Thread: Thai elections 2011-Thai PM sets stage for tough election

Originally Posted by The Bold Rodney

Among the military's rewards have been large increases in budget allocations under Abhisit's administration and few questions about purchasing irregularities.

Interesting article.

I am wondering a bit about the quoted text above tho, how much did Abhisit increase the budget?

Amnesty for Thaksin not wise : Sanan

Amnesty for Thaksin not wise : Sanan

By The Nation
Published on June 13, 2011

Democrats say Yingluck has ulterior motive in 'reconciliation' stance

Chart Thai Pattana adviser Sanan Kachornprasart yesterday voiced reservations about raising the amnesty issue at this juncture, even though he believed the Thai people would eventually forgive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

"If invited to join the Pheu Thai-led coalition, Chart Thai Pattana would respond after convening the party executive board to review the Pheu Thai stand on granting amnesty for Thaksin," he said.

Sanan said he was worried about opposition to expunge Thaksin's conviction and punishment. He hinted that an amnesty for Thaksin - and national reconciliation related to the war of political colours - were two separate issues.

Democrat spokesman Buranaj Smutharaks said Pheu Thai candidate Yingluck Shinawatra had an ulterior motive in linking the Thaksin amnesty as part of the reconciliation process.

"The people have been misled into believing the country could not be at peace without the Thaksin guilt being expunged," he said.

Buranaj said political turbulence stemmed from confusion as the Shinawatras linked their family interests to that of the country.

If Pheu Thai and Yingluck had honest intentions, they should clarify specific steps and individuals involved to bring about the reconciliation, he said, arguing Yingluck's ambiguous remarks on fence-mending were designed to rescue Thaksin.

Commenting on concern about outside interference in forming the next government, Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Parliament would be the venue to elect the prime minister.

Abhisit dismissed speculation that the government would be formed inside the military barracks.

In regard to Sanan's offer to host reconciliation talks between the Democrats and Pheu Thai after the vote, he said he was uncertain what the talks would entail.

Should Sanan have a tangible idea on reconciliation, the talks could start at any time before the vote, he said.

He reaffirmed his stand that he would not condone a Thaksin amnesty. Turning to Yingluck's suggestion about conducting a referendum on Thaksin, he said the public should not be confused by mixing differing issues.

The amnesty, if granted, would mean absolving him of conviction and punishment, he said. The pardon, which at times was interpreted in layman's terms as forgiveness, could happen if the offender had acknowledged the conviction and served part of the penalty, he said, noting Thaksin had not served his two-year jail term.

Speaking on the sidelines of her campaigning in Chiang Rai, Yingluck said she did not want state officials to get involved in swaying votes.

She reaffirmed her stand that the winning party should have a first opportunity at forming the government. She also said she stood by her party's statement rejecting to team up with Bhum Jai Thai on the grounds of irreconcilable differences.

Late swing expected to help us: Suthep

Late swing expected to help us: Suthep

By Pimnara Pradabvit
The Nation
Published on June 13, 2011


The sentiment is expected to shift in favour of the Democrat Party in the final two weeks of campaigning because of the confidence in Abhisit Vejjajiva as prime minister, party secretary- general Suthep Thaugsuban said yesterday.

Suthep voiced complete confidence about overtaking Pheu Thai's lead.

"Campaigning has reached a half-way point and the final stretch will see change favouring the Democrats," he said.

He insisted his party's campaign strategy was on track, arguing the Democrats were heading for victory.

In a projection of voting results, he said the Democrats would grab about 200 of 500 House seats.

The Abhisit government's performance would be a decisive factor in balloting, he said, noting people could recall for themselves the chaos in the wake of the 2007 election and the riots in 2009 and 2010.

"Regardless of the marketing gimmick to manipulate sentiment, the people would still remember the burning and incidents of terror carried out by armed men in black," he said. Thais living across the country, particularly Bangkok residents, would vote to render their judgement on untold damage inflicted on society, he said.

Suthep said he would not comment on Pheu Thai candidate Yingluck Shinawatra for fear of having his remarks quoted out of context.

The Democrat victory would not be confined just to the South, their traditional stronghold, he said, making an upbeat projection for every region, including key constituencies in Bangkok, Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi.

In Pheu Thai's Northeast strongholds, the Democrats would likely win more than five House seats, possibly up to 10, he said.

He dismissed the scenario of Pheu Thai winning a landslide victory, securing more than half of the 500 House seats.

Suthep predicted a high turnout of voters because the people wanted to chart the country's course in the wake of riots in the past two years.

He recounted the terrors in Bangkok and several key provinces, saying voters would put an end to violence by voting for the Democrats.

