Comments on: New Mandala’s election watch

By: Michael H. Nelson

Michael H. Nelson — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 14:57:59 +0000

According to a report in Krungthep Thurakit (Nov. 11), the National Legislative Assembly, on Octo. 31, passed amendments to the Local Administration Act that abolishes the kamnan elections, and keeps both village and sub-district headmen in office until they reach age 60. Kamnan will be selected in a meeting of the chief district officer with the village headmen of the tambon. After every five years, there will be “evaluations” (that will probably translate into “kin”)

The vote was 82:1:1 — which makes one wonder where the remaining members of the 250-seat NLA were on the occasion of this very important decision.

One might recall in this context that Gen Sonthi as de-facto interior minister and chairperson of the government’s anti-vote buying committee has envisaged the kamnan and villaged heads as main actors in preventing vote buying in their respective areas.

So, just in time, the law was changed. This was like telling them: “Hey, we have helped you with what you wanted, now you help us with what we want, all right guys?”

Thus, this legal change becomes yet another tool in the coup plotters attempt to prevent the TRT/PPP from returning to power.

One might also recall that the introduction of periodic elections was achieved under another coup-government, i.e. the NPKC’s Anand Panyarachun. The Ministry of the Interior and many headmen have been unhappy ever since.

By: Michael H. Nelson

Michael H. Nelson — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 08:23:38 +0000

The amendments to the ECT regulation/announcement, forced by the public uproar, are to be found here:

http://www.ect.go.th/thai/mp50/mp50_13.pdf

http://www.ect.go.th/thai/mp50/mp50_12.pdf

The ECT might not have done such a good job in developing an idea about democratic election campaigns, but they do care for details, such as suggestions as to how the boards, to be provided by state agencies, should be designed so that candidates and parties might affix their posters:

http://www.ect.go.th/thai/mp50/mp50_15.pdf

One hopes that a budget will soon be provided for this to the provincial election commissions.

By: Historicus

Historicus — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:58:09 +0000

These figures are probably the ones that scare Sonthi B. so much! The idea of a big coalition, though, might work in the interests of the military as they can more easily control it.

A question: a couple of weeks ago, in Asia Times Online, Shawn Crispen claimed that Sonthi Lim had been prevented from returning to Thailand (I hope my memory is working on this). He claims that this is part of palace-Thaksin deal to arrange a compromise. Any more information on this?

By: Michael H. Nelson

Michael H. Nelson — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:11:49 +0000

A few days ago, the People’s Power Party scared some people by claiming it would win 260 MPs. Today (Nov. 1), Post Today uses almost an entire page to estimate the election result. In short:

PPP: 206 (incl. 28 PL)
DEM: 126 (incl. 24 PL)
CTP: 57 (incl. 12 PL)
Motherland: 39 m(incl. 8 PL)
Ruam Jai: 33 (incl. 7 PL)
Matchima: 13
Pracharat: 6 (incl. 1 PL)

Given the present animosities, this might result in a 5-6party coalition with the Democrats as core party, or a three-party coalition with PPP. Having five parties with Abhisit as PM is frightening. How much time will they need to agree on the distribution of the spoils? How will this weak leader handle the ministerial fiefdoms of the other parties? How could policies be integrated? On the other hand, the dreams of the constitution drafters would come true: a weak government under all sorts of influences from bureaucracy, academia, and mass media.

By: Srithanonchai

Srithanonchai — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:11:11 +0000

The Bangkok Post of Nov. 1 has a useful article on some of the issues concerning free and fair elections in Thailand.

