Dems deny pact to join Pheu Thai bloc
PUBLISHED : 22 Jul 2023 at 08:38
The Democrat Party denied a rumour that more than half of its members of parliament were in talks to join a Pheu Thai coalition while it also has not yet decided whether to vote for Pheu Thai’s candidate Srettha Thavisin as prime minister.
Democrat Party spokesman Ramet Rattanachaweng on Friday brushed aside the rumour that 16 of its 25 MPs, led by its acting party secretary-general, Chalermchai Sri-on, had pledged to support Pheu Thai following talks and an agreement that they would join the new government.
“No one can make such a decision alone. It must be a resolution of our party’s executive committee and our 25 MPs,” said Mr Ramet, before dismissing further speculation that the 16 MPs will move to the Bhumjaithai Party.
Asked if the Democrats would vote for Pheu Thai’s candidate, Mr Srettha, to become the new premier following his declaration to drop amending Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the lese majeste law, Mr Ramet said the Democrats would hold a meeting to talk in detail and review the Pheu Thai Party’s policies.
He said the Democrats had taken a firm stance against the amendment of Section 112 and would not support any party that did not agree.
He said the Democrats were under pressure to support the Move Forward Party (MFP) in the prime ministerial vote to respect the 14 million who voted for the MFP but also noted that the party must respect its own voters who voted for its policies.
Meanwhile, Mr Ramet said a special meeting to choose its new leader and an executive board has been postponed from Sunday, with a new date soon to be announced.
The Democrat Party spokesman said its registrar Wirat Romyen had instructed at least 25 members from each region — the North, South, Northeast, Central region, and Bangkok — to attend the vote to keep a balance because, at present most of its MPs are from South.
Military reshuffle awaits new govt
PUBLISHED : 22 Jul 2023 at 08:15
The annual military reshuffle may have to wait as political parties are in the process of forming a new government, according to Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Speaking after a Defence Council meeting on Friday, Gen Prayut said he has no idea when the annual reshuffle will be.
Gen Prayut, who typically declines to comment on political matters after his loss in the recent election, said political parties are in the process of forming a coalition government, and the annual reshuffle may have to wait.
However, a source close to the Defence Council said Gen Prayut, during the meeting, called on military leaders to continue to give their best regardless of who assumes the prime minister and defence minister roles.
After the meeting, armed forces leaders were seen walking with Gen Prayut to his office and had a brief talk. It was reported that Gen Prayut told them to finalise a plan for the annual reshuffle early next month.
Col Chitanat Punnothok, deputy Defence Ministry spokesman, said Gen Prayut had ordered the armed forces to step up security at arms depots and regularly inspect stockpiles. Negligent officers will face legal and disciplinary action, he said.
The order came after the navy launched an investigation into whether an ordnance officer stole a large quantity of cartridges from the Sattahip naval base in Chon Buri.
The CSI-LA Facebook page alleged that thousands of cartridges and grenade launcher rounds went missing from a navy warehouse.
A week in politics
Hello Globe readers,
Today marks the last day of Cambodia’s election campaign, which meant rallies of thousands organised by the ruling Cambodia’s People Party (CPP) motored through Phnom Penh.
But many young Cambodians are concerned about the lack of fair competition in a system long dominated by Prime Minister Hun Sen and his party. After election officials forbade the main opposition Candlelight Party to run due to a paperwork requirement, only a scattering of minor opposition parties are left to compete with the CPP.
Just over the border, Thailand has yet to select its next prime minister after the opposition Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat was ruled out for the second time in a row. Citizens have been mobilising and gearing up in nationwide protests.
This week, the Globe also published the Khmer version of Govi Snell and Anton L. Delgado’s feature on farmers clashing with the few remaining wild elephants in Vietnam, causing major concerns among environmentalists.
Conservationists across the region are also worried about the growing threats of illegal wildlife trade and deforestation in the Annamite mountains, where newly discovered species are already heading towards extinction.
Lastly for the stories, six decades after Singapore’s failed prison experiment that resulted in a deadly riot, film director Tom St. John Gray spoke in an interview about the process of uncovering the truth behind this riot and sharing it in a CNA documentary titled “Riot Island.”
Finally, for some Globe news, today’s newsletter marks four years of Sightlines. For long-time readers, thanks for following — for newcomers, welcome aboard! We’ve been publishing deep-dives from around the region since 2007 and hope to do so for much, much longer yet. Hit this link if you’d like to subscribe and join our mission!
That’s all for today, may you have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the features below.
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Outlaws Motorcycle Club leader among 4 raid arrests
PUBLISHED : 22 Jul 2023 at 07:52
CHON BURI: Police arrested four foreign suspects, including the leader of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club in Pattaya, in a raid connected to a club member’s alleged murder of Hans Peter Walter Mack, a German property broker in Nong Prue district.
Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn said Provincial Police Region 2 and Chon Buri Provincial Police expanded their investigations of the motorcycle gang and found it had members of various nationalities.
The gang has been involved in some illegal business, including drugs and human trafficking, he alleged.
The crackdown stems from investigations into Mack’s murder on June 4, in which police later arrested German national Olaf Thorsten Brinkmann, 52, a member of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club and three other suspects; Petra Christl Grundgreif, 54, Nicole Frevel, 52 and Shahrukh Karim Uddin, 27.
