News Forum - “Payments” made to “buy” support of independent MPs – Thammanat Prompau

[Thaiger]

After surviving another censure motion against him and his members of his government, the Thai prime minister now faces more serious accusation – making alleged payments of up to 100,000 per month to parliamentary members from smaller independent political parties to secure their votes in parliament. The Setthakij Thai Party leader Thamanat Prompau alleged that some of the smaller parties and MPs had pocketed allowances over the past three years to “guarantee their support” in parliamentary votes and no-confidence motions. The former supporter of the government, and now renegade MP, brought the allegations to light after Saturday’s vote of support […]

The story “Payments” made to “buy” support of independent MPs – Thammanat Prompau as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[ThaiEyes]

Well, what did everyone think was happening? Everything to secure their positions, that’s what!

[Shade_Wilder]

It reminds me of a newspaper headline from Indonesia in the Suharto era (mid-90s).

One day, a candidate for the position of Govenor of Jakarta gave a news conference whingeing that he had paid bribes for the position 'fair and square', but the Councillors/Electors voted for another candidate who paid more. He claimed that the Electors/Councilmen were dishonorable.

The Indonesian people, quite properly as cynical as Thai people, merely considered him a fool for being outbid.

Asians are capable of creating Democratic systems of governance, but it ain't easy.

I sincerely hope to see honest governance in Thailand before I die, but...