678 replies to this topic
Posted 2006-04-23 05:57:53
 Plus, on 2006-04-22 22:12:26, said:
Colpyat, it's bad-worse-worst, actually.
You can get all philosophical about wether Thaksin is the cause or the effect, or go deep in rich history of Thailand and its neighbouring countries, and their corruption, and refugee treatment ad nauseum, but that's not the topic at hand, is it?
So far no one with deep knowledge of all these things has come up and said - Thaksin should stay on because..., and that's proof enough for me.
Or wait a tick, you are actually not against Thaksin's removal, you are just trying to discredit PAD, or at least you were until lately, but now I don't know what are you arguing for or against, only that you slow down the discussion by calling to invetigate minute and largerly irrelevant facts from times long past.
I believe in this often blindly pro PAD mutual agreement society here it is highly appropriate to spoil the party a bit by looking behind the veneer of their self created image of pro democracy activists. Which they aren't. Some of their leaders are as corrupt as Thaksin (only not as smart), the ideology they subscribe to is more than questionable, and contrary to averything that i would call democratic. They have allied themselves as Thaksin has with people who were benefitting hugely from those events you call "long time past". Therefore this is nothing but another dirty political game so typical for Thailand.
I am against the removal of Thaksin as it is done now, because this only has created serious instability and did nothing to further democracy in Thailand, and only speeds up Thailand's descend into another economical and social crises.
If you are partisan to some sort of cause, than all those complex facts may not be topical, or "slow the discussion down". I am too old to subscribe to those sort of infantile causes, and prefer to analyse political and social situations, and there the difference lies in the detail, and one has to go back into the past (which for me is not that distant).
Posted 2006-04-23 05:59:46
tettyan, on 2006-04-22 23:32:53, said: Taking a more nuanced view would be more prudent. Unfortunately, nuance doesn't sell.
Now, there we are in complete agreement! 
Posted 2006-04-23 06:30:14
Thailand votes (again) today
Parts of Thailand, particularly in the South, will vote again today to try to elect members of Parliament for seats left vacant in the April 2 snap poll because of a lack of candidates.
A total of 67 candidates will compete tomorrow for the 40 seats, leaving 19 constituencies uncontested, as only one candidate of the Thai Rak Thai Party met minimum requirements to register, the Election Commission said yesterday.
Uncontested candidates require the support of at least 20% of registered voters to be elected. A boycott by Thailand's three main opposition parties at the general election led to low turnout, leaving the 40 seats unfilled.
The outcome of the vote will decide how quickly Parliament can convene, and when a new prime minister may be appointed. Outgoing Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on April 4, a day after declaring his party had won the election, announced he would step down and let another member of his winning Thai Rak Thai Party take the post once the house convenes.
The Election Commission has until May 1 to announce the full election results for the 500-strong lower house, according to voting laws. After that, Parliament will be convened and a replacement prime minister appointed within another 30 days. Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party has won all but one of the seats so far in the lower house elections.
Should there be seats left empty, the Parliament secretariat or the government will need to seek a Constitutional Court ruling on whether the House can convene with less than 500 members. Opposition leaders have called on the Election Commission to void the results, saying the vote was not constitutional.
- BP
Posted 2006-04-23 08:29:04
Interim PM says re-election in 3 southern provinces are fully secured
The Interim Prime Minister has ordered security forces to be laid across the three southern provinces in anticipation of insurgent activities during the upcoming re-elections.
Police General Chitchai Wannasathit (ชิดชัย วรรณสถิตย์), the interim prime minister, stated that after dicussions with the governors of the three southern provinces, especially in Pattani, he was certain that there would be no cause for concern during the re-elections (April 23). Police General Chitchai has ordered the deployment of additional troops and police to the three southern provinces, however, just in case.
The interim prime minister added that he has also coordinated with the Central Islamic Committee of each province for assistance in keeping the peace.
Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 23 April 2006
Posted 2006-04-23 08:45:08
Govt warns against ballot protest
Caretaker Interior Minister Kongsak Wantana yesterday warned voters against tearing up their ballot papers to protest against today's by-elections. Mass ballot-ripping is expected in many constituencies, particularly in the South, as part of a civil disobedience campaign.
ACM Kongsak said he was concerned about the obstruction of the polls in four provinces _ Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani and Songkhla.
He called on voters not to lend their ears to those who wanted to obstruct the elections and asked them to report violations of election law to provincial election committees or police.
