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Chamlong: ‘We’re professional prime-minister ousters’

Fri, 26/11/2010 - 10:15 | by prachatai

On 24 Nov, at about 9.50 pm, Chamlong Srimuang vowed to the yellow shirts in front of Parliament that they would have a long big fight on 11 Dec, saying these three days are considered a dress rehearsal, ASTV-Manager reports.

Another PAD speaker Praphan Koonmee had told the crowd that the government wanted to change Section 190 of the Constitution to make it easy to approve the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Committee (JBC) reports, and this would lead to the loss of Thai territory to Cambodia.

Chamlong said that the planned rally on 11 Dec would be fully organized, with a PA system, a stage, video screens and music.

‘Come what may, they don’t know who we are.  To any prime minister who disgraces the country, we’re professional prime-minister ousters.  Let’s see who this land belongs to.  We have ousted three [prime ministers] already, haven’t we?  What about a fourth?  We don’t have to worry, no matter how the parliament votes tomorrow [25 Nov].  We’ll come on 11 Dec for a long fight.  Never stop until we win.  Don’t worry about the Emergency Decree or anything.  The loss of territory is a greater cause,’ Chamlong said.

He said that the authorities could not arrest them because there were not enough jails and police to hold them.  He had already been in jail when he was arrested in May 1992 and Oct 2008.

Before the rally was halted at 10 pm, Chamlong urged the PAD supporters to come out on 11 Dec, saying that the old days would be revived.

Source: 

http://www.prachatai3.info/journal/2010/11/32050

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#16227 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Fri, 26/11/2010 - 12:30

Govt bills proceed amid

Govt bills proceed amid chaos

The passage of the government drafts came after the joint sitting of parliament rejected two other drafts...

A commotion started after the vote on the third draft [ seeking to change the electoral system ] when opposition MPs... called for a new round of voting.

The number of votes monitored by government, opposition and senate representatives did not add up.

Parliament president Chai Chidchob agreed to set up a committee to examine the vote count. The first reading was declared passed [!]...

After the draft's passage, the government proposed a 24-member committee be set up to vet the bill.

The Puea Thai Party refused to name representatives to the committee...

Chaos erupted when Piyarat Muensaen, a Puea Thai MP for Roi Et who defected to the coalition Bhumjathai Party, named several Puea Thai MPs as committee members [!!]...

Mr Chai... allowed Mr Piyarat to complete the nomination [!!!]... Jeers and boos prompted Mr Chai to call a 10-minute break.

After the recess, Puea Thai MP Kitti Somsap, who was absent when he was nominated, asked to be withdrawn from the committee and requested that action be taken against Mr Piyarat who did not return to the chamber.

Mr Chai told the parliament he would instruct Mr Piyarat to withdraw the names and urged those who were unhappy to file a complaint with the Constitution Court [!!!!].

The joint sitting then moved to vote on the fourth draft which seeks to amend Section 190 involving parliamentary approval of any treaty to be signed with another country.

The draft was passed last night with the support of 354 lawmakers.

The Bangkok Post refuses to acquaint the public with the contents of the amendment of 'Section 190 involving [ the abrogation of ] parliamentary approval of any treaty to be signed with another country'!

The Chinese are following this amendment more openly than the Thai MSM are :

Thai parliament votes to accept last government-sponsored amendment draft

BANGKOK, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Thai parliament voted on Thursday evening to accept a last constitutional amendment draft sponsored by the ruling coalition that seeks to make it easier for the government to enter into agreements with foreign countries.

What's that say about an upcoming 'treaty to be signed with another country'?

#16244 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Sat, 27/11/2010 - 21:20

Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed

Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed train project to be completed late 2015

BANGKOK, Nov 27 -- A high-speed train project, a planned joint investment project between Thailand and China, which will link between the Thai capital and Nong Khai province bordering Laos is expected to be completed in late 2015, said Supoj Saplom, permanent secretary for Thai Transport Ministry.

Mr Supoj said after a meeting of the working committee on Friday that the meeting had discussed on preparing a draft of memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the joint venture project. The draft is expected to be ready in early January next year and forward to the cabinet for its consideration later the same month before it is submitted to the parliament for its consideration and approval in February.

The parliamentary process is expected to be completed in March while construction could start in 2011 and furnished in late 2015, Mr Supoj said.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva met his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao on Nov 12 and the latter agreed to speed up negotiations to construct a high-speed train system in Thailand.

