EC keeps everyone guessing

[webfact]

EC keeps everyone guessing

By THE NATION

 

File photo

 

ELECTION COMMISSION SAYS IT IS YET TO DECIDE ON SEAT CALCULATION METHOD FOR PARTY-LIST MPS 

 

THE ELECTION Commission (EC) yesterday remained non-committal over the party-list MP calculation method after the Constitutional Court refused to intervene and stated the agency had the authority to make a decision in line with the laws.

 

The agency’s deputy secretary-general, Sawang Boonmee, said yesterday that the controversial calculation method, which allocates seats to smaller parties at the expense of larger parties, remains an option.

 

Political parties and experts have expressed opposition to the method favoured by the EC, saying it was unconstitutional. 

 

According to the initial calculation prescribed in the Constitution, parties eligible to get one seat in the House of Representatives must have at least 70,000 votes. But with the method the EC is endorsing, parties winning some 30,000 votes will also be allotted a seat.

 

Sawang yesterday, however, stressed that the contentious method had been around for the past two years, since the related laws were being drawn up, and no objections were ever raised. It has never been a secret and the parties were well aware of it, he added.

 

The objections only surfaced after the election when parties learned how many votes they had won, Sawang said. 

 

“Now, they are protesting and proposing their own calculation method saying it is constitutional,” Sawang complained. “But anyway, the results will be announced on May 9. The EC will try to come up with a lawful formula. If anyone considers it incorrect, they can petition the court.”

 

In response to the EC statement, Pheu Thai Party yesterday insisted that the poll agency follow the calculation method it has submitted.

 

Spokesperson Ladawan Wongsriwong said yesterday the party hoped the EC would not fail in its duty regarding the MP seat allocation formula.

 

She reiterated that the method Pheu Thai had suggested to the EC was in line with the laws. The EC must opt for a lawful calculation that does not give seats to undeserving parties.

 

“If the EC insists on its current decision, it will be against the Constitution,” Ladawan said. “Pheu Thai will consider taking the issue to the Constitutional Court again after the results are endorsed.”

 

In a related development, the Ombudsman’s secretary-general Raksagecha Chaechai revealed yesterday that the agency will discuss today about the petition to nullify the March 24 election.

 

The case was brought to it by pro-Shinawatra politician Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, and the EC had already provided its explanation to the agency, the official said. It is expected that the Ombudsman could make a decision today on whether or not to forward the matter to the Constitutional Court or the Administrative Court to nullify the vote, he added.

 

Meanwhile, the anti-junta bloc is in some trouble as one of its allies, the Future Forward Party, has been locked in legal battles that could cast a shadow over its political debut.

 

Future Forward leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit returned to Bangkok yesterday from Europe to provide an explanation to the poll authority regarding his shareholdings in a media company. If found guilty, he could be disqualified from entering the lower house.

 

The party spokesperson, Pannika Wanich, said Thanathorn will meet with the EC in person to explain the controversy, adding that party members and Thanathorn had no concerns about the issue as they believe in their innocence.

 

“We have already prepared all the documents as well as the timeline of events,” she said. “There has been some inconsistency in media reports, which also deviated from the facts. We are ready to reveal the timeline so everyone is on the same page.”

 

As for the widely held observation that Future Forward was being deliberately targeted because of its popularity, Pannika said that could be the case as the party’s core members faced at least 12 lawsuits against them. 

 

“But I’m confident none of them could prove we are wrong,” she said. “They are just trying to bog us down to eliminate us for political interest. But we have volunteered to tackle political issues and we expected these difficulties.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30368387

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-26

[yellowboat]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

EC keeps everyone guessing

That says it all.  It looks like they are making things up as they go along so they can cater to the junta.  It is shameful. 

[gunderhill]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

ELECTION COMMISSION SAYS IT IS YET TO DECIDE ON how  to rig  SEAT CALCULATION METHOD FOR PARTY-LIST MPS 

 

[madmitch]

On the system they're suggesting, Lord Buckethead and The Monster Raving Loony Party would have seats in the UK Parliament!

 

Though that might be an improvement on the current bunch!

[Oziex1]

Thai democracy, the people voted for their favourites.

Unfortunately that doesn't fit with the elites view of things. So on it goes and with another jail sentence passed on to the bogey man Thaksin.

 

Farce V 4.0

[rtco]

"Sawang yesterday, however, stressed that the contentious method had been around for the past two years, since the related laws were being drawn up, and no objections were ever raised" ... of course they weren't because they would have been blocked anyway. 

[Eligius]

And the silence of the Thai people is .... DEAFENING!

 

(I witness this apathy all around me every day: the vast majority - including very well-educated people whom I daily encounter - are not unduly bothered or perturbed by any of what is going on. Or else: conformism and FEAR rule the day - just as the junta wishes ...).

 

 

[SkyNets]

Did they ever find the commemorative democracy floor plaque?

[Chris Lawrence]

Honestly, what a great system: trying to work out the best way to count the votes so I win?

 

Fractured Fairytales. When the author twists the traditional fairytales so much that the core meaning of the story changes, this is called a fractured fairytale. Often fairytales are fractured to place them in a more modern setting or to add humour.

