won't find one in a dictatorship .
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won't find one in a dictatorship .
Other than returning to democratic elections and sending the Military back to their barracks, Thailand will require a new Constitution and I can see no other alternative than eliminating the Constitutional 'court' entirely- probably folding it into a Supreme Court or something.
Thats merely a start.
says who ? mid ? :mid:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mid
told you, it will be completely lost on you, as usual. Stick to cartoons and crayons :)
You forgot corrupt bureaucracy/snr civil servants - the engineers of the Thai Corruption Locomotives.Quote:
Originally Posted by sabang
^ True. The public sector sucks, a major impediment to positive reform.
You are a dreamer BF. Your logic is aways worth a laugh.Quote:
Originally Posted by Butterfly
thus lacking romance ?Quote:
Originally Posted by The Bold Rodney
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2010...-30143626.html
BURNING ISSUE
Court verdict takes the veil off public institutions
By Pravit Rojanaphruk
The Nation
Published on December 2, 2010
Nowadays, the failure of one public institution after another is disillusioning more and more Thais - something that could turn Thailand into a dysfunctional society or a failed state.
On Monday, the red shirts were utterly disgusted by the Constitution Court's dubious ruling and the Election Commission's subsequent explanation about why they supposedly failed to file the electoral fraud case against the Democrat Party with the court on time. It's not that the reds held either the Constitution Court or the EC in high esteem, but now they feel the two institutions have become a mockery of justice.
The yellow shirts, meanwhile, lost faith in Thai electoral politics ages ago because they believe, at the end of the day, it is money politics that triumphs. They believe that the Army "failed" in uprooting Thaksin Shinawatra from the political landscape after the 2006 coup.
Plus, the recent turn of events is making the yellow shirts even more disillusioned with the ruling Democrat Party as a political institution that claims to be working for the greater good.
Also, how many Thais have unwavering faith in the judiciary institution or the police? What about the rampant corruption in various ministries and the so-called 25-per-cent kickback that is the "norm" in securing state concessions or projects?
When people lose faith in most, if not all, major public institutions, society itself ceases to function. Trust is no longer possible and conspiracy theories rule the minds of the populace, be they red, yellow or otherwise. People of all colours are becoming disillusioned and they no longer know which public institution they can count on. On the one hand, this sounds like a recipe for anarchy, chaos and perhaps the end of a functioning society, but it can also turn into a blessing in disguise if the people learn how to make the most out of the situation.
A working class red-shirt supporter in Samut Prakan province asked this writer a very pertinent question recently: "How do we survive if there's no institution we can count on any longer?"
While this writer failed to provide a comforting answer apart from a sympathetic nod, the question stayed in his mind. After much thought, this writer realised that the sooner we learn not to rely on "any" institution or "anyone" to save the day or the country, the better off we will be in the long run.
The wait for a knight in shining armour to come and save us will be in vain. Since all public institutions have lost their credibility, at least we know them for what they are. We no longer need to harbour any illusions, and instead need to become more self-reliant and realistic, though not cynical, about what can and cannot be achieved in this society.
The bubbles of expectation we had for nearly all public institutions have burst loudly and at least we are better off realising that. We have to be more resourceful and try and steer this society away from total disintegration.
No coups, invisible hands, courts or public institutions should play the role of God in a democracy. In fact, now many people won't let them play this role because they no longer believe in these institutions. Thai society, in a way, is better off for it because we are aware of our shortcomings and hypocrisies.
Maybe a democratically elected PM would be a good start.
Why's none of them thought of that?
As did Youtube. But no different to the current wikileaks brouha, it merely confirmed what most people already knew.Quote:
Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
Incidentally, I notice the compliant Thai media isn't mentioning Youtube much at all these days. Strange, isn't it- in any 'real' country this would be a scandal of existential proportions. :rolleyes:
The YouTube thing didn't reveal anything. You are clawing to that evidence like the CIA did with that terrorist passport at the bottom of the twin towers as some kind of a god given proof. It wasn't.