Pheu Thai ahead of Democrats: opinion poll

Pheu Thai ahead of Democrats: opinion poll

By The Nation
Published on June 13, 2011

Pheu Thai is leading the Democrats both in the party-list and Bangkok's 21 constituencies, according to an opinion poll released yesterday, with 44 per cent of people still undecided on which party they are going to vote for.

Bangkok Poll conducted a survey of 3,323 respondents from June 2-9. Some 33.6 per cent of Bangkokians said they would vote for Pheu Thai in the party-list system, an increase of 7.8 per cent compared to a survey conducted on May 20-22, 17.1 per cent said they would vote for the Democrats, an increase of 2.4 per cent, and 3.2 per cent maintained they would vote for Love Thailand, an increase of 1.2 per cent. Some 44.1 per cent were undecided.

As for the constituency system, 33.8 per cent would vote for Pheu Thai, an increase of 7.5 per cent compared to a survey on May 20-22, some 17.6 per cent would vote for the Democrats, an increase of 2.4 per cent, 1.3 per cent would vote for Rak Santi, the same as the previous survey, and 46.4 per cent were undecided.

Pheu Thai leads in constituencies 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 23, 26, 27, 29, 32 and 33.

The Democrats lead in constituencies 1, 2, 15, 19, 22 and 30. The two parties share almost same scores in six constituencies: 6, 9, 21, 25, 28 and 31.

Yingluck still leads Abhisit as the most favourite PM candidate with a backing of 42.6 per cent, an increase of 15.7 per cent, followed by Abhisit, 23.6 per cent, an increase of 6.2 per cent, Purachai Piumsomboon 3.9 per cent, an increase of one per cent and Chuwit Kamolwisit 2.4 per cent, a drop of 1.2 per cent. Some 27.5 per cent were undecided.

Meanwhile, Dusit Poll surveyed 1,556 people from June 8-11 on what kind of election campaign they wanted most. Of the total, 31.41 per cent said they wanted MP candidates to come up with clear policies on how they could improve the well-being of people, 28.2 per cent wanted to know how MP candidates would manage community development and 25 per cent sought more information on educational and security policies.

Regarding what the respondents do not want to hear from MP candidates during their campaigns, 38.1 per cent said mudslinging, 34.8 per cent said lies and allegations without evidence, 16.2 per cent said exaggeration of qualifications.

Originally Posted by NoBuzz

Ok, I remember it but don't remember what was said. Is it available online somewhere?

Don't know.

And no, he did not specifically call for demonstrators be shot but demanded the demonstrations be broken up with all force necessary.

Originally Posted by Takeovers

Originally Posted by NoBuzz

Ok, I remember it but don't remember what was said. Is it available online somewhere?

Don't know.

And no, he did not specifically call for demonstrators be shot but demanded the demonstrations be broken up with all force necessary.

Ok. Although "all necessary and appropriate force" is a term that doesn't prohibit potentially lethal force, it doesn't promote it either.

I don't believe Abhisit wanted casualties, do you?

Originally Posted by NoBuzz

I don't believe Abhisit wanted casualties, do you?

No, I don't believe he wanted people dead. However it was clear the demonstrators would not go away without extreme force applied. And that extreme force was readied to be applied as Abihisit demanded.

Originally Posted by Takeovers

However it was clear the demonstrators would not go away without extreme force applied. And that extreme force was readied to be applied as Abihisit demanded.

I agree. After a long time of harassment and pressure from various groups.
What remains is to decide if it was condonable or despicable.

Originally Posted by Calgary

I really don't care who wins, I just hope that the election result is respected and that Thailand can enjoy a period of stability afterwards – A PAD/AMART apologist on TD.

What is it with these PAD/Amart apologists, that they avoid admitting what they are.

I have another Farang acquaintance who also swears up and down that his political perspectives have been independently arrived at via in-depth analysis, research, having lived through the Thaksin PM years and observing Thai politics all the years he has been here.

But then when you hear his perspective, it is an exact mirror, word-for-word identical to that which is being propagated through that other yellow political discussion board TV.

But he will swear he knows nothing about TV, and will deny vehemently that his perspective originates there. Yet it is an identical clone. The guy is as biased as I am but from the PAD/TV/Amart side.

Why those types all have this same faux neutrality approach puzzles me.

With the greatest of respect Calgary, and I mean that, from your posts it is abundantly clear that you don't have a clue about what is really going on here.

Therefore, it is of little surprise that you should draw the most bizarre conclusions.

Another wonderful example is above.

You might be very surprised about what I actually support and who I am. Don't judge me by the news articles that I post. You appear to have gotten me massively wrong.

