State of Emergency declared

Arcadian · Post by **Arcadian** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:18 pm

Be careful Sarge, it may be a Nigerian banking scam.

sargeant · Post by **sargeant** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:23 pm

i might put it out there they will have to pay of my overdraft before they can get anything out of it

and at 60 bht to the quid they will be waiting a long time

Post by **buksida** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 3:46 pm

The government on Thursday approved an up-or-down national vote of confidence with a referendum that will ask every voting citizen the question: Do you want the government to continue in office?

Minister of Culture Somsak Kiatsuranond briefed the media on the proposal after the special cabinet meeting.

No date has been set for the vote, approved only in principle by the cabinet. The Council of State is to work out ballot questions and details of the referendum, a process Mr Somsak indicated could take a few weeks.

He said the cabinet members see a referendum that asks several questions - even giving voters an opportunity to comment on the ongoing political crisis and standoff in Bangkok. Questions might include whether voters approve of the government, want it to resign, or favour a new election.

"Prime Minister Samak (Sundaravej) sees this as the best solution," said Mr Somsak.

The ballot will ask one simple question, whether voters want the government to stay in power, Mr Somsak said. (Bangkok Post).

Thought: Another excuse to close everything, this one will go down to the wire.

sargeant · Post by **sargeant** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 3:54 pm

Sounds a good idea but if the vote goes Samack stays will PAD go along with the outcome

Post by **buksida** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 3:59 pm

Probably not when PPP head up to Issan in droves to buy the votes like they did last time, buy up two other parties, and then claim a 'democratic victory'

sargeant · Post by **sargeant** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 4:22 pm

I thought this is a referendum i did not hear of any vote buying in the last referendum the junta held maybe because there wasnt or wont be any seats or should i say trough places up for grabs

Post by **buksida** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 4:38 pm

Sorry sarge, you are correct, they only buy votes when there is a real election and a seat of power at stake.

Post by **Wanderlust** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 4:39 pm

This referendum idea is just a proxy election though, so the bribery will likely go on regardless; it won't solve anything at all, although it may be enough to calm down the situation in Bangkok for a while. The only way forward as I see it is for Someone with a higher authority to get involved but that isn't looking likely. Almost a classic standoff right now, but i think the PAD should back away and let the courts do what they will, while PAD should try and win the hearts and minds of the Isaan voters.

sargeant · Post by **sargeant** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 4:52 pm

I agree WL although i am not so sure the bribery will be so bad most of it is indivividual MPs at it
What i do agree with is the democrats winning hearts and minds up north and vice versa it seems to me both sides dont give a crap about their personal other half which is both politically divisive and geographically divisive which is dangerous.
PAD with its constant statements that Issaan and the north are stupid illiterates does nothing to help win the norths mind let alone their hearts

Post by **Nereus** » Thu Sep 04, 2008 11:05 pm

2 students shot when marching to PM home

Web www.bangkokpost.com

(BangkokPost.com) – Gunmen opened fire at a group of about 100 Ramkhamhaeng University students, injuring two, when they were marching to Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej’s residence to demand for his resignation on Thursday night.

According to deputy police commissioner Jongrak Juthanon, the students were gathering at a flat of the National Housing Authority on Soi Nawamin 6 to prepare for a march to Mr Samak’s home. Shortly after leaving the site, a motorcycle passed by and opened fire at the students at around 9.30pm.

The victims were identified as Anusak Sieng-oon and Apichart Polrit, both 22. They were reportedly attacked when they were walking on Soi Nawamin 17. Mr Samak’s residence is on Soi 81.

They were rushed to Sinpat hospital.

Post by **STEVE G** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 1:44 am

Arrivals of foreign tourists in Bangkok are down 30 percent, the Association of Thai Travel Agents said Thursday, blaming the drop on a state of emergency declared three days ago in the capital.http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iQj ... 5EBZZrRGoQ

Post by **STEVE G** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 4:31 am

An article from The Nation highlights the huge differences between the two parties:http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/09/05/ ... 082644.php

Post by **Wanderlust** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 12:23 pm

Good piece there Steve. Having read that I think the only way forward is to call another General Election and for the Thais to accept outsiders (as the only possible independents) in to oversee the whole process, including the time from the announcement of the election, to ensure it is as free from corruption as possible. Ideally this would be preceded by an ad campaign to ensure that everyone knew that both giving and accepting a bribe for votes is illegal and counter productive to the democratic process; I don't know what the current penalty is but maybe it needs to be ramped up? Any campaign should also be used to encourage people to take a wider view of the election as regards what all the policies of the respective parties are. People also need to be reassured that their vote is completely anonymous and that no one will know who they voted for; it seems that this concept does not hold true here (my wife tells me that 'they' can easily find out) and it really is a fundamental aspect of a democratic voting system, and would help enormously to quell the desire to bribe voters directly with cash.

If such an election can be held it would be hard for anyone to object to the result and may enable Thailand to have at least some semblance of political stability, and may even start the process of reuniting a politically and economically divided country.

sargeant · Post by **sargeant** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 12:24 pm

Steve a very interesting article which just about sums up what i think which is unusual.
Just as a matter of interest at the bottom there is a guy Title Tamasek or Thaksin who says
"I cannot help myself recalling on my very first theory that Thaksin never did sell his shares?"
I dont understand it myself but it is an interesting article

Post by **buksida** » Fri Sep 05, 2008 1:55 pm

That is a good article and I would agree with it if PPP had actually done anything for the people that voted them in - all of these politicians are power-mongers with their own greed and hunger for more money and power being their only driving force.

Not very Buddhist is it

Hua Hin Forum

State of Emergency declared

State of emergency declared