Page 87 of 175 FirstFirst ... 3777798081828384858687888990919293949597137 ... LastLast
Results 2,151 to 2,175 of 4361
  1. #2151
    Out there...
    StrontiumDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    BKK
    Posts
    40,030
    Bangkok Post : Dhanin, Somkid discuss economic policy

    Dhanin, Somkid discuss economic policy
    The next government should spend the country's reserve funds in domestic investment instead of issuing and buying bonds, Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group) chairman and CEO Dhanin Chearavanont said on Thursday.


    Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group) chairman and CEO Dhanin Chearavanont (Photo by Surapol Promsaka na Sakolnakorn)

    Mr Dhanin, head of the country's biggest agribusiness conglomerate, said at at a seminar on the country's economic policy and direction that Thailand has the thirteenth largest foreign reserves in the world at US$208 billion (6.30 trillion baht).

    The new prime minister and finance minister should use the reserves to invest in the country. They can be invested in irrigation and research and development to help the country's economy in the long run, he said.

    "Domestic investment would be more useful than issuing bonds that yield three per cent interest and buying foreign bonds that yield one per cent interest as they can cause the country to be in debt," Mr Dhanin said.

    He said the government should not be too concerned about inflation being too high.

    "Product prices, especially agricultural products, are on the rise from now on. But compared to fuel prices, which have increased by more than 20 folds in the last 30 years, prices of agricultural products and state officials' salaries have not risen to that extent.

    "The government must ensure that people's income and agricultural product prices are matched by using fuel prices as reference points," the CP chief said.

    Mr Dhanin said the political situation was moving in a positive direction because political parties were competing with their policies.

    "As for the election campaigning, it depends on whether political parties can implement their policies. If not, the people would not vote for them," he added.

    At the same seminar, former finance and commerce minister Somkid Jatusripitak said the new government should clearly lay down its "food and energy" strategy as their prices continue to rise.


    Former finance and commerce minister Somkid Jatusripitak(Photo by Kitja Apichonrojarek)

    "I want to see this election bring changes to Thailand after the country's development has come to a halt for four to five years," said the economic architect of the Thaksin administration.

    The policy of each political party should focus more on the country's development than pleasing the public. The parties must know what the country wants and their policies must help the economy grow in a continuous and sustainable manner at all levels, Mr Somkid said.

    "Food and energy prices are expected to rise and the new government should set a clear strategy on both issues because Thailand is an agricultural country but the working methods in the past do not work.

    "The policy to guarantee income of farmers and the crop mortgage scheme are not adequate. The policy must delve into production, marketing and the use of technology to increase production capacity," he said.
    "Slavery is the daughter of darkness; an ignorant people is the blind instrument of its own destruction; ambition and intrigue take advantage of the credulity and inexperience of men who have no political, economic or civil knowledge. They mistake pure illusion for reality, license for freedom, treason for patriotism, vengeance for justice."-Simón Bolívar

  2. #2152
    Thailand Expat
    SteveCM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    A "non-existent" Thai PsyOps unit
    Posts
    4,550
    ^^^^^ So much detailed [cough] "knowledge" about me - such impressive sleuthing. If anything was paid for this information, I'd recommend demanding a refund. Perhaps it's the same imaginative source that also asserted that Mid and I have limited free time - as in
    Quote Originally Posted by StrontiumDog
    ..... It is simply a case that I have more free-time then they [Steve and Mid] do.
    Now, I can't speak for Mid (how would I know to?) but, in fact, I have 24 hours a day of free time available to me. Being in the fortunate position of actually having a life - a real one that is - I don't find myself dependent on inventing a surrogate cyber version which revolves almost solely around a keyboard. When I do choose to use it, some of the time might be taken up with TD-type things - and rather more elsewhere on the internet and with my own research/writing. That being rather solitary, I also like to get out and be with real people face to face a lot. All rather - how shall I say - "normal".

    About those whose existence seems to them to be complete with almost nothing but digital scrapbookery on forums, addictive tweeting, bombastically sounding off and gratuitously abusing others I really have little opinion except that it just wouldn't do for me. Each to their own, I say - however bizarrely limited and unreal others may find it.
    .

    “.....the world will little note nor long remember what we say here....."

  3. #2153
    Out there...
    StrontiumDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    BKK
    Posts
    40,030

    Yingluck Shinawatra, opposition Pheu Thai Party's candidate for prime minister and the sister of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, second left, is greeted by her supporters during an election campaign for her party in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, June 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)


    Yingluck Shinawatra, opposition Pheu Thai Party's candidate for prime minister and the sister of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, second left, is greeted by her supporters during an election campaign for her party in Bangkok, Thailand, Thurs


    Thai people stroll by a 'no-vote' campaign poster made by the People's Alliance for Democracy, a group aligned with Thailand's royalist 'Yellow Shirt' group, in Bangkok on Thursday, June 9, 2011.


    Thai people stroll by a 'no-vote' campaign poster made by the ... - Yahoo! News Photos


  4. #2154
    Thailand Expat
    SteveCM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    A "non-existent" Thai PsyOps unit
    Posts
    4,550
    From the blog world.....

    Thailand: Tension between PAD and the Democrats boils over | Asian Correspondent


    By Bangkok Pundit
    Jun 09, 2011



    Tension between the PAD and the Democrats has been ongoing for a long time. Just as Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was about to become PM in December 2008, the PAD issued a list of conditions that the new government had to comply with. By March 2009, the PAD and the Democrats started to drift apart after the PAD announced they were setting up a new party and the PAD criticized Suthep over summons issued to PAD leaders.

    In August 2009, Sondhi L called on people to choose sides between the PAD and the Democrats. In September 2009, former well-known PAD member and then Foreign Minister Kasit criticized the PAD and their affiliate over their criticism and their excessive nationalism towards Cambodia.

    In August 2010, PAD Leader stated he believed there was now more corruption under the Abhisit government than under Thaksin’s government. Then, in November 2010, PAD started to protest outside of parliament against the amendments to the constitution and then in December against the Abhisit’s government’s refusal to revoke the 2000 Thai-Cambodian Memorandum of Understanding and the French map with a scale of 1:200,000 square kilometres – see posts here, here, and here. In response, Suthep stated that Thaksin and Sondhi Limthongkul were equally bad and branded the PAD as “dangerous for the country”.

    In late December 2010, the Cambodian authorities arrested seven Thais on the grounds that they have illegally entered Cambodia. Aside from Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth others arrested include well-known PAD affiliated activist Veera (the Bangkok Post refers to him as a PAD co-leader) and Samdin Lertbutr of the Dharma Army Foundation, who has close connections with Chamlong Srimuang, a leader of the People’s Alliance for Democracy. Then, PAD criticized the government and the military saying they conspired with the Cambodians over the arrest of the Thai seven.

    Then, in January, the police arrested Thai Patriots Network (TPN) leader Chaiwat Sinsuwong and another TPN core member. In February, at least one key PAD member, was also suddenly arrested.

    In February 2011, a document was released online and Government House sources started to tell reporters that Sondhi L was working with Thaksin for the ‘no vote’ campaign. Surawich Verawan, the Managing Editor of ASTV, blamed Thepthai (Abhisit’s personal spokesman) as the source of this rumour. In March 2011, Sondhi L called for Thailand to be cleansed of dirty things and stated that the Democrats were just as bad as Thaksin.

    Last month, ASTV criticized Abhisit stating he “lusted” to dissolve parliament and was disregarding HM the King’s health.

