By Thaweeporn Kummetha |
<p>It is not the first time Thailand has seen anti-Thaksin demonstrations at least twice before: once in 2006 and again in 2008 Still, it is an open secret that Thaksin administers the country from overseas. The leader protest himself admitted on the stage that the Thaksin regime would return despite a fresh election. The question for the demonstrators is obvious: What do they hope for from their rally? How can they literally eliminate the Thaksin regime? Is coup d'etat an option? Prachatai talked with four people who have joined the whistle-blowing demonstrations to explore their thoughts and desires.</p>
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By Harrison George |
<p>In another controversial ruling, the Constitutional Court of Thailand has disqualified the Pheu Thai party from politics for ‘not using one’s best efforts to win’ and ‘conducting oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport of politics’.</p>
By Harrison George |
<p>7 August 2012: House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont was criticized by the opposition Democrat Party for changing the House agenda. The speaker had ruled that the debate on an aborted NASA weather research mission should be cancelled. ‘Parliament has the obligation to debate issues of national importance,’ said a Democrat MP ‘and since this matter was referred to Parliament by Cabinet, the Speaker has no right to cancel the debate.’</p>
By Suntrareeya Hatha |
<p>I wonder if anyone in this country can claim they are totally innocent and purely committed to peace. For me, the Democrat Party rally crowd on 23 June is an example of this.</p>
<p>Out of the four speakers on the stage in front of Central World, Suthep Thaugsuban, the Democrat Party Secretary-General who also happens to be the country’s Deputy Prime Minister, seemed to have the most interesting information to share (although I’m not sure about its authenticity). </p>
By Abhisit Vejjajiva |
<p>Over the past two years as Prime Minister, I have been trying to keep you informed to elicit your participation and help you to understand my mission. Nonetheless, I have tried to avoid touching on political events which are highly sensitive as I do not want to exacerbate the current strife. But as misinformation has been spread by some media, I feel the urge to write this record for the benefit of all of you who are very soon going to decide the fate of this country.</p>
<p>Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij has written a short note on his <a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/korn-chatikavanij/truth-today/10150155324549730">Facebook page</a> about his conversation with a red-shirt taxi driver.</p>
<p>During his party’s seminar on Koh Samui, Deputy Prime Minister and Democrat Party Secretary-General Suthep Thaugsuban called on the people to help protect the monarchy to prevent civil war.</p>
By Pravit Rojanaphruk, The Nation |
<p>Nowadays, the failure of one public institution after another is disillusioning more and more Thais - something that could turn Thailand into a dysfunctional society or a failed state.</p>
<p>On 17 April, Election Commissioner Sodsri Sattayatham commented on the vote of Apichart Sukhakkhanon, Chair of the Election Commission, not to dissolve the Democrat Party in contrast to the other four commissioners.</p>
<p>She said that Apichart wore two hats, as the Chair of the EC and as the Registrar of Political Parties. As Registrar, he had appointed a 9-member working committee to deal with the Democrat case on his behalf.</p>