ACM Kongsak said people who destroy ballot papers face a one-year jail term and/or a 10,000 to 100,000 baht fine, while those who encourage others to do so face a three-year imprisonment and/or a fine of 6,000 baht.
The election committees in several provinces, including Trang, yesterday called on voters to refrain from ripping their ballot papers.
Thammasak Tanwaropas, the Trang panel chairman, said police and local authorities would be put on stand-by at polling units to handle any obstruction of the polls.
Meanwhile, security authorities in Yala are heightening security to prevent violence in today's by-elections.
Four bombs were reportedly smuggled into Yala's Bannang Sata district. One of them reportedly exploded during Wednesday's Senate elections.
The Election Commission has called 40 by-elections in 17 provinces today.
Source: Bangkok Post - Sunday April 23, 2006
Posted 2006-04-23 09:17:44
Thais vote in crucial by-elections that could reignite crisis
BANGKOK - Thailand held by-elections in 40 districts Sunday, which threatened to throw the nation into a constitutional crisis despite Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's decision to step aside.
The new balloting took place mainly in southern Thailand, a bastion of the opposition, which boycotted the general election on April 2.
The government boosted security in the southernmost provinces, where more than 1,200 people have been killed in two years of unrest, after three people died in attacks during Senate elections on Wednesday.
Sunday's by-elections could determine when, or if, parliament will convene.
Thai law requires all 500 seats to be filled for parliament to meet -- an outcome that seemed a distant possibility.
The leading opposition parties have again refused to contest a single seat in Sunday's polls, leaving candidates from Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party running unopposed in 25 districts.
Most of those candidates failed to meet a 20 percent minimum vote requirement in the first election, and analysts saw little reason for that to change now.
"It looks like at least a handful of constituencies will not be able to pass the 20 percent test," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University.
"No matter how they turn out, we're heading to a constitutional crisis," he warned. "If they fill those seats, we're going to end up with a one-party parliament."
So far, Thaksin's party has won all but one seat of the 500 seats in the lower house.
But a strong protest vote in Bangkok and southern Thailand highlighted a deep regional split, with the country's northern heartland still strongly backing Thaksin and his populist policies.
Elections for the non-partisan Senate on Wednesday followed that trend, with experts and media reports estimating that half the winners appeared to be allied with Thaksin's party.
That has raised fears among Thaksin's opponents that the charismatic billionaire will remain a formidable force in Thai politics, even if he doesn't hold the top job in government.
Thaksin announced he would step aside on April 4, after weeks of street protests, although he has insisted that he will remain leader of his party and a parliamentarian.
His party plans to ask the Constitutional Court to allow parliament to open and name a prime minister even if all the seats aren't filled.
Thaksin has vowed that the new government will undertake constitutional reforms sought by the opposition, but the protesters have already threatened to return to the streets if the parliament opens with seats still empty.
"We can see the deadlock in the future quite clearly," said Parnthep Pourpongpan, a spokesman for the People's Alliance for Democracy, which spearheaded the protesters.
"I don't think the re-election will solve the problem. The re-election will cause a very big problem," he said of Sunday's polls.
Regardless of the outcome of the by-election, Thitinan warned that the political uncertainty could drag on for months until reforms and new elections take place.
"Anyway you look at it, this parliament is not legitimate," Thitinan said.
"This is a one-party parliament. It cannot be given much authority, because it doesn't have much legitimacy."
- Channel News Asia
Posted 2006-04-23 09:51:33
Plus, on 2006-04-22 23:11:48, said: The man still holds some power - Thaksin himself has been courting him in the past month.
Those were merely private dinners, with an old friend and supporter, according to Thaksin, at the time. And of course you can rely absolutely on his word. 
Posted 2006-04-23 12:37:32
From what I see on Thai TV - in one constituency in Nakhon-Si-Thammarat election officials didn't show up to conduct the poll, apparently because they were not paid for previous work. Boxes arrived, everything is set, but there's no staff.
In some constituencies the voter turn out is as low as 50 people. They should really train local dogs to rubberstamp ballots.
In Trang a voter publicly tore up his ballots, with TV cameras rolling and about a hundred people, all dressed in black, cheering. He was then presented with a flowers. I don't know if he was arrested afterwords.
Coupled with recent developments where EC disqualified two minor parties for accepting bribes, and confirmed Democrats allegation that some EC officials were bribed to tamper with the database, it failed to find any fault with bribe givers - TRT.
It's a sham and a scam, without any semblance of legitimacy. If they go ahead and open an incomplete parliament elected this way, there will be civil war in the South, not civil disobedience.