    Then, in the last few days, Sondhi L stated that, in regards to the campaign by former Senator Kaewsun Atibodhi and multi-colored shirt leader Tul Sitthisomwong to get Yingluck investigated for perjury charges, that it is the work of the Democrats (เป็นผลงานของพรรคประชาธิปัตย์). In response, Abhisit told reporters he asks Sondhi in response whether he is now in the Thaksin camp or not? (จะถามกลับว่า นายสนธิกลับไปอยู่กับ พ.ต.ท.ทักษิณ ชินวัตร หรือไม่).

    BP: Indeed, you are either with us or against us…

    In addition, Suthep stated that the acts of Kaewsan and others was not the work of the Democrats and he asks Sondhi to clarify to the people after Sondhi L came out in support of Yingluck (ตนขอเรียกร้องให้นายสนธิ ลิ้มทองกุล แกนนำกลุ่มพันธมิตรประชาชนเพื่อประชาธิปไตย ชี้แจงประชาชน หลังจากที่นายสนธิออกมาสนับสนุน น.ส.ยิ่งลักษณ์ ).

    BP: One assume that this “support” for Yingluck is in reference to Sondhi mentioning that the campaign against Yingluck is the work of the Democrats because it is only on June 5 that Sondhi L is criticizing the military for secretly negotiating with Thaksin. Sondhi L states that the monarchy is reliant on the military, but those in the military are accepting money from politicians inside and outside the country such as Thaksin (สถาบันกษัตริย์นั้นต้องพึ่งทหาร แต่ทหารวันนี้รับเงินนักการเมืองทั้งในประเทศ และนักการเมืองที่อยู่ต่างประเทศ คือทักษิณ ชินวัตร).

    The Nation on some details of the tensions:
    The Democrats have been upset about the PAD’s “Vote No” campaign, but now they are trying publicly to make it look suspicious. Since the ruling party and PAD have similar support bases -middle-class, inner-city people – the more voters mark abstention on their ballots, the more it can affect the Democrats’ chances in the election. Now, the party is openly saying that the “Vote No” campaign will directly help Thaksin’s Pheu Thai Party.

    The PAD has been complaining that the Democrats let it down, and now the political party must share responsibility if Thaksin is to make a political return thanks to the “Vote No” campaign. The movement has always begrudged the Democrats getting all the political windfall without playing a major role in Thaksin’s ouster. The “Vote No” campaign, the PAD said, was only meant to reflect its disillusionment with all Thai politicians.

    From the yellow-shirt camp the other day, meanwhile, a leading speaker made a tantalising comment, pointing to the possibility of a yellow-red partial cooperation after the election
    . He said the “Vote No” campaign would create political repercussions big enough to warrant a major change after the election, and that the PAD would welcome support from like-minded red shirts to strengthen the drive.

    It should be known soon if the apparent re-alliance is serious, or if Thailand’s divided politics has become firmly three-pronged. Those questioning the possibility of a red-yellow “merger” only have to check out where PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul’s loyalty lay just seven years ago.

    BP: Then, there is even subtle criticism of Prem’s role by ASTV Manager on his role in supporting the Democrats to come to power. The Bangkok Post:
    A set of 12 video clips have been posted on YouTube in what is being viewed as a vague effort to attack a top figure in the People’s Alliance of Democracy.

    The video clips titled “Unmask Sondhi” were recorded at a hotel in Bangkok on Jan19, 2010 and were uploaded to YouTube on June 5 by a person using the login “mochoco1000″, according to the site.

    The clips feature the names of five people mentioned as “five key actors”. One of the five men (Surasak Chinwongwattana, chairman of Fibre to the Home Co), was named as being close to “Sondhi”. The video footage features a meeting of a group of people discussing and bargaining over Information and Communication Technology Ministry projects.

    They are seated at a dining table in the hotel. There are subtitles indicating what was being said. The name”Sondhi” was also mentioned during the discussion. It is unclear in the video if the men were referring to media magnate Sondhi Limthongkul, a top leader of the PAD.

    BP: Haven’t watched the videos yet so won’t comment on the content, but one wonders who recorded the video and why it is being released now. Given the title of the clips is “Unmask Sondhi” – actually the title of the clips also includes Sondhi’s last name ฉีกหน้ากาก สนธิ ลิ้มทองกุล – there is no doubt what the intention of the uploader is… Will Sondhi blame the Democrats? What next?

  5. #2155
    Mmmm, Bowling......
    mobs00's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Last Online
    05-09-2015 @ 03:26 AM
    Location
    Chiang Mai
    Posts
    2,161
    Quote Originally Posted by StrontiumDog View Post
    Suthep calls for Sondhi's justification to support Yingluck

    Suthep calls for Sondhi's justification to support Yingluck

    People's Alliance for Democracy Sondhi Limthongkul has yet to explain to the people why he made an about-face to support Yingluck Shinawatra despite his campaign against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

    "Somdhi led the street protests to oust Thaksin but today he appears to have taken the Yingluck side," Democrat Party secretary general Suthep Thaugsuban said.

    Suthep was reacting the PAD's "no vote" campaign which he claims designed to encourage blank ballots, hence undermining the votes that should have been destined for the Democrats.

    The Nation
    This just made me laugh out loud! The yellows now support the reds which make them oranges???? WTF was the last 5 years then?

  6. #2156
    Thailand Expat
    Takeovers's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Last Online
    Today @ 05:48 PM
    Location
    Berlin Germany
    Posts
    7,058
    Quote Originally Posted by mobs00
    This just made me laugh out loud! The yellows now support the reds which make them oranges???? WTF was the last 5 years then?
    Just speculation. Maybe a deal has been reached between the old powers and Thanksin. Like:

    He will not be Prime Minister again. Puea Thai will not rock the boat like he tried and failed. And they will graciously allow the election result to stand. After all what happened it is difficult for me to see all the same charades to deprive the people of their vote played out again. Unrest may really spread this time. The amart are not idiots and may prefer stability if they are not seriously challenged.

    Probably Abhisit has not read the not yet.

  7. #2157
    Thailand Expat
    SteveCM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    A "non-existent" Thai PsyOps unit
    Posts
    4,550
    Abhisit insists he did his best to tackle problem of corruption

    By THE NATION
    Published on June 10, 2011

    PM admits on his Facebook page that many people were probably disappointed with him on some issues

    Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva insisted yesterday he had not tolerated corruption among his Cabinet members, saying he had tried his best to fight graft.In his second open letter to the public, posted on his Facebook page on Thursday morning, Abhisit admitted he could not stop some corruption from taking place.

    "I'll never betray the people's trust towards me. I admit that I could not prevent corruption 100 per cent but I can assure the people that I have never ignored corruption problems. I always tackled the problems," he wrote. "You can rest assured that all of my decisions were based on the public interest and were not based on any ulterior motive."

    Abhisit said he realised from the first Cabinet meeting that it was not easy to work in a coalition government "because negotiations always happen".
    "But I drew a clear-cut line that projects that benefit the people and do not violate the law must proceed. We cannot halt the country's development just because of fear of corruption," Abhisit wrote.

    Abhisit said he knew the public had high expectations of his government after they had witnessed the previous governments of the People Power Party run the country in the interests of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

    "I realise that such a situation prompted Thais to have expectations of me, and many people were disappointed with me on several issues," Abhisit wrote.

    "They thought I was not strong and that I ignored corruption problems. But it was not true. Instead, I have been fighting to protect the national interest."

    As coalition leader, instead of breaking with his partners he resorted to talking internally, he said.

