Mentors Posted July 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2009 PM: No problems for govt’s stability The disqualification of 13 Democrat MPs would not affect the stability of the Democrat-led coalition government, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Friday morning. The Democrat MPs, including Deputy Prime Minister and party secretary general Suthep Thaugsuban, were disqualified by the Election Commission (EC) yesterday for violating the constitution by holding shares in businesses prohibited by the charter. The Constitution Court will have the final say. “If the Constitution Court also rules to disqualify the MPs and by-elections are held, I am confident that the MPs will once again win at the pollsâ€Â, said Mr Abhisit. It was not necessary for the MPs to resign their seats now. Only those ruled guilty by the court would have to resign. The prime minister said there would be no need for a cabinet reshuffle. Mr Suthep could continue to hold the position of deputy prime minister even if he was disqualified as an MP. http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/149244/pm-no-problem-about-govt-s-stability Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentors Posted July 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2009 Suthep resigns as MP Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban has resigned his parliamentary seat following the Election Commission's ruling on Thursday that he and 12 other Democrat MPs contravened the constitution by holding shares in firms involved with the mass media or state contracts. If the Constitute Court upholds the EC's ruling they will be disqualified. Mr Suthep, a list MP, said he submitted his resignation to House Speaker Chai Chidchob on Friday afternoon. He felt the Election Commision's ruling was unjustified. He would remain a deputy prime minister. He said he never thought his possession of shares in IRPC was against the constitution. Moreover, he bought the shares before the 2007 constitution came into effect, and the shares had all been sold. Mr Suthep said he had to accept the EC's ruling because, as deputy prime minister in charge of security affairs, he would not have time to the fight the case in the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions. Mr Suthep said if the Supreme Court ruled otherwise, the EC should show its responsibility. He said it was his own decisionto resign as an MP. He had not consulted Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who is the Democrat Party leader, or other party executives. Mr Suthep is secretary-general of the Democrat Party. Although he had resigned, he encouraged the other 12 MPs to fight the case in court. Mr Abhisit had earlier said the 13 MPs need not to resign as their fate had yet to be decided by the Supreme Court http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/149293/suthep-resigns-as-mp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentors Posted July 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 PM: I'll end corruption PM Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has vowed to end corruption and all illegal political activities to restore foreigners' confidence in the country. "Thailand can be developed if corruption is eradicated and laws are enforced seriously, particularly the laws relating to political activities," Mr Abhisit said while giving a speech on the economic crisis and the future of the country at the Thai Navy on Thursday morning. "I'm a democrat who abides by the constitution and has never intimidated or interfered with people with different ideas, but all activities must be carried out under the legal framework," he said. He said the government had to take resolute measures under the law to deal with the anti-government rioters in April and the gathering in Chiang Mai where protesters were armed. He admitted the task would not be easy but the government would try to achieve it to bring stability to the country. http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/149898/pm-i-ll-end-corruption Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faustian Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Yeah, good luck with that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentors Posted July 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 yes, the Spam PM knows how to handle things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted July 23, 2009 Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Some how I doubt the PM can afford to anger the police AND military. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentors Posted July 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2009 Some how I doubt the PM can afford to anger the police AND military. and Khun Newin... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SurinBum Posted July 31, 2009 Report Share Posted July 31, 2009 Thaksin was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and is living in exile to avoid a jail sentence for corruption imposed in absentia. The PAD accused the previous government of being a corrupt front for him.His supporters say Abhisit's rise to power is illegitimate and have demanded that he call elections. A "red-shirt" protest forced the premier to move his inaugural policy speech from parliament in late December. Hope you are correct.... Some circles have suggested that PM Abhisit took power through a judicial coup. I believe in my heart, that the larger issues are being missed here. The same old power system is intertwined amongst all concerned. Same as it ever was... