Connect with us

Politics

Thailand’s May 14th Election Could Be Annulled, As Parties Fight Over Parliament President

Published

on

Thailand's May 14th Election Could Be Annulled

According to former parliament president Chuan Leekpai, the ongoing squabble between Move Forward and Pheu Thai —Thailand’s two largest parties — about who should be parliament president is unsurprising given that both earned roughly the same number of seats in the polls.

Each party is holding to its demand that a candidate be proposed for the seat in a vote scheduled for July 26, eight days before the new prime minister is elected in parliament.

The Move Forward Party (MFP) gained 151 seats in parliament, just ten more than Pheu Thai. Naturally, both believe they have a legal right to nominate one of their own for the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives, who simultaneously serves as President of the Parliament.

More Forward has insisted on continuing the practise of having the head of the legislative branch come from the largest party. The party has a number of draught bills ready for parliamentary debate, which it hopes to accomplish with the assistance of the parliament president. According to the party, having someone in the chair from their own ranks would ensure this.

Pheu Thai, on the other hand, believes there should be some type of trade-off. With Move Forward poised to become Prime Minister, Pheu Thai should assume the office of Parliamentary President.

The MFP is viewed as seeking the presidency in order to forward its own legislative agenda. Nonetheless, detractors argue that the parliament president should serve all parties rather than just one.

thailand parliament president

Mr Chuan, a former Democrat Party leader, said it was erroneous to believe the position of legislative president could be used for partisan purposes.

A legislative president has less influence than previously. For example, the president can no longer suggest their own prime ministerial candidate for royal endorsement; instead, the president can only submit the name of a prime minister elected by parliament to be royally endorsed.

In general, the head of the legislative branch must be unbiased in carrying out their duties. Before running for president, they must step down as executive members of their political party, according to Mr Chuan.

The legislative president must also be well-versed in the legislation and the rules of the legislature. “They can’t do whatever they want or hold up a draught bill.” “There are rules they must follow,” he explained.

Mr Chuan, 84, also clarified that when he previously held the parliament presidency, it was his deputy, Suchart Tancharoen, who refused to put forward a draught bill to amend Section 112 of the Criminal Code — the lese-majeste law — for parliamentary debate, calling it unconstitutional.

The Move Forward-sponsored draught bill was returned to the party for study but never advanced. Most people blame Mr Chuan for not enabling a debate to take place.

Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew stated on Wednesday that the matter of who sits in the Speaker’s Chair will not cause a schism between his party and the MFP.

Dr. Cholnan is apparently one of three senior Pheu Thai members who could be considered for the position of parliament president. Although Pheu Thai has not yet announced any names, Mr Suchart and Chaturon Chaisaeng are two more possible contenders.

Thailand’s May general election could be annulled

Meanwhile, according to temporary Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, the details given in complaints will determine if Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat is disqualified from being prime minister and whether the May general election should be annulled.

Mr Wissanu, the current cabinet’s legal advisor, stated at Government House on Wednesday that specifics in accusations against Mr Pita’s shareholding in iTV Plc were a critical issue.

If a case is filed against Mr Pita’s ability to be an MP, he says he might still be prime minister because the prime minister is not obliged to be an MP.

Mr Pita might still be an MP if a complaint attacks his prime ministerial qualifications, according to Mr Wissanu.

“If a complaint is filed that targets both, the court will rule on both,” he said.

thailand elections

A complaint might potentially call into doubt Mr Pita’s acceptance of Move Forward Party memberships, according to Mr Wissanu.

“In that case, there would have to be a new nationwide general election,” he explained. Mr Wissanu stated that he was not making any recommendations on how to write a complaint.

“It is entirely up to the complainant.” “The [constitutional] court will rule on the specific issue raised in a complaint,” he explained.

The constitution forbids a stakeholder of a media organisation from competing in a general election, and Mr Pita’s qualifications were called into question because of his inherited shareholding in iTV Plc, which was absorbed into Thai PBS many years ago.

Complaints filed with the Election Commission attack his MP credentials, his support for Move Forward candidates in the May 14 election, and his whole cabinet.