Quote I believe in this often blindly pro PAD mutual agreement society here it is highly appropriate to spoil the party a bit by looking behind the veneer of their self created image of pro democracy activists. Which they aren't.
But some of them undoubtedly are.
Quote Some of their leaders are as corrupt as Thaksin (only not as smart), the ideology they subscribe to is more than questionable, and contrary to averything that i would call democratic.
You mean Sondhi, mainly, and even then you failed to show what is so undemocratic about him, even after we've been discussing it for over a month. And the PAD, of course, is a lot more than just Sondhi.
Quote They have allied themselves as Thaksin has with people who were benefitting hugely from those events you call "long time past".
Who specifically?
Colpyat, your forays in the past would be more valuable if you could actually produce any results. So far all you can come up with is "it was only a tip of the iceberg" on the corruption issue, and nothing whatsoever on human rights abuses towards Burmese refugees byThai government.
You just find more and more issues to talk about without reaching any conclusion on any of them.
Posted 2006-04-23 15:02:10
Five women arrested for tearing up ballots in Songkhla
Songkhla - Five women were arrested for destroying ballot papers at two polling stations in Songkhla Muang district Sunday.
Four of them stood in line in front of supporters at a station and tore their ballot papers at the same time.
Another woman tore her ballot at another polling station.
The four were identified as Pranee Weerawong, 63, Jintana Jindewa, 45, Sa-ard Jindewa, 64, Walai Yontprasert, 55.
The other woman was identified as Sumol Tula, 51.
They were released on bail after placing Bt20,000 in cash each as guarantee.
Earlier the day, a university lecturer was arrested in Songkhla's Hat Yai district for destroying ballot and another man in Muang district on the same charges.
_________________________________________________________________
Resort owner in Phuket arrested for tearing up ballot
Phuket - A resort owner in this island province was arrested for tearing up ballot paper in protest against the election.
Krit Thepbamrung was arrested at 9:08 am after destroying ballot paper at a polling station in Muang district.
He was released after placing Bt20,000 in cash as guarantee.
He said he owns a resort and wanted to protest against the Election Commission for allegedly holding unfair election.
He said he changed his mind from casting no vote to tearing up ballot in protest because some small parties had been hired to help Thai Rak Thai's one-horse candidates to win election.
_________________________________________________________________
Businessman in Yala arrested for tearing up ballot
Yala - A businessman in this southern province was arrested for tearing up a ballot paper.
Saringkan Chuwongwut, 66, was arrested at a polling station in Muang district after tearing up the ballot paper at 10:05 am in the second round of election.
He said he wanted to join the Rak Songkhla group in Songkhal to protest against the Election Commission .
He was released on bail after placing cash worth Bt20,000 as guarantee.
Source: The Nation - Breaking News - 12 April 2006
Posted 2006-04-23 16:04:30
Obviously these people protesting who can afford the 20,000 Baht bail are no more representative of the majority of Thais than the less than 0.25% of voters who made up the PAD street protests.
Edited by ando, 2006-04-23 16:12:32.
Posted 2006-04-23 16:24:35
I wonder how the south will take being represented in parliament by representatives from a party they totally despise and who were elected by miniscule voter percentages after avoiding the 20% rule due to candidates suddenly appearing from Samak's old party? This may all be according to the rules that TRT keep saying they stick to, but ethically it is questionable. Also as far as long term stability goes it will certainly cause problems.
I wonder if any of the elected candidates will do the honorable thing and resign for not getting a respectable vote and not really representing the people of their constituency?
Edited by hammered, 2006-04-23 16:25:35.
Posted 2006-04-23 18:27:50
I wonder if the people in the south and other places where TRT is not popular will eventually feel let down that they now have no real representation in the democratic process? The democrats and tag along minor parties choose to abandon their constituents by not participating in democracy. The people in these positions need only look to their own failed political candidates to see who let them down and denied them a voice in government.
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hammered, on 2006-04-23 09:24:35, said: I wonder how the south will take being represented in parliament by representatives from a party they totally despise and who were elected by miniscule voter percentages after avoiding the 20%
I wonder if any of the elected candidates will do the honorable thing and resign for not getting a respectable vote and not really representing the people of their constituency?
Posted 2006-04-23 19:12:10
ando, on 2006-04-23 16:04:30, said: Obviously these people protesting who can afford the 20,000 Baht bail are no more representative of the majority of Thais than the less than 0.25% of voters who made up the PAD street protests.
