News Forum - The long goodbye – Which way now for General Prayut?

[Thaiger]

No matter which side you are on, yesterday’s Constitutional Court ruling gives us some measure of much-needed clarity. After weeks of debate and rumour, we now know that PM Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha’s term started on April 6, 2017, the date the present charter came into force. His previous leadership as part of the junta government does not count. What we know is that Gen Prayut’s tenure in office must expire in 2025. If he chooses to run in, and if he wins, May’s election, he can only be premier for two more years. The ruling turns out to be something […]

The story The long goodbye – Which way now for General Prayut? as seen on Thaiger News.

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[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

1 hour ago, Thaiger said:

What we know is that Gen Prayut’s tenure in office must expire in 2025.

Anyone have doubts?

[HolyCowCm]

The hatred for him and his regime, the system and everything they stand for increased hugely yesterday.  Unfortunately everyone also expected this would be the decision as it never goes against him or his regime.. I gather his legacy will be at the top of the most despised.

[Shade_Wilder]

"The ruling turns out to be something of a Wisdom of Solomon issue. While all sides have more clarity about the position, everyone seems to be equally upset. The judgement pleases no one."

 

The writer of this article is wrong. The idea is that since everyone is upset, it is a good ruling; the "Wisdom of Solomon" approach. A better approach would have been a literal "Wisdom of Solomon" approach and chopped Prayut in half.

This ruling does nothing except put Thailand into a six-month (minimum), mind-numbing period of stagnation until the next election, assuming that we have one. There isn't time for Prayut to execute much; any new proposal won't have time to get off the ground, and any old proposal is tainted by eight years of inaction, illegitimacy and suspicion.

The court should have called 'Time' on Prayut and ever so slightly refurbished its reputation; instead, it just sunk itself further into the bog and mud. Prayut should not have fought the case, and/or decided to 'step down to promote the rule of law'. While many would simply have been happy to see the back of him, a fair amount would have lauded him as a 'patriot' who 'sacrificed' for his country and he could have been kicked into a ceremonial job where he was feted like Prem; I am certain he would have loved that. Instead, he has to run again to save 'Face', he won't win fairly and if he manages to get back into power, it'll be through cheating with a Junta-appointed Senate and he could only serve half a term.

An all-around Cluster-F***. He has to go, and he has to go ASAP.

This case was an opportunity for the Powers That Be (PTB) to close one chapter in Thai history and begin a new one. 

Thailand faces numerous challenges and needs 'new blood' to chart a future course; rarely is a government any good after 8-10 years (see the UK Tories as a great example). The problems facing the Kingdom are immense and a government steeped in legitimacy is required to enact changes; wealth inequality needs to be addressed, the Education System must be completely redone, the Legal/Criminal/Justice system needs to be re-imagined, relations with China need to walk a fine line of benefiting the country without becoming a vassal state ( a toughie!), corruption must be addressed, future economic areas of excellence need to be identified and invested in, decentralization must be implemented on a real basis, not just lip-service, etc., etc., etc. 

None of this would be completed overnight, but Thailand and a new government would have a lot of goodwill and as long as it is on the right path, it'd receive a great deal of support internally and externally.

I recall Thailand in the nineties, as I am sure many members do. It was a time of great possibilities, the Thai people were proud, confident, ready and willing to take on the world. In every corner of the Kingdom there was a sense of great things being unleashed and a great future just over the horizon. And, that feeling was not limited to inside the country; all around the world countries were talking of Thailand as the next Japan, the next South Korea, the next Taiwan and everyone was eager to see how it would unfold.

Instead, two coups, the wet suffocating blanket of nepotism, corruption, self-dealing, inaction and military rule sucked the life out of the place.

Thailand has the potential, but for anything to happen, Prayut and co. need to go.

It should have occurred with this case, but... 

What's it going to be, Thailand?

Revitalization, reform and renewal OR stagnation, suffocation and slump.

 

[HolyCowCm]

7 minutes ago, Shade_Wilder said:

"The ruling turns out to be something of a Wisdom of Solomon issue. While all sides have more clarity about the position, everyone seems to be equally upset. The judgement pleases no one."

