                                            "Internal probes have been launched on police officers  suspected to have abandoned political neutrality," police legal adviser  General Pongsapat Pongcharoen said yesterday.

Surin Police  Commander Maj-General Ronnapong Saikaew has been seconded to Bangkok and  targeted by a fact-finding investigation following a complaint about  partisanship, Pongsapat said.

Police Inspector-General Sataporn  Laothong is leading the probe on Ronnapong. Maj-General Prasit Thamdee  will become acting Surin police chief during the investigation, he said.

During  the campaign, nine police officers have been banned from entering  constituencies in Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Maha  Sarakham, Bueng Kan, Nong Khai, Yasothon, Chon Buri and Ratchaburi, he  said.

He added that police were investigating a complaint filed by  13 kamnan in Angthong alleging intimidation to sway votes. The  complaint claimed that an aide to Pheu Thai campaign manager Panlop  Pinmanee had made threatening calls to canvassers to stop supporting  rival candidates.

Police have so far dealt with 25 cases of alleged electoral cheating.

Under  election law, candidates and parties must stop all campaign activities  today at 6pm ahead of tomorrow's vote. The ban will take effect until  midnight tomorrow, even though voting will close at 3pm.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Thai-ASEAN News Network
> 
> Pheu Thai Denies Bribing Press 
> 
> UPDATE : 1 July 2011                     *
> 
> The Pheu Thai spokesman denies that his  party paid some members of the press to report news on its Number One  party-list MP candidate. 
> 
> But he admits that the e-mail account of the party's deputy spokesperson was hacked.
> ...


_The Nation's take on the above..._

Media to probe Pheu Thai bribery accusations

*Media to probe Pheu Thai bribery accusations*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on July 2, 2011                

*Media associations will next week begin inquiries  into an email that suggested a Pheu Thai candidate paid many journalists  Bt20,000 in exchange for favourable coverage of the party's prime  ministerial candidate, Yingluck Shinawatra.*

                                                            The National Press Council of Thailand, the News  Broadcasting Council of Thailand, the Thai Journalists Association and  the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association yesterday issued a joint  statement saying the allegation had a negative impact on the media  profession.

The two councils will take action by convening a panel to inquire into the case, the statement said.

Inquiries will begin on Tuesday and follow the ethical codes of the two councils, the statement said.

Pheu  Thai candidate Wim Rungwattanajinda was accused of writing an email to  his boss saying he had paid Bt20,000 to many journalists at newspapers  and television networks in order for them to ensure reports on Yingluck  were given prominence.

Wim, who is a deputy Pheu Thai spokesman,  rejected the allegations, saying he had never written the email. He said  it had been fabricated to damage the image of the party during the  election campaign. 

"I was in this profession for 20 years and I  know very well that all journalists have integrity. It cannot be damaged  for just 20,000 baht," he said.

Election commissioner Sodsri  Satayatham said giving money to journalists for political favours during  the campaign might violate election law. 

"We have to look at the  details and whether the offer aimed to have those journalists smear any  candidates. If so, it would be against Article 53 of the election  laws," she said.

Activist Dr Tul Sittisomwong called upon the media organisations to prove the allegation. 

"I don't know whether such action is against any laws but it is improper," he said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^^ "_He added that police were investigating a complaint filed by  13 kamnan  in Angthong alleging intimidation to sway votes. The  complaint claimed  that an aide to Pheu Thai campaign manager Panlop  Pinmanee had made  threatening calls to canvassers to stop supporting  rival candidates._"

Interesting...

----------


## StrontiumDog

^^"_I was in this profession for 20 years and I  know very well that all  journalists have integrity. It cannot be damaged  for just 20,000 baht,"  he said._"

 :rofl: 

Now you just know they are telling fibs. 

Constant complaints from Pheu Thai and their supporters for as long as I can remember about how journalists here are biased and have no integrity. Now all of a sudden, when it becomes part of the defense, a Pheu Thai candidate claims the same profession has integrity? Alai wa!

Oh dear....

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> The National Press Council of Thailand, the News Broadcasting Council of Thailand, the Thai Journalists Association and the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association yesterday issued a joint statement saying the allegation had a negative impact on the media profession.


Could hardly call it a profession in Thailand in view of the amount of censorship here! 




> The Nation's take on the above...


Ahhh the nations take...oh well I won't bother commenting on that!  ::chitown::

----------


## Buksida

> Yingluck, 44, is a first timer politician and her campaign strategies  including smiling when meeting voters (and) keeping her speeches short





> Originally posted by* Bobcock:* Senior Civil Servant: Congratulations new PM, welcome to Government House, you may now start running the country.
> 
> PM Yingluck Shinawatra: {Giggles} Wow....which button do I press?


55555

----------


## Butterfly

PT doing what they do best, distributing cash to anyone supporting them, how surprising 

nice way of running democracy, isn't it ?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

oh wait, not the main topic anymore, who cares

----------


## Butterfly

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
> Yingluck, 44, is a first timer politician and her campaign strategies  including smiling when meeting voters (and) keeping her speeches short
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


she will be out and back in the board room in 6 months, letting the way to Chalerm per their "secret" agreement with Thaksin

----------


## Buksida

> PT doing what they do best, distributing cash to anyone supporting them, how surprising 
> 
> nice way of running democracy, isn't it ? 
> 
> oh wait, not the main topic anymore, who cares


Seen as it looks like PT will at least be able to form a coalition or even win outright, what is there left to talk about? Their policies are impossible, Yingluck can't do much besides smile and make short statements. 

The possible deal for Thaksin to get his cash back (shafting the reds in the process) is embarrassing. To create some excitement, the PT fans may be hoping for signs intervention from the military or 'invisible third hand', but this is also looking less likely. 

Personally I think Thaksin will return, the hatchet will be buried and it will be back to business at the trough. The pay rise promise won't happen, some kids will get useless tablet PCs and there will be the appropriate kickbacks.

Rural ppl may get some small handouts and lots of propaganda about the dear leader.

Talk of the amart will disappear, except for a few weird conspiracy theorists.

The past five years has been a learning experience for politicians and the army, now they realize it's best to respect each other as there's plenty to go around.

With their leaders part of the government, the reds will not rise up. Sure many will be unhappy, maybe even complain, but you won't read about it. They will just be scattered groups without proper funding or organization.

----------


## Butterfly

> With their leaders part of the government, the reds will not rise up.


the reds are castrated as their leaders have been properly bought out,

like I predicted, the movement will die and will be marginalized, exactly like the PAD, they will be the joke in town

----------


## Butterfly

> Personally I think Thaksin will return,


don't think so, he could have return before May 2010, but now some "influence" figure don't want to see him near Bangkok because of what he did

maybe he could retire to Cambodia in a luxurious villa next to his dear friend, Hun Sen

----------


## sabang

> like I predicted, the movement will die and will be marginalized,


You did say that, indeed. You said right at the beginning of the demonstrations that the Reds were all being paid to be there, and the demonstrations would be over in a couple of weeks.

----------


## Butterfly

> You said right at the beginning of the demonstrations that the Reds were all being paid to be there, and the demonstrations would be over in a couple of weeks.


I was assuming they were peacefully demonstrating, not organizing an underground guerrilla inside the city with a "cattle" tranche in between to protect them. If it was a simple demonstration, it wouldn't have ended like it did, or it would have ended earlier and peacefully.

Are you saying you knew that the May 2010 "demonstration" was an organized guerrilla looking for cahos ? I didn't, but apparently you did  :Wink:

----------


## StrontiumDog

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

            PAD leader says dismantling of stage will take 4-5 days while warning PAD will return to streets if Thaksin is granted amnesty

----------


## sabang

> the May 2010 "demonstration"


Quite a bit more to it than that actually-

_The UDD first formed in 2006 to oppose the military government and the military coup, which overthrew Thaksin five weeks before scheduled elections. UDD organized anti-government rallies during the military government's rule in 2006-2007 and opposed the military's 2007 constitution. The UDD stopped protests after the 2007 general election, which the People's Power Party won. In response to violent anti-government PAD rallies and the Yellow Shirt seizure of Government House in May 2008, the UDD organized counter demonstrations, which would sporadically result in injuries and deaths. After Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva took office, the UDD led major anti-government rallies in April 2009 and in March–May 2010, leading to violent clashes with military forces._
United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Pheu Thai is no one-man party, says Somchai
*
*Pheu Thai is no one-man party, says Somchai* Published:  2/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsLet the people decide

 
_Former prime minister Somchai Wongsawat addresses red shirt  demonstrators at a Phan Fa bridge rally site in March last year. KITJA  APICHONROJAREK_

 At the last stretch of the race for the election, it cannot be denied  that it is a two-horse race between the incumbent Democrat Party and  challenger Pheu Thai with the Democrats pushing caretaker Prime Minister  Abhisit Vejjajiva as their prime ministerial candidate and Pheu Thai  campaigning for its No.1 party list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra who  would become the first female prime minister of Thailand, notes  Matichon.

 As the youngest sister of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra,  Ms Yingluck is seen as Thaksin's nominee by both Pheu Thai executives  and the opposing Democrats. Pheu Thai core leaders, especially Chalerm  Yubamrung, often tell the electorate that if they want to see Thaksin  back in Thailand they must try hard to get Ms Yingluck into the prime  minister's post.

 The Democrats, seeing themselves lagging behind in all the polls,  point out that if Ms Yingluck is elected Thailand's prime minister,  Thaksinocracy (Thaksin-plus-autocracy) will come back to haunt the Thai  people again.

 Fate was not kind to "nominee" prime minister Somchai Wongsawat, who  married Thaksin's sister Yaowapa and so is Yingluck's brother-in-law.  During his tenure, the yellow shirts surrounded Government House and  finally occupied it, forcing Mr Somchai to become the only prime  minister never to work in Government House.

 Not long after, he was stripped of office and banned from politics  for five years while the People Power Party was dissolved by the  Constitution Court.

 If Ms Yingluck is to be elected prime minister, will she face the  same fate as her brother-in-law? Matichon sought the opinion of former  premier Somchai on this and other issues.

*Pheu Thai is now facing negatives in its campaign?*

 It is quite normal as each political party is trying to convince the  people that they can be good representatives. According to the polls,  Pheu Thai is leading and the opposition is trying every means to fight  back.

 In a democracy, people are the centre and every party must try to  convince the people that they are the best by presenting policies. But  in this country, it is quite strange in that sometimes politicians  resort to mud-slinging which does not benefit the people, it bores the  people.

 Any party that can read the electorate's mind and understands them should not care about being discredited by the other party.

*Ms Yingluck stands for an election for the first time and yet  is a prime ministerial candidate immediately. Will she be able to  withstand the heat?*

 Yes, judging from the enthusiastic reception by the electorate  throughout the county. I don't think there will be any problem if we  play politics by the rules, presenting oneself for the people to judge.

*Politics is played openly and covertly. Can a woman bear the pressure?*

 Ms Yingluck used to say that if politicians care for the people,  politics should be played constructively. It is outdated to employ  mud-slinging tactics. People have been waiting for real democracy for so  long. If a governing political party does not do well, let the people  elect new faces at the next election. Thailand should move forward, not  get stuck in a vicious cycle of periodic coups, otherwise the country  will not have a chance to develop.

*If Pheu Thai party wins, how can the experiences from the  previous tenures of Thaksin, the late Samak and Somchai help Ms Yingluck  survive the full term?*

 Previous experiences do help, but I think the most important issue is  that people have progressed since that time. Whatever benefits they may  lose they should rise up and protect, not causing disturbances but  fighting politically. My experience, Samak's experience should not be  repeated as it does not help the country. I want the country to move  forward peacefully. Competing for votes is normal in politics. Competing  to offer the best for the people, bluffing each other is normal. Let  the people decide. Don't use underhanded tactics to win power. Then  whatever the election result, everyone can accept it. If people choose  the Democrat Party in greatest number, the Pheu Thai Party should stay  put, don't criticise, let them do the job and let the people be the  judge. If Pheu Thai comes first, other parties should not interfere. Let  Pheu Thai party work first. If the party cannot, then other political  parties can try. Our country used to be like this. It is not graceful to  compete to form a government immediately after the general election.

*The rise of Ms Yingluck has transformed Pheu Thai and made it completely Shinawatra property?*

 What about Chartthaipattana? Isn't Mr Chumphol a younger brother of  Mr Banharn? Let's look at capability. I think Mr Chumphol is capable and  suitable to be the leader of the party even though Mr Banharn is the  shadow financial supporter. It's not really strange if you do the right  thing. It's also not strange if former prime minister Thaksin supports  Ms Yingluck. Suwat [Liptapallop] and Dr Wannarat of Chart Pattana Puea  Pandin party are also related through marriage, having wives who are  sisters. It depends on the people who can judge which party benefits  them the most. If a certainly family has more than one capable person  and people accept it, it is normal. Don't discriminate just because they  have the same parents. Look at MR Seni and MR Kukrit Pramoj. Both were  former prime ministers and brothers, yet people accepted them.

*If a Shinawatra comes to power again, will it displease someone?*

 What's with the Shinawatras? I don't see any problem.

*Someone does not like the Shinawatras.*

 We cannot compel everyone to love someone 100% or hate someone 100%. A politician has admirers and haters.

 It does not matter, nor should one be concerned as long as one does  his/her best. If you are a good person, people will eventually like you.

 If you do something bad, no matter how high your family name people will not like you.

*It is rumoured that the person who does not like the Shinawatras has special power.*

 I think that today people are the real boss and that one man has one  vote. Whoever thinks he has special power must not destroy what is  right, must not hurt people's feelings; let the people decide. If a  politician does something wrong, something bad, takes bribes, there are  laws that can deal with these offences. Let the judicial process run its  course. Don't use one's feeling to judge. I don't know who hates the  Shinawatras. I see everywhere Ms Yingluck visits, people like her.

*The red shirts say the military killed the people. If Pheu Thai wins, will the government meddle in military affairs?*

 Whoever comes to power, it does not mean that one can do whatever one  pleases. There are laws and regulations. If anyone does something  against the law, a judicial process takes over. Can the government do  something against the military? Nobody can do anything against anyone.  Everything must be done according to the proper process. When a  government is formed, a defence minister is appointed who will take  charge of the military. Whatever the military wants including budget and  personnel, must follow the established procedure. It is not possible  that a new prime minister or former prime minister Thaksin can dictate  this and that.

 A democracy has checks and balances mechanisms. We have the  opposition in parliament. I say, let the process take place. We don't  need to worry.

 If a military leader stays put, and does nothing wrong, then why  should the government interfere? Reshuffling key personnel must be  reasonable, otherwise the opposition can criticise. If the government  abuses power, it can be taken to the Administrative Court. There are  also other courts that act as a monitoring mechanism. The most important  is those who govern must be clean, honest and rule the country  transparently.

 This, the people accept. If we abuse power, people will not accept  it, criticism follows, no-confidence motions are debated in the House of  Representatives and the people will not elect the perceived abusive  governing party again.

*How about political amnesty?*

 Several people say the Pheu Thai Party will issue an amnesty for  former premier Thaksin. I have yet to see an official policy on this. Ms  Yingluck says the country must enter a national reconciliation process,  which Chartthaipattana and Chart Pattana Puea Pandin parties also  advocate.

 The reconciliation process needs all sides to participate.  Eventually, it may come to issuing an amnesty law, which is not really  the same thing as pardoning Thaksin.

 If Thaksin is to get a pardon, he will be among many politicians who  receive the same pardon. I don't think anyone will raise the issue of  citing only one person to reconcile or pardon.

 If an amnesty is to happen, it must benefit all the people. I also  see Maj Gen Sanan [advisory chairman of Chartthaipattana] advocates  national reconciliation. What will he do to achieve this? It may also  come down to issuing a law, called an "amnesty" act or whatever.

 Unfortunately, former premier Thaksin is a famous person who is the  talk of the town. Whenever there is talk about an amnesty, people often  think it is only for him, so the issue reverberates, becoming a hot  political issue.

*The Democrat party and some academics say it is shameful that Pheu Thai fights for only one person?*

 Is it true? If it is, it should be shameful. But has the party done  anything to warrant the claim? So far, the party campaigns only on  populist policies, but other parties resort to mud-slinging and negative  campaigns.

*Thaksin says he wants to come home, but some say prime ministers ousted by coups normally cannot do so?* 

 It is normal to be homesick. When I was overseas for 4-5 days, I  already wanted to come back home. Some say Thaksin should be able to  come home. Some say he should not. A famous person must accept public  opinion.

*Do you think he can come home, seeing that an amnesty law must be issued first?*

 Everyone can come home if there is no problem. As for the amnesty, I have stated my opinion.

*Eventually, will it come down to talking with other powers?*

 I don't know. It depends on who is the government, but I think our  country has an established process. If former premier Thaksin is to come  home, he must go through the process so that he can clear his name. If  he cannot, then let it be. Everything must be done according to the  judicial process. If a way is found, he can come home. If not, he  cannot. And if he comes back and causes problems to the country, I don't  think he will come back. He used to say, "Let Pheu Thai Party work for  the people. Don't worry whether I can come home or not. It is not  important. What is important is a Pheu Thai government can make people  happy."

----------


## sabang

> PAD will return to streets


What, two noodle carts and a handful of Buddhist nutters.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

^ The irony of Somchai is that he is the epitome of one of those 'good people' as described by the dear General. He rose to the top of the Thai civil service, under a Democrat administration. Blue blood Amat material.

Yes, obviously there is a lot more to PT than takkie- then again you wouldn't know it from their campaign platform.

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## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : My boat's bigger than your boat

ABOUTPolitics

*My boat's bigger than your boat*

*Yingluck, Abhisit in unholy race to soak up media attention  at Nan flood scene - Family pride at stake as Yubamrung, Muangsiri  political dynasties fight it out for control of city constituency -  University professor gives up quiet life in academia for fiery career in  red shirt politics*

Published:  2/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Even as the electorate suffers, the Democrats and Pheu Thai smell political gain.

 
_Abhisit: Upstaged at disaster scene_

 The battle of the two biggest parties to outmanoeuvre each other was  recently played out in the flooded municipality of Nan, the commercial  centre of the northern province.

 Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva had been scheduled to visit  the flooded sections of Muang and Wiang Sa districts on Tuesday  afternoon.

 He made the visit in his capacity as prime minister to inspect the  two districts where about 30,000 households were affected by the floods.

 Mr Abhisit's itinerary was somehow leaked to Pheu Thai's election  campaign team. As a result the team abruptly changed the campaign stops  for the party's top list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra.

 Instead of touring neighbouring Phrae on the same afternoon, Ms Yingluck headed straight to Nan and she had to get there fast.

 Time was of the essence. She had to get to the flooded municipality before the prime minister.

 News of this somehow reached the ears of the Democrats' campaign  team, which immediately switched Mr Abhisit's Nan visit to the morning.

 The campaign teams of both parties worked flat out to ensure their  parties' top candidates were the first to ply the flooded streets of  Nan's city centre.

 It was a game where the early bird who beats its rival by even a single minute gets all the media attention.

 A local source said Pheu Thai has a greater presence than the  Democrats in the local administration organisations in the province.

 As it turned out, Ms Yingluck arrived first. However, that was only  half the battle. Getting the media coverage was another story.

 Ms Yingluck was taken through the flooded streets of downtown Nan and  wrapped up her visit soon afterwards as she was pressed for time to get  to other provinces on her campaign trail.

 At the same time, Mr Abhisit was busy inspecting the submerged villages in Wiang Sa district.

 He later made the trip to Muang district after Ms Yingluck had left.

 Ms Yingluck and Mr Abhisit were in two districts around the same time.

 The local source said heavy lobbying was under way by one party to  persuade as many reporters as possible to cover their visit. In the end,  the reporters were split and headed in different directions to cover  both visits.

 Mr Abhisit was photographed wading through floods in the two affected districts and received a warm welcome in the province.

 Ms Yingluck had limited time in Nan as she had to travel to  Phetchabun and Sa Kaeo for the final leg of her campaign rally on  Tuesday. She was taken on a boat paddled by supporters through central  Nan where authorities were counting the cost of the flood damage.

 Her team was also joined by water management specialists whom Ms  Yingluck hoped might be able to offer advice on ways to ease the flood  problems in the province.

*  
*_Samart: Offers cure to voters’ woes_*

 No holds barred in southern feud*

 Two well-known political families are battling it out for control over Bangkok's Constituency 28 in tomorrow's election.

 The constituency to the south of Bangkok encompasses Bang Bon and  Nong Khaem districts, long considered the heartland of the Yubamrung  family.

 Chalerm Yubamrung, the Pheu Thai Party's third-place list candidate,  knows that he cannot afford to leave his son, Wan, to campaign for his  constituency seat alone.

 Mr Chalerm represented the constituency until the party gave him a  slot on the party list, which freed up the seat for his second youngest  son.

 Mr Wan ran for a seat in the 2007 general election and lost. This  time around, his father is making sure Mr Wan is better prepared.

 However, it is no easy feat securing victory for Mr Wan even if his father keeps a high profile in the constituency.

 The rival Democrat Party has given the Yubamrungs few opportunities to shine in the election race.

 It is fielding Samart Muangsiri, a police doctor, who, despite  lacking experience in politics, belongs to a family with political roots  spanning more than 50 years in Bang Bon and Nong Khaem.

 His great grandfather was a village head, his grandfather a kamnan, and his father and younger brother both former MPs.

 He has relatives on Bangkok and district councils who are likely to support him in the race.

 His brother, Sakol, served as a Democrat MP in the constituency until  the constituency boundaries were redrawn. Mr Sakol is now running in an  adjacent constituency covering Rat Burana and Bang Khunthian districts.

 Pol Col Samart, who has done well in the police force, is taking on  Mr Wan in Constituency 28. He figured there was no one better suited to  countering a Yubamrung than a Muangsiri.

 For Mr Chalerm, defeat in tomorrow's poll is unthinkable, as he regards the constituency as part of his family's home turf.

 The candidates have campaigned hard, going out to meet voters in even the remotest corners of the districts.

 Pol Col Samart has been knocking on voters' doors while the Royal  Thai Police Office has placed Constituency 28 under special watch after  the doctor's private secretary was allegedly put on a hitman's list. A  gunman followed him and shot at him but missed. No one was injured.

*  
*_Chatt: Spies daughter’s potential_*

 Shy academic whips up reds*

 Politics can bind like-minded family members for a common political purpose.

 Pheu Thai's party-list candidate Chatt Kuldiloke, Pheu Thai deputy  chief, counts his daughter, Jarupan, as a fellow list candidate. Pol Lt  Gen Chatt is 11th on the party list, while Ms Jarupan is 56th.

 The 68-year-old former commissioner of the Central Investigation  Bureau joined the Thai Rak Thai Party after he retired. Thai Rak Thai  was dissolved for election fraud, giving rise to the People's Power  Party which was also disbanded for the same reason. Out of the ashes,  Pheu Thai was born and Pol Lt Gen Chatt has been loyal to all three  parties through thick and thin.

 The soft-spoken former police commissioner is no stranger to controversies in Thai politics.

 Pol Lt Gen Chatt received a suspended jail term for libel, angered  the yellow shirts and was investigated by the Department of Special  Investigation over the financing of the red shirt movement, of which he  is a core leader.

 He has been juggling time between managing the party and supporting the red shirts over the past several years.

 Despite his strong connections with ousted prime minister Thaksin  Shinawatra, Pol Lt Gen Chatt said Pheu Thai did not plan to create a  police state as some people have alleged. He said he wanted to shore up  support for grass-roots people fighting against double standards in Thai  society.

 Pol Lt Gen Chatt said red shirt representatives and political  factions inside Pheu Thai could spark internal conflicts in the party  later.

 But for now, the red shirts and the poll candidates have to work together to win the election.

 Pol Lt Gen Chatt thrust his daughter into the spotlight last year,  and she made her debut appearance on the red shirt rally stage last year  when the group shut down central Bangkok for nearly two months of  protests.

 Ms Jarupan, formerly an assistant professor in engineering at Mahidol  University, is the eldest of Pol Lt Gen Chatt's seven children from two  marriages.

 Pol Lt Gen Chatt introduced Ms Jarupan to Veerakarn (formerly Veera)  Musikhapong, a core red shirt leader and after that she needed no  further prodding to get involved in politics.

 In February 2009, she and a few other red shirt members wore red and  went into a coffee shop at the Dusit Thani Hotel, the venue of the  Cha-am/Hua Hin Summit to stage a silent protest against the government's  role in the summit.

 Although Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban asked them to leave,  there were few problems outside the hotel and the summit was not  disrupted.

 Ms Jarupan resigned from her university position as deputy dean of  the engineering faculty after the political unrest in May 2009.

 Her first address to the red shirt crowds outside of Bangkok was in  Chanthaburi. Speaking to a crowd is worlds apart from teaching. But the  mass movement spurred her political interests and also changed her from a  shy academic to a confident speaker.

 Ms Jarupan is hoping the crowds she has addressed over the past few  years will help usher her into parliament in tomorrow's election.

----------


## Butterfly

> Ms Jarupan to Veerakarn (formerly Veera) Musikhapong,


I like how veera changed his name, I wonder why ?  :mid:

----------


## mao say dung

Whaddaya think, Sabang? Can PT get a majority? I think they can and will, winning even more seats in Bangkok than most polls are predicting.

----------


## Norton

> Ok I will make this insane prediction, the Dems will win over PT


Noted for posterity. :Smile:

----------


## StrontiumDog

Other Bangkok Post updates (there are a lot of articles today!)

*Voting stations forced to move*
02/07/2011 : _Flooding  has forced election authorities in Sukhothai to relocate five polling  stations in two districts as the Yom River continues to rise._

*Purapat gets election ban*
02/07/2011 : _The  Election Commission has disqualified Purapat Wisetchindawattana, a  Bhumjaithai candidate in Nakhon Ratchasima, from tomorrow's election for  a false assets declaration he made in 2008._

*Hopeful canvasses barefoot*
02/07/2011 : _A Bhumjaithai Party candidate resorted to a down-to-earth method of canvassing for votes _ she did it barefoot._

*Sanan confident of party's coalition chances*
02/07/2011 : _The Chartthaipattana Party is confident it will become a coalition partner no matter which party leads the next government.

_ *Main parties tout their mass transit network plans in city*
02/07/2011 : _Bangkok's  mass transport network was the focus of both the Democrats and Pheu  Thai at a forum on urbanisation ahead of tomorrow's polls.
_ 
*Old murder case looms over candidates*
02/07/2011 : _NAKHON  SAWAN : Many parties are competing fiercely in this lower northern  province, prompting canvassers and candidates to watch their backs.
_ 
*Newspaper denies taking Pheu Thai cash*
02/07/2011 : _The  political news editor of Kom Chad Luek newspaper, which has been  accused of taking money from the Pheu Thai Party in exchange for  favourable coverage, said she would sue the ASTV Manager website for  publishing a purported email that defamed her._

----------


## Butterfly

> Quite a bit more to it than that actually


at the end it wasn't, as it's clearly demonstrated now

what are those red leaders going to do, change the Thaksin government from inside ?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

become the new constitutional power to replace the heavy hand of the army ?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

yeah, that will work  :Razz:

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Final rallies fail to hit high note
*
*Final rallies fail to hit high note*

*Rival parties achieve different feel for rain-soaked  closings, with Democrats struggling to emote, and Pheu Thai's  concert-like meet failing to sizzle*
Published:  2/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 The evening downpour may have spoiled the party  mood at the final rallies of the two major parties, but the show did go  on. And because a political rally is a highly anticipated public  performance, complete with stage management, lighting techniques and  scripted procedures aimed at generating an emotional impact, the Bangkok  Post is bringing you a review of the end-of-campaign shows that took  place in the capital yesterday. KONG RITHDEE writes up the Pheu Thai  rally at Rajamangala Stadium, and SAMILA WENIN critiques the Democrat  drive at the Royal Plaza.

** 

*Choice of venue*

  Dem: Sticking to tradition, the Democrats went for the Royal Plaza,  although it was not an entirely ideal location on the first Friday night  after payday.

 PT: Though no Kylie Minogue, Yingluck Shinawatra and her Pheu Thai  colleagues aimed for a full concert impact at the 70,000-seat  Rajamangala Stadium.

*Atmosphere* 

 Dem: You couldn't really say there was a thrillingly unified mood  since the Royal Plaza basically is divided by the King Rama V statue.

 PT: It was mainly a red shirt affair and a meet-and-greet for  groupies, a show of force rather than an attempt to convince undecided  voters. Yingluck memorabilia sold well, highlighting the fact that this  was a campaign built around a personality.

*Stage design*

 Dem: Around the main screen were other screens showing party rallies  in nine provinces. To be honest, they were a tad too distracting.

 PT: Despite having plenty of room to play with, the lighting was too basic to maximise the grand setting of the venue.

*Opening acts*

 Dem: The party's first chance to have a moment of grandeur, with  candidates and ministers singing the national anthem together, was  spoiled by the rain. And there were simply too many people onstage,  milling in a disorderly fashion.

 PT: Chalerm Yubamrung stole the thunder as he got to speak when the  sky was still bright blue. With his typical mix of barbed humour,  bravado and rhetoric, he took a gentle poke at Abhisit Vejjajiva and  brought the house down.

*Passion factors*

 Dem: While the crowd thrilled at vitriol against Thaksin Shinawatra,  speakers preferred to stick to policies and their work as government. It  sounded like a company AGM, not an emotional affair.

 PT: The rain partly spoiled the party even though people came  prepared. Nattawut Saikua tried his best to rouse the mood with his  policy pushbuttons, but only partially succeeded.

*Headline act*

 Dem: The build-up to Mr Abhisit's appearance was well-scripted enough  for all the front row ladies of a certain vintage to scream their  hearts out.

 The PM was never known for emotional delivery and played to his strengths, drawing out flaws in Pheu Thai's policy.

 PT: Yingluck stood in the rain _ crowded by wet reporters, without anybody covering her _ and spoke from a prepared note.

 Amazingly, the makeup and hair held firm despite the downpour.

 Her tone is mezzo-soprano, and her habit of ending most sentences with high-pitched chai mai ka? soon began to sound repetitive.

*The last word*

 Dem: It was a respectable show, not playing too much on hatred,  although at the cost of them failing to push their big night to its  emotional peak.

 PT: Despite great promises, the rally wasn't a sizzling finale. It was a reiteration rather than a visionary outlook.

*Quote of the day*

 "I saw the sky when I was at home and I knew it was going to rain, so  I prepared everything _ towels, jacket, and all. I forgot just one  thing. My underwear." _ Korn Chatikavanij

 "When I was 46, I was much better looking than Mr Abhisit." _ Chalerm Yubamrung

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Yutthasak vows to stick with Prayuth
*
*Yutthasak vows to stick with Prayuth*
Published:  2/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Party-list candidate Yutthasak Sasiprapa insists  Pheu Thai will not transfer army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha if it wins  tomorrow's general election and forms the next government.

 Gen Yutthasak, former deputy defence minister and former permanent  secretary for defence, yesterday said if Pheu Thai wins the race, it  would not interfere in military affairs or seek revenge against military  leaders involved in last year's crackdown on red shirt protesters.

 Gen Yutthasak, ranked 23rd on the party list, said Gen Prayuth is a  good officer, and he has recently softened his stance towards Pheu Thai.

 The 73-year-old retired general added that he was ready to take the  defence portfolio because he believed he could gain trust from the  military.

 "I want to be the defence minister because I believe I am a Pheu Thai man who has won most acceptance from the military.

 "I can get along with top military leaders, including Gen Prawit  Wongsuwan [current defence minister], Gen Prayuth or Gen Daopong  Rattanasuwan [the army chief-of-staff]," he said.

 Gen Yutthasak was a deputy defence minister in the Thaksin Shinawatra  government, during which Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh served as minister.

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## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : The last battle
*
*The last battle*

*Yingluck focuses on national reconciliation and her party's  vision to push the country forward while Abhisit keeps hammering away  at Thaksin's sway over Pheu Thai * 
Published:  2/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 The Pheu Thai party ended its election campaign  yesterday with a pledge to give more teeth, more money and a free hand  to the Abhisit government-appointed truth panel chaired by Kanit na  Nakorn if it wins the election.

 
_Pheu Thai Party’s top list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra is  surrounded by key supporters of the party and red shirt leaders as she  makes her last election speech in driving rain at the Rajamangala  Stadium in Bangkok yesterday. APICHART JINAKUL_

 Pheu Thai's list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra stressed that  fostering national reconciliation was instrumental in bringing the  country forward and the party would ensure that the Kanit committee  could fulfill its task.

 "During the last five years, the country has been in reverse mode. So  the most important way to push it forward is to foster reconciliation,"  she told a cheering crowd at Rajamangala stadium.

 She said that under a Pheu Thai-led government, the panel would  pursue its work in probing last year's political violence without any  interference and with more resources at its disposal.

 She said the party would gather public law specialists in its drive  for legal reforms to build "trust and confidence" in the eyes of the  international community.

 In delivering her campaign speech, Ms Yingluck concentrated on "2020  Vision" _ the party's ambitious plan for the next nine years.

 Ms Yingluck promised to work to build social security and economic  stability if the party is given the mandate to form a government.

 Scrapping the oil fund to lower fuel prices is one of the party's  crucial policies. This would bring down the price of premium by 7.5 baht  a litre, regular petrol price by 6.7 baht and diesel price by 2.2 baht,  she told supporters.

 The party also promises additional subsidies to help individuals pay for health care and the return of the rice mortgage scheme.

 The minimum wage must be raised and the national average wage will be  increased to an average of 30,000 baht a month in nine years, she  promised.

 "In the next nine years, Thais will no longer be poor," she said.  "Just give this woman a chance to serve. Give her a chance to turn the  economy around. Give her a chance to lead the entire nation in  fulfilling His Majesty the King's wish by putting an end to bickering.'

 "I'm deeply hurt that Pheu Thai is accused of having bad intentions  for the nation and the [monarchy] and I can confirm it's not true," she  said.

 As Ms Yingluck focused on the Pheu Thai's 2020 Vision policies,  party-list candidate Natthawut Saikua attacked the Democrat Party and  Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's handling of the red shirt  demonstrations last April and May.

 "Mr Abhisit said that Thais should help detoxify Thaksin  (Shinawatra)'s poison from the country. I'd like to tell him that the  real poison that is killing Thai society now is the poison in the heart  of the prime minister who does not care about the massive deaths of the  people [in the political violence last year]."

 Mr Natthawut urged the people to vote for Pheu Thai in tomorrow's  poll to "detoxify poisons of the military coup and the invisible power".

 "Pheu Thai's victory is the people's victory," he said.

 Pheu Thai's final campaign rally was hammered with heavy rain, which  briefly halted the activities on stage. But many supporters refused to  leave, huddling under their umbrellas and remaining at the foot of the  stage.

 In another development, the Appeal Court yesterday denied a bail  request for red shirt leader and Pheu Thai candidate Jatuporn Prompan  who is highly unlikely to be released to cast his vote on election day.  He is being detained on charges of terrorism at Bangkok Remand Prison in  connection with last year's red shirt protests.

 In its ruling, the Appeal Court said there were no new grounds to  reconsider the lower court's decision not to temporarily release him.

 
_Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva is given roses by supporters  before he addresses the party’s final campaign rally at the Royal Plaza  yesterday. CHANAT KATANYU_

 The Democrat Party yesterday launched its final campaign rally at the  Royal Plaza, taking aim at its perennial foe Thaksin Shinawatra.

 The Democrats slammed what it claimed was Pheu Thai's policy to clear  the name of deposed prime minister Thaksin and give him back the 46  billion baht seized from him.

 The campaign was organised under the slogan ''The Future of Thailand  Under the Same Sky'' and the broadcast of the rally was also relayed to  nine major provinces _ Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon  Thani, Rayong, Phetchaburi, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and  Narathiwat.

 Prime Minister and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva appeared on  stage to address a large gathering of supporters yesterday evening in  the driving rain.

 Before his address, video footage was played featuring Mr Abhisit  saying that his duties as prime minister are about to end but those of  the general public are about to begin, a reference to people's duty to  vote tomorrow.

 After the video, Mr Abhisit said he did not accept the view that Thai people are divided.

 ''Actually, Thais live under the same sky. We don't feel there is a  divide. Thai people don't want any division,'' Mr Abhisit said.

 He said he had spent more than 40 days travelling to meet people  across the country and had become aware of people's hardships, their  different needs, their desire to live better lives and enjoy security in  their lives as well.

 Thai people want higher incomes and quality education for their children, he said.

 Mr Abhisit said his government had worked hard to tackle these issues  for the past two years and the government has fulfilled its promise of  pushing for free education.

 The government never ignores the elderly as attested to by its elderly pension payments scheme.

 Speaking on the merits of the government's crop price guarantee  scheme, Mr Abhisit said most farmers have had a sense of insecurity and  injustice for a long time, but with the scheme in place, they will no  longer suffer losses.

 Mr Abhisit said that the country has to move forward and Thai people  have to decide to choose between the Democrats and the Pheu Thai Party.

 Mr Abhisit claimed that the red shirts made it clear two years ago  they would bring Thaksin back home and their agenda, which is guided by  Pheu Thai, remains unchanged today.

 ''One policy never changes. That is Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai acts'', Mr Abhisit said.

 Mr Abhisit said he would not stop criticising Pheu Thai for wanting  to help Thaksin until Thaksin stops pulling the strings for the party.

 ''My duty is to point out the facts. I will stop talking when Thaksin stops 'thinking','' Mr Abhisit said.

 Mr Abhisit also slammed Pheu Thai for allegedly seeking to return the 46 billion baht to Thaksin.

 This is not a political party's vision for the sake of the country and the people, Mr Abhisit said.

 The 46 billion baht can be spent to cover elderly pension payments,  the medical costs of millions of people and the education fees for  children, Mr Abhisit said.

 He said that it is wrong to put only one individual's importance above all the people of the country.

 The bosses of the Democrats are the people nationwide, not the one in Dubai, Mr Abhisit said.

 He said the voters must think for themselves in the election tomorrow  if they want to reward people who have sown division in the country.

 If they want the country to move forward, the Democrats must be their choice, Mr Abhisit said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

            Yingluck expresses concern  about transparency of election and says too soon to talk about govt  formation while adding Thaksin has no say

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bunch of Reuters articles updated today....

*Thaksin looms large as Thai parties make final campaign push | * 


*Scenarios: Trouble in store for Thailand after the election?* 


*Factbox: How Thailand's election works* 


*Factbox: Election promises of Thailand's two main parties* 


*Factbox: Main parties contesting Thailand's election*

----------


## sabang

> Whaddaya think, Sabang? Can PT get a majority?


A majority has only been achieved once, being Thaksin's 2005 landslide. Since I've been following them, the Pollsters in Thailand have definitely favored the Dem's- basically because they are lazy, incompetent, biased and Bangkokcentric. They actually predicted a "close" Dem victory in the 2008 elections, when in fact they lost by something like a 20% margin. If the same 'bias' applies to the current Polls, PT may well be set to pull off a majority. Balance of probabilities though (I'm only reading the same Polls as the rest of you) I'd say a comfortable win, but short of an absolute majority, is more likely.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thais to Vote as Power May Shift to Thaksin - Bloomberg
*
*Thais to Vote as Power May Shift to Thaksin*

                                                                                                                    By                     Daniel Ten Kate                  -                                  Jul 2, 2011 12:00 AM GMT+0700                             

                      Thais vote tomorrow in an election that may shift power to the party of exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and away from his political opponents who backed a 2006 coup against him. 

 Polls show the Thaksin-backed Pheu Thai, which is led by his sister Yingluck Shinawatra, ahead of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s Democrats. A party leader predicted at Pheu Thai’s final election rally last night in Bangkok it would win a clear majority in the 500-seat parliament, preventing Abhisit from reconstituting the coalition he now leads with smaller parties. 

 “We already won, but we want to get between 280 to 320 seats so it will be a clear victory,” Chalerm Yoobamrung, a former interior minister and Pheu Thai candidate, told supporters at the rain-soaked rally. He rejected a coalition with Bhum Jai Thai, a smaller party composed of Thaksin defectors who helped shift power to Abhisit three years ago, saying they can “die in the corner of the room.” 

 While army chiefs have said they will not carry out a coup if Pheu Thai wins, concern of post-election violence has rattled the stock market and heightened concerns that prolonged protests will harm a tourism industry that makes up 7 percent of gross domestic product. The Democrats say Pheu Thai would give Thaksin amnesty if it won, paving the way for his return, while Yingluck said she would rectify injustices since the coup. 

 “If Thaksin was able to come back in this country and control the government, there’s a lot of people who are very scared about the personal impact to themselves because of their involvement with the coup,” said Andrew Stotz, a strategist at Kim Eng Securities (Thailand) Pcl, the nation’s largest stock brokerage. “All those people are putting every effort to persuade the smaller parties to stay with the Democrat party.” 

*Stocks Slide* 

 The SET Index dropped 3 percent in June, the biggest monthly decline since January, with state-owned Thai Airways International Pcl losing 18 percent. The baht fell 1.4 percent in that time, declining two months in a row for the first time since the end of protests a year ago that claimed 91 lives. 

 Thai inflation held near a 32-month high in June after food prices increased, the Ministry of Commerce said today. The Bank of Thailand last month raised the nation’s benchmark interest rate for the fourth straight time to 3 percent, and signaled further increases may be needed to curb rising prices. 

 Thaksin-affiliated parties have won at least 15 percent more seats than the Democrats in the last four elections. Abhisit, 46, became prime minister in a 2008 parliament vote, two weeks after a court disbanded the ruling pro-Thaksin party for election fraud. 

*Health Care, Cheap Loans* 

 Thaksin, 61, who founded what became Thailand’s biggest mobile-phone company and now lives in Dubai, has maintained his popularity among poorer northern Thais who make up a majority of the population and recall his largesse as prime minister when he gave them health care and cheap loans. His opponents say he is a corrupt billionaire who aims to destroy the monarchy and regain power. 

 A poll released June 19 by the Bangkok-based Suan Dusit Rajabhat University showed Pheu Thai with 52 percent of the vote and the Democrats with 34 percent. The poll of 102,994 people had a margin of error of plus or minus 7 to 10 percentage points. 

 About 70 percent of Thailand’s 67 million people are eligible to vote tomorrow, with polling stations closing at 3 p.m. and unofficial results expected to be announced after 8 p.m., according to Election Commission spokesman Paiboon Lekprom. The agency will certify winning candidates within 30 days, after which Parliament will meet to pick a prime minister. 

*Amnesty for Thaksin* 

 At a final election rally last night, Abhisit reiterated concerns that if Pheu Thai won it would engineer an amnesty for Thaksin, over a 2008 jail sentence for abuse of power, and the return of 46 billion baht ($1.5 billion) in funds seized after the coup. 

 “Pheu Thai’s hidden agenda is to help Thaksin,” he told his supporters. “We cannot allow persons with a violent background to rule this country.” 

 Last year, a court seized about 60 percent of the 76.6 billion baht that Thaksin’s children and relatives earned from the 2006 sale of holding company Shin Corp. to Singapore’s Temasek Holdings Pte. Two weeks later, his supporters blockaded areas of downtown Bangkok to push for an election in protests that left 91 people dead. 