There is a clearly a full-court press clearly planned and played out by the Yellows, the Amart and their compliant media to bring down Parliamentary democracy and replace it with an appointed government. As though 'democracy' is the problem..
This is planned and executed. It's exactly what the PAD and their backers wanted. We're close to Match Point now.
http://www.tannetwork.tv/tan/ViewData.aspx?DataID=1038160
The Reappearance of “Government in Exile”
UPDATE : 3 December 2010
The term “government in exile” has been missing from the Thai lexicon for some time now, but today red shirt leader and fugitive Arisaman Pongruangrong has returned the phrase to the Kingdom's vocabulary.
Arisaman's open letter, surfacing on November 30 via Thai E-News online and Pracha Thai's web board, cited no details other than his message and was posted with a caution from the online portals for readers to use their best discretion, hinting at the questionable validity of his statements. The content of the letter continued the original rhetoric of the red shirt leaders, warning of the evils of Thailand's aristocrat run government and denouncing its murder of citizens. Arisaman states that there is no hope for reconciliation as the government continues to hunt and imprison members of the red shirt movement, calling the state's daily assurances lies.
Arisaman called the Constitution Court's dismissal of the Democrat party dissolution case the “planting of a time bomb”, similarly labeling the upcoming People's Alliance for Democracy rallies. The red shirt leader, allegedly hiding out in Cambodia, explained that the PADs gathering would pave the way for a bloody military coup. A third “time bomb”, according to Arisaman is set to go off on a global scale, with Thailand's elite to order the killing of all that oppose their rule.
The movement core-chief asserted that a government in exile must be formed and allies must be acquired from amongst the international community. He warned that if such a body was not formed, the Thai public would be left at the mercy of the aristocracy.
Whether the open letter is the actual work of Arisaman has yet to be verified, the wording of the letter is undoubtedly in the spirit of the red shirt leader. Moreover though, it is interesting to note the emergence of the “government in exile” call, a demand that was once voiced by fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
Though the concept of Thaksin or Arisaman establishing a government in exile may seem aggressive, in practice it may actually turn their thus far formless and subversive movement into a concrete stance. By assembling into an official order, the red shirt group's exiled leaders would show the world that they are serious in taking the helm of Thailand, not only at overthrowing the government. So the real question arising from this latest post turns out to be, why has no government in exile actually been announced?
Kom Chad Luek, December 3, 2010
Translated and Rewritten by Itiporn Lakarnchua
Please note that the views expressed in our "Analysis" segment are translated from local newspaper articles and do not reflect the views of the Thai-ASEAN News Network.
It's an interesting and possibly quite brave article by Pravit. He's walking pretty close to the edge by saying things like this
and also by quoting redshirts as saying thatQuote:
Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
.Quote:
Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
Or am I reading too much into it?
Credibility........yawn....what credibility?
You know....it is 01:00 hrs and I am eating cold pizza.....
I'd like to think it is my choice........
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2010...-30144155.html
This story will keep rolling along interminably
By Thanong Khanthong
The Nation
Published on December 10, 2010
https://teakdoor.com/images/smilies1/You_Rock_Emoticon.gif
The Constitution Court yesterday dismissed a second dissolution case against the Democrat Party, which was accused of accepting an illegal Bt258 million donation from TPI Polene Plc.
On November 29, the Constitution Court also threw out a separate dissolution case on similar legal grounds. It now appears that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's ruling party has cleared up all legal hurdles, paving the way for it to hold on to power into the second half of next year before a new election is held. But this is still a premature call.
There is no end to the political volatility in Thailand, at least for the foreseeable future. The red shirts will be holding a major rally today, Constitution Day, in Bangkok to revive their demand for political change. They have suffered setbacks since they faced a military crackdown in May. Their leaders have been imprisoned, while many other second-tier leaders have fled abroad or are still at large.
The red shirts are also going through a leadership transition, with Thida Thavornset, the wife of Dr weng Tojirakarn, emerging to take on the challenge. She will have to win broader acceptance from the red shirts and prevail over other contenders for the leadership. weng is now imprisoned for his leading role in the red shirts' violent rallies in April and May.
