Thailand general election fundamentally flawed: Human Rights Watch

[Dannie Boy]

It hasn’t stopped them in the past!!

[Suua]

It hasn’t stopped them in the past!!

The difference this time is the overwhelming majority of the country voted for change.....at least 90%.
Previous elections have been somewhat muted in comparison, with votes more distributed.

They can't pull their dirty tricks and lies without disenfranchising the entire country this time.
If they try, it will be monumentally stupid with grave consequences which will be entirely down to them.

[Suua]

Well done to the Thai population, applause all round..
I wish I was there as I'd congratulate everyone I saw for at leasta month.
Everyone on this forum should do the same.
Make it known to the Thais that they've made a great decision that will reap dividends for their future and their childrens future.....their votes will finally drag the country into the 21st century.

[buksida]

Lets hope a new government can be formed and the dinosaurs don't try too hard to cling on to power.

Its pretty clear what the people want: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/po ... vote-count

[Nereus]

They (the generals) will not go willingly! Watching the ABC cable tv last night at 9-00 pm. A small report about the election in Turkey, and then the presenter said; The election in Thailand...................which
was immediately blocked!

They are worse than Trump and his cronies!

[Nereus]

For those interested, a view from outside Thailand.
........................................................................................
Thailand's opposition parties dominate preliminary election results in challenge to army-backed government

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-15/ ... /102345426

Thailand's opposition secured a stunning election outcome on Sunday after trouncing parties allied with the military, setting the stage for a flurry of deal-making over the formation of a coalition government in a bid to end nearly a decade of conservative, army-backed rule.

long article................................................................

[buksida]

Thais vote overwhelmingly for democracy parties, reject military

Voters have delivered a clear rejection of nearly a decade of military-aligned rule, election results showed Monday, backing two pro-democracy opposition parties.

The Move Forward Party (MFP), the newest force in Thai politics that channelled the energy of youth-led pro-democracy protests in 2020, secured the most votes.

Led by charismatic 42-year-old Pita Limjaroenrat, the MFP wants to reform Thailand's strict royal insult laws, setting up a potential clash with the kingdom's powerful royalist-military elite.

Thais went to the polls in large numbers on Sunday after a campaign pitting a young generation yearning for change against the conservative elite embodied by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha.

"I feel like my country has (hope) for the future," Beam, 29, a personal assistant in Bangkok who voted for the MFP and took part in the 2020 protests, told AFP on Monday.

"People have really opened their eyes."

But in a kingdom where coups and court orders have often trumped the ballot box, she expressed the fears of many that the result may yet be thwarted.

With ballots counted from 99 percent of polling stations, Election Commission data showed MFP on 14 million in the popular vote followed by Pheu Thai on 10.6 million.

The United Thai Nation party, led by Prayut -- the ex-army chief who seized power in a 2014 coup -- was a distant third in the popular vote with 4.6 million.

While not declaring victory, Pita said late Sunday that a coalition deal is "definitely on the cards".

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/po ... t-military

[caller]

The EC has 60 days to decide whether to ratify the election result. For me, it's all about how far will the military, their backers, advisors and a compliant EC be prepared to go in alienating the vast majority of Thais, and the international community, in changing the result? Which is in their power.

At the very least, I think they will consider trying to skew things so that PT ends up as the biggest party, thus, in their mind, avoiding the lesse majeste changes, conscription etc. The problem being that MFP will probably then just walk away from any coalition, leaving PT to deal with the military in forming a Government.

Something PT have said they will never do. And looking forward, will mean they suffer the same fate as the so called Democrats, for telling such a lie.

Hopefully, having weighed up all the their options, the military will realise there is no get out clause for them, and get out themselves.

To demonstrate the establishment view, it's worth reading Veeras article today in the BP, written before the election outcome, where he was clearly expecting a big PT win. Makes a nonsense of so much of what he wrote! But the sting in the tale, is that his scenario for a Government, might still play out.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opi ... ts-options

[hhinner]

If the generals think they can dissolve Move Forward now, they may try, but I think that will mean blood on the streets of Bangkok. Maybe Chiang Mai too.

[PET]

If the generals think they can dissolve Move Forward now, they may try, but I think that will mean blood on the streets of Bangkok. Maybe Chiang Mai too.

I could not agree with you more.
This is the golden opportunity to get control of the establishment for the benefit of all Thai people and move forward - they must not let them dissolve any political party but show force in the streets and stand firm - it is their future and of their children too, that is at stake.

[Nereus]

Pita declares six-party coalition with 309 MPs:

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/po ... th-309-mps

[caller]

I hope you are both right, but they only have to take out a few elected MFP's, not the whole party, to achieve their aim. I think it is very risky for them to do so, but you can bet your bottom dollar, it is being considered.

And it's a strange day for the army leader to fly to Hawaii, and he will be gone for some time.

[caller]

Pita declares six-party coalition with 309 MPs:

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/po ... th-309-mps

He is moving so quickly, it is making it hard for the establishment to intervene via the EC and Senate. He is on the front foot, long may he remain so.

[HHTel]

The way I read it, assuming the EC and the Senate don't interfere, Is that the coalition need 77 votes outside their own members to elect a pm. The conservatives need 126 votes in the lower house added to the 250 in the Senate. (a majority in both houses or 376 votes wins)
The election results are not expected to be confirmed until July and the two main parties are already under investigation by the EC (following complaints!)

I wouldn't put money on either outcome.

[STEVE G]

If the generals think they can dissolve Move Forward now, they may try, but I think that will mean blood on the streets of Bangkok. Maybe Chiang Mai too.

Probably but these are the very same generals that instigated Live Fire Zones on the streets of Bangkok in 2010.