 Yingluck, 44, who would become the country’s first woman prime minister if she wins, didn’t mention her brother last night. 

 “Please give a chance for this woman to serve you,” she said. “Please let me hold the flag of reconciliation and unity.” 

*Street Protests* 

 Thaksin has directed party affairs from overseas since fleeing his 2008 jail sentence, which he says was politically motivated. He detailed Pheu Thai’s economic policies via video link from overseas in May, and the party’s campaign slogan reads “Thaksin Thinks, Pheu Thai Does.” 

 In 2008, efforts by Thaksin’s allies to alter the constitution drafted after the coup to give more power to elected politicians drew street protests from his opponents. Demonstrators seized the prime minister’s office complex and Bangkok’s airports, only dispersing after a court disbanded the ruling party for election fraud. 

 “If Pheu Thai becomes the government, and they don’t issue any new law to help Thaksin, then it shouldn’t be a problem,” said Somsak Kosaisuk, a leader of the group that seized the airports in 2008. “But if Pheu Thai issues a law to help Thaksin gain his money and let him come back to the country, there will definitely be protests.”

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## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : Back to the ballot box

EDITORIAL

*Back to the ballot box*
Published:  2/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 When it comes to the trappings of democracy we  have no equal. This was demonstrated last August when the foundation  stone for a magnificent new parliament was laid with a 2013 completion  target and a price tag in excess of 10 billion baht.

 

 That means that the politicians elected tomorrow will most likely be  the first tenants. So before marking a ballot that will hand them the  keys to this costly new house of democracy, let us make sure they are  worthy of the honour.

 That rules out those who have shown, through past actions, that they  pay more attention to their own vested interests than to the democratic  principles they swore to uphold when elected, or those who only visit  their constituents at election time. It should also slam the door on  former MPs who have caused parliamentary meetings to collapse for lack  of a quorum because they could not be bothered to show up for work. None  of them deserve to be re-elected and anyone earning the equivalent of  an MP's base salary of 110,000 baht a month in the private sector would  not keep their job if they behaved like this.

 If the election has a single purpose it must be to move the country  forward. That has to be the driving force guiding the millions of voters  as they make their choice. It will not be an easy task because in the  weeks of campaigning the political party leaders, their canvassers and  candidates have tried to be all things to all people. Policies have been  presented in vague terms and eclipsed by the promises of populist  handouts and the overtones of class struggle. Among the electorate will  be many first-time voters who are enthusiastic but somewhat confused  because of all the proxy campaigning _ political parties that canvass  votes for themselves but speak in the name of others.

 As usual personalities and promises rather than policies have  dominated campaigns, but with a much greater emphasis on slick marketing  than in the past. Social networks achieved a first by proving to be  useful campaign tools in a contest that has seen the Democrat Party  struggle to match the campaign waged by Pheu Thai and its prime  ministerial candidate Yingluck Shinawatra, aided from afar by her  brother, Thaksin.

 It has been anything but a routine campaign and is a welcome  departure from the bad old days of guns, goons and godfathers.  Fortunately that era is largely behind us and while the cases of  political violence that have occurred in this campaign have been  shocking, they will have no bearing on who forms the next government.  Intimidation and feudalism still exist but have been replaced throughout  most of the country by the freedom of choice guaranteed by a secret  ballot.

 Voting, tomorrow, is mandatory and opting out because of the lack of a  favourite candidate is not an option. Any voter caught in such a  predicament should do more research and then go through a process of  elimination to find the candidate they have the fewest qualms about, and  settle on him or her. Rare is the election where a gifted, principled  visionary dwarfs the other candidates and makes the choice a simple one.

 Saints rarely run for office, but plenty of sinners do, in the form  of gangsters and con-men. The most disheartening thing that can happen  in any election is when people don't care enough about what is happening  in their country to be bothered to make a decision.Your vote tomorrow  is a worthwhile investment in your future. It also earns you the moral  right to complain bitterly if election pledges are not honoured, or if  anything else goes badly wrong.

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## sabang

> The SET Index dropped 3 percent in June, the biggest monthly decline since January, with state-owned Thai Airways International Pcl losing 18 percent. The baht fell 1.4 percent in that time, declining two months in a row for the first time since the end of protests a year ago that claimed 91 lives.


That has more to do with Greece than Thaksin. Stock markets all over have been weak recently.

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## Norton

> Balance of probabilities though (I'm only reading the same Polls as the rest of you) I'd say a comfortable win, but short of an absolute majority, is more likely.


We'll know soon enough but I'll stick with a comfortable majority (255-260) as I predicted far back in the thread when PTP chose Yingluck. Still believe the young female vote will strongly favor her.

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## sabang

^ If the 'Poll bias' still exists to the same extent, good chance you're right norts.
Bangkok is the real interesting place. For the Dem's to lose there would be calamitous- and it looks like they will.

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## StrontiumDog

*http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255407010014

PAD calls for dissolution of 5 parties   *  

BANGKOK, 2 July 2011  (NNT) – The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has petitioned the  Election Commission (EC) for the disbandment of five political parties  for their violation of the electoral law. 

PAD core leader Praphan Khunmee submitted a letter with the EC and the  political party registrar, asking them to consider dissolving a total of  five political parties, namely Pheu Thai, Democrat, Bhumjaithai, Chart  Thai Pattana and Chart Pattana Puea Pandin. He claimed that they had  breached the electoral law, prohibiting persuasion of people to vote or  not vote for certain parties by promising to benefit them financially.     

Mr Praphan elaborated that many campaign policies of the aforementioned  parties could be considered as handing out money to people. He cited as  examples Pheu Thai’s corporate income tax reduction, increase of village  funds and pay raise for civil servants and state officials as well as  the Democrat’s diesel and LPG price retention, free medical services,  free education and senior pension fund.  

In addition, the PAD core leader pointed out that the Democrat Party’s  final major campaign at the Royal Plaza was also against the regulation  of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) as the site was located  within the palace compound. He thus urged the EC to look into the  issue.

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## mao say dung

> We'll know soon enough but I'll stick with a comfortable majority (255-260) as I predicted far back in the thread when PTP chose Yingluck. Still believe the young female vote will strongly favor her.


I'm going with 254 and wish there were a vbookie thread on one of the forums. 

If this majority transpires, do you think it will be allowed to determine the government of the country, or will there be the usual extra-constitutional leg-up to get the Dems back in?

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## robuzo

> Originally Posted by sabang
> 
> Balance of probabilities though (I'm only reading the same Polls as the rest of you) I'd say a comfortable win, but short of an absolute majority, is more likely.
> 
> 
> We'll know soon enough but I'll stick with a comfortable majority (255-260) as I predicted far back in the thread when PTP chose Yingluck. Still believe the young female vote will strongly favor her.


I wonder how much the "no" campaign will prove to have helped that happen if it does.

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## mao say dung

My impression is that the "NO" campaign has not moved many Thais to surrender their votes. 

They do find the pictures amusing and pertinent,though.

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## SteveCM

> He said he had spent more than 40 days travelling to meet people across the country and had become aware of people's hardships, their different needs, their desire to live better lives and enjoy security in their lives as well.


Quite an admission - respect for that. Just a pity he was _un_aware throughout the preceding 900-odd days as Prime Minister. Back then it might have won him a few friends..... well, _votes_ anyway.

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## mao say dung

^Hell yes... with that awareness, an Oxford degree, and Suthep doling out the graft, he might even be able to win an extra seat or two!

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## Butterfly

> We'll know soon enough but I'll stick with a comfortable majority (255-260) as I predicted far back in the thread when PTP chose Yingluck. Still believe the young female vote will strongly favor her.


that would be quite the landslide they expected,

in some regards "rewarding" fascism and their terrorist activities,

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## sabang

In others, punishing the coupmasters and their treachery.

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## mao say dung

When you consider how extensive Thai family connections tend to be, especially among the "lower orders", it could also be seen as punishment for taking out a cousin's wife's uncle's natural son with a headshot at Lumpini.

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## robuzo

> My impression is that the "NO" campaign has not moved many Thais to surrender their votes. 
> 
> They do find the pictures amusing and pertinent,though.


Well, let's hope not. Pantamit really are cheeky fuckers- "We want to disenfranchise you entirely, but in the meantime, how about doing it to yourselves?" Not to mention, every "No" vote is one that didn't go to my man Chuvit  :Smile:

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## mao say dung

My wife and I talked about Chuvit last night... we'd both like to vote for him but one of us is a foreigner and the other wants to balance the votes of the rest of her family, so #1 it is.

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## robuzo

I suspect Chuvit would do pretty well among resident farangs and Japanese in general.

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## SteveCM

From the blog world.....*


All about Bangkok in the Thai election | Asian Correspondent*

_By Bangkok Pundit 
Jul 02, 2011_


The _Bangkok Post_ on Bangkok:_Two weeks before the election, polling agencies indicated  that the ratio of Pheu Thai House seats to Democrats in Bangkok would  be 2:1.

 Some poll organisations even predicted the Democrat Party would get only two to five out of the 33 seats in Bangkok.

 A survey for the Pheu Thai Party showed that it would capture at least 30 seats in the capital.

The Democrat Party did its own poll and found differently _  that it would win at least 20 seats in Bangkok. Some academics and  pollsters echoed this expectation_ _.

 The lowest turnout is usually in Bangkok and it has often not even  reached 60% of eligible voters. Those who exercise their voting rights  are mostly the grass roots who vote either with the flow or on the  orders of political canvassers.

 Both Democrat and Pheu Thai have similar numbers of eligible voters  in hand. Each of their candidates has about 30,000 voters but to  guarantee victory, they need at least 60,000 votes.

 Therefore, the deciding factor in Bangkok depends on the mood in the capital three days prior to the election.

Victory will go to the party that can woo support from middle-class voters and those who are undecided._ 
*BP*: Back in 2007, in the last group of polls released showed PPP was leading  see also here  - in Bangkok in more constituencies than the Democrats although it was  1-2% in almost all constituencies where PPP was leading. In the end, the  Democrats won 47% of the vote to PPPs 40% and this translated into 27  seats for the Democrats vs 9 for PPP.  For the governors race in 2009,  the last poll two weeks before the election had Sukhumbhand (Dem) at 41%, Nattakorn (Independent) at 27%, and Yuranan (Puea Thai) at 20%. The actual result  was Sukhumbhand 45%, Nattakorn 16%, and Yuranan 29%  although  Nattakorns vote had been falling for a while with the rise of Yuranan  because of their  similar support base so if you combine the two  Sukhumbhand gained 4% and Nattakorn-Yuranan lost 2%.

 This suggests that in Bangkok, the Democrats do slightly better at  the end although we are talking about adding 10% to the Democrats last  poll result and subtracting 5% for Puea Thai. For this election, there  are multiple polls from multiple agencies (only Rahmkamhaeng did polling  in individual Bangkok constituencies last time) with much larger survey  samples than in 2007. PTs gap in many constituencies in the latest  Bangkok-only poll  is much larger than just giving 10% and removing 5% from Puea Thai (or  just adding 6 points to the Democrats). If one was to do this based on  the last DPU poll, it would be Puea Thai 19 and the Democrats 14. This  is line with _The Nation_ prediction of Puea Thai 19 and the Democrats 14; _Thai Rath_ predicts  Puea Thai 18 and the Democrats 15. Either of these seems about right  and it takes into account the Democrats doing slightly better.

 But as BP blogged  just over a week ago If the Democrats cannot win Bangkok, it is  virtually impossible that they can form the next government. Thitinan  also noted to _Bloomberg_ last week If the Democrats lose Bangkok, they lose everything.

 The final results for Bangkok should be in earlier than in many other  areas of the country  although we will also have exit polls anyway   so if they show Puea Thai winning a majority of constituency seats in  Bangkok then this would indicate they are likely to win 230+. On the  other hand, if the Democrats can just win a majority then they will have  a chance.

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## Norton

> Bangkok is the real interesting place.


This is where I would expect a disproportionate number of young educated females to vote PTP. Their numbers could well decide a few seats.

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## mao say dung

Most of the 25-35-year-old women I know in BKK are horrified by her. 

Apparently she's just "a proxy for Thaksin"!!! (Quote from a Ph.D English language _ajarn_ I foolishly showed a pic of Yinglak during a boring meeting that had me doing Twitter on my phone)  :Smile:

----------


## Norton

> If this majority transpires, do you think it will be allowed to determine the government of the country, or will there be the usual extra-constitutional leg-up to get the Dems back in?


For sure the Dems won't take the loss lying down. Will they be able to garner the support they had before from EC and courts? My gut tells me no. A repeat of the past will not go down well with even most Dem voters. Everyone has had enough.

As far as a  coup? I noted in a previous news item Yingluck denied having agreement with military. She fibbed. If PTP sticks to the agreement military will remain silent.

----------


## Bettyboo

^ might depend on how the PT do in Bangkok; if they get more seats than the dems than EC/CC/coups are very much more problematic. But, I think these folk are less pragmatic than you suggest, they are truly arrogant and I can't see them letting PT govern. Having said that, they've truly entrenched themselves, judges, senators, ISOC, etc, so it'd take PT a decade or more to get back to 2005 levels of 'democracy'...

^^ 25 - 35 year old PhD lecturers are the miniroity in Bangkok. 

The vast majority of 25 - 35 year old women who live in Bangkok probably like the new PT lady (massive speculation on my part, I admit), but are doubtless unable to vote in Bangkok...

I was speaking to a few 55 - 65 year old Bangkok women the other day (they have PhD's too), they are traditional Bkk folk... They still want to vote for Abhisit despite everything; they don't actually have a single argument to put forward, but they will vote for the dems, basically because they don't want the bloody lower classes to get a foothold, yes they have 2 or 3 maids for Burma or Laos (the Laos maids are preferred because they are more subservient - I'm not making this up), and I suspect they'd like to tattoo them with their family crests...

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## Norton

> Most of the 25-35-year-old women I know in BKK are horrified by her.


I don't know but you're probably right. More likely 18 to 23 (students) would favor her. Those who simply want to see a female PM and really have no other reason. Similar to Hillary getting a disproportionate female vote in US.

----------


## mao say dung

Yup. If she'd karaoked a Girl's Generation song at one of her rallies those girls would put her over the top!

----------


## SteveCM

*Yingluck: No Room For Newin's Party - Voice TV*


 

Yingluck  Shinawatra said on Friday the Puea Thai Party cannot get along with the  Bhum Jai Thai Party, primarily due to 'ideological differences.'

               The top Puea Thai contender vying for head of government said her  party, speculated to win most MP seats in Sunday's electoral contests,  will not bring into a Puea Thai-headed coalition, the Bhum Jai Thai  Party, de facto headed by Newin Chidchob, given their irreversible,  different ideologies.

              Ms Yingluck's comments followed unconfirmed reports former House  speaker Yongyud Tiyapairat had quietly approached Mr Newin's party to  patch up differences and reconcile with the Puea Thai Party so it might  join a post-election coalition government.

              Ms Yingluck, who might possibly make herself Thailand's first woman  leader following Sunday's polls, said Mr Yongyud had by no means said or  done anything on behalf of the Puea Thai Party.

              The Puea Thai Party rank and file earlier expressed strong objection  to possibilities of Mr Newin's party being brought into a coalition of  which their party, staunchly loyal to ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra,  might become the core.

              Puea Thai members charged Mr Newin had 'betrayed' them by leaving for  the coalition government led by the Democrat Party a few years ago.

              Nevertheless, a few other splinter parties, namely the Chat Thai  Pattana Party and the Chat Pattana Puea Pandin Party are speculated to  be brought into a Puea Thai-led coalition, though the pro-Thaksin party  might grab most MP seats in the nationwide race to parliament.

              Produced by VoiceTV


                                                                    by                                       Surasak Tumcharoen                 
                                                         2 กรกฎาคม 2554 เวลา 13:18 น.

[2 July 2011]

----------


## Bettyboo

> due to 'ideological differences.'


This would be great if it were true, but I suspect anything goes when it comes to forming a government... on all sides...




> Nevertheless, a few other splinter parties, namely the Chat Thai Pattana Party and the Chat Pattana Puea Pandin Party are speculated to be brought into a Puea Thai-led coalition, though the pro-Thaksin party might grab most MP seats in the nationwide race to parliament.


Even if they won a comfortable majority they'd do well to get as many other folks onboard as possible. the army/bluebloods/dems/PAD are gonna give them a hard time and try to get rid of them a.s.a.p., so they'll be needing all the help they can get. Help from Newin? I think they'd accept it. Maybe I'm worng and the wonderful Yingluck is taking a new ideological and democratic road forward for the benefit of the nation...  :Smile:

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by sabang
> 
> Balance of probabilities though (I'm only reading the same Polls as the rest of you) I'd say a comfortable win, but short of an absolute majority, is more likely.
> 
> 
> We'll know soon enough but I'll stick with a comfortable majority (255-260) as I predicted far back in the thread when PTP chose Yingluck. Still believe the young female vote will strongly favor her.


What does the winner get?

I would generally come down on the same 255-260 range as N-otton (How do you write Jackie Gleason's pronunciation?) but gotta take an independent stance, so it is 265 and up.

Have been driving through villages and city areas around here the last week, accompanying PT activists. Many, many very large pockets of PT support, including in some cases appearing to be villages in their entirety.

We get furtive glances but when eye contact made, there emerge slow smiles and up goes the single finger.

----------


## SteveCM

^^
Naturally, principle/ideological differences (BJT - "ideological"? Does not compute  :durh: ) are as nothing compared to the tactic of corralling Chart Thai Pattana and 2-3 other minors to get a healthy governing majority somewhere around 300. Subject to those "impossible to evade" pressures on them  :mid: , that figure looks to be within reach. If so, kicking BJT in the teeth is just a happy bonus. Arguably, it also suits PT to have CTP and others thinking they better jump on board quick before BJT might beat them to it and scoop up plum ministries before they do.

----------


## mao say dung

I think PT would be wise to avoid pulling in a "grand coalition" a la TRT if they win a clear majority. It would look too much like a return to the bad old ways of anti-democratic Thaksin. 

And that's no way for a champion of democracy to behave.

----------


## Bettyboo

I wouldn't be surprised if PT could be approaching 270-280 by themselves. We will see...

I just think the EC have a few tricks up their sleeve with the intention of keeping PT as close to 200 as possible; the army/bluebloods have gotten away with so much already...

----------


## robuzo

> I think PT would be wise to avoid pulling in a "grand coalition" a la TRT if they win a clear majority. It would look too much like a return to the bad old ways of anti-democratic Thaksin. 
> 
> And that's no way for a champion of democracy to behave.


If their selection of Yingluck  as their candidate is any indication I think maybe they have a different conception of what constitutes "a champion of democracy" than some of the rest of us.

----------


## Bettyboo

> I think PT would be wise to avoid pulling in a "grand coalition" a la TRT if they win a clear majority. It would look too much like a return to the bad old ways of anti-democratic Thaksin. 
> 
> And that's no way for a champion of democracy to behave.


Please us this  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):  icon when being ironic.

Nobody expects PT to be champions of democracy. Also, Thais have seen what the current champions of democracy (Abhisit, Korn, Ksit, Chuan, etc) have acheived/failed to achieve...

As for your first sentence??? In the current situation the first thing that PT need to do is to strengthern their position as much as possible, that is very clear...

----------


## Norton

> What does the winner get?

----------


## Gerbil

> We get furtive glances but when eye contact made, there emerge slow smiles and up goes the single finger.


Doesn't surprise me at all in your case, something like this you mean:

----------


## mao say dung

> Please us this  icon when being ironic.
> 
> Nobody expects PT to be champions of democracy. Also, Thais have seen what the current champions of democracy (Abhisit, Korn, Ksit, Chuan, etc) have acheived/failed to achieve...
> 
> As for your first sentence??? In the current situation the first thing that PT need to do is to strengthern their position as much as possible, that is very clear...


Anyone who doesn't see that particular irony deserves to take it seriously, thanks.

And as I said, I disagree. I think that forming a grand coalition, a la TRT, would strengthen the case of anyone who wants to start trying whatever extra-constitutional tricks to get them out of power.

I also think it would be the healthiest thing for Thai democracy.

So, both strategically and in the longer view, working with a clear majority and avoiding the temptation to create a parliamentary juggernaut would be their best course, IMO. 

This wouldn't preclude working with smaller parties on various legislative projects, the way any government anywhere in a similar position would.

The fastest way to a coup, either military or judicial, would be to immediately raise the spectre of the bad old days.

I should probably add that I accept that some sort of deal has been cut to let PT form a government if they should win a clear majority. As to needing coalition partners, I suspect that's less likely the case.

----------


## SteveCM

From:            AlJazeeraEnglish      |     Jul  1, 2011    

                             Thailand's rival  political parties wrap up their campaigns on the eve of a hard-fought  election considered crucial to the future of the kingdom after years of  turbulence.

Authorities say 170,000 police are to be deployed to  protect polling stations for Sunday's vote, which comes little more than  a year after Bangkok was rocked by its worst civil violence in decades.

Polls  show the main opposition Puea Thai Party, led by Yingluck Shinawatra,  sister of the fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, enjoying a  lead over current prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Democrats ahead of  Sunday's election.

Yingluck, a 44-year-old businesswoman,  has seen a  swift rise into the lead by tapping support in the rural north and  northeast heartland where her brother remains popular five years after  he was toppled in a coup. 

But Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's  Democrat Party has dismissed Yingluck as a political novice serving as a  nominee to allow Thaksin to return from exile, where he lives to avoid a  two-year jail term for graft. 

Al Jazeera's Aela Callan reports from  northern Thailand.

----------


## ENT

Grunty looking b*TCH.
I'd pke it if it was tied down.

----------


## StrontiumDog

The race is on | The Jakarta Post

*The race is on*

The Jakarta Post | Sat, 07/02/2011 5:07 PM                    



_Pheu  Thai Party prime ministererial candidate Yingluck Shinawatra, right,  and others wave to onlookers during the final hours of political  campaigning in Thailand's general election on Saturday in Bangkok. The  race is coming down to a choice between Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister  ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and army-backed Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. (AP/David Longstreath)_

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thailand's Red Shirts see return of 'savior' Thaksin - World - GMA News Online - Latest Philippine News
*
*Thailand's Red Shirts see return of 'savior' Thaksin*

 07/02/2011 | 06:10 PM         

*UDON THANI, Thailand* — Red shirt supporters of exiled Prime  Minister Thaksin Shinawatra believe they will win Sunday's election,  which will return their "savior" and improve their lives.

But they also fear they will be cheated out of office and warn of a new  wave of protests across Thailand if that is the case, triggering  memories of last year's demonstrations in Bangkok which were put down by  the military in a crackdown in which 91 people were killed.

Thaksin is a divisive figure in Thailand, scoring landslide election  wins in 2001 and 2005 only to be ousted in a 2006 military coup.

In the heart of red shirt territory in Thailand's northeast, in the rice  paddies, village stores and towns, there is an overwhelming confidence  that Thaksin's Puea Thai party will easily win the majority of votes  and, hopefully, the majority of seats.

But in Thailand that may not be enough to form government, fear the  people in the villages around Udon Thani, who are fed up with Thailand's  six-year political crisis.

"I believe we will win 85 percent of the votes in my village, but will  we form government? That is a worry," Don Chainapun, a district red  shirt leader, said on Saturday.

"People are worried about the army and higher ups. There will be no  problem if they do not cheat us from forming government," said Chainapun  as he toured election booths.

But if the red shirts believe they have been cheated then, they say,  there will be nationwide protests which will focus on Bangkok, like the  deadly protests in and around Rajaprasong.

"If they cheat there will be protests in Bangkok for sure. It will be  the same as the Rajaprasong protest," said Tan Chaithep, chief assistant  of the Red Shirt village of Ban Nong Hoo Ling, who manned the  barricades at Rajaprasong.

Asked if there would be violence, Chaithep said: "It will be peaceful."  But villager Anong Wickadet, a thick-set young man wearing a camouflage  hat, beaded necklace and sunglasses, added: "They will do anything to  get a fair deal for Puea Thai."

Support for Thaksin's Puea Thai, led by his younger sister Yingluck Shinawatra, has grown in the closing stages of the campaign.

There are now 1,000 dedicated red shirt villages, said Chainapun, up  from a few hundred in June when Reuters first reported the phenomenon.

Military-backed Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has urged voters to  avoid the "poison" of Thaksin, saying Yingluck and Puea Thai were  proxies for the telecommunications tycoon, who lives in Dubai to evade a  jail sentence for conflict-of-interest charges he says were politically  motivated.

*Thaksin the ‘savior’*

Red shirt villages are clearly marked at their entrance with a large  poster of a smiling Thaksin and red flags fly from houses. Posters  accuse the rich, the Bangkok elite and top military of breaking laws  with impunity — grievances echoed across a region home to a third of  Thailand's 68 million people.

In these villages Thaksin is seen as Thailand's savior, the man who will  return to make Thailand strong again and help ordinary people,  struggling with rising inflation and low wages.

"They really want him to come back. They believe he will make things  better," said school teacher Garn Setsaenmok. "They see him as a savior,  a messiah."

"They believe he can change everything. The reason they will vote for PT is because of him, not Yingluck," she said.

Thaksin has said he plans to return for the king's birthday in December,  but without an amnesty he would be arrested and jailed. Officially,  Puea Thai denies its goal is to grant him amnesty so he can return home.

But red shirt officials here, away from Bangkok's control, speak from the heart and admit this election is about one thing.

"They need Prime Minister Thaksin back in Thailand. The people need him, the whole country needs him," said Chainapun.

"He helped poor people a lot, that's why people love him. What about an  amnesty? "Change the law to allow him to come back. He did nothing  wrong. Just because he is rich some people do not like him, especially  the army," he said.

Thailand's rural vote is crucial in a country where 24 million people  out of a population of 67 million depend on farming for a living.

But the election in these villages is not about the politics of Bangkok.  These rural people are no longer confined to their farms, they are  connected with the outside world and want a better life for themselves  and their children.

Rice paddies and buffalo are the old image of rural Thailand. Today, a  short drive from villages, are shopping malls and carparks lined with  expensive cars.

Padkhok is the face of this changing rural Thailand. She drives a taxi  in the tourist resort of Phuket, while her mother tends the village  shop, returning periodically to work in the store and to vote. But she  fears this election will end like so many others and Thailand will be  the loser.

"Thailand's problem is people are fighting all the time. It is time for Thailand to change," she said.

Wanne Intapanya squats on a table, weighing and bundling shallot onions.  She won't say who she will vote for, despite being in a red shirt  village.

She like many villagers here just want an end to the internecine politics that have troubled Thailand for decades.

"Each person has two hands. I cannot work with one hand. They have to work together," she said. *— Reuters*

----------


## Gerbil

Right. It's 6:00. No more bloody politics allowed here till midnight tomorrow  :Smile:

----------


## Butterfly

> Thailand's Red Shirts see return of 'savior' Thaksin


brain dead reds looking for the return of fascism,

----------


## Butterfly

> Right. It's 6:00. No more bloody politics allowed here till midnight tomorrow


says who ?  :Razz: 

BBC News - Thailand election: Final rallies ahead of Sunday vote




> Thailand election: Final rallies ahead of Sunday vote
> Yingluck Shinawatra, 1 July Yingluck Shinawatra says she is confident of an outright majority of more than 250 seats

----------


## Mid

*

Ladies and Gentlemen ...........................*




robertamsterdam.com

 :mid:

----------


## jandajoy

A fokin life jacket !      :smiley laughing:  :smiley laughing:

----------


## Butterfly

nothing like good marketing, mid, you are easily impressed

do you want to buy a bridge ?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Rural Surin

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Thailand's Red Shirts see return of 'savior' Thaksin
> 
> 
> brain dead reds looking for the return of fascism,


It's a fine line. Attempting to distinguish, less define, any of the commonly accepted and historical political philosophies is almost moot. As they readily mix with one another to create a homogenous brethren.
If we repeat it often enough, all of the traditional political and economic theories are immune from impartiality.

There is a difference. There is a difference. There is a difference. There is a difference......

Attach any tag you wish: _Capitalism, Fascism, Socialism, Communism, Corporatism, faux Monarc_hism, Militarism, etc., etc. All have the same agenda. To create control, suppression, and dependencies - where the truer enemy are the masses.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> *
> 
> Ladies and Gentlemen ...........................*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> robertamsterdam.com


You'll believe anything that paid lackey produces wont you mid....you have been totally owned. 

Thai PM Abhisit inspects flood affected areas in Nan province, northern Thailand

_
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (C) inspects flood affected areas in Nan province, northern Thailand June 28, 2011._*


*Thai  Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (C) wades in flood waters during  his  election campaign in Nan province northern of Thailand on June 28,  2011

*http://ph.news.yahoo.com/photos/thai...025651346.html

*_
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (C) inspects flood-affected areas in Nan province, northern Thailand June 28, 2011._*

http://my.news.yahoo.com/photos/thai...152131599.html*

_
Yingluck  Shinawatra (C), the sister of toppled Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra  and the prime ministerial candidate for the country's biggest opposition  Puea Thai Party, wades in flood waters during her election campaign in  Nan province, northern Thailand, June 28, 2011._*

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/photos/ying...162152620.html

*

----------


## mao say dung

I take it you think the life-jacket was photoshopped in?

----------


## Mid

> You'll believe anything that paid lackey produces wont you mid....


Thai PM Abhisit inspects flood affected areas in Nan province, northern Thailand

*REUTERS/Government House/Handout* 


 :smiley laughing:

----------


## mao say dung



----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> You'll believe anything that paid lackey produces wont you mid....
> 
> 
> Thai PM Abhisit inspects flood affected areas in Nan province, northern Thailand
> 
> *REUTERS/Government House/Handout*


And that links to this...



Owning you once more....

----------


## Mid

> paid lackey produces





> Government House/Handout


FFS are you really that fokin dumb ?

 :mid:

----------


## StrontiumDog

> I take it you think the life-jacket was photoshopped in?


I don't think that was the point, do you? Or did you fail to appreciate the intent?

Amsterdam has repeatedly lied about a whole range of issues. 

Are you saying you support such manipulation and distortion? Or is it okay when Thaksin and his cronies do it (the end justifies the means, right?), but bad when the Dem's do it? I really hope not.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> paid lackey produces
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Apparently you are.

The *Robert Amsterdam* image you provided gives an altogether different impression of the images as supplied by Yahoo/Reuters (which is the link you gave, or did you not check it?). 

The link you provided 




> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> You'll believe anything that paid lackey produces wont you mid....
> 
> 
> Thai PM Abhisit inspects flood affected areas in Nan province, northern Thailand
> 
> *REUTERS/Government House/Handout*


Just goes to an image of Abhisit wading in the water in his boots. Not even close to the Amsterdam portrayal. The link you provided is a Yahoo/Reuters image. 



Here is the link for the Robert Amsterdam page it is at http://robertamsterdam.com/thailand/?p=868

So, insult away, but you have been owned....

As I said, you'll believe anything Amsterdam produces. How very sad for you.

----------


## Mid

> As I said, you'll believe anything Amsterdam produces. How very sad for you.


yep , you really are a fool .

the pic is water marked *The NATION*

 :smiley laughing:

----------


## Rural Surin

> I take it you think the life-jacket was photoshopped in?


What's photoshopped is the look of concern and sincerity, as if he is.

----------


## Butterfly

> FFS are you really that fokin dumb ?


coming from you, that's rich

----------


## jandajoy

Election news from the mountains of the north.

Latest from the back streets is 300 baht for your vote.

Various reports of canny individuals having accrued 3-4 payments already.

The only difference from elections in the past is that the gentle folk of our village now seem to think the aspiring pollies are fools. 

Folk are taking the money and bragging/sniggering over the fact that they'll vote for who they like.

Everybody's getting quite excited.

There is no grog ban.

----------


## Mid

> coming from you, that's rich


oh look the French poodle is yapping , 

right on cue  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Butterfly

says the blind news bot  :mid:

----------


## shunpike

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> As I said, you'll believe anything Amsterdam produces. How very sad for you.
> 
> 
> yep , you really are a fool .
> 
> the pic is water marked *The NATION*


It appears that SD's  much vaunted neutrality has sprung a leak.. again.
 ::chitown::

----------


## Norton

> brain dead reds looking for the return of fascism,


Naw. They just want to help out Mark. He's not well ya know. Has a nervous tic. :Smile: 




> a change of face will not be a bad thing, Abhisit  does seem a bit tired, I don't see him governing again for another 4  years without having a nervous breakdown

----------


## Rural Surin

> Originally Posted by Mid
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> ...


It was never patched to begin with. Temporary _"doigt au faux"_ in the dike. ::chitown::

----------


## mao say dung

> Originally Posted by mao say dung
> 
> 
> I take it you think the life-jacket was photoshopped in?
> 
> 
> I don't think that was the point, do you? Or did you fail to appreciate the intent?
> 
> Amsterdam has repeatedly lied about a whole range of issues. 
> ...


So, you do believe the life-jacket is PSed... otherwise a little juxtaposition of genuine images hardly constitutes manipulation and distortion.

At least not on this planet.   ::chitown::

----------


## Tom Sawyer

Priceless Mid. And SD - juxtaposition - that says it all. So what if he walked later. Did Yingluck ever have a lifejacket?

No one's owned here pal (I mean Mr Neutral).

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> oh look the French poodle is yapping ,


The best part happens when no one's looking.. Yelp, Yelp, Yelp!!

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> As I said, you'll believe anything Amsterdam produces. How very sad for you.
> 
> 
> yep , you really are a fool .
> 
> the pic is water marked *The NATION*


So, what's your point? You posted a Robert Amsterdam photo that was supposed to show the difference between Abhisit and Yingluck. One sits in a boat, one isn't afraid to get dirty. The intended difference was obvious. However, it is disingenuous. False. A manipulation. Abhisit did the exact same thing as Yingluck. There is no difference, so the point is bullshit.

As are your lame attempts to justify the image coming from The Nation. That isn't the point. 

You jumped at the Amsterdam photo, trying to make a point, the same as he was. You got caught in his lies.

You got owned. 

Deal with it. 

The you post some lame link to some Yahoo photo site, with some link that isn't what you claimed it to be. Just weird!

Once again I am reminded of the fact that you can never admit being wrong, never admit your faults. It is incredible that you preach morals and ethics but actually posses none yourself. 

Try to have the good grace (and commonsense) to admit you were taken in by his lies. Again.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by Mid
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> ...


How is claiming that mid posted a totally biased, piece of manipulation from Thaksin's PAID lawyer a sign of my bias?

Wow! That's quite some strange reality you inhabit. 

I'll try to write it in simple English for you. 

Mid posted a photo taken from Robert Amsterdam's blog. 

It displays an obvious contrast between the 2 candidates, which is the intention. 

It is a manipulation of the truth and reality. 

I have taken umbrage with this as it is a lie. 

I am seeking to correct a (massive) bias.

And then you claim I am biased. 

You just couldn't make this shit up.....

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Priceless Mid. And SD - juxtaposition - that says it all. So what if he walked later. Did Yingluck ever have a lifejacket?
> 
> No one's owned here pal (I mean Mr Neutral).


The point is the intention of the image. It is designed to manipulate. Deceive. It is untrue. False. 

Please Tom, don't say you have been so totally seduced that you've forgotten such things as integrity. 

It isn't difficult to work out. 

There's such a thing as right and wrong.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

^
Did she have a lifejacket?

----------


## lom

> Did she have a lifejacket?


Not in the photo which Robert Amsterdam picked as comparison and which Mid got duped by.

----------


## shunpike

> Originally Posted by shunpike
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Mid
> ...


Dude...relax, step away from your keyboard and breath into a paper bag.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Just a point about the above replies and (sadly predictable) responses.

You can't complain about how the elite control, deceive, manipulate and lie to retain power, while supporting an opposition (which is probably soon to be in power) which does the same. That would make you total hypocrites (and really quite stupid). 

Amsterdam has been caught in a lie on several occasions (I've challenged him a few times on this directly, but oddly he never replies...). He works for Thaksin, the de facto head of the soon to be government of this country. 

Now, sure, we get rid of the current bunch of liars. But then we get another group doing the same shit? And this is somehow progress? 

What the Thaksin worshipers appear to have failed to have grasped is that this is just (yet) another changing of the guard. It isn't progress. 

The only thing that has happened is that democracy has been restored (by the very people the same Thaksin worshipers predicted would never let it happen...but it has, so all of you were wrong...all those 'wise' predictions that an election would never occur....you got owned there too! It may be fun to go back and review all of those comments...I think I may). 

Human rights, freedom of the press, censorship, justice, inequality, land rights, corruption etc etc have been mostly ignored by both sides. What does this tell the peanut gallery? Yeah, I know the answer already. You will ignore the difficult subjects...cognitive dissonance is a bitch, right? 

What's really amusing is that people actually believe things are going to change! Thaksin may get his people in the right positions in the army and police pretty quickly, but that is the problem...they will be *his* people and not at all neutral or interested in changing things or improving society. 

Anyway, Chalerm and his son will be in the new government. That just says so much. 

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by shunpike
> ...


I'm very much relaxed and your inability to interpret that accurately just says so much about you. 

Mid got owned and then squirmed and got owned again. It looks as though you fell for it hook, line and sinker too....nice  :Smile:

----------


## Tom Sawyer

^
Funny SD - I'm much less sure that this election will see a return to Thaksin or his sister. But we shall see.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> ^
> Did she have a lifejacket?


Was that the point Tom?

----------


## shunpike

> Mid got owned and then squirmed and got owned again. It looks as though you fell for it hook, line and sinker too....nice


"owned"? Are you 12 years old?

----------


## Tom Sawyer

^
At times it would seem, yes.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

There is now an ELECTION DAY thread running:

 (Thais Vote: Election Day 2011 - The General Poll and Results - Free and Fair?)https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asia-news/93430-thais-vote-election-day-2011-general.html

----------


## StrontiumDog

Al Jazeera have dedicated a section to the Thai elections....check it out...

Thai Election - Al Jazeera English

----------


## Norton

> Al Jazeera have dedicated a section to the Thai elections


"It's a disaster prone country" :Smile:

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Mid got owned and then squirmed and got owned again. It looks as though you fell for it hook, line and sinker too....nice
> 
> 
> "owned"? Are you 12 years old?


No, just someone apparently aware of modern English, unlike yourself it appears. I presume you are someone of rather advanced years? 

I am also someone who is able to admit when they got it wrong, we appear to be rather different in this regard too. 

_Vive_ la différence eh...

----------


## Butterfly

> Originally Posted by Tom Sawyer
> 
> Did she have a lifejacket?
> 
> 
> Not in the photo which Robert Amsterdam picked as comparison and which Mid got duped by.


mid is a fool, so typically average American

not surprised he swallowed whole the Amsterdam pics, without checking of course

----------


## Butterfly

> ^
> Did she have a lifejacket?


she has breasts, she doesn't need to

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Warning on Thai election violence | Herald Sun
*
*Warning on Thai election violence                             * 

 From: AAPJuly 03, 2011 2:31AM
 
_Violence fears: Thailand's Yellow  Shirt demonstrators take to the streets in Bangkok on the     final day  of campaigning for today's election. Picture: David Longstreath                                                    
AP _  

*AUSTRALIAN authorities have warned of possible violence during Thailand's national elections.                                 * 

 Australian  travellers are being urged to exercise a high degree of caution due to potential  civil unrest.

Thailand's  voters go to the polls today, with the main  opposition Pheu Thai Party  hoping to snatch power from the  incumbent Democrats.

The  election comes after 2010's series of bloody and violent   anti-government protests which left more than 80 civilians dead and   many more injured.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and  Trade has updated  its advice for travellers heading to Thailand,  warning of possible  violence, terror attacks and unrest.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thaksin Speaks on Poll ... NHK WORLD 2011-07-01*

----------


## shunpike

> Originally Posted by shunpike
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> ...


Lord all mighty young feller, ya sure got me there, guess you 'owned' me. I shall retire to my geritol and lao kao.  Vive les enfants!

----------


## lom

^^

"She has her own talent, I am very proud.
It is not just only because of her bring me back."

----------


## StrontiumDog

*You decide
*
*You decide*

                            By The Nation on Sunday
                                             Published on July 3, 2011                


*EC worried about rains playing spoilsport; outcome of election will be known by 10pm tonight*

                                                            Millions of Thai voters go to the polls today to decide  which political parties and candidates deserve their trust to represent  them and to run the country.

The Election Commission (EC) said  yesterday that unofficial voting results were expected to be available  no later than 10pm today, although there was concern that heavy rains  today could affect voter turnout. 

Election commissioner Prapun  Naigowit yesterday said he was worried about the weather. It could be  raining today so he asked eligible voters to cast their votes early.

There are 47,321,136 eligible voters in this election.

More  than 180,000 policemen will be deployed throughout the country to  ensure safety on election day, according to national Police chief  General Wichean Potephosree.

He said police assigned to security  duty at polling stations have to report about the overall situation  starting with the transport of ballot boxes from district offices to the  polling stations. The police also will be required to report results of  the vote count to the National Police Bureau, which will forward them  to the EC.

EC secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaiygarn said  yesterday that the EC in association with the Royal Thai Police and the  ad hoc Television Pool of Thailand had set up a centre to report  election results at Parliament to help the media keep the public  informed.

He said the Royal Thai Police would be in charge of  reporting unofficial election results from every polling station across  the country. Counting results will be reported to every police station,  which would forward them to the EC. 

The report will be classified  into two parts. First real time reporting will be forwarded to the  centre at Parliament. Authorities with a password will have access to  see the results.

The second part is the unofficial election  results will be sent to be published in the EC's websites and the  Television Pool of Thailand to disseminate the information to the  public. 

The second report will be about 10 minutes later than the real-time reporting.

Election  officials at every polling booth have been instructed to carry out  their duties with neutrality. "They check each other and they must have  ID cards stamped to prove their authority," he said.

There are 90,854 polling booths and 1.2 million election officials taking care of the voting.

Prapun  added that those who had registered for advance voting but could not  get the chance to exercise their right can vote today. However,  those  who registered to vote outside their constituency cannot exercise their  voting right. The latter must inform authorities the reason they failed  to vote otherwise they will lose their voting rights in the next  election. Alcohol sales are banned from 6pm yesterday to midnight today.  

Posting messages that carry content to promote and attack candidates or  parties is also prohibited, including revealing opinion surveys until  election day has passed.

The EC accepted 120 election complaints  out of 400 that had been submitted. Most complaints concern vote-buying  allegations and election officials were instructed to carry out their  duties with neutrality.

Prapun yesterday said the EC was prepared  to handle any issue that would arise from the flood situation in certain  areas and the border conflict with Cambodia. 

Contingency plans  have been put in place in case some polling stations are flooded in such  provinces as Nan, or in case there was renewed border fighting that  would affect provinces like Si Sa Ket and Surin.

       At a glance

- 47,321,136 eligible voters in this election.

- 183,629 police to provide law and order on voting day.

- 90,854 polling booths.

- 1,200,000 election officials 

- 55.6% of 2.86 million people registered for advance voting voted last Sunday.

- 32.7 million voters cast ballots in previous election in 2007.