 

Its the only thing I can think of to explain what is happening.

 

[ubon farang]

56 minutes ago, SkyNets said:

Did they ever find the commemorative democracy floor plaque?

That hit the rubbish bin 4 years ago

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

Thai democracy, the people voted for their favourites.

Unfortunately that doesn't fit with the elites view of things. So on it goes and with another jail sentence passed on to the bogey man Thaksin.

 

Farce V 4.0

 

The jail sentence passed on Thaksin was for a blatant piece of corruption and the verdict was long overdue.

 

As for the EC, the do seem to be making it up as they go along which considering the healthy budget they had and plenty of time to sort everything out suggests a shambles to say the least.

[Chrisswe]

3 hours ago, yellowboat said:

That says it all.  It looks like they are making things up as they go along so they can cater to the junta.  It is shameful. 

Most of us farangs know what this is about, but we can,t say anything in an Honest manner,(you run a great risk for penalty) this is not our (farang) buiseness , this is up to the Thai peoples, and we farangs must accept it if we want to stay here, sure you must take care your buiseness if you have any, and be careful !!!!

[mfd101]

Corruption produces incompetence. Incompetence feeds on corruption.

[Odysseus123]

7 minutes ago, Chrisswe said:

Most of us farangs know what this is about, but we can,t say anything in an Honest manner,(you run a great risk for penalty) this is not our (farang) buiseness , this is up to the Thai peoples, and we farangs must accept it if we want to stay here, sure you must take care your buiseness if you have any, and be careful !!!!

In many ways..I think that you are right.

 

Hence the dramatic drop in posters on TV-my subjective perception only.

[Odysseus123]

2 hours ago, Eligius said:

And the silence of the Thai people is .... DEAFENING!

 

(I witness this apathy all around me every day: the vast majority - including very well-educated people whom I daily encounter - are not unduly bothered or perturbed by any of what is going on. Or else: conformism and FEAR rule the day - just as the junta wishes ...).

 

 

Dear Eligius,I think that you are being a little unfair on the Thai people.

[Wilsonandson]

Most of us farangs know what this is about, but we can,t say anything in an Honest manner,(you run a great risk for penalty) this is not our (farang) buiseness , this is up to the Thai peoples, and we farangs must accept it if we want to stay here, sure you must take care your buiseness if you have any, and be careful !!!!

Why? What's wrong with showing your support for the Palang Pracharath Party. All power to them. We love you Prayut!

Sent from my SM-A700FD using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[lincolnshire poacher]

3 hours ago, madmitch said:

On the system they're suggesting, Lord Buckethead and The Monster Raving Loony Party would have seats in the UK Parliament!

 

Though that might be an improvement on the current bunch!

Yes, let's have some sensible politcians. RIP Lord Sutch

[Oziex1]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

 

The jail sentence passed on Thaksin was for a blatant piece of corruption and the verdict was long overdue.

 

As for the EC, the do seem to be making it up as they go along which considering the healthy budget they had and plenty of time to sort everything out suggests a shambles to say the least.

I'm not suggesting Thaksin is an angel but the timing of this sentence indicates to me that the powers that be are still anxious about the continuing presence of the man in the minds of the Thai public.

 

On the subject of Thaksin, however corrupt and lawless he may have been or is, the current mob will eventually catch up and exceed his corrupt ways. Who will bring them to justice when they eventually skip the country?

[Chris Lawrence]

2 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

The jail sentence passed on Thaksin was for a blatant piece of corruption and the verdict was long overdue.

 

As for the EC, the do seem to be making it up as they go along which considering the healthy budget they had and plenty of time to sort everything out suggests a shambles to say the least.

A brilliant politician in the rubble that is government. The timing of the verdict is to stop him coming home when his side is elected as the side most likely to govern. Hail, Caesar!

 

 

[hotchilli]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

THE ELECTION Commission (EC) yesterday remained non-committal over the party-list MP calculation method after the Constitutional Court refused to intervene and stated the agency had the authority to make a decision in line with the laws.

 

Any election committee that cannot count the votes , publish the results and give out the verdict on how seat allocation will be divided within a week has something seriously wrong with it!

[Srikcir]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

It has never been a secret and the parties were well aware of it

Is it the public's responsibility to assure the EC operates in accordance to the constitution?

If it is, shouldn't then the EC be elected by the electorate instead of being appointed by an unelected government?

The same government that uses it's absolute power to cower public opinion on political matters that presented with an opposition viewpoint - that's been no secret.

The responsibility for this EC's failure to conduct a legal election with an indisputable results must lie with the agency that created this EC.

There is No Power To the People to blame!

 

Furthermore, I recall that repeatedly, while the new constitution was being drafted, that even the junta-appointed Constitutional Drafting Committee (do you see a pattern here?) could not predict how votes would ultimately be distributed to the participating political parties. The electoral process the CDC created had no experience by any other country. That alone should have forewarned the Prayut government, and especially the EC, that careful analysis and deliberation must be exercised PRIOR to the next election that such a system had no flaws and was ACCEPTABLE to the electorate for its results. 