But many might admire them, for having the courage of their convictions, and standing up for democracy. Perhaps others might follow their example in future ?
Sneer , if you like, at the people who went along on the Sondhi (and later PAD) meetings, but please respect their right to do so.
And does having a little money automatically bar you from Thai democracy ? I think not.
Posted 2006-04-23 20:23:01
When less than one quarter of one percent of people try to force their will on the rest of the country through street protests I hardly call that democracy. One mans vote is as good as anothers in a free and democratic society. Those who choose not to vote or not to participate in the democratic process are free to do so. However those who refuse to participate must accept the consequences of their actions.
Posted 2006-04-23 23:05:14
Voting marred by protests, violence
Polls have closed after another round of voting for the Lower House of parliament in 40 constituencies in 17 provinces.
Turnout was low, particularly in the South, where many Thai Rak Thai candidates ran unopposed, most of them without a hope of gaining the 20% of votes necessary to validate their election.
At least 17 people in the South were arrested for ripping up their ballots in protest at the election. Most wore black to protest Thai Rak Thai and its leader and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and four of them were women in a single protest at a Songkhla polling station.
All those arrested face up to one year in jail and a fine of 20,000 baht.
Tight security was provided for election officials in Thailand's southernmost provinces - Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla and Yala - where attacks on polling booths were anticipated.
No violence was reported during voting hours.
Armed extremists killed one man and clashed with security forces before polls opened. Before polls opened today, attackers on a motorcycle killed one man and wounded a woman near a polling station in Narathiwat province. Last night, insurgents blew up a bus shelter in the province of Yala and clashed with policemen and soldiers. A policeman was shot in the head and is in serious condition.
Election Commission secretary-general Ekkachai Warunprapha said he hoped the turnout would reach 60%.
Another round of voting will be held next Sunday *(a by-election a day keeps the Dr. away?)* ...... ok, ok... it's a week, but that won't rhyme... in an attempt to get a full Lower House of 500 members as required by law, and allow parliament to convene on May 1 - as also required by law.
Ekachai Warunprapa, head of the Election Commission, said seven polling stations in one constituency in Nakhon Si Thammarat failed to open because officials did not show up. They will be re-run tomorrow. Will they have directions to the polling stations by then?... or was it because it was a Sunday and thus considered a "day off"?... or if the no-show was because they were they fearful for their lives, will they not be fearful tomorrow?
Many of those who did vote abstained by ticking the "No Vote" choice available on all ballots.
The strict election law has worried Gen Ekkachai as he has predicted that new by-elections would be held in about 10 constituencies after today's voting and the EC could do nothing except to acknowledge those who won the House seats while it was the duty of the Constitutional Court to consider on opening of the House first and hold another round of by-elections later.
Thai Rak Thai elected MPs will tomorrow ask caretaker Senate speaker Suchon Chaleekrua to seek a Constitutional Court ruling on whether the House of Representatives can convene for its first session on May 1 without a full membership of 500.
The constitution stipulates the House must convene within 30 days of a general election, but also stipulates that all 500 constituency and list MPs must attend. One of those conditions cannot be met.
- BP
Posted 2006-04-24 00:02:48
Plus, on 2006-04-23 12:37:32, said: You mean Sondhi, mainly, and even then you failed to show what is so undemocratic about him, even after we've been discussing it for over a month. And the PAD, of course, is a lot more than just Sondhi.
Quote They have allied themselves as Thaksin has with people who were benefitting hugely from those events you call "long time past".
Who specifically?
Colpyat, your forays in the past would be more valuable if you could actually produce any results. So far all you can come up with is "it was only a tip of the iceberg" on the corruption issue, and nothing whatsoever on human rights abuses towards Burmese refugees byThai government.
You just find more and more issues to talk about without reaching any conclusion on any of them.
Yes, i mean Sondhi. And as allies i mean Sanoh Thienthong, for example. I have not failed to show anything, you fail to accept that Sondhi's inspiration - Pramuan's work "Royal Power" - is a racist revisionist piece of shite. And i am getting tired to post the links where noted academics criticise that work you anyhow don't read.
And if you don't read the reports from Global witness i have provided you with the links, i can't help you either - just don't tell me please that i don't come up with anything other than the Salween log scandal being the tip of the iceberg.
I have pointed you as well to the Khmer Rouge issue, i am sorry that you don't read the plentyful books about it.
I am also sorry that you don't read the Human Rights Watch reports i have provided a link to, which shows rather well that serious human rights violations have happened under the Chuan government, and any other government as well.