- 74.5% of eligible voters turned out in 2007.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*195,000 police and troops to guard voters
*
*195,000 police and troops to guard voters*

                            By The Nation on Sunday
                                             Published on July 3, 2011                


*Two vote-buyers nabbed in Korat, Phuket; special plans for border*

                                                            The Royal Thai Police will deploy more than 183,000  officers to ensure law and order during polling on election day today,  while 12,000 personnel from combined security forces have been sent to  secure 2,157 poll stations in the three southernmost provinces.

Police  chief General Wichean Potephosree said yesterday the police were ready  to maintain law and order. Election activities, such as vote campaign  signs or vote-wooing on the Internet, as well as sales of alcohol were  prohibited from 6pm yesterday till midnight tonight. Police would also  watch out for vote-buying attempts and set up checkpoints for security. 

He  said police had arrested vote-buying suspects on Friday with Bt130,000  in cash in Nakhon Ratchasima, and in Phuket with Bt69,000 in cash. 

Police  also warned people not to use camera phones to take pictures of their  ballots or show marked ballots to others, as it was illegal and  punishable with a year in jail plus a fine of up to Bt20,000.

Police  inspector-general Sathaporn Laothong reported that 42 officers accused  of taking sides with a political party were under investigation and so  far 13 of them faced disciplinary action.

At least one officer  would be present at each polling station, and they were expected to  report on the vote counting to local stations and the Royal Thai Police.  So, the results of both constituency MPs and party-list MPs should be  known by 10pm, assistant police chief Pol Lt-General Jiroj Chaiyachit  said.

Assistant police chief Pol Lt-General Worapong Chiewpreecha  said that pre-election security operations from June 16-30 had led to  the seizure of 1,048 guns, 16 war weapons, 12 explosives, while 901  wanted suspects were arrested for old cases and 11,423 arrests made in  regard to drug cases. A "post-poll" police campaign would continue for a  further four days.

Region 4 Internal Security Operations Command  chief Maj-General Akara Thiproj said that 12,000 officers of combined  security forces would provide security at 2,157 poll stations in the  three southernmost provinces and that his office would be ready to  assist in emergencies upon request, especially a natural disaster or an  insurgent attack. 

Meanwhile, senior election officials in the  provinces bordering Cambodia said yesterday there was a contingency plan  in case border clashes broke out, the Thai News Agency reported.

Si  Sa Ket election director Mongkon Kamprao said that the transport of  ballot boxes to 2,704 polling stations in the province had run smoothly.

In  regard to the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border in Kantharalak  district, Mongkon said if a border incident occurred during voting,  officials stationed at polling stations would have to suspend the  process and relocate polling stations to safe zones.

If a clash  takes place as officials are counting votes at local polling stations,  the vote-counting process would be halted. In this event, officials  would close and lock ballot boxes, in line with EC regulations, before  handing the boxes to election commissioners stationed at affected  polling stations, he said.

Buri Ram's election director Thawee  Chunkor said yesterday that eight polling stations in Ban Kruat district  would be at risk if clashes broke out along the border.

According  to reports and coordination with related-security agencies, the  situation along the border in Buri Ram remains normal, Thawee said. If a  row erupts and disrupts voting at the eight polling stations,  authorities may consider postponing voting at those stations.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bus terminals in Northeast packed with returning voters
*
*Bus terminals in Northeast packed with returning voters*

                            By The Nation on Sunday
                                             Published on July 3, 2011                


*The Nakhon Ratchasima Bus Terminal was buzzing  yesterday as voters from the Northeast returned to their hometowns to  cast ballots in today's national election.*

                                                            The province's new bus terminal on Mitraparp Highway,  providing travellers with at least 1,600 bus trips per day on 84 routes  to 19 provinces, was packed with people. It caused provincial transport  officer Manas Rungpin to ask private bus operators to provide more  rides. 

However, several sections of Mitraparp Highway from Kaeng  Khoi in Saraburi to Pak Chong in Nakhon Ratchasima were under repair,  which caused traffic jams. The travel time for the 256km stretch from  Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima, which usually takes 3 hours and 30  minutes, had been taking about 4-5 hours since Friday night, Manas said.  

One 28-year-old worker, Mayuree Khokklang, who went to vote at  Phimai in Nakhon Ratchasima, said the Election Commission should  implement a measure to help voters with their expenses when travelling  to vote. 

In Khon Kaen, the provincial bus terminal was also  packed. Terminal official Phaithoon Srisakulthai said the terminal  normally had 20,000 travellers passing though per day but yesterday  there were about 35,000-40,000 travellers, prompting officials to ask  bus operators to make additional trips.

Meanwhile, a woman was  arrested in Maha Sarakham yesterday for alleged vote-buying. Thongphul  Sriyowong was caught in possession of Bt6,400 cash in the Northeast  province's Muang district following a tip-off people were bringing money  to buy votes there. 

The suspect told police three unnamed men  delivered the money to her at the village and led police to the men's  car, but they saw police and fled. 

Police then seized the car and  found a total of Bt394,285 in cash in Bt100 notes in a plastic bag, a  9mm pistol with 10 rounds of ammunition and a list of canvassers and  villagers as well as some leaflets of a Maha Sarakham Constituency 1  candidate. 

Thongphul was initially charged with vote-buying and police will investigate the case further.

In  Angthong, Muang district chief Somchai Anawatchakul said that from 8am  to noon yesterday the district office had issued over 100 national ID  cards to people who wanted their ID cards so they could vote today, and  that in the past two weeks 2,500 people had got ID cards there.

In  a related development, floods in Sukhothai province forced eight  polling stations in Constituencies 1 and 2 of Muang and Sri Samrong  districts to be moved yesterday.

In Phichit, authorities had  planned to move polling stations in five districts at risk of being  flooded, provincial election director Thanaboon Sinmana said.

He  said the preaching halls of temples with raised floors would be turned  into polling stations if floodwater overflowed the Yom River and  affected the five provinces in the river basin. Meanwhile, authorities  rushed to release water from the Yom into the Nan River yesterday.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Observers impressed with preparations
*
*Observers impressed with preparations*

                            By The Nation on Sunday
                                             Published on July 3, 2011                


*Visiting foreign election officials yesterday expressed optimism that Thailand's general election today would be free and fair.*

                                                            Election Commission of Malaysia chairman Tan Sri Abdul  Aziz Mohd Yusof praised Thailand's Election Commission for its  "international-standard" election management, which ensures free and  fair treatment to all parties.

He said that after observing for  two days the election process, he noticed that every step of the  procedures could be checked and election officials had undergone  training well. He believed everyone would respect the election results. 

"The  election process is transparent and just. There will be parties that  will lose the election and I suggest that they accept the election  outcome." 

Malaysia's Election Commission deputy chairman Datuk  Wira Wan Ahmad Wan Omar who came to observe poll preparations in  Songkhla's Constituency 1, said he felt the process was well managed. He  is staying over to observe the polling today at Constituency 1.

Lee  Jae-hoo, director of Facilities Management Division of South Korea's  National Election Commission, said the Thai Election Com-mission had  prepared every polling procedure well and he believed there would not be  any problem today. He was observing preparations for the general  election in Chachoengsao.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thaksin's homecoming a long way off*

By Wayne Hay 

on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 18:17.


Photo by AFP

So  here we go. The talking is over. Let the voters have their say.  Thailand's much anticipated, and in some cases feared, general election  is upon us.

It appears that negotiations between former Prime  Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's people, the army and representatives of  the palace about the result of the election and what seems a certain  victory for Thaksin's opposition party, Pheu Thai, have been taking  place for several months.

What many people are incorrectly  assuming, however, is that a deal has been reached. From what I've been  hearing, negotiations continue.

 Anyway, history tells us that deals and promises in Thai politics mean little.

If  a deal is struck, someone will lose face. If Thaksin's allowed to  return to Thailand a free man, surely the army and those they represent  will lose face, because they were the ones who removed him from office  in the coup in 2006. 

They have little choice other than to try to negotiate with a man who remains extremely popular in his homeland.

 Any intervention in the electoral/democratic process designed to  prevent Pheu Thai forming a government would be widely condemned  domestically and internationally.

 There would be an almost instant reaction from Thaksin's supporters,  many of whom have promised to return to the streets of the capital.

So does Thaksin hold all the power because his party's seems headed for a big win? 

Not  yet. He's in a very strong position but it could still come unstuck for  him. We must keep a close eye on the courts if Pheu Thai forms the  government. 

The allegations of perjury against his sister and  perhaps the next prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, refuse to go away.  Despite being banned from politics, Thaksin is quite clearly running  and funding the party and he now makes little effort to hide or deny  that fact.

 I'm sure the election commission will be asked to go over every  minute detail of the party's finances and Thaksin's media interviews  he's conducted during the election campaign.

A Thaksin homecoming  is likely to be a long way off. He would not jump on the next plane out  of Dubai if his party is declared the winner.

 The issue of amnesty for political offenses since the coup is likely  to be put to a public vote in the form of a referendum and the  definition of the term 'political offenses' is believed to be one of the  key factors in the current negotiations.

 Can corruption be a political offence?

This will be a  fascinating and perhaps defining moment for Thailand. There will be many  twists and turns over the coming days, weeks and months. Regardless of  the outcome, everyone is hoping for peace to prevail.

----------


## English Noodles

> Originally Posted by shunpike
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> ...


What a fucking penis.

----------


## LooseBowels

^ Yea old "Itchy's" Arse is very itchy these days,  really needs to stop lettin blokes shove stuff up there.   :Smile: .

The Kindergarten Kid   :Smile: 

She hasn't got a bleedin clue, just a Sad Pad trying to deflect the total and utter worldwide international and national PR disaster those two contrasting pictures have caused for her yellow paymaster  

The internationally aclaimed Amsterdam is on the money with that one, holed below the waterline  :Smile:

----------


## Butterfly

> "She has her own talent, I am very proud.
> It is not just only because of her bring me back."


and here we go, PT mandate is all about bringing him back

didn't he get the message the firs time ? apparently not

----------


## shunpike

> Originally Posted by lom
> 
> "She has her own talent, I am very proud.
> It is not just only because of her bring me back."
> 
> 
> and here we go, PT mandate is all about bringing him back
> 
> didn't he get the message the firs time ? apparently not


He did get the message,  delivered to him  by a majority of Thai voters. Like him or hate him, he was duly elected by a majority of his fellow citizens. I'm no Thai historian but I believe he is unique in this respect. If there's such a thing as kharma, his sister being the second Thai politician to receive a majority mandate would slot in nicely under the delightful phrase, instant kharma.

oh yeah, thanks for the red... were I 12 years old it would hurt.

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## StrontiumDog

^^^^ I see from LooseBowels reply that the retard is still writing me little love letters. 

*Noodles you are on ignore*, which means your attempts at trolling are pointless.

----------


## Butterfly

> he was duly elected by a majority of his fellow citizens.


yes, if you think a majority needs money to show up at the polls




> If there's such a thing as kharma, his sister being the second Thai politician to receive a majority mandate would slot in nicely under the delightful phrase, instant kharma.


yes, if you equate karma with what the best that money can buy

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Where policies fail, try doling out cash
*
*Where policies fail, try doling out cash*
Published:  3/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsWhy bother trying to win over voters with reason, when cash might as well do the trick?

 

 As every candidate knows, a politician or party's popularity may not always be enough to win a seat.

 That's why it's far from unknown for candidates to set aside at least  100 baht per voter to help "bolster their confidence" in their choice  on the ballot.

 Despite efforts to stamp out the practice and increased monitoring,  vote-buying has again been rampant in this campaign, especially in the  North where candidates have told the Bangkok Post that money is the most  important factor in securing support, no matter how popular a party may  genuinely be.

 The Election Commission (EC) allows each candidate to spend a maximum  of 1.5 million baht on their campaign, but this limit is easily and  often ignored.

 Some candidates have spent between 10 million and 50 million baht in  their efforts to secure House seats, according to talks with candidates  who asked for anonymity.

 In one constituency in Chiang Rai, 30 million baht is believed to  have been handed out to 100,000 villagers to make sure at least half of  them vote for a certain candidate. The rest may have been bought by a  rival party.

 Statistically, 50,000 votes are enough to win a seat. Candidates who  spent only 100 baht a head are considered lucky, as the cost was often  triple that.

 The average rate of vote-buying in Chiang Rai was estimated at 300  baht a head, but in some areas in Muang district, where the race was  most intense, the rate was estimated at between 500 and 1,000 baht.

 In Phrae's Muang district, some households were reportedly paid up to 2,500 baht.

 Observers said vote-buying has become part of the political culture  in northern provinces. Villagers will answer immediately when asked  which parties they support, but when asked to single out their favourite  candidate, they often hold back their opinions.

 This is because many are thought to consider the money offered to them before giving a final reply.

 Money can be passed from politicians on to canvassers, who are  usually heads of provincial administration organisations, mayors,  kamnans, village heads or public health volunteers.

 These canvassers help election candidates reach target villagers.

 Parties which cannot benefit from local officials need to set up a  team of what the EC calls "vote-seeking assistants". These vote-seekers  are paid 300-1,000 baht to gather names of villagers who will support  candidates they work for.

 Other methods used to persuade people include multi-level marketing (MLM), gambling and military influence.

 None of these are concerned with party policies or addressing known problems.

 The MLM strategy, in which sales representatives earn money from  their own sales and the sales of other people they recruit, is  reportedly applied to alleged vote-buying in Lop Buri province.

 Top-level canvassers involved in MLM will first recruit 10 villagers  as canvassers, who will each in turn search for another 10 canvassers.

 Some candidates allegedly bet 500,000 baht with illegal gambling  syndicates that they would lose the race for their constituencies. The  goal here is to shift the odds so gamblers will be tempted to bet on _  and so vote for _ that candidate winning.

 Military figures who are candidates are said to have threatened kamnans and village heads to cease supporting rival candidates.

 A source also told the Bangkok Post that some candidates may even  dare to hand out money to voters today if the midday exit polls suggest  they are at a disadvantage.

 For those candidates lagging behind, a last-gasp spend on afternoon  votes could help them turn the result around. The source concluded: "The  campaign rallies have been staged as little more than rituals."

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Results expected by 10pm
*
*Results expected by 10pm*

*AUTHORITIES, EMBASSIES ON ALERT* Published:  3/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsThe unofficial results of Sunday's general election are expected by 10pm (1500 GMT).

 Voting will continue until 3pm (0800 GMT), after which the ballot boxes will be sealed and carried to counting places.

 More than 180,000 police officers have been deployed at 90,800  polling stations nationwide to ensure the vote goes smoothly and  peacefully.

 Candidates Saturday concluded their campaigns, while canvassing  activities on social networks ceased, as online political messages are  banned after 6pm the day before an election.

 Police stepped up efforts to crack down on vote-buying Saturday and  arrested three people in Samut Prakan and Maha Sarakham provinces  suspected of involvement in the practice.

 Somjai Uan-takhop, 55, a grocer in Samut Prakan's Muang district, was  arrested for allegedly handing two 100 baht bank notes to Anusorn  Thongkon, 51, and asking him to vote for a major political party,  according to Samut Prakan police inspector Sonchai Empradit.

 In Maha Sarakham, special branch police arrested Thongphoon Sriyowong, who they said was found carrying 64 100 baht bank notes.

 Acting on information provided by the suspect, officers then seized a  pickup truck containing about 4,000 100 baht bank notes, a pistol and a  book with lists of canvassers' and voters' names, and leaflets  profiling an MP candidate.

 Mrs Thongphoon, a resident of Muang district, allegedly confessed  that she received the 6,400 baht cash from three men in a pickup truck.

 The police team later located the truck, but the three men escaped,  said chief of Maha Sarakham special branch police, Pol Lt Col Chatchawan  Mannok.

 Meanwhile, police found an MKII bomb in an abandoned building near  polling stations in Lat Phrao district at around noon Saturday.

 District officials in charge of security at polling booths alerted  police and the explosive ordnance disposal unit was called in to remove  the device.

 The Australian and British embassies have issued travel advisories  for Thailand due to concerns over the possibility of unrest and violence  during and after the election and the formation of the next government.

 The Australian embassy in Bangkok advised its nationals in Thailand to exercise a high degree of caution.

 "There is a possibility of civil unrest and violence in the period  surrounding the election and formation of a new government," said a  message posted on the embassy's website.

 "The political situation remains unpredictable after the last  April-May incident and further political unrest and violence cannot be  ruled out in Bangkok and other provinces," it added.

 The British Embassy posted a travel advisory on its website on Friday  regarding the "possibility of unrest in parts of Thailand during  national elections".

 "The Election Commission has until Aug 2 to confirm the election  result. There remains a risk that political developments may lead to  violence," it said.

 Pol Gen Wichean Potephosree, the national police chief and the chief  of the election peacekeeping centre, said the centre had assigned  183,129 police officers to enforce the election law.

 He said police were also in charge of gathering vote tallies from  polling stations and forwarding them to the Election Commission (EC).

 EC secretary-general Suthiphon Taveechaiyagarn said the commission is  working with three other agencies _ the Royal Thai Police, the  Television Pool of Thailand, and the Electronic Government Agency _ in  the ballot-counting and reporting of the poll results.

 The EC should know and be able to announce the unofficial results of  the election by 10pm Sunday, seven hours after the polls close, he said.

 To help voters get to the polls, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of  Thailand will offer free subway services between 6am and 4pm Sunday,  said deputy MRTA governor Ronnachit Yaemsa-ard.

----------


## Butterfly

it's nice to see the cattle have finally embraced democracy by rejecting cash distribution for their poll presence,

oh wait !!!

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : Accept election winners - for Thailand's sake

COMMENTARY 

*Accept election winners - for Thailand's sake*
Published:  3/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Many fear that today's election  could herald a  new round of violence in the country. Over the past few years, Thailand  has been plagued by political unrest. In 2008, anti-Thaksin yellow shirt  demonstrators blocked the entrance to parliament to prevent the  administration of Somchai Wongsawat from entering to read its policy  statement. The demonstration turned violent and two protesters were  killed and hundreds more injured. That was followed by the immensely  damaging takeover of Bangkok's two airports.

 During March to May last year, the pro-Thaksin red shirts staged  protests against the Abhisit administration. The rallies turned bloody  and at least 92 people were killed.

 The divisions remain and if the results of today's elections are not  respected they could worsen as the two major parties are far apart on  how the new government should be formed.

 The only way to avoid further conflict is for all parties to respect  the principle of the election serving as a means to end rifts.

 What has occurred in recent years has caused Thailand to lose many  opportunities. Since 2006, governments have wasted too much time dealing  with divisiveness instead of helping the country to cope with a rapidly  changing world.

 Fortunately, Thailand survived the so-called "hamburger crisis"  caused by turmoil in the US financial system. But there is no end in  sight to the world's economic problems. The financial crisis in the  European Union prevails, leaving it perilously close to collapse; the  nuclear radiation risk in Japan is far from over.

 Then there is the fact that Asean is to become the Asean Economic  Community in 2015, but Thailand, even though a founder of the regional  grouping, appears to be doing little to prepare for it.

 Add to that the relentless daily killings in the three southernmost  provinces and the seemingly intractable conflict over the 4.6 square  kilometre area near the Preah Vihear temple with Cambodia that forced  Thailand to withdraw from Unesco's World Heritage Convention.

 The next government needs to pay utmost attention to these problems.  So, no matter which party leads the next government, let it get on with  the job.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Yingluck votes at No.32 poll station
*
*Yingluck votes at No.32 poll station*

Published:  3/07/2011 at 08:38 AMOnline news: Local News
 Top list candidate of the Pheu Thai Party  Yingluck Shinawatra exercised voting right at the No.32 poll station  inside Wat Klong Lamchiag school in Bangkok’s Nawamin district about  810am, television stations reported.

 Ms Yingluck told reporters waiting at the poll station that after  voting, she will have food with her family and then go to her party’s  headquarter to follow up the polls’ results with other party members.

 The youngest sister of fugitive former prime minister Thaksin urged  voters to turnout to choose good people to work for them in the  parliament.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thais go to the polls in two-horse race to uncertain future - Monsters and Critics
*
*Thais go to the polls in two-horse race to uncertain future*

    Jul 3, 2011, 1:59 GMT 

  Bangkok - Thais went to the polls Sunday in an election that  pitted  the incumbent Democrat party against the Pheu Thai opposition  party  whose de facto leader is a fugitive politician.  

  Some 47.3 million Thais were eligible to vote Sunday.  

   More than 180,000 policemen were deployed nationwide at 90,800  polling  stations during the voting between 8 am and 3 pm, with  unofficial  results expected to be known before 10 pm.  

  Many people had lined up well before 8 am to cast their ballots.  

   'This election people seem more eager to vote,' said Election   Commission official Nirawan Pheuari, who was presiding over a polling   station in a vacant lot in Bangkok's Constituency 22.  

  There  are 33 constituencies in the capital, of which the Democrats  won 24 in  the last election of December 2007. They are not expected  to do as well  this time around.  

  'Over the past two years this government  has done nothing for the  people,' said Sawang Paleung, a 50-year-old  Bangkok street vendor.  'The price of everything has gone up,' she said.   

  Although 40 parties are contesting, the polls were chiefly a   two-horse race between the incumbent Democrats, Thailand's oldest   party with 65 years in politics, and the Pheu Thai Party, a   reincarnation of the Thai Rak Thai Party led by former prime minister   Thaksin Shinawatra from 2001-06.  

  Pheu Thai's candidate for prime minister is Thaksin's youngest  sister Yingluck, 44, whom he has dubbed his 'clone.'  

   Thaksin was toppled by a coup in September, 2006, and there are   worries that if his party wins this election the military will be   miffed, although Army commander-in-chief General Prayuth Chan-Ocha  has  repeatedly denied any coup inclinations.  

  The army has staged 18 coups over the past 79 years.  

   Anticipating instability in the election aftermath, both the   Australian and British embassies have posted travel advisories to  their  nationals, warning of possible unrest this month.  

  Opinion  polls have shown Pheu Thai well ahead of the Democrats,  led by Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who has survived mass  anti-government  protests in 2009 and 2010.  

  Last year's protests, calling on  Abhisit to dissolve parliament  and call for a snap election, led to 92  dead, about 2,000 injured and  left parts of Bangkok in flames.  

   Abhisit has campaigned against the Pheu Thai party as being a  vehicle  for bringing back Thaksin, who has been living in self-exile  to avoid a  two-year jail sentence on an abuse of power conviction.  

  He  has also accused the Pheu Thai of seeking to return 46 billion  baht  (1.5 billion dollars) confiscated by the Supreme Court from the   Shinawatra family as ill-gotten.  

  Yingluck, by contrast, has  emphasized the need for Thailand to  achieve political reconciliation  and restore its international  reputation, while largely avoiding the  sensitive issue of her  brother's anticipated return.  

  Although  Pheu Thai is expected to win the most seats in the  500-seat lower  house, the official results will not be finalized for  weeks as the  Election Commission processes allegations of vote-buying  and fraud.  

   'There will be tinkering and tampering at the margins by various   forces of the establishment,' said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political   scientist from Chulalongkorn University.  

  'They have various buttons that they can push to prevent the Pheu  Thai from winning,' he predicted.

----------


## Bobcock

> Although Pheu Thai is expected to win the most seats in the 500-seat lower house, the official results will not be finalized for weeks as the Election Commission processes allegations of vote-buying and fraud.


Depends on how many over 250 PT are as to how many cases will be 'investigated'....

----------


## robuzo

^Weeks of suspense, sounds great.

----------


## sabang

> yes, if you think a majority needs money to show up at the polls


'Tis the Dem's and BJT desperately throwing around the slush funds in Isaan.

----------


## DrB0b

> No, just someone apparently aware of modern English, unlike yourself it appears.


What you've actually done is the classic middle-aged thing of using slang from 10 years ago as if it was still current. Groovy  :Smile:

----------


## Tom Sawyer

This guy probably can't read anyway - wouldn't be able to cast a vote if he tried. Oh look Butters, he's a Yellow - you can tell by his hi-so demeanour. A hi-so Thai monkey - voting "NO".  He just has to look for those two letters.

----------


## Butterfly

^ usual non-sense from our right wing resident racist fascist

----------


## robuzo

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> No, just someone apparently aware of modern English, unlike yourself it appears.
> 
> 
> Wgat you've actually done is the classic middle-aged thing of using slang from 10 years ago as if it was still current. Groovy


You mean he wasn't referring to Modern English (the band)? That's, like, 20 years ago. Wtf else could "aware of modern English" mean?

----------


## Butterfly

nice photo-op

----------


## Norton

> Tis the Dem's and BJT desperately throwing around the slush funds in Isaan.


Can't speak for all Isaan but here and neighboring villages correct. No reports of Dems offering cash for votes but rumor has it substantial money has been transferred by Dems into polling security police bank accounts. If true, wonder why? :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> ^ usual non-sense from our right wing resident racist fascist


Right Wing???

 :rofl:   :Confused:   :rofl:   :Confused:   :rofl:

----------


## robuzo

> Originally Posted by sabang
> 
> Tis the Dem's and BJT desperately throwing around the slush funds in Isaan.
> 
> 
> Can't speak for all Isaan but here and neighboring villages correct. No reports of Dems offering cash for votes but rumor has it substantial money has been transferred by Dems into polling security police bank accounts. If true, wonder why?


Word from a village in Sisaket this morning has it that nobody has offered cash this year, in contrast to previous years. The young woman on the phone sounded a bit disappointed.

----------


## longway

> Originally Posted by Butterfly
> 
> 
> ^ usual non-sense from our right wing resident racist fascist
> 
> 
> Right Wing???


You are not arguing racist fascist?  :Confused:

----------


## Tom Sawyer

Well if I'm not a Right-Winger then I'm sure no fascist. And since I don't believe my race is superior to others that would mean I'm no racist either.

Funny cause Butters is the biggest racist and fascist here (says Thais are 'monkeys' and shouldn't be allowed to vote).

----------


## shunpike

> Originally Posted by shunpike
> 
> he was duly elected by a majority of his fellow citizens.
> 
> 
> yes, if you think a majority needs money to show up at the polls
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This canard again. Whenever confronted by the truth you roll out the vote buying whine. I won't make excuses for the system, it is what it is, and every party plays by the same rules, or lack thereof. PTP (or it's other incarnations) has no doubt bought a vote or two, so has the Democrat Party, and every other party on offer. I see nothing wrong with vote buying as long as the voters can mark a private ballot. Taking 500 baht from each party would be a great way of redistributing wealth. In the west pols campaign on tax cuts and health care, that too is a form of vote buying. It's endemic in the system for the voter to say, "what's in it for me?" If you get the money upfront, or later in a tax cut it's all the same to me.

----------


## SteveCM

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Pounding out a dish of spicy somtam (papaya salad) in downtown Bangkok's Sathon business district, Daeng Chanphong, 36, talks with enthusiasm about her upcoming eight-hour bus journey back to Ubon Ratchathani province in the north-east on Friday to vote - for the first time ever.
> 
> 
> If she didnt vote in the previous election, then it's a bit pointless as she's lost the right to vote in this one.






> 


You were saying?

----------


## sabang

> Originally Posted by Norton
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by sabang
> ...


Just got back from the local village- Dem's are offering 100bht here, no one else is offering anything. Ubon is electorally quite diverse, so I daresay that in Ubon muang in particular there will be some slush money on offer.

----------


## Gerbil

> nice photo-op


Photography inside polling stations, especially of someone actually casting their vote is illegal.

----------


## sabang

^ Well, thats it then. Turf them out.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Mid

> Photography inside polling stations, especially of someone actually casting their vote is illegal.


best toss the entire election then  :mid: 



yfrog Photo : http://yfrog.com/h2palxywj Shared by nationnews

----------


## Norton

Just announced by the village crier. All registered voters in our village have voted.
Only about 200 in village. No money for PTP votes. Four known votes paid for by Dems at 500 baht each. One known, no money vote for BJT.

----------


## Hampsha

Tan network for info live in English..

Thai-ASEAN News Network


They say Phue Thai is coming in big big in exit polls. Sounds like Apisit is trashed!

----------


## Hampsha

Sounds like people are shocked by the numbers for Pheu Thai. I'd guess that only the twats in Bangkok who live in their own world outside of Thailand are shocked.

----------


## Mid

_Exit polls show Pheu Thai's victory from 280-313 seats while Democrats win 142-153 seats

_Thai-ASEAN News Network

----------


## Butterfly

just another argument that the cattle are not fit to vote and believe UDD and PT propaganda

they probably believe the 91 killed were peaceful demonstrators  :mid:

----------


## mao say dung

Looks like another fuggen landslide!

God I love and respect the Thai people when they do something like this!

5 years of relentless agit-prop, forced re-education seminars, threats from the army and they still do it...

----------


## DrB0b

> Sounds like people are shocked by the numbers for Pheu Thai. I'd guess that only the twats in Bangkok who live in their own world outside of Thailand are shocked.


Just saw one exit poll that says PT have won 28 seats in BKK, while the Dems have 5. If that's true then the Dems are toast.

----------


## Gerbil

So..... Chalerm for PM then?

----------


## Butterfly

> So..... Chalerm for PM then?


game set match !!! PT voters completely owned

----------


## BaitongBoy

Yep, it's toast for the Dems... :Smile: 

Blew the Eton fckwit out of the water... :Smile: 

Tough election, my arse...
Fcking landslide victory...

All over but the army...

 :Smile:  :mid:  :Smile:

----------


## sabang

^^^ Yeh, right.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

_A Thai exit poll forecast that the allies of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra would win a majority in today’s election, a result that may test the army’s willingness to let them govern five years after his ouster in a coup.
The Thaksin-backed Pheu Thai will win 313 seats in the 500- member Parliament, with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s Democrat party winning 152 seats and smaller parties taking 35 seats, according to a Suan Dusit Rajabhat University exit poll. The poll, which surveyed 157,759 people nationwide, correctly predicted pro-Thaksin victories in the elections in 2005 and 2007. It did not provide a margin of error._
Pro-Thaksin Party to Win Parliamentary Majority, Thailand Exit Poll Shows - Bloomberg

----------


## Butterfly

> God I love and respect the Thai people when they do something like this!


are you jerking off while saying this ? that sounds quite Thaiophile to say something like that,

----------


## crippen

Thailand's redshirts prepare for another poll victory
Rural poor hope for the return of billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra after election



Puea Thai Party's Yingluck Shinawatra campaigning in Bangkok Photograph: Sukree Sukplang/REUTERS
Suk Somboon village turned red in the early hours of Thursday morning, when its 200 residents gathered and chanting monks made offerings. They tied scarlet thread around neighbours' wrists, put up flags along the roadside and erected a metal sign declaring their new status.

"It's a red district anyway. The point is the symbolism," said Kwanchai Praipana, a prominent redshirt leader from Thailand's Udon Thani province. "The aim is to show we want justice, democracy and Thaksin [Shinawatra] to return."

Hundreds of north-eastern settlements have proclaimed themselves "red democracy villages" since today's general election was announced, in the latest evolution of the anti-government redshirt movement. It highlights a bitter division that claimed more than 90 lives last year and is focused on one man: the former prime minister, whose beaming face adorns Suk Somboon's new sign.

Thaksin Shinawatra  who was the owner of Manchester City FC for 15 months from June 2007  defines Thai politics even from 3,000 miles away in Dubai, where he lives to avoid a jail sentence for abuse of power. The redshirt-associated party Puea Thai  led by his sister Yingluck, but Thaksin's in all but name  is on course to beat the incumbent Democrats.

Jon Ungpakhorn, an activist and former senator, warned last week: "There is a clear danger of violence on a scale closer to civil war if either side is provoked by extreme measures  for example, if a Puea Thai election victory were to be derailed by a legal judgment or military coup, or if a Puea Thai government were to swiftly facilitate the return of a defiant Thaksin Shinawatra by means of amnesty and pardon."

Prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, arriving for his party's final, rain-drenched rally on Friday, said: "The core issue is whether the Thai people want to move the country forward beyond the conflict created by and surrounding one man."

But Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University, suggested that the underlying issue was the awakening of a marginalised grassroots electorate that is challenging the political status quo.

Thaksin, a former telecoms tycoon who recently told Der Spiegel he had "barely a billion" left, might not seem an obvious figurehead for such a movement. But Thitinan described him as "an agent and catalyst for this newly emergent Thailand", adding: "He does not see it that way  he sees it as all about him. On the one hand, it's Thaksin manipulating and exploiting the forces he unleashed. On the other hand, his adversaries deny these voices because they don't want to confront them. They say these people are not educated, or are misguided, or that Thaksin has paid them. But these are the people who will ultimately determine Thailand's political direction."

The Democrats draw support mainly from the south and from the urban middle class, while the pro-Thaksin movement relies on lower-income workers in the north and north east. Analysts suggest social changes, such as increased migration and improved communications, have raised expectations and access to information and reduced deference.

"Five years ago politics was only discussed by the middle and upper classes. Now poor and rural people have become interested and involved," said redshirt trade unionist Jittra Cotchadet.

Puea Thai's promises are expensive and at times clearly rhetorical; they include the eradication of poverty within four years. But, in Suk Somboon, villagers say Thaksin delivered on the affordable healthcare and cheap credit pledges that won two electoral landslides.

"Thaksin said he would give villagers money, and he did," said 63-year-old Naichu Kamala. "I don't care if he is corrupt. All politicians in Thailand are, but Thaksin gives money to the poor."

Though the Democrats are now seeking to woo the same voters, Thitinan argued that they miss the point even when aping popular Thaksin policies; they still see politics as a top-down process.

"They pitched it as welfare. People don't want welfare; they want opportunities and that's how they see it with Thaksin - it's about hopes and dreams," he said.

But the billionaire was toppled in a military coup in 2006 amid growing concern about corruption and increasing authoritarianism. Supporters like Kwanchai say blame his ousting and conviction on jealous elites. Others say there was real cause for alarm.

"Thaksin as prime minister showed contempt for the due process of law, human rights and checks and balances," said Sunai Phasuk of Human Rights Watch, citing mass extrajudicial killings in a "war on drugs" and the use of excessive force in restive Southern province.

"The problem with human rights in Thailand started well before the coup, but the coup made it worse."

Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party was disbanded, as was its next incarnation; Abhisit came to power in a parliamentary deal. After Thaksin's supporters regrouped as the redshirts and moved onto the streets, occupying a central area of Bangkok last year, a military crackdown led to dozens of deaths.

Observers say both sides have failed to acknowledge their responsibility for violence. But while redshirt leaders were jailed for their involvement, there has been no official admission that the army killed or injured demonstrators - fuelling popular anger.

Finance minister Korn Chatikavanij suggested on Friday that the election was in itself a sign of progress.

"A year ago we were on the verge of civil war," he said.

"Tonight there are two major rallies in two corners of Bangkok by the two major parties. We have every reason to be optimistic."

Others expect further turmoil this year if, as predicted, Puea Thai win most seats tonight but not an outright majority.

"The rise of the PAD [the conservative pro-royalists whose protests helped to topple Thaksin, and prompted the creation of the redshirts] gave birth to violent mob rule in Thailand - the belief that might is right and that if you have grievances anything is permissible," said Sunai of Human Rights Watch.

Redshirt leaders are already threatening protests if it does not form the next government, though political manoeuvring could take months to play out.

"I don't believe any other government will help our people," said 28-year-old Pradit Pimdee in Suk Somboon.

"If Yingluck does not become prime minister, people will be very angry...If the village head tells us to go to Bangkok, I will definitely go."

Thailand's redshirts prepare for another poll victory | World news | The Observer

(I like the 'Another Victory' in the headline!! :mid:

----------


## Butterfly

so it was a referendum for Thaksin at the end, not a battle for Democracy ? 

what does this mean for Thailand democracy ? it's the end of it, Italian Fascism style ?

----------


## mc2

A humiliating defeat for the dems, the amart, the military and especially newin.

----------


## mc2

> so it was a referendum for Thaksin at the end, not a battle for Democracy ? 
> 
> what does this mean for Thailand democracy ? it's the end of it, Italian Fascism style ?


god you are politically clueless  :smiley laughing:

----------


## mao say dung

> Originally Posted by mao say dung
> 
> God I love and respect the Thai people when they do something like this!
> 
> 
> are you jerking off while saying this ? that sounds quite Thaiophile to say something like that,


Nah... just humming a few bars of QuamJing Wanni... :Smile:

----------


## Butterfly

> "I don't care if he is corrupt. All politicians in Thailand are, but Thaksin gives money to the poor."


yeah, but not his money, that's the problem

----------


## sabang

I've got no idea what Thaksin's ambitions are re politics, or what any 'deal' might entail etc. but I would have thought that, if he does 'officially' go back into politics, he has learnt some lessons. The criticisms of T tended to revolve around his arrogance rather than his stupidity. Then again the magnitude of this election victory is looking like a pretty big slap on the back to an arrogant man.

----------


## Butterfly

> if he does 'officially' go back into politics, he has learnt some lessons


do you really think that someone who is arrogant and authoritarian as him, at 50 and more, is going to change ?

----------


## mao say dung

He's talking about politics, not personal growth, dimwit. He just may have learned how better to hang onto power... and that can only be a good thing for Thailand. We'll have to wait and see.

----------


## crippen

Watch the Baht rate to see what the world thinks!! ::chitown:: 

TeakDoor.com - The Thailand Forum Thai Baht currency converter 

http://www.xe.com/


Xe  has a graph on the bht rate. Is has moved down already. :mid:

----------


## Butterfly

> He's talking about politics, not personal growth, dimwit. He just may have learned how better to hang onto power... and that can only be a good thing for Thailand. We'll have to wait and see.


are you simply retarded ? do you really think that you can separate personal power and politics in a power hungry individual like Thaksin ? 

they are what they are,

----------


## crippen

Has Mr T still got a Thai Passport,or was it taken off him?? :Confused:

----------


## Takeovers

> Xe has a graph on the bht rate. Is has moved down already.


Understandable, there is fear of violence against the victorius party.

----------


## Butterfly

I am sure the evil conspiracing elite has a plan "B"  :Razz:

----------


## Takeovers

> so it was a referendum for Thaksin at the end, not a battle for Democracy ?  what does this mean for Thailand democracy ? it's the end of it, Italian Fascism style ?





> I am sure the evil conspiracing elite has a plan "B"


Full troll mode, what a surprise.

 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## English Noodles

SD must be squirming.

----------


## Scaramanga

Chuwit Kalomvisit is going to get 3-4 seats and a bubble bath

----------


## lom

Finally!!
I've been waiting soo long to get 3G on my AIS mobile.

----------


## Sailing into trouble

> just another argument that the cattle are not fit to vote and believe UDD and PT propaganda
> 
> they probably believe the 91 killed were peaceful demonstrators


I agree with Butters! I also belief the earth is flat, that there were no death camps in WW2, that the sun goes to sleep at night and that I will rule the world someday!

----------


## BaitongBoy

I'll vote for you, SIT...

 :mid:

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Chumpol denies meeting Thaksin in Hong Kong
*
*Chumpol denies meeting Thaksin in Hong Kong*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on July 3, 2011                

*Chart Thai Pattana Party leader Chumpol Silapa-archa  on Sunday denied speculation that he was planning to meet ousted prime  minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Hong Kong in order to form the next  government.*

Speaking before his flight departure, Chumpol said he planned his trip a month in advance to boost tourist arrivals.

"I barely survive by the projected voting outcome, hence I am not in the mood to talk about government formation," he said.

He  said he and party adviser Sanan Kachornprasart were only two to grab  party-list seats, voicing disappointment at the campaign performance.

----------


## Bobcock

That's one of them in the trash.....lets hope Bumjaithai follow....

----------


## crippen

Time for a change of Avatar!!!! ::chitown::

----------


## StrontiumDog

Yingluck Shinawatra: businesswoman in the shadow of her brother - FT.com

July 3, 2011 3:30 pm

*Yingluck Shinawatra: businesswoman in the shadow of her brother*

 By Tim Johnston in Bangkok


AFP

Yingluck Shinawatra, who is poised to become Thailand’s first female prime minister, is a former businesswoman and political neophyte who has struggled to escape the long shadow of her brother.

 Until two months ago, Mrs Yingluck, 44, was a just another  low-profile businesswoman with a husband and a young son, but  circumstances and the peculiar dynamics of the Thai power equation have  projected her into the centre of the country’s political cauldron.

 “We will use his ideas, but he will be one part of the idea” - Yingluck Shinawatra

Mrs  Yingluck is photogenic and relatively untainted by the endemic  corruption of Thai politics, but her greatest qualification for high  office has been her name: her brother is Thaksin Shinawatra, the controversial former prime minister who was removed in a military coup in 2006. 

 Despite living in Dubai to avoid a two-year prison sentence for  corruption, Mr Thaksin wields enough power over the opposition Puea Thai  party to have been able to engineer his sister’s appointment as the  prime ministerial candidate.

 One voter in the opposition heartland in the north gave a blunt  summation of Mrs Yingluck’s appeal: “I’d vote for a dog if it was  nominated by Mr Thaksin,” he said.

 Mrs Yingluck insists that she is not, as her brother once described her, his “clone”.

 “We will use his ideas, but he will be one part of the idea,” Mrs  Yingluck said of her brother in an interview with the Financial Times  last month. “We will consult with others, but finally I will make  decisions with the Puea Thai team, so I will be independent.”

 The figure of Mr Thaksin, a former police colonel and  telecommunications billionaire 18 years her senior, has dominated Mrs  Yingluck’s career. She was the CEO of Advanced Info Service,  the telecommunications company he founded and built into the country’s  biggest mobile carrier; she was also a director of Manchester City, the  British Premier League soccer club her brother bought in 2007 and sold  the following year; and most recently she was the CEO of SC Asset Corp, a  listed property developer majority owned by Mr Thaksin’s two children.

 But despite her gilded rise to the top, she commands respect in the  business world. SC Asset Corp’s share price has more than doubled in the  five years she has been at the helm, compared with a 45 per cent  increase in the broader SET Index. She also has a Master's degree in  public administration from Kentucky State University.

 “She was very well armed with all the available facts and statistics,  and certainly very professional,” said one businessman who has  travelled on international conferences with Mrs Yingluck. But, he says,  “She was certainly less approachable then than she seems now .”

 Mrs Yingluck has proved a fast learner. In May, at the start of the  election campaign, she was a halting public speaker who tended to sound  shrill and who avoided in depth interviews. Last Friday night, she stood  on a stage in the pouring rain working the crowd at Puea Thai’s final  campaign event like a seasoned pro.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*                Thailand Election 2011: New Mandala's post result wrap-up - Farrelly and Walker  * 
_
New Mandala Co-Editors Dr Nicholas Farrelly and Dr Andrew Walker analyse  the outcome of the Thailand election in the second and final video  update of election night. This video was recorded at 11.30pm, Canberra  time.

In this video Farrelly and Walker talk about the result,  Twitter's role in informing people, coalition partners, the future role  of Thaksin Shinawatra, what's ahead for Yingluck Shinawatra and how  their earlier predictions stacked up._ _

For more on the politics of Thailand and Southeast Asia:_  _New Mandala — New perspectives on mainland Southeast Asia_

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Elections in Thailand
*
*Elections in Thailand*

Press StatementVictoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

July 3, 2011

We  congratulate the people of the Kingdom of Thailand, our long-time  friend and ally, for their robust participation in the July 3rd  parliamentary elections. The choice of who will lead Thailand now rests  with those representatives elected by the Thai people.