 

While it would be painful to the nation and its reputation as allegedly a democratic nation, the best remedy now is to redo the whole election process starting from EC's affirmation of compliance with the constitution and eligibility certification of all candidates.

Anything less will represent a Frankensteinan^*electoral process unbecoming Thailand and lacking any credibility to produce a democratically elected government.

^*a thing that becomes destructive to its maker

 

 

[Odysseus123]

45 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Is it the public's responsibility to assure the EC operates in accordance to the constitution?

If it is, shouldn't then the EC be elected by the electorate instead of being appointed by an unelected government?

The same government that uses it's absolute power to cower public opinion on political matters that presented with an opposition viewpoint - that's been no secret.

The responsibility for this EC's failure to conduct a legal election with an indisputable results must lie with the agency that created this EC.

There is No Power To the People to blame!

 

Furthermore, I recall that repeatedly, while the new constitution was being drafted, that even the junta-appointed Constitutional Drafting Committee (do you see a pattern here?) could not predict how votes would ultimately be distributed to the participating political parties. The electoral process the CDC created had no experience by any other country. That alone should have forewarned the Prayut government, and especially the EC, that careful analysis and deliberation must be exercised PRIOR to the next election that such a system had no flaws and was ACCEPTABLE to the electorate for its results. 

 

While it would be painful to the nation and its reputation as allegedly a democratic nation, the best remedy now is to redo the whole election process starting from EC's affirmation of compliance with the constitution and eligibility certification of all candidates.

Anything less will represent a Frankensteinan^*electoral process unbecoming Thailand and lacking any credibility to produce a democratically elected government.

^*a thing that becomes destructive to its maker

 

 

 Excellent post 

                                                                                              "its reputation as allegedly a democratic nation.."

 

No-one perceives Thailand as such.

[yellowboat]

4 hours ago, Chrisswe said:

Most of us farangs know what this is about, but we can,t say anything in an Honest manner,(you run a great risk for penalty) this is not our (farang) buiseness , this is up to the Thai peoples, and we farangs must accept it if we want to stay here, sure you must take care your buiseness if you have any, and be careful !!!!

There are other countries in Asia besides Thailand.  They offer certainty and few hassles.    The fact that you feel the need to warn me says mouthfuls.  I say leave, unless you have no choice but to live in fear.  Deny the three stooges of SE Asia; Prayuth, Hun Sen and Aung Yang Su Ky.  Give them no more.  Favor others.   

[mfd101]

6 hours ago, Eligius said:

And the silence of the Thai people is .... DEAFENING!

 

(I witness this apathy all around me every day: the vast majority - including very well-educated people whom I daily encounter -: " are not unduly bothered or perturbed by any of what is going on. Or else: conformism and FEAR rule the day - just as the junta wishes ...).

 

 

Ezra Pound: "A slave is one who waits for someone to come and free him."

[Orton Rd]

6 hours ago, Eligius said:

And the silence of the Thai people is .... DEAFENING!

 

(I witness this apathy all around me every day: the vast majority - including very well-educated people whom I daily encounter - are not unduly bothered or perturbed by any of what is going on. Or else: conformism and FEAR rule the day - just as the junta wishes ...).

 

 

True but you can't blame them, last time they tried to do something to throw off their shackles they got murdered on the streets. It will be easier if and when a declining economy starts to hurt everyone, then we might see people on the streets again, after all it looks like voting is not much of an option for change.

[Odysseus123]

20 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

Ezra Pound: "A slave is one who waits for someone to come and free him."

Pity that Ezra Pound was a fascist and a very mentally sick puppy,to boot..

[nong38]

The way the seats were to allocated should have been decided and declared long before the election so everyone understood how things would work out, that that did not happen just allowed all the smoke and mirrors to cover up what really happened. Although we are only observers here I wonder how many will think that when the final result is declared it is a true and accurate reflection of the votes? 

Is Lord Buckethead still Prime Minister?

[DrTuner]

I see they hired somchai to cut off the democracy monument with an angle grinder. Quite symbolic. Unfortunately for the junta he'll bugger off as soon as he gets first payment so half of it will be left standing. Very symbolic.

[Tiffer]

8 hours ago, madmitch said:

On the system they're suggesting, Lord Buckethead and The Monster Raving Loony Party would have seats in the UK Parliament!

 

Though that might be an improvement on the current bunch!

Has Lord Buckethead defected from the Gremloids? Someone should tell Howling Lord hope or Raving Lord Such will be turning in his grave.

[yellowboat]

7 hours ago, Eligius said:

And the silence of the Thai people is .... DEAFENING!

 

(I witness this apathy all around me every day: the vast majority - including very well-educated people whom I daily encounter - are not unduly bothered or perturbed by any of what is going on. Or else: conformism and FEAR rule the day - just as the junta wishes ...).

You must remember a couple of things:

 

1. Thais are overly patient, content people.  They have a very high tolerance of such things, and few have seen or appreciated an elected government.   Once pushed beyond their tolerance, they blow.

 

2. Those, who stand up to a legion of bullies, are under 20% of the population.