    "I declined to announce publicly that I was against several projects. Instead, I used internal talk and discussion, giving reasons," he said.

    "I treated coalition partners with respect and I declined to use someone's weak points to shore up my popularity. I believe that as coalition partners, we must share responsibility," the Democrat leader wrote.

    Abhisit said he issued nine iron rules for his Cabinet members to comply with to prevent corruption.

    He said he always ensured that his Cabinet members complied with the rules, even ministers from other coalition parties.

    Abhisit cited the case of Withoon Nambutr, former social development and human security minister, as an example of a minister who was forced to comply with the rules.

    Abhisit said Withoon resigned to take responsibility when it turned out that there were irregularities in the distribution of aid to flood victims.

    As another example, Witthaya Kaewparadai had to resign as public health minister due to suspicion of corruption in procurement at the ministry.

    Abhisit said the only minister who caused a problem was former deputy public health minister Manit Nopamornbodi of the Bhum Jai Thai Party.

    Abhisit said Manit initially refused to resign for fear that his resignation would be tantamount to admitting that he had done something wrong.

    But Abhisit explained to Manit that his resignation did not mean he had committed wrongdoing but that the iron rule had to be complied with. Even though Manit was not a Democrat, he eventually resigned.

    Abhisit said he might have made the mistake of not using marketing to lead politics.

    "Instead, I left the truth to be proved by action. This has become a weak point that allowed opponents to distort the facts about my work constantly during the past two years," he said.

    "They did it by using certain newspapers to make people falsely believe that I always allowed coalition partners to take advantage and benefits just to keep my power as prime minister," Abhisit wrote.

    Abhisit ended by saying he had done his best to fight corruption without fearing the political consequences.

    "If the people give me and the Democrats another chance, the people's power will give me the strength to fight to rebuild our country to become stronger."

  8. #2158
    Thailand Expat
    SteveCM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    A "non-existent" Thai PsyOps unit
    Posts
    4,550
    Thai army chief raises concern over "red shirt villages" - The West Australian

    Reuters June 9, 2011

    BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's army chief expressed concern Thursday over a move by communities in the rural northeast to brand themselves "Red Shirt Villages" in solidarity with a "red shirt" anti-government protest movement.

    Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said a military inquiry by the 2nd Army Region into some 200 "Red Shirt villages" showed "they were mostly meant only as a political expression or political affiliation."

    "We would like people to consider whether this is an appropriate thing to do. Even though it is not illegal, it has raised questions about the social implications in the country from assigning colours to villages," he told reporters.

    His comments follow a Reuters report Tuesday that showed numbers of red villages were on the rise despite the arrest last year of hundreds of red-shirt leaders in the wake of clashes with the army in Bangkok in which 91 people were killed in the worst political violence in decades.

    At least 320 villages in the provinces of Udon Thani and Khon Kaen have designated themselves "Red Shirt Villages" through regional offices of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), as the movement is formally known.

    The red villages are seen as sign that the movement, popular mainly among the rural and urban poor, is becoming better organised and more likely to mobilise behind its parliamentary allies, the opposition Puea Thai Party, ahead of July 3 general elections.

    The red shirts broadly support ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Thailand's five-year political conflict against the traditional Bangkok elite of top generals, royal advisers, middle-class bureaucrats and old-money families who back the ruling Democrat Party.

    The red shirts accuse the Bangkok establishment and top military brass of breaking laws with impunity -- grievances that have simmered since a 2006 coup that overthrew Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon-turned-prime minister who is revered by the poor as the first politician to have addressed their needs.

    Thaksin's image beams from red signs at the entrance to the red villages. His sister, Yingluck, a 43-year-old businesswoman with no political experience, has improved in opinion polls since her May 16 nomination to lead the opposition.

    "Thailand, and Thais should have only one colour -- the colour of our national flag signifying the nation, religion and monarchy," said Prayuth. "Designating different colours has given us problems that we see today."


    (Reporting by Vithoon Amorn; Editing by Jason Szep and Daniel Magnowski)

  9. #2159
    Thailand Expat
    SteveCM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    A "non-existent" Thai PsyOps unit
    Posts
    4,550
    Prayuth warns Pheu Thai

    By THE NATION
    Published on June 10, 2011

    Tensions rise as Army chief fumes after soldiers on anti-narcotics mission are threatened

    Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha issued a stern warning to the Pheu Thai Party yesterday, raising pre-election tension after a Bangkok Pheu Thai candidate and his men allegedly threatened soldiers on an anti-narcotics mission.In one of his strongest remarks yet to the opposition party, Prayuth criticised what he implied was an act of provocation against the Army, which was committed to supporting a peaceful, democratic election.

    "If nobody respects the law, what good is the election? How can the country survive if you have your election but outlawed measures are used to pressure [state officials doing their job]?" Prayuth asked.

    "I have been doing my best to keep the election campaign atmosphere good. Please don't take a swipe at us, and let state authorities - be it police or soldiers - do their job. If you don't give them room to function, what good will the election be?"

    The outburst followed an incident on May 23 in which Pheu Thai's Nong Chok district candidate Pairoj Issara-seripong and some aides allegedly threatened a smaller group of soldiers disseminating anti-drug questionnaires in Kokfaek in the district.

    Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd, the Army spokesman, said the group displayed pistols, with Pairoj telling the soldiers: "If I blow a whistle, you **** will not be able to **** leave this area."

    The area was a "red zone", with red clothes hanging out to dry outside many homes. The Pheu Thai side suggested that Pairoj's group was reacting to residents' fears that the soldiers were on a political mission to intimidate them.

    Pairoj yesterday filed libel charges against Sansern and denied his group flashed guns to threaten the soldiers.

    "We did not carry any weapons," he said. "We sought to talk to the soldiers to find out what was going on, as their presence caused panic among the people in the area. Some of the people were afraid that drugs could be planted on them to frame them as they were red shirts."

    Pairoj's action against Sansern apparently fuelled Prayuth's anger. "Who do you think you are, threatening officials like that? I can accept it. If sending two soldiers leads to problems like this, how about sending 50 next time? Let's see if they can lay siege to soldiers again. If 50 doesn't work, it will have to be 100. Will it have to come to that?" he said.

    The strong remarks all but blew away the semblance of a cordial atmosphere that followed Pheu Thai prime-ministerial candidate Yingluck Shinawatra's olive branch to the Army. In a recent interview, Yingluck said she was ready to call on Prayuth and seek his advice. The Army turned down her offer, saying it wanted to stay out of politics during this crucial period of the election campaign.

    In her latest interview yesterday, Yingluck told TV Channel 3 that if she became prime minister her government would treat the military professionally. She vowed to respect the military's role after the election, saying Pheu Thai "will only implement defence policies as promised to voters".

    During the interview, Yingluck was asked if she was worried that Pheu Thai would miss out on forming the next government even if it won the election. "Let's just say that democratic rules should be adhered to, and that is allowing the party that wins the most votes to have a chance to form the government first," she replied.

    Prayuth denied that he harboured prejudice against Pheu Thai. "I only have prejudice against people who break the law. Therefore, no matter which party you belong to, just don't break the law. If you break the law, it's no use talking. Talking to lawbreakers is meaningless. You must obey the law. Otherwise, you will be punished and then you will complain about injustice," he said.

    "Soldiers have never changed. We are still the people's soldiers. We have a duty to protect the nation, religion and the monarchy and the people have a duty to uphold the law."

    Prayuth insisted he had tried his best to stay out of politics during the election campaign. "I treat everyone with equal respect and I just expect the same in return. Please don't exploit us and drag us into issues that aren't supposed to be issues," he said.

