Uneasy Times For Democrats And Pheu Thai

[Flashermac]

It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation for the Democrat Party, while the ruling

Pheu Thai is faced with dropping popularity.

 

The Democrats have to make a difficult decision on whether to contest or boycott the general election on February 2, while caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is reportedly feeling disheartened and is unsure about continuing her political career. Moreover, both parties admit their popularity will decline in the upcoming election.

 

The Democrats could delay their decision until the last day of registration of party-list candidates on December 27. Currently, the party is seeking the opinion of its 178 party branches nationwide on the issue. Their opinions, including the size of the mass rally of anti-government protesters called on Sunday, will be considered by both the new and old boards at its meeting on Saturday.

 

A new member of the Democrat executive committee, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he would propose to the meeting that the party conditionally field candidates.

 

"I'd suggest that we campaign under the slogan 'vote for the Democrats, vote for political reform'. After the elections, we may opt not to take any political position, to pave the way for real political reform. Now we are creating the best condition that we can," the source said.

 

Following such a course would show that the party respects the rule of law and is trying to protect democracy under the Constitution, which is what Democrat voters really want, he said.

 

Democrat leaders estimate that 70 per cent of Thais believe an election is the best way to end the current political conflict, while 30 per cent do not want an election now, the source added.

 

"Most of the [30 percent] group are Democrat supporters. So if the party decides to run in the election, it is hard to imagine what will happen next. We might become the party hated by the protesters. We might get less than 100 seats in the election," the source said.

 

"Now is the right time for the Democrat Party to seize the advantage as a political reform leader. This can make the anti-government protesters our supporters and vote for us," the source said.

 

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday said the current atmosphere is not suitable for the election and that people have doubts about the use of power by the government. Therefore, the election should be postponed.

 

"The validity of the election is not determined by whether the Democrats will run in the election but whether the people will boycott the election," Abhisit said.

 

Since dissolving the House, Yingluck has not yet revealed whether she will run in the next election. However, Pheu Thai will plead with her to run as a party-list candidate again as she is still popular, a party source said. But they may choose another MP to become the prime minister after the election. Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana, who is in charge of national reform, and caretaker Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang are emerging as PM candidates if Yingluck decides not to return to politics.

 

Pheu Thai, which is preparing to field all 125 party-list candidates and 375 constituency candidates, estimates the party would win 200-230 seats, down from 265 in the last election, the source said.

 

An internal poll conducted by Pheu Thai found the popularity of a Thaksin Shinawatra party to be the lowest in 12 years since his first government came to power under Thai Rak Thai, a Democrat source claimed. The party has lost many supporters in Bangkok and the Central region. This could help the Democrats win more party-list MP seats if the party decides to contest, the source said.

 

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Uneasy-times-for-Democrats-and-Pheu-Thai-30222454.html

[cavanami]

I had to make a visit to Bumrungrad Hospital and as we went over Sukhumvit, we could see the No Shirts

walking up the street, whistles blowing. That was about 1 PM. We finished up at the Hospital about 4 PM and

no protesters, traffic normal

[waerth]

That was because Suthep held one of his fitness marches. It was a small round of Bangkok.

 

The "no shirts" have to work. So what you see is people coming out of their offices during lunchbreak. And then go back when their lunchbreak finishes. Has been like this since the first protests. Where have you been? Burma?

[cavanami]

Almost...Samut Sakhon which is little Burma with all the Burma people working in the fish factories here...from 200 ~ 300K of Burma people living here

[waerth]

I know that is why I said ... Burma

[cavanami]

...you know too mutt...

[waerth]

Anyway interesting observation by a journalist whom is actually covering the demonstrations by joining the walk as opposed to BBC and other stations .....

 

Michael Yon (facebook page)

 

Bangkok protest is growing at this moment. As it moves through Bangkok toward Democracy Monument, it grows. Many thousands, but I am noticing something I never saw in the news, and you must be here to witness in person. There may actually be hundreds of thousands. What is happening is that a core group of many thousands are marching through, and then large numbers join for a short distance but stay in their areas of town. Any estimate likely will only include the core. They should be tired now but appear only to be warming up. Their feet must hurt. Nobody drinking alcohol. Feels very safe. Not many police and police relations good. No army. No helicopters. No dramas. Whistles very loud.

[Flashermac]

Sunday on schedule too. My office cleaning woman has already told me she will be there. She is one of the "evil Bangkok elite" the foreign press talks about, even though she makes probably the minimum wage and lives in little more than a shack.

 

p.s. A red shirt taxi driver yesterday told me the protesters are getting paid 500 baht each a day. My cleaning woman would beat the crap out of him for that lie, but that is the line the red shirts are being fed.

[waerth]

Fuck taxi drivers. They are really going lawless. The last 2 months I am having problems everytime anywhere I want to get a taxi. At least 10 till someone wants to go my way. I hope they all die. Preferably after torture.

 

Took me 45 minutes just now before I had a taxi to go home. I am truly pissed of.

[Specialist]

I almost tried to do a zero-lead-time quick trip into BKK over the holidays. Sounds like I'd be better off waiting until things have settled down some.

 

As it was, I thought hard about how busy I would be getting it organized, and how busy I would be when I got back, and decided that getting extra sleep over the next several days was a far better idea.