“But you shouldn’t have such a far-flung imagination.” Take it one step at a time. The Election Commission has made no decision. “Do not enter a negative scenario,” Mr Wissanu said.

Continue Reading

Politics

Millennials in Canada Have Turned their Backs on Justin Trudeau

Published

on

By

Millennials are increasingly distancing themselves from Trudeau
Millennials are increasingly distancing themselves from Trudeau - CBC Image

Justine Trudeau and his Liberal Party are currently engaged in a fierce battle for second place against Jagmeet Singh’s socialist NDP, as both parties find themselves trailing by 20 points behind Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives.

A recent poll indicates that 38% of Canadians consider Trudeau to be the most ineffective leader the nation has encountered in over fifty years. An impressive 47% of Canadian Millennials indicated they would support Poilievre if an election were to take place today, while nearly half of all Canadians express a desire for an election to be called this year.

Pierre Poilievre’s strong appeal among young voters can be attributed primarily to economic factors: soaring inflation, a pressing cost-of-living crisis, and the challenge of housing affordability are pushing many away from the Liberals, who have held power for nearly nine years.

According to UnHeard, Millennials are increasingly distancing themselves from Trudeau due to his stringent measures aimed at controlling the internet to combat alleged disinformation, as well as his climate change initiatives, notably the carbon tax.

protest in downtown Toronto against mass immigration took place on Canada Day

Protest in downtown Toronto against mass immigration on Canada Day – TNC Image

An increasing number of Canadians are becoming aware of Trudeau’s ineffective policies and his approach to mass immigration. This past summer, there was significant outrage among parents of teenagers and young adults as they observed their children remaining at home without jobs.

The primary concern stemmed from the fact that most low-skilled and entry-level positions were being filled by unskilled, temporary foreign workers, predominantly from India.

There has been a notable rise in criminal activities linked to international students and unvetted temporary residents who are becoming involved with Punjabi gangs in Canada, contributing to a surge in auto thefts nationwide.

Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives are actively seeking to alter Trudeau’s approach to mass immigration and prioritize the construction of more housing should they come into power.

Significantly, Pierre Poilievre is perceived as more trustworthy than Trudeau, with over half of Canadians characterizing Poilievre as “open and honest about his actions, decisions, and intentions,” while only 39% share that sentiment regarding Trudeau.

The characteristics in question may shed light on Poilievre’s favorable polling, particularly among younger voters and women, who have historically leaned towards the Liberals or the NDP rather than the Conservatives.

The Liberal Party’s support has dwindled to an estimated 7% of Canadians, revealing a significant number of disillusioned voters eager for transformation. Poilievre is emerging as the type of leader that resonates with the desires of many Canadians.

Related News:

Trudeau Now Using Abortion Scare Tactics to Recapture Voters

Trudeau Now Using Abortion Scare Tactics to Recapture Voters

Continue Reading

Politics

U.N. Special Rapporteur Calls on Thailand’s Banks to Cut-Off Myanmar Junta

Published

on

UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar Tom Andrews speaks during a press conference after a meeting with Thailand's Parliamentary Committee

The U.N special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar has said the Bank of Thailand, commercial banks, and the anti-money laundering office are working on measures to stop the Myanmar Junta from acquiring weapons through Thailand’s banking system.

Tom Andrews the U.N. special rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar, said that some banks commercial in Thailand had aided Myanmar Junta’s by facilitating transactions that supplied military equipment to the Junta through the international banking system.

He called on the Bank of Thailand and financial institutions to do more to stop Myanmar’s junta acquiring weapons which they use on civilians to maintain power.

The special rapporteur was in Bangkok to address a parliamentary committee on security, he called on the Thai government to stop financial transactions that help supply weapons to Myanmar’s junta in line with a plan promoted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that sets out an end to violence as a first step toward peace.

In his 2023 report “The Billion Dollar Death Trade,” Andrews noted that Singapore had implemented a clear policy opposing the transfer of weapons to Myanmar.