  10. #2160
    Thailand Expat
    SteveCM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    A "non-existent" Thai PsyOps unit
    Posts
    4,550
    Party with most seats must get chance to form govt: Yingluck

    By THE NATION
    Published on June 10, 2011

    Pheu Thai's prime-minister candidate Yingluck Shinawatra reiterated yesterday that the party with the biggest mandate from voters should get first preference in forming a government.

    "If Pheu Thai comes second, of course we'll let the winner try to |form the government first," Yingluck told Sorrayuth Sutthassanachinda |during an interview on his TV talk |show.If the Democrats or any other party is the runner-up, it should also let the leading party have priority, she said.

    "Democracy means respect for the voice of the people," she said.

    Reacting to reports that her party could be heading for a landslide victory, she said, "That's what we've heard [from the polls] so far."

    However, she did not want to make that prediction, as they have to wait for the survey results.

    Yingluck vowed to respect the military's role after the election. Pheu Thai "will only implement defence policies as promised to voters".

    During the interview, Yingluck looked more confident when dwelling on sensitive issues, but was elusive when asked if there was a chance that the pardon would not take place.

    She denied that she was just a decoy.

    "If the people pick me, I'll be ready [to be the prime minister]".

    Yingluck was also hard to pin down on whether the planned amnesty would cover those "responsible" for the deaths of 91 red-shirt protesters.

    "Legal and justice principles will be adhered to" when dealing with the case of the crackdowns on the red shirts, she said.

  11. #2161
    Thailand Expat
    SteveCM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    A "non-existent" Thai PsyOps unit
    Posts
    4,550
    Pheu Thai maintains lead in Bangkok

    By THE NATION
    Published on June 10, 2011

    The Pheu Thai Party is leading in 18 of Bangkok's 33 constituencies and the Democrat Party in six constituencies, according to the results of a second public-opinion survey by Dhurakij Pundit University.

    In the remaining nine Bangkok constituencies the performance of the two largest parties is too close to call.The result was a slight improvement for the Democrats at Pheu Thai's expense. However, the survey also found that the Democrat Party was losing some of its popularity to new political parties like Rak Santi and Rak Thailand, which were gaining support from survey respondents who said they remained undecided on which way they would vote.

    In the previous poll conducted from May 23 to May 25 on 6,230 eligible voters in Bangkok, Pheu Thai led in 19 constituencies, the Democrats in five constituencies, and the results were inconclusive in nine.

    The second survey by the university's Dhurakij Pundit Poll was conducted from June 3 to June 6. It involved 8,616 eligible voters.

    In the latest survey, Pheu Thai was leading in constituencies 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 20, 23, 24, 26, 29, 31, and 33. The Democrats were leading in constituencies 1, 2, 10, 22, 27, and 32. The rest were too close to call.

    The survey also found that 86 per cent of respondents said they would cast their votes on July 3, while only 5 per cent said they planned not to go to the polls.

    Of those who intended to vote, 55 per cent said they had made up their mind which candidate and political party they would vote for and would never change their mind, and 9 per cent said they might change their mind. Another 31 per cent said they remained undecided. The remaining 5 per cent said they would tick the "No" vote box on the ballot paper.

    In the previous survey last month, as many as 16 per cent of respondents said they had already made up their minds, but admitted they could change when actually going to the polls. The pollsters concluded that the reduction in this group could be due to the fact that many of them had obtained sufficient information to make firm decisions.

    The pollsters said that the large number of voters who remained undecided - 31 per cent, almost unchanged from the previous survey - meant that both the Democrats and Pheu Thai still had a good chance of winning in constituencies where the lead was less than 10 per cent.

    However, they said that in addition to Pheu Thai, the Democrats also had to fight with Rak Santi and Rak Thailand for support from voters who remained undecided.

    In the previous general elections in December 2007, when 36 House seats were contested in the capital, the Democrats won 27 seats and Pheu Thai's predecessor, the People Power Party, won nine.

  12. #2162
    Thailand Expat
    SteveCM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    A "non-existent" Thai PsyOps unit
    Posts
    4,550
    Red-shirt villages no cause for paranoia, says Red Sunday leader

    By PRAVIT ROJANAPHRUK
    THE NATION
    Published on June 10, 2011

    The authorities should not be paranoid about the setting up of hundreds of so-called "red-shirt villages" in the Northeast, said Red Sunday leader Sombat Boon-ngam-anong, who first floated the idea late last year.

    The scheme is merely a symbolic gesture showing that red shirts will not melt away despite the deadly crackdown which led to the deaths of 92 people in April and May last year, he said. The remark came after Reuters news agency reported on Tuesday that at least 320 villages had been designated "red-shirt villages", complete with signs and flags, in Udon Thani and Khon Kaen provinces.

    The story led to more reports about red-shirt villages elsewhere and discussion about whether the move was tantamount to a declaration of independence from the state.

    Other red-shirt leaders denied allegations that armed training was taking place.

    Sombat said the public should see the move in the context of the protests last year, when the red shirts were crushed and forbidden from gathering politically by the emergency decree. He said the setting up of such a "symbolic space" was merely a challenge that said "red shirts are not going to fade away".

    "This is not a declaration of independence. The idea doesn't go that far," said Sombat, who refused to take credit for selling the idea to red shirts during a visit upcountry late last year.

    "But [the authorities] can always claim otherwise as they have branded reds as being anti-monarchist and communist," said Sombat. Perhaps less self-publicity by the red shirts in the Northeast might be better for the upcoming election, he added.

    Mahidol University human-rights lecturer Sirote Klampaiboon said the state was "too paranoid", as other groups such as the Santi Asoke religious group had also declared their communities to be special zones.

    Sirote accused the state of wanting to paint the red shirts as a threat to national security, however. "The problem is, the meaning is inserted by others. Being a red shirt is something the government has refused to accept," said Sirote.

    When asked if declaring a village "red" would make villagers who did not share the same political ideology afraid of expressing their views, Sombat said he would be "sympathetic" in such a situation, though he was not aware of any examples at the moment.

    Sirote said it would be "problematic" if there were non-red shirts in a red-shirt village who did not feel free to express their political views.

    Matichon newspaper reported yesterday there were also red-shirt villages in Maha Sarakham province and that there were plans to designate some villages in the Southern provinces of Surat Thani and Phang Nga as "red" after the election. Most Southern provinces are traditionally the stronghold of the Democrat Party.

  13. #2163
    Thailand Expat
    SteveCM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    A "non-existent" Thai PsyOps unit
    Posts
    4,550
    Eight Bangkok districts in list of trouble spots

    By THE NATION
    Published on June 10, 2011

    Fearing violence in the run up to the July 3 election, eight Bangkok districts have been placed on a police watchlist. In addition, two previous lists designated areas in the provinces as "hot spots" and higher-alert "red zones" where violence is likely or has occurred.

    Deputy Bangkok police chief Pol Maj-General Kareerin Inkaew said police were most concerned about security on July 1, when all parties deliver their final speeches."The Democrat Party takes the stage at Benjasiri Park, the Pheu Thai at Rajamangala Stadium and Social Action Party at Lumpini Park. Police presence and security will be at their peak at these venues," he said.

    The eight districts are Lak Si, Don Muang, Sai Mai, Khlong Sam Wa, Nong Chok, Bang Khunthien, Bang Bon and Thawee Watthana. An extra 11,000 police will be mobilised and crime prevention backed up by supplement units, he added.