The Abhisit government is about to take a gamble. It plans to lift the emergency decree in Bangkok and surrounding areas by year-end, according to Prime Minister Abhisit. Doing so will remove special powers for the military that were granted during the anti-government protests in April. The Cabinet will consider lifting the decree in its weekly meeting next Tuesday.
"The situation has improved dramatically," Abhisit told reporters in Bangkok yesterday. "The emergency decree won't be needed anymore."
Is this government bait for the red shirts to make a further move? Abhisit must have been engaging in doublespeak with his assessment of the "improved" political situation. Soldiers are still seen guarding key spots in Bangkok. Although calm is the order of the day in the capital, the undercurrents are still volatile, ready to break into another violent clash. For the fundamental political conflict remains largely unresolved.
Right after His Majesty the King's birthday celebration, Noppadon Patama, the lawyer of Thaksin Shinawatra, broke a story that Thaksin has been invited to Washington DC. The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) wrote to Thaksin that it wants to invite him to testify on December 16 at a briefing on the human rights and political situation in Thailand. The letter was signed by CSCE Chairman Benjamin L Cardin. It should be noted the letter was issued on November 23. It took two weeks before Noppadon could find the right timing to make it public. Another interesting point is that the letter was sent through Thaksin's representative, Andrew J Durkovic of Amsterdam & Peroff LLP, the consulting firm retained by the fugitive former PM.
This has prompted diverse reactions and speculation in Thailand. Will Thaksin even get a US visa? Will he be nabbed and extradited back to Thailand if he were to travel to the US? Is it another ploy to create headlines before Thaksin fades away into the background yet again?
However, reactivating a shadowy Thaksin at this critical juncture is aimed at boosting his international stature. Thaksin no longer wants to show himself in public in flesh and blood like before. Anyway, a Thaksin appearance in Washington DC is not likely to happen.
If the red shirts take to the streets again, will it lead to another bloody confrontation? This time, under General Prayud Chan-ocha, the Army chief, the military game is totally different. General Prayud is more likely to get tough against the red shirts, who are also ready to test his mettle.
Even after this latest court ruling, Abhisit no longer looks like a confident prime minister as before. He continues to hang on to his premiership for as long as he can while he devises further populist policies to prepare for the next election.
We are entering another interesting episode. The yellow shirts have denounced the Democrats. The red shirts hate Abhisit and the Democrats. The military no longer trusts Abhisit. Another big mess is in the making.
^ Went out last night and there are soldiers at the MRT and BTS stations, plus quite a few just scattered around the malls. Police check points are seemingly everywhere. Went through 3, along Viparadee, Din Daeng and Phahonyothin...
I can't see (hope I'm wrong) CRES being stepped down, quite the opposite. I think they want the reds to cause problems, if that doesn't come then a few 'mystery' bombs will be set off...
BB, i think the plan is for the CRES to morph into the ISOC or some such entity. The name will change...that's all....
^ in fact, see this report from the Bangkok post...
Quote:
Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
^ But ISOC have always been ISOC, and since the last coup they have been in the position to do this anyway.
If they are going to come directly into the limelight, as suggested above, than Abhisit can go home now, time to carry on without him. The problem is that the army/bluebloods cannot get away with this; they need a pretence, however light, that there is a civilian government.
CRES is good for them because it is ISOC, but looks like the government; that's exactly what they want.
Like I've always said: we need the 97' constitution back and improved as needed. It would also be the right move, though it won't happen, for the coup mongers (and that includes the PC) to be tried for treason, imho...
on what grounds ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Bettyboo
^ I don't know why I bother, but... it was the best and most democratic constitution that this country has ever had (this fact is widely accepted), until it was destoyed by an illegal army coup and replaced with one built to empower themselves.
says who ? could you be more specific ? or are you talking directly from your usual Red propaganda ?Quote:
Originally Posted by Bettyboo