Please don't blame me for your ignorance.
Thank you.
Posted 2006-04-24 00:45:16
SECOND POLL
Voters foil TRT again
At least 10 House seats were expected to remain unoccupied as Thai Rak Thai candidates running unopposed in southern constituencies failed to win the minimum 20 per cent of votes required in yesterday's second round of voting, which was marred by displays of civil disobedience.
However, the Election Commission is unlikely to hold a third round of voting to fill the 500 seats in the Lower House, the agency's secretary-general, Ekkachai Warunprapha, said yesterday.
He said if there were a few constituencies where candidates running uncontested failed to win the minimum 20 per cent of support from all eligible voters - and he expected no more than 10 such constituencies - the EC might go ahead with endorsing the available election winners and consider its job done.  
He said the agency would let the political parties involved consult the Constitution Court about convening the House of Representatives without all the seats filled.
"The House could convene first and then by-elections could be held later to fill the empty seats," he said.
Is the EC re-writing the Constitution on their own now, are they??
Ekkachai said the EC expected no MPs to be elected in 10 constituencies of seven southern provinces - Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Songkhla, Trang, Chumphon, Pattani and Phang Nga. Thai Rak Thai candidates ran unopposed in those constituencies and were unlikely to win the minimum 20 per cent of constituent votes.
Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday said it would depend on the "rule keepers" whether the House of Representatives would convene, even though not all the seats were filled. He was apparently referring to the election agency. He should consult the Constitution first. 
In theory, the Lower House cannot convene to name a new prime minister until all 500 seats are filled. Legal experts have said the election authorities could seek permission from the Constitution Court to have the House opened with some of the seats left empty.
Thai Rak Thai's Sophon Phetsawang, former deputy House speaker, said yesterday he believed the House could convene as long as more than half the seats were filled. He cited a constitutional clause that says half the Lower House forms a quorum for a House meeting.
Thai Rak Thai candidates lost in Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan yesterday to candidates from smaller political parties.  
Unofficial results last night showed that Pornjanat Srirattananon from the Khonkhoplodnee Party got more than 20,000 votes, compared to about 14,000 for Thai Rak Thai's Rajasak Klaiklueng, in Phetchaburi's Constituency 1.
In Prachuap Khiri Khan, Tossanet Thienthes from the Prachakorn Thai Party won more than 21,000 votes while Thai Rak Thai's Pradit Yamanand got less than 14,000.
In yesterday's polls, apart from several cases of ballot-paper tearing, many voters protested by filling in the "no vote" box.
Election officials at five polling stations in Nakhon Si Thammarat did not show up to work yesterday as local authorities had insufficient money to pay them, a senior local election official said.
oh ok... that answers my previous question about the no-show.... has the Treasury Department come up with some money to pay them by tomorrow?
Thongchai Wannathanapisit, the province's election director, said new voting would be held for those polling stations later this week.
oh ok.. not tomorrow... next week. Guess it took them longer than they figured to come up with some salary for these guys.
By-elections in four districts of Songkhla failed to take place because polling officials refused to work citing safety concerns, EC official Ruengrog Jomsueb said. "We are considering having the by-elections on Monday or Tuesday in these four districts," he said.
Ahhh ok.... another no-show group... this time for fearing for their lives... will things be all cleared up, safety-wise, in the South by Tuesday so that they no longer fear for their lives?? Finally... they've solved the problems with danger in the South. Well done.
Turnout was low in the South yesterday for the second round of voting, with many people saying they had lost interest because there had been too many elections. Three in two weeks IS a bit much.
Voting was held in 40 constituencies in 17 provinces, but the 14 provinces in the South saw a large number of voters shunning the polling stations.
In Narathiwat, some residents said they were bored by the election while others said they were concerned about their safety and feared they might be attacked at ballot stations.
The atmosphere in Pattani was subdued with police and soldiers deployed at polling stations to provide security.
In Satun, the Election Commission expected 60 per cent of eligible voters to cast ballots, but there was little excitement among those who showed up at the polls.
Less than 50 per cent of eligible voters cast ballots in Krabi. Residents of the province said they were tired of elections. The province's election office estimated turnout might be 10 per cent lower than it was for the April 2 election.
Songkhla's election authorities said less than 60 per cent of eligible voters showed up.
Turnout in Phang Nga was also low, with many residents describing the election as boring.
I love Thailand. 
- TN
Edited by sriracha john, 2006-04-24 00:47:53.