The writer of this article is wrong. The idea is that since everyone is upset, it is a good ruling; the "Wisdom of Solomon" approach. A better approach would have been a literal "Wisdom of Solomon" approach and chopped Prayut in half.

This ruling does nothing except put Thailand into a six-month (minimum), mind-numbing period of stagnation until the next election, assuming that we have one. There isn't time for Prayut to execute much; any new proposal won't have time to get off the ground, and any old proposal is tainted by eight years of inaction, illegitimacy and suspicion.

The court should have called 'Time' on Prayut and ever so slightly refurbished its reputation; instead, it just sunk itself further into the bog and mud. Prayut should not have fought the case, and/or decided to 'step down to promote the rule of law'. While many would simply have been happy to see the back of him, a fair amount would have lauded him as a 'patriot' who 'sacrificed' for his country and he could have been kicked into a ceremonial job where he was feted like Prem; I am certain he would have loved that. Instead, he has to run again to save 'Face', he won't win fairly and if he manages to get back into power, it'll be through cheating with a Junta-appointed Senate and he could only serve half a term.

An all-around Cluster-F***. He has to go, and he has to go ASAP.

This case was an opportunity for the Powers That Be (PTB) to close one chapter in Thai history and begin a new one. 

Thailand faces numerous challenges and needs 'new blood' to chart a future course; rarely is a government any good after 8-10 years (see the UK Tories as a great example). The problems facing the Kingdom are immense and a government steeped in legitimacy is required to enact changes; wealth inequality needs to be addressed, the Education System must be completely redone, the Legal/Criminal/Justice system needs to be re-imagined, relations with China need to walk a fine line of benefiting the country without becoming a vassal state ( a toughie!), corruption must be addressed, future economic areas of excellence need to be identified and invested in, decentralization must be implemented on a real basis, not just lip-service, etc., etc., etc. 

None of this would be completed overnight, but Thailand and a new government would have a lot of goodwill and as long as it is on the right path, it'd receive a great deal of support internally and externally.

I recall Thailand in the nineties, as I am sure many members do. It was a time of great possibilities, the Thai people were proud, confident, ready and willing to take on the world. In every corner of the Kingdom there was a sense of great things being unleashed and a great future just over the horizon. And, that feeling was not limited to inside the country; all around the world countries were talking of Thailand as the next Japan, the next South Korea, the next Taiwan and everyone was eager to see how it would unfold.

Instead, two coups, the wet suffocating blanket of nepotism, corruption, self-dealing, inaction and military rule sucked the life out of the place.

Thailand has the potential, but for anything to happen, Prayut and co. need to go.

It should have occurred with this case, but... 

What's it going to be, Thailand?

Revitalization, reform and renewal OR stagnation, suffocation and slump.

This news yesterday put my wife and kids in a seriously sad super pizzed off mood for the rest of the day into a today morning discussion. I find mos Thai I come across are just fed up with these regime jerks,

[Cabra]

1 hour ago, DoUKnowWhoIAm said:

Anyone have doubts?

I predict he will go back to the courts in 2025 and argue his term clock started in 2019 (when he was officially appointed PM).

[Giltee]

2 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

The hatred for him and his regime, the system and everything they stand for increased hugely yesterday.  Unfortunately everyone also expected this would be the decision as it never goes against him or his regime.. I gather his legacy will be at the top of the most despised.

His legacy will be the downfall of his party and those parties that support him as Thais vote to get rid of him. Already the election of Bkk governor and bielections have gone against Prayut so it’s time he saw the writings on the wall for his tenure. 

[oldschooler]

Matters not who governs Thailand. same results from doing the same idiotic corrupt things endlessly. no hope; rather like Africa. But that’s how Thais like it.it’s nothing to do with farangs. 

[oldschooler]

5 hours ago, Shade_Wilder said:

"The ruling turns out to be something of a Wisdom of Solomon issue. While all sides have more clarity about the position, everyone seems to be equally upset. The judgement pleases no one."