ANALYSIS / DEMOCRACY IN THAILAND

Upholding the standards of a free and fair election

The recently exposed ‘information dissemination strategy’ to prevent the People Power party from victory at the polls exposes the Council for National Security’s hypocrisy about claiming to restore democracy

By ADAM COOPER (ANFREL)

The link is http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/01Nov2007_news17.php

By: Michael H. Nelson

Michael H. Nelson — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:14:24 +0000

ECT documents:

For those of you who are interested enough and can read Thai, the Election Commission of Thailand has placed a number of laws and regulations on its web site. Amongst them are the organic laws on ECT, political parties, and elections, and the following pieces:

http://www.ect.go.th/thai/mp50/mp50_8.pdf
(an ECT summary on “New direction in the campaign for the MP election of 2007”)

http://www.ect.go.th/thai/mp50/mp50_7.pdf
(“ECT regulation concerning campaigning…”)

http://www.ect.go.th/thai/mp50/mp50_6.pdf
(“ECT announcement concerning principles and performance of the state in support of the MP election”)

http://www.ect.go.th/thai/mp50/mp50_9.pdf
(“ECT regulation concerning the election of Members of the House of Representatives”; this is the main legal document detailing all major aspects of electoral organization; it has 177 pp.)

By: Michael H. Nelson

Michael H. Nelson — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 07:52:31 +0000

Welcome to the brave new world of Thai electioneering, or a variant of bureaucratic fundamentalism:

“The media are also banned from organising any discussion or debate in which one representative or many representatives of one party or many parties are invited to speak.
…

Although the EC’s announcements do not impose restrictions on printed media, Mr Apichart said the owners of printed media were also prohibited from organising forums or inviting politicians to speak or debate.

He said the EC would set up forums which all parties could share. Any forums apart from the EC-sponsored forums are forbidden and the press are welcome to cover the stances of politicians at EC forums. ”

Bangkok Post, 25 October 2007

One wonders whether this in any way contradicts Section 45 of the 2007 Constitution, which guarantees press freedom. The mass media are also not allowed to conduct individual interviews with politicians. One is reminded of the time of the first senate election in 2000, when the ECT imposed a blanket press censureship by misinterpreting the constitution. At that time, the press, including The Nation, at first resisted the ECT’s attempt, but then complied with it. Such was the political atmosphere at that time. The only exception was Siam Rath.

By: Srithanonchai

Srithanonchai — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 04:52:36 +0000

“Voters were weary of the old type of politics plagued by conflict and wanted politicians to seriously care about the people’s problems, he said.”

Who is the “he”, and when was this statement made? By Thaksin Shinawatra before the 2001 or the 2005 elections? No, by Abhisit Vejjajiva, in his attempt to get more than the 2 MPs in the Northeast that the Democrats managed in 2005 (Bangkok Post, Oct. 14, p. 1).

By: Michael H. Nelson

Michael H. Nelson — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 13:51:26 +0000

The Election Commission of Thailand has informed its provincial branches where they might download the three new election-related laws so that the PEC and its officials might study them. After all, there is very little time left until the royal decree officially setting the election for December 23 will come into effect and thus make the application of these laws urgent.

For those who can read Thai, the three laws can be downloaded at the Government Gazette web site:

Political Party Act
http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2550/A/064/22.PDF

Election Commision Act
http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2550/A/064/1.PDF

MP and Senator Election Act
http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2550/A/064/69.PDF

By: Srithanonchai

Srithanonchai — Sat, 06 Oct 2007 04:48:11 +0000

With the big integrator Thaksin gone, many ambitious people are now free to play their own games and thus return Thai politics to the kindergarten stage. Look at what wanna-be PM Prachai Leopairat just did. Pracharat had placed many one-page ads in a number of Thai newspapers, showing Sanoh, Somsak’s wife, and Prachai. And before you have finished reading the party’s 38 policy proposals printed in the ad, Prachai resigns from the party “arguing” that his ideology “contradicted” with Sanoh’s policies. And he did not know this before he joined Sanoh’s outfit, accepted the position of head of its executive board, drew up its policies, posed for the picture, and published the ads? Needless to say, Pracharat’s Matchima members will join Prachai in leaving the party, making him their boss. This all might look rather childish to people who are serious about politics. But it makes perfect sense in the context of Thai politics.