You have been honest in admitting that you are a very biased individual on many occasions and as a result it might be fair to conclude that this bias blinds you. It certainly seems so.

Just because someone doesn't agree with you, doesn't mean they must automatically be a PAD apologist. If you'd read some of my posts on the PAD (and you clearly haven't) you'd know how much abhor the nationalistic, anti-democratic mendacity of the PAD.

You highlighted something I wrote above. There's actually nothing wrong with it and you demonstrate your failed thinking by drawing attention to it, misinterpreting it and then claiming that I am something I am not. Also read the rest of the post it was attached to.

So, whilst it is simply thrilling to correct your warped imaginings, can I suggest you read some more of my other posts before presuming to know me.

Actually, I don't even know why I am bothering to reply to you. I just wasted 5 valuable minutes of my life. None of what I've written is going to make any difference to you. You are the kind of person who is incapable of learning by himself, but must be led.

Oh well.

Like I said, these people will swear up and own that they are above the fray, unbiased and untainted by any one side, but then consistently propagate that side.

Continues to amaze me, as it is done consistently by all those types.

Originally Posted by NoBuzz

What remains is to decide if it was condonable or despicable.

And there we probably have opposite opinions. For me it is despicable as Abhisit never had the slightest bit of legitimacy.

Originally Posted by Takeovers

And there we probably have opposite opinions. For me it is despicable as Abhisit never had the slightest bit of legitimacy.

You're right. We differ on this one. As for me, regarding Abhisits legitimacy, the jury's still out. Which means that I haven't decided what to think yet. I tend to consider all recent thai governments politically somewhat illegitimate. For different reasons. Ballot counting being only one factor.

But one reason as to why I find his decision on the crackdown condonable is the UDD and the way they acted. I used to follow PTV and what was going on there was revolting at best.

Not as revolting as murdering innocent protestors on the streets of the Capital.

Abisit is only legitimate in the eyes of the third world military junts dictators who put him there.
Not by any other democratic procedure or process.

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

With the greatest of respect Calgary, and I mean that, from your posts it is abundantly clear that you don't have a clue about what is really going on here.

Another case of the pot calling the kettle black. Oh' I forgot that SD shows how much he knows about Thailand by posting other peoples stories from his Bangkok apartment. He still has not enlightened us on his ventures outside of the Bangkok CBD.

Originally Posted by LooseBowels

Not as revolting as murdering innocent protestors on the streets of the Capital.

and you were not revolted that your red heroes were calling for the burning of Bangkok and did as advertised ? not revolting at all ?

nutter,

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

Late swing expected to help us:
Suthep By Pimnara Pradabvit T
he Nation
Published on June 13, 2011

Yes, it will seem like a miracle when the ballots reveal a big movement by the dems; against all opinion polls... Nothing to do with rigging the ballot boxes...

how many souls perished as a direct result of the so called* Burning of Bangkok ?

* always thought Bangkok was bigger than Central World

Originally Posted by Mid

how many souls perished as a direct result of the so called* Burning of Bangkok ?

* always thought Bangkok was bigger than Central World

oh I see, destroying properties is perfectly acceptable

Central World ? there was only 37 fires started all over Bangkok

and the Reds weren't shooting AT people in their little pickup truck ?

FFS, mid, you are a fucking braindead joke

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/13/wo...ef=global-home


Yingluck Shinawatra, center, during a campaign stop in Udon Thani Province last week. Her candidacy marks a comeback for her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is in self-imposed exile in Dubai.
Agnes Dherbeys for the International Herald Tribune

More Photos >>

nytimes.com

Both Pheu Thai and Bhum Jai Thai have publicly ruled out any possibility of a coalition, although Newin’s second in command, Sophon Zarum, told the Bangkok Post earlier that the party’s main goal is to be in the government, no matter which side wins. If Pheu Thai is close to forming a government, it is probable that Newin — named for the late Burmese dictator Ne Win — will seek to do a deal and the Thaksin-backed forces are likely to agree to it.

The bigger questions revolve around what the generals will do. Most observers believe that they will not countenance a Thaksin return under any circumstances, in large part because they feel he will try to jail them. The military brought down Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai government and is said to have been behind the 2008 decision on the part of the courts to dissolve its successor, the PPP. Anuphong Poachinda, then the army commander, reportedly pressured many of the PPP members of Parliament to defect to the Democrats, along with Newin’s splinter party, and pave the way for Abhisit’s election as premier.

Thailand Lurches Toward Crucial Election | The Jakarta Globe

TAN_Network TAN News Network

EC chairman says there is a possibility that red cards will be handed out to disqualify MP candidates before poll result is endorsed