webfact Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 A resounding vote for democracy By The Nation More than 33.6 million set aside their chores to cast ballots ABOUT 33.6 million citizens cast ballots yesterday in Thailand’s first election since 2014. The level of participation reflected how politically active Thais have become. Nuseela Doloh of Pattani province refused to miss out on the voting even on her wedding day. The smiling bride-to-be was chauffeured on the back of a relative’s motorcycle to and from a polling station dressed in her wedding gown. Two men in Saraburi province also marked their ballots while wearing white gowns. Nantawat Sukkasem and Wirach Deenikom cast their votes early because they were to be ordained as monks a few hours later. The Election Commission (EC) estimated voter turnout at about 65.9 per cent. More than 51 million Thais were eligible to vote. Many took advantage of advance polling last weekend, but Election Day yesterday was busier by far. “I am so excited and so glad to see so many people turning out,” 18-year-old Wanida Maseng said as she registered to vote at a polling station in Narathiwat. Elderly citizens matched young first-time voters in their eagerness to play a role in the exercise. They came with walking sticks, in wheelchairs and as committed as any spry patriot. At age 102, Naiphan Banlueharn could have been their spokesman. “Being old doesn’t mean we shouldn’t come out to vote,” said the Yasothon resident, who was at the polling station with his 98-year-old wife and their three children, also of advancing years. The first voter to show up at a station in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district was a 92-year-old woman. “I always vote,” said the woman, who asked not to be named. “And even though new rules were introduced, I don’t feel confused. I studied all the rules.” Elderly voters at a polling station in the capital’s Bang Sue district had offers of help from a half-Thai, half-German schoolboy. Speaking fluent Thai, he helped flag down taxis for them as they left. Overcoming difficulties Amuk sae Tang arrived at his voting station in Yala in a wheelchair. “I have difficulty walking around so I asked my son to get me a wheelchair to come and vote,” he said as he registered for a ballot. Polling officials in Chiang Mai helped hilltribe people in their own dialects to understand the balloting. “I am a Thai citizen, so I feel I have the duty to vote,” said Mayuree Janthima, 58, from Doi Pui. The 92,320 polling stations across the country were open from 8am to 5pm. Political heavyweights and entertainment figures turned heads as they joined queues to vote. Prachachart Party leader Wan Muhamad Noor Matha marked his ballot in Yala, Jongchai Thiangtham of Bhumjaithai in Suphan Buri’s Sri Prachan district, and veteran Democrat figure Siriwan “Mae Liang Tik” Prasjaksattru in Phrae’s Rong Kwang district. Chaiya Mitrachai, a star of likay, the traditional Thai opera, registered his vote in Angthong, and movie star Urasaya “Yaya” Sperbund did the same in her hometown, Pattaya. Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30366478 -- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaiwrath Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 3 hours ago, webfact said: A resounding vote for democracy The way everything was weighted so heavily, to the advantage of the future PM (a.k.a. coup leader), it can hardly be called a 'resounding vote for democracy' ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YetAnother Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 3 hours ago, webfact said: A resounding vote for democracy rigged election resulting in a sham democracy; inching away from an ilitary ictatorship isnt monumental progress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven100 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Thai junta party takes shock lead in first general election since 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samui Bodoh Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 "...A resounding vote for democracy..." Er... Ahem... Oh... Not quite. "...The Election Commission (EC) estimated voter turnout at about 65.9 per cent..." In 2011, it was about 75%. A "Resounding Vote for Democracy" would have seen that number go up, not down by 10%. Hey Nation! There is this groovy concept called math... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spidey Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 4 hours ago, webfact said: A resounding vote for democracy A resounding vote for flushing democracy down the toilet. I wake up this morning and find myself still living in a banana republic run by a tinpot dictator. My wife is gutted and ashamed of her country. She doesn't know of one person that voted for El Presidente and finds it beyond belief that anyone voted for him. No wonder the "government" went to such lengths to keep independent observers away from the election. Pure sham. David Copperfield would have been proud of the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeneeds Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Money made by family = 3800 baht - no vote buying in this free election, democracy in all its hypocrisy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemonjelly Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 It’s rather incredulous that the junta managed to win, thus saving the embarrassment of having to perform another coup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wreckingcountry Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Bull!the votes have not been counted correctly ! A massive Fraud Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onera1961 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 So the current Government will be in power legitimized by an election. What changes do you think will follow that will benefits retirees and perpetual tourists? Big Joke secured his promotion to Police chief's role in the next five years. Is he continue to crackdown on tourists who make Thailand home? Is he going to push for health insurance that will be the last nails on coffin for retirees. Is he going for increasing the financial requirements for retirees in coming years? How he is going to ensure What immigration polices he will advocate? If I am correct, Thailand's political parties are mostly divided in three groups. The urban middle class, the rural poor, and the military elites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spidey Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 1 minute ago, onera1961 said: So the current Government will be in power legitimized by an election. What changes do you think will follow that will benefits retirees and perpetual tourists? Big Joke secured his promotion to Police chief's role in the next five years. Is he continue to crackdown on tourists who make Thailand home? Is he going to push for health insurance that will be the last nails on coffin for retirees. Is he going for increasing the financial requirements for retirees in coming years? How he is going to ensure Thailand's economic growth when export is drastically down and consumer spending is almost flat? I think that the plight of expat perennial whingers is the least of Thailand's worries now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRG23 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Democracy - the meaning of the word is not known in this country! A rigged vote and not to mention vote buying (and not by Taksin's lot) was alive and well in this province (only three hours from Bangkok! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickstav Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Funniest headline this site has ever had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmitch Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 1 minute ago, nickstav said: Funniest headline this site has ever had. You beat me to it. 65% turnout and a distinctly undemocratic feel to the whole election. 5 hours ago, webfact said: Chaiya Mitrachai, a star of likay, the traditional Thai opera, registered his vote in Angthong, and movie star Urasaya “Yaya” Sperbund did the same in her hometown, Pattaya. And there we have it; what The Nation deems news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newatthis Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 1 hour ago, steven100 said: Thai junta party takes shock lead in first general election since 2014 Great! I look forward to some of my neighbours getting the 400 baht a day minimum wage by the end of the year. A promise is a promise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tifino Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 'democracy' as mis-described from a NK dictionary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eligius Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 'A resounding vote for democracy'. Oh, pleeeease! I don't think there is much more I can contribute to Thaivisa Forum. All the values I cherish most dearly, the views I hold most intensely - are not able to be spoken about in a free, frank and fair manner. There is so much that I (and many others of us here) would love to say about the spectacle we have just witnessed (and are still witnessing) - but we cannot. So what is the point of commenting if I cannot truly comment? I may well be done with Thaivisa (and Thai politics) - apart from some minor little remarks. It's all so utterly pointless. The 'good men' have won - and will be allowed to go on 'winning' ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fforest1 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 18 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said: True, but this mob are the worst thing that could have happened for Thailand's expat community. No ones visa is safe with who is running the show.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schlog Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Those who decide are not elected and those who are elected have nothing to decide. End of the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie11950 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Shallow victory in a fixed election for the dictatorship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poohy Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Early morning so not up to speed on Banana republic news I take it by reading the above The little dwarf and is thieving mate are still ensconced in the trough Somewhat surprised as i dont know a Thai that would ***s on them, even if they were on fire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCC1701A Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longcut Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robblok Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 34 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said: Stopped reading that joke of a paper years ago. It's an embarrassment to the country. That is two times in a short while that I am agreeing with you.. must be something wrong with me. Not sure how this is a victory for democracy when an army party wins almost as many seats as the PTP. I had expected a few seats for the army party and the PTP going down a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robblok Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 5 minutes ago, poohy said: Early morning so not up to speed on Banana republic news I take it by reading the above The little dwarf and is thieving mate are still ensconced in the trough Somewhat surprised as i dont know a Thai that would ***s on them, even if they were on fire Yes its sad that he won so many seats with his party, still I don't believe its fraud. For me its a good example of how popular policies work and how the vote buying (taking over MP's from other parties) has worked. Shows that people vote for what gives them the most money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artisi Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 56 minutes ago, Spidey said: I think that the plight of expat perennial whingers is the least of Thailand's worries now. Who or what are expats in the overall scheme, about as important to Thailand as a pimple on a boil.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liverpudlian Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 2 words, Lemmings & Lambs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fforest1 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artisi Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 48 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said: Stopped reading that joke of a paper years ago. It's an embarrassment to the country. And the cloned supposed news outlet for the expats is the cream on the joke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven100 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 How has democracy worked for the likes of Australia and the UK .... they are both an absolute mess ... Australia has had something like 6 PM's in the last 5 years & is on the verge of a recession. oh wait !! that's right , it's called democracy ... lol !!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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