The writer of this article is wrong. The idea is that since everyone is upset, it is a good ruling; the "Wisdom of Solomon" approach. A better approach would have been a literal "Wisdom of Solomon" approach and chopped Prayut in half.

This ruling does nothing except put Thailand into a six-month (minimum), mind-numbing period of stagnation until the next election, assuming that we have one. There isn't time for Prayut to execute much; any new proposal won't have time to get off the ground, and any old proposal is tainted by eight years of inaction, illegitimacy and suspicion.

The court should have called 'Time' on Prayut and ever so slightly refurbished its reputation; instead, it just sunk itself further into the bog and mud. Prayut should not have fought the case, and/or decided to 'step down to promote the rule of law'. While many would simply have been happy to see the back of him, a fair amount would have lauded him as a 'patriot' who 'sacrificed' for his country and he could have been kicked into a ceremonial job where he was feted like Prem; I am certain he would have loved that. Instead, he has to run again to save 'Face', he won't win fairly and if he manages to get back into power, it'll be through cheating with a Junta-appointed Senate and he could only serve half a term.

An all-around Cluster-F***. He has to go, and he has to go ASAP.

This case was an opportunity for the Powers That Be (PTB) to close one chapter in Thai history and begin a new one. 

Thailand faces numerous challenges and needs 'new blood' to chart a future course; rarely is a government any good after 8-10 years (see the UK Tories as a great example). The problems facing the Kingdom are immense and a government steeped in legitimacy is required to enact changes; wealth inequality needs to be addressed, the Education System must be completely redone, the Legal/Criminal/Justice system needs to be re-imagined, relations with China need to walk a fine line of benefiting the country without becoming a vassal state ( a toughie!), corruption must be addressed, future economic areas of excellence need to be identified and invested in, decentralization must be implemented on a real basis, not just lip-service, etc., etc., etc. 

None of this would be completed overnight, but Thailand and a new government would have a lot of goodwill and as long as it is on the right path, it'd receive a great deal of support internally and externally.

I recall Thailand in the nineties, as I am sure many members do. It was a time of great possibilities, the Thai people were proud, confident, ready and willing to take on the world. In every corner of the Kingdom there was a sense of great things being unleashed and a great future just over the horizon. And, that feeling was not limited to inside the country; all around the world countries were talking of Thailand as the next Japan, the next South Korea, the next Taiwan and everyone was eager to see how it would unfold.

Instead, two coups, the wet suffocating blanket of nepotism, corruption, self-dealing, inaction and military rule sucked the life out of the place.

Thailand has the potential, but for anything to happen, Prayut and co. need to go.

It should have occurred with this case, but... 

What's it going to be, Thailand?

Revitalization, reform and renewal OR stagnation, suffocation and slump.

The latter. Thailand IQ outside the Chinese Bangkok population averages 90 or so. Fatalistic Buddhism pervades everything. Thailand doesn’t remotely resemble the advanced industrialized East Asian Democracies. 

[Janneman]

7 hours ago, DoUKnowWhoIAm said:

Anyone have doubts?

Well, it's 3 years from now. And he isnt the youngest you know. In 2025 he might be half blind and senile. Which probably is a good qualification to lead the country since doing it worse than the last 2 years is hardly possible.

[ThaiEyes]

If he decides to see it through until 2025, assuming he’s re-elected, he will likely have another coup already planned to install some abject military person to continue the madness.

[HolyCowCm]

22 hours ago, Giltee said:

His legacy will be the downfall of his party and those parties that support him as Thais vote to get rid of him. Already the election of Bkk governor and bielections have gone against Prayut so it’s time he saw the writings on the wall for his tenure. 

Yeah but since he and his regime hand control everything, they are pretty good about silencing and white washing to make them look good. In the end it could be a new coup if feeling of losing the upper hand. Unless a lot of the boys in uniform band together with the people as tired of the BS, then pretty hard to win against weapons of war. The house woiuld need to be fully cleaned and elections we have already seen to be redrawn by their lines. I hope for the sake of my kids and their kids something good will change, but huge sacrifices first have to come and I don't see that happeining.