Politics
Thailand’s Parliament Blocks Progressive Winner of May Elections for Prime Minister
(CTN News) – significant upheavals and power struggles have marked Thailand’s political landscape. In May’s nationwide elections, the progressive Move Forward Party emerged as a strong opposition force, promising substantial structural reforms to the country’s military-backed rule.
However, their leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, has faced hurdles in becoming the Prime Minister due to accusations of violating election laws and resistance from the powerful conservative establishment, which includes the military, monarchy, and influential elites. As tensions escalate, the future of Thailand’s political direction remains uncertain.
The May elections saw a remarkable voter turnout, indicating widespread dissatisfaction with the military-backed establishment’s rule, which has persisted since the 2014 coup led by then-army chief Prayut Chan-o-cha.
The Move Forward Party’s platform, advocating reforms in the military, economy, decentralization of power, and even the monarchy, struck a chord with the electorate. This support allowed them to win the largest share of seats and led a coalition of opposition parties aiming to form a majority government.
Despite the party’s popularity, Pita Limjaroenrat’s nomination for Prime Minister was blocked twice by Thailand’s parliament. A complaint filed by the Election Commission accused him of violating election laws by allegedly holding shares in a media company. Pita has vehemently denied these accusations and accused the Election Commission of hastening the case’s court proceedings.
In the political system shaped by the previous junta, the formation of a government requires a majority in both the lower and upper houses of parliament, totaling 375 seats out of 749.
The establishment, including an unelected 250-member Senate appointed by the military, holds considerable sway in the parliamentary process, favoring pro-military candidates.
In his bid to become Prime Minister, Pita Limjaroenrat fell short of securing the required majority votes. This setback has fueled the frustrations of the Move Forward Party’s young and passionate support base, increasing the likelihood of mass street protests. The uncertainty of the situation raises concerns about the party’s future trajectory and the country’s stability.
Thailand’s conservative establishment has a history of resisting significant changes to the status quo, with the Constitutional Court frequently ruling in favor of the political elite.
The military has also intervened, toppling democratically elected governments during moments of instability, adding to the country’s history of successful coups.
As the investigation into Pita Limjaroenrat’s alleged election law violation continues, his status as a lawmaker hangs in the balance.
The situation has intensified divisions within Thai society and raised questions about the country’s political direction. With the Move Forward Party’s support base rallying behind them, Thailand may witness further political turbulence in its quest for change.
ORIGINAL STORY: Thailand to Hold Another PM Vote on July 27, Pita Excluded
Following the rejection of Pita Limjaroenrat’s re-nomination, a deputy speaker of the Thailand’s parliament announced that the next week’s vote for prime minister will exclude the leader of election victors Move Forward.
Pita Limjaroenrat’s denial by parliament during a protracted debate on his candidature on Wednesday sparked irate public protests as the post-election situation worsened two months after his party easily defeated opponents supported by the military.
In each parliamentary session, a candidate may only be nominated once, according to Deputy House Speaker Pichet Chuamuangphan, who spoke to the Bangkok Post on Thursday.
Pita, 42, who received her education in the US, has encountered fierce opposition from conservative and royalist elements who disagree with the party’s anti-establishment policies.
On Wednesday, the parliament voted to reject his second attempt to become prime minister, and the Constitutional Court suspended him from the legislature while it looked into claims that he had broken election law by owning stock in a media firm. Pita disputes violating election laws.
His followers are upset about the legal and legislative efforts taken against him.
A throng assembled in central Bangkok wearing black applauded a protestor who asked, “Why don’t you just choose it yourself if we have elections and this is all we get?” late on Wednesday.
At least two million people used the protest’s hashtag on Twitter.
Since July 14, the day after Pita’s initial denial by parliament, Thailand’s major stock index has increased by around 2.6%, and the baht has risen by 1.7% against the dollar.
Between July 14 and July 19, foreign investors purchased Thai bonds and shares for 15.8 billion baht (S$615 million).
Thailand’s Pheu Thai Coalition
It is anticipated that Srettha Thavisin, a real estate magnate and political neophyte from the second-place Pheu Thai party, a member of Pita’s eight-party coalition, will be chosen for premier next week.
In an effort to draw attention to what they believe are unfair regulations that favour the election victors, activists are organizing additional events and asking attendees to wear black.
Any candidate for prime minister must receive at least 375 votes from a joint session of the bicameral legislature, which consists of the elected 500-member lower house and the 249-member senate selected by the junta.
Demonstrators have demanded that the senators step down and that Pita’s eight-party coalition remain united and uphold election commitments.
Rejecting Pita’s renomination unconstitutional
The resolution passed by parliament on Wednesday to reject the renomination of Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat as prime minister was deemed unlawful by former charter drafting chairman Borwornsak Uwanno.
The legal professional expressed his expectation that the Constitutional Court would receive a petition to promptly give a decision.
“Even though the charter clearly stipulates the prime ministerial election, using a parliamentary session regulation has crippled the constitution. On Thursday, he posted on his Facebook page, “It’s a shame for Thailand.
The now-defunct Constitution Drafting Committee’s former head, Mr. Borwornsak, expressed his disappointment with the MPs who voted against Mr. Pita’s re-nomination.
Even though you are in opposition, he added, “you should know when to stop being in opposition to do the right thing.”
The interpretation of the parliament, he said, was not definitive. Anyone who believed that their rights had been violated could file a complaint with the Ombudsman alleging that the parliamentary resolution, which constituted a legislative action, violated Section 213 of the constitution. The harmed party could directly petition the court if the Ombudsman did not refer the petition to the Constitutional Court for adjudication.
The constitutional law expert added, “I shall wait to see if parliament’s action violated the constitution.
“I’ll wait to see what the Constitutional Court decides. For thirty years, I have been instructing constitutional law. I now have to decide whether to keep teaching or not.
As of Thursday at 4 p.m., his post had 8,100 shares, indicating a large online audience.
Following a vote on Wednesday to reject Mr. Pita’s candidature on the grounds that parliamentary session regulation No. 41 forbade the resubmission of a defeated motion within the same parliamentary session, Mr. Borwornsak made his remarks.
After 715 lawmakers cast their votes electronically about 5.10 p.m., parliament president Wan Muhamad Noor Matha made the news. A total of 394 lawmakers, the majority of them unelected senators, voted against Mr. Pita’s re-nomination, 312 lawmakers voted in favour of it, eight lawmakers abstained, and one legislator did not cast a ballot.
On Tuesday, Mr. Pita acknowledged that he was concerned that any attempts to utilise parliamentary procedure to prevent him from being nominated a second time would have a negative impact on the entire system because they would be politically binding and might have an impact on other parties. Every prime ministerial contender would now only have one chance to win a majority vote in the future.
On Thursday, the Move Forward Party declared that it thought it had a strong enough legal argument to renominate Mr. Pita for the upcoming vote on July 27.
An outspoken former election commissioner named Somchai Srisutthiyakorn also used Facebook on Thursday to demonstrate how the parliament’s reading of the one-and-done rule may be applied to its logical conclusion.
The opposition side “may as well nominate Prawit, Anutin, Prayut, Jurin and others in the next session until their votes are divided, making all the candidates fail,” he added. “If a person can only be nominated for the prime minister’s post once.
These people wouldn’t be qualified to serve as prime minister. They will disappear.
Politics
Millennials in Canada Have Turned their Backs on Justin Trudeau
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.
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.
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Politics
U.N. Special Rapporteur Calls on Thailand’s Banks to Cut-Off Myanmar Junta
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 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.
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
Politics
People Rushing Sign Online Petition to Impeach South Korea’s President Crash Site
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.
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