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Thailand’s Pheu Thai Party Breaks Ranks with Move Forward Party

Thailand Pheu Thai Party

Thailand’s Pheu Thai party, which received the second most votes in the election, has indicated that it will try to create a coalition without the Move Forward party (MFP) and will name Mr. Srettha Thavisin as prime minister in the August 4, 2023 parliamentary vote.

During a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Pheu Thai party leader Cholnan Srikaew stated that after the eight-party alliance designated Pheu Thai to lead the formation of the government, the party attempted to garner support from MPs of non-coalition parties and senators, but they reject the plan to amend Section 112, the royal defamation law, and some parties will not join a government with MFP.

Pheu Thai met with the MFP negotiation team this morning to resign from the eight-party alliance. It will create its own coalition, with Srettha Thavisin running for prime minister.

Pheu Thai confirms that the party will not modify Section 112 because it is a key barrier to gaining support from MPs and senators, and the new administration will not include the MFP.

Thailand Pheu Thai Party leader

Tomorrow afternoon, the parties that will join the Pheu Thai-led administration will be officially announced. Some parties from the former coalition partnership have already agreed, and the parliamentary vote for Srettha as a new prime minister is anticipated to be completed on August 4.

He stated that the focus will be on garnering enough support to benefit the country and its people. The idea entails amending the current constitution, which has been a root cause of difficulty in establishing a government and has contributed to the nation’s dilemma.

The constitution drafting council will be established through a referendum. Dr. Cholnan stated that after the process is completed, power would be returned to the people and a new election will be held under the framework of the new constitution.

Meanwhile, the Pheu Thai party will push forward the people-friendly policies endorsed by the former coalition alliance, such as marriage equality, liberalisation of spirits production, transitioning from conscription to voluntary military service, decentralisation of power, and the abolition of monopolies.

Srettha Thavisin stated that any PM candidate selected by any party who continues to seek to modify Section 112 of the Criminal Code, also known as the lese majeste statute, will not have senators’ support.

“If Pheu Thai nominates me for the next prime ministerial vote, Section 112 must remain unchanged.” Pheu Thai has stated unequivocally that it will not change or repeal the law.

“The party wishes to form a new government and advance the country.” It is critical to ease tensions surrounding Section 112.

“Today, addressing the day-to-day issues affecting people’s lives is a top priority.” “Improving the economy must come first,” Mr Srettha stated.

United Nations ,Lese Majeste Law, Thailand

Several senators have declared they will not vote for Mr Srettha after watching a video recording of him indicating during a campaign event ahead of the May 14 election that he would support Section 112’s change.

Mr. Srettha later backtracked, claiming Pheu Thai would not touch Section 112 if it led the new government, just one day after parliament rejected Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s renomination for prime minister on July 19.

On July 20, Mr. Srettha stated that the Section 112 modification must not be tied to the eight prospective coalition parties’ new quest to win the prime ministerial vote; otherwise, the candidate nominated by the bloc would not have the necessary support from senators and parties outside the bloc.

Section 112 revision would be off the table if Pheu Thai becomes the leader of the eight-party group, he claimed.

The MFP’s desire to change Section 112 was viewed as a crucial reason in Mr Pita’s failure to garner sufficient support from MPs and senators in the first vote on July 13.

A PM candidate must receive the backing of at least half of the 750 members of both the lower and upper chambers of parliament, or 376 votes in total, according to the constitution.

Linthiporn Warinwatchararoj, a Pheu Thai party-list MP and acting party spokeswoman, said on Tuesday that Mr Srettha stated on July 20 that any attempt to change Section 112 would be a big impediment to Pheu Thai’s bid to create a government.

According to a Pheu Thai source, the party will publish a statement before of Friday’s vote to reinforce its position that it will not support any motion to change Section 112 and had initially opposed the MFP’s bid to include it in the MoU.

Senator Jadet Insawang stated that if Mr Srettha is nominated for prime ministerial election on Friday, he should be asked to define his vision before the vote, and members of parliament should be able to question the candidate before voting.

Parliament president Wan Muhamad Noor Matha earlier stated that parliament would meet on Friday, but whether the new vote for prime minister takes place on that day will be determined by a Constitutional Court judgement the day before.

The court will decide whether to accept a petition challenging Mr Pita’s renomination as prime minister. If accepted, the vote will not take place until the court rules.

How to Get a Teaching License Thailand: A Comprehensive Guide

How to Get a Teaching License Thailand: A Comprehensive Guide

 

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Millennials in Canada Have Turned their Backs on Justin Trudeau

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.

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

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

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

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.

 

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