Acting on the tip-off, police launched a crackdown on eight premises on Friday to arrest the gang’s leader, Mr Thomas, an Austrian national.
During the raid, police arrested Mr Thomas at a house in tambon Nong Prue of Bang Lamung district as he was packing in preparation to flee the country.
Police confiscated his Harley Davidson motorcycle and other evidence.
Police said Mr Thomas admitted he was the gang’s leader but quit after learning of Mack’s murder.
Police ran a background check and found that the suspect had an arrest warrant out for fraud and inputting false information into a computer system.
Mr Thomas was sent to Pattaya police station for further legal action.
Police also arrested another gang member, identified as Danny, a German national, in a house at Chokchai Garden Home 2 in tambon Nong Prue.
The suspect also tested positive for illicit drug use.
Police also confiscated his Kawasaki Z900 motorcycle.
Police likewise arrested Daniel, an American national, and Theodor, a Swiss national, at other locations.
Their visas were revoked after Chonburi Immigration Office and Investigation Immigration Division 3 found that the two suspects violated the Immigration Act 1979.
Police confiscated their four motorcycles during the raid.
Pol Gen Surachate said police would expand their investigations into the Outlaws Motorcycle Club and other criminal gangs that have committed offences in the kingdom.
Bringing Private King home: Reaching Pyongyang is the first challenge
WASHINGTON: It has never been easy for the United States to secure the return of citizens from North Korea, one of the world’s most isolated nations. The task may be even harder in the case of Private Travis King, with communication between the countries now almost non-existent, say diplomats andContinue Reading
North Korea fires ‘several cruise missiles’ into sea
SEOUL: North Korea has fired “several cruise missiles” into the Yellow Sea between China and the Korean peninsula, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Saturday (Jul 22). The launches, which the military said took place at about 4am local time (3am Singapore time), come as relations between the twoContinue Reading
Comical confrontation
Comical confrontation
The past several weeks have been some of the most eventful and eagerly anticipated in the country’s history with regard to government formation.
Sharp-witted quips have accompanied the repartees of political commentators looking to deliver a more punchy line to satirise the fight that pitted the Move Forward Party (MFP) against Pheu Thai for the two most coveted posts — the House speaker and prime minister — than seasoned politicians in the form of Pheu Thai list MP, Adisorn Piangket and Jatuporn Prompan, former chairman of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).
On the surface, the MFP and Pheu Thai came across as the nucleus of a close-knit, so-called pro-democracy alliance. They had managed to side-step direct confrontation over the House speaker role early this month, although it was only a matter of time before cracks in their relationship manifested, according to a source.
Both had refused to budge in pushing their demands for the House speaker role before reaching a compromise to install Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, former leader of the Prachachat Party, instead.
The unspoken adversarial relationship between the MFP and Pheu Thai was quietly being played out and exposed by some noted critics who had a field day mocking their political predicament.
When the MFP pushed the envelope, unyielding in its claim on both the House speaker and prime minister roles, it raised the ire of some in Pheu Thai, including Mr Adisorn.
A TikTok luminary, Mr Adisorn lost no time firing a salvo at the MFP for trying to bite off more than it could chew by insisting that its demand for the two most coveted posts was both non-negotiable and righteous.
Mr Adisorn attacked the MFP for staking a claim to all winning lottery prizes despite having only bought a single lottery ticket.
He argued that the 151-MP MFP was bigger than Pheu Thai by a mere 10 seats, and yet the party wanted it all. A friendship, according to Mr Adisorn, can only thrive when both sides learn to compromise.
It was clear as day that the MFP had its eyes fixed on the prime minister post, and so it should have stepped away from the House speaker role in the beginning, according to Mr Adisorn.
Instead, the MFP refused to back down, saying it needed a House speaker from its own ranks to push its legislative agenda in parliament. That agenda was understood to include the party’s highly controversial plan to amend the lese majeste law.
At the same time, the House speaker battle painted Pheu Thai in a rather negative light in the eyes of red-shirt figure Mr Jatuporn.
Jatuporn: Quick to slam Pheu Thai
Some stalwarts in Pheu Thai believed the MFP had a limited pool of candidates suited for the role. To them, the speaker must be of high calibre and with experience under their belt.
Pheu Thai claimed it had a long list of members who were a perfect fit for the job.
Mr Jatuporn was quick to take a swipe at Pheu Thai, a party he had an irreconcilable fallout with over what he called its unforgivable betrayal of red-shirt supporters’ trust in the aftermath of the UDD mass protests to defend the party in 2010.
He accused the party of sitting idly by while watching UDD supporters go to jail in connection with the protests.
Mr Jatuporn said during a talk programme that it was comical that Pheu Thai was alluding to the MFP as a party full of “novice monks”, who did not measure up for the House speaker role.
He suggested Pheu Thai look in the mirror to see who was unable to practise what they preach.
According to Mr Jatuporn, the party roped in a “novice nun” to be its head, apparently referring to 36-year-old Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who despite her lack of active political experience, was installed as Head of the so-called Pheu Thai Family, a position thought to have been invented exclusively for her and which is equivalent to being a party leader.
Ms Paetongtarn is the youngest daughter of fugitive premier Thaksin Shinawatra who is still deeply respected by the party.
Mr Jatuporn went on to describe Pheu Thai