Thailand will go to the polls on Sunday – or not, because the protest movement has called for people not to vote. He wants reforms first. But an even more important problem is that the elections will not result in a parliament and therefore no new government in the short term.
Electoral Commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyhakorn expects opponents of the elections to go to the Constitutional Court to have the elections declared invalid. They invoke the constitution that prescribes that the elections must be held on one fixed day. If the Court draws a line through the elections, 3,8 billion baht will be wasted.
Tomorrow's elections are characterized by numerous (legal) problems. Pointwise:
- District candidates are missing in 28 constituencies in the South because protesters have blocked the registration of candidates. As a result, 28 of the 500 seats in the House of Representatives remain empty. For parliament to function, a maximum of 25 seats may remain empty.
- Registrations and elections will again have to take place in those constituencies. This will take at least two to three months.
- The problem may arise with the national candidates that the result cannot be determined if the results of all polling stations are not received. If it is not possible to vote in one polling station, the count will stagnate.
- The results of the primaries must also be available. Because it was not possible to vote in many polling stations last Sunday, a new round must be held for voters who vote outside their own constituency. This round is scheduled for February 23.
- It is expected that 10.000 of the approximately 99.000 polling stations will not open. There must be a vote again. That takes four to six months.
- Bangkok is about four thousand people short of manning all polling stations.
- If, like last Sunday, polling stations are blocked, there will be a second chance on March 2.
- Skirmishes may take place between pro- and anti-election protesters.
Elections must continue
Pokin Polakul, a member of the strategy committee of the former governing party Pheu Thai, acknowledges that Sunday's elections will not yet yield a parliament. Nevertheless, he believes they should continue. He says that the Electoral Council is throwing the cap at it.
Former Electoral Commissioner Prapun Naigowit thinks the elections cannot be declared invalid by the Constitutional Court. The legal argument for this is useless, he says. At most, the election result will be delayed because new elections must be held in the 28 southern constituencies plus districts in which voting is distorted.
Prime Minister Yingluck also contributes. She says Sunday's elections are an important opportunity for the Thai people to determine the future of the country.
(Source: Bangkok Post, January 31, 2014)
NB The parliament has 500 members: 375 parliamentarians, elected through the district system, and 125 through proportional representation. There are 93.535 polling stations in 375 constituencies in 77 counties on Sunday.
As much as the Suthep supporters want to show it, yinluck follows the rules as much as they allow her to. It is very sad to see that both legal and political tangle arises where one official body is at odds with the other, threatening and acting with all kinds of procedures ... .. looks like (= is) a gigantic political chess game in which 1 party still has all the rules of democracy is turned upside down under the “huge yellow” banner of democracy .. Major reforms are indeed needed , and not only in terms of corruption , but of constitutional reforms to make such obstructions impossible in the future . The Shutep duo. In 2010 Abhisit lost the pedals faster than the current government, in my opinion this will just be a war of attrition between 2 opposites in which the rioter will have to give in anyway, Abhisit has already understood this and is already distancing itself as much as possible with its covert exhortation / permission to choose anyway , think this is the only one that can be reasoned with !
This situation brings me to mind Nigeria more than 20 years ago When General/Dictator Obasanyo and opposition leader Abiola both irreconcilable and brought the country to the brink of civil war (5 once again!) Suddenly mysteriously died shortly after each other…., which surprised me when the statement elicited from Nigerians “i think they gave them to drink from the ame bottle….” problem solved !!
My mistake in the previous one, the name of the general/dictator in question was Sani Abachaa and NOT Obasanyo, apologies
What should urgently happen in politics: a power hunger strike!
Suthep would expel Yingluck Sinewatra and cabinet for a while, she is still there ……1-0 for Yingluck
And you are very happy to read that…
I also know a few:
– Suthep would be arrested for a while.
– The elections would be held on February 2.
– Thaksin would come back for a while.
– The “rice plan” would pay all farmers always and on time.
These kinds of simple “1-0 comparisons” add up to nothing.
1-0 for Yingluck?
If it were already 1-0, then it is 1-0 for Thaksin.
However, it's not 1-0 for the Shinawatra clique.
Thaksin had hoped for an amnesty for the conviction he already had and the convictions that will undoubtedly follow should he ever face trial.
He had also counted on the demonstration to be short-lived, but that was not achieved either.
He had counted on the police, where he had appointed a multitude of cronies, to intervene.
That also did not happen, the police just do nothing at all.
No, whichever way you look at it, Thailand is divided, but much less divided than the Shinawatra clique thinks, the number of adherents is dwindling by the day.
No, I think it's 3-0 for the protesters by now.
You should not be happy at all with Yingluck's corrupt mess, just like so many, we are also waiting for our 100.000 Bht for the purchase of a car.
Now we are not jumping for it and this gives the opportunity to return without having to give money, to buy another car, of course if we get enough for the old one back.
Farmers who get money, problems arise, money that can no longer be traced, etc. etc.
Get rid of this government and don't come back, it's just following Taksin's orders, even if she says not, and it's corrupt, I don't think it could be worse.