Showing 1 - 10 of 10
Laying siege to the City of Angels
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 18/04/2018
» The appointment of Sakoltee Phattiyakul as deputy governor of Bangkok by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha through the use of Section 44 has been seen as a move by the regime to take control of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and pave a path towards securing votes in the capital for the election in the near future.
Major parties in battle to repel NCPO attack
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 04/04/2018
» At the end of March, 97 political groups applied to be registered as political parties. Come April, public attention has turned to existing political parties whose party members are required to reconfirm their membership status. These are some of the steps the military regime under the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has taken to manipulate our politics ahead of the election next year.
Military treats democracy like a video game
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 13/06/2017
» Our leaders handle politics as if it were a video game. There is a reset button. Everything can be reset to zero -- and we start all over again.
Thai political minefield threatens NCPO
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 16/05/2017
» As the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) led by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha approaches the end of its third year in power this Monday, its ability to govern seems to be faltering.
Local governing bodies badly need reform
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 04/04/2017
» Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon recently sent up a trial balloon on the possibility of calling elections for local administration organisations before the general elections. His line of thought is that if the local elected bodies are in place before the national body, national politicians will not be able to manipulate local politicians during their poll campaign.
Shutting out parties is recipe for trouble
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 06/12/2016
» The gag order issued by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) after the 2014 coup which prohibits political gatherings of more than five people will be a key obstacle for parties when preparing for the next general election.
Challenges await city governor, NCPO
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 25/10/2016
» Prime Minister and head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha finally rid the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) of its last elected governor, MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra. The dismissal order came a little less than two months after he suspended the governor over investigations into alleged irregularities at the BMA.
Governor's errors play into NCPO's hands
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 30/08/2016
» Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra is the latest to fall under the sword of Section 44. Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, as head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), issued an order suspending him from work without pay. The suspension is supposed to be temporary until further notice.
Technocrat regimes and liberal democracy
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 02/08/2016
» Rao ma tueng jud nee dai young ngai? or "How did we arrive at this point?" is a Thai popular phrase expressing how one is facing a situation, with wonder and surprise, or just plain sarcasm. Many are asking the same question amid the current political predicament and ahead of the referendum on a constitution that imposes more control than gives way to liberal democracy.
Democracy is a creation of the people, not an elite few
News, Suranand Vejjajiva, Published on 22/10/2014
» As the National Reform Council (NRC) has convened and will soon begin to plunge into the so-called "reform" process with all the nitty-gritty details, a few points must be considered.