 We look forward to working with the next Thai government to broaden  and strengthen our alliance, which is based on shared values and mutual  respect. The United States also looks forward to working with the  opposition and non-partisan civil society, as we have always done.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thaksin sister poised for power after six short weeks | Reuters
*
*Thaksin sister poised for power after six short weeks*

             By Martin Petty
                  BANGKOK |          Sun Jul 3, 2011 10:47am EDT         

   (Reuters) - With charisma, star appeal and promises of populist  giveaways, Yingluck Shinawatra was a powerful weapon for Thailand's  opposition party and is set to become the country's first woman prime  minister just six weeks into her political career.

  Yingluck's Puea Thai party  looked set for a landslide win in Sunday's election, marking a stunning  turnaround in fortunes for a party in disarray and stigmatized for its  links to her exiled billionaire brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a twice  elected premier despised by Thailand's elite and ousted in a 2006 coup.

The  44-year-old businesswoman has earned rock-star status, capturing the  hearts of the millions of working class Thais loyal to her brother, a  tycoon seen as the only Thai premier who sought to boost the livelihoods  of the millions of rural poor beyond Bangkok's bright lights.

For  hours after exit polls indicated a Puea Thai win, her supporters were  rapturous, screaming and chanting her name in anticipation of a  Shinawatra political dynasty taking shape.

"Prime  Minister Yingluck," chanted hundreds of people crammed into the party's  Bangkok headquarters. "Landslide, landslide," others shouted in  English.

Yingluck has promised to  revive Thaksin's famous populist policies and raise living standards,  vowing to pursue reconciliation to end Thailand's bloody six-year  political crisis without seeking vengeance for her brother's overthrow.

"I'll do my best and will not disappoint you," she told supporters after receiving a call of congratulations from her brother.

SHADOW OF THAKSIN

Her  late entry on to the scene came with a political marketing blitz, with  mass rallies and carefully choreographed speeches. Posters of a smiling,  suited, Yingluck were erected everywhere from bustling Bangkok  intersections to the rustic villages of the impoverished northeast.

Thaksin  remains a divisive figure, loathed as much as he is loved, and has  drawn sharp criticism for calling Yingluck his "clone."

But Yingluck's supporters do not seem to care and believe she will bring something of her own to Thailand, if she becomes Thailand's first prime minister since it became a democratic country 79 years ago.

"She's beautiful, she's clever, she's kind," said Thanida Permsombat, a computer technician from Bangkok

"She has the ability to make everything better again. Now, Thailand can have real change."

Supporters  thronged the corridors of Puea Thai headquarters and scores of  photographers and cameraman battled to catch a glimpse of Yingluck's  first news conference since Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva conceded  defeat as fireworks exploded on the streets outside.

She  refused to comment on when Thaksin might return from exile. Puea Thai  had no amnesty policy, she said, and it would be up to independent  panels to decide, with no special arrangements for one man only.

There  is little doubt Yingluck was the catalyst for Puea Thai's victory, but a  rocky road lies ahead for as long as Thaksin casts his shadow over Thai  politics.

"Yingluck was the big  factor in this win. She didn't make any mistakes, she stuck to the  script," said Eurasia Group analyst Roberto Herrero-Lim.

"She  has been an impressive stand-in for Thaksin, but what happens next is  the big issue. What are Yingluck's real plans regarding her brother?"

As for Thaksin, he said in Dubai he had no immediate plans to return.

"When  I decide to return, it should help contribute to the process of  reconciliation, not making myself part of its problem. If my return is  going to cause problems, then I will not do it yet. I should be a  solution, not a problem."

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thai women cheer first female prime minister | Reuters
*
*Thai women cheer first female prime minister*

             By Ploy Ten Kate
                  BANGKOK |          Sun Jul 3, 2011 10:54am EDT         

   (Reuters) - After six prime ministers in six years of sometimes bloody  political upheaval, Thais might be excused for shrugging their shoulders  about voting in number seven.

  But this time there's one big difference. The new prime minister will be a woman, the first to hold the position in Thailand.

Yingluck  Shinawatra, a 44-year-old businesswoman who wasn't even in politics two  months ago, is poised to get the top job after the stunning election  victory of Puea Thai (For Thais), whose de facto leader is her brother,  fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Yingluck,  known as Pou (Crab), the nickname her parents gave her, has never run  for office or held a government post, so she has a lot to prove to show  she can run the country.

But some  Thais, especially females, want to give her the benefit of the doubt and  see this as a big step for women in a country where they have struggled  for equal representation in government.

"I've  always wanted to have the first lady prime minister," said Areerak  Saelim, 42-year-old owner of a sunglass shop in a Bangkok market.

"I've  seen too many men failing to run the country. Maybe this time, things  will be different. What women are -- and men aren't -- is meticulous.  I'm pretty sure she can do the job based on her age and successful  career."

Yingluck has promised to  revive her brother's populist policies and raise living standards among  the poor, vowing to pursue national reconciliation to end a six-year  political crisis, without seeking vengeance for her brother's overthrow  by the military in 2006.

"More and  more women are capable, knowledgeable and can actually get the job done  these days," said Yaowalak Poolthong, first executive vice-president of  Krung Thai Bank Pcl.

"I don't think gender should be an issue, limiting who can or can't do the job."

MAN BEHIND THE WOMAN

But some wondered whether she was her own woman.

"It's obvious who she represents," said Puttasa Karnsakulton, a 37-year-old clothing shop owner.

Thaksin,  a twice-elected prime minister who is now living as a fugitive from  Thai justice in Dubai, has said he wants to come home, and one of  Yingluck's policies is an amnesty for political offences.

"I  can't accept it if having the first female prime minister means she'll  come in to benefit one person. There are doubts in my mind that this is  simply a woman in front of a man," Puttasa said.

Puea  Thai's plan to give each province 100 million baht ($3.2 million) to  support the income-generating activities of women's groups has left some  women's rights advocates skeptical.

"Who  is to decide who will get the money? Will this be just a one-off  handout? Will it work as a revolving fund?" asked Sutada  Mekrungruengkul, director of the Gender and Development Research  Institute.

Siriphan Noksuan,  associate professor at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Political  Science, said it was far too early to say what kind of leader she would  be.

"People know she's a political novice," Siriphan said.

"But they also trust that she will have an army of pundits and economic advisers behind the scene to help her."

For  now, she can bask in her victory after a campaign that left defeated  Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, a career politician, struggling from  day one.

Abhisit doesn't have the common touch. Yingluck, a wealthy businesswoman, and Thaksin, a billionaire former telecoms tycoon, do.

"In  some way, I feel like I can connect with her and her brother even  though we're poor and have nothing," said Malai Jiemdee, a maid from  Nakhon Ratchasima province. ($1 = 30.795 Baht)

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thai red shirts predict peace after election win | Reuters
*
*Thai red shirts predict peace after election win*

             By Michael Perry
                  UDON THANI, Thailand |          Sun Jul 3, 2011 10:40am EDT         

   (Reuters) - The message from Thailand's rural heartlands, a bastion of  red-shirt protesters who paralyzed Bangkok last year, was simple.

  "Thailand will be peaceful,"  said Kwanchai Praipana, a protest leader in northeastern Udon Thani  province, after the movement's populist hero Thaksin Shinawatra's sister  won Sunday's national elections.

The  red shirts celebrated Yingluck Shinawatra's strong performance in the  election as a peoples' victory in a sometimes violent, six-year  political conflict.

Many had feared  the election would deepen a divide in Thailand between the red-shirted  urban and rural poor on one side and the traditional elite on the other,  a rift that drove Thailand close to full civil conflict last year.

"We now trust the government to use the power to do everything to help the poor people," Kwanchai said.

The  red shirts have rallied behind Yingluck but fear her Puea Thai Party  may be prevented from governing, despite her winning an outright  majority of 261 seats in the 500-seat parliament as projected by the  Election Commission.

Kwanchai, for  instance, complained about the number of spoilt ballots, saying the  Electoral Commission had made papers too complex for many old people.  "The spoilt papers will be sent to court," he said.

Another  red shirt leader, Thida Thavornseth, said poll booth officials in many  provinces had told voters to sign their ballot papers instead of mark a  cross, spoiling their ballots in the process.

With  54.6 percent, or 25.6 million votes, counted, total spoiled ballots  from both constituency and party lists totaled 2.43 million.

Tens  of thousands of red shirts protested in Bangkok's main commercial  district last year. Ninety-one people died and nearly 2,000 were wounded  when the army broke up demonstrations centered on the Rajaprasong  intersection, surrounded by five-star hotels and shopping malls.

"The  91 people that died at Rajaprasong, we are doing it for them," Kwanchai  said. "...This win is very important because it will determine  Thailand's destiny."

In northeast  Thailand, home to a third of Thailand's population, villagers accuse  Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's Democrat Party of colluding with the  army to perpetuate a traditional hierarchy, often at the expense of the  poor.

Thaksin, a former  telecommunications tycoon, scored landslide election wins in 2001 and  2005 by appealing to the rural poor with populist policies, from cheap  credit to universal healthcare. He was ousted in a coup in 2006.

Abhisit's  backers -- the royalist establishment, the military and urban middle  class -- want Thaksin to serve a two-year prison term for corruption.  They say Yingluck is a proxy for her brother and would clear the way for  Thaksin's return.

"The military  must change," Kwanchai, jailed for nine months on terrorism charges  after last year's protest, said. "They cannot have a coup because  everyone is watching, the world is watching.

"The  only way Puea Thai cannot form government is if the army steps in. If  they do, red shirts will fight, but that won't happen. They do not dare  to act because this is the people's decision. They can't have a coup."

He  said Thais had spoken in one voice but that he expected Puea Thai to  form a coalition, despite having a majority of seats, in order to unite  the country.

----------


## chitown

The better half -Thai women are the glue that holds the country together in so many ways. Maybe having a woman at the helm will set things in the right direction. 

I am aware of several companies that only hire Thai women and they run like clockwork.

----------


## Takeovers

> I am aware of several companies that only hire Thai women and they run like clockwork.


I have observed in the Philippines that "of course" the boss is a man. Those under him with responsibility who need to be reliable and educated are largely women. Laborers at the bottom are male again. So it is mainly the women who keep things running. I guess it is similar in Thailand.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Live-Blog: Thailand Elections 2011 | Asian Correspondent
*
*Live-Blog: Thailand Elections 2011*

_By Siam Voices Jul 03, 2011 2:59PM UTC_ 

*0.10h* That wraps up our live-blog of the Thai elections 2011! What do we learn from today’s events?

 We’ll most likely get our first female prime minister; the opposition  (both parliamentary and extra-parliamentary) have reasons to celebrate;  the Democrat Party have gambled with their negative campaigning  and ultimately lost while Yingluck has won not only because of her  exiled brother, but also because of her soft approach; that being an  straight-forward, angry underdog gets you somewhere and that Thai exit  polls are crap and we should be careful not to be fooled by the flashy  numbers…

 What this election has shown is that the Thai people are sick of the  political deterioration of recent years, of the meddling of  re-politicized institutions that are not supposed to be politicized in  the first place, but also a return of a supposedly strong man who’s  supposed to help the needs of many people directly and swift, even  though he’s far from being a political saint – whether or not Yingluck  Shinawatra and the Pheu Thai Party are the right people for this has to  be seen.

 What is important now is where the new government puts its priorities  first and how it handles the many crisis the country is facing – how  will they tackle the rising food prices? Will they try to form  reconciliation, even at the cost of justice? How free will prime  minister Yingluck be of influence from outside the democratic  institutions and from abroad? Ultimately: Will the will of the people be  heard?

 Thanks for everybody for following, re-tweeting and commenting on the live-blog and special thanks to Fergal of _Asian Correspondent_  for the technical and editorial help! It’s been a very busy day today –  at one time I was updating from the back of a motorcycle – and it was  at times not easy to keep up with the stream of information.  Nevertheless, I hope you were all informed and may be a little  entertained of our coverage of this important day!

 Good Night, Thailand!

*23:45h* Newer numbers and the last ones on this blog  for tonight: Pheu Thai Party 264 seats, Democrat Party 160, Bhumjai Thai  Party 34, Chart Thai Pattana 19, Chart Pattana Pheu Paendin 7,  Phalangchong 7, Rak Prathet Thai (Chuwit) 4, Matubhum Party (Gen Sonthi)  2, Rak Santi (Purachai) 1, others 2

 Also interesting are the regional wins PT vs Dem – Bangkok: 10 – 23,  Central: 41 – 25, South: 0-50, North: 49 – 13, Isaan: 103 – 5, Part List  votes: 61 – 44

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Stage set for Pheu Thai govt
*
*Stage set for Pheu Thai govt*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on July 4, 2011                


*Yingluck plays down victory; poised to become country's first female PM*

                                                            Unofficial results of yesterday's general election  indicated the Pheu Thai Party would win a majority of the 500 House of  Representative seats and the mandate to form the next government.

Its  top party-list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra is poised to become the  country's first female prime minister, although in her news conference  yesterday, she did confirm she would become the next government head.  She said she would wait for the official results.

"I don't want to  say that Pheu Thai has won today. The people have given us an  opportunity to serve and there will be a lot of duties ahead," she said.

"It  is the exercising of rights by people that gave me this opportunity,"  she said at 8pm at the Pheu Thai headquarters, which was crowded with  photographers, reporters, and many jubilant party supporters.

She also thanked Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, the outgoing prime minister, for congratulating her.

Yingluck  - who had no political experience before entering the election fray six  weeks ago - is widely considered a proxy for her brother, fugitive  former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who described her as "my  clone".

With more than 80 per cent of the ballots counted, the  Election Commission's preliminary results showed that Pheu Thai was  leading with 261 House seats, well over a simple majority. The Democrat  Party was set to win 162 seats. 

Initial results showed an outcome  similar to that of the 2007 election, with Pheu Thai winning most seats  in the Northeast and the North while the Democrats performed better in  the South and in Bangkok. The capital - which saw a high voter turnout  of 71 per cent - provided some solace to the Democrats, who were leading  in 23 of the 33 constituencies.

In the latest count of votes for  party-list candidates, Pheu Thai had 13.7 million votes, compared with  10 million for the Democrats. In the previous election almost four years  ago, Pheu Thai's predecessor the People Power Party and the Democrat  Party each secured more than 12 million votes, with a 190,000-vote  margin in favour of the PPP.

Pheu Thai is unlikely to form a  single-party government with a slim majority in the Lower House. Thaksin  made it clear in remarks after the closing of yesterday's voting that  there would be at least one other party in a Pheu Thai-led coalition.  "Having no other partners, it will be lonely - just like me," Thaksin  said, referring to his self-exile overseas.

A Pheu Thai-led  coalition government is likely to include the Chart Thai Pattana, Chart  Pattana Puea Pandin, and Palang Chon parties, as well as a Bhum Jai Thai  faction led by banned politician Somsak Thepsuthin, who appeared to be  unhappy with the party's mainstream. According to the latest results,  the coalition would consist of a little more than 300 MPs.

Yingluck  said yesterday that Pheu Thai had talked to Chart Thai Pattana about  forming a new coalition together and would talk to other possible  partners later. But she did not disclose the details. 

At her news  conference at the Pheu Thai HQ, she told foreign press in an interview  that she had not won simply because she was a part of the Shinawatra  family.

She added that she was still waiting for an official  election outcome in order to decide about the make-up of a new coalition  government. Chart Thai Pattana has already been in contact and  expressed its willingness to join the coalition, according to Yingluck. 

According  to a Pheu Thai source, Chart Thai Pattana asked for control of two  major ministries - Finance, Commerce, or Transport. A source from Chart  Pattana Puea Pandin said the party would be satisfied with the Energy  portfolio it holds in the current government.

Earlier yesterday,  in his brief statement shortly after 7.30pm, Democrat leader Abhisit  thanked voters and said signs were good for Thai politics to move ahead.  He congratulated Pheu Thai for its election victory but warned that the  Democrats would oppose any amnesty attempts for Thaksin.

"It is  clear now that Pheu Thai has won this election. The Democrat Party  accepts defeat and congratulates Pheu Thai [on having sufficient votes]  to form a government, and Yingluck [in a position to assume] the PM's  post, especially as Thailand may have its first female PM," he said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Pheu Thai has mandate and must use it well
*
*Pheu Thai has mandate and must use it well*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on July 4, 2011                


*Despite numerous speculations about the state of  Thai democracy and a consequential deeply divided nation, the Thai  people cast their votes yesterday in a high turnout, which can only bode  well for our troubled political system.*

The result was a simple-majority mandate for the  opposition Pheu Thai Party, which must learn from the past and exercise  its legitimacy in a way that can take Thailand out of the years-old and  sometimes violent crisis.

The party ran a slick election campaign  highlighted by the nomination of Yingluck Shinawatra, the younger sister  of ex-prime minister Thaksin, as possibly Thailand's first female prime  minister. 

The election results at press time give a mandate for the Pheu Thai Party to form the next government. 

And it should proceed to do so.

While the Democrat Party will have to lick its wounds from  this election loss and prepare to play a role as a good opposition,  Pheu Thai carries on its shoulders a massive responsibility to create a  government whose legitimacy does not rest solely on a numerical majority  in the House of Representatives.

The party executives should  learn this lesson from the misfortunes that beset its predecessors - the  Thai Rak Thai and People Power parties. 

As ruling parties, both  at times eroded the reserve of goodwill that hinges on maintaining  political legitimacy - and consequently encouraged unwarranted street  politics and military intervention. 

And with this we welcome Yingluck's political-reconciliation olive branch to heal the divided nation. 

We  welcome the pro-change and pro-reform approach to government as  highlighted by Dr Olarn Chaipravat, chief economic-policy strategist of  the Pheu Thai Party, because Thailand economically and politically has  reached a critical juncture as a nation-state.

Political legitimacy contains both written and unwritten rules. 

This is about the exercise of good and honest leadership. It is about tackling both financial and political corruption. 

It is about maintaining justice, fairness, and freedom of the press. 

This  leaves no room for amnesty to any person. Nor is the road paved with  roses for the expected next female and inexperienced Thai prime  minister, as Yingluck's professional political career is just six weeks  old. 

With the party expected to have a slim majority in the House, Thai voters have handed Pheu Thai a limited mandate.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thaksin says peace not possible without respecting people's voice
*
*Thaksin says peace not possible without respecting people's voice*

                            By The Nation
                                             Published on July 4, 2011                

*In an interview with Thai PBS television station  yesterday, fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Thais  voted for the Pheu Thai Party because they were fed up with the  Democrats, and he warned that if any country did not respect the  people's voice, it would have no peace.*

*What do you have to say with the exit polls showing Pheu Thai leading?* 

People are tired of being at a standstill. They want  development and, most important, they love democracy and want the  country to change in a peaceful way. 

*The motto "Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai does" - what do you think?* 

The academics of the party and I teamed up to write our policies.

*Knowing the unofficial election results, will Pheu Thai form a one-party government or fill it with decorative plants?* 

It is lonely to be alone. We all know each other but we have to  look at the scores first. This is the issue the Pheu Thai Party and  Yingluck [Shinawatra] have to work on. But they have probably talked  over the phone already. 

*Will you have any problem working with any particular party?* 

I am not vengeful of anyone. Working with other parties is what  the executive board has to decide. I forgive everyone. Many who were  spiteful to me may have forgiven me.

*Do you still insist Yingluck is a PM candidate?* 

Of course. Pheu Thai announced clearly that Yingluck is the  party's PM candidate. Yingluck has tough work ahead. First we have to  bring about reconciliation and economic recovery. 

*Will you fly back to attend your daughter's wedding?* 

I actually wanted to return yesterday. But conditions must be  right. If my return and [would make me] part of the problem, I will not  rush back. It is my wish to attend my daughter's wedding.  

I have to be patient and accept the situation if I cannot return.  My daughter can come to visit me. I do not want to return if that will  create problems.

*What's the most important task of the next government?* 

It must bring about reconciliation, justice and happiness for the people.

*Any amnesty plan in the making?* 

I have to ask the reconciliation panel led by Dr Kanit na Nakhon,  which also searched for the truth on what happened and why it was such a  mess.

*Should a Pheu Thai-led government support the Kanit panel to continue its work?* 

Yes, Yingluck had earlier announced during the election rally,  whoever has good ideas and brings about justice and does not politicise,  every government must embrace such a person.

*What are your thoughts today?* 

I'm happy for the people and hope the people's voice will be  respected and democracy is embraced. In whichever country does not  respect the people's judgement, there will be no peace.

*Any regret about any fallout in the past over the three restive Southern provinces?* 

No. No one can do things 100 per cent correct or 100 per cent wrong. 

*Looking back, what was the big mistake you made?* 

I cannot reply to this in a short interview. Come and see me in Dubai.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*New govt will aim for bottom up approach to development

ECONOMIC STRATEGIST OLARN:* 

*New govt will aim for bottom up approach to development*

                            By Wichit Chaitrong
The Nation
                                             Published on July 4, 2011                

*The new government expected to be led by the Pheu  Thai Party is likely to brand itself as pro-change and pro-reform, and  to encourage a "bottom-up" approach to development.*

                                                            These ideas, partly formulated by Dr Olarn Chaipravat, the  party's chief economic strategist, are seen as a continuation of those  set by its predecessor, the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party.  Olarn told a gathering of foreign business people at a seminar  organised by The Nation and Asean TV that his party would, in  government, want to narrow the income gap between the rich and poor by  implementing a "bottom up" economic model.  

The party wants to increase the income of farmers, labourers and  office workers. Promised measures include a pledging guarantee of  Bt15,000 a tonne for unhusked rice, a minimum wage of Bt300 per day and  an increase in salaries for new graduates to Bt15,000 per month.  

During the election campaign Olarn and other Pheu Thai members  promised to increase the competitiveness of the business sector. The  party plans to cut corporate income tax to 23 per cent from 30 per cent  in its first year in office, then to 20 per cent in later years.  

The party also promised to develop a land bridge in the South  linking the Gulf of Thailand to the Andaman Sea, and to invest in  high-speed rail projects linking Bangkok and other key cities. It  promised to extend and build 10 mass transit lines in Bangkok. The party  also promised to build a new city "on the sea", to act as a dam to  prevent seawater flooding Bangkok. 

It wants to set up a sovereign wealth fund by drawing  international reserves from the central bank to invest in natural  resources and energy - oil, diamonds and gold in Africa. 

The party will work to resume diplomatic harmony with Cambodia,  as part of a broader effort to strengthen Asean and the coming Asean  Economic Community.  

Olarn promised to manage the price of farm products, fuels and  other consumer products, saying he wanted to help create fair prices for  all parties.  

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said during an interview  with TV3 yesterday that government priorities were national  reconciliation - letting an independent panel led by Kanit na Nakorn  continue their factfinding - and to reduce the high inflation. 

Sompop Manarungsan, an economist at Chulalongkorn University,  said he feared that populist policies would drag the country's progress  due to their high costs with little productive gains.  

"The Pheu Thai Party has an ambitious plan to increase GDP from  US$300 billion to $800 billion in the next 10 years, but populist  policies [cash handouts and easy credit] would drag [down] growth,"  Sompop said.  

He said that the Democrat Party lost the election because it had  implemented populist policies but their scale could not match those  promised by Pheu Thai - the successor to Thai Rak Thai, the party that  initiated populist policies. So people who formally voted Democrat  either voted "no" or voted for a third party.  

Economic policy implemented by the Democrat-led government was  not market friendly, he argued, saying businesses and the middle classes  felt frustrated by it.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*How shrewd underdog became top dog

ANALYSIS* 

*How shrewd underdog became top dog*

                            By Thanitaya Tanapisutkul,
Opas Boolom
The Nation
                                             Published on July 4, 2011                

*Within two months, the Pheu Thai Party has seen a  dramatic turnaround - from being a political underdog to the winner in  yesterday's national election.*

                                                            How did it achieve so much in such a short time?

The  election results come as no surprise to those who know the Pheu Thai  Party well. The successor of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai party founded  by ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra possesses a combination of  shrewd political strategy, voter-centric approach, unified campaign  messages and marketing acumen.

The outgoing ruling Democrat Party  was unable to match this collective onslaught. In quite a contrast, the  Democrats didn't have a cohesive national election strategy but were  merely tactical. The party didn't understand the mindset of the mass  voters, including differences among supporters of the red shirts. It  offered no vision in its election campaign, except borrowed populist  overtones. 

"We are a pro-change, pro-reform party," Dr Olarn  Chaipravat, chief strategist of Pheu Thai's economic policy, said while  summing up his party's unitary message to the voters. Such a pronounced  campaign message touched base with urban poor, Northeasterners and even  sections of academics and opinion leaders.

The nomination of  Thaksin's sister - businesswoman Yingluck Shinawatra - as the party's  prime-ministerial candidate was described by the chairman of a  consumer-products company as "marketing genius". 

Her nomination  immediately toned down harshness towards the party brought about by Pheu  Thai's selection of several red-shirt leaders on the party list. It was  also hard for the rival Democrat Party to indulge in mudslinging  against a woman, the way it could have done against male politicians.

Pheu  Thai also turned its weakness - being seen as Thaksin's proxy party -  into its strength, by campaigning that "Thaksin thinks and Pheu Thai  will do it". 

The party did not deny its connection with the  ex-prime minister but instead used the link to its advantage, by  promising voters a return of "the good old policies" when Thaksin was in  power - such as the Village Fund and the universal healthcare  programme.

One of the most exciting platforms of Pheu Thai's  campaign was the issuing of credit cards to farmers so that they could  buy items necessary for farming, such as fertiliser and pesticide, on  credit. This policy appeared to please grass-roots people who want to  become part of the middle class, and having a credit card could be a  good beginning for them.

When it came to populist policies, Pheu  Thai appeared to benefit from the success of Thai Rak Thai, which was  the first to implement populist policies seriously, resulting in much  popularity for the now-disbanded party. 

Although the Democrat  Party began formulating many populist policies while in power, its  efforts appeared insufficient to win back much support from Thaksin's  party.

Pheu Thai also successfully positioned Yingluck's positive  image as a "working woman" who did not resort to mudslinging while  focusing on policies and her success in business and work.

Moreover,  Pheu Thai did not fall into the Democrats' traps - a repeated call for a  public debate between Yingluck and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva,  and the allegation that Pheu Thai intended to give amnesty to Thaksin  and return the Bt46 billion seized by a court order.

The  Democrats, in the later part of their campaign rally, tried to link Pheu  Thai to people responsible for "burning of the city" during last year's  unrest in Bangkok, but the effort appeared to have only limited impact  on the election. It was a last-ditch tactical move but the party,  throughout the campaign, did not have a clear winning political  strategy.

Yingluck's success also was due to Pheu Thai's efficient  teamwork in projecting her good image through marketing techniques,  while the Democrats' teamwork was not as good.

The Democrats'  weaknesses lay mostly in being the ruling party. Their government's slow  response to national problems helped Pheu Thai criticise them for being  "only good at talking".

Prime Minister Abhisit's nine-point code  of conduct for his Cabinet members failed to live up to its promise,  dampening goodwill it enjoyed with Democrat supporters. Also, it seemed  to be often confused while handling bilateral relations with Cambodia  over the Preah Vihear temple saga.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Democrats' error-prone road to defeat

ANALYSIS* 

*Democrats' error-prone road to defeat*

                            By Atthayut Butrsripoom
The Nation
                                             Published on July 4, 2011                

*The Democrat Party only has itself to blame for the election defeat.*

                                                            While in power and even during the election campaign,  the party made several tactical mistakes that weakened its popularity  while boosting the support for its rival, the Pheu Thai Party.

The  result is not an indication of Pheu Thai being superior or its  prime-ministerial candidate Yingluck Shinawatra being better than  Democrat leader and incumbent PM Abhisit Vejjajiva. The Democrats  suffered the loss despite support of many "sympathisers".

According  to many political observers, Abhisit made a mistake by not dissolving  the House of Representatives and calling an early general election soon  after the unrest and rioting in May last year. Had the House dissolution  taken place shortly before the "burning of the city" by rioters after  dispersal of the red shirts from Bangkok's Ratchaprasong area, the  Democrats' attacks on Pheu Thai and its red-shirt allies would have been  more effective. Instead, over the past year after the turmoil, the  Democrats' political enemies succeeded in creating a perception that the  Democrat-led government was responsible for all 91 deaths during the  tumultuous weeks of political turmoil last year. The vote results showed  that the Democrat rally at Ratchaprasong was unable to change that  perception.

One year after the political turmoil, the ruling  Democrats' weaknesses became evident when it came to dealing with the  country's problems, such as high inflation, corruption, lack of  decisiveness, and favouritism regarding transfers of bureaucrats. These  problems appeared to have worsened over the past year.

Many  opinion surveys conducted before the July 3 election showed that the  Democrats were trailing Pheu Thai and the gap widened as voting day  approached.

Seeing their poor performance in the opinion polls,  the Democrats decided to call a campaign rally at Ratchaprasong, putting  the blame on Yingluck's elusive brother and ex-prime minister Thaksin  Shinawatra and his red-shirt allies for last year's unrest. That move  appeared to have backfired as the rally upset many people who wanted to  forget the event.

In December 2008, the Democrats came to power  amid a severe global economic recession and allegations that its  coalition government had been formed with intervention from "power  outside the system". 

The Democrat-led government was successful  in improving economic figures, including the stock-exchange index,  export volume, and foreign investment. However, these improvements  benefited wealthy people and investors rather than people on the street.  On the contrary, ordinary people suffered from the rising prices of  consumer goods. Cooking palm oil was so scarce that people had to queue  up for rations and some even had to fight for their share - a rare scene  for Thailand since the World War II.

The Abhisit administration  was slow in tackling that problem as well as natural disasters such as  severe flooding in many provinces, and accidents such as the sinking of a  sugar barge that polluted part of the Chao Phraya River. 

The  prime minister set nine points for his Cabinet members to abide by,  promising a high standard against corruption. However, it seemed he  could enforce the rule only on Cabinet members from his Democrat Party,  but not those from other coalition parties, such as Bhum Jai Thai.

Thanks  to an inefficient opposition in Pheu Thai - which failed to make its  leader, Yongyuth Wichaidit, the opposition leader because he was not a  member of Parliament - some Cabinet members managed to remain in office  despite allegations of irregularity, mismanagement, and lack of  efficiency. With many problems remaining unsolved, came the allegation  the Democrats are "only good at talking".

The Democrats in fact  tried to win the hearts of lower-income people and the rural grass roots  such as farmers but their efforts were not sufficient. Trying to woo  grass-roots votes with populist policies, the Democrats played the game  in which Pheu Thai - when they were in Thaksin's parties Thai Rak Thai  and People Power - had succeeded and won big support from rural voters.  The Democrats have been in power for a little over two years, while  Thaksin's parties had ruled with their populist policies for seven  years.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Letter from a voter
*
*Letter from a voter*

                            By Achara Deboonme
The Nation
                                             Published on July 4, 2011                

*I cast my ballot yesterday with a feeling of relief  and hope all voters turning out at the polling booths shared the same  feeling.*

                                                            Eventually, Thais expressed what they thought about the  past five turbulent years that sent the nation into its deepest abyss.  What's left to be seen now is what course the winner chooses - the cause  of some politicians or that of the entire country.

Television  footage from many parts of the country showed long queues at polling  booths. In Bangkok, traffic snarls were witnessed across town. In my  housing estate, some families left their houses at 8am, and my  neighbours called others to enquire whether they had already cast their  votes. At the polling booth in my constituency, the book of eligible  voters was full of signatures. That was a big surprise to me as I was  always among the last people to cast a vote and have never seen the page  so full of signatures.

It convinced me that all Thais had had  enough of the political wrangling that has gnawed at the country since  the coup in 2006. TPBS showed a voter in Kantharalak district in Buri  Ram, near the border where Preah Vihear is located, return home from  Rayong to cast her vote. Her hope was that a good prime minister would  help bring back peace to the border town. Likewise, citizens nationwide,  particularly those in Bangkok, wanted to exercise their voting power to  help guide the country in a preferred direction. 

Their  frustration was understandable. For five years, conflicts have raged in  this and that direction, with the citizens held hostage. The country has  been divided with people sharing similar political ideologies or  beliefs forming their own groups. Sadly, they were all ears and eyes  only to those of the same opinions and shut their doors to voices from  other groups. 

All types of vengeance have been deployed to attack other camps, while paying lip service to "reconciliation". 

With  this election, everyone prayed that all this wrangling would come to an  end. The beginning is not heartening. As news of Pheu Thai's victory  spread, some fans of the Democrats and small parties exclaimed "This  shows Thais remain uneducated". As a start, it's time for everyone to  start listening to the opinions of others. If they want politicians to  give up their own interests for the sake of the country, they should  start with themselves. Whatever, they can't change the result, given  that constitutionally, the one-man one-vote applies to all. To me, any  attempt to demean Pheu Thai's victory is equivalent to being opposed to  the philosophy. If they think that the poor in provinces are uneducated  and should not enjoy a right to vote, they should challenge the  Constitution. And as that would go against international standards, they  should just forget it.

For the sake of the country, politicians  should commit themselves to undoing their past mistakes in a fair  manner. Pheu Thai will need to avoid repeating the same mistakes.  Appointing red-shirt leaders like Natthawut Saikua as ministers -  figures whose role in the bloody crisis last year remains unclear -  would be very stupid, as it goes against the party's pledge for  reconciliation. Also, any amnesty for former leader Thaksin Shinawatra  should be delayed as this could spark another fire of conflict. Pheu  Thai cannot win the hearts of all voters, but the majority will remain  loyal if they act in the interests of the nation.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^ Nice article...

----------


## StrontiumDog

*We'll fight to the death to keep victory, Pheu Thai backers say
*
*We'll fight to the death to keep victory, Pheu Thai backers say*

                            By Pravit Rojanaphruk,
Peeradej Panruangporn
The Nation
                                             Published on July 4, 2011                

*Jubilant Pheu Thai supporters said they were not  counting out the possibility of an attempt by the Army or so-called  "invisible hands" to intervene, but added that they were ready to fight  to hang on to the election victory they won yesterday.*

                                                            "I shall fight to death if they try to rob us of our  victory again," Bangkok businessman Kunchai Itthisak said at the party's  headquarters. "I am ready if they interfere, even if it means 10 deaths  against one. What else would they want to do now that we have achieved a  landslide victory?

"It seems they don't respect the people and democracy. I pay taxes, so come what may," Kunchai said.

Samruay  Khodchadok, a native of Nakhon Ratchasima who moved to Bangkok many  years ago, said yesterday's landslide win meant the forces outside the  electoral system were no longer an effective factor.
"I'm not worried. People must be united," he said.

The  Pheu Thai headquarters started to bustle as supporters and the media  waited for the party's candidates to arrive. Interviewing supporters  around the perimeter revealed both hope and fear. 

"I am very  concerned about electoral fraud and obstacles that may hinder the voting  processes," said an electoral commissioner. Beyond the irregularities  that have been already been reported, she also lamented the inability of  people to travel back home in time to vote. 

Many supporters were  sure that even if Pheu Thai won by a landslide, yellow-shirt protesters  would protest against the result. One supporter hoped to see more  constructiveness in protest politics than mere critiques. Many were also  doubtful that the military would refrain from staking a claim in  politics. 

If the party does not form a large majority in the  House of Representatives on its own, supporters expect it to form a  coalition with the Chart Pattana Puea Pandin and Chart Thai Pattana  parties. 

With Pheu Thai forming the government, supporters expect  national reconciliation and fixing the economy to be the top  priorities.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Euphoric with Election Victory, Thais Face Difficult Road | Robert Amsterdam Thailand
*
*Euphoric with Election Victory, Thais Face Difficult Road*



Despite  reports of irregularities, confrontations, and all the other drama that  comes with an election process in a nation of 67 million people,  tonight early results from Thailand’s general election indicate a crushing victory  for the opposition Pheu Thai Party with about 264 out of 500 seats in  parliament, making Yingluck Shinawatra the first female prime minister  of Thailand.  Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva conceded the defeat on  national television, and extended his congratulations to his opponents.

 When I started working with the Red Shirt movement one year ago, it  is hard to look back at everything that has transpired without feeling  amazed about the transformation that has taken place.  A year ago, our  movement had been written off as finished. Our leaders were in prison,  on the run, or silenced by the strict conditions attached to their bail.  Our organization had been disrupted by mass arrests, military  intimidation, as well as the censorship of our main publications, radio  stations, and television channel. Worst of all, the government’s  campaign of psychological warfare  appeared to have persuaded the public that the massacre of ninety-two  people was not only justified, but somehow not nearly as tragic than the  loss of a few buildings.

 People were so scared to talk about the killings they witnessed, and  terrified to publicly show disagreement with the government (a fact  demonstrated by the solitary one-man protests of Sombat Boonngamanong to  hang a banner at Ratchaprasong).

 A year later, we celebrate a stunning victory for our movement.  The election result is all the more stunning when we consider the odds  Pheu Thai was up against. Even with the full backing of the state, the  assistance of the army, the disenfranchisement of hundreds of thousands  of voters, the control of the media, the jailing of our candidates, and  the disqualification of dozens of our leading politicians, the Democrats  were no match for a party, and a movement, that have inspired and  empowered millions of Thai citizens.

 Far more than for our movement, however, this election is a historic  victory for Thailand. A year ago, with the country under emergency rule,  the people’s freedoms at their lowest point in decades, Thailand’s  commitment to democracy and the rule of law appeared in doubt. Today,  the Thai people have yet again dispelled those doubts by standing up to  intimidation and fear mongering. Their message was clear— enough coups,  enough censorship, enough judicial meddling, enough massacres, and  enough lies. On this day, we stand in awe of the people’s resolve,  wisdom, and pride. Thailand’s leaders, yellow and red, elected and  unelected, have much to learn from the people they are so privileged to  serve.

 Our joy, hope, and renewed confidence in Thailand’s future is  tempered by the sadness we feel about the loss of those who gave their  lives to put the country back on the path to democracy. As we said on  May 19, their sacrifice will never be forgotten, for the loss of their  lives has given ours new meaning. But to those who died or suffered  debilitating injuries last year we owe much more than our appreciation  and gratitude. What we owe the victims of last year’s crackdown is the  fulfillment of their vision for a better, more democratic country— one  where no one else has to die to earn recognition and respect for their  basic rights.

 A few days ago, Human Rights Watch issued a statement  urging both major parties to “make human rights a priority.” We could  not agree more. The next government owes it to its own martyrs to find  out the truth about past abuses, no matter who was in power at the time  the abuses took place. This process should be undertaken not out of any  thirst for revenge, but rather because almost every one of those  victims, whatever their political affiliation, religious creed, or  ideology, was a citizen of Thailand. That ought to count for something.  More difficult still, the next government must dedicate itself to  dismantling the system of impunity that makes the abuses systematic and  their commission unremitting. Transforming Thailand into a first world  nation requires more than the improvement of its physical  infrastructure, the expansion of economic opportunity, and the  enhancement of standards of living. It requires the consolidation of  real democracy, the institutionalization of the rule of law, and the  elevation of individual freedom above any consideration of partisan  advantage or practical expedience.

 As exhilarating as this day has been, this election only marks the  first step towards the fulfillment of these ideals. Years from now, when  the history of this political crisis is written, we can only hope that  this election will be seen as a turning point in Thailand’s political  development. Hopefully, this will be remembered as the moment when  Thailand began to shake off the idea that “reconciliation,” as Thongchai  Winichakul describes it, requires “the sacrifice of justice and the  suspension of the rule of law that could incriminate the ruling elite  and their networks,” and started to build a sustainable peace on a  lasting foundation of justice, fairness, and accountability. It’s our  job to make that kind of history.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^Robert Amsterdam wading into the aftermath....

I wonder if we'll be hearing much from him in the future....

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thrust into a minefield of power

ANALYSIS* 

*Thrust into a minefield of power*

                            By Somroutai Sapsomboon
The Nation
                                             Published on July 4, 2011                

*Process will expose PM candidate Yingluck to political storms*

The Pheu Thai Party will have to tread several  political minefields despite being able to form an outright government  after winning a simple majority.

First and foremost is the  nomination of ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's sister Yingluck  Shinawatra as Thailand's first female prime minister. 

The process will expose her to political storms from all directions for being Thaksin's proxy, or in his words "my clone". 

Is  Thaksin ready to usher his sister into that position, and if so, is he  certain that she will be able to weather the political storms ahead?

"The  opposition she had to confront during the election campaign would be  nothing when compared with what Yingluck would face as prime minister,"  commented a seasoned political observer, a view shared by many experts.

If  she manages to become prime minister, Yingluck will have to brace for  tough scrutiny on her past and her background by Democrat politicians in  the opposition. A censure debate could be a really bad nightmare for  her.

Pheu Thai announced during the election campaign that  Yingluck would be its prime-ministerial candidate, so it would not be  easy for Thaksin to make an about-turn. "If it isn't Yingluck, it will  tantamount to lying to the people," Pheu Thai leader Yongyuth Wichaidit  said in a recent interview.

In addition to the perception that the  party had lied to the people, a bigger problem could be the subsequent  infighting for the prime minister's seat, a problem that was squashed  when Yingluck was nominated as Pheu Thai's top candidate.

According  to many political observers, Yongyuth had the best chance if Thaksin  did not want his sister to become the next prime minister. He is a  person the Pheu Thai's big boss could trust wholeheartedly, and his rise  to power would be unlikely to lead to any severe rift in the party.  However, Yongyuth admitted to The Nation that "I am not ready and will  never become" prime minister.

Another likely candidate for the  premiership is Pracha Promnok, the man whom Pheu Thai MPs backed in  December 2008 during his contest in the House of Representatives against  Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva for the prime minister's seat.  Pracha at that time was with the small Puea Pandin Party.

However,  Pracha's chance is minimal, as Chalerm Yoobamrung, another senior Pheu  Thai figure, is on a higher position on the party list (Chalerm is No 3,  compared with Pracha's No 5). Given the ranking on the party list,  Yongyuth (No 2) is more likely to be Yingluck's substitute, if it  becomes necessary. Irrespective of who becomes the next prime minister,  Pheu Thai's problems will not stop there.

A Pheu Thai-led Cabinet  will come under close public scrutiny. The interest won't merely be on  whether quality persons will be included in the Cabinet, but also  whether any of the red-shirt leaders will be appointed to ministerial  posts. 

Red-shirt leaders who are high on Pheu Thai's party list -  such as Jatuporn Promphan, Natthawut Saikua, and Weng Tojirakarn - are  expected to be rewarded for their "hard work" during last year's  political unrest that led to them to being remanded in jail. 

This will become another dilemma for Thaksin, in addition to the one as to whether Yingluck should become prime minister.

Appointing  red-shirt leaders facing severe charges such as terrorism and lese  majeste to a Pheu Thai-led government might pose a threat to its  stability. "If he does not want to have problems, Thaksin should keep  the red shirts away from a Pheu Thai-led Cabinet," said a veteran  politician, whose view was shared by a banned politician.

However,  if Jatuporn, Natthawut or Weng fail to get appointed to the Cabinet  just because they are red-shirt leaders and face legal action, their  friends in the red-shirt movement might feel offended. This could strain  ties between Pheu Thai and the red shirts in the same way the ties  between the Democrat Party and the yellow shirts suffered after the  yellow-shirt leaders' demands were rejected by the Democrat-led  government.