Posted 2006-04-24 05:34:56
Thais Vote in Parliamentary Elections
Voting took place in 40 constituencies, mostly in Thailand's insurgency-plagued southern provinces, in an attempt to fill seats in the lower house of parliament left vacant in April 2 elections boycotted by the opposition.
The election were an attempt to avert a constitutional breakdown because Thai law stipulates that Parliament cannot convene unless all 500 seats are filled.
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra called the April elections three years ahead of schedule after months of anti-government street protests and demands for his resignation.
Although the opposition boycott resulted in a ruling party sweep, Thaksin surprised the country by announcing two days later that he would leave office to restore unity in the country. Critics, however, believe he remains firmly in control and is planning a comeback.
The 40 seats were left vacant because Thai law requires that unopposed candidates receive the support of at least 20 percent of eligible voters.
Turnout was low during the seven hours of voting. Election Commission member Ekachai Warrunprapa said at least 10 candidates were unlikely to win seats.
Hundreds of black-clad protesters stormed a police station and forced the release of an activist arrested for destroying his ballot.
"The voters in the south are fighting to topple the Thaksin regime. If the Thai Rak Thai party runs alone without opponents they will never ever win, even if they run 100 times in elections," said Dr. Kriangsak Liwcharoenpatana, after tearing up his ballot at a polling station in the southern city of Songkhla.
Hundreds of voters shouted "Thaksin get out," as he tore up the ballot.
Accusing Thaksin of unfairly controlling the election, opponents have called on voters to destroy their ballots or mark the "no vote" option — signaling abstention.
Ahead of Sunday's vote, four chiefs of provincial election commissions in the south and about 700 volunteers quit their jobs in protest against the Election Commission, which they say favors the Thaksin camp.
In one province, election officials in at least nine polling stations left their posts in protest against the commission. The polling stations opened several hours later with volunteer replacements.
The south is a center of opposition to Thaksin, who has been accused of corruption, abuse of power and mishandling an Islamic insurgency that has left at least 1,300 people dead in the last two years.
In Senate elections Wednesday, two police officers and an election volunteer were killed and 22 others were wounded in attacks by militants in the south.
"Thousands of Muslim people have been killed since Thaksin came to power and this is the only time that I can demonstrate my hatred of him," said Walai Yonprasert, a 55-year-old Muslim woman who tore up her ballot along with four other voters.
- Associated Press
===============================================================
EC slammed over 'outrageous' idea
By-elections likely to leave seats empty
The Election Commission stands accused of trying to twist the law by suggesting the new parliament should convene before there are any more by-elections to fill empty seats. The by-elections in some southern constituencies yesterday were beset with problems. Voters lived up to their threats by tearing up ballots or taking them home without voting _ and the EC's staff even walked off the job at some polling units.
EC secretary-general Ekkachai Warunphrapha said if not too many constituencies were left with empty seats, new by-elections might not be held before parliament was opened.
The commission could forward to parliament the list of winning candidates already endorsed and a royal decree could later be issued for needed by-elections.
He admitted voter turnout was low yesterday and in about 10 constituencies the lone candidates were unlikely to win the required 20% of eligible votes.
Thammasat University vice-rector Parinya Thewanarumitkul said the EC must keep organising by-elections until all constituency MPs are elected. Opening the parliament without a quorum would be unconstitutional. The EC had no business deciding the charter should be sidestepped in this case.
The EC ''absolutely'' cannot put a brake on by-elections before a quorum is achieved, he said. Doing so would be a deliberate violation of the law.
''That's out of the question. It's an outrageous legal breach. The EC is duty-bound to arrange elections. Opening parliament is off-limits to it,'' he said.
Varin Thiamcharas, of the People's Network for Elections in Thailand (P-Net), said by-elections would be held in many constituencies following complaints of election violations in many areas. Certain parties had hired some parties to field candidates in the by-elections.
He defended the actions of some voters who tore up their ballot sheets, saying they had the right to vent their disapproval against the EC over the by-elections.
The by-elections saw 18 voters in various constituencies, all in the South, ripping their ballots in protest against the by-elections and caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Seven voters tore up their ballot sheets in Songkhla, five in Phuket, two each in Chumphon and Surat Thani, one each in Yala and Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Other forms of protest also took place at polling booths in several southern constituencies.
In Chumphon province, Sunthorn Rakwong, chairman of the network of People's Alliance for Democracy, said people signed their name to get the ballot paper but refused to use it. He said the low turnout for the April 2 general election was a clear sign that there were no suitable candidates for people to elect.
