Politics Thai style

so..I hadnt posted since the judgement day....but as said....result was as I feared....Thai Rak Thai dissolved...and ofcourse Democrat the victorious hero with a clean slate. To make matters worse is that all TRT executives were also banned from politics for 5 years, thats 111 exec members! The problem is this ban is a result of a law that was incorporated into the Interim Constitution by the military junta since September 2006. The crime committed by the TRT took place in March 2006....so the Constitution Tribunal applied the law in retrospect for crimes that was committed before the law existed! Im no expert of the law...but gee....if they can always choose to do that then perhaps 5 years from now if say eating/possessing/buying chocolates suddenly become banned and chocolate considered an abused substance...then applying that law in retrospect....guess Id be going to jail for a really really long time with all the chocolate trade Ive been involved in as of today!!

interesting things about how lawyers will always use their technical jargon to intimidate us layfolks....but wait....I thought this was meant to protect OUR civic rights? hmmm

ofcourse being Thailand...the story doesnt end there does it........already from day 1, and then only a couple of days later....they are talking about Amnesty...by the very same junta leader who had that ridiculous law imposed into the interim constitution in the first place......all in the name of national unity...what a load of <> oh nevermind
but seriously.....how can people, particularly the so-called educated Bangkokians with their mightier-than-thou attitude fall for this. stop letting these junta and people with vested interest manipulate you by using words like national unity, and ofcourse the all time favorite...we do this because we love the King. wake up thai people....oh u are awake???then better open your eyes too!! and ears....and please.....use that alleged wonderful education you claim to have :)

Thailand's Constitution Drafting Committee

For months I tried to refrain myself from making comments on the political situation in Thailand, but within these same few months, I have watched the military junta together with the body that they installed as government slowly but steadily foul up the democratic strength of Thailand!!!! So today I decided I can no longer sit quietly.

As you know the first thing the coup makers did after they took over powers was to throw out the 1997 Constitution (the one that is widely accepted as the People's Constitution...as it had the maximum people involvement). Anyhow over the months various contentious issues have been toyed with..including things such as an appointed Prime Minister! an appointed Senate body (upper house of parliament), or making Buddhism the religion of the country (dont know the technical term for it, but this will mean Thailand will no longer be a secular state if this were to happen. How do they see that will sit with other religious minoritites in the country...not to mention the very same Muslim population in South Thailand where the situation is already at boiling point?!?!0 anyhow today I will only talk about the below issue that got me really mad!!

The members of Consitutional drafting committee has proposed to dissolve the NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) or combine it with Ombudsman. Presently the Commission is an independent body that was established in line with the Paris Principles (internationally accepted guideline for establishing a truly INDEPENDENT human rights commission).

Thailand's NHRC is one amongst 4 that exist in ASEAN countries, and in the past Thailand together with the Philippines has been in the forefront to work on establishing an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism. Other countries such an independent commission exist include: Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. Cambodia has recently agreed to establish its national commission, while also voicing support for the ASEAN wide body. True that in the political world such support will take years before it turns into substantive actions, but if the thailand body is to be dissolved, this would not be only a huge step back for thailand, but also for the entire region! The efforts has taken atleast 10 years of hard work before we reached this point.

without going into other contentious issues that this Constitution Drafting Committee are playing around with, the issue of the National Human Rights Commission in itself is already a huge blow and certainly a jump backward for thailand's democracy!!

I cant describe how mad this makes me!!!!!!

Now they are using a woman as their spokesperson!

some more announcements again....from the same so-called democratic reforming whoever....
saying that in the absence of a prime minister, his duties will be undertaken by...guess who!! the head of the democratic reform committee...in other words himself! ...signed General Sonthi.......

nice one!

Bangkok tonight

just thought Id drop in a quick note just in case since in the last half hour my phone line is no longer working. local TV channels are just showing images of royal family and songs. and since they have done that Im guessing the internet might be next.....

lots of different versions of the coup or its attempts going on, one saying that pro-government milatary and police have managed to take control again.

now some guy going on TV to say they have taken control, they are calling themselves democratic reformers or something to that effect.......consisting of military and police.

but gee, what a mess!!! so much for no interference for the military

..dont worry, its not something we are totally unused to in thailand, only just thought we have moved past that era by now. but on the bright side, its never been a bloody coup...so we will be ok, frustrated ofcourse, especially at the leap backwards in terms of democratic process. well infact it makes me mad!

anyway, talk to you guys and gals at some point.

Jyoti

PS. now this email wont get sent, and suddenly Ive also lost the international news channels on my cable TV....hmmmm
yahoo seems to be working, so am trying to send this email from here instead....
AND suddenly...cable tv is totally gone! so much for the small things we can take for granted under democracy...and so much for these democratic reformers.
their latest announcement is that constitutional court has been revoked, constitution no longer in force, senate and other authorities no longer in power either. they said will submit a name to king for royal appointment as temporary prime minister.
im getting more upset by the minute I guess.....
how can they even claim they are doing this to return power to the people? ive never felt as powerless as I do today......