News Forum - Protest called today amid EC’s action in termination of future Thailand PM Pita

[Thaiger]

A human rights lawyer and political activist today took to social media to invite people to the protest outside the Bangkok Art & Cultural Centre (BAC) in Bangkok. Arnon Nampha’s call to action comes in the wake of the Election Commission of Thailand (EC) seeking the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the termination of the potential … …

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[gazmo16]

Seems like the old Guard have defiantly got it in for Pita and will jack up anything to prevent Thailand trying to progress it's self politically. 

[Viggen840]

3 hours ago, gazmo16 said:

Seems like the old Guard have defiantly got it in for Pita and will jack up anything to prevent Thailand trying to progress it's self politically. 

Of course they have. They can see the hand that has been feeding them fading away. I can also see the Electoral Commission having a bit of a refurbishment in the near future, as well as a whole bunch of senators deciding they had enough graft to see them and their families through their lifetimes quite comfortable and disappearing back into the woodwork they came from.

[ChrisS]

Still no chance of anything remotely resembling democracy in Thailand it seems.

[KhaoYai]

5 hours ago, ChrisS said:

Still no chance of anything remotely resembling democracy in Thailand it seems.

Bang on. The new constitution guaranteed that - nobody but 'friends' of the generals will ever become Prime Minister.  Any party that has radical changes as part of its manifesto will find that no matter how many people vote for them in a general election, they will never be allowed to form a government.

The new constitution and the protection it gave to the 'trough' at which the chosen few feed, is the reason why the generals could promise there would be no more coups.  Why do you need a coup when in effect, you still rule the country through your proxy's?

The result of yesterday's vote, although highly predictable, created a very sad day for Thailand. People actually believed there was going to be real change.  Many months ago I told my girlfriend that there will never be real change in Thailand without a civil war (and I can't ever see that happening).  She was crushed by yesterday's vote, like many she believed that Thailand was about to enter a new era.

The piggies remain at their trough and they ain't moving.

Sad, very very sad.

[Khunmark]

Well, the senators have delivered a big FU to the 14 million people that voted for Pita. Makes you wonder why the had an election in the first place. Any casual observer ain’t going to see this as the advancement of democratic principles in Thailand. ‘Meet the new boss, same as the old boss, we won’t get fooled again…….’

[Kalidescopemind]

Looks like Prawit will never relinquish power voluntarily.   The USA isn't going to put up with these half-baked games, or Japan.   Prawit will only have China, and Xi will digest him.  

[Kalidescopemind]

If Prawit doesn't restore some sort of democracy, the USA, EU and Japan will begin to impose sanctions on TH like they do on Burma next door.  

[Vigo]

15 minutes ago, Kalidescopemind said:

Looks like Prawit will never relinquish power voluntarily.   The USA isn't going to put up with these half-baked games, or Japan.   Prawit will only have China, and Xi will digest him.  

6 minutes ago, Kalidescopemind said:

If Prawit doesn't restore some sort of democracy, the USA, EU and Japan will begin to impose sanctions on TH like they do on Burma next door.  

You folks have some lofty ideals. Japan will not  impose sanctions. When has it ever done that to a country where it has significant investment? Perhaps the EU, because the  human rights secretariat is independent from the EU parliament. germany and Norway could be counted on at one time to lead on the issue, but Germany has too much invested in Thailand. As for the USA, they are so afraid of the Chinese that they just might tolerate a Thai general threatening to make  nicer with China if the USA doesn't hush.

So, no I don't expect anything from the world as long as the  peace is kept in Thailand. Maybe Canada will offer some hot air and they well get an harrumph from  jolly old UK, but that's it.

[gazmo16]

A flawed Political system where the senators are put in place by the old guard and can't be removed until the new prime minister is in power. Of course, anyone not paying the party dues will never get their vote in the first place so they and their corrupted views will continue to hold all the trump cards. 

It needs a clean sweep and a fresh outlook but I think we will have to wait until nature removes the old trough feeders ones and lets the country truly move forward. 

[Kalidescopemind]

The USA is not afraid of China.   We just curbed their access to top quality chips AND Japan went right along with it.  One of the Japanese ministers said: Why should we sell you chips so you can make missiles to point at us?  China is driving the US, Japan, and SK closer together.  The USA can destroy the world and we have been facing the same from the Russians for about 5 decades,  whatever the Chinese can do doesn't scare us. What its really all about with China is we will not allow China to have exclusive control of the shipping lane that moves 1/7th of the worlds GDP (mainly to Japan) no matter how much China wants it.  Taiwan is only corollary.  Japanese investment in China is fleeing, look at the Chinese markets.  If Thailand and Prawit want to be Xi jr., it and he will get the same treatment.  I sure our Embassy has relayed its dissatisfaction.   Germany got hung out to dry by trusting Putin, they should be more careful with their money.   Canada will do what we require of them, probably send a few ships for exercises.   The UK already sent an aircraft carrier out here.  

Edited July 14, 2023 by Kalidescopemind
misspell and a missed word

[Ramanathan.P]

No country will impose any sanction on Thailand. Because Thailand has well placed it self as a "RELIEF" country for everyone. As long as the world is ruled by men, Thailand will remain in its status quo and continue to march in that way. That is the reality. Because Thailand very well know the weakness of every men on earth. 