The Chinese premier said the discussion should begin with the details of the routes and format of joint investment, according to Mr Abhisit. (MCOT online news)

If the government's amendment of Section 190 goes forward, and these guys are treating like a done-deal, all anyone in Thailand will be able to do is watch Korn and Abhisit sign whatever the Chinese tell them to.

#16228 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Fri, 26/11/2010 - 13:03

Reform panels seek B1.2bn to

Reform panels seek B1.2bn to fund projects

National reform panels led by Anand Panyarachun and Prawase Wasi are seeking a budget of almost 1.2 billion baht for their proposals over the next three years.

Deputy government spokesman Marut Masayawanich said the cabinet yesterday approved a proposal from the National Health Commission of Thailand (NHCO) for operating budgets for the National Reform Committee chaired by former prime minister Anand and the National Reform Assembly led by social thinker Prawase.

The NHCO is closely connected to the reform panels as some of the committee members had a working relationship with the commission before the panels were established.

The budget totalling 1.19 billion baht covers the panels' operating plans from 2011 to 2013.

The Reform Office would ask for a budget from the state through the NHCO for projects in 2012 and 2013.

The Reform Office borrowed 15 million baht from the Thai Health Promotion Foundation last fiscal year to help finance some of its reform schemes, Ms Wanee said.

#16229 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Fri, 26/11/2010 - 13:05

How come so many unions and

How come so many unions and elite NGOs voted in contravention of their own statutes of justice?

Many NGO leaders who participated in PAD actions now sit on the National Reconciliation Council (and it’s sub-councils), which has an annual budget of 200 million Baht and is managed by the National Health Commission, which is chaired by Abhisit.

The heavy funding by the global unions and trade unions in the North, that began in the 1970ies, rarely reached the grass-root of Thai society. These days That trade unions are gradually receiving more funding from the Government-funded Thai Health Promotion Foundation, which, in practice translates to a further undermining of the bottom-up, rights-based approach to labour organisation.

After I sent out a statement condemning the 2006 military coup, a senior Thai aid agency official told me my statement did not represent ‘the Thai NGO position’! One month after the coup, at the Thai Social Forum in October 2006, there was a debate amongst right and left NGOs on whether or not to demonstrate under the military junta. A few decided to demonstrate, but the majority, especially those funded by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (who came to the forum in yellow), did not. And then, after the bloody May crackdown in 2010, I was told by a senior regional NGO official: “You don’t love Thailand and don’t deserve to be a Thai.”!

Since 2000, many funding agencies have been pulling out of Thailand, causing many NGOs to look elsewhere for support. Many have turned to the funding schemes of the ministries. The ‘Thai Health Promotion Foundation’ (THPF, 2001, financed by sales tax on tobacco, alcohol etc.), has been playing an increasingly significant role in guiding NGOs. Under the monitored guidelines of the THPF many NGOs have shifted the emphasis of their work from ‘rights based approach’ to ‘service provider’. Since they are required to withdraw from political mobilisation, many NGOs have now departed from the critical task of campaigning for participatory democracy.

#16234 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Sat, 27/11/2010 - 08:49

The PAD, too, oppose the

The PAD, too, oppose the amendment that would put the power to effect binding treaties in the hands of the putsch independent of the parliament and the people, but on the grounds of an assumeed agreement with Cambodia on the Preah Vihar temple dispute that would violate their ultra-nationalist fantasies.

Constitutional parting of ways

The sticking point is the proposed amendment to Section 190 of the constitution which governs parliamentary endorsement of international treaties.

Maj Gen Chamlong and his yellow shirt stalwarts said they would definitely return to the fore to prevent parliament from approving the amendment to Section 190.

The PAD attacked the ruling Democrat Party for changing its colours by seeking to change Section 190.

The alliance charged that the amendment, if pushed through, would make it easier for the coalition administration to deal smoothly with Cambodia on border issues which would undermine Thai territorial integrity.

Solving disputes with Cambodia in a peaceful way is not a problem, handing over the rights and interests of the Thai people to a clique of "elite" insiders is the problem. They will sell-out the interests of Thais and of Thailand in a heartbeat as they have, again and again.

#16238 - by doctor J (visitor) () | Sat, 27/11/2010 - 09:34

An old soldier never die. But

An old soldier never die. But an-old-soldier-turn-a-clown will soon drown in his own foul-speech (and his delusive, distort thought). His suicidal mission scheduled on Dec 11. I'm not convinced as whether it'll turn out to be a tragic or a hilarious scene !

#16241 - by john francis lee (visitor) () | Sat, 27/11/2010 - 10:07

In that case, doctor J, let's

In that case, doctor J, let's root for hilarious!