Another possible "time bomb" for a Pheu Thai  government involves questions about its relationship with the military  and the new defence minister. There has been speculation that Pheu Thai  may approach outgoing Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan to serve  in the same post in its government. Earlier, it was rumoured that  former Army chief General Anupong Paochinda would be given the job. Both  Prawit and Anupong are close to the current Army chief General Prayuth  Chan-ocha, who does not appear to be on good terms with Pheu Thai  politicians.

Prawit is also close to banned politician Newin  Chidchob, de facto leader of the outgoing-coalition Bhum Jai Thai Party,  who is on top of Thaksin's blacklist for "being ungrateful". In 2008,  Newin's faction left Thaksin's proxy party and shifted its support to  the Democrat Party.

Anupong was one of the generals who overthrew  Thaksin's government in 2006 and he served as the Army chief last May  when soldiers dispersed the red shirts rally. However, Anupong did work  closely with Samak Sundaravej, the late prime minister and Thaksin's  proxy who led a short-lived People's Power Party government after the  2007 election.

Another dilemma that could become a political  landmine for Pheu Thai involves how to deal with those responsible for  the 91 deaths during last year's political unrest and rioting. Red-shirt  leaders blamed Army commanders and politicians in power for all the  deaths, while investigation showed that armed militants within the red  shirts were responsible for many of the deaths, particularly those of  soldiers and police. 

Moreover, many of the red-shirt leaders -  some of whom were Pheu Thai's key candidates in the party-list election -  are facing severe charges in connection with last year's turmoil. It is  undeniable that they played a key role in helping Thaksin's proxy party  return to power.

"Do not treat the red shirts as a problem. The  Pheu Thai Party is able to exist because of the red shirts. Without the  red shirts, Pheu Thai would have been beaten up long ago," Jatuporn  warned during a party meeting to select election candidates. At that  time, an idea was floated that the party should not field any red shirts  in the election.

The biggest political time bomb for Pheu Thai is  the issue of granting amnesty to Thaksin. Although Pheu Thai has  insisted amnesty is not intended for Thaksin alone, it is undeniable  that the fugitive ex-prime minister is going to benefit - and it is also  the main reason Thaksin sent his youngest sister into the political  fray. 

There could also be other political landmines Pheu Thai  could trip over as time passes. A veteran political observer said it  would be far more difficult for the party - and Thaksin - to deal with  an election victory than a loss.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Review & Outlook: Thailand and Mass Politics - WSJ.com
*
*Thailand and Mass Politics* 

*A new era of mobilized parties requires robust institutions.*

Thailand's  Puea Thai Party won a solid parliamentary majority in yesterday's  election, and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva graciously conceded  defeat. Thais are left to wonder whether the new government will grant  former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra amnesty for corruption and  allow him to return home, and whether the military will step in to  prevent that from happening.

 For now, however, one outcome of the election is clear enough. The  changes in Thai society that made the rise of Mr. Thaksin possible and  that he furthered in his five years in office until he was ousted by the  military in 2006 are continuing. 

 The incumbent Democrat Party and the challenger Puea Thai fought this  contest primarily on the basis of party platforms and the personal  appeal of the candidates. That may sound unremarkable, but Thai politics  used to be the province of bland characters who campaigned on their  ability to bring benefits to their local constituencies. 


_Agence France-Presse/Getty Images                 Yingluck Shinawatra,  opposition Puea Thai party candidate and sister of fugitive Thai  ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra._

Patronage  and vote buying continue to play a part in Thai politics today. But  it's striking that in the last few weeks both parties mobilized their  supporters on the basis of their visions for the nation as a whole. The  pro-Thaksin Puea Thai set the agenda of rural development and  globalization, and the Democrats were forced to follow. 

 Both parties pledged more help for the poor, including measures that  could be fairly described as populist. Their proposals for increases in  the minimum wage and more government support for farmers differed only  in the details. The many promises of government spending have prompted  concerns that the next government could wreck Thailand's public  finances.

 A more positive sign was the way in which the two parties competed to  show they would enhance Thailand's international competitiveness. Both  proposed badly needed investments in infrastructure and education. 

 It's notable that during the campaign the Democrats dropped  references to a "sufficiency economy." In the 1970s, King Bhumibol  Adulyadej coined the term to discourage indebtedness caused by  overinvestment and overconsumption in rural areas. Since then it has  grown into a nationalist and sometimes autarkic philosophy. Following  the 2006 coup, the military junta revived the idea and the Democrats  continued to pay lip service to it after Prime Minister Abhisit took  office in late 2008.

 Most Thais realize that such romanticism is a relic of the past. Mr.  Thaksin encouraged rural residents to start local industries and produce  tradable goods. Rural incomes expanded, and many farmers have traveled  abroad and understand that greater opportunities await if the government  removes obstacles to growth. 

 Puea Thai benefited from Mr. Thaksin's proven track record of  development. As the campaign wore on and the Democrat Party lost ground,  Mr. Abhisit began to emphasize his opponents' links to the pro-Thaksin  "red shirt" movement that occupied central Bangkok last year. That  episode ended in violence, with government troops killing at least 91  protesters and the red shirts setting fire to buildings. 

 Thai society remains highly polarized by these events and the Thaksin  period, in which the former prime minister sometimes used his power to  silence critics. But after his overthrow, the military government and  then the Democrats failed to continue the more popular and successful  Thaksin policies. They also failed to strengthen the weak institutions  of government that allowed Mr. Thaksin's abuses. Instead they gave Thais  the impression that they wanted to turn back the clock to an era when  elites divided power among themselves with little regard for the voters.

 As this election showed, Thailand has irrevocably reached the stage  where it will be governed by mass parties. Creating the checks and  balances to manage that political competition has become the most urgent  task. Some analysts, such as Thitinan Pongsudhirak writing on these  pages last week, have urged that the two sides reach an informal deal to  establish norms of behavior. That is essential in the short term, but  the next government will need to embark on the process of revising the  constitution to create robust and independent institutions to govern the  political process. Without such reforms, political uncertainty will  continue to hold back Thailand's development.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Full article at the link...covers ground mostly already addressed....

Thailand general election: Thais hail triumph of the 'clone&rsquo; sister of Thaksin Shinawatra - Telegraph
*
Thailand general election: Thais hail triumph of the 'clone’ sister of Thaksin Shinawatra*

*Thailand's opposition won a landslide election victory on Sunday,  led by the sister of exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra  after bitterly-contested elections paving the way for the country's  first woman prime minister.* 

 _
Yingluck Shinawatra, leader of the  opposition Pheu Thai party, attends a news conference at  party  headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand Photo: Bloomberg_

----------


## StrontiumDog

Big challenges await Yingluck - FT.com

 July 3, 2011 6:21 pm

*Big challenges await Yingluck*

 By Tim Johnston in Bangkok

     Thailand’s peaceful elections and the promise by Abhisit  Vejjajiva Abhisit, the outgoing prime minister, to form a “constructive”  opposition are hopeful signals in a country with a troubled democratic  record, but the new administration faces challenges if it is to put an  end to debilitating political confrontation.

 Yingluck Shinawatra is expected to become Thailand’s first female  leader after the early count showed her Puea Thai party winning an  overall majority, but the 44-year-old former businesswoman is  politically untested.

Her  greatest political asset is her relationship to her brother, Thaksin  Shinawatra, the former prime minister who commands the loyalty of  millions of Thais despite having been removed in a coup in 2006.  

 Yet he is also her greatest liability as he inspires a visceral  hatred among the Thai establishment, including powerful forces in  Bangkok’s palaces, barracks and bureaucracy.

 Those forces combined to bring down the last pro-Thaksin  administration in 2008 through a combination of protests and court  cases. Unless Ms Yingluck can persuade them not to undermine her  administration, Thailand is unlikely to be able to break out of the  political deadlock that has left it largely rudderless since the 2006  coup. 

 “This is the interesting bit: how the so-called establishment will  receive the result,” said Sriyan Pietersz, managing director of JPMorgan  in Bangkok.  

 Crucial will be how fast the new government moves on one of its  campaign promises: the pledge to investigate an amnesty that would allow  Mr Thaksin to return, a move that is guaranteed to  anger Ms Yingluck’s opponents.

 Coup rumours are the stock in trade of Thai politics and the military  is being watched carefully. Most observers think the army will be wary  of acting openly against such a convincing result, but the establishment  has other weapons in its armoury. 

 Many people fear a judicial assault either on the party or on  individual members. Under Thai law, political parties can be dissolved  and all their officeholders disqualified from politics for five years if  any are found guilty of electoral fraud. Two pro-Thaksin parties have  been dissolved under this legislation.

 But Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and  International Studies, says the vote sends a clear message to those who  may be tempted to use the courts to alter the outcome of the election.  

 “It is a big verdict for us as a country,” says Mr Thitinan. “The  votes that went to Puea Thai are not just about Thaksin, they are about  the intervention and distortions of the last five years. If people had  liked what was going on, they wouldn’t have voted for Puea Thai.”

 The vote is also evidence of a tectonic shift in Thai politics away  from traditional power barons towards a more policy-based debate. “The  electorate has become more connected to the political system than ever.  The parties that cater to the demands of the electorate win elections,”  said Mr Thitinan.

 And voters will make governments pay for unfulfilled promises. “In  the past two years, the government didn’t pay much attention to the  poor, they never asked what we wanted,” said Thamolwan Jamjaeng, who was  celebrating outside Puea Thai headquarters on Sunday evening.

 However, those higher expectations pose a challenge for an  administration that has promised a tablet computer for every school  child and a solution to the country’s drugs problems in a year.

 “Life will get better, the new government will improve everything,”  said Paiwan Thongsa-ard, a chicken vendor watching the vote count on  Sunday.  

 But if Ms Paiwan is disappointed, she is likely to show it the next time she votes.

----------


## English Noodles

Poor Strontiumdog. Lock away the razor blades. :smiley laughing:

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## Troy

Time to open another bottle of Bubbly...Commonsense prevailed at the polls...Well done the people of Thailand for voting in the PT...Cambodia dispute will be forgotten very soon...give the woman half a chance and investment will be up as well as the tourists...give her a little more and you may see GDP quadruple in 10 years and poverty reduce significantly...

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## English Noodles

> poverty reduce significantly...


That's exactly why Strontiumdog is so opposed to this party.

----------


## sabang

> This leaves no room for amnesty to any person.


Including the military, Coup conspirators, & 'Youtube' Judges? Good.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 
The spin is blatant. 'No amnesty' actually means no amnesty for Thaksin.

----------


## robuzo

Hmm, I wonder if the enormous number of "spoiled" votes could have anything to do with the discrepancy between the exit polls and the final tally. Have to do some arithmetic.

----------


## Notnow

> Big challenges await Yingluck - FT.com
> 
>  July 3, 2011 6:21 pm
> 
> *Big challenges await Yingluck*
> 
>  By Tim Johnston in Bangkok
> 
>      Thailand’s peaceful elections and the promise by Abhisit  Vejjajiva Abhisit, the outgoing prime minister, to form a “constructive”  opposition are hopeful signals in a country with a troubled democratic  record, but the new administration faces challenges if it is to put an  end to debilitating political confrontation.
> ...


Oops, wrong thread, deleted.

----------


## Carrabow

> Big challenges await Yingluck - FT.com
> 
> July 3, 2011 6:21 pm
> 
> *Big challenges await Yingluck*
> 
> .


I fancy the idea of a woman outdoing a man when it comes to political venues. What a shame it will be when she steers the country in the right direction. Her brother offering advice? Why not... 

Most women understand what it takes nuture a family, this can be applied to the country. Right now this is what Thailand needs  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Butterfly

> Originally Posted by Troy
> 
>  poverty reduce significantly...
> 
> 
> That's exactly why Strontiumdog is so opposed to this party.





> Poor Strontiumdog. Lock away the razor blades.



so what they say is really true Noodles, you are just another online stalker at the end

I hope you are not a violent stalker in real life,

how many Thai females have you stalked here in Thailand when they refused to go with you ?  :mid:

----------


## Butterfly

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> This leaves no room for amnesty to any person.
> 
> 
> Including the military, Coup conspirators, & 'Youtube' Judges? Good. 
> The spin is blatant. 'No amnesty' actually means no amnesty for Thaksin.


she is still going to face a lot of difficult questions in the coming months,

Abhisit must be happy in some ways, he was tired

as soon as she brings questions of amnesty for Thaksin, you can bet this is when things will turn to shit, unless there is a royal pardon being negotiated for December 5

Also focusing primarily on the return of her brother would be a breach of her official mandate, and for that she could be disqualified

----------


## BaitongBoy

> she is still going to face a lot of difficult questions in the coming months,


No shit, Sherlock... :Smile: 

I swear...you must be reading her mail...

 :mid:

----------


## lom

> as soon as she brings questions of amnesty for Thaksin, you can bet this is when things will turn to shit, unless there is a royal pardon being negotiated for December 5


He has already been pardoned by his buddy the sprog, only problem is that it won't be reckoned as an official pardon. Not right now..

----------


## Butterfly

> Originally Posted by Butterfly
> 
> she is still going to face a lot of difficult questions in the coming months,
> 
> 
> No shit, Sherlock...
> 
> I swear...you must be reading her mail...


non-sense, like Betty, I can read her mind

impressive, isn't it ?  :mid:

----------


## Butterfly

> He has already bought his pardon from his buddy the sprog,


fixed, must have been expensive, or maybe an amnesty he is owed for certain financial debts someone special has  :mid:

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> non-sense, like Betty, I can read her mind


Don't be silly "pupa" you can't read full stop!

p.s, I assume your bum chum seriously dumb is in mourning today?  :smiley laughing:

----------


## robuzo

> Originally Posted by Butterfly
> 
> as soon as she brings questions of amnesty for Thaksin, you can bet this is when things will turn to shit, unless there is a royal pardon being negotiated for December 5
> 
> 
> He has already been pardoned by his buddy the sprog, only problem is that it won't be reckoned as an official pardon. Not right now..


The sprog is not yet the thing.

----------


## BaitongBoy

> non-sense, like Betty, I can read her mind impressive, isn't it ?


Yep, I am flabbergasted...
Didn't realize you two (Ying & Yang) were that close, after all...
So that 'red loon' shite was just a 'red herring'...?
Welcome aboard, Butterfly...

And good morning to you...I trust you slept well...

 :Smile:

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Fraud probe could change poll results
*
*Fraud probe could change poll results*
Published:  4/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Clear evidence of election fraud has emerged in  at least five provinces, which is likely to affect the election result,  says the Election Commission.

 More than 1,900 complaints of election cheating nationwide have come in so far, says EC member Somchai Jungprasert.

 Evidence of poll fraud was found in five provinces in the North and  the Northeast: Sukhothai, Si Sa Ket, Maha Sarakham, Buri Ram, and  Chaiyaphum.

 
Somchai: Thousands of complaints lodged.

 Mr Somchai said provincial election offices would finalise  investigations into the complaints and submit them, along with evidence,  to the central EC within 15 days.

 The EC would consider giving red cards to candidates who breached the law before the poll results are officially announced.

 "Some [canvassers] were caught with money, a list of voters' names, and candidates' details," Mr Somchai said.

 The EC can link the canvassers to candidates, he said.

 Mr Somchai said the EC has received 1,929 complaints of election fraud and vote-buying.

 It also has received 185 complaints of election law violations that  are not directly related to poll fraud, such as vandalising campaign  posters, he said.

 Most complaints have come from the Northeast, the North and some areas of Bangkok, Mr Somchai said.

 Some technical glitches took place at the polls yesterday, as long queues formed at poll stations.

 EC chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said he was pleased with the voter  turnout, which some estimates put as high as 75%, especially given  problems with weather and traffic.

 Mr Apichart said the formal results can be announced within seven  days in those areas with no complaints of poll fraud against them.

 In areas which have been the subject of complaints, the EC will  conclude its inquiries into the complaints and announce confirmed poll  results within 30 days, Mr Apichart said.

 Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen, an adviser to the Royal Thai Police  Office, which supervises election security, said that six voters _ four  in Nakhon Sawan, and one each in Uthai Thani and Chiang Mai _ were found  yesterday to have torn up ballot papers, which is a violation of  election law.

 Pol Gen Pongsapat said 19 people were arrested on charges of buying or selling votes, mostly in the Northeast and in the South.

 People who sold their votes will not face prosecution if they report  the incident within seven days to the EC or police, and hand in the  money they took from canvassers, Pol Gen Pongsapat said.

 Two voters have so far come forward. They have told police which  canvassers had paid them and which party they were paid to vote for, Pol  Gen Pongsapat said.

 The names of the parties cited in the accusations have been withheld pending investigations.

----------


## Butterfly

> And good morning to you...I trust you slept well...


did very well indeed, Thai politics will get quite "interesting" in the next few weeks

can't wait for December for Thaksin return  :Smile:

----------


## robuzo

^^Whoa, that's completely out of the blue. And I thought the fog over Bangkok this morning just _looked_ portentous.

----------


## Butterfly

the low turnout in certain NE cities is quite interesting, if indeed no money was paid

again re-enforcing the idea that the peasants wouldn't bother voting at all if it wasn't for the cash involved,

that's what change the election results, the vote buying, as low participation will usually favor the outgoing government

----------


## The Bold Rodney

^^^ Sour Grapes! :smiley laughing:

----------


## lom

> Originally Posted by lom
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Butterfly
> ...


Second act will start after a short pause.

----------


## StrontiumDog

* http://www.watoday.com.au/world/vote...704-1gxzv.html

Vote-rigging allegations rock Thai PM-elect                * 

*                 Lindsay Murdoch, Bangkok            * 

     July 4, 2011 - 8:49AM      

   
_A 'red shirt' supporter casts his vote at a rural polling station in the outskirts of Udon Thani. Photo: ADREES LATIF_

                                Allegations of vote rigging have emerged as businesswoman  Yingluck  Shinawatra prepares to become Thailand's first woman prime  minister after her Puea  Thai party's landslide victory at Sunday's  election.

              The Election Commission said it had received 1,900  complaints of election  cheating, mostly in the provincial voting  strongholds of Puea Thais's "red  shirt" supporters.

              But the allegations have not stopped Puea Thai supporters  celebrating a  stunning victory over the Democrat party led by Prime  Minister Abhisit  Vejjajiva, which represents Bangkok's powerful  business and government elite.

 
_Yingluck Shinawatra faces the media after voting in the Thailand election. Photo: AFP_

                Puea Thai won 262 seats in Thailand's 500-seat parliament  and is set to  form a coalition government the opportunistic Chart Thai  Pattana party led by  banned politician Banharn Silpa-archa.

              Ms Yingluck, 44, the photogenic younger sister of exiled  billionaire  former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has invited other  smaller parties to  join her government, saying she wants to unite the  country after years of  political deadlock and 12 months after bloody  street protests left 91 people  dead on Bangkok's streets.

              In Dubai, an elated Mr Thaksin, who faces two years jail   on a corruption charge, said he wanted to return to Thailand for a  family  wedding in December.

              But he said if his return looked like stoking more violence he would  prefer to stay away.

              "I don't have a grudge against anyone now," said Mr  Thaksin, a deeply  divisive figure in Thai politics who was removed from  office by the military in  a 2006 coup.

              "It's over. I have forgiven them and I hope they have forgiven me too,"  he said.

              A potential flashpoint for more trouble will be when Puea  Thai pushes an  amnesty law that would enable Mr Thaksin to return to  Thailand.

              Thai's army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha made clear during the election  campaign he will not be happy with Puea Thai's victory.

              But there have been reports army commanders have been discussing some  form of accommodation with the Thaksin camp.

              Army commanders might be willing to strike a deal with Thaksin forces  while their hand is still strong.

              While making extravagant promises to the rural and urban  poor, the strong  theme of Ms Yingluck's slick and well funded campaign  was fostering  reconciliation in the country that used to be known as  the "land of  smiles."

              Mr Abhisit quickly conceded defeat last night after the size of the  victory became clear in unofficial voting.

              Democrat supporters were devastated.

              Analysts say there are likely to be legal challenges mounted to thwart Ms  Yingluck's government in the coming months.

              But they said the size of the victory will make it harder  for Bangkok's  establishment to block the workings of a Puea Thai-led  coalition.

              Pattnapong Chantranontwong, editor of the Bangkok Post,  said Mr Abhisit's  government failed to impress voters because of its  failure to tackle problems  like shortages of key food items and the  hardship of people at the grass roots  level.

              The Democrat party won 160 seats.

              But Mr Pattnapong said what worries many in Thai society  and some within  Puea Thai is the granting of amnesty to Mr Thaksin and  returning to him more  than a $1 billion of seized assets.

              "They fear that Puea Thai, once it takes power and goes   ahead with such a move, would face fierce political protests and society  will be  plunged into even worse unrest than what it has seen in the  past few years," he  said.



Read more: Vote-rigging allegations rock Thai PM-elect

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thaksin sister prepares to lead Thailand after stunning win | Reuters
*
*Thaksin sister prepares to lead Thailand after stunning win*







              By Alan Raybould
                  BANGKOK |          Sun Jul 3, 2011 9:54pm EDT         

   (Reuters) - Thai opposition leader Yingluck Shinawatra, a political  newcomer, prepared to lead her country after a stunning weekend election  victory but huge challenges lie ahead, including how quickly to bring  home her brother, exiled ex-premier Thaksin.

  The Election Commission  projected their Puea Thai party would win 264 of the 500 seats in  parliament, a decisive win that appears to make it hard for Thaksin's  die-hard opponents in the army and establishment to stop Yingluck taking  power.

"Winning by a big margin  would ease the problem of the military intervening and make it easier  for them to form the government and implement all their policies," said  Kongkiat Opaswongkarn, chief executive of broker Asia Plus Securities.

"We expect a jump when the stock market opens and this is because it is a big win, with less risk of having the military meddling with politics."

The baht rose more than 1 percent against the dollar Monday, outperforming other Asian currencies.

Late  Sunday, Yingluck brushed aside concerns about the cost of the promises  made during her election campaign, from tablet computers for  schoolchildren to a big increase in the minimum wage, which critics say  will damage the economy.

"That's  not true, we know what to do. We'll reduce costs for people and we know  how to generate the income that we'll give back to them," she told  Reuters.

Newspapers concentrated on  the photogenic 44-year-old businesswoman Monday, momentarily leaving  Thaksin to one side, although he was all over the television screens on  Sunday,
offering his congratulations from Dubai.

The stridently anti-Thaksin Nation newspaper accepted the result but pulled no punches on the challenge ahead.

"The  election is over but the hatred remains," it headlined its leader  column. "It's time for ordinary Thais to take reconciliation into their  own hands."

Outgoing Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva conceded defeat quickly Sunday. "I would like  to congratulate the Puea Thai Party for the right to form a  government," he said.

Just over a  year ago, the military put down a protest movement by Thaksin's "red  shirt" supporters in Bangkok and 91 people lost their lives. Nearly  2,000 were injured.

The election  results were a rebuke to the traditional establishment of generals, "old  money" families and royal advisers in Bangkok who loathe Thaksin and  backed Abhisit, an Oxford-educated economist who lacked the common  touch.

THAKSIN BIDES HIS TIME

The  size of Puea Thai's victory could usher in much-needed political  stability after six years of sporadic unrest since Thaksin was ousted in  a coup. He now lives in Dubai to avoid jail for graft charges that he  says were politically motivated.

The  years of unrest have featured the occupation of Bangkok's two airports,  a blockade of parliament, an assassination attempt and last year's  protests.

"Chances of blocking Puea  Thai in the near term are severely limited," said Roberto Herrera-Lim,  Southeast Asian analyst at political risk consultancy Eurasia Group.  "The instability everyone has been worried about now looks less likely.  The military will have to be pragmatic now."

The  red shirts accuse the rich, the establishment and army top brass of  breaking laws with impunity -- grievances that have simmered since the  2006 coup -- and have clamoured for Thaksin's return.

Thaksin  said he would "wait for the right moment" to come home. "If my return  is going to cause problems, then I will not do it yet. I should be a  solution, not a problem," he told reporters in Dubai.

The  former telecommunications tycoon himself scored two landslide election  wins and is idolised by the poor as the first politician to address the  needs of millions living beyond Bangkok's bright lights.

----------


## Butterfly

> "I don't have a grudge against anyone now," said Mr Thaksin


he is hilarious, isn't it ? what a fucking psycho liar,

----------


## Takeovers

> For the sake of the country, politicians should commit themselves to undoing their past mistakes in a fair manner. Pheu Thai will need to avoid repeating the same mistakes. Appointing red-shirt leaders like Natthawut Saikua as ministers - figures whose role in the bloody crisis last year remains unclear - would be very stupid, as it goes against the party's pledge for reconciliation. Also, any amnesty for former leader Thaksin Shinawatra should be delayed as this could spark another fire of conflict. Pheu Thai cannot win the hearts of all voters, but the majority will remain loyal if they act in the interests of the nation.





> ^ Nice article...


That is what you call a nice article? 

Nice.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : UPDATED: Abhisit resigns leadership
*
*UPDATED: Abhisit resigns leadership*
Published:  4/07/2011 at 10:50 AMOnline news:
 Prime Minsiter Abhisit Vejjajiva announced his resignation as leader of the  Democrat Party on Monday morning.

 The outgoing premier made the announcement after the Pheu Thai Party crushed his party in the 2011 general election yesterday.

 "I've decided to resign because I could not lead my party to victory in the election," Mr Abhisit said.

 Democrat executive members will meet to select a new party leader within 90 days, as the law requires, he said.

Before  the election, Mr Abhisit said he would step down as Democrat leader if  his party won fewer seats than in the previous general election.

The unofficial election result shows that the Democrats won 159 seats yesterday. In 2007, the party won 164 seats.

 
Democrat Party leader and outgoing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Yingluck begins coalition talks
*
*Yingluck begins coalition talks*
Published:  4/07/2011 at 10:33 AMOnline news:Pheu Thai's candidate for prime minister  Yingluck Shinawatra will meet key figures of the Chartthaipattana, Chart  Pattana Puea Pandin and Palang Chon parties to discuss plans for a  coalition government at noon on Monday, reports said.

 The meeting will take place at SC Park Hotel.

If the four parties agree to team up, the next coalition government would potentially have 298 seats in parliament.

The  unofficial results from yesterday's general election show that Pheu  Thai has won 265 out of 500 seats. Chartthaipattana 19 seats and Chart  Pattana Puea Pandin and Palang Chon seven seats each.

 
Pheu Thai Party's candidate for prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra (Photo by Pattarachai Prechapanich)

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Gen Prawit: Army accepts election
*
*Gen Prawit: Army accepts election*
Published:  4/07/2011 at 10:32 AMOnline news:The Thai military accepted the landslide  election win by allies of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who  was toppled by the army in a bloodless coup in September 2006, outgoing  Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said Monday.

 
_A Thai soldier stands guard outside a polling station in the  country's restive southern province of Yala. Thailand's military has  accepted a landslide election win by allies of Thaksin Shinawatra, who  was toppled by the army in a 2006 coup, the outgoing defence minister  said Monday._

 Thaksin's overthrow sparked years of turmoil and a series of street  protests by rival political factions. His party staged a stunning  comeback in Sunday's election, forcing outgoing premier Abhisit  Vejjajiva to concede defeat.

 "I have talked to military leaders. We will allow politicians to work  it out. The military will not get involved," Gen Prawit Wongsuwon told  AFP.

 "The people have spoken clearly so the military cannot do anything. We accept it."

 The military is a constant wildcard in a nation that has seen almost as many coups as elections.

 Political observers had said that a close result in Sunday's vote  could have fuelled a fresh round of street protests or military  intervention.

 But a clear win by the opposition will make it harder for the generals to justify seizing power again.

 "Let the elected politicians work. We cannot chase them away. They haven't done anything wrong," Prawit said.

 A key issue for the military is whether the new government tries to  pursue legal or other steps against the generals for a bloody crackdown  last year on opposition protests that left more than 90 people dead,  mostly civilians.

 But Thaksin has said he is not seeking "revenge" against his foes in  the armed forces, who see themselves as the guardian of the revered  monarchy.

----------


## Butterfly

> Gen Prawit: Army accepts election


quite nice of them,

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
>  For the sake of the country, politicians should commit themselves to undoing their past mistakes in a fair manner. Pheu Thai will need to avoid repeating the same mistakes. Appointing red-shirt leaders like Natthawut Saikua as ministers - figures whose role in the bloody crisis last year remains unclear - would be very stupid, as it goes against the party's pledge for reconciliation. Also, any amnesty for former leader Thaksin Shinawatra should be delayed as this could spark another fire of conflict. Pheu Thai cannot win the hearts of all voters, but the majority will remain loyal if they act in the interests of the nation.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I guess you don't agree?

Thaksin has talked of reconciliation, so Pheu Thai need to act upon that. You don't stir up a shit-storm if you are serious about solving problems. 

Thaksin has said he wont come back if he is part of the problem. Do you disagree with your spiritual leader too?

Also appointing Mr 'burn Bangkok' would also seem to be an unnecessarily provocative move, if you are serious about reconciliation.....if.......

It's called commonsense. 

Sombat I would fully support as a Pheu Thai politician....but he wasn't included. Strange huh?

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thai election makes history but can winners keep promises? - CNN.com
*
*Thai election makes history but can winners keep promises?*

    By  *Sara Sidner*, CNN
July 4, 2011 -- Updated 0413 GMT (1213 HKT)


Thailand picks first female PM

*Bangkok (CNN)*  -- A roaring cheer went up the moment Yingluck Shinawatra walked out  the front door of her Pheu Thai party's election headquarters. 

   In  Thailand's fourth election in seven years, voters made a historic  decision on July 3: for the very first time the country will be headed  by a female prime minister. 

   Yingluck's party took a slim majority of the parliamentary seats needed to make her head of the government. Yingluck Shinawatra set to be Thailand's first female premier

   "The  first thing I want to do is help people on their economic situation,"  Yingluck said, refusing to declare victory until the official count was  over. 


 Her main and biggest rival, incumbent Abhisit Vejjajiva, had conceded defeat minutes before she spoke. 

   Yingluck's headquarters was teeming with journalists on the inside, with most of her supporters celebrating on the outside. 

   Yingluck  is the younger sister of one of Thailand's most polarizing political  figures -- former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra -- who was ousted in  a 2006 military coup. 

   Two years later he fled the country after being convicted on conflict of interest charges -- charges he still denies. Thailand politics timeline 2001-2011

   Flags  with his image waved in the sticky night air at the car port entrance  outside the Pheu Thai headquarters. A child wearing a shirt with his  sister Yingluck's picture on it walked right past trying to get closer  to the celebrations. 

   Yingluck's critics worry she will simply do her brother's bidding, something she has denied. 

   But before she even gave her victory speech, her brother had shared his thoughts from exile in Dubai. 

   "Well, I would tell them that I really want to go back, but I will wait for the right moment and the right situation," Thaksin told the assembled cameras. 

   The  Pheu Thai party is still fiercely behind Thaksin and want him back,  though Yingluk for her part has been slightly more circumspect on the  issue. 

   "I can't do anything special for my brother... we will follow the rule of law," she told CNN a few days earlier.

   But the average voter in Thailand  isn't so caught up with all of this. The main thing they want is for  their leaders to shrink the gap between what they earn and the  sky-rocketing cost of living. 

   "Free education is good, care for  elderly is also good. In fact every party's policies are all good, the  question is if they would ever implement them," Banorn Achriyawatkul, a  food vendor, said as she worked outside a polling station selling snacks  that smelled heavenly. 

   She has four children and has suffered  being laid off as a secretary. She is now working as a food vendor in  the streets and trying to make ends meet. 

   Despite the animosity  between the two major parties, they have made very similar promises to  the people: an overall better economy, free education, and a major  increase in the minimum wage -- exactly what many voters want to hear. 

   But analysts say the extravagant programs will cost more than Thailand can afford. 

   Supong  Limtanakool, of Bangkok University's Center for Strategic Studies, said  both parties made big promises they just can't keep. 

   "It will  be something that we have to spend somewhere between an additional 1.5  trillion baht to 7.5 trillion baht [US$49 billion to US$2.46 trillion]  with all the extravagant programs, which is five-times the national  budget. 

   "I mean we'll be broke in one year."

----------


## StrontiumDog

_Thai PM swept out of power
Source: Adrees Latif, Reuters   Published: Monday, July 4, 2011 3:21 AEST   A street sweeper carries a Democrat Party campaign poster showing an  image of outgoing prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva the day after after  national elections in Bangkok on July 4, 2011._ 


Thai PM swept out of power - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thailand's election: Winning smile | The Economist
*
*Thailand's election*

*     Winning smile * 

        Jul 4th 2011, 4:28 by S.M. | BANGKOK  



TWO  months ago, Yingluck Shinawatra was a run-of-the-mill businesswoman and  a political neophyte. Now she is set to become Thailand’s first female  prime minister after a stunning victory for her opposition party, the  Pheu Thai (PT), in Thailand’s election of July 3rd. The PT won an  outright majority, taking 265 out of 500 seats in parliament, the  election commission announced on Monday. The ruling Democrat Party took  just 159 seats, down from the 170 they enjoyed in the current assembly  of 480 seats. A handful of smaller parties will share the remainder;  some are clambering to join PT in a coalition government. The turnout  was nearly 75%, as it was the last time Thais came to vote, in 2007. The  biggest losers are the royalist generals who tried and failed to stop  PT in its tracks. The outgoing prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, has announced that he will be stepping down as his party's leader.

Ms  Yingluck’s transformation into a popular symbol of resistance to the  military-backed coalition is quite a feat. An adept campaigner with a  feel for the common touch, she capitalised on public grumblings over  high prices for food and fuel. The Democrat Party trailed in the polls  and struggled to convince voters that it could revive a slowing economy.  Its main coalition partner, a breakaway faction of PT’s predecessor,  was mired in allegations of graft. Ultra-conservative yellow shirts  peeled away more votes that might have gone to the Democrats with their  own “Vote No” campaign.  

 But  Ms Yingluck’s victory also has a lot to do with her pedigree as the  younger sister of the former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, whose  well-oiled political machinery she inherited. Mr Thaksin has called her  his “clone”, and everyone knew it, though she insists that voters  plumped for her policies and management style. People “didn’t select me  because my last name is Shinawatra,” she told reporters jammed into the  party headquarters, while jubilant fans cheered in the corridors. The  former premier was quick to speak out from his self-imposed exile in  Dubai, congratulating his sister on her victory and hailing the results  as a vote for “change in a peaceful manner”.

 Last  year Thailand seemed on the brink of a violent upheaval, as Mr  Thaksin’s red-shirted supporters clashed with troops on the streets of  Bangkok. By the time they were put down, 92 people had been killed. The  chaotic protests deepened Thailand’s social divisions and hardened the  views of the red shirts, whose leaders are now poised to re-enter  parliament. Since 2001, Thais have overwhelmingly backed Mr Thaksin and  his political parties in four straight elections. His allies have a lock  on much of Thailand’s populous north and north-east, while the Democrat  Party is solid in the south and won most of Bangkok’s seats.

 Mr  Abhisit congratulated Ms Yingluck on her win, but managed a dig at Mr  Thaksin in a brief concession speech on the evening of July 3rd, saying  that PT’s vote was not a “mandate” to grant amnesties to anyone. PT  leaders have proposed a political amnesty for Mr Thaksin as path to the  sort of reconciliation that might end the years of turmoil since the  2006 coup. But his enemies want him to serve two years in jail for his  conviction of abuse of power, a charge that he has dismissed as “Mickey  Mouse”. The road ahead is rocky: no wonder that few expect a PT-led  government to serve a full four-year term. Anti-Thaksin protesters have  already vowed to resist any attempt to rehabilitate him.

 Parliament  must convene within 30 days of the election to elect the house speaker,  and subsequently to pick the prime minister. He or she is then to  select a cabinet, which will be subject to royal appointment. Some  insiders have speculated that the party might substitute another  candidate for Ms Yingluck, partly as a sop to the army and to palace  factions that loathe her brother. But Ms Yingluck’s margin of victory  and her personal popularity suggest that Thailand will see its first  female prime minister.

 This  is a smack in the face for the army chief, General Prayuth Chan-ocha,  who urged voters on June 14th not to elect “the same people” to run the  country and lambasted the red shirts as anti-monarchists. It is hard to  see how General Prayuth, who commanded troops in the 2006 coup, could  get along with a PT-led government that includes abrasive red-shirt  leaders such as Nattawut Saikua, who has been charged with terrorism.  But Phongthep Thepkanjana, an adviser to the party and a former  minister, brushes off the implied threat. General Prayuth “is one in  65m”, he says. The election result “is the resolution of the people.”

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> Hmm, I wonder if the enormous number of "spoiled" votes could have anything to do with the discrepancy between the exit polls and the final tally. Have to do some arithmetic.


I was watching the Thai TV late last night as they flashed constituency-by-constituency (showing the vote numbers but also the number of spoiled ballots), and from the ones I saw (many) - although the spoiled ballots were high in number they weren't enough in any that I saw to have altered the outcome.

Having said that, maybe somebody will take a close look at the tight/marginal/swing seats. I'm not sure how it would work on the Party List numbers.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

This photo says it all.

----------


## Norton

> I was watching the Thai TV late last night as they flashed constituency-by-constituency (showing the vote numbers but also the number of spoiled ballots), and from the ones I saw (many) - although the spoiled ballots were high in number they weren't enough in any that I saw to have altered the outcome.


Agree. Noted distribution across the whole country.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

^
Would it affect the party list? Or is that formula based on seats won and not votes cast? If the former, then probably not, if the latter than I'd think 'yes'.

----------


## Butterfly

> Originally Posted by robuzo
> 
> 
> Hmm, I wonder if the enormous number of "spoiled" votes could have anything to do with the discrepancy between the exit polls and the final tally. Have to do some arithmetic.
> 
> 
> I was watching the Thai TV late last night as they flashed constituency-by-constituency (showing the vote numbers but also the number of spoiled ballots), and from the ones I saw (many) - although the spoiled ballots were high in number they weren't enough in any that I saw to have altered the outcome.
> 
> Having said that, maybe somebody will take a close look at the tight/marginal/swing seats. I'm not sure how it would work on the Party List numbers.


it doesn't really matter, probably the vote of illiterate dumb peasants who couldn't tell which case to cross

----------


## Norton

> it doesn't really matter, probably the vote of illiterate dumb peasants who couldn't tell which case to cross


Probably. Lot's of them around no matter what part of the country including all those who voted DEM in the entire lower half of the country.

----------


## robuzo

^So (ignoring Flufferboy), the spoiled votes appeared pretty evenly distributed nationwide?

----------


## DrB0b

> ^So (ignoring Flufferboy), the spoiled votes appeared pretty evenly distributed nationwide?


The spoiled ballots in the current election were about 5% (averaging between party list and constituency), for comparison here are the spoiled vote counts for the 3 previous elections. Looking at the numbers I don't see anything suspicious in the number of spoiled ballots in this election.


2005
Invalid votes (total)             1,293,107  04.0%

2006
PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION SEATS
Invalid votes              1,680,101   05.8%

CONSTITUENCY SEATS
Invalid votes              3,778,981   13.0%

2007
Invalid votes (total)                               3,157,531  08.8%

From Psephos - Adam Carr's Election Archive

----------


## Norton

> the spoiled votes appeared pretty evenly distributed nationwide?


I don't know. There is a count by constituency but I can't find it.

----------


## Takeovers

Is it possible that many of those votes were intentionally voided because people wanted to vote for a candidate but not for a party or for a party but not the candidate?

----------


## Calgary

The question occurred to me, "_What will the Red Shirts do now"_

I inquired with somebody in the know on such things, and was advised that they will hold a rally in Bangkok on the 10th to celebrate their victory.

Location unknown, but probably at the Democracy Monument.

----------


## Calgary

> The better half -Thai women are the glue that holds the country together in so many ways. Maybe having a woman at the helm will set things in the right direction. 
> 
> I am aware of several companies that only hire Thai women and they run like clockwork.


I have a Canadian friend who has acquired special dispensations from the Canadian Dept. of Labour, to import foreign workers for fish packing plants on the East Coast.

He also only takes Thai women. Thai men need not apply.

----------


## DroversDog

> He also only takes Thai women. Thai men need not apply.


Is that because they are soft on the eye's, hardworking or both?

What about butterfly's mates? He says there are some good ones and they work hard on him..... :cmn:

----------


## Calgary

_"Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said during an interview with TV3 yesterday that government priorities were national reconciliation - letting an independent panel led by Kanit na Nakorn continue their factfinding"_ Quote from Post # 4133 above

Retention of this so-called reconciliation panel, augmented by some sort of other entity as mentioned by Yingluck, may probably have no more success under these changed Governmental realities than before.

The problem is that no changes occurred somewhere else, and they ultimately will decide these matters.

----------


## DroversDog

> _"Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said during an interview with TV3 yesterday that government priorities were national reconciliation - letting an independent panel led by Kanit na Nakorn continue their factfinding"_ Quote from Post # 4133 above
> 
> Retention of this so-called reconciliation panel, augmented by some sort of other entity as mentioned by Yingluck, may probably have no more success under these changed Governmental realities than before.
> 
> The problem is that no changes occurred somewhere else, and they ultimately will decide these matters.


If they change the mandate for the panel so they can actually do something then it may help.
I don't think Kanit was a total disaster. He was just limited by the ground rules Mark set down and no authority to get the military to fess up!

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Yala sees highest number of invalid ballots
*
*Yala sees highest number of invalid ballots*

                                             Published on July 4, 2011                 

                                                            The southern province of Yala saw the highest number of  invalid ballots, Election Commission secretary-general Sutthipol  Thaweechaikarn announced Monday.

He said 10.37 per cent ballots for  constituency election in the province became invalid while 6.77 per cent  of party-list election were invalid.

Sutthipol said Pattani came  second with 9.21 per cent invalid ballots for constituency vote and 6.52  per cent for party-list vote.

The Nation

----------


## SteveCM

^^
I think the panel membership is likely to change - some will plead they've been involved long enough and want/need to do other things. The more likely real reason will be that it's one thing to sit on a panel that everyone knew was going to get nowhere - and quite another to sit on one this late in the day that's likely to be given some teeth (subpoena powers, for example). Given where a properly-run inquiry is likely to lead, few of them would want to be in that hot seat with that hot potato.....

That said, I still don't see anything substantial happening anytime soon. Plenty of excuses for delays before getting properly re-started: review "progress"  :mid:   to date, select new members, bring them up to speed, prepare revised guidelines etc etc.....Not difficult to spin that out till the end of the year and see how things look by then.

----------


## StrontiumDog

New coalition govt pressing ahead with reconciliation : National News Bureau of Thailand

New coalition govt pressing ahead with reconciliation
 

BANGKOK,  4 July 2011 (NNT) – Incoming Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has  announced that the new Pheu Thai-led government will feature five  political parties with 299 MP seats and will press ahead with the  national reconciliation mission as the very first priority.  

Speaking in a press briefing with representatives from coalition  partners after luncheon at SC Park Hotel in Bangkok, Ms Yingluck  announced that the new government will include the Pheu Thai, Chart Thai  Pattana, Chart Pattana Puea Pandin, Phalang Chon and Mahachon Parties. 