    Cases of vandalism of election signboards total 1,246, including 104 in Bangkok, while 282 candidates from 11 parties have requested police protection. In general, the situation in Bangkok has been regarded as non-violent despite the latest list putting eight capital districts on a watchlist.

    In Chanthaburi, assailants yesterday fired on the home of a kamnan who canvassed for a Pheu Thai Party candidate in Constituency 1. Sa-ard Termsomboon was not at home during the attack and only property was damaged.

    Police said the motive could have been Sa-ard's political support, or conflict stemming from gambling.

    Kareerin said the number of vandalism cases had not increased as rapidly as before following the launch of police and media campaigns.

    He repeated that the maximum sentence for vandals would be a three-year prison term and/or Bt60,000 fine.

    Anyone paying for or supporting systematic vandalism can be subject to the maximum sentence of a 10-year prison term and/or Bt200,000 fine, or even party dissolution if they are executive members.

  14. #2164
    Thailand Expat
    SteveCM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    A "non-existent" Thai PsyOps unit
    Posts
    4,550
    Last edited by SteveCM; 10-06-2011 at 01:16 AM.

  15. #2165
    Out there...
    StrontiumDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    BKK
    Posts
    40,030
    ^ Steve, why did you post all this here when there are threads running on several of these stories....?

    For example;

    Pheu Thai files defamation case against Kaewsun, Tul

    https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ted-cases.html

    And....

    Eight Bangkok districts in list of trouble spots

    https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...ighlight=local (Local Politicians Killed over Suspected Political Conflicts)

    And....

    Abhisit insists he did his best to tackle problem of corruption

    https://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asi...les+corruption

    And an edit, you might also find waiting for The Nation to actually post the news stories to their main index useful, as they add photos and other additions later on. It also might be considered good form to allow them to post the articles for public consumption first as well.
    Last edited by StrontiumDog; 10-06-2011 at 01:38 AM.

  16. #2166
    Out there...
    StrontiumDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    BKK
    Posts
    40,030
    http://www.cfr.org/thailand/thailand...plosion/p25240

    Thailand's Elections: Resolution or Implosion?


    Author: Joshua Kurlantzick, Fellow for Southeast Asia
    June 9, 2011



    Thailand will hold a long-awaited federal election on July 3, pitting the governing Democrat Party against the opposition Puea Thai party, as well as a group of smaller parties. For some Thai politicians, this poll will be the culmination of a process of national reconciliation that began in the wake of bloody riots in Bangkok last April and May, during which at least eighty people were killed, hundreds were injured, and an unknown numbers of protestors were taken into police custody, often without charges filed.

    But the election could simply accelerate Thailand's political meltdown, underway since a coup in September 2006 deposed then-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who fled into exile. Most likely, the poll will not resolve the increasingly deep divisions in Thai society--between the rural poor who have backed Thaksin and the urban middle classes; <redacted>; and between residents of the north and northeast of Thailand and residents of Bangkok and the south.

    Instead, 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.

    The Roots of Political Divisions

    Until the early 2000s, Thailand was regarded as an example of successful modernization. Following a coup in the early 1990s, the country had held multiple free elections and passed a reformist constitution in 1997 that included progressive guarantees for human rights and civil liberties.

    Thaksin was first elected in 2001, and brought a significant change to Thai politics. Though wealthy himself, he implemented populist policies, such as inexpensive universal healthcare that clearly benefited the poor. He also showed Thailand's working classes that, in a real democracy, if they united they could elect a politician who responded to their concerns, which had never happened before in Thai politics. At the same time, though, in office, Thaksin displayed little regard for the rule of law, eviscerating the bureaucracy and intimidating the media. Still, he was reelected by a larger margin in 2005.

    Thailand's urban middle classes and elites, angry at Thaksin's destruction of the rule of law, and frustrated with how his populism was cutting into their own political power, took to the streets in 2006 to try to oust him. By resorting to the street, they set the stage for years of conflict. The middle classes got their wish with the coup in 2006. But the putsch only triggered further instability. The military abrogated the 1997 constitution and replaced it with a more retrograde document, and the army continued to meddle in politics; it plays a major role behind the scenes of the current government.

    Meanwhile, after the coup, the poor formed their own protest organizations, clad in red, Thaksin's color, and took to the streets themselves, and the two sides paralyzed government for nearly five years. Last spring, the red shirts clashed with the military-backed government and its security forces in a conflict that destroyed central Bangkok. As detailed in a recent report by Human Rights Watch, both the red shirts and the security forces were guilty of using excessive violence, though most of the casualties were red shirt protestors.

    Following the bloody crackdown, the Thai government vowed to embark upon a process of national reconciliation that would bridge class, regional, and political divides that had paralyzed the country since 2006. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva launched populist economic policies modeled on Thaksin's plans, and created a commission of inquiry to investigate the deaths of spring 2010. But the supposed reconciliation has pleased no one. Working class Thais who saw in Thaksin, whatever his flaws, a vehicle to real enfranchisement, are loath to go back to an earlier Thailand in which elites control all levers of power. The elites, fearful that any opposition government will mean further destruction of their economic and political power, are unwilling to hand over any control of government to the rural poor.

    The government continues to harass and arrest opposition activists, often for <redacted>. The government also has blocked some one hundred thousand websites, <redacted>, making Thailand today one of the worst abusers of Internet freedom in the world. Meanwhile, archroyalist/nationalists also increasingly have criticized the government for any compromise it makes with the opposition, and have threatened to disrupt the upcoming polls.

    <large snip here, due to content, click the link to see the full article>

    Election Scenarios

    Most polls suggest that if the July election is free and fair, the opposition would win the most seats in parliament. But it is unlikely to get an overwhelming majority, leaving the door open for the Democrat Party, with the help of an arm-twisting military, to then try to assemble a coalition government along with several smaller parties. This would leave Prime Minister Abhisit in place. Abhisit himself is known to be a relatively clean politician, by Thai standards, but such a scenario would only make him more beholden to the armed forces, hardly a positive sign for a restoration of democratic institutions. Furthermore, the coalition partners would demand major rewards, in terms of ministries, further paralyzing policymaking.

    Even if the opposition does win an overwhelming majority, the military is unlikely to let it take office. The armed forces have publicly declared they are not planning a coup. But Thai history suggests that claims by senior military officers that no coup is being planned actually means a coup is being planned--during nearly every previous coup it launched, the military publicly denied it was plotting a putsch.

    What's at Stake for the United States

    The United States has substantial interests in Thailand. The country is a longtime treaty ally, and in recent years has been an important partner in counterterrorism. Thailand is the United States' twenty-third-largest trading partner [in 2009, trade in goods and services was more than $29 billion]and the two countries have close military relations, culminating in the annual Cobra Gold joint exercises held in Thailand. Continued turmoil in the country will dissuade investors and is preventing Thailand from making necessary reforms, such as upgrading its weak educational system, that would continue to make it an attractive place to do business.

    What's more, a distracted, regressing Thailand is harmful to regional security and democratization throughout Southeast Asia. Once an example of democratic progress, Thailand now hardly serves as a political example; in fact, more repressive governments in the region, like Myanmar, have pointed to Thailand's political crisis as a reason why they should not move too swiftly to allow real, open democracy. What's more, with Thailand distracted in recent years, its senior officials have provided weak leadership to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the most important regional grouping. Thailand actually has harmed ASEAN unity by ramping up a border dispute with neighboring Cambodia that, in recent weeks, has led to at least fifteen deaths.

