Abhisit Urges Closer ASEAN Integration
Posted by jonathanfryer on Sunday, 20th December, 2009
The Thai Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, has been busy this week at the climate conference in Copenhagen and like many leaders of developing countries, he has expressed disappointment at the low-level outcome. But not all his criticism or advice has been targetted at the United States and other industrialised nations, or even China. He has stressed that the 10-nation Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) really needs to press ahead with regional integration more decisively if South East Asia is not only going to protect the environment but also cope adequately with the challenges of the post-economic crisis world. Of course, the task is made more complicated by the fact that ASEAN, unlike the European Union, has no economic or political homogeneity, grouping everything from mature democracies to a military dictatorship, an absolute monarchy and Communist states. Nonetheless, in an increasingly regionalised world, South East Asia needs to get its act together if it is to prosper and compete, something the Oxford-educated Thai Prime Minister clearly understands.
Ian said
The 122nd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly is being held in Bangkok.It opened on Sunday and PM Abhisit was due to give an address at the opening ceremony.The theme of the Assembly is “Parliament at the heart of political reconciliation and good governance” which is apt considering the political situation in Thailand now.
Talks between PM Abhisit with two government colleagues and three redshirt leaders are being televised and broadcast at this very moment.
Ian said
Talks inconclusive.
More mobs!More violence!
Ian said
PM Abhisit has just broadcast on TV that a political solution is being worked on to end the current crisis in Thailand.
Ian said
The Election Commission has announced a decision that the Democrat Party be dissolved because it received an illegal donation and misused money from an EC development fund.
Ian said
The Democrat party is ready to defend itself if the EC finding that it be disbanded because it received an illegal donation goes before the Constitution Court.The donation was said to be made in 2005 before PM Abhisit became leader of the Democrat Party.
The EC recommendation must be forwarded to the office of the Attorney-General which has 30 days to decide whether to file the case with the Constitution Court.
Ian said
Lots of police and soldiers around the city.Is this the start of the crackdown or just more of the policy divisions which exist in the army or police?
Ian said
Election called for 14th November.
Ian said
Offer of an election on 14th November withdrawn.Places of business are closing early today(13th May)in and around the redshirt protest area which is going to be sealed off this evening.
Ian said
Seh Daeng,a redshirt leader, admitted to hospital after being wounded.
Ian said
Sondhi,the owner of ASTV, has resigned as leader of the New Politics Party.
Meanwhile the sound of gunfire rings out across the city.
Ian said
The clashes continue and civil unrest is starting to spread to other parts of Bangkok and the country.
It’s still not too late for peace talks to bring this mayhem to an end.
Ian said
The Army is moving in to clear the streets in the centre of Bangkok.
Ian said
Redshirt leaders flee.
Ian said
Situation rather confused.Some redshirt leaders have surrendered to the police.
Ian said
Curfew lifted in Bangkok and 23 other provinces.
Ian said
A general election is unlikely to be held before the end of the year PM has told foreign envoys. Also he said an independent inquiry would investigate the recent violence during the anti-government protests.
Ian said
PM Abhisit Vejjajiva that is.
Ian said
Bye-election in Bangkok’s Constituency 6 on July 25th.The Democrat Party has selected Panich Vikitsreth,vice minister for foreign affairs, as its candidate.
The seat was held by Democrat MP Thiwa Ngernyuang who died on June 11th.
Ian said
Some of the other candidates in 26 July bye-election are Korkaew Pilulthong(red shirt co-leader) for the Puea Thai Party.
General Kittisak Ratprasert is standing for the (yellow shirt) New Politics Party.
This is the first time News Politics have fielded a candidate in an election.
Ian said
New Politics candidate Gen Kittisak pulls out after only one day.Gen Kittisak was a member of the Democrat Party.
The Election Commission has prohibited Puea Thai Party from using a robot resembling Mr Korkaew to campaign for votes.Mr Korkaew remains in detention along with 11 other red shirt leaders.
So it’s a two horse race.
Democrats winning here!
Ian said
Panich set to win the bye-election for the Democrats.
Bomb explosion on Rajadamri Road,close to the April/May redshirt protest site.A number of people injured.
Bangkok,as are a number of other provinces,is still under emergency laws.
However a lot of tourists are in the country again including many people from the Middle East,no worries about women wearing the veil.Better they come to Bangkok rather than London.
Ian said
More elections.City Council and district council elections will be held in Bangkok on August 29th.
They will be contested by the Democrats, Puea Thai and the newly formed New Politics Party(Yellow shirts) which will field 40 candidates for the Bangkok City Council.The City Council has 61 seats.
In the Bye-election,the Democrats received 96,480 votes,Puea Thai 81,776, and the others less than 1,000.
In the past, in this eastern district of the capital Thai Rak Thai(Puea Thai’s predecessor)won seats.
Ian said
The Democrat Party expect to win about 40 seats in the Bangkok City Council elections.Turnout 42%.
Ian said
Landslide win for Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban in the Surat Thani bye-election (October 30th 2010).
Suthep had held the post of deputy prime minister as a party list M.P. A post he resigned from to fight the bye-election.
A general election will be held next year.The government is not expected to last its full term.
Ian said
The case to dissolve the Democrat Party was dismissed by the Constitution Court.
Ian said
The streets of Bangkok are full of election placards and cutouts.
The plethora of small parties has swelled the number and a few of these small parties may hold the key as to who forms the next government.
The yellow shirt New Politics Party is unlikely to play any role or make much impact. The Yellow shirt movement is split with one group of activists putting up placards of politicians being depicted as animals and an exhortation to mark the no box on the ballot paper.The yellow shirts appear for the moment to be sidelined, although they are still occupying their protest site in the city center.
Whatever the result on July 3rd ,the political uncertainty in Thailand seems set to contiuue. It is unlikely The Democrats can make a breakthrough that would end the deadlock and it is likely they could lose ground in Bangkok which can be fickle where longterm support is concerned.
Ian said
An election placard that caught my eye today was one for the Liberal Party of Thailand (I just watched their youtube clip).
It is one of the many small parties.
Years ago there was a small Liberal Party(Pak Seriniyom).Its leader was the MP for Ayutthaya.
Ian said
Bye bye Abhisit.
Ian said
Abhisit re-elected leader of The Democrat Party
so now he will become leader of the opposition.