Ms Yingluck elaborated that the first mission of the government is to  spearhead the reconciliation plan as the government will instruct  Political Violence Fact-Finding Panel chaired by Prof Dr Kanit Na Nakorn  to continue the operation while a free panel will be appointed to  assist the operation.  

The Pheu Thai heavyweight pledged that her party will not interfere in  the operation of the panels so they will be neutral and free. She added  that no amnesty will be made for only one person as criticised as the  free panel will consider this issue while the nation is under the rule  of laws. 

Other missions are solutions to living costs problem, restoration of  damaged foreign relations, unity rehabilitation and anti-corruption  plan; therefore, people can rest assured that operation of the  government can be traced and transparent.  

The new government will also arrange a grand celebration for His Majesty  King Bhumibol Adulyadej upon his 84th birthday anniversary so Thai  people can express their loyalty to the monarch. 

Ms Yingluck stated that selection of cabinet members would depend on  performance, but she noted that it was too soon for this issue at  present. She also answered the media that the military would be  responsible for national security while the government would take care  of national administration.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Tharit won't object if he's dumped
*
*Tharit won't object if he's dumped*
Published:  4/07/2011 at 01:37 PMOnline news:
 DSI chief Tharit Pengdit said on Monday he would  not mind if he were moved to another job by the new government under  the Pheu Thai Party.

 The Department of Special Investigation director-general said he had  performed his duties within the scope of the law and responsibilities  assigned him. He had not been biased against anyone.

 "I would not mind if I am transferred.  It's easy to transfer a C10  official.  Just table a proposal to the cabinet and it can be approved  in only five minutes," Mr Tharit sid.

 Asked about the petition filed by Tul Sitthisomwong, leader of the  multi-colour group, and Kaewsun Atibhodhi, a  member of the disbanded  Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC), requesting the DSI to investigate  Yingluck Shinawatra's alleged perjury in the shares concealment case  against her briother, rformer prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Mr  Tharit said he would continue to handle the case as long as he remains  inthe job.

 "I don't know if the investigation would continue if I am replaced," Mr Tharit said.

 The DSI under Mr Tharit has handled many cases against leading  members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD)  ,which is a key supporter of the Pheu Thai Party which emerged  victorious in the July 3 election and Ms Yingluck, its No 1 list  candidate, now stands to be prime minister.

 The UDD played a leading role in the violent street protests in 2009 and 2010 that sought to oust the Democrat-led government.

----------


## DroversDog

> DSI chief Tharit Pengdit said on Monday he would  not mind if he were moved to another job by the new government under  the Pheu Thai Party.


Do they really want him to have another job?
He could always save everybody the pain and just retire.

----------


## English Noodles

> He could always save everybody the pain and just retire.


He want's to keep his snout in the trough though, still goodies to be had. An 'inactive post' is what he will be after.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Thaksin
*
*Thaksin’s Sister Seeks Broader Mandate*

 By SIMON ROUGHNEEN                            
Monday, July 4, 2011                   

 _
     Phue Thai party's Yingluck Shinawatra gives Thai traditional "wai"  greeting after a press conference at the party headquarters in Bangkok.  (Photo: AP)   _  

 BANGKOK - Attempting to widen her incoming government's appeal,  Thailand's Prime Minister-elect Yingluck Shinawatra today announced a  five-party coalition that will control 299 out of 500 seats in the next  Thai Parliament.

Her Puea Thai party won 265 seats in Sunday's  election, enough to govern alone with a narrow majority. However, it  appears that Puea Thai is seeking a broader mandate for Yingluck's  incoming administration, perhaps seeking to diminish the perception that  her government will be overly-influenced by controversial former PM  Thaksin Shinawatra, her elder brother.

“I call for unity and  reconciliation,” she said at a Monday afternoon press conference where  the new coalition leaders sat side-by-side. The minority coalition  partners are: Chartthaipattana with 19 seats, Chart Thai Pattana/Puea  Pandin and Palang Chon with seven each, plus Mahachon with one seat.

The  five party leaders pledged to work together, amid concerns regarding  how factions in Thailand's divided society will react to Puea Thai's win  in Sunday's election, which sees the youngest sister of former PM  Thaksin assume the nation's top job less than two months after formally  entering politics.

Speaking by telephone from Ubon  Ratchathani—where Puea Thai won seven out of 11 available seats—Dr.  Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political scientist at Ubon Ratchathani  University, said, “People here are very pleased but are still waiting to  see what will happen. They do not have trust, due to things that  happened in the past.”

Thai Rak Thai (TRT), a predecessor party to  Puea Thai, won elections in 2001 and 2005 before being removed from  office in a September 2006 coup—the 18th actual or attempted military  takeover since Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1932. 

Thaksin's  rule was anathema to the country's “establishment,” an informal  coalition of military, aristocracy and Bangkok elites, some of whom in  turn saw an existential threat to the country's <redacted>. Thailand is  regularly beset by coup rumors and prior to Sunday's election, army  chief Gen Chayuth Pran-ocha urged Thai voters to choose “good people,”  which was taken to mean the incumbent Democrats and their allies.

Whether  or not there are protests or military intervention against Puea Thai  could depend on decisions taken outside Thailand. Reacting to his  sister's win from Dubai, where he spends most of his self-imposed exile  from graft charges relating to abuse of power while in Government,  Thaksin ruled out any imminent return to his homeland by saying, “it is  not a major priority”. However, he previously said that he would like to  attend is daughter's wedding in December, a potential medium-term  flashpoint in Thailand's political calendar.

Prior to the  weekend's election, Somsak Kosailuk, a trade unionist and head of the  New Politics Party, a breakaway faction from the Yellowshirt movement  that helped oust Thaksin and his successors from office in 2006 and  2008, said that Thaksin's return to Thailand would spark protests.

However,  with the Yellowshirt movement now splintered and lacking in public  support, it remains to be seen whether Thaksin's return would have a  galvanizing effect. Speaking yesterday at the Sawasdee School polling  center where now-former PM Abhisit Vejajjiva voted, 34-year-old  businesswoman Analin Buranisira said, “If Peau Thai wins, I will accept  the result, but if they bring Thaksin back by illegal means, I might  protest.”

In the near future, however, it seems unlikely that the  country's politically-assertive military will intervene. Andrew Walker, a  Thailand specialist the Australian National University, said, “the army  will find it very difficult to act openly against Yingluck's  government. She has a strong and unambiguous electoral mandate and her  strong victory shows that the coup of 2006 has achieved nothing.”

For  the sake of calm, some Puea Thai supporters prefer that Thaksin does  not return, as it may bode ill for the country's stability. Natthika  Srisoottipong, 21, an accounting student at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn  University, said that she voted for Puea Thai but added that “Thaksin  should not come back, it could cause war.”

However, Thaksin  retains fierce backing in the Puea Thai heartland in the country's north  and northeast, which is the stronghold of the Redshirt protest movement  that camped out in two separate landmark locations in central Bangkok  last year. On-off street fighting, as well as unexplained bombings and  shootings, left more than 90 people dead and almost 2,000 injured.

Addressing the legacy of this violence will be another challenge for the Puea Thai-led administration.

Today, announcing the new coalition line-up, PM-elect Yingluck pledged  to allow the reconciliation bodies established by her predecessor  Abhisit to complete their work.

Conceding defeat on Sunday  evening, Abhisit congratulated Puea Thai on its victory, before  resigning as leader of the now-opposition Democrat Party, which has  pledged to be a “constructive opposition.”

"I've decided to resign because I could not lead my party to victory in the election," he said. 

Abhisit  came to power in late 2008 after Yellowshirt protestors occupied  Thailand's Government House and Bangkok's international airports. Puea  Thai and the Redshirts alleged that the Thai military strong-armed  erstwhile coalition partners of the People's Power Party (PPP), the  Thaksin-backed successor party to TRT and winner of Thailand's 2007  election, into defecting to Democrat Party side and enabling Abhisit to  form a government.

To some, the means by which Abhisit came to  power proved to be his ultimate undoing, when put to the Thai  electorate. According to Andrew Walker, Sunday's election demonstrated  that “a great many people in Thailand simply did not accept the  legitimacy of the way his government was formed with the help of the  Yellowshirts, judiciary and military.”
*
-----

Thai Military Accepts Sweeping Election Win

*By _TODD PITMAN / AP WRITER_

BANGKOK  — Thailand's military eased concerns of renewed turmoil Monday by  accepting the sweeping electoral win of toppled ex-premier Thaksin  Shinawatra's party, while his sister vowed to reconcile the deeply  divided nation as its first female prime minister.

Defense  Minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwon said the army would accept a government  led by Thaksin's sister, 44-year-old Yingluck Shinawatra, and vowed the  military would not stage a coup.

"I've said this several times," Prawit was quoted as saying by several Thai newspapers Monday. "We are not going to intervene."

Meanwhile  Yingluck told reporters that the first mission of her administration  would be: "how to lead the country to unity and reconciliation."

"I  myself, and Pheu Thai, are determined to serve the nation," Yingluck  said, adding that her government would boost transparency and fight  corruption.

Thaksin, her billionaire brother, was convicted of  graft and lives in exile in Dubai to escape a two-year-prison sentence.  Thaksin says the charges are politically motivated.

Speaking in Dubai on Monday, Thaksin hailed the electoral result.

"The Thai people spoke. They told the world, the whole country ... (that) the last five years, the country has gone nowhere."

"It's  very clear," he said of those who cast ballots, "that they want to see  reconciliation in the country, the end of the conflict ... it will be a  big challenge for Pheu Thai."

Thaksin said he would stay in Dubai  for the time being "doing business," and if his sister's party needs  advice, he will give it. "If they don't need, I don’t have to worry. The  Thai people will be in good hands."

Asked about his return to politics, Thaksin said, "I may be too old ... I really want to retire."

Thaksin  and his proxies have won the country's last four elections. By  contrast, the Democrat party — backed by big business, the military and  circles around the royal palace — has not won a popular vote since 1992.

Thailand's  democratic process has been repeatedly thwarted over the years, with 18  successful or attempted military coups since the 1930s.

Thaksin's  overthrow was followed by controversial court rulings which removed two  of the pro-Thaksin premiers who came after — one of whom won a 2007  vote intended to restore democracy in the nation of 66 million people.

Those  events took place amid anti-Thaksin "Yellow Shirt" protests in which  demonstrators overran the prime minister's office and shut both of  Bangkok's international airports in 2008.

When Abhisit built a  ruling coalition with the parties that remained in Parliament after the  court rulings and what critics called the coerced defections of some  lawmakers to his camp, pro-Thaksin "Red Shirts," composed largely of the  rural poor, took to the streets in protest.

They overran a  regional summit in 2009 and paralyzed Bangkok's wealthiest district for  two months last year. Clashes that culminated in an army crackdown  killed some 90 people and wounded around 1,800, mostly protesters.

----------


## lom

> The new government will also arrange a grand celebration for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej upon his 84th birthday anniversary so Thai people can express their loyalty to the monarch.


Don't forget the Queens birthday Yingluck!!  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## StrontiumDog

*                     Triumph of the Red Shirts                * 

*                 Lindsay Murdoch            * 

     July 5, 2011

 
_Supporters of Yingluck Shinawatra celebrate as election results come out at the Pue Thai party headquarters. Photo: Getty Images_

*The Puea Thai party has won the Thai  election but it is not clear how the establishment will respond.                        *  

             SHE is charismatic and stylish with a photogenic smile.  Six weeks ago Yingluck Shinawatra was a political novice - her only link  to Thailand's deeply polarised politics was her billionaire brother  Thaksin, a convicted felon living 4800 kilometres away in self-imposed  exile in the desert emirate of Dubai.

              But in a stroke of marketing genius the opposition Puea  Thai (For Thais) party nominated 44-year-old Yingluck to contest  Sunday's crucial Thai election, which she won in a landslide.

              The youngest of nine siblings in a prominent ethnic  Chinese family from northern Chiang Mai province, Yingluck Shinawatra is  18 years younger than her exiled brother. Now she is set to become  Thailand's first woman prime minister since the country became a  democracy 79 years ago.

Seen as a fresh and attractive face unconnected to Thailand's  politics of hate, Yingluck ran slick and well-funded campaign rallies  across the country, promising populist giveaways such as a pay rise for  the poor, household debt moratoriums, tax cuts, credit cards for  farmers, high-speed rail lines and cash handouts.

              Screaming and rapturous supporters gave her rock star  status as she captured the hearts of millions of rural and urban poor  Thais who have remained loyal at elections to her brother or his allies  for more than a decade.

              ''Prime minister Yingluck, landslide, landslide,''  supporters chanted in English at the party's headquarters as the  election results came in on Sunday night.

              The result was a stunning turnaround for the party of the  ''red shirts'' which was in disarray and stigmatised by its links to  Thaksin, a divisive figure despised and feared by many of Bangkok's  old-money business and government elite.

              The governing Democrat party won just 160 seats, forcing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to concede defeat.

              The vote is a vindication for Thaksin, a populist  champion of Thailand's long marginalised rural poor who was elected  prime minister twice, in 2001 and 2005, and removed in a coup in  September 2006. During the campaign, US-educated Yingluck played down  her intention to resurrect the political career of her brother and the  return of more than $US1.4 billion ($A1.3 billion) of his seized assets.  But analysts see his inevitable return as the next flashpoint for  potential violence.

              Puea Thai is expected to quickly introduce an amnesty law  that will allow his return and the quashing of a two-year jail sentence  he faces for corruption.

              During the campaign Abhisit tried to demonise Thaksin,  declaring in a final political rally that the election would be ''the  best opportunity to remove the poison of Thaksin from Thailand''.

              For his part, Thaksin has signalled his intention to return to Thailand for a family wedding in December.

              But last night, as his shocked political enemies tried to  come to terms with the magnitude of their defeat, he said: ''I will not  rush back. I have to be patient and accept the situation if I cannot  return. I should be a solution, not a problem.''

              During the campaign Yingluck made no secret of her  attempt to ride into power on her brother's coat tails. She said  she  had learnt a lot from him and understood his vision for the country.

              ''Let's hear it for Dubai,'' Yingluck said in a cry that was met with cheers at one campaign rally.

              ''If you love my brother, will you give his younger sister a chance?'' she said at another rally.

              From his luxury villa in Dubai, Thaksin called Yingluck  his ''clone'' and talked in interviews about the need to foster  reconciliation in the country 12 months after 91 people were killed on  Bangkok's streets in the most deadly protests in modern Thai history.

              ''People are at a standstill. They want to see change in a peaceful manner,'' he said.

              Whether Yingluck can reunite Thailand after six years of political deadlock remains to be seen.

              After graduating from Chiang Mai University, Yingluck  earned a master's  in public administration at Kentucky State University  in the US.

              She returned to Thailand to work for one of Thaksin's  companies as a trainee in the 1990s before being promoted to various  positions in her brother's business empire.

              Until recently she was president of the Thai real estate firm SC Asset Corp.

              Yingluck is also a former president of the mobile  telephone unit of Shin Corp, the telecommunications giant founded by  Thaksin that was at the centre of a scandal over the tax-free sale of  the family's shares in 2006.

              She faces a legal problem of her own: an allegation that  she committed perjury during an assets concealment case involving her  brother's fortune.

              The allegation is certain to be revived by Thaksin's  political enemies who have used legal challenges in the past to keep him  from office.

              Thailand's courts are expected to be at the centre of the  country's political conflict with elements of Bangkok's establishment  likely to seize on allegations of widespread vote rigging at the  election.

              The courts have in the past handed down rulings that have  removed two prime ministers, disbanded six parties, jailed three  election commissioners and banned more than 250 politicians since a 2006  coup overthrew Thaksin.

              ''This is a slap in the face to the establishment for  what they've done since the military coup in 2006,'' said Thitinan  Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International  Studies at Chulalongkorn University. ''This is a new Thailand that they  must learn to live with. This whole election is all about the awakened  voices. These people discovered that they can actually have access and  be connected to the system.''

              The Puea Thai party is supported by many of the red-shirt  protesters, representing the rural and urban poor, who are committed to  Thaksin and staged a two-month rally that paralysed parts of Bangkok a  year ago.

              The Democrat party led by   Abhisit  is the party of the  establishment, including royalists, old-money elite and high-ranking  members of the military, and is at the top of a traditional hierarchical  social and political system in Thailand.

              A military assault crushed the red-shirt protests in confrontations in April and May of last year.

              Sonthi Boonyarataglin, the general who led the 2006 coup,  created his own political party and won two seats, including one for  himself. He has declared himself ready to work with Puea Thai.

              Andrew Walker, a Thai expert at the Australian National  University, said that while many Thais will not like Yingluck's victory,  the strength of the result will probably persuade them to accept it.

              Dr Walker said the Democrat party  needs to regroup and  rethink, and accept that government cannot be won as a result of  military or judicial intervention.

              ''The risk is that hardliners in the military, the palace  or the judiciary will seek to subvert this very clear electoral  result,'' said Dr Walker, a Senior Fellow of ANU's college of Asia and  the Pacific.

              ''This is the standard talk of losers in Thai politics,''  he said. ''Of course, Thailand's electoral process is far from perfect  but there is no credible claim that this election, or any other election  over the past decade, did not reflect the will of the electorate.''

              Dr Walker warned that Thailand would be set on a dangerous path if there were attempts to subvert the outcome.

              He said Thaksin and his political allies have shown that  they are exceptionally skilled in pitching their aspirational message to  the Thai electorate, especially in relatively disadvantaged rural areas  of the north and north-east.

              ''Over the past 10 years the Thai electorate has been  voting for engagement in the political and economic life of the  country,'' Dr Walker said.

              ''If they want to enjoy political success, the old  Bangkok elites need to find a way of tapping into this desire for  engagement,'' he said.

              As Yingluck begins horse trading with minor parties over  the make-up of the government she will lead, officials of her party  remain wary of the military, which has staged 18 coups or attempted  coups in the past.

              Army chief Prayuth Chan-Ocha last week reiterated a  promise to remain neutral in the vote, dismissing rumours that the  military would stage another coup.

              ''The future depends on whether the traditional elite  will be be willing to accept the voice of the people,''  said Pavin  Chachavalpongpun of the Institute of Southeast Asia Studies in  Singapore.

              In the northern city of Chiang Mai, Thaksin's home,  voters who cast ballots at a polling station in a Buddhist temple  expressed a mixture of hope and cynicism about the election.

              Watchara Sroysangwal, a 30-year-old communications company employee, said he voted for a small political party.

              ''I have no hope for Thailand's future,'' he said. ''They  can put new faces on the stage but it's going to be the same groups of  people ruling the country anyway.''

              Another, 26-year-old Kwanrudee Saengnon said: ''There's  been a huge amount of conflict in Thailand when you compare it with  foreign countries.

              ''It's been a so-called democracy, not a real democracy.  This time I'd like the majority to decide the winner. I really want  democracy to decide the outcome.''

              Thailand's conflicts will not be resolved overnight.

              ''We must take the long view,'' said  Thitinan, the Chulalongkorn international studies program director.

              ''This is not a two-year or three-year exercise. We are talking about two or three decades of political maturation to come.

              ''It will be many years before we can reconcile the old order and the new order.''

Read more: Triumph of the Red Shirts

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> Don't forget the Queens birthday Yingluck!!


I'm sure that's already been well planned out by Abhisit. No need to interfere. Maybe Yingluck will invite him back for the event.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*                     Coup fears ease as army accepts poll win                * 

*                 Lindsay Murdoch            * 

     July 5, 2011      

 
_Yingluck Shinawatra, centre, is Thailand's first female prime minister._ 

                                 BANGKOK: Army commanders in Bangkok have allayed fears of  a coup as Yingluck Shinawatra prepares to become Thailand's first  female prime minister.

              The outgoing defence minister, Prawit Wongsuwon, a retired general, said  he had talked with military leaders who removed the billionaire  telecoms tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra from power in 2006.

              Thaksin is Ms Yingluck's older brother.

              ''We will allow politicians to work it out,'' Mr Prawit said.

              The military has staged 18 coups or attempted coups in Thailand  since  the country became a constitutional monarchy in 1932.

              After Ms Yingluck's stunning landslide victory, the defeated prime  minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, 44, announced  yesterday that he was  stepping down as leader of the Democrat Party, which represents many of  Bangkok's business and government elite.

              ''As the election came out with the party winning fewer votes and fewer  seats than in the 2007 poll, and in the spirit of a good leader of an  organisation, I should take responsibility,'' Mr Abhisit said.

              ''I therefore have decided to resign from the party leadership,'' he said on television.

              Mr Abhisit said the Democrats would hold a meeting within 90 days to choose a successor.

              Many Democrats supporters were shocked the party won only 159 seats in the 500-seat parliament.  

              Despite traditional support in Bangkok and the south, the Democrats have not won a general election in nearly two decades.

              Ms Yingluck's Puea Thai (For Thais) party won 265 seats, enough to be able to form government in its own right.

              But yesterday, Ms Yingluck, 44, a US-educated businesswoman,   announced   a deal to form a five-party coalition  that could see it holding 298  seats.

              The other parties are Chart Thai Pattana,  led by the banned politician  Banharn Silpa-archa, and Chart Pattana Pheupandin, Palangchon and  Mahachon.

              Throughout a slick and well-funded campaign, Ms Yingluck pledged to  foster reconciliation and made extravagant promises to the rural and  urban poor - these included tax cuts and a sharp increase in the minimum  wage.

              Puea Thai's crushing win is set to reshape  the political landscape  after years of political deadlock and  one year after 91 people were  killed on Bangkok streets in the country's deadliest clashes in decades.

              In post-election interviews, Ms Yingluck and Thaksin  have avoided  making any comments that could alienate any players such as the  military.

              Thaksin, a divisive figure living in exile in Dubai, said he did not  want to cause trouble by returning home, despite earlier signalling he  planned to be in Thailand for a family wedding in December.

              ''I think people want to see reconciliation; they want to move  forward,'' he told Thai television. ''We will not seek revenge.'' 

              Asked by reporters if he wanted to return to power, the former prime  minister said: ''I've been with the party too long, and I really want to  retire.

              ''Actually, I announced when I was in office that I planned to retire when I was 60. 

              ''I'm 62. It's long overdue for me. Going back [to Thailand] is not  necessarily to be going back to politics,'' he said, joking that he  might become a professional golfer.

              Asked if he wanted to be prime minister again, Thaksin said: ''No.''

              Analysts have warned that the next flashpoint for violence in Thailand  could be when Thaksin returns to the country. The coalition Ms Yingluck  leads is also expected to face a raft of legal challenges in the coming  months.

              The Election Commission has received complaints of 1900 voting irregularities, mainly in Puea Thai's provincial strongholds.

              Ms Yingluck faces an allegation of perjury in an asset concealment case   that involves $US1.4 billion  ($1.3 billion)    of her brother's  fortune.

              Andrew Walker, a Thai expert at the Australian National University, said  Thailand would be set on a very dangerous path if there were attempts  to thwart the election.



Read more: Coup fears ease as army accepts poll win

----------


## Takeovers

Each time the army chief repeats the statement of noninterference it is blatant reminder that he can do that any time he pleases.

I believe he does not want to as long as PT does not cross the line clearly drawn but he won't hesitate if he sees it in his interest.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Other factors in Democrats defeat: pundits
*
*Other factors in Democrats defeat: pundits*

                            By PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK
THE NATION
                                             Published on July 5, 2011                

*A day after Pheu Thai's strong election victory,  academics who have been studying the party's red-shirt supporters say  there's more to the victory than the Thaksin Shinawatra factor.*

                                                            Thammasat political scientist Prajak Kongkirati said a  good number of voters who cast ballots for Pheu Thai were not fans of  Thaksin or Yingluck. Many were disappointed by Abhisit Vejjajiva's  handling of the economy and instability caused by repeated interference  by the Army and the so-called powers outside the electoral system. And  business people, Prajak said, felt there was a need for political  stability and this could not be achieved if forces outside the  democratic system kept interfering. So these concerned people quite  likely voted for Pheu Thai on Sunday. 

"Even some who liked the Democrat Party felt things couldn't go on like this," he said. 

Sirote  Klampaiboon, a Mahidol University lecturer in politics and human  rights, and a close observer of the red-shirts, said although many were  fans of Thaksin, people who voted for Pheu Thai, or the Democrats, were  more diverse than most might think. He attributed the Democrats' loss to  weaknesses of the party and traditional allies like the yellow-shirt  People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), who split from the Democrats. 

"They  failed to create political appeal comparable to Pheu Thai," he said.  But he noted that the stability of the Pheu Thai government could not be  taken for granted as its opponents were still powerful and definitely a  force to be reckoned with. 

Self-proclaimed red-shirt political  scientist Kengkij Kitirianglarp, from Kasetsart University, told The  Nation he wasn't surprised by the Democrats' loss since the party has  never won a majority in its long history. But what made things worse for  the Democrats was a belief that in the current political and economic  crisis, voters felt compelled to make a decisive choice - to support one  of the two major parties, as no other parties could offer a coherent  policy platform. 

Kengkij was concerned that many middle class and  well-off people continue to hold on to the "myth" that rural and urban  poor voters were dumb and unable to make intelligent electoral choices  and the fact this would lead to more social conflict. 

He said  such thinking may not be accidental but part of a way to justify  continued domination by the elite over the rest of the society,  especially the working class and rural poor. 

"Thailand is not  alone. We see examples in countries like Indonesia and the Philippines.  In the Philippines, farmers fighting the [communist] revolutionary war  were portrayed as alien, threatening and uneducated - as naive people  who have been fooled [to fight] and do not have independent  consciousness of their own. This myth is intentionally constructed,"  Kengkij said. 

Prajak also sees the gap in understanding between the poor and middle class/elite as serious. 

"This  is the cause of political instability. It's a long-term issue and a  challenge to preservation of the democratic system. The middle class and  elites have to change their view. Come election time, every voter makes  a rational choice. Although logic applied may differ from that of the  middle class or elites, it doesn't mean the poor are stupid or  irrational. One of the most problematic groups is academics who say  northeasterners and northerners are under the sway of money and  patronage. It means they don't understand how the rural areas have  changed."

Given the growing clout of the poor rural and urban  electorates, who constitute the majority of voters, Sirote is more  concerned about whether or not those on both ends of the economic and  political divides can tolerate the other without resorting to the use of  state power of their respective government to crush the other. He  reckoned that both sides should try to recognise that difference is not  something alien in a democratic society.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Figures show PAD failed to win support for 'no-vote'
*
*Figures show PAD failed to win support for 'no-vote'*

                            By THE NATION
                                             Published on July 5, 2011                

*As well as all the votes cast on Sunday for MP  candidates, who subsequently won or lost their respective contests,  there was another choice: abstention, or the "Vote No" campaign by the  People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).*

                                                            Even before the House of Representatives was dissolved,  the PAD was calling for people to vote 'No', saying no politician was  worth voting for. The group questioned the administrative ability of  both Pheu Thai and the Democrat parties, and their capacity to 'protect'  the country.The PAD claimed abstaining was the best way to show  disapproval of voters' existing choices. But there was more to the "No"  vote than that: many people perceived the abstention mark on ballot  cards as a voters' weapon, with which to oppose unqualified choices. 

"No"  voting was also backed by academics. Voters planning to use their right  to abstain saw it as a private asset, their only means of "civil  disobedience". The "No vote" box was also seen as a place to express  approval of the PAD - the group that formed a political party but turned  its back on the election.

Invalid votes and abstentions, therefore, assumed a different meaning to those in previous elections.

In  the past, we saw 3 per cent of voters abstaining and 5 per cent invalid  ballots for party-list MP balloting, and 5 per cent abstaining and 3  per cent invalid ballots for constituency MP voting.

For  party-list voting, the figures from Sunday's election show little  change. However, the percentage of invalid ballots for constituency MP  voting has risen above the percentage of voters abstaining.

For  party-list voting, the popularity of political parties was quite clear.  The same group of voters still showed their opposition to the existing  parties by abstaining. But in casting ballots for constituency MPs,  voters who wanted to voice their dissatisfaction with the choices  offered by political parties chose to express it by invalidating their  ballot cards.

Some invalid cards were genuinely the result of  voters' mistakes, such as voting for number 5 when the Rak Thailand  Party did not offer any candidates as constituency MPs. But other voters  intentionally either marked two boxes, made other marks, or even wrote  their opinions on the ballot cards.

While his kind of invalidation  has appeared in previous elections, the number of such invalidations  was higher in Sunday's voting.

These voters did not want their  expression of dissatisfaction to be claimed by any group of people; they  simply wanted to show what they thought.

According to the  Election Commission, invalid constituency MP ballot cards amounted to  10.01 per cent of votes in the 2001 election, 5.99 per cent in the 2005  election and 2.55 per cent in 2007.

For party-list MP votes, there  were about 1.5 million invalid ballot cards, or 4.93 per cent, and more  than 849,000 voters, or 2.73 per cent, marked their cards to abstain  from voting.

The decline in invalid ballots is clear, as voters  gained deeper understanding of the process and became more familiar with  exercising their rights with two ballot cards.

However, in  Sunday's election, invalid constituency-MP ballot cards reached almost 2  million, rising to 5.78 per cent of votes cast. Abstentions in this  balloting category amounted to almost 1.4 million, or 4.05 per cent of  votes cast.

While the percentage of abstentions and invalid votes  suggests that the PAD failed in its attempt to claim support from  voters, political parties and MP candidates cannot overlook the voters'  expression of their will. The unusual increase in abstentions and  invalid votes must be telling them something.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^ The anti-democracy movement shafted by democracy. 

Poetic justice  :Smile: 

Or som nom naa

(yes I know that isn't very unbiased of me)

----------


## Takeovers

^ Post 4206^ This is a good post and states clearly what many on this forum have said all the time but where ridiculed by the "I hate Thaksin" crowd.

----------


## mao say dung

Some of that stuff is so spot on you have to wonder how those two are keeping their jobs.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Cod Satrusayang: Sit back and enjoy the apocalypse*

                                       Thailand's leaders are saying all the right  things, but the situation among the electorate is more desperate than  people would admit                        

                     By Cod Satrusayang                                       5 July, 2011                                                         



Well, the day of reckoning came and went and surprisingly the world didn't end. If  you haven't heard, Pheu Thai won Sunday's election, setting the course  for Yingluck Shinawatra to become the first female -- and the second  Shinawatra in less than a decade -- to be prime minister of Thailand. 

 The struggles between the various factions over the past  several years have often sparked violence, and one would be hard-pressed  to find anyone in Thailand who has been unaffected in some way or  without some story directly related to the political strife.

 The political divide has left the country fractured and  hurt and without a clear mandate or course for the future. One would be  foolish to assume that this election is the end of the divide. 

But one would be pessimistic not to hope that it marks the beginning of the country’s "return to normalcy." _More on CNNGo: Weighing in on the Thai election results_

 And while the leaders have said the right things so far --  urging acceptance, congratulating victors and perhaps growing up and  finally steering us towards reconciliation -- the situation among the  electorate is a bit more dire than people would admit.

  Just last night after the election, this was posted on a friend’s  Facebook page, receiving over 20 likes and comments: "Thailand, you have  just shown to the world how unprepared you are for democracy. You have  elected a political party that supports terrorist activities in burning  down Bangkok. 

"You have elected a party in which its  leadership changes to suit one man's needs. You have elected a party  that puts itself above the law, above the constitution. You have sold  yourself to a party that now owns you. Amazing Thailand." 

 Such sarcasm, cynicism and smugness shows that the only  people who aren’t ready for democracy are the people who can’t accept an  election result.

To  be fair though, this was one of the more eloquent and tame Facebook  statuses that I read. Many among the upper-middle class and high society  have reverted to name-calling and ironic chatter about cheats and  villains. 

 We all know the task the new prime minister inherits is  unenviable. Yingluck will soon be fighting off throngs of people  clamoring for a piece of the pie, while at the same time trying to  bridge a divided country. 

 Some have even gone so far as to call this the beginning  of the end; the downfall of Thai culture, society and whatever else is  romanticized in the annals of our history. Well, if this is going to be  the apocalypse, then let us sit back and enjoy it. 

 If this election represents the mushroom cloud that towers  over the half-rusted pillars of our weather-worn society, then let us  rejoice in it because it is going to get worse before it gets better. 

I  once said that history could not be cheapened or shortened to fit  anyone’s agenda, and even though people have tried (drawing parallels  between the Red Shirt protest and Martin Luther King or Gandhi, for  example) the cyclical nature of history always wins out. 

We are living that history of change now, for better or worse, and the story is only halfway done. 

 I can think of no fitter ending than a quote from German essayist Kurt Tucholsky: “Those  who hate most fervently must have once loved deeply; those who want to  deny the world must have once embraced what they now set on fire.”


Read more: Cod Satrusayang: Sit back and enjoy the apocalypse | CNNGo.com Cod Satrusayang: Sit back and enjoy the apocalypse | CNNGo.com

----------


## Butterfly

> Just last night after the election, this was posted on a friend’s Facebook page, receiving over 20 likes and comments:
> 
> "Thailand, you have just shown to the world how unprepared you are for democracy. You have elected a political party that supports terrorist activities in burning down Bangkok."
> 
> "You have elected a party in which its leadership changes to suit one man's needs. You have elected a party that puts itself above the law, above the constitution. You have sold yourself to a party that now owns you. Amazing Thailand."


harsh comments but noneless true,

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Pheu Thai moves to fulfil tablet pledge
*
*Pheu Thai moves to fulfil tablet pledge*
Published:  5/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: Business
 The Pheu Thai Party is already moving on its  "one tablet per child" promise to distribute 800,000 of the computers to  each primary school student at a total cost of 4 billion baht.

 The party is pledging to start delivery of the devices from next  January, saying they can be obtained from China or India for as little  as 5,000 baht apiece.

 Kanawat Wasinsangworn, a deputy party leader, said Pheu Thai is  looking into importing them from Chinese makers in the first year.

 "We will definitely receive funding from the government," said Mr  Kanawat, who is tipped as a contender to become the next Information and  Communications Technology (ICT) minister, competing with Niwattumrong  Boonsongpaisal.

 Mr Kanawat acknowledged parents' concerns regarding their children's  readiness for e-reading and e-content, saying that cooperation between  the ICT and Education ministries would be needed.

 A shortage of Thai content will likely be a key barrier to e-reading among children, he said.

 The tablets will come equipped with a 7-inch display and use an  Android-based operating system, an open platform allowing content  developers to enter local application development.

 The one tablet per child policy is aimed at narrowing the educational  gap and building a better digital textbook and dynamic curriculum, said  Mr Kanawat.

 "Once an ICT minister is appointed, we'll start outsourcing tablet  manufacturing sites and doing test runs for the devices," he said.

 However, Mr Kanawat emphasised the tablet policy may also be under  the purview of the Finance and Education ministries and not necessarily  the ICT Ministry alone.

 He pointed to India as an example, where using technology it  developed itself, the government produces student tablets for $35, as  well as South Korea, which distributes the devices to students for free.

 However, academic experts say that while the Pheu Thai policy will  likely boost mobile data service, use of wireless broadband will be  limited due to a lack of WiFi and 3G services, especially in rural  areas.

 IDC Thailand, a global research firm, has revised up its local  forecast for tablet purchases to 250,000 units this year, from 200,000  predicted earlier, fuelled by the arrival of the iPad 2 and lower prices  overall.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : 'Traitor' talk sealed fate of Bhumjaithai
*
*'Traitor' talk sealed fate of Bhumjaithai*
Published:  5/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 While Pheu Thai's election triumph was not  unexpected, the scale of the defeat of its splinter party, Bhumjaithai,  caught many observers off guard.

 Bhumjaithai had expected to win 70 seats across the country -  including 20 in the northeastern provinces of Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri  Ram and Surin. But it could grab only 34 seats in total and only 13 in  those northeast provinces, its stronghold.

 While the party won fewer votes than expected, the defeat in the Northeast is seen as a particular embarassment.

 Aware of Pheu Thai's popularity, the party decided to keep a low  profile and focus on target constituencies in the Northeast, a strategy  that failed.

 Bhumjaithai candidates and heavyweights said the thrashing was a  result of Pheu Thai's rising popularity - too strong to overcome - and  with that party's choice for its number one list candidate, Yingluck  Shinawatra, who gripped the media's attention.

 Pheu Thai also had on its side a well-organised network of red  shirts, who singled out Bhumjaithai's de facto leader Newin Chidchob.

 They portrayed Mr Newin as ungrateful to deposed prime minister  Thaksin Shinawatra and blamed him for stealing Pheu Thai's mandate in  2008.

 After the last election, in 2007, Mr Newin's faction switched  allegiance, and helped the Democrat Party form the government. That left  Pheu Thai on the opposition bench.

 "Mr Newin was cast in a negative light in the Northeast by red-shirt leaders," a party candidate said.

 The political violence in April and May of last year was also used to undermine Bhumjaithai.

 The red shirts' campaign was successful because it had media outlets -  community radio and satellite television stations - to communicate with  the people and control information.

 In the last two days before the election, the lower part of the  Northeast was awash with leaflets stating that if people voted for No.16  (Bhumjaithai) they would have Abhisit Vejjajiva as prime minister  again.

 "When Bhumjaithai was tied to the Democrats, the door was shut," said Suchart Srisang, a Bhumjaithai candidate in Maha Sarakham.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : A four-pronged recipe for tears on polling day
*
*A four-pronged recipe for tears on polling day*

*ANALYSIS: Bad marketing, teamwork, communication and the Bhumjaithai factor led to the Democrats' humiliating defeat.*
Published:  5/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 For a political party that has been around for  65 years, Sunday's election defeat was a serious humiliation, prompting  Democrat party insiders and pundits to speculate about what went so  terribly wrong.

 
Abhisit Vejjajiva announces his resignation as Democrat Party leader  yesterday to take responsibility for the party’s defeat in Sunday’s  general election. TAWATCHAI KEMGUMNERD

 Political observers and Democrat politicians say there were four  reasons for the party's defeat: a poor marketing effort, a feeble  communications strategy, Pheu Thai's success in isolating the  Bhumjaithai Party in the race, and the Democrats lack of teamwork during  the campaign.

 These shortcomings in part translated into a majority victory for  Pheu Thai, which won 265 seats (securing its prospects for leading the  next government) compared to the Democrat Party's 159 seats. That poor  showing was less than the 165 seats the party won in the 2007 general  election, while the number of votes its party-list candidates garnered  was 2 million votes less than in the last election.

 The serious setback prompted Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the  Democrat leader, and Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, the  party's secretary general, to resign from their party positions to take  responsibility for the defeat.

 In terms of marketing, the Democrats were slow to kick off their  campaign offensive. From the start of the campaigning period, they were  hammered with criticism from the Pheu Thai and the red shirt movement  that they were responsible for the deaths of 92 people during the  dispersal of red shirt protesters in 2011. For most of the campaign, the  Democrats never tried to counter the criticism, except for Mr Abhisit  who was at the centre of the verbal hailstorm.

 The Democrats finally addressed the allegations during a major  campaign event on June 23 at the Ratchaprasong intersection. The effort,  mapped out by Sirichok Sopha, former Democrat MP for Songkhla and Mr  Abhisit's close aide, came too late to convince voters. As for its  communications strategy, the party had no plan for how to communicate  directly with the public. Mr Abhisit was the party's only main  communicator. Pheu Thai connected with the public using several talented  speakers, ranging from red shirt leaders and community radio hosts to  satellite television anchors. The Democrat Party, meanwhile, was  severely panned on red shirt and yellow shirt aligned television  channels.

 Pheu Thai successfully sidelined the Bhumjaithai Party by announcing  that it had severed its ties with the party, painting it as a key ally  of the Democrats. It also told voters that voting for the Bhumjaithai  would not be different than voting for the party that killed the people.  This swayed Bhumjaithai supporters to vote Pheu Thai.

 The Democrats were also short on teamwork. Yingluck Shinawatra  delivered speeches that were written by her team, a method that turned  out to be an effective approach. But, Mr Abhisit wrote his own speeches,  with very little support from aides or writers.

 Despite the Democrat's big defeat, the road ahead for Ms Yingluck is unlikely to be strewn with roses.

 Sources said Ms Yingluck still faced the tough task of forming a new  government and running it, while dealing with different interest groups,  various Pheu Thai Party factions, and her brother, deposed prime  minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

 The red shirt movement, the party's main backer, will most likely  insist that the government take legal action against Mr Abhisit, Mr  Suthep and the military leaders involved in cracking down on their  protests in April and May last year.

 This is likely to put Ms Yingluck in a difficult position,  particularly after she promised to honour her pledge of promoting  national reconciliation and healing the rifts between Pheu Thai, the  military, and the former Democrat-led government.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> The new government will also arrange a grand celebration for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej upon his 84th birthday anniversary so Thai people can express their loyalty to the monarch.
> 
> 
> Don't forget the Queens birthday Yingluck!!


I'm sure they will be best buddies.

----------


## Butterfly

> Pheu Thai also had on its side a well-organised network of red shirts, who singled out Bhumjaithai's de facto leader Newin Chidchob.
> 
> They portrayed Mr Newin as ungrateful to deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and blamed him for stealing Pheu Thai's mandate in 2008.


well at least something good came out of this election,

----------


## Carrabow

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Pheu Thai also had on its side a well-organised network of red shirts, who singled out Bhumjaithai's de facto leader Newin Chidchob.
> 
> They portrayed Mr Newin as ungrateful to deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and blamed him for stealing Pheu Thai's mandate in 2008.
> 
> 
> well at least something good came out of this election,


Yes, many things are looking good. Check your currency converter today. I guess the Dem's aint getting their cut off the top  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Troy
> 
>  poverty reduce significantly...
> 
> 
> That's exactly why Strontiumdog is so opposed to this party.


^
Who cares!

----------


## Carrabow

> Originally Posted by English Noodles
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Troy
> ...


 :bananaman:  :bananaman:  :bananaman:  I am happy for Yingluck  :bananaman:  :bananaman:  :bananaman: 

As with most of you I will be following her progress closely. A woman outdoing a man in Thai society? I can not wait to see the results.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> This leaves no room for amnesty to any person.
> 
> 
> Including the military, Coup conspirators, & 'Youtube' Judges? Good. 
> The spin is blatant. 'No amnesty' actually means no amnesty for Thaksin.


I am reading this morning about how all the key Ministries will be filled by PT, and not coalition people.

I am told that the five listed is where the money is.

But nothing about Justice?......Huh?

As Sabang references the _'Youtube Judges'_ it is a reminder that this Ministry is absolutely crucial in ckeaning up that Judicial system, and purging it of Amart loyalists. Justice is the epicenter of the whole double-standard thing.

But I dont read about it......Why?

----------


## Calgary

Reading above article dealing with the PAD no-vote thing (Post #4207) I am reminded of how I have come to see these people. 

For any of you familiar with the USA political scene, I think these PAD no-voters would all belong to the Tea-party Movement (idiots IMHO)

I observed one female voter whose appearance made me think, "_There is a PAD no-voter" -_ Fat, ugly, with a chip-on-her-shoulder and attitude negativity very obvious.

I am told repeatedly that you cannot "_judge a book by its' cover_"........Maybe!