Thailand's Banks

Thai Baht – File Image

Thailand’s Banks Lacked Clear Policy

As a result, exports of weapons and related materials from Singapore-registered entities using the formal banking system dropped from almost U.S. $120 million in fiscal year 2022 to just over $10 million over the next 12 months.

However, he said Thailand had no explicit policy position opposing weapons transfer to the Myanmar Junta, which saw exports from Thai-registered entities more than double in 2023, from just over $60 million to nearly $130 million.

He called on Thai Government to conduct a thorough investigation into transfers as Singapore had done into its companies’ dealings.

Andrews told the the committee that five Thai commercial banks and Thai-based companies were assisting Myanmar’s junta obtain weapons, dual-technology items and jet fuel, enabling Military Junta to conduct atrocities against the people.

But said he had found no evidence that the Thai government was involved or was aware of the transactions or that Thai commercial banks had knowledge.

Thailand's Banks

Photo courtesy of The Nation

Banks Condemn Myanmar Junta Violence

Meanwhile representatives from Thailand’s central bank, anti-money laundering office and the commercial banks named in the report were also present at the parliamentary meeting at government house in Bangkok.

A representative of the Bank of Thailand said officials were working with the commercial banks and the anti-money laundering office to make sure that enhanced oversight was properly practiced.

The Thai Bankers Association that was also at the parliamentary meeting said it did not have the means to investigate and monitor such irregularities beyond Thailand’s borders.

Mr. Pongsit Chaichatpornsuk, a Thai Bankers Association representative told the committee that If government security agencies tell us, we will stop transactions. We don’t support arms procurement by Myanmar Junta or any military government to violate human rights.

Thailand, which shares a long border with Myanmar and hosts many thousands of refugees fleeing conflict there, has tried to promote dialogue between Myanmar’s military rulers and opposition forces but no progress has been made.

This Article was first published in RFA

Continue Reading

Politics

People Rushing Sign Online Petition to Impeach South Korea’s President Crash Site

Published

on

South Korea's President

The Speaker of the National Assembly of South Korea said in a statement that an online petition calling for South Korea’s President Mr. Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment crashed due to the enormous number of individuals attempting to sign the petition. Saying the National Assembly would resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

Since the petition was launch on the National Assembly’s website on June 20, more than 811,000 people have signed it. The petition urges Parliament to introduce legislation to impeach President Yoon on the grounds that he is unfit for office.

Late on June 30, National Assembly Speaker Mr. Woo Won-shik issued an apology for the disturbance and stated that Parliament would take action to protect the public’s fundamental rights.

People attempting to access the petition on July 1 experienced delays of up to four hours. At one point, an error message indicated that more than 30,000 individuals were waiting to access the site.

South Korea’s Parliament Hesitant

The online petition accuses Yoon of corruption, escalating the risk of conflict with North Korea, and endangering South Koreans’ health by failing to prevent Japan from leaking treated radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant.

By law, Parliament must assign every petition signed by more than 50,000 people to a committee, which will then decide whether to put it to a vote in the assembly.

However, the opposition Democratic Party, which has a majority in Parliament, is hesitant to turn the petition into an impeachment bill, according to media reports, with a spokesperson stating that the party has yet to address the topic.

The Parliament can impeach a president with a two-thirds majority. The Constitutional Court then deliberates the motion and decides whether to remove or reinstall the president.

Meanwhile, on Monday Reuters reported North Korea criticized a joint military exercise performed this month by South Korea, Japan, and the United States, according to official media, saying such drills demonstrate the three nations’ alliance has evolved into “the Asian version of NATO”.

On Thursday, the three countries began large-scale combined military drills named “Freedom Edge” featuring navy destroyers, fighter fighters, and the nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, with the goal of strengthening defenses against missiles, submarines, and air strikes.

The drill was designed at a three-way meeting at Camp David last year to boost military cooperation amid concerns on the Korean peninsula caused by North Korea’s weapons testing.

Pyongyang will not overlook the strengthening of a military bloc led by the United States and its allies, and it would respond aggressively and decisively to defend regional peace, according to North Korea’s foreign ministry, as reported by KCNA.

 

Continue Reading

Trending