News Forum - Opposition wants to look into ‘misuse of law’ to silence protesters

[Thaiger]

An opposition party is backing a motion to form a panel to looking misuses of laws they say are used to silence political dissent, including Thailand’s draconian lese majeste law, which carries an up to 15 year prison sentence for insulting the royal family. With the rise of the youth-led pro-democracy movement over the past year, where many have raised questions and made statements considered unprecedented in Thai society, many have faced charges under the lese majeste law as well as other laws. The leader of the Pheu Thai party, which was founded by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, says […]

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[gion]

 

As long as these laws exist and are applied, no political party or government can claim to be democratic. 

These laws only serve to suppress free opinion and you are not allowed to spread or talk about truths that are officially published in the internet media. Welcome to the 21st century.

 

 

 

[mickkotlarski]

This could prove very interesting should it be remembered around election time. Whenever that my be.

[dimitri]

would ask the House of Representatives to create a panel that would look into the recent enforcement of these laws. This committee would pay special attention to

 

This is weak reporting.  Is it a panel or committee?  This really makes a big difference in how this will be solved.

[Jason]

If it is time for a change....then the Thai people need to make their vote count. The ballot box is the only poll that matters! There really needs to be a clear and undeniable majority vote, with no room for misinterpretation. So people of Thailand, the future is in your hands. Even though others think it is in theirs.   

[Paco]

4 hours ago, gion said:

As long as these laws exist and are applied, no political party or government can claim to be democratic. 

These laws only serve to suppress free opinion and you are not allowed to spread or talk about truths that are officially published in the internet media. Welcome to the 21st century.

 

 

i completely agree, government just try to force you to lie about something, while they very well know that people only telling the true, so who is the real criminal here.... the once that make misuse of their power and use some laws as excuses to cover things up and hide themself behind it, this is behavior from the government = equal behavior of a 5 year old... lol and that is running the country and expecting we trust them... bunch of clowns and liars... the once that can not handle the true, should step down and not try to silence the HONEST people.

[AlexPTY]

"the law"? good luck with it

[Soidog]

13 hours ago, Jason said:

If it is time for a change....then the Thai people need to make their vote count. The ballot box is the only poll that matters! There really needs to be a clear and undeniable majority vote, with no room for misinterpretation. So people of Thailand, the future is in your hands. Even though others think it is in theirs.   

Correct. Only the Thais can change this situation. As the saying goes, “People get the government they deserve”. It’s astonishing that so many people vote for the current crop. 

[AussieBob]

At the last election over 55% of votes were against the Junta and 'partner' Parties.  The Junta in Thailand set up a Gerrymander arrangement prior to the last election, whereby they dont need the majority of votes.  I think we will find in 2023 elections that the Thai people have learned from that and they will make certain a change happens - I hope they remember and ignore the local 'bribes' (or better still - take the money from everyone offering and then vote against the Junta and their Mates anyway).  

[Stonker]

4 hours ago, AussieBob said:

The Junta in Thailand set up a Gerrymander arrangement prior to the last election, whereby they dont need the majority of votes. 

The problem is that it wasn't just about gerrymandering the electoral boundaries just before the elections, which very clearly won them a lot of seats as they didn't get a single one of the 'party list' / proportional representation seats as they already had more directly elected / constituency seats than their share of the vote merited.

It was also about a new constitution that made it an offence to protest about the constitution, which only passed a referendum because no opposition was allowed and there was no alternative but continued military rule.

It was also about banning opposition political parties en masse and banning their members from standing for election.

It was also about banning popular opposition leaders as individuals so that they could neither stand for election nor openly support any other political party.

There was, effectively, no opposition for him to lose to.

On paper the electoral system of party list / proportional representation seats is one of the most 'democratic' in the world, putting many in the West to shame, but it can't work if the constitution doesn't let it work, and unless the constitution can be changed it's unlikely anything else can be changed.

Many here bang on about Prayut as "stupid ... clown ... empty head ..." etc. 

Well, he's not only led a successful coup but regardless of how he did it he's managed to get elected democratically as Prime Minister without being elected as an MP, under a system that was voted on  and passed by a majority of those who voted, under a constitution that was also passed by a majority of those who voted, and to become very wealthy in the process.

[Stonker]

5 hours ago, Soidog said:

It’s astonishing that so many people vote for the current crop. 

If the current crop have ensured that there's nothing and no-one else available, who else is there to vote for?

[Stardust]

5 hours ago, Soidog said:

Correct. Only the Thais can change this situation. As the saying goes, “People get the government they deserve”. It’s astonishing that so many people vote for the current crop. 

This pm is not votet by the Thai people and the ruling party not won the elections. They stole the votes by the constitution they made for themself and a Senate appointed by themself and not by vote or elections. 

[HolyCowCm]

I think everyone needs to be cautious and be quiet now or there is possible music to be faced. After yesterday's verdict, if you go back and read the outcome and the why, it now makes anything associated with talking bad or criticizing anyone in the government or the government a crime as it is a direct attack against the H e a d of State. Sensitive and scary now as it essentially closes up any criticism or speaking bad of the PM going down the line, and anything that they do while in office.