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by chitown
> 
> 
> The better half -Thai women are the glue that holds the country together in so many ways. Maybe having a woman at the helm will set things in the right direction. 
> 
> I am aware of several companies that only hire Thai women and they run like clockwork.
> 
> 
> I have a Canadian friend who has acquired special dispensations from the Canadian Dept. of Labour, to import foreign workers for fish packing plants on the East Coast.
> ...


What is the female % among PT MPs? I wouldn't get too excited about a woman who is her brother's clone.

----------


## Notnow

Ahh Yingluck
I wonder how much she has practiced that dazzling smile?  She kissed the head of the King Cobra, and it was too dazzled to react.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Review & Outlook: Thailand's Political Leap - WSJ.com
*
*Thailand's Political Leap* 

*Victory by the Thaksin forces creates an opening for compromise.*

 One hopeful sign was the gracious  concession by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. The new government will  probably be led by 44-year-old businesswoman Yingluck Shinawatra, and  one question is whether it will grant her brother, former Prime Minister  Thaksin Shinawatra, amnesty on the corruption charges that sent him  into exile. The military said it will accept the election result, but it  is wary about letting Mr. Thaksin return.

 What is clear is that the changes in  Thai society that made the rise of Mr. Thaksin possible and that he  promoted in five years in office until he was ousted by the military in  2006 are continuing. The pro-Thaksin Puea Thai set the agenda of rural  development and globalization, and the Democrat Party was forced to  follow. 

 Both parties pledged more help for the poor, including  increases in  the minimum wage and more government support for farmers. The many  promises of government spending have prompted concerns that the next  government could wreck public finances.

 A more positive sign was the way in which the two parties competed to  show they would enhance Thailand's international competitiveness. Both  proposed badly needed investments in public works and education. 

 Puea Thai benefited from Mr. Thaksin's proven track record of  development. As the campaign wore on and the Democrat Party lost ground,  Mr. Abhisit began to emphasize his opponents' links to the pro-Thaksin  "red shirt" movement that occupied Bangkok last year. That episode ended  in violence, with government troops killing at least 91 protesters and  the red shirts setting fire to buildings. 

 Thai society remains highly polarized by these events and the Thaksin  period, when the former prime minister sometimes used his power to  silence critics. But after his overthrow, the military government and  then the Democrats failed to continue the more popular and successful  Thaksin policies.

 As this election showed, Thailand has  irrevocably reached the stage where it will be governed by mass parties.  Creating the checks and balances to manage that political competition  has become the most urgent task. Without a revised constitution that  creates robust and independent institutions, political uncertainty will  continue to hold back Thailand's development.

----------


## Bobcock

Who says Yingluck is going to be PM?, I still wouldn't be suprised if she isn't, although I can't see an obvious alternative except Chalerm....55555....OK, OK, I'm kidding...

----------


## sabang

^ The Thai stock market and the FX market for a start. Those who would assure us of the dark days ahead for Thailand on the back of this convincing electoral victory (I'm being polite here) seem to have neglected to tell the financial markets.  :Smile:

----------


## StrontiumDog

A tweet...the shape of things to come...?

_Chalerm believes his son can't be defeated, asking for either a recount of the vote or a new election for constituency 28_.....from  [at]Cake_NBC

(Samart MuangSiri from Dems got 41,806, while Wun YooBumrung got 40,588)

----------


## Buksida

> Who says Yingluck is going to be PM?, I still wouldn't be suprised if she isn't, although I can't see an obvious alternative except Chalerm....55555....OK, OK, I'm kidding...


Maybe she will, as they'd be happy with her campaigning performance and the boss would be confident of nong sow following orders. He wasn't happy with Samak who didn't do exactly what he was told.

On the other hand, is she starts crying again he may want her out. He may be concerned about her - there's a chance he experiences human emotions. Or he may just want someone who can take the pressure.

So Chalerm isn't out of the question, we've already had Samak.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*A landslide, yet inconclusive

A landslide, yet inconclusive* 

*Editorial Desk*
*The Jakarta Post*
Publication Date : 05-07-2011

How will  Yingluck Shinawatra rule Thailand after she led her Pheu Thai party to a  landslide election victory on Sunday (July 3)? How much of the  decisions she makes as the new prime minister will be dictated by her  brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, the real power behind the party, who is  currently living in exile? How long will the Bangkok political elite  tolerate this government-by-proxy, and how long will it be before the  Thai military, with the nod of the king, decides to step in again and  seize power?

 In any other democracy, a landslide  victory means a decisive mandate from the people for the winners to  govern. But this is not the case in Thailand, unfortunately. Instead,  the election outcome has created greater uncertainty about the nations  future.

 Thaksin is a controversial if not  divisive figure. A successful businessman, he exploited loopholes in the  constitution and used his wealth to ride into power until he was  deposed by the military in 2006. Living in exile, he continues to pull  strings. In 2010, he mobilised supporters to occupy and paralyse much of  Bangkok. More than 91 people died when the military moved in to break  them up. Ahead of Sundays election, Thaksin promoted his youngest  sister to lead his party with the slogan Thaksin thinks, Pheu Thai  acts, but Thailands new prime minister has no experience in government  or politics.

 The only decisive outcome from the  election is the message sent to the political elite in Bangkok about the  growing wealth gap that has split the nation between the urban rich and  rural poor. This has translated in recent years to the yellow shirts  and red shirts in street protests and counter-protests. Unless the  political elite (meaning political parties), the monarchy and the  military address this disparity, Thailand will be effectively made up of  two nations largely defined by their income levels. This will make its  democracy vulnerable to exploitation by politicians with lots of money.

 To their credit, Yingluck and outgoing  prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of the Democrat Party have both  promised to work to bury the division. It is certainly a tall order,  given the bloodbath that has developed between pro-Thaksin forces and  the political elite in Bangkok, but reconciliation is the only way for  the nation to move forward. The military should also give democracy  another chance. And Thailand will, sooner or later, have to do something  about Thaksin.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Military must respect vox populi

Military must respect vox populi* 

*Editorial Desk*
*The Statesman*
Publication Date : 05-07-2011

A new chapter opens in  Thailand, which has witnessed a tumultuous phase of late, with the  landslide victory of Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of the ousted Prime  Minister, Thaksin, now in exile in Dubai. At 44, she joins the league of  Indira Gandhi, Begum Hasina, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Benazir Bhutto and  Corazon Aquino. 

   The triumph of the Puea Thai (PT) party signals a moment in history -  the country is set to have its first woman prime minister. And it would  be idle to speculate just yet whether her dispensation will be a proxy  for Thaksins. Her effectiveness will, however, depend on the role of  the military which had backed the outgoing government of Abhishit  Vejjajiva, who had forestalled elections for as long as he could and  despite the strident and frequently violent demand from the Red Shirt  brigade. 

 Yingluck is acutely conscious of the brittle nature of Thailands  body politic and the shadow of the soldiers gun. She has been  remarkably pragmatic, and not euphoric, in her immediate response:  There are many things to accomplish to make reconciliation possible,  paving the way for a solid foundation for a flourishing nation. 

 The result is doubtless a tremendous morale booster, indeed a  turnaround of fortune, for the family of Thaksin, who was ousted as  prime minister by the military in 2006 and then convicted in absentia.  And yet despite the margin of victory, stability remains an imponderable  not least in a country that has known little or no stability over the  past decade. Misgivings expressed by Yinglucks supporters that the  victory could be challenged are not wholly unfounded. The PTs victory  is the fourth in six years for Thaksins group; but the results have  been overturned on three previous occasions.  

With an estimated 90 deaths in  political violence over the past one year, Thailand cries out for peace  as much as stability. The military must now hold its fire; Sundays  result has reaffirmed the democratic engagement. Any attempt to stifle  the voice of the people will ignite the ferment as in the faraway Arab  world.

----------


## Buksida

> A tweet...the shape of things to come...?
> 
> _Chalerm believes his son can't be defeated, asking for either a recount of the vote or a new election for constituency 28_.....from  [at]Cake_NBC
> 
> (Samart MuangSiri from Dems got 41,806, while Wun YooBumrung got 40,588)


Obviously an amart/sakinda/army conspiracy to deny the ppl their democratic rights.

Will be interested to hear more on this one, pls post any follow ups.

----------


## Butterfly

> A tweet...the shape of things to come...?
> 
> _Chalerm believes his son can't be defeated, asking for either a recount of the vote or a new election for constituency 28_.....from  [at]Cake_NBC
> 
> (Samart MuangSiri from Dems got 41,806, while Wun YooBumrung got 40,588)


hahaha, indeed something went wrong  :rofl:

----------


## sabang

> A tweet...the shape of things to come...?
> 
> _Chalerm believes his son can't be defeated, asking for either a recount of the vote or a new election for constituency 28_.....from  [at]Cake_NBC
> 
> (Samart MuangSiri from Dems got 41,806, while Wun YooBumrung got 40,588)


Hehe. I am sure we all agree on two pieces of good news, involving the discomfiture of Messr's Nevin and Chalerm.  :Smile:

----------


## Butterfly

> To their credit, Yingluck and outgoing prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of the Democrat Party have both promised to work to bury the division. It is certainly a tall order, given the bloodbath that has developed between pro-Thaksin forces and the political elite in Bangkok, but reconciliation is the only way for the nation to move forward. The military should also give democracy another chance. And Thailand will, sooner or later, have to do something about Thaksin.


let's not forget that the division could have gone away if it wasn't for Thaksin paying terrorist activists ala IRA to burn the city and kill innocent people,

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Security Measure Tightened for Yingluck's House 

UPDATE : 5 July 2011                     *

Security measures have been stepped up at the residence of the soon-to-be first female prime minister of Thailand. 

Region 4 Metropolitan Commander, Police Major General Suti Nerakanti,  stated that security measures at the house of Yingluck Shinawatra at Soi  Yotinpattana Three on the road under the Ekkamai-Ram Intra expressway  in the Klong Kum District have been stepped up. 

He explained that security officers are taking turns safeguarding the  house around the clock and that there are plainclothed police officers  deployed inside the house. 
*

The commander added that he has tasked the Lat Phrao Police Station with  stepping up security measures at the house, and that a police booth  will be installed soon after she officially becomes the prime minister. 

He said he is confident that officers are able to handle protesters, due to the tightened security measures. 

Meanwhile, security at the residence of former premier Abhisit Vejjajiva  at Soi Sukhumvit 31 has been minimized as soldiers have already been  removed from the site due to easing political tension. 

Only police officers from the local police station and the Crime Suppression Division are still stationed at the house.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
> A tweet...the shape of things to come...?
> 
> _Chalerm believes his son can't be defeated, asking for either a recount of the vote or a new election for constituency 28_.....from  [at]Cake_NBC
> 
> (Samart MuangSiri from Dems got 41,806, while Wun YooBumrung got 40,588)
> 
> ...


Indeed, 2 of my least favourite people on the planet (there are a few others). Ain't democracy grand...

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

MP Candidates Call for Vote Recount  

UPDATE : 5 July 2011                     *

A large number of MP candidates have  filed complaints with the Election Commission asking them to conduct a  ballot recount, claiming that the process was not transparent. 

In Yala Province, Pheu Thai MP candidate for Constituency 2, Zugano Mata  sent a letter to the Election Commission, or EC, asking them to suspend  the official announcement. 

In the general election, in the final tally he had only 48 votes fewer than the Democrat candidate, Abdulgarim Dengragine. 

In addition, 9,000 void ballots were found. 
*

He claimed that the vote counting process was not transparent, and is asking the EC to re-count all of the ballots. 

The Yala Election Commissioner, Bunteang Watcharasereekul, reiterated  that all constituencies that he is in charge of operated in accordance  with all election laws. 

He said that the MP candidates have the right to question the election  results within 30 days, while the EC would consider, thoroughly, case by  case, whether to object to the complaint, to hold a re-election or to  recount ballots. 

As for Sukhothai Province, the Election Commissioner, Jaroon Janin   revealed that about 345,000 voters turned out on election day. 

The unofficial results shown that Vivat Wiriyapong, and Sampan  Tangbenjapol from the Democrat Party and Jakkawan Chaiwiratnukul and  Manu Pookprasert from Bhumjaithai Party won the MP seats there. 

Regarding the complaint, the EC will inspect all cases within 7 days. 

Mostly, the candidates have accused the opposition of vote buying. 

In addition, Chart Pattana Pheu Pandin MP candidate and former MP,  Somjet Limpapan filed a complaint asking for a ballot recount. 

Phuket Governor Tree Akkaradeja stated that almost 76 percent of voters  turned out on the election day, while 5 percent of the ballots were  void. 

At the same time, Phuket had the highest number of 'Vote No' ballots, more than any other province, at around 9 percent.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Myanmar's Suu Kyi welcomes Thai poll outcome - Channel NewsAsia
*
*Myanmar's Suu Kyi welcomes Thai poll outcome*

Posted: 05 July 2011 1357 hrs 

 
Aung San Suu Kyi                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

BAGAN: Myanmar's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday  welcomed Thailand's election outcome, which paves the way for Yingluck  Shinawatra to become the country's first female prime minister.

"I  like that she's a woman but the most important thing is the  relationship between the two nations and our people," Suu Kyi told  reporters on the second day of her visit to the ancient temple city of  Bagan in central Myanmar.

"We also have to welcome the government  democratically elected by the people," she said, also expressing hopes  that ties with neighbouring Thailand would remain strong under  44-year-old Yingluck's administration.

Yingluck's Puea Thai  party, allied to her brother Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted in a coup  five years ago, stormed to a majority victory in Sunday's vote, taking a  majority of the seats in Thailand's lower house.

While Suu Kyi's  own opposition party won a landslide election in Myanmar in 1990, the  military junta never allowed it to take power, and she has spent much of  the last two decades in jail or under house arrest.

The  66-year-old Nobel peace laureate was sidelined in the first election to  be held since then, in November last year, and her party was disbanded  by the generals for boycotting the vote.

The junta's political  proxies claimed an overwhelming victory in the poll, which was marred by  widespread complaints of cheating and intimidation.

Suu Kyi is  on her first trip outside Yangon since being freed from years of house  arrest a few days after the election and politics is not on the agenda.

But  the high-profile vacation is seen as test of her ability to travel  freely around the country, albeit under the watchful eyes of the regime.

----------


## sabang

^ Yes, but what about the Generals?  ::chitown::

----------


## Bobcock

> Hehe. I am sure we all agree on two pieces of good news, involving the discomfiture of Messr's Nevin and Chalerm


I'd drink a pint of vomit to that one sabang....

----------


## SteveCM

> Hehe. I am sure we all agree on two pieces of good news, involving the discomfiture of Messr's Nevin and Chalerm


I'm still trying to form a sensible view of just how damaged Newin _currently_ is. Clearly a major dent in the BJT vote but _still_ they got 30+ seats - and those secured in BJT's name rather than as part of/on the coat-tails of PPP (even allowing for the "fiefdom" factor).

Granted it's not a particularly useful or even relevant block of votes when it's no longer the lynch-pin of Abhisit's governing consortium and therefore without access to those lucrative ministries - and very likely to see defections if only for that reason. So, it's likely to decline further and I'd also expect PT to work hard on hammering BJT so as to complete the process of marginalising them; but, judging by seats,  the election itself didn't do it yet.

Post-election, there must be a _lot_ of mid/high-level provincial officials_ (_inserted by the previous BJT Interior ministry_)_ who are now contemplating just how much future they have left.

All that said, Newin is nothing if not a survivor..... a bit early to count him and his out just yet.

----------


## sabang

> very likely to see defections if only for that reason. So, it's likely to decline further


Thats the box and dice. BJT will hopefully be extinct, or a one province fiefdom, by the next elections. Sadly missed.

----------


## SteveCM

^



> BJT will hopefully be extinct, or a one province fiefdom, by the next elections.


I share the hope - but I think it's overly optimistic as an expectation. OK, they're locked out of the national milking parlour - but, for now, they still have access to provincial ones.

----------


## Bobcock

> Sadly missed.


C'mon....yer fibbing ain't ya?

----------


## robuzo

> Originally Posted by sabang
> 
> Sadly missed.
> 
> 
> C'mon....yer fibbing ain't ya?


BJT are good entertainment value, at least.

----------


## Bobcock

cvnts is more the word I would use....

----------


## StrontiumDog

EC to certify election result within next Tue : National News Bureau of Thailand

*EC to certify election result within next Tue *  

 

BANGKOK, 5 July 2011 (NNT) – The Election Commission (EC) expects that  the election result for both constituency and party-list systems will be  certified by 12 July if no more complaints about electoral frauds are  made. 

Election Commissioner Prapun Naigowit stated that vote counting is  expected to be completed today to be followed by an official  announcement of the result; therefore, the EC is likely to be able to  certify the result within next Tuesday. 

Regarding the overall situation of the 3 July election, Mr Prapun  indicated that Thai people were very alert to the recent polling as the  voter turnout almost hit 75%.  

Moreover, the voting went on smoothly although obstacles were reported  in some areas such as flooding and problems relating to transportation  of ballot boxes in the south.  

The election commissioner also declared that there have been over 190  complaints pertaining to electoral frauds reported thus far, and the EC  is trying to finish probing them within 30 days after the election date.   

Mr Prapun noted that if investigations could not be finished within 30  days, the EC would endorse candidates under the probe but could still  withdraw their status later if clear evidences of law violations were  found. Fresh elections are therefore possible, he said.

----------


## StrontiumDog

EU congratulates Thailand

*EU congratulates Thailand’s successful election  *  

 

BANGKOK,  5 July 2011 (NNT) – The European Union (EU) has congratulated Thailand  for the successful 3 July general election with a hope that the result  will unite Thai people and move the country forward. 

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice  President of the Commission Catherine Ashton has issued a statement  congratulating Thai people for the orderly arrangement of the 3 July  general election.  

Ms Ashton expressed the EU’s hope that the outcome of the election will  unite all political groups together to solve political and social  problems in Thailand, help enhance strong relations with the EU as well  as strengthen the role of Thailand in ASEAN and the global arena. 

Meanwhile, the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has increased the  level of travel warning for people going to Thailand from the lowest to  third level although the recent general election went on smoothly.  Taiwanese tourists hence are warned to exercise caution for journeys to  Thailand. 

The China Post reported that Mr Chen Mingcheng, the director of Taiwan's  representative office in Bangkok made such a suggestion to the  Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs as he set up a special team to  evaluate the situation, but said the final decision depends on the  ministry itself.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Yingluck doomed under Thaksin's shadow: Suthep
*
*Yingluck doomed under Thaksin's shadow: Suthep*

                                             Published on July 5, 2011                 

                                                            Designate Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra should step out of ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra's shadow in order to avoid an early collapse of her government, Democrat Suthep Thuagsuban said on Tuesday.

"Yingluck governs under Thaksin order, the Pheu Thai-led government will see a quick ending due to the lack of credibility," he said.

The Nation

----------


## sabang

> the Pheu Thai-led government will see a quick ending due to the lack of credibility


The second government in the history of Thailand to win an outright electoral majority does not have a credibility problem Suthep. But you do.

----------


## Bettyboo

As per the Newin votes above... there are many layers of problems in Thai politics (all in my opinion underpinned by the top-down patronage system...), and this is one example. The locals vote for the guy that they see as 'bringing home the bacon' regardless of the fact that it's the local representatives duty to do his job by representing both local and national needs...

I had a long conversation with a smart T student about why she'd vote for Banharn, her knowing full well how corrupt he is, but she just kept saying: 'he has looked after us'... She also refuses to even discuss religion or another area... 

The patronage system is still deep, and benefits the Banharns, Sutheps, Newins and Chalerms of the world; personally, I think PT are not as reliant on the patronage system as the dems/PAD, etc, rather they go for the 'popular' vote which is a better system imho, as it reflects actual worth not some imagined status (I understand this is open for debate...). 

Now, a woman PM does attack the patronage system - that's great for the future.

----------


## Pol the Pot

> "Yingluck governs under Thaksin order, the Pheu Thai-led government will see a quick ending due to the lack of credibility," he said.


Dear, oh dear.

Another one that Suthep has got wrong.

----------


## Butterfly

> She also refuses to even discuss religion or another area...


probably because she can see you as an argumentative nutter and it would be pointless to discuss something you have no idea about

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> Some of that stuff is so spot on you have to wonder how those two are keeping their jobs.


Maybe The Nation has found Jesus? Or just knows which side its bread ain't buttered any longer?

----------


## Bettyboo

^^ doesn't stop you big boy...  :Smile: 

& stop greening me, for fuks sake...

----------


## crippen

I think PT are not as reliant on the patronage system as the dems/PAD,



What is the difference between patronage and bribes?

 :Confused:

----------


## Bettyboo

^ a lot of difference. One is a choice and one is not. One is open to judicial process, one is not.

You're also spinning away to presume the PT are guilty of bribes... all of them are... None more so than the dems, as they've proven time after time after time (see the post below)...

----------


## Mid

> the Bhumjaithai factor




 ::chitown::

----------


## Norton

> I share the hope - but I think it's overly optimistic as an expectation. OK, they're locked out of the national milking parlour - but, for now, they still have access to provincial ones.


BJP received a lot of support in past because they had local support *and* folks knew they were in PPP camp. When Newins bunch defected to Dems so Dems had the votes to bring down PPP they lost a great deal of support. 

This election indicates the anger of BJP defection. No doubt revenge was a factor in BJP poor showing. Might even be wors if the EC conducts an unbiased investigation of the red cards they issued in Buriram and Sisaket.

Yingluck is in the process of building a coalition which will give about 300 seats supporting them. Effect will be to marginalize Dems and BJP to a near nonexistent opposition. It also makes it impossible for a repeat of another big defection to Dems. The weak showing by Barnharn's bunch is a blessing for PTP. Even if they pull a Newin defection they will not have enough votes to bring down PTP.

My assessment is BJP is done. As you say they may retain some local support but will have no influence in Parliament at all. They have lost the ability to be a power broker. I wouldn't be surprised to see Dems decide BJP is a liability and get divorced from Newin camp. 

Stick a fork in em, BJP is done.

----------


## Bettyboo

^ I hope so Norts.

Once the local MP's have less/no access to the government funds/trough then their support will drop; they know this and many may move across to PT.

Banharn losing seats when he always brings back the bacon is a real shocker and actually shows voters who are focussed on ideologies rather than personal short-term benefits. This bodes well for the nation.

With the big event upcoming, some real cracks are appearing in the patronage system; no wonder the PAD/army are so concerned... I doubt PT are actively designing the cracks, they are just willing beneficiaries...

----------


## Phoenix

> I think PT are not as reliant on the patronage system as the dems/PAD,
> 
> 
> 
> What is the difference between patronage and bribes?


A bribe is a one of payment. 

The patronage system is that which finds top military ( and to a lesser extent police ) figures being offered positions on the board of directors of a lot of leading Thai companies and drawing a regular salary just because having their names on the board smooths away many problems in doing business here. They don't actually have to do anything just play golf and collect a salary.

----------


## Butterfly

> Yingluck is in the process of building a coalition which will give about 300 seats supporting them. Effect will be to marginalize Dems and BJP to a near nonexistent opposition.


and how is that a good thing ? another path for less democracy I suppose, in line with PT objectives for Thailand to become a one party system, like Singapore




> Stick a fork in em, BJP is done.


This is Thailand dude, where the dead can rise once again in business or politics

----------


## Bettyboo

> This is Thailand *dude*, where the dead can rise once again in business or politics


You must stop hanging out with Socal...

Your point, unusually, is a solid one, however.

----------


## crippen

> Originally Posted by crippen
> 
> 
> I think PT are not as reliant on the patronage system as the dems/PAD,
> 
> 
> 
> What is the difference between patronage and bribes?
> 
> ...



Thanks!  So patronage is long lasting,bribes are a one off payment. Clear now. A bit like the British System of Aristochrosy :ourrules:

----------


## Bobcock

> Aristochrosy


Never heard of that one....

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

The New Government Must Not Abuse Its Power 

UPDATE : 5 July 2011                     

The Pheu Thai Party has won the election by  taking more than half of the seats in the House of Representatives.  Consequently, the party is righteously entitled to form the government.  Acting Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has also conceded to the defeat  and recently stepped down as the Democrat Party leader. This is seen by  many as the beginning of a good political custom. 

Once the Pheu Thai-led government is in power, it has a responsibility  to implement what it has promised to the people during the campaign,  particularly its pledge to promote national reconciliation. 

The Pheu Thai-led administration has to realize that it was elected by  the majority of the voters who hope for a good government that will  solve their problems and usher in development. The landslide victory  does not mean that it could do whatever it wants without considering the  minority’s feeling. Otherwise, it could lead to another political  conflict and violence which no one wants. 

Society is anxiously waiting to see how the new government, under the  leadership of the Pheu Thai Party, will bring about national  reconciliation; particularly on the issue of amnesty for those  criminally persecuted after the military coup took place on September  19, 2006 on façade of national unity. This has been suspected by some as  an attempt to absolve former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and red  shirt terrorists of their crimes, including the reimbursement of 46  billion baht in assets seized from him. 

If the new government is trying to bring amnesty for Thaksin and those  who are responsible for the political unrest, Thailand may enter another  chaotic period as protestors will surely take to the streets once  again.

Therefore, as the country needs to be re-united for the sake of national  progress and when there are many problems waiting to be solved, the new  government should not do anything that could lead to another round of  political conflict, especially the controversial issue of amnesty for  Thaksin. 

*Taken from Naewna Newspaper, Editorial Section, Page 3, July 5, 2011

Translated and Rewritten by Kongkrai Maksrivorawan*

----------


## Bobcock

> This has been suspected by some as an attempt to absolve former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra


Lets be honest, even the dreaded Amart left it open for him to be absolved after all of all the crimes they chose to prosecute him for they picked the tiddlers..... they just wanted to hurt him by taking his cash, not to prosecute him for doing the things expected of him and his like (murder, corruption).

It's the Thai way.

----------


## Takeovers

> Society is anxiously waiting to see how the new government, under the leadership of the Pheu Thai Party, will bring about national reconciliation; particularly on the issue of amnesty for those criminally persecuted after the military coup took place on September 19, 2006 on façade of national unity. This has been suspected by some as an attempt to absolve former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and red shirt terrorists of their crimes, including the reimbursement of 46 billion baht in assets seized from him.


There are two reasonable options. One would be a blanket amnesty which would include Thaksin and all banned politicians.
The other would be to bring the criminals to justice. That would be the Military Coup Leaders and the Yellow Shirt leaders, probably including the Democrat leadership, especially Abhisit for the murders committed last year of peaceful demonstrators.

----------


## Bobcock

> The other would be to bring the criminals to justice


the courts would be clogged for years and there wouldn't be a politician in parliament apart from Yingluck....

----------


## Takeovers

> Originally Posted by Takeovers
> 
> The other would be to bring the criminals to justice
> 
> 
> the courts would be clogged for years and there would be a politician in parliament apart from Yingluck....


That is why I believe the first option is more viable.

I am aware of the problems with option two, the biggest being that it would cause another coup.

----------


## Norton

> and how is that a good thing ? another path for less democracy I suppose, in line with PT objectives for Thailand to become a one party system, like Singapore


Never said it was a good or bad thing. Simply what PTP is doing and gave reason. Not my reason. Yingluck has stated same publically. Can't blame her after PPP experience with turn coat BJP without which Dems could not have got vote to elect Abhist as PM. BTW, Singapore has done quite well with their form of one party democracy. 




> This is Thailand dude, where the dead can rise once again in business or politics


Chill out dude. Take a Xanax, have a beer and BJ. When finished come back and state your opinion on how BJP will rise from the ashes of defeat and again become a significant political player in Thai politics.

----------


## Butterfly

> BTW, Singapore has done quite well with their form of one party democracy.


as a dictatorship ? yes, it's doing fantastic

----------


## Norton

> as a dictatorship ? yes, it's doing fantastic


And here I was assuming this is exactly what you envision as the perfect government. :Smile:

----------


## Butterfly

> And here I was assuming this is exactly what you envision as the perfect government


if it has a socialist agenda, yes  :Smile: 

otherwise, no

----------


## Tom Sawyer

^
Stop pretending you're a socialist you f'ing nutcase. You're an insult to socialism. Just ask your "monkey" friends.

----------


## Rural Surin

> ^
> Stop pretending you're a socialist you f'ing nutcase. You're an insult to socialism. Just ask your "monkey" friends.


I'm surprised at you, TS.
Falling for the hook and troll.
You're beyond that, mate.

----------


## Bettyboo

> they chose to prosecute him for they picked the tiddlers.....


I would hope you know full well why they could not go after him on bigger cases; look who his partners were and who owns them... it couldn't even be discussed in court; that's why the Singapore deal is so ridiculous with the army shouting out - maybe they should've directed their anger at the major stakeholder in that deal...

----------


## Tom Sawyer

^
Think he meant the land sale purchase by his wife (or ex-wife or whatever) - not the sale to Temasek.

----------


## Bettyboo

> the courts would be clogged for years and there wouldn't be a politician in parliament apart from Yingluck....


& who would try the cases???




> There are two reasonable options. One would be a blanket amnesty which would include Thaksin and all banned politicians. The other would be to bring the criminals to justice. That would be the Military Coup Leaders and the Yellow Shirt leaders, probably including the Democrat leadership, especially Abhisit for the murders committed last year of peaceful demonstrators.


I don't think either option is viable at this point. 

Firstly, PT are not freedom fighters, they are a Thai political group who will mostly go with the flow, but unlike other Thai political groups they have seen the future and have joined the masses (at least in theory) to some extent.

Secondly, it goes so high that nobody dare talk about it... yet... the coup leaders/instigators will not and cannot be touched at this point, but, as a great man once said: time waits for no one.

----------


## Bettyboo

> ^
> Think he meant the land sale purchase by his wife (or ex-wife or whatever) - not the sale to Temasek.


Bobcock was opening up the prosecution posibilities. And it's a reasonable question: why not go after Taksin on the big deals??? The answer being, it was never about corruption, it was about democracy getting out of hand and the old guard refusing the natural change and motion of society... (never mind the superstitions of some...)

----------


## Butterfly

> it was never about corruption, it was about democracy getting out of hand and the old guard refusing the natural change and motion of society...


 :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Tom Sawyer

Yes - I think the reasons they went after him on the land deal and not the other issues has been pretty well explained over the last couple of years. The skinny on it is that the other big deals like Temasek would require a focus on the areas you mentioned. As for the 'human rights abuses' it would mean the military would face charges too (what a joke - coming from the people who used to drop people they didn't like out of helicopters and burn them alive in their villages - or hang them from trees and gouge their eyes out).

They went after the easy option - except that as a poster long ago pointed out (here or on the other side) - the charges and rulings didn't actually make sense in law. They were in other words not 'safe' judgements. But that was swept away as a charge - any charge - was needed to 'justify' thei actions to chase him out of the country.

----------


## Bettyboo

^ the law was changed by the coup makers to go after him... that sums it up really. But, old news.

New dawns look brighter. (I'd hope without MrT, though it's only a matter of time)

----------


## Tom Sawyer

Yep - but let's enjoy the wind of change whilst it's still fresh!

----------


## Buksida

> Originally Posted by Tom Sawyer
> 
> 
> ^
> Think he meant the land sale purchase by his wife (or ex-wife or whatever) - not the sale to Temasek.
> 
> 
> Bobcock was opening up the prosecution posibilities. And it's a reasonable question: why not go after Taksin on the big deals??? The answer being, it was never about corruption, it was about democracy getting out of hand and the old guard refusing the natural change and motion of society... (never mind the superstitions of some...)



It wasn't about corruption or democracy, it was political and about getting hold of his money as a way of keeping him in line.

You post some weird shit, seems you think Thaksin was/is a democracy activist. The party he owns has just won with a comfortable majority, yet chooses to go into coalition. Can anyone name other countries where this is the case?

----------


## Bobcock

> Think he meant the land sale purchase by his wife (or ex-wife or whatever) - not the sale to Temasek.


I meant both and thought I even claried your point by saying they wouldn't prosecute him for the things that they expected of him

Corruption is a right not a privilege for that level of people, of course they would never chase people on that, it'd put their own deals at risk...

----------


## Bobcock

> it was about democracy getting out of hand and the old guard refusing the natural change and motion of society...


only partially.....

----------


## Bobcock

> The party he owns has just won with a comfortable majority, yet chooses to go into coalition. Can anyone name other countries where this is the case?


It wasn't a comfortable majority at the Polling Booth, it is now. I believe there are some votes where 20 or so cabinet ministers are excluded, which means they could easily be defeated without some back up.

Mind you, once certain BJP MP's defect they'll be doing even better....

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> The party he owns has just won with a comfortable majority, yet chooses to go into coalition. Can anyone name other countries where this is the case?


My guess is that - despite the 15-odd seat majority - a coalition provides a cushion against more kangaroo court action against the winning party to widdle away the majority to where it is exposed to amart-military jurymandering - like last time. This makes it nearly impossible to succeed using that tactic. It's a logistical move. And not a bad one - as they can use the excuse of reconciliation as the reason. The 'coalition' now has roughly 300 seats and may have more if the Dems drop a couple to corrupt campaigning. It will mean only a coup can unseat them.

----------


## LooseBowels

The second thing PM Yingluck should do is to kick out the Pommie Bsastard english ambassador  and tell him to shove his pasport up his arse  :Smile:

----------


## Bobcock

> The second thing PM Yingluck should do is to kick out the Pommie Bsastard english ambassador and tell him to shove his pasport up his arse


Posting whilst drinking has caught me out in the past as well LB....

English Ambassador?

----------


## Butterfly

what a nice display of red nuttiness,

----------


## StrontiumDog

*http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/elec...n-the-barracks
*
*Political mutiny in the barracks*
Published:  6/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsArmy leaders may be questioning the power of  their  political influence after the sweeping defeat of the Democrat  Party  extended even to the military vote.

 The Royal Thai Army is known as a staunch Democrat ally, but the   results of Sunday's election reflected that while its top brass can   mould their subordinates on the battlefield, it failed to shape their   political ideologies.

 Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha is a vocal Democrat supporter and while   he stopped short of outright ordering his soldiers to vote for his party   of choice, he made his preference clearly known.

 Despite this, army votes for Pheu Thai point to the high number of   "watermelons" in the military. This nickname refers to their uniform   marking them as green on the outside, but their personal beliefs making   them "red" within.

 Some of these "watermelons" have close ties with Pheu Thai and/or the   red shirt movement, while others are just sympathetic to the party or   the cause.

 Army leaders must have been especially incensed when Pheu Thai's   Leelawadee Watcharobol won a seat in Dusit district, which has a high   military presence with many army units.

 With Pheu Thai now in the process of forming its government, the   Democrat Party has been consigned to the opposition bench. Gen Prayuth   will surely be disappointed with the result and will likely be brooding   over "what went wrong".
  Even before the election was announced, Gen Prayuth's hostility to   the red shirts and opposition to Pheu Thai was clear, and all army   personnel were well aware of their boss's thoughts on political matters.

 An army source said that although soldiers were not told to vote a   certain way, they all knew Gen Prayuth favoured the Democrats and was   hoping they would follow his example.

 The source said that while it was too risky for unit commanders to   order the rank and file soldiers to vote a certain way, commanders still   attempted to exert influence.

 For example, videos of the burning of parts of the city at the   culmination of last year's red shirt protests were played in barracks on   most days in the run up to the election, the source said.

 But the vote results suggest the efforts were in vain, and point to   the real feelings of many soldiers who until now had held their   political tongue.

 And even if some soldiers did go along with their commanders'  bidding,  it would not have been enough to offset the pro-red votes of  their  families, as many troops come from areas which traditionally  favour  Pheu Thai.

 There was also likely an element of personal interest for some who   voted for Pheu Thai, as many soldiers once worked for army leaders who   have close ties with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

 Many of these superiors had been transferred to inactive posts in the   post-Thaksin military landscape, but a new Thaksin-influenced   government could see them return to positions of power, and with that   would come increased prospects of promotion for their former   subordinates.

 A private from a military unit on Nakhon Chaisi Road in Dusit  district  said after casting his vote on Sunday that his commander did  not order  him to vote for the Democrats but he knew this was what his  superior  wanted.

 "I had two ballot papers. On one paper, I voted just as my boss   wished. On the other one, I made my own choice," said the soldier, who   did not wish to be named.

 With the army long suspected of political involvement, it is a  healthy  sign for democracy that many soldiers voted in a different  direction  to that of their bosses' stated preference.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Other Bangkok Post updates...

*Democrats in desperate need of major overhaul* 
06/07/2011 : _The Democrat  Party is in need of a major revamp in terms of party leadership and  overall structure if it is to regain the ground lost to the Shinawatras  and Pheu Thai.
_
*Chuwit consoles Abhisit*
06/07/2011 : _Rak  Thailand Party leader Chuwit Kamolvisit yesterday offered moral support  to outgoing prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and pledged to closely  scrutinise the performance of the Pheu Thai-led government._

*Somsak eyes coalition role for his faction*
06/07/2011 : _A Bhumjaithai faction led by Somsak Thepsuthin is looking to join the Pheu Thai-led coalition, a party source says._
*
Well-oiled party machine secured victory*
06/07/2011 : _The  Pheu Thai Party won the election as a result of its efficiently run  campaign combined with a boomerang effect of the Democrat Party's  campaign._

----------


## StrontiumDog

Nation updates, mostly covered by earlier posts...

Poll seemed fair, Asian network observers say
_Officials from the Asian Network for Free Elections, which dispatched 73 observers for the election on Sunday,...._

Endorsement of MPs starts July 12
_After releasing the official ballot results, the Election Commission will begin to endorse MPs-elect next...._

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : Democrats at a crossroads

EDITORIAL

*Democrats at a crossroads*
Published:  6/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Rarely in Thai political history have so few  disappointed so many and squandered so much. The Democrat Party  mismanaged and misdirected its election campaign across the country. The  oldest political party made fatal errors, including overestimating  their achievements, underestimating the political opposition and  misunderstanding the mood of the voters.



 As a result, the party once again lost its tenuous hold on power and  is returning to the Opposition benches in Parliament. The leader of the  party, outgoing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, has stepped down to  show his responsibility. The Democrats, dispirited and in disarray,  should ask him to reconsider - as part of an effort to rebuild a viable  and modern-day political party.

 No one is irreplaceable. But the Democrats need Mr Abhisit. Having  misjudged their poll chances so very badly, the Democrats must embark on  a programme to view their policies and image. No Democrat has the  ability to represent the party or project it to the public like the  current leader. Indeed, at their last crisis after the election loss in  2005, the Democrats turned to Mr Abhisit as much in desperation as in  confidence. The leader of the 1990s, Chuan Leekpai, had quit and was  clearly a man of the past. Banyat Bantadtan was always a space filler  until the right man could be found - or groomed - for the party  leadership. The abysmal Democrat performance at the 2005 polls proved to  be Mr Banyat's first and last national election campaign.

 Mr Abhisit sat in opposition in his first year as leader of the  Democrats. He made several mistakes at the time, mostly during the year  of tumult as the yellow shirts of the People's Alliance for Democracy  took over Bangkok streets and, eventually, its airports. The Democrats  aligned themselves too closely to the undemocratic PAD, an error later  and dramatically rectified. The method of Mr Abhisit's coming to office  was aided by the military. On the other hand, the infamous hug from  banned politician and Bhumjaithai Party adviser Newin Chidchob stuck to  Mr Abhisit, and clearly hurt him and the Democrats at last Sunday's  election.

 The national polls hold a myriad lessons for the Democrats. Mr  Abhisit has taken the honourable step in the wake of rejection by Thai  voters. His resignation shows a spirit almost never seen in Thai  politics. The idea of a politician taking responsibility for his actions  is virtually unheard of in Thailand. Ironically, it is exactly this  spirit that should convince the Democrats to ask, and if necessary, beg  Mr Abhisit to remain head of the party.

 In many ways, the Democrats are victims of old age. Most of the  party's policies have been made behind closed doors and announced to the  country. In the campaign leading up to Sunday's vote, there was a  decided lack of excitement.

 The men (and a tiny handful of women) at the top clearly did not know  the mood of the voters because they were not listening to the party's  grass roots. As a result, the top echelon of the party never was able to  get across its questionable and ill-founded message to the voters.

 In short, the Democrat Party has been undemocratic and has paid the  price. Mr Abhisit, however, is the only national figure capable of  clearing out the party rot and rebuilding a modern, clean and viable  national organisation. The strength of Pheu Thai is its new politics and  connection with voters. If the Democrats fail to achieve a similar,  modern set of policies, they will only repeat their failures at the  polls.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Nepotism, intimidation, corruption... here we go again
*
*Nepotism, intimidation, corruption... here we go again*
Published:  6/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Being an economist, I am reluctant to oblige  when asked about the future, for I know fully well that economists much  smarter than I are often ridiculed when their forecasts turn out wrong.

 About the July 3 election and the new government, however, I will  stick my neck out while the official polling results have yet to be  announced.

 Although one party may have won a majority of seats, the next  government will comprise at least three parties and its governance will  show these traits.

 The lead party in the coalition will try to bring in many parties,  both during the formation of the first cabinet and in subsequent  reshuffles that will inevitably follow, with the aim of amending the  Constitution and rendering the opposition toothless.

 At least one party, with a reputation of being an eel, will be eager  to join so that its leaders do not miss out on opportunities to continue  lining their pockets. Some may be attracted by plum positions with  ample opportunities for making money, while others might be persuaded by  the certainty of avoiding prosecution if their leaders are involved in  shady activities.

 It will use strong-armed tactics extensively, beginning with a drug  eradication campaign similar to the one staged a decade ago, that will  result in losses of dozens of lives.

 Politics will reach into the civil service and autonomous agencies, perhaps into the judicial branch as well.

 Opposition parties and citizen groups that do not agree with it will  be systematically harassed or maligned, using government agencies and  private media, which will also be extensively used for propaganda.  Attempts will be made to influence private media, either by buying a  controlling interest in the companies or by withdrawing advertising  funds from those who do not toe the government line. Outright  intimidation will also be used in some cases.

 Attempts will be made to influence various groups possessing  potential political clout, in particular university students. Funds will  be offered to support their activities, both directly by government  agencies and by companies associated with individuals in the government.

 Corruption will be rampant. Construction will be intensely promoted,  both at local and national levels. Many mega projects will be launched,  some of which will be justified by projected economic and social returns  so rosy that they can be achieved only on heroic assumptions

 Important considerations, such as their environmental impact, will be  glossed over and those who dare oppose them face grave risks, including  the possibility of losing their lives.

 Cronyism will rear its head everywhere. Plum government jobs and  contracts will be channelled to relatives and friends of politicians in  the government, especially those of the lead party.

 Promotion in the civil service, the armed forces and the police will  be based on political connections rather than on merit. Those who do not  have such connections will need to shell out large sums of money to  secure high office.

 The government will expand existing populist programmes and regularly  come out with new ones. The offering of these so-called "free goods"  will intensify as the next general election draws near.

 As to how soon the populist programmes will break the bank, it is  still too soon to say, except that it will not be in the next four years  - but will be less than the 40 years it took to bankrupt Argentina  after that country launched its first populist programme in 1916. The  starting point for Thailand is 2001, when fully-fledged populism was  first introduced.

