Yesterday, all of Thailand was upside down and social media almost exploded after the sensational news that Thai Raksa Chart, the successor of the former ruling party Pheu Thai, princess Improved had nominated. A huge stunt by this Shinawatra loyal party that has many voters among the former redshirt movement.
But also palang pracharath came in the news with the nomination of Prayut Chan-o-cha who wants to become prime minister again, despite the fact that he was always very vague about it.
The jubilation among the Thai population has decreased sharply now that her brother King Vajiralongkorn (Rama X) has announced that he is against her nomination. In a statement last night, he said that Ubolratana is still a member of the royal family. As a result, he believes the nomination is inappropriate, unconstitutional and contrary to the constitutional monarchy. This statement now seems to be a fat line through her nomination.
The pro-junta party People Reform yesterday asked the Electoral Council to investigate whether Thai Raksa Chart has violated the Electoral Act by nominating the princess. The party asks the council to cancel the nomination. According to party leader Paiboon, Ubolratana is still a member of the royal family despite having renounced her royal titles. The use of the royal institute by a political party is prohibited, so its nomination should be rejected, he says.
Source: Bangkok Post
Let's take the constitution, I'm just a layman, but anyone who knows me knows that I like sources and substantiation. What does the 2017 Constitution say?
Sections 87 and 88 on the nomination of eligible candidates.
Sections 97 and 98 on who may stand for election.
Then you read, among other things, that a candidate must be born in the province for which he is applying. Mrs. Ubonrat was born in Switzerland.
Assuming that her candidacy is indeed unconstitutional, we return to how a party can nominate a replacement. You can do that until the deadline. That is over, no alternative and therefore end of story for Thai Raksa Chart?
Source: https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Thailand_2017?lang=en
Rob, new government, new constitution. New army coup new constitution and the latter was made for and by the army to keep prayut in power. Now it is proposed to dissolve the Thai Raksa Chart so that prayut has almost no opposition. Can someone find for me where former Prime Minister Abhisit was born
3 August 1964
Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhisit_Vejjajiva
Just heard the news that her party has now withdrawn its candidacy.
I should read more carefully, it says as a requirement for a candidate that he must meet "any one of the following", whose birth in one's own changwat is 1 option.
In the meantime, still look at the passage about blue blood that should stay aloof from active politics.
Unfortunately.
Especially for the Thai baht….
Did you see Princess Irene as a candidate for… the Party of the Animals?
Whether or not the Princess participates in the elections is currently of secondary importance.
Until the day before yesterday, Prayut had arranged things in such a way that only his party could become the largest, and that the pro-Thaksin parties could not get a majority.
That situation is different now.
Someone of royal blood is affiliated with a political party.
That means that voting advice has actually been given.
If that voting advice is followed, with or without the Princess at the helm, means Prayut has a formidable opponent.
The result is no longer fixed.
Furthermore, a political party may not use the royal family in any way during the election campaign.
That did happen.
Can that party actually still participate in the elections, according to the electoral commission?
The only way Prayut can secure his victory is by excluding the "Tha Raksa Chart" from participating.
We're not surprised that things are going the way they are, are we? I just wonder if it was a planned blank and if so for what purpose, if it wasn't then it seems to me that I acted thoughtlessly.
I think the military are very scared when Ratana participates in the elections. In my opinion, there could be a majority. I think she has the right to run for a seat in parliament. As Prime Minister that is another matter. Furthermore, I think one of the few to bring about a reconciliation between red and gel. As prime minister, it will be difficult for the military to stage a coup
The current ruler has got a political nosebleed for a while, and he has never had the many expressions of empathy to the lady in question from Thais. Does this event have a symbolic value?
The worst thing about this whole failed nomination is that it shows that – just like the supporters of Prayut – the Pheu Thai are not at all interested in real, democratically decided and debated improvements in this country. It is very ordinary about power, about absolute control and about money.
And for that - at least it seems - you don't have to come up with new or refreshing ideas (the princess wants to make all Thais happy and not so strange, that's what all politicians really want, so then there's nothing to choose from) but to gamble on the popularity of the party leader or the intended PM. We have seen what this leads to in Thailand over the past 20 years.
When, oh when will Thai politicians learn from their mistakes? And when, oh when will the Thais really wake up?
I agree with you, Chris, that too little attention is being paid to the positions put forward by the political parties.
But the popularity of a leader matters all over the world. The authenticity, honesty and involvement (empathy) of a political leader are extremely important, regardless of the election manifestos. That's why Abhisit will never win even though he has a perfect program.
In addition, I am sure that the Thais also know quite well what their leaders stand for, even if they do not know all the dots and commas.
I've voted PvdA all my life, I know what they stand for, but I don't know the details of their election manifesto. This applies to most Dutch people and also to the Thais.
What this failed nomination demonstrates is a fundamental lack of political honesty and clarity on all sides. I can't say more here.
All well and good, but besides the popularity one could pay attention to the qualities of the man or woman in question as a political leader of this country. In my opinion, Thaksin and Abhisit had those qualities; Yingluck, Samak and Prayut do not. In addition, it does not hurt that the political leader of a country speaks reasonable to good English in a globalizing world. That's not too much to ask, I hope.
The majority of Thai political parties have existed for less than 10 years, for various reasons (ban, closure, merger with others, newly founded, tactical games). There is no continuity in thinking, in political philosophy. So in Thailand you cannot vote for the same party all your life…only Democrats.
Many countries show that the people at the ballot box mainly wonder whether they PERSONALLY have become better off with the then current government. If not: then one votes for a party other than a government party or a protest party. If things are better than 4 years ago, the governing parties generally win. It is a pity that the Thais are not that far yet because the current government would not stand a chance of winning the elections.
See, now 5 weeks before the elections, also no poll results of the upcoming elections; only the popularity of the targeted PMs is measured. That says enough for me.
Not one comment that finds anything about the candidacy of a member of the royal family.
Pity.
I think it would be very inappropriate for a member of the royal family to run for office. Opposing him/her in parliament could easily be taken as an insult. That is therefore unworkable for the other members of parliament. Both inside and outside his/her party.