He accused the EC of being a political tool of Thai Rak Thai.
Manoo Khiewkhram, leading member of the network of the People's Alliance for Democracy in Phuket, said people were fed up with elections and did not want to cast ballots.
In Songkhla, five women vendors, all Muslims, tore up their blank ballot sheets in protest against Mr Thaksin. Sa-ard Jindewa, 66, Jinthana Jindewa, 45, Pranee Veerawong, 63, and Walai Yonprasert, 56, tore their voting papers in constituency 61, while Sumon Tula, 51, tore her ballot in constituency 62. All wore black.
''We don't like Mr Thaksin. We don't want Thaksinocracy and a corrupt prime minister. Why didn't he step down?'' Mrs Jinthana said. She said she and the other vendors had not been paid for their audacious act. All were willing to do it to show the public that they were grassroots people who oppose Mr Thaksin leading the country.
Mrs Pranee said she and the other four vendors had the right to free expression.
''We tore up the ballot paper but we didn't do anything wrong. We are not afraid of being arrested. We don't like Mr Thaksin and don't want to see him return to power,'' she said.
The vendors received applause and flowers from cheering crowds.
The vendors were taken to Songkhla police station to hear the charges against them. They were later bailed by Ekkachai Isornthas, a leading member of the network of the People's Alliance for Democracy.
Two other voters joined the ballot ripping campaign in Songkhla _ Kriangsak Liewchanpattana, of Prince of Songkla University's faculty of medicine, and another male voter.
Dr Kriangsak said his action might attract the wrong kind of publicity but he felt it was incumbent upon him to do so. People could not trust the EC or the Administrative Court.
He was willing to be jailed, fined or have his election rights revoked for five years in exchange for the freedom of expression of 64 million Thais nationwide.
The academic, wearing black, was cheered on by about 30 members of the ''We Love Songkhla'' group. He was later charged by Hat Yai police and used his position to bail himself.
Pol Gen Ekkachai described the ballot tearing protest as having a destabilising effect on the country.
- BP
Posted 2006-04-24 06:55:43
sriracha john, on 2006-04-24 05:34:56, said: Opening the parliament without a quorum would be unconstitutional. The EC had no business deciding the charter should be sidestepped in this case.
The EC ''absolutely'' cannot put a brake on by-elections before a quorum is achieved, he said. Doing so would be a deliberate violation of the law.
The house has to sit before the question of a quorum comes into question. If the house is allowed to convene, it has a full quorum under the existing constitution. The vice-rector has his sections of the constitution confused as he is talking about Section 98.
Section 98.
The House of Representatives consists of five hundred members, one hundred of whom are from the election on a party-list basis under section 99 and four hundred of whom are from the election on a constituency basis under section 102. In the case where the office of a member of the House of Representatives becomes vacant for any reason and an election of a member of the House of Representatives has not been held to fill the vacancy, the House of Representatives shall consist of the existing members of the House.
Section 155.
At a sitting of the House of Representatives or the Senate, the presence of not less than one-half of the total number of the existing members of each House is required to constitute a quorum.
Posted 2006-04-24 11:27:34
ando, on 2006-04-23 11:27:50, said: I wonder if the people in the south and other places where TRT is not popular will eventually feel let down that they now have no real representation in the democratic process? The democrats and tag along minor parties choose to abandon their constituents by not participating in democracy. The people in these positions need only look to their own failed political candidates to see who let them down and denied them a voice in government.
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Ando ... scroll back a few months
this has been dealt with already. not worth dealing with you trolling to bring it back through and explain it to you.
Posted 2006-04-24 11:41:35
Geeze ... take a few days off and Captain Outrageous is STILL at it ... but now it is not because he believes any of what he says ... it is to balance the anti-PAD folks 
it just keeps getting sillier and sillier ... but I look forward to his next report from the dangerous crisis areas he goes to
Posted 2006-04-24 13:46:38
Quote I have not failed to show anything, you fail to accept that Sondhi's inspiration - Pramuan's work "Royal Power" - is a racist revisionist piece of shite. And i am getting tired to post the links where noted academics criticise that work you anyhow don't read.
I've never seen your links, and so never read any of their arguments, and you never presented them here, you just keep repeating "racist", "undemocratic", occasionally even "nazist", and on and on and on. No one knows what ticked you off about that book.
Quote And if you don't read the reports from Global witness i have provided you with the links, i can't help you either - just don't tell me please that i don't come up with anything other than the Salween log scandal being the tip of the iceberg.