 This is a dismal forecast, made at a time when most Thais should be  overjoyed by this great opportunity for political reconciliation and  stability. Maybe my outlook is clouded by my long association with the  dismal science.

 But I believe that reconciliation and stability achieved on an  unsound moral foundation, and governance by strong-armed tactics and  corruption do not last.

 Readers annoyed by what I say may take comfort in the fact that economists' forecasts are almost invariably wrong.

 Let's hope that the new government doesn't prove me right.


* Sawai Boonma has worked as a development economist for more than two decades.
*

----------


## sabang

> No Democrat has the ability to represent the party


How can any one individual represent a party like the Democrats? The image they push of pretty boy, western educated talking heads is merely a front for the back room dealings of the likes of Suthep, and their shady allies outside of Parliament. They have no coherent philosophy or vision, and had absolutely no campaign platform besides negativism.



> In short, the Democrat Party has been undemocratic and has paid the price.


Bingo. Along with the statement that the question of amnesty for banned politicians is _not_ an issue of vital national interest, this is the bottom line.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

Reading the editorials one thing is very clear:

The elites and the amart offspring in the upper middle classes cannot bring themselves to admit they no longer rule the country. It was a failure of the democrats, it was Thaksin, it was this it was that.. No - it was the choice of the majority. It's called democracy.

----------


## Bobcock

> How can any one individual represent a party like the Democrats?


...or any other party, it's not like they have distinct policies and charters. I mean a slug like Suthep is a Democrat because he knows he will win being from Democrat country. If he was from Buriram he'd be BJT and (and this is dedicated to Tom Sawyer) if he was from the rest of the country he'd be PTP.

Gotta love 'em (although not him, Chalerm, Newin, Chuwit, Banharn, Sanoh.........etc etc)

----------


## Tom Sawyer

Why thank you - why is it dedicated to me?

----------


## Bobcock

acknowledgement of what you keep saying that the large majority of the country is PTP....the fresh winds of change and all that.....

shame they didn't get 377 though...

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thought this was interesting....I missed the original article, if there was one...just took out the pertinent section....

Arglit Boonyai, changing with the times

*Jessy: You have interviewed Chuwit Kamolwisit and Yingluck Shinawatra. How was that experience for you?*

_Ben: It was interesting. With Yingluck, it was very controlled;  she has her people around her and they guide everything that is being  said, and everything that is being done. You can’t really go off script. If you do, they tell you to stop. It was fascinatingto see how the media machine works. Notes got passed to my boss, saying “Stop the interview now” and “Don’t ask that question.”_

----------


## SteveCM

^
From Twitter today:

seacorro   Zoe Daniel                                               [ABC correspondent]

       nothing like this in my 2 interviews with her RT [at]Tulip_Oum reporter tells how controlled Yingluck's interview is Arglit Boonyai, changing with the times

8 minutes ago

----------


## Butterfly

> The elites and the amart offspring in the upper middle classes cannot bring themselves to admit they no longer rule the country.


and yet we have Chalerm, Thaksin and friends  :rofl: 

you are clearly delusional my poor friend,

----------


## Butterfly

> With Yingluck, it was very controlled; she has her people around her and they guide everything that is being said, and everything that is being done. You can’t really go off script. If you do, they tell you to stop. It was fascinating to see how the media machine works. Notes got passed to my boss, saying “Stop the interview now” and “Don’t ask that question.”


she is a spokesperson, commonly called a stooge, so make sense that she had to be controlled for speaking out and answering questions

----------


## Takeovers

> Ben: It was interesting. With Yingluck, it was very controlled; she has her people around her and they guide everything that is being said, and everything that is being done. You cant really go off script. If you do, they tell you to stop. It was fascinatingto see how the media machine works. Notes got passed to my boss, saying Stop the interview now and Dont ask that question.





> seacorro Zoe Daniel [ABC correspondent]  nothing like this in my 2 interviews with her RT [at]Tulip_Oum


My comment: It is fascinating to see how the media machine works - agaist Yingluck and the PT.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Couple Seeks Protection over Alleged Threats Related to Vote-buying 

UPDATE : 7 July 2011                     *

A couple from Panasnikom District of  Chonburi Province has filed a complaint to police asking for protection  after having been threatened for not agreeing to bear witness in  vote-buying allegations against a local political party.*


A couple from Panasnikom District of Chonburi Province, Pathomporn and  Phurit Phetchaisakul, filed a complaint with the Crime Suppression  Division asking for protection as they alleged to have been coerced by a  personal assistant to the Pheu Thai Party's MP candidate for  Constituency 3 of Chonburi to report to election investigators that they  sold votes to a candidate of the Palang Chon Party.

Pathomporn said a person purporting to be a secretary to an MP candidate  contacted her on June 27 asking to see home purchase documents. She  added that on July 1, she received a call from a person claiming to be  an Electoral Commission official, who said she and her husband and a  friend of hers had made complaints about vote-buying; complaints they  actually never made.

Last Sunday, the same person came to give the couple 10,000 baht in cash  and promised to give them 390,000 baht more if they agree to testify in  the vote-buying claim. The day after the election, a group of ten men  came to her home and tried to get her and her husband into the car to  bear witness.

The couple decided to seek protection from police after having received more threatening phone calls afterwards.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Not all MPs to be endorsed July 12
*
*Not all MPs to be endorsed July 12*
Published:  7/07/2011 at 12:35 PMOnline news: Local NewsIt's possible that fewer than 475 members of the  new 500-seat House of Representatives - about 95 per cent, will  endorsed on July 12, Election Commisson member Prapan Naigowit said on  Thursday.

 Mr Prapan, who is in charge of election administration, said the EC  had received complaints of electoral fraud against about 50 MPs.

 The complaints included both constituency and party list candidates.

 The EC would  examine the complaints  quickly buty its was  possible  that fewer than 475, of about 95 per cent, of the MPs-elect would be  endorsed by the EC on July 12.

 He was hopeful that at least 475 MPs would be known within 30 days  of  election day, or by Aug 3, so that the House of Representatives  could comnvene for the first time as required by the law.

 He said the EC wouldconsiddeer the case of Jatuporn Prompan, and  whether the red-shirt core member was qualified to be an MP,  on July  12.

 The EC would have to look into the Pheu Thai Party's regulations,  amended in 2010, to find out whether he had lost  party membership by  being held in detention under a court order and not voting.

 Mr Prapan said it was  too early to speculate  how many elected  candidates would be given yellow or red cards because the EC had yet to  thoroughly examined the evidence against them.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^50 MP's!!!!!!!!!!!!!

^^And nice to hear Pheu Thai are conforming to type..

----------


## Tom Sawyer

^
You really are a fool aren't you? Can't see the forest for the trees?

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> *Not all MPs to be endorsed July 12*Published: 7/07/2011 at 12:35 PMOnline news: Local NewsIt's possible that fewer than 475 members of the new 500-seat House of Representatives - about 95 per cent, will endorsed on July 12, Election Commisson member Prapan Naigowit said on Thursday.
> 
> Mr Prapan, who is in charge of election administration, said the EC had received complaints of electoral fraud against about 50 MPs.
> 
> The complaints included both constituency and party list candidates.
> 
> The EC would examine the complaints quickly buty its was possible that fewer than 475, of about 95 per cent, of the MPs-elect would be endorsed by the EC on July 12.
> 
> He was hopeful that at least 475 MPs would be known within 30 days of election day, or by Aug 3, so that the House of Representatives could comnvene for the first time as required by the law.
> ...


 
Really alarming. If the Establishment tries this, it will be civil war.

----------


## StrontiumDog

> ^
> You really are a fool aren't you? Can't see the forest for the trees?


I can see just fine....it is your inability to interpret my intent accurately that proves how foolish you are....You've done it over and over again. You fail to learn or comprehend (as proven by the huge number of posts you've made attacking me). Being called a fool by a fool doesn't exactly mean much to me Tom. 

Try thinking before you post sometime.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

Pheu Thai Adds 1 More Party to Coalition 

UPDATE : 7 July 2011                     

Pheu Thai Party leader Yongyuth Vichadit  announces the addition of the New Democratic Party to the ruling  coalition, making the number of parties in the coalition total 6 instead  if 5. The number of MPs has also been boosted to 300.

----------


## StrontiumDog

TAN_Network   TAN News Network                                               

            Defence Minister Prawit denies  reports that the military is not happy with the election result and  that he has been offered the defence seat

----------


## Calgary

> The second thing PM Yingluck should do is to kick out the Pommie Bsastard english ambassador and tell him to shove his pasport up his arse


And ya can't argue with that.

Agree completely.

Wonder how much Queen Lizzie had to do with that....she is part of an International club made up of her own kind, and they look after each other - That is who the _Red Shirt Democracy Movement_ is blaming...not the Ambassador.

----------


## Calgary

> Reading the editorials one thing is very clear:
> 
> The elites and the amart offspring in the upper middle classes cannot bring themselves to admit they no longer rule the country. It was a failure of the democrats, it was Thaksin, it was this it was that.. No - it was the choice of the majority. It's called democracy.


Right on!

----------


## StrontiumDog

Thai-ASEAN News Network

House Likely to Convene Early August 

UPDATE : 7 July 2011 

*The Pheu Thai spokesman expects the first  House meeting to select the House speaker on either August 2 or 3,  while the session to select the new prime minister is expected the week  after.*


Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit revealed that prime minister-to-be  Yingluck Shinawatra chaired a meeting between Pheu Thai's election  coordination committee and the economic team today. 

Prompong said Yingluck informed the meeting that the new coalition  government will consist of six political parties with 300 MPs. 

The meeting was also informed about the party's seven urgent economic  measures which were concluded by the economic team yesterday. The  meeting discussed the party's transition from the Opposition to core of  the new government. 

The Pheu Thai spokesman went on to say that the party will hold a  meeting on July 12 to help 84 new MPs better understand its policies. 

Pheu Thai expects the Lower House to convene on August 2 to select the  new House speaker and another House meeting should be held the week  after between August 8 and 10 to vote for the new prime minister. 

Prompong said the Pheu Thai-led government will annonce its policies by  September 10, while awaiting royal endorsement for the new Cabinet  line-up and swear-in ceremony.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Two Chiang Rai villages under investigation for vote boycott
*
*Two Chiang Rai villages under investigation for vote boycott*

                                             Published on July 7, 2011                 

                                                            The Chiang Rai Election Office has launched an  investigation aimed to uncover why 1,200 villagers from two villates in  Muang district refused to vote on Sunday, resulting in zero turnout at  two polling stations.

"Not a single vote was cast in two polling  stations located at Muang district's tambon Huay Chompoo," provincial  election director Pongpan Riewthongthawee said on Thursday.

The office has summoned kamnan and village headmen to give their statements on the issue.

Talking  to reporters after his testimony, kamnan Preecha Kanoknatkul said  villagers acted on their own accord to boycott the vote.

The Nation

----------


## Mid

> Two Chiang Rai villages under investigation for vote boycott


weird  :Confused:

----------


## SteveCM

> Originally Posted by LooseBowels
> 
> 
> The second thing PM Yingluck should do is to kick out the Pommie Bsastard english ambassador and tell him to shove his pasport up his arse 
> 
> 
> And ya can't argue with that.
> 
> Agree completely.
> ...


If this refers to the current UK ambassador, I'd say the sentiment's off-target. Judging from what he says on Twitter/elsewhere and from Andrew Spooner's interview* with him, he's a new breed - certainly more engaged than his dork predecessor or the current US representative ("Chicken-on-a-stick aroi mak mak ka-a-a-a......") appears to be.

* Exclusive: UK Ambassador to Thailand says ‘UK is allergic to military coups’ | Asian Correspondent

----------


## DroversDog

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by LooseBowels
> ...


I think they are referring to the total twat the UK had here before.
I am sure the ponsie name "Quinton Quayle" made a lot of expats dry retch.

----------


## StrontiumDog

^ I bet he doesn't come from Swindon.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : The ball is once again in Thaksin's court
*
*The ball is once again in Thaksin's court*Published:  8/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: NewsThe election result of July 3 is sweet for both  Yingluck Shinawatra, the prime minister-designate from Pheu Thai Party,  and her brother-cum-mentor, ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra,  who has proved once again that he remains the master of the election  game.

 
_PM-designate Yingluck Shinawatra presents a bouquet to US Ambassador  to Thailand Kristie Kenney, on the occasion of US Independence Day  celebrations at a Bangkok hotel on July 5._

 The simple majority in the House of Representatives of 265 seats  legitimised Pheu Thai's right to form the new government and shut out  any challenge from the outgoing Democrat Party.

 The quick move to draw in smaller parties and top up the number of  coalition supporters to 299 seats provided Pheu Thai with a more  comfortable margin. Even if the Election Commission decides to call for  re-elections in certain constituencies, it cannot stall the convening of  Parliament where the selection of the House Speaker and eventually the  naming of Ms Yingluck as the nation's first woman prime minster, will be  announced.

 The losing Democrats and their supporters _ the military and the  elite establishment _ are of course upset. But for the moment, no matter  how unwillingly, they have to accept the election results if they do  not want to face general public discontent and international pressure.  The 15.74 million votes nationwide which Pheu Thai received on its party  list ballot are 3.31 million more than the 11.13 million votes the  Democrats got. And even in Bangkok, Pheu Thai lost to the Democrats by  less than 100,000 in terms of popular votes.

 The Democrats may be down but are certainly not out. A regrouping is  in order and new strategies must be devised. And although outgoing Prime  Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has resigned from the Democrat Party's  leadership post to take responsibility for the loss, he will make a  comeback if the party endorses his return and, more importantly, if the  elite establishment still wants him as their point man in future  attempts to bring down Ms Yingluck, on the parliament floor, and  Thaksin, outside the ring.

 Nevertheless, at least for the moment, the ball is in Thaksin's  court. To his credit, he realises he is not home free. The slightest  wrong turn could open the loophole for another round of power play.

 A few potential spark points should be noted. On top of the list is  the sensitive issue of Thaksin and his actions in the near term. The  election results may be interpreted as a vindication for him by his  sympathisers, but he cannot deny that many continue to resent him  tremendously while the more neutral ones do not yet fully trust him.  Pheu Thai's defeat in the Bangkok vote proves this point. And his  potential return from exile is being used as a political tool, an  igniter in a way, to provide an excuse for the elite establishment and  the military to again take matters into their own hands.

 In 1976, when exiled prime minister Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn  returned ordained as a Buddhist novice, his return ignited the brewing  tensions between the leftist democratic movement and the rightwing elite  establishment. It led to the bloody Oct 6, 1976 massacre by the  rightwing, followed by a military coup d'etat to keep peace and order.

 Thaksin knows he is the ultimate lightning rod and therefore all  signals have been sent out to assure he will not return in the near  future. His recent interviews have been subdued and humble.

 Meanwhile, his political enemies are not reluctant to fan any rumours  of his return. The politics of fear persists _ to keep Thaksin in check  and away while further discrediting Thaksin and waiting for the tide to  turn once again.

 Next, as Thaksin is an asset for the Yingluck administration through  his networking and ability, he is equally a liability as the target of  attack. His enemies are quick to paint the image that Ms Yingluck is not  the true decision maker. This is no different to when the red shirts  accused Mr Abhisit as being the puppet of the elite establishment.

 In the past six weeks, Ms Yingluck has already proved she is a  natural political campaigner, with the charisma to draw crowds. Now she  will have even less time to establish herself as the chairwoman everyone  has to listen to and obey, rather than everyone flying off to Dubai for  approval from Thaksin.

 Thaksin may be the one who makes the deals to form the cabinet, since  he knows the veteran players well; but it is Ms Yingluck who will have  to push to have a real working cabinet. The selection of experts and  politicians who have wide public acceptance should be given priority  over factional quotas and politicking.

 The new administration will have some breathing space as the outgoing one has been a disappointment in many aspects.

 First is the inability to separate itself from the military. People  felt cheated since the coup d'etat of Sept 19, 2006, more than the elite  establishment would like to acknowledge. The ensuing conflict has been  the result of a power play that has nearly destroyed the country these  past five years. The Democrats, ever priding themselves as the champions  of democracy, are perceived only as a tool to destroy democracy for the  sake of retaining power.

 Second, apart from the usual political rhetoric, the Abhisit  government failed to provide official explanations for the bloody  crackdown on the red shirts in April and May 2010, especially the causes  of each of the 92 deaths and the arson which created immense business  losses.

 Third is the faltering economy due to incompetent management. The  cost of living has skyrocketed, hurting the average person trying to  make a living. Corruption is rampant, with up to 50% being demanded  under the table for some of the projects.

 These are the main reasons why the Democrat-led government lost the people's support and the election.

 At the same time, the electorate has not given Pheu Thai and Ms  Yingluck a blank cheque. Ms Yingluck must deliver what she promised in  her campaign. This is essential to be able to maintain government  stability and create immunity from the barrage of attacks.

 Corruption must not be tolerated at any cost, so as to build up  credibility for the new administration. The electoral win is also not a  mandate for amnesty for any of the people involved in alleged  wrongdoings, regardless of which colour or side they identify with.  Reconciliation must begin with finding out the truth by establishing the  facts about the events that occurred. The appropriate, fair and  transparent judicial process must follow. Only then can there be  forgiveness and healing.

 Finally, since ''resolve and not revenge'' is the promise that has  propelled Ms Yingluck to stratospheric heights of popularity, this  promise must be kept to help correct the wrongs.

 Ms Yingluck has the opportunity to take up real leadership which Mr  Abhisit failed to do. If she can balance the stakes, the ball game will  be hers for a long time to come.

*Suranand Vejjajiva served in the Thaksin Shinawatra cabinet and is now a political analyst.

*

----------


## Tom Sawyer

Crikey - chicken on a stick is right. By the way, this hen's background and specialty is overseeing US forward base introduction and removal. More reason to think there may be US maritime bases planned for Thailand.

----------


## Butterfly

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Two Chiang Rai villages under investigation for vote boycott
> 
> 
> weird


not really, maybe they didn't get paid what they wanted from PT, so instead of bothering voting for them, they didn't show

again proving that without vote buying, the mass in the north wouldn't be so "engaged"

----------


## DrB0b

> maybe





> proving


 :rofl:  The Butterfly "thought" process in a nutshell.

----------


## Butterfly

> Originally Posted by Butterfly
> 
> maybe
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


still beat your "thought" process of lashing out at everyone who proved you wrong  :rofl:

----------


## Calgary

> Prompong said the Pheu Thai-led government will annonce its policies by September 10, while awaiting royal endorsement for the new Cabinet line-up and swear-in ceremony.


That swearing-in ceremony will be a frosty affair.

----------


## Bettyboo

^ I wouldn't guarantee we'll get there... From what I hear, the army/bluebloods are most unhappy...

----------


## Calgary

> Wonder how much Queen Lizzie had to do with that


I note several Posts above making less-than-complimentary comments on the English Ambassador.

Obviously from English ex-pats. Not being one of those, I have no opinion on the English Ambassador - don't even know who it was/is.

But one point I wanted to emphasize, is that in the _Red Shirt Democracy Movement,_ pro-Thaksin elements are fixated on cross-border lingkages (sp?) between ................, and that this connection severed Thaksin Visa/passport interaction with England.

Queen Lizzie is held in about as much esteem as Hillary due to her embracing of Kasit

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Pheu Thai ready to defend Yingluck's cooking show
*
*Pheu Thai ready to defend Yingluck's cooking show*

                                             Published on July 8, 2011                 

                                                            The Pheu Thai Party  on Friday played down the probe into alleged vote-buying involving  Designate Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, arguing the campaign  activity in question could not be construed as a hand-out.

"There was no distribution of free food nor any attempts to buy votes as alleged," Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said.

The Nation

----------


## sabang

> More reason to think there may be US maritime bases planned for Thailand.


Thailand has played host to several foreign airbases, but it is a pretty pointless place for a foreign naval presence really, especially in the shallow gulf. Why do you think the brit's nabbed Singapore with such alacrity?
I'm sure the Gulf is well protected now Thailand is getting absurdly overpriced, diesel electric, vintage submarines.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> Originally Posted by Tom Sawyer
> 
> More reason to think there may be US maritime bases planned for Thailand.
> 
> 
> Thailand has played host to several foreign airbases, but it is a pretty pointless place for a foreign naval presence really, especially in the shallow gulf. Why do you think the brit's nabbed Singapore with such alacrity?
> I'm sure the Gulf is well protected now Thailand is getting absurdly overpriced, diesel electric, vintage submarines.


Wrong coast Sabang. China + Burma + Indian Ocean + Africa and supply routes.

----------


## DroversDog

> Originally Posted by Tom Sawyer
> 
> More reason to think there may be US maritime bases planned for Thailand.
> 
> 
> Thailand has played host to several foreign airbases, but it is a pretty pointless place for a foreign naval presence really, especially in the shallow gulf. Why do you think the brit's nabbed Singapore with such alacrity?
> I'm sure the Gulf is well protected now Thailand is getting absurdly overpriced, diesel electric, vintage submarines.


The last I heard is that the subs never got approved.

----------


## Calgary

Has it ever occurred to anyone that it is possible the Exit Interviews in BKK on election day may have been correct, and that it was the vote count that went awry?

Perhaps another case of the _'vote counters'_ deciding the election instead of the '_voters_'

Instead of the organizations who conducted the exit interviews apologising all-over-the-place, should hold firm about the efficacy of their work. 

Just a thought about electoral corruption HQ ---- Bangkok.

----------


## Bobcock

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> Wonder how much Queen Lizzie had to do with that
> 
> 
> I note several Posts above making less-than-complimentary comments on the English Ambassador.
> 
> Obviously from English ex-pats. Not being one of those, I have no opinion on the English Ambassador - don't even know who it was/is.
> 
> ...


Exceptional amount of garbage in one post, could be a TD record...

----------


## robuzo

^You guys have an ambassador?

----------


## Takeovers

> Has it ever occurred to anyone that it is possible the Exit Interviews in BKK on election day may have been correct, and that it was the vote count that went awry?


My first thought too. Howerver the UDD watchdogs were there and they did accept the vote count. So I believe we should also. Maybe you could trick them in one or two constituencies but I doubt  everywhere in Bangkok without alarm bells ringing.

----------


## SteveCM

^ There are so many theories going around - ranging from pollsters asking just the early/morning voters before rushing off to collate their results for earliest release..... through reponders' being embarrassed to admit having voted Dem..... to the ubiquitous BangkokDave's startlingly creative "They were intimidated by reds". Quite how that intimidation is supposed to have worked in such a public place - and quite what the point of intimidating voters _after_ they have voted might be..... well, "Dave" hasn't managed to explain yet.

There are enough examples of other countries' exit polls proving dramatically wrong and enough alternative theories that it seems safe to say we'll never know. Incidentally, I'm reminded that Bangkok Pundit compared BKK exit poll party list numbers with the official results and found that they were much closer than the constituency numbers were. Other than there obviously being a relatively smaller sample per constituency, it's still difficult to say why that would be.

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Chamlong seeks to nullify Sunday's vote
*
*Chamlong seeks to nullify Sunday's vote*

                                             Published on July 8, 2011                 

People's Alliance for Democracy leader Chamlong Srimuang on Friday petitioned for the Constitution Court to intervene and nullify the Sunday's vote.

Chamlong  lodged his petition via the Office of Ombudsman, citing the Election  Commission's confusing rules as ground to cancel the balloting outcome.

Along  with some two million voters, he and his wife showed up at their  designated polling station in Bangkok but were denied a chance to cast  vote.

The Nation

----------


## StrontiumDog

Another cooking show and swallowing defeat | Political Prisoners in Thailand

July 8, 2011 · 5:54 pm                                            
*
Another cooking show and swallowing defeat*

PPT has been somewhat amazed at the way the mainstream media  has been “handling” their election loss last week. The papers are full  of sour grape stories.

 Illustrative of the lengths the losers will go is The Nation’s “story”  reporting on a complaint lodged that Yingluck Shinawatra engaged in  vote-buying in Korat by stirring a few noodles for the cameras. This is  indicative of the kinds of media attack, couched as stories from  “sources,” all unnamed, that amount to unsubstantiated nonsense.

 Then there’s the stories that claim that the Puea Thai Party didn’t  win the election, but the Democrat Party lost it because… you choose:  they were inept at developing a campaign, Abhisit wrote his own  speeches, they had no PR strategy, they waited too long before calling  an election, etc. It just goes on and on, and never mentions the fact  that the electorate spoke with a resounding rejection of the Democrat  Party and a stunning acceptance of Puea Thai’s platform.

 The Bangkok Post  has a classic example, by Anchalee Kongrut, said to be a feature writer  at the newspaper. She asks, as so many others have: “Why did the  Democrat Party suffer such a crushing defeat in the general election?  Was it a backlash against the military for the 2006 coup? Or were rural  voters in the North and Northeast waging a class war on the bourgeoisie,  a group that has long supported the Democrats? Or could it simply be  that this 65-year-old political party is completely inept at PR and  marketing strategy?”

 None of those it seems and nor could it have been that the Democrat  Party was the core of a regime that killed people, locked them up,  played monarchism, censored and repressed. Nope, for Anchalee, it is “a  testament to how successfully Thailand’s half-baked democracy has been  married to advertising techniques.”

 Note that Thailand’s democracy, following a Puea Thai victory, is  “half-baked.” And it seems that all that was needed to thrash the  incumbent government was branding and communication/marketing. Of  course, the very deep and intelligent loser for the premiership doesn’t  read marketing books, but Yingluck does. So that must be an advantage  over the hapless Mark.

 The damned party of the peasants – to be fair, those are PPT’s words –  used a U.S.-like campaign team. Mark scribbled his own notes while the  scheming Puea Thai “assigned people the specific responsibility of  handling a public-relations campaign for Yingluck Shinawatra and writing  speeches for her to deliver.” Why, even the Bangkok Post “revealed”  that Yingluck’s “PR team choreographed … every move and posture;  advising her when she should turn left or right to face the cameras,  when she should swivel, or raise her index finger to make that signature  No.1 gesture or flash that winning smile of hers.” Goodness, she even  “came across as accessible, pleasant and likeable.”

 Now how unfair is it! Fancy that nasty Puea Thai being professional  about a campaign. Why didn’t the Democrat Party campaign in a  professional manner? Too high-minded and intellectual? Too elitist even?  PPT thinks that the defeated Democrat Party just thought they could  stroll back to government. After all, they had killed people, locked  them up, played monarchism, censored and repressed. And with the  military and big Sino-Thai business on-side, it should have been a  cakewalk.

 Poor Anchalee is forced to reveal something: “I have to admit,  though, that it was fun to watch Yingluck’s campaign.” Poor Mark just  looked uncomfortable doing everyday things. He “came across as the  epitome of an elite caste.” Abhisit, it seems, just didn’t understand  that you have to give the masses dross and dough. He is said to have  been “drawing up policies – not for what the people wanted, but for what  he believed they deserved.” Too high-minded, but a good lad.

 Of course, behind all of this professionalism and political-business  acumen is the Svengali-like Thaksin Shinawatra who has “mesmerised by  his … perennial appeal to the proverbial man on the street.” He’s got  everyone under his trance and voters as consumers are “too tired to look  for the remote to switch channels.”

 The thing is, they did “switch channels.” They threw out the Democrat  Party and now look forward to something different. They didn’t do that  in a trance but as a deliberate and thoughtful attention to the events  since 2006. They hope for a better Thailand. They rejected the military  and the coup – recall they talked of pressing the reset button on Thai  democracy – they didn’t like and took the country backwards in fast  rewind.

 Giving the electorate some credit just seems too difficult. It’s just  impossible to see how “we” – those born to rule and who know best –  could have been defeated by the decision of the dark, hot and sweaty  masses. 
It can’t be admitted that the Democrat Party is a failed and  essentially unelectable party, beaten this time by a party running its  third-string candidates.

----------


## StrontiumDog

Bangkok Post : Friendship which goes skin deep

ABOUTPolitics

*Friendship which goes skin deep*

*Powerful friends desert the Bhumjaithai Party after its  poor election showing - 'Cosmic powers' summoned as Government House  re-landscaped for incoming government - Plodprasop's likely return to  Environment Ministry heralds colourful changes at the top*

Published:  9/07/2011 at 12:00 AMNewspaper section: News
 Businessmen are distancing themselves from  politicians with waning parliamentary fortunes, and preparing to welcome  the next government which will replace them.

 
Vichai: We didn’t talk about work

 The Bhumjaithai Party, a once powerful coalition ally in the Abhisit  Vejjajiva government, is being shown the door as the Pheu Thai Party  takes over Government House following a landslide win in the general  election.

 At the height of its glory, Bhumjaithai's's wish was the command of  many businessmen as the party was in charge of allocating lucrative  infrastructure projects, the more notable of which were connected to  Suvarnabhumi airport.

 Bhumjaithai oversees the Transport Ministry which, in turn,  supervises the management of major international airports around the  country.

 As the party is left reeling from a crushing defeat in the polls, its bout of ill-fortune has only just begun.

 The party has had to endure the embarrassing loss of two seats in Buri Ram, its main stomping ground.

 Bhumjaithai's poor showing in the election has baffled many pundits  who are trying to figure out what the party did wrong when it controlled  the Interior Ministry, considered the country's biggest administration  powerhouse.

 The second whammy is speculation that the party might be investigated  for alleged electoral malpractice in last Sunday's vote. Bhumjaithai  could be on the way to being disbanded if the charges are substantiated.

 It was also reported that one of the chief factions in the party has  contemplated switching sides to join the Pheu Thai-led coalition.

 However, this report has not yet been confirmed.

 The party is learning the hard way that crisis is proof of a true friendship.

 Some politicians are closely acquainted with financiers and dominant  business players who help them with financial security while in power.

 The favour may be reciprocated in the form of the allocation of state concessions.

 Some prominent businessmen, however, are not comfortable with the  notion that they have associated themselves with politicians. Vichai  Raksriaksorn, head of the King Power Group, has said it is unfair to  assume he has close political links with Newin Chidchob, the de facto  leader of Bhumjaithai.

 Mr Vichai said he makes a living from his business and is not reliant  on political parties, and that he has kept himself clear from political  affairs.

 He claimed he was often implicated as a crony of previous governments, an allegation he insisted was unfounded.

 When the Council for National Security toppled former premier Thaksin  Shinawatra in 2006, the coup engineers listed him as a sympathiser of  the administration and his duty-free business concession came under  scrutiny.

 Outgoing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva also regards him as an opponent.

 Mr Vichai conceded, however, that he and Mr Newin are close friends.

 Mr Newin sought his advice on how to run the Buriram FC football team owned by the Chidchob family.

 Mr Vichai is chairman of Leicester City, which plays in England's second-flight Football League Championship.

* 
Abhisit: Ill-winds of change
*
* Plant reshuffle the talk of the garden

*  With the changing of the guard at Government House, a few changes to the landscape are also in order.

 As the Abhisit Vejjajiva-led cabinet is vacating its offices,  preparations are under way to welcome new ministers representing the  coalition government led by the Pheu Thai Party.

 Some changes to Government House have been introduced from the inside  out. The gardens and lawn have been re-landscaped for each new  government, and the changes were carefully designed and executed to  heighten the ''cosmic'' power of the occupants.

 Shrubs and trees were moved around, although often the purpose was  not to beautify the gardens but to shore up the fortunes of the  government in crisis or reinforce the star of the prime minister.

 A Government House source said many eyes were fixed on the latest  shuffling of potted plants near the grounds of the main Thai Khu Fah  building.

 Six croton plants that were lined up on the front lawn of the Thai Khu Fah building have been removed.

 The plants had been brought in to keep outgoing Prime Minister  Abhisit ''safe'' during the political unrest over the past two years.

 Their presence is believed to ward off ill winds from blowing into  the corridors of power and it had been hoped they would secure Mr  Abhisit's hold on the premiership.

 The source said that before the Sunday election, when opinion polls  forecast a decisive defeat for the ruling Democrat Party, Government  House staff were ordered to place four jackfruits, one in each of the  cardinal directions, outside the Thai Khu Fah building.

 In the Thai language, jackfruit, or kanoon, is deemed to have a  propitious ring and meaning to it. Noon means to prop up, support,  cushion or to keep something afloat.

 Government House was also the site of the protracted rally by the  yellow shirt People's Alliance for Democracy. The protesters occupied  the compound for 193 days and declared it off-limits to the cabinet  members of the Somchai Wongsawat administration. Mr Somchai never set  foot in Government House because of the PAD's occupation and effectively  ran the country without a permanent office.

 The PAD protest saw the complex dotted with supporters' tents.

 The atmosphere on the roads adjacent to Government House resembled  that of a temple fair where food stalls and gift shops owned by yellow  shirt patrons were doing brisk business.

* 
Plodprasop: Thinking of home
*
* Mr Night Safari shakes up the zoo

*  Speculation is rife that Pheu Thai Party deputy leader Plodprasop  Suraswadi will be named the new natural resources and environment  minister.

 It won't be too difficult for Mr Plodprasop to fit into the role, if  and when he lands the top political seat in the ministry where his civil  service career began.

 A strong signal of his return to his ''old home'' came when his close  aide asked reporters covering the ministry beat what facilities they  wanted to see improved.

 A source said the question was to help smooth the way for Mr Plodprasop's entry to the ministerial post.

 His possible appointment as environment minister will no doubt jolt  the ministry as a major reshuffle of officials, including some  department chiefs, may be on the cards.

 On Thursday, the chiefs of the Department of Royal Forest, the  Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and the  Department of Marine and Coastal Resources joined a recent high-level  Asean forestry official meeting in Chiang Mai.

 Some ministry insiders believe the chiefs are among those with a 50:50 chance of being transferred to an inactive post.

 According to the source, Suwit Rattanamanee, chief of the Department  of Royal Forest, could lose his seat to Cholatid Suraswadi, who is Mr  Plodprasop's nephew.

 Mr Cholatid once confided in his close aide that he has been waiting for the deputy post at the department for many years.

 He felt now was the right time for him to move up, said the source.

 Also on the brink of transfer is Sunan Arunnopparat, boss of the  Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation which  controls most of the budget allocated to the ministry.

 The source reckoned someone close to Mr Plodprasop would definitely take to the top post.

 However, for Kasemsun Chinnavaso, chief of the Department of Marine  and Coastal Resources, the prospect of a transfer may be too  distressing. If he is shifted, he might return to his old job as  secretary-general of the Office of Natural Resources and Environment  Policy and Planning (Onep).

 The current chief of Onep, Nisakorn Kositratana, is due to retire in October.

 Although many top officials face uncertain futures, Supat  Wangwongwatana is expected to stay put as Department of Pollution  Control chief.

 His strong academic background and keen knowledge of pollution issues  have enabled him to sidestep reshuffles in many past governments.

 Mr Plodprasop's appointment could boost the career opportunities for  red shirt-leaning officials placed in inactive posts for many years.

 One of them is Damrong Pidech, former chief of the Department of  National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, who is now a  frontrunner for the ministry's permanent secretary post now held by  Chote Trachu.

 Mr Plodprasop's rise to the minister's post will not be smooth  sailing. He does not see eye to eye with the non-governmental advocates  who decried his support of the establishment of the Chiang Mai Night  Safari and its special menu made from exotic animals. He was embroiled  in the scandal over the shipping of more than 100 tigers from a private  zoo in Thailand to a zoo in China allegedly in violation of the wildlife  protection law.

 Now, joining in the global concern over climate change, Mr Plodprasop  has proposed the idea of building large flood walls to secure Bangkok  and nearby cities from major floods, as well as creating a man-made  island to prevent coastal erosion in the Gulf of Thailand.

 Some observers said if Mr Plodprasop is made environment minister, he  will be one of the most colourful characters in the cabinet as he is  known for his feisty responses to questions.

----------


## Pol the Pot

Good one, SD. ^^

----------


## sabang

> Bhumjaithai's poor showing in the election has baffled many pundits who are trying to figure out what the party did wrong when it controlled the Interior Ministry,


 :rofl:   :rofl: 

Asinine, even by Bangkok standards.

----------


## Tom Sawyer

> Another cooking show and swallowing defeat | Political Prisoners in Thailand
> 
> July 8, 2011 · 5:54 pm 
> 
> *Another cooking show and swallowing defeat*
> 
> PPT has been somewhat amazed at the way the mainstream media has been handling their election loss last week. The papers are full of sour grape stories.


If you haven't read this excellent article yet - you should.

----------


## Bettyboo

> The second whammy is speculation that the party might be investigated for alleged electoral malpractice in last Sunday's vote. Bhumjaithai could be on the way to being disbanded if the charges are substantiated.


They'll only get banned if PT get banned too. Otherwise it'll strengthen PT, and the army/bluebloods won't be having any of that... So, if B do get banned some time soon, the writing is on the wall, imho...

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Pass notes No 3,003: Yingluck Shinawatra | World news | The Guardian
*
*Pass notes No 3,003: Yingluck Shinawatra*

 Thailand's first female prime minister looks like an easy-to-forget ex-Apprentice contestant

 
Yingluck Shinawatra. Don't say: You're fired.' Photograph: KeystoneUSA-Zuma/Rex

*Age:* 44.

*Appearance:* attractive but ultimately unmemorable ex-Apprentice contestant.

*You're right. I don't remember her at all. What was her thing?* She was managing director of her own communications business.

*They all say that. What's she done lately?* She has just been elected Thailand's first female prime minister.

*Not bad. They usually end up on Channel 5.* She's not actually off the Apprentice. She's the head of the Puea Thai party, which won a huge majority in recent elections.

*Can you give me a precis of her political career to date?* I pretty much already have. She entered politics only six weeks ago.

*What are her qualifications for office?* She's the sister of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra.

*I see how it works.* I very much doubt that. Thaksin, though ousted in a military coup in 2006, is still very popular in Thailand.

*So why didn't he just run himself?* Because he's living in self-imposed exile in Dubai, having been convicted in absentia of abuses of power in 2008.

*I've never been interested in Thai politics, yet the man's name is strangely familiar to me. Am I smarter than I think I am?* You  probably know him better as the owner – albeit briefly – of Manchester  City. He bought the club in 2007 and sold it in 2008, for a reported  £200m.

*How does the sister manage to distance herself from her controversial brother?* She doesn't. The Puea Thai party, set up by Thaksin, campaigned with the slogan "Thaksin thinks – Puea Thai does".

*I'm confused. Are the Shinawatras the good guys or the bad guys?*  Hard to say. Thaksin is popular with the poor rural majority, who  believe he acted in their interests, but his government was dogged by  accusations of corruption, nepotism and human rights violations. For the  time being, the opposition and the army are minded to accept the  election result.

*Do say:* "The people of Thailand have spoken, and they have overwhelmingly chosen an exiled billionaire's sister."

*Don't say:* "You're fired."

----------


## Norton

> The last I heard is that the subs never got approved.


The 30 year old ones were disapproved. It's now new one/s from Korea.

----------


## Carrabow

> Originally Posted by DroversDog
> 
> The last I heard is that the subs never got approved.
> 
> 
> The 30 year old ones were disapproved. It's now new one/s from Korea.


 
Due to todays economy and Thailand's budget constrictions, Korea is shipping their finest recycled version, it is earth friendly and relatively cheap to build. (sale price is the same though)  :Smile: 

They dont call 'em the tin can brigade for nuthin'

----------


## StrontiumDog

*Bangkok Post : Hundreds of complaints deluge poll watchdog
*
*Hundreds of complaints deluge poll watchdog*
Published: 10/07/2011 at 12:19 AMOnline news: ElectionThe Election Commission has been bombarded with hundreds of complaints stemming from last Sunday's general election.

 Some complaints contained veiled threats to file charges seeking the  impeachment of EC members if they failed to properly investigate alleged  election law violations.

Even though the unofficial poll results  were released earlier than in previous elections, the hardest part of  the EC's job has only just begun.

Official poll results can be  announced within seven days in areas where there were no complaints of  poll fraud against candidates.

 
The Election Commission's official seal on the referee's shirt.

 In areas that have been the subject of complaints, the EC will  conclude its inquiries into the allegations and announce confirmed poll  results within 30 days.

The EC must announce confirmed poll  results of at least 95per cent of House seats — 475 out of 500 — before  the House can convene.

Afterwards, the EC will look into complaints of poll fraud and consider issuing red cards to MPs.

Before  the election, Pheu Thai and its red shirt allies predicted the election  would be marred by fraud by state authorities trying to block the party  from assuming power.

At the same time, the yellow shirt People's  Alliance for Democracy asked the EC to dissolve five parties for  violating election law by promising voters free goods in exchange for  votes.

Only one week after the election, complaints have been  flooding in to the EC. Some complaints have been filed by candidates who  lost in their constituencies. They have cried foul over poll fraud and  asked that the poll results be annulled.

Other candidates called into question the qualifications of rival candidates who are key members of the red shirt movement.

The  complainants said any red shirts who had been charged with terrorism  offences related to last year's unrest should have been stripped of  their right to run in the election.

Some complainants have asked  the EC to dissolve certain parties, charging that politicians who were  banned from politics were still actively involved in helping the parties  to woo voters.

The EC is also dealing with complaints from citizens who said they lost their chance to vote because of technical problems.

----------


## DroversDog

^^^^ Bad losers!

----------


## Butterfly

> Some complaints contained veiled threats to file charges seeking the impeachment of EC members if they failed to properly investigate alleged election law violations.


so typically Thai, probably some red supporter

----------


## Mid

> probably some red supporter


based on what ?

yep , nothing 'cept your oh so obvious prejudices .

----------


## DroversDog

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> Some complaints contained veiled threats to file charges seeking the impeachment of EC members if they failed to properly investigate alleged election law violations.
> 
> 
> so typically Thai, probably some red supporter


Sounds yellow to me.

----------


## Mordechai

I don't think South Korea has a submarine of its own as yet, but their shipyards
licence produce the German U-214 diesel submarine .... I think.

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
> 
> 
> Another cooking show and swallowing defeat | Political Prisoners in Thailand
> 
> July 8, 2011 · 5:54 pm 
> 
> *Another cooking show and swallowing defeat*
> 
> ...


I tried, but couldn't get it.

Could be blocked.

I hope that blocking and other impediments thrown in the path of anything slightly critical of the Amart and their elements will soon cease now.

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> If you haven't read this excellent article yet - you should. I tried, but couldn't get it. Could be blocked.


No it's there and you should read it's a very good article!  :bananaman:

----------


## The Bold Rodney

> Originally Posted by DroversDog The last I heard is that the subs never got approved.


It's only a rumour but I'd heard the main stumbling block was they insisted they were re-painted "yellow" but they couldn't get enough paint!  :Smile:

----------


## Calgary

> Originally Posted by Calgary
> 
> If you haven't read this excellent article yet - you should. I tried, but couldn't get it. Could be blocked.
> 
> 
> No it's there and you should read it's a very good article!


Allright. I'll try again.

Those people have a good perspective on things and can be frank and open being outside the country.

I like their title.

I think The PTP/UDD etc., are downplaying way too much the concept of _"political prisoners"._

I think it is very easy to characterize those who are incarcerated for standing up to the Amart and are called terrorists by them, plus those who say something less-than-favorable about.................as being in fact _Political Prisoners_.

Using that characterization puts everything in perspective and provides the conditions to do something about it.

----------