[Five]

MF will have to pivot and scrap their review of the Lèse-majesté law. I imagine the senate would back Pita then.

Edited July 14, 2023 by Five

[Otter72]

46 minutes ago, Five said:

MF will have to pivot and scrap their review of the Lèse-majesté law. I imagine the senate would back Pita then.

Think this is the best way to go remove from the MFP platform can always bring back later  form a gov first

[Otter72]

6 hours ago, Khunmark said:

Well, the senators have delivered a big FU to the 14 million people that voted for Pita. Makes you wonder why the had an election in the first place. Any casual observer ain’t going to see this as the advancement of democratic principles in Thailand. ‘Meet the new boss, same as the old boss, we won’t get fooled again…….’

A genral strike should be called for shut the country down 

[Viggen840]

12 minutes ago, Otter72 said:

Think this is the best way to go remove from the MFP platform can always bring back later  form a gov first

It seems that may be the only way to gain the votes required, but I wonder if the senate is just using that as an excuse? To me, these are nothing but speed bumps imported and paid for by the junta to curtail the possibility of a legal government being formed. After all, who is going to bite the hand that feeds them?

Word the Lèse-majesté law as a minor perusal in part of an investigation into a constitution review - then, after election, rewrite the constitution to get rid of all the money-grubbing hangers on.

[Pinetree]

Look at the history, 18 military led coups in modern times and 8 further attempts.  Democracy, as practiced in the West, has never worked in Thailand and I doubt that it ever will.  Arguably, it actually doesn't work in the West either, but we tend not to turn to the military when it all goes tits up, as it inevitably does with incompetent civilian governments.   The kind of stability that we have seen in Thailand since 2014 is the best it can get.   Live with it Thailand, it's all you have got , all you have ever had and all that you ever will have. 

[Khunmark]

28 minutes ago, Pinetree said:

Look at the history, 18 military led coups in modern times and 8 further attempts.  Democracy, as practiced in the West, has never worked in Thailand and I doubt that it ever will.  Arguably, it actually doesn't work in the West either, but we tend not to turn to the military when it all goes tits up, as it inevitably does with incompetent civilian governments.   The kind of stability that we have seen in Thailand since 2014 is the best it can get.   Live with it Thailand, it's all you have got , all you have ever had and all that you ever will have. 

I would have said the same prior to this election. However, the point of difference this time is the voting public finally had a credible alternative, who presented no fewer that 150 policies prior to election. As an alternative to a pseudo democratic party (parties) that thought it (they) could buy everyone’s vote. And to the credit of the electorate, they saw the distinction.

There has been a seismic shift in alliances since 2014 and if MFP were to gain office, we won’t be witnessing the shutdown of BKK that we saw during the Shinawatra years. The only push back we are likely to see is from the ultranationalist loyalists. The MFP had a clean sweep through BBK bar one seat.

 

[Poolie]

Unfortunately Thailand is more than Bangkok. Much, much more.

[KhaoYai]

9 hours ago, gazmo16 said:

It needs a clean sweep and a fresh outlook but I think we will have to wait until nature removes the old trough feeders ones and lets the country truly move forward. 

Nope, you are forgetting that the trough feeders breed.

In my opinion Pita made 2 big mistakes in his reform plans:

1. He proposed reforming the monarchy/defamation laws.

2. He proposed ending the duopoly held by Thai Bev and Boon Rawd (owned by two of Thailand's richest families.

The latter may not seem such a big deal but that proposal will have sent a big warning shot across the bows of all the trough feeding families in Thailand.  Take away our gravy train?  That's not happening!

And that folks, is what this is all about - there are a few mega wealthy families in Thailand that have kept the masses in their place and kept their posistions by employing the generals (and their friends) to look after their interests. You can bet your last dollar that those 'protectors' have been paid handsomely for their work.  Each time someone rocks the boat enough that it lets in a little water, the generals take over through a coup.

Remember Taksin?  A major boat rocker - I never trusted the man but his popularity worried the families so much that something had to be done about him.

[KhaoYai]

There is one thing that might sort this situation out.  Mass protests would just end in bloodshed, a civil war is almost impossible but a peacful General Strike would hit the families where it hurts.  If not the whole hog, the people might win some concessions.

In reality, I think we will see some protests, possibly some violence but after a few weeks the status quo will prevail.  Thai people are way to accepting. They eat s$%t far too easily - I guess they are just resigned to the fact that they will never have true democracy.

[Khunmark]

58 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

There is one thing that might sort this situation out.  Mass protests would just end in bloodshed, a civil war is almost impossible but a peacful General Strike would hit the families where it hurts.  If not the whole hog, the people might win some concessions.

In reality, I think we will see some protests, possibly some violence but after a few weeks the status quo will prevail.  Thai people are way to accepting. They eat s$%t far too easily - I guess they are just resigned to the fact that they will never have true democracy.

Move Forward Party are proving popular with the army rank and file. Particularly around work conditions and the proposed banning of hazing. The way forward is to get the boots on the ground onside. If the generals lose their officers in the event of a civil uprising, there’s no turning back.