    To be sure, Thailand's political crisis is an internal matter, and the United States can only exercise so much leverage over another country's domestic politics. But Washington could begin to treat Thailand more like other countries with serious human rights problems, criticizing abuses when they occur and taking appropriate measures, such as downgrading the military-military relationship after serious abuses, like a coup. So far, U.S. criticism has been muted, with many lawmakers still praising the Thai government, even as they criticize other countries in Southeast Asia, like Vietnam, for similar abuses.

    Some American lawmakers believe that Washington cannot afford criticism of the Thai government, fearing it will push it closer to China's orbit. Already, as shown by cables released by WikiLeaks, Thailand has become more comfortable with China's rising power than most other countries in Southeast Asia. Yet at least at this point, the United States should not be worried that criticism of Thailand will push it entirely into China's camp. Washington still has significant leverage in Southeast Asia. Bangkok still cannot get from the China relationship what it obtains from the United States, in terms of high-level military ties and training, as well as effective intelligence cooperation.

    At the same time, Washington should make clear to Thailand's opposition that if it wins the election and brings Thaksin back, the United States will not tolerate a return of the abuses that characterized Thaksin's terms in office.

  17. #2167
    Out there...
    StrontiumDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    BKK
    Posts
    40,030
    Bangkok Post : Politicians fail to make a connection

    Politicians fail to make a connection

    Experts unimpressed by their efforts to embrace the social network

    Social media such as Facebook and Twitter hold out the potential for one-to-one communication between politicians and voters _ but in this election, few of the main candidates are bothering, observers say.



    The 2011 election marks the first time that social networking tools feature prominently as part of parties' campaign strategies, though the two main rivals _ the Democrat and Pheu Thai parties _ have made little effort to build "social capital".

    Instead, they use them mainly as tools for spreading propaganda, according to analysts.

    Both the Democrat and Pheu Thai leaders have party supporters working for them, posting on Facebook many times a day.

    They also send send out regular tweets on what they are doing and their current policies.

    But the leaders seldom leave comments themselves, or respond personally to what voters are saying.

    Experts say the potential of social media to build loyalty behind candidates is going untapped.

    They say these popular tools of communication are unlikely to pull in votes because users appreciate a more personal experience, and do not enjoy being swamped with party propaganda.

    The leaders are still not using the technologies to their fullest potential as vehicles for personal communication and getting in touch with the electorate, they say.

    "Thai politicians are using the social network as if they were Lady Gaga," said Pirongrong Ramasoota, of Chulalongkorn University's faculty of mass communications.

    "They are not, and that's why they will not get the same response."

    While the Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva has his weekly "live" video chat on Facebook, Pheu Thai's Yingluck Shinawatra has been active with her [at]PouYingluck twitter, sending out around five to six tweets a day from the campaign trail.

    In terms of popularity, Mr Abhisit is way ahead of Ms Yingluck on Facebook mainly because his fan page has been around much longer.

    His Facebook page has more than 650,000 "likes", while that of Ms Yingluck, which has been set up for about a month, has received slightly more than 33,000 "likes".

    Both candidates are neck-and-neck when it comes to their Twitter following. The [at]abhisitdp account had some 10,000 followers at last glance, while about 9,800 tune in to [at]PouYingluck.

    Apirak Kosayodhin, chief of the Democrat Party's social networking campaign, is hoping to attract more than 9 million Facebook and Twitter users in urban areas.

    "Social media gives people direct access to candidates. We believe it will motivate people, especially younger people, to come out and vote," he said.

    Pheu Thai's head of communications Kanawat Wasinsungworn said he had no targets as far as the party's social media campaign is concerned.

    While the Democrats consider social media the bulwark of its campaign strategy, with a team of about 10 people plus outside networks working on them full-time, Pheu Thai uses them as part of its corporate branding strategy, with a team of five people working on both new and more traditional means of communications.

    Mr Apirak said the beauty of social networking tools is that they offer two-way, interactive communication between candidates and the public.

    "We use the social media not only to reach out to people but to listen to them, to collect their opinions and use them to improve our policies," he said.

    Mr Kanawat acknowledged the two-way nature of social media as well, but said that he was more interested in its potential in instilling political awareness among the youth than its ability to bring in votes.

    "I believe that if politicians use social media efficiently, they will become good tools for people to monitor candidates, and any bad practices such as vote buying. They will help raise the standards of our politics in the long run," Mr Kanawat said.

    Phasanoch Hautavanija, a freelancer responsible for the TeamKorn Facebook page and Twitter account of Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij, said it's very important that people who use social media understand its "grammar" and "vocabulary".

    "The style that works is to state the problem, the benefits of solving it and what we are doing about it.

    "In short, start with the negative, show the positive and say what is being done. We have to be very concise and to the point when it comes to this," Mr Phasanoch said.

    While Ms Yingluck said she tried to post messages herself, most of what she tweeted during the day was done by members of her team.

    "Live tweeting by a candidate on a campaign trail is impossible," said Mr Kanawat.

    Chulalongkorn University's Ms Pirongrong said the two candidates are not using social media to its fullest potential.

    "There is little two-way communication," she said. "Most of what politicians send out are updates of their daily activities and photos. Instead of using the social network to interact with people and create communities, politicians are using them simply as broadcasting centres."

    The information sent out through new media is no different from what is available in the old channels, only more up-to-the-minute she said.

    Ms Pirongrong also takes issue with party supporters posting messages in the name of candidates.

    Such a practice shows that politicians do not understand the nature of social networking media.

    "You have to have an identity on a social network. Without that 'social capital', social media can't build an impetus," she said.

    The communications lecturer does not believe that social media will bring in new votes for politicians.

    "As for first time voters, personal media _ namely the influence of parents and friends _ will carry much more weight in their decisions," Ms Pirongrong said.Winyu "John" Wongsurawat, whose iHere TV on the web has some 19 million active viewers, said he was unimpressed by the use of social networks during this election.

    "The candidates do not seem to take it seriously. Most do not communicate by themselves. I am not sure if I can trust people who let other people do all of the 'talking' in their names," Mr Winyu said.

    The content was not particularly inspiring either.

    "Politicians are bombarding people with their messages," he said.

    "They probably hope that if they do it frequently enough, the information will enter people's brains somehow.

    "But the hard-sell approach never works in cyberspace."

  18. #2168
    Out there...
    StrontiumDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    BKK
    Posts
    40,030
    Bangkok Post : The proper role of the armed forces in Thai democracy

    The proper role of the armed forces in Thai democracy


    The recent exchange of words between Yingluck Shinawatra, de facto leader of the opposition Pheu Thai Party and sister of ousted prime minister Thaksin, and army commander Prayuth Chan-ocha, reflects a reality in Thai democracy.


    Hats off to democracy: Army C-in-C Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha.

    Political power does grow out of the barrel of a gun, as Mao Zedong once said, but it is used to protect the power of the few over the will of the people.

    Ms Yingluck was asked to react to previous exchanges between Gen Prayuth and Pheu Thai candidates for MPs concerning the accusation that troops had been ordered to interfere in the election process, with Gen Prayuth quoted as saying if Pheu Thai wins the election and there is opposition, power could be taken back.

    Choosing to be gracious, which could even be interpreted as extending an olive branch, Ms Yingluck replied that she believes the country wants a democracy and Thais must go through with the election. As the army chief had said before there would be no coup d'etat, so she would be willing to go and meet him, seeking advice if the army would permit.

