Tag: Prayut Chan-o-cha

The Constitutional Court on Wednesday is expected to dissolve Thai Raksa Chart following the party's shock nomination of Princess Ubolratana which later failed. Some members of Thai Raska Chart came from the Pheu Thai party," he said. 'Total control' Parties connected to Thaksin, a telecoms tycoon, have dominated Thai politics for nearly two decades. Pheu Thai won the last elections in 2011 but was usurped by a coup three years later when the current military government - the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) - seized power from Yingluck Shinawatra, the sister of Thaksin. Thai Rak Thai Party, Pheu Thai's predecessor, was dissolved in 2007 following the removal of Thaksin in a coup a year earlier. After taking control of the country and tightening the military's hold over politics, General Prayuth Chan-ocha is now trying to also become an elected prime minister through the Phalang Pracharat Party. The military will appoint a panel to select all 250 members of the upper house so only 126 elected members would need to support Prayuth as prime minister and extend the military's hold on power. Like Future Forward, Pheu Thai's "Next Gen" and the Democrats "New Dem" social media campaigns are targeting young Thai voters with videos and messages. The 22-year-old made headlines in 2016 after a public spat with Prayuth over his refusal to kowtow along with other university students before a statue of King Rama V. "I will go campaigning to get more people to vote," he told Al Jazeera. "I support the democratic camp.

All that changed in one dramatic day. Thai Raksa Chart's move to nominate Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya as its candidate for prime minister was doomed by a royal command from the King. In Thai politics, Princess Ubolratana cannot expect anything of the sort. Pheu Thai, meanwhile, has fielded fewer than 250 constituency candidates, meaning much hope was being pinned on Thai Raksa Chart, whose future is now uncertain. In a fairy tale, a wandering princess has no problem befriending the villagers and other creatures of the forest. Deputy Foreign Minister Marzuki Yahya's political career was on the rise, especially after he was appointed to the key post of secretary-general of Bersatu. But when the scandal broke, Mr Marzuki clarified that it was Cambridge International University in the United States, which, to his further embarrassment, turned out to be a degree mill. The question on everyone's lips is whether Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will take the necessary action to safeguard the image of his government and party. The Marzuki scandal could not have happened at a worse time for Bersatu which is facing a pivotal by-election in Semenyih next month. By proving her still substantial leverage over the main opposition party, does she want to invite the ruling force to consider a political solution of the current situation?

"If the election is a trick on the people, Thais will march and not accept it." A military-drafted 2017 constitution aims to prevent the opposition Pheu Thai party from returning to office -- and ensure the army will continue to have a say in the country's future, no matter who wins the election. The rule of Prayut Chan-o-cha, the military coup leader turned prime minister, has been marked with increased repression, activists say. "Ongoing repression means that voters, political parties and the media in Thailand will have their arms twisted and their mouths gagged in the lead-up to the election." "He desperately wants to be the premiership, this is about his personal ambition," Pavin Chachavalpongpun, associate professor at Kyoto University's Center for Southeast Asian Studies, told CNN. The phrase 'history repeats itself' has taken on a new meaning in Thailand, a nation that has seen a dozen successful coups since 1932. His sister, former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, was kicked out just before Prayut's coup in 2014, following six months of civil unrest and violent street protests. It appears a new Shinawatra generation could be about to make its mark. After the military lifted a ban on political campaigning in December, a host of smaller parties appeared, including Pheu Dharmma and Thai Raksa Chart, with many Pheu Thai members joining their ranks. "Now the atmosphere has changed and young people are more aware," 21-year-old LGBTQ activist and Future Forward party member Tattep Ruangprapaikitseree told CNN.

BANGKOK – The head of Thailand's military government declared Monday he is "interested" in participating in politics, in a new indication he may seek to remain in office after elections scheduled for early next year. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha's remarks did not clarify whether he is considering running in the general election, which is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 24 next year, or will seek to be appointed by the new parliament as a non-elected outsider prime minister. The military declared it would reform politics to get rid of corruption, and banned political party organizing until earlier this month "I can say right now that I'm interested in political positions," Prayuth told reporters at Government House. For several months, Prayuth and his backers have been organizing support among pro-military parties, and at least three political groups have declared they will support Prayuth to become prime minister. Prayuth has also been making trips to provincial areas that strongly resemble campaign stops. Gen. Suchinda Kraprayoon led a 1991 coup that ousted elected Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan, then curried favor among several parties that formed a coalition government after a 1992 election and named him prime minister. Outraged pro-democracy protesters took to the streets to demand Suchinda resign, but instead he called out the army to disperse them by force, killing scores in events that became known as "Bloody May." Suchinda stepped down amid high tension after he and a protest leader were chastised on a live television broadcast by then King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Prayuth's first open admission that he saw himself as more than a coup leader came in January this year when he said, "I am a politician who used to be a soldier." The junta, which holds power above the government, is set to be dissolved after an elected government comes to power.

2,759 Viewed PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday reiterated his promise to clarify his political future next month, saying that he first has to decide if he will stay in politics before he announces which party he will choose to join. Prayut said that while the NCPO meeting yesterday did not touch on the election, more clarity should be seen once the MPs election bill and the Senate selection bill are published in the Royal Gazette. “You will see more political clarity in September. Prayut said the legal process “should head to election” once the MP election bill draft, one of four organic laws that must be passed before holding an election, is published. EC president Supachai Somcharoen said earlier that the agency should be able to organise election-related matters during those 90 days to keep up with the election which, according to the charter, must be held within 150 days once all four essential organic laws are in effect. “General Prayut assures he is not delaying the election. The spokesman went on to say that the PM flagged the video clip for dragging a little kid into politics and making him a political tool. Kids should be safe.” Sansern also mentioned other clips that showed pedestrians being interviewed about the economic situation. “He stressed that this government is trying to provide the equipment for people to fish rather than giving them the fish.” Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has signed an absolute Article 44 order to move Pol Maj-General Romsit Wiriyasan from his position as secretary-general of the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), a post he has held for less than two months. The premier said briefly about the NCPO meeting that it had been about “ensuring that all officers are transparent and efficient ahead of the election”.