That link stretches 20 years back, yet looking at the numbers, TRT steal as much in a month. Corruption always been here, everyone knows that, but the scale changed, dramatically, everyone knows that, too. What's your point?
Quote I am also sorry that you don't read the Human Rights Watch reports i have provided a link to, which shows rather well that serious human rights violations have happened under the Chuan government
Yet you ignored latests reports from the same source that show worsening of human rights situation under Thaksin. Why?
You yourself stated recently that Chuan's was the best government here, then proceeded proving that it was no better than Thaksin's. It's a bit confusing, and inconsistent, unless you have a higher agenda:
Quote I believe ... it is highly appropriate to spoil the party a bit...
The technical term for it is "trolling". All the issues you raise are just bait - corruption, deforestation of Burma, Khmer Rouge, Chatichai, his son Kraisak, HR reports, log scandals, "fashist" books - you just want to endlessly engage people in issues that are actually dead on arrival, and often have nothing to do with the topic at hand.
I'm getting tired of playing fetch with you - searching the Net, looking for quotes to confirm rather obvious points, only to find that you have a new stick to throw, day after day.
For all your intellegence and knowledge, you seem to have lost the purpose of posting here. "Spoil a party" for others doesn't cut it.
Posted 2006-04-24 13:57:19
Good to see others finally getting tired of riding the colpyat train to nowhere... I did so around his 50th career post and only rarely and occasionally even bother to respond to his circular and off-topic and ever-changing posts and points of view.
Posted 2006-04-24 14:24:05
Plus, on 2006-04-24 13:46:38, said: The technical term for it is "trolling". All the issues you raise are just bait - corruption, deforestation of Burma, Khmer Rouge, Chatichai, his son Kraisak, HR reports, log scandals, "fashist" books - you just want to endlessly engage people in issues that are actually dead on arrival, and often have nothing to do with the topic at hand.
I'm getting tired of playing fetch with you - searching the Net, looking for quotes to confirm rather obvious points, only to find that you have a new stick to throw, day after day.
For all your intellegence and knowledge, you seem to have lost the purpose of posting here. "Spoil a party" for others doesn't cut it.
I did not know yet that presenting a differing opinion is called "trolling" - i always thought discourse is the essence of democracy. But then, it appears that the PAD and their supporters have redifined democracy - if one does not agree with you he can be neglected and stepped over.
Anyhow, the Global Witness link is from '98, stretches 20 years back. It is not from 20 years ago. And, no, i do not disregard that the human rights situation worsened under Thaksin. I believe i have made that rather clear in the post to the poster who brought the point up.
You may be confused about my statements, but that may be because reality is rather confusing and not some make believe kingdom where the "good" are in endless battle with the "bad". Yes, i do believe that the Chuan governments have been, considering everything, the best governments Thailand had. Nevertheless, i am not blind to the fact that there were serious corruption issues and human rights violations as well. Neither am i blind to the fact that the Chuan government has done nothing whatsoever to adress the serious problems of the rural poor. Which Thaksin has been able to exploit.
And, again, if you did not read the links, than you should go back to the threads where i posted them. I can't help you if you prefer not read my links. And i am getting rather tired of reposting my links, or the keywords under which you should search google.
Basically, as far as i can see this is a web board discussing politics. That means that there will be different opinions presented, backed up by different sources. If you don't want to search the net, or whichever sources there are, then maybe you should not involve yourself in discussions that are beyond your intellectual capabilities.
Flaming, throwing personal insults and accusations of "trolling" does disrupt any informed discussion, and will result in a infantile mutual agreement society. But maybe this is exactly what sriratchajohn, jdinsia, you, and some others intend.
Posted 2006-04-24 15:01:22
Quote And, again, if you did not read the links, than you should go back to the threads where i posted them. I can't help you if you prefer not read my links. And i am getting rather tired of reposting my links, or the keywords under which you should search google.
I believe I read all the posts in the News Clippings topics I posted in and I've never seen you links. Keywords (names) to search google didn't turn up anything to support you radical views either. Why should it be my job to find support for your point of view anyway? For all I know about the book - your assessment is a way off mark, but you keep on going without presenting any actual arguments, post after post after post.
As for informed discussion and different opinions - I'm all for it, but not for the sake of endless arguing motivated by "spoiling other's party". That is called trolling.
Have you noticed yourself that all your "differing, informed opinions" of late are straight from any five year old Thailand guidebook. That's what is most disappointing on your part - sloppy, boring "trolling".
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