    Gen Prayuth ducked, saying since we are in the midst of an election it might not be appropriate to meet just yet _ at least to wait until after the election. "Anyone can meet us personally, but politics should not be discussed nor support sought. At the moment the issue of most concern is the intensifying of Thailand's political conflict, thus all sides should make national interest their highest priority."

    In a more developed democracy, it would be strange if the No.1 candidate running for office to become the leader of a country, president or prime minister, asks to go and meet the army commander for consultations of any kind. In principle, the military must remain strictly neutral and ready to serve the government elected by the people of the country no matter what each military officer and soldier individually believes.

    It is the army chief and the entire military top brass who have to go and report to the new prime minister, no matter whom. In Thailand's present case, the military must be equally willing to work with either the newcomer Ms Yingluck or Abhisit Vejjajiva, the current holder of the office if he returns, or a third alternative, if elected. Such would ensure the country's national interest, especially in terms of national security.

    Past army commanders _ and the present one included _ always said politics interfered with the military. But history has shown that the reverse is true. It has been the force of the military, the army in particular, that has been instrumental in power grabbing, to topple anyone in opposition and maintain order after the venture succeeded.

    Readers may say I am just reiterating a known fact of the past 79 years and we may never be able to change it. Since the 1932 revolution which altered Thailand, the military has played a pivotal role in regime change and most of the time has put itself in the seat of power. Only in brief periods has democracy flourished, when the military fell out of grace _ usually after a protest and bloody crackdown, as in the events of Oct 14, 1973 and the May 1992 uprising.

    And only a few army commanders have been truly professional in their careers throughout modern history.

    Although the Oct 1973 and May 1992 uprisings led to regime change, the crackdown on the red shirt protesters last year ended differently, to the surprise of the red-shirt strategists. Even with 91 deaths, the highest ever in Thai political history, and thousands injured, and the burning down of buildings and shopping malls, the current government was able to hold on to power without the accountability others in the past had to endure.

    On Oct 6, 1976, after three years of open democracy, the military acted in conjunction with the conservative elite; fearful of Communist threats, the military opened fire on supposedly left-wing students and not the right-wing supporters. A coup d'etat followed, kicking out the then ruling Democrat Party under prime minister MR Seni Pramoj, and eventually a civilian government was appointed but lasted only a year before another coup and a full military government was put in place.

    Last year, the uniting force was the fear of Thaksin and his red shirt supporters. The military learned their lesson of the past, and maybe so did the Democrat Party. They embraced each other and answered the concern of the conservative elite, to crush Thaksin and his allies. But the times are changing.

    Democracy has taken deeper root in Thailand since the 1997 constitution, a legacy from the 1992 uprising. In addition, the political conflict of the past five years has aroused the political consciousness of the Thai public in general. Technology and rapid communications has propelled this change. Like everywhere else in the world, vivid pictures on YouTube, the speed of text messages, and the connectivity of Facebook and Twitter, have informed people's perceptions and reinforced beliefs.

    Wrongdoing cannot be hidden for long in a growing culture of openness.

    The military should step back and not interfere with the election process. Rumours abound of officers from Internal Security Operations Command trying to manipulate the electorate or a special unit under the guise of a war on drugs conducting psychological warfare and threatening political canvassers of Pheu Thai. The proposal to set up a new security ministry without a valid national security interest, is deemed as setting up another tool to protect personal interests above that of the public's.

    Some may argue that the military is acting to protect the monarchy. I agree the institution of the monarchy must be preserved. But the best way would be to let democracy bloom. Past kings and the present reign in particular, have always been the "people's king". Legally, as stated in Section 3 of the constitution, the monarch uses the power belonging to the people through the executive, legislative and judicial branches. De facto, his ultimate powers derive from ruling the nation with the 10 Virtues of a King, or Dosapis-rachadharma, and it is all about compassion, not repression.

    Political conflicts would be lessened if the military does not meddle in politics, or take sides and personal interest in the name of protecting national security and the throne. It is of national interest for the military to protect democracy and the will of the people which will in turn strengthen the institution of the monarchy.Most importantly, the military must always keep in mind that even though it was a summer of discontent at Ratchaprasong last year, it does not mean that spring will never arrive.


    Suranand Vejjajiva served in the Thaksin Shinawatra cabinet and is now a political analyst.

  19. #2169
    Out there...
    StrontiumDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    BKK
    Posts
    40,030
    Bangkok Post : EC takes baby social media steps

    EC takes baby social media steps
    The Election Commission is still coming to grips with social media and has taken only beginner's steps on networking sites to spread word of the election, says the EC's secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaiygarn.

    "This is the first election in which we have paid any attention to social networking tools," Mr Suthiphon said.

    The EC is working out how to harness new media to raise election awareness among the public and keep cheating in check.

    It also wants to make sure that parties are exploiting these media appropriately _ spreading word of policies and gathering support, rather than harnessing their power to attack opponents.

    The EC has opened a Facebook page and Twitter account.

    Its Facebook page, "Ect Thailand," started a year ago, had 268 friends as of Tuesday, and mainly publishes information and photos about the election and the organisation itself.

    Its Twitter account, "ECTThailand," opened in November 2009. Staff had sent 120 tweets as of Tuesday, and the account had attracted 721 followers.

    "We are still coming to grips with social networking media. I have to admit that I am not satisfied with the amount of information we have sent out. Compared to the parties, which have been active in the use of social networking tools, we have only taken baby steps," Mr Suthipon said.

  20. #2170
    Out there...
    StrontiumDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    BKK
    Posts
    40,030
    Bangkok Post : Army chief vents fury at ex-MP

    Army chief vents fury at ex-MP

    Pheu Thai candidate accused of foul play

    Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha has vented his ire over an alleged attempt by a Pheu Thai election candidate to obstruct a drug raid in Bangkok, saying he will flood the area with troops to assist the government in its drive.


    A pupil from Soon Ruam Nam Jai School, in Bangkok’s Klong Toey district, holds a paper flag with a message urging residents to cast their ballots in the July 3 election.


    <snip, similar to previous report>

    Gen Prayuth expressed his anger after learning about the incident and that Mr Pairoj had filed defamation complaints against army spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd for discussing his role with the media.

    The 315 task force, consisting of police, military and civilian members, has been set up recently under the Democrat-led government's campaign against drugs in Bangkok and a further five adjoining provinces.

    A unit was sent to Sap Charoen to conduct a drug search but met Mr Pairoj, a candidate for Bangkok's constituency 9, and his aides on arrival.

    According to Col Sansern, the two men accompanying Mr Pairoj allegedly opened their shirts to show they had guns before the three task force members left the area.

    "I've questioned officers involved about the incident. You [Mr Pairoj] have pressured our soldiers to leave the area and barred them from carrying out their operation. It's a lack of respect between us. I've always respected you," Gen Prayuth fumed

    "Lately, I've tried to keep my mouth shut and tried to build a good atmosphere for the election, so everybody would be happy with the election. People can advertise whatever they want. But you have made allegations against soldiers, you have bullied soldiers. I can't allow it."


    Police from Rat Burana police station and naval officers set up a checkpoint on Tuesday at the mouth of Suksawat soi 58 as part of the government’s crackdown on drugs. PHOTOS BY PAWAT LAOPAISARNTAKSIN


    Gen Prayuth said the army would continue its operations under the 315 task force plan. Those people who wanted the army to end its anti-drugs operations might have been involved in drug trafficking rings, he said. Gen Prayuth downplayed a suggestion that the confrontation would trigger another conflict between the army and Pheu Thai.The Nong Chok police chief was there when he talked to the three members of the 315 task force and could be his witness that he did not carry any gun, said Mr Pairoj.