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentors Posted August 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2009 Suthep: Silent coup just a rumour AM The army would not stage a silent coup as rumoured, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said. "I've been working with army officials for the past seven to eight months and I believe they are not plotting a coup. The people who spread this rumour should be responsible for what they said," Mr Suthep said on Monday. "The army officials I know follow the democratic system and they are not looking for more power," he added. Mr Suthep also rejected opposition Puea Thai MP Pracha Prasopdee's comment that there would be a major political change in the next three months. He said there was no need for the government to set up a war room to monitor the activities of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD). The red-shirts will submit the petition seeking a royal pardon for fugtive ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary on Monday. "We should not underestimate the situation but we should not be too apprehensive either," he said. There had not been reports about a "third hand" who might attempt to incite unrest during the UDD mass rally at Sanam Luang. Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon also believed no violence would erupt during the rally, and shot down the rumour that the army would stage a silent coup. The police were responsible for overseeing security while the army would be ready to reinforce them if requested, he said. Gen Prawit said he did not meet Bhumjaithai de facto leader Newin Chidchob while he was on an official trip to Singapore last week. The Supreme Court will deliver a verdict on the 1.44 billion-baht rubber sapling procurement project supervised by Mr Newin during the Thaksin administration six years ago. http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/151919/suthep-silent-coup-just-a-rumour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentors Posted August 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2009 Abhisit loses police vote A meeting to select the next national police chief has ended inconclusively after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva failed to win endorsement for his favoured candidate. Mr Abhisit was outraged with the interior minister and the police chief who voted against his nomination of Pol Gen Prateep Tunprasert. A source at the meeting of the 11-member board of the Royal Thai Police Office said the prime minister, as board chairman, nominated Pol Gen Prateep, an inspector-general, to the board for approval. The new police chief will succeed Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwon, who retires at the end of next month. However, most board members suggested there should have been two nominations for the post, the source said. The board then asked that a vote be taken to endorse the prime minister's choice. Of the 11 board members present at the meeting, five voted against Pol Gen Prateep while four voted for him. The prime minister and another board member, Noppadon Inna, abstained, the source said. The board members who rejected the prime minister's nomination were Chavarat Charnvirakul, the interior minister, permanent secretary for the interior Wichai Srikhwan, Pol Gen Patcharawat, Suthep Thammarak, a specialist in planning and management, and Rewat Chamchalerm, a former attorney-general and a legal expert. The four who endorsed Pol Gen Prateep to take the top job included Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga and justice permanent secretary Kittipong Kittiyarak. However, some board members suggested the name of Chumpol Manmai, a deputy police chief, for consideration at the meeting, although the prime minister refused to nominate him, the source said. Another source close to the prime minister said Mr Abhisit was furious about the votes against his choice by Mr Chavarat and Pol Gen Patcharawat as they were seen as a challenge to his leadership. The two favoured Pol Gen Chumpol to be the new police chief . The source said the prime minister would stand by his choice and would nominate Pol Gen Prateep again at the next board meeting. Mr Abhisit could renominate Pol Gen Prateep for endorsement by the board by arguing that he had more information on the police officer's qualifications. The source said Mr Abhisit must do everything in his power to make sure Pol Gen Patcharawat would not be present at the next meeting to select the new police chief, and to convince Mr Noppadon, who abstained yesterday, to vote for Pol Gen Prateep. An endorsement of a police chief nomination needs the votes of at least six board members. Pol Gen Chumpol's strengths were support from the Bhumjaithai Party and other supporters. But the prime minister did not want the former National Intelligence Agency chief who rose to power with the backing of then premier Thaksin Shinawatra to take the top police post, the source said. Pol Gen Chumpol had told the government leader that his link with Thaksin was over. After the police board meeting at Government House, Mr Abhisit looked grim and got into his car immediately without talking to reporters. The premier also cancelled his other engagements in the evening. During a House meeting yesterday, Puea Thai Party list MP Chalerm Yubamrung accused the prime minister of violating the constitution by trying to delay putting the decree on the police force restructuring into effect. The delay was also halting the police reshuffle, he said. In reply to Mr Chalerm's allegations, Mr Abhisit said he had to delay putting the decree into effect because some police officers to be transferred under the new structure had questionable qualifications. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/22405/abhisit-loses-police-vote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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