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March 2006 : General Election Boycotted
The three former opposition parties boycotted the April 2nd general election and opted for invocation of article 7 of the constitution.
The Supreme Administration Court ruled against the government’s privatization plan of EGAT while the NCCC selection panel selected only 13 candidates.
Arms procurement put on hold until the formation of new government.
Private school fees can be increased in the next academic year.
Governor Apirak Kosayodhin revamped BMA’s operation and appointed new executive team.
WDDF revealed Thai women are under-represented while former female PAO candidate sentenced to jail.
Caretaker public health minister terminated TDRI’s research grant after its outcome was disclosed.
General election boycotted
The Democrat, Chart Thai and Mahachon parties on March 2 announced they are boycotting the April 2 general election therefore there will be not a single candidate from them to run in the upcoming election. The Democrat launched a series of rallies across the country to explain their stands and on March 31campaign in Chiang Mai province leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and general-secretary Suthep Thugsuban were forced to leave stage abruptly by about 1,000 Thaksin loyalists.
Democrat Chart Thai and Mahachon parties together with several civic activists previously called on the EC to end the use of rubber stamp in the upcoming election in order to avoid poll fraud. The law has been amended to the use of a rubber stamp to mark ballots in order to avoid human’s error. The EC later announced either pen marking and rubber stamp would be provided in the polling stall and voter can use what sever he prefers.
The anti-Thaksin protesters grew bigger and bigger in March when more people from all walks of life united in Ratchadamnern Avenue every weekend nights calling caretaker prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to resign. The protesters called themselves the People Alliance for Democracy [PAD] and have 5 core leaders namely: Sondhi Limthongkul founder of Manager newspaper, Maj Gen Chamlong Srimuang representative of Santi Asoke group, Somsak Kosaisuk representative of State Enterprises Relations Confederation and the Network of Power and Water Supplies Protection, Pipob Thongchai of the Campaign for Popular Democracy [CPD] and Somkiat Pongpaiboon lecturer from Ratchabhat Nakorn Ratchasrima. After gathered in the Ratchadamnern area for several weeks, on March 30 the protesters moved to the commercial area of Pathumwan district in which several big shopping complexes locate. Three big complexes, Siam Paragon, Siam Discovery and Siam Center closed their operation for one day but the demonstrators dissolved on the next morning after marching to the Election Commission office urging the EC to investigate into the allegation against PM Thaksin on election fraud. They showed a poster of Mr. Thaksin giving away cash to participant at the Vocational College Students and Nation Building seminar on February 25 at Muanhg Thong Thani arena. The EC said investigation could be carried on after the election.
As political turmoil was increasing Pol. Gen Chidchai Wanasatit was promoted to first deputy prime minister to take care of the situation. There were fears on crashes between the anti and pro Thaksin groups as the latter, called themselves Caravan of the Poor, thousands of farmers from north and northeastern regions arrived in Bangkok and stayed in Chatuchak park while the anti-Thaksin group besieged the government house. However both parties demonstrated peacefully until on March 30 when about 2,000 of the Caravan of the Poor went from Chatuchak to besieged Thai-language newspaper, Kom Chad Luek, demanding the newspaper endorse its report and closes until a royal pardon is given. Kom Chad Luek previously had seek a royal pardon on its front page publication on the mistake in reporting Mr. Sondhi Limthongkul’s interview but the mob was not satisfied. However, after 7 hours of negotiation both parties reach an agreement on an endorsement of the report and the newspaper suspended publication for five days, from March 31 to April 1, 2, 8 and 9.
Another group of about 5,000 indebted farmers under the Farmers’ Debt Network of Thailand on March 24, protested at the head offices of two commercial banks, Krung Thai and Bangkok Plcs, pressured them to honor a debt restructuring and suspend legal action against the members who failed to repay loans. The two banks finally accepted to reduce initial loans which cost around 500-600 baht each. It was estimated that farmers’ debts registered under the Farmers’ Debt Rehabilitation and Development Fund Act are worth more than 50 billion baht.
To end up political crisis and solve a dead lock many elite groups; senators, academics, descendents of royal families etc., petitioned to the King to install article 7 of the constitution - an invocation of a royal decision and bestow a prime minister and interim government. The Press Council of Thailand and the Lawyers Council of Thailand were among those who supported the solution since they believe it is the only solution to end up Thaksin regime and restore peace and bring the country back to normal. However, deputy prime minister Visanu Kreungam on March 2 insisted the current political situation did not warrant article 7 and a caretaker government could issue an executive decree or apply other legal channels to run the country after a prime minister resigned from the post.
A bomb exploded on March 9 near a security booth in front of the residence of Gen. Prem Tinsulanonda chairman of the Privy Council. Three more firecrackers were thrown into Dr. Chai-Anan house at Vajiravudh College. A letter warning him not to undermine democracy by involving the college in political conflict was also sent in a box on the same day. Dr. Chai-Anan strongly supports an invocation of article 7 and he was a member of the scholars who petitioned the King for a royal bestowed prime minister and interim government to ensure a fair election and supervision of the charter amendment. The petition also argued that Mr. Thaksin improperly exercise his constitution power to dissolve the House of Reps, which could damage the parliamentary system and worsen the situation. Dr. Chai-Anan was filed a police complaint by a TRT party member on his active role and the party also file another complaint on Thammasart University rector Surapol Nithikraipop on ground of violated the national security law and article 201 of the constitution stipulating the premier must be appointed from among House members.
Regards speculations that 500 MPs seat could not be reached and the parliament could not be convened the EC asked the Constitutional Court to rule on the case whether a new round of candidacy registration could be called in Samut Sakhon’s constituency 3 after a lone candidate TRT party contender Udom Kraiwatnusorn was purged on ground that he failed to vote on the last general election. The Constitution Court on March 21 voted 9:1 against answering the EC’s saying the court had no authority to make a ruling therefore the EC must solve its own problem first by exercising its power to open a new round of candidate applications. If any complaint ensure, then the court may be able to come in to make a ruling.
The court also reject the EC’s second and third questions on whether election re-runs could be called in some constituencies with a single candidate who won less than 20% of the vote and in the case where the House falls short of having the 100 list MPs requires by law. The court found both questions were only speculation on the EC’s part, dealing with anticipated scenarios that have not yet been occurred.
A Samut Sakhon crisis was solved when a new round of registration was opened but eventually an election could not be held in Nondhaburi when a timeframe did not allowed after Thai Rak Thai candidate, Pimpa Chandhraprasong was disqualified on ground that she failed to vote in last year’s general election. Moreover another MPs shortage is possible when veteran politician Premsak Pianyura Thai Rak Thai party-list number 93rd quit the party and entered the monkhood in March 11. If small parties failed to succeed in securing a party-list MP another vacant seat is inevitable.
In the upcoming general election small parties played more important role since the law required lone candidate to receive more than 20 percent of the total votes in their constituencies. Suthep Thuegsuban Democrat secretary-general accused Thai Rak Thai of illegally hiring small political parties and meddling with the EC database so disqualified candidates from the small parties could run the contest. He named deputy leader Thammarak Issarangkul Na Ayudhya, deputy secretary-general Pongsak Raktapongpaisarn and Promin Lertsuriyadej as being instrumental in the fraud scheme allegation. The EC transferred 3 officials, being charged of manipulation of political parties member list database from the position and appointed a panel to investigate.
Mr. Suthep later accompanied four witnesses to the Region 8 Police Bureau in Surat Thani province, where they were questioned by the EC’s investigation team in a case of alleged election fraud. The four witnesses said TRT paid them to stand in the poll but one of the witness, Ms. Thattima Pavalee reversed her earlier testimony and claimed she was offered one million baht from Mr. Suthep. She said a 300,000 baht has been paid into her bank account. If the court finds the accusation on ground the 60-years old and oldest political party Democrat could be dissolved but before any investigation proceed, a time bomb of half a kilogram of TNT was dropped at the Democrat party head office on March 27 morning. The police were able to destroy the circuit before its designated explosion at noon.
People’s Network for Election [P-Net] tried to mediate conflict between the PAD, the government and the former opposition parties. An arbitration panel, a meeting or even a debate were proposed but neither of them was accepted. The government nevertheless offered to form a government of national unity that will include the Democrat, Chart Thai and Mahachon parties, Chamlong Srimuang and Sondhi Limthongkul after the April 2 elections in order to bring unity back to the country but the proposal was turned down.
In spite of political non-solution altogether 681,116 people included Privy Council chairman Gen Prem Tinsulanonda cast their ballots in advance voting on March 27. 480,012 voted in their constituencies while the rest 201,104 voted outside.
Court ruled against EGAT privatization
The Supreme Administrative Court on March 23 ruled against the government’s privatization plan of EGAT Plc on grounds that the process involved conflicts of interest, incomplete public hearings and missteps in preparatory stages of the listing. Regard to the conflict of interest issue, Olarn Chaipravat, a board member of Shin Corp, a business partner of EGAT, was on the committee laying the groundwork for privatization. The court questioned the neutrality of Parinya Nutalai, chair of the public hearing panel on the EGAT listing, because he was an assistant to the natural resources and environment minister and also ruled that EGAT had not yet handed over the tracts of public land that were expropriated by the government to the state.
Regards the suspension of EGAT’s initial public offering [IPO], the state power utility decided to buy back shares from its staff at par value of 10 baht per share and will negotiate with financial institutions to help cover the interest on loans that many employees had taken out for the purchases. Meanwhile, the Revenue Department had agreed to ensure that no tax liability would result from the employees’ sales of the shares. EGAT 9,603 employees were the first group to respond to the buy back offer but the rest will also be eligible to shares buy-back.
13 NCCC candidates selected
The selection committee of the National Counter Corruption Commission [NCCC] selected only 13 candidates, out of 39 applicants, from 10 rounds of voting to enlisted as NCCC nominees. As the law required 18 candidates to be submitted to the Senate to finalize into 9 commissioners the committee will invite more applicants and the former applicants failed to be selected will be eligible for the next voting.
Arms procurement plan put on hold
The arms procurement plan for the three armed forces, as well as the air force plan to purchase SU-30 jet fighters from Russia have been put on hold due to the ongoing political turmoil and to await the formation of the new government.
Private school fees to increase next term
Private school tuition, school lunch and school bus service fees will be increased in the next academic year. The increase is applicable to private schools which do not receive state education subsidies and the annual fees of schools ranging from kindergarten level up to high school level will be raised to a maximum of 30,000 baht, while vocational colleges that offer a higher certificate in vocational education will be permitted to increase tuition fees to 40,000 baht annually. Schools are basically required to submit their fee hike requests to the Private Education Commission in which each case will be considered on a case-by-case basis and the approval will vary according to each school’s needs.
BMA revamp operations
Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin ordered a revamp of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s work, stressing greater independence from the government in managing its projects. He appointed a new team of BMA executives, replacing those who resigned earlier to pave the way for the new line-up.
Thai women are under-represented
The Women for Democratic Development Foundation [WDDF] and the United Nation Development Program [UNDP] reported that Thai women face discrimination in politics and are under-represented in upper tiers of government. Women hold just one ministerial post out of 36, one governorship out of 76 and only 10% of parliamentary seats, placing Thailand in 113th place out of 185 countries. Although women in Thailand have made visible progress in terms of life expectancy, maternal health, education and literacy standards, their success was limited by a lack of political power and influence in public life.
PAO candidate sentenced to jail
Former Chiang Rai PAO candidate, Salakjit Tiyapairat, was sentenced by the Chiang Rai Provincial Court on March 17, to imprisonment and the loss of her political rights for 10 years for filing a false vote-buying charge against a competitor in a local election in 2004. Her term was reduced from five to three years and nine months fine of 75,000 baht instead of 100,000 baht and she also loses her right to seek election for ten years.
Mrs. Salakjit ran the PAO election against Mrs. Rattana Jonsutthamanee in 2004 but lost. She then filed a complaint to the provincial election committee against Mrs. Rattana who is now president of the provincial administration organization [PAO] that Mrs. Rattana’s husband Wanchai , mayor of Chiang Rai municipality had canvassed votes for her in the PAO election by distributing toys and swings to villagers. The committee found the allegation groundless and Mrs. Rattana hailed the court ruling.
Mrs. Salakjit is the wife of the caretaker Natural Resources and Environment Minister Yongyuth Tiyapairat and she had another lawsuit filed by Mrs.Rattana on ground that Mrs. Salakjit filed a false lawsuit against her.
Mrs. Rattana, after a meeting with PM Thaksin a few days earlier, dropped the case against Mrs.Salakjit on March 30 and the Chiang Rai election commission ruled on the same day that Mrs. Salakjit is eligible to run in the April 19 senate election since she is on bail and her case is on appealing therefore the lose of right to seek election is not yet confirmed until the case comes to an end.
Economic policies failed
Caretaker public health minister Pinit Charusombat terminated Thailand development Research Institute [TDRI] research grant after its outcome disclosed the finding of study on the impact of the Thaksin administration policies on the economies. TDRI earlier disclosed that the government has exploited its populist policies for political gain and implemented economic policies in the interest of its cronies. The government’s three-years debt suspension scheme for farmers had failed to address the problems since the farmers’ debts were not reduced but only extends over a certain time period.
On the 30-baht health care scheme, the government had not been prepared when implementing the policy, resulting in complaints from medical personnel providing the treatment and budget allocated to hospitals under the scheme had not reflected the reality of medical cost.
Though the government has been credited for its macro-level economic management, particularly repaying all debts to the International Monetary Fund [IMF] ahead of schedule, but achievement on economic growth could not be claimed as key indicators have shown a setback in the past two years. Moreover, the government had implemented policies and economic measures to benefit businesses close to its leader, for instance, the value assets of Shin Corp, owned by PM Thaksin’s family was 41 billion baht before sold to Singapore’s Temasek Holdings at 73 billion baht.
The research also revealed that new laws were enacted to benefit firms owned by Mr. Thaksin’s family; the exemption of the 16 billion baht in excise tax for the iPSTAR satellite and the Export-Import Bank of Thailand’s granting of soft loans to Burma to buy into broadband satellite system of a business owned by people close to the government.
Mr.Pinit made a remark that other educational institutions namely Kasetsart or Mahidol are likely to be commissioned to evaluate the health care policy impact.
From : http://www.fpps.or.th
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