    <snip>

    He has lodged civil and criminal complaints against Col Sansern for defaming him and undermining his support.

    Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva insisted the 315 task force has nothing to do with politics and urged the public to cooperate with its personnel.

    Yesterday, about 100 officers of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), the 191 police, and the Khlong Tan police station, also searched 10 spots in Nualchit community in Ekkamai Soi 30 in Bangkok's Wattana district.

    The search was an operation under the 315 anti-drugs plan, said Pol Col Prasopchok Phrommoon, a deputy CSD chief. One suspect was arrested.

  21. #2171
    Out there...
    StrontiumDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    BKK
    Posts
    40,030
    Quote Originally Posted by SteveCM View Post
    Prayuth warns Pheu Thai

    "We did not carry any weapons," he said. "We sought to talk to the soldiers to find out what was going on, as their presence caused panic among the people in the area. Some of the people were afraid that drugs could be planted on them to frame them as they were red shirts."
    Lie number 1.

    That a politician would be walking around the streets, unarmed or without armed security. Utter bullshit.

  22. #2172
    Out there...
    StrontiumDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    BKK
    Posts
    40,030
    Bangkok Post : Parties stick to central power

    EDITORIAL

    Parties stick to central power
    With only 23 days left for D-day at the ballot box, we have yet to hear any political parties vouch a commitment to the country's serious need for political and fiscal decentralisation.



    At the recent meet-the-press forum on political reform co-organised by the Thai Journalists and Thai Broadcast Journalists associations, the message from all political parties was that of half-heartedness.

    As if they were reading from the same script, representatives from the Democrat, Pheu Thai and other political parties all said they agreed with decentralisation in principle.

    But all agreed that the different forms of local administrative bodies were still weak, so more time and resources would be needed to prepare the local bodies until they were ready for the change.

    In political speak, this meant the idea was good but they would not deliver on it. Lip service, in other words.

    To be fair, the Democrats seemed to master the language of reform much better than other political parties since it was the Democrat-led government which set up the National Reform Committee to address the serious problem of disparity.

    The Democrat politicians are able to utter reform-related ideas such as community title deeds and land bank with much greater ease.

    In its election campaign, the Democrat Party has heavily used the Klong Yong rice-farming community in Nakhon Pathom to advertise its policy to tackle landlessness through communal deeds and management. The fact is, Klong Yong is the only community to have received this community right.

    Hundreds of other communities are struggling under land rights conflicts with state agencies, namely the Ministry of National Resources and Environment which controls forests nationwide. Yet, the Democrat-led government has been unable to do anything about this.

    Such fierce resistance from centralised state agencies seriously begs for political decentralisation in the management of local natural resources.

    The problem stems from the politicians' tendency to view land reform as a separate issue from political decentralisation. It is not. And so long as the government lacks the political will to decentralise, whatever land reform measures taken will end up as mere piecemeal efforts dominated by top-down control.

    It is the same with policy on the restive deep South. Reflecting a serious lack of commitment on political decentralisation, the Democrats insist that working through the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre is still the best bet.

    Meanwhile, policy confusion reigns at Pheu Thai. At one public forum, a party representative talked about "Nakhon Pattani" as a form of the Pattaya administrative zone, while another party member dismissed that idea altogether in another panel discussion. Even if Pheu Thai finally chooses to opt for the Nakhon Pattani model, it will still leave the Interior Ministry's local mechanisms intact because village heads and kamnans are politicians' important vote-canvassing engines.

    We are at the crossroads of Thai politics. Yet no political party dares tackle the root cause of popular discontent. Given the same focus on handouts and fear of officialdom, the cut-throat competition for votes is merely a contest between different power cliques, not ideologies nor policies.

    It is rather unfortunate that when voting time comes on July 3, we the people will be forced to choose the lesser of the evils, not what is best for the country.

  23. #2173
    Thailand Expat
    SteveCM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    A "non-existent" Thai PsyOps unit
    Posts
    4,550
    Pheu Thai-Chart Pattana Puea Pandin alliance possible?: Suwat

    BREAKINGNEWS »

    10 June 2011

    The Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party is ready for an alliance formation talks if invited to joint the Phue Thai-led government, its faction leader Suwat Liptapanlop said on Friday.

    "If Pheu Thai wins the vote and Chart Pattana Puea Pandin is willing to consider whether the two parties a common stand to form the next coalition," he said.

    Suwat said his party has some reservations about Phue Thai's stand on the amnesty issue opposed by many, hence the reason his party would demand a clarification before agreeing to join the alliance.


    The Nation

  24. #2174
    Out there...
    StrontiumDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    BKK
    Posts
    40,030
    http://www.tannetwork.tv/tan/ViewDat...DataID=1044722



    Democrat Leader's Campaign in Nakhon Ratchasima Disrupted

    UPDATE : 9 June 2011

    The Democrat Party leader's campaigning continues to face disruption as two red-shirt supporters shouted insults at him during his visit to Nakhon Ratchasima today.

    Democrat Party leader AbhisitVejjajiva, accompanied by his group's core elements, traveled to Nakhon Ratchasima to help his party's MP candidates woo voters in the province's 15 consistencies.

    He was welcomed by some 500 locals.

    Despite tightened security by police, Abhisit's campaign trail was disrupted as a middle-aged woman in the crowd shouted at him, accusing him of being all talk and being responsible for the deaths of 91 people during last year's crackdown on the red-shirt rally.


    The woman was said to be a member of a red-shirt group in the province.

    Abhisit then paid homage to the Tao Suranaree Monument before boarding a campaign truck to address constituents.

    He said his Democrat-led administration has devoted itself to tackle the chronic flood problems in the province and people's higher cost of living.

    Abhisit said he was not upset with the woman's insults given he is a politician in the democratic system so he is opened to others' different views.

    He said he hoped his party will gain support from Nakhon Ratchasima residents in the upcoming election.

    While his campaign motorcade was traveling in the province, a red-shirt supporter rode a motorcycle after Abhisit's campaign truck, shouting he is a murderer.

    The Democrat leader finished his campaign tour in the province at the Nakhon Ratchasima Technical College where he urged students to vote for his party both in the constituency and party-list system.

    He also had a local-style dinner with the college's staff.

  25. #2175
    Out there...
    StrontiumDog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Last Online
    @
    Location
    BKK
    Posts
    40,030
    http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255406090021

    Police: Democrat suffers most damages on campaign posters


    BANGKOK, 10 June 2011 (NNT) – Police indicate that up to 720 campaign billboards of the Democrat Party have been destroyed, which is more than other parties, while 574 bodyguards have been sent to protect 282 MP candidates nationwide.

    National Police Advisor for Security Affairs Police General Pongsapat Pongcharoen, as head of the police center for peace-keeping during elections, revealed that so far there had been four cases of electoral law violations, including false accusation and money offering, while another 21 cases had stemmed from the destruction of campaign posters.

    The current toll of damaged signs across the country stands at 1,246, most of which or 323 were found in areas under the supervision of the Provincial Police Region 1. Up to 720 damaged items belong to the Democrat Party, whereas 108 belong to Pheu Thai, 124 to Bhumjaithai and 47 to Chart Thai Pattana.

    Meanwhile, the number of MP candidates who have requested personal protection from police during the election period has increased to 282, representing 11 political parties. 574 police officers have been dispatched for the duty.

Page 87 of 175 FirstFirst ... 3777798081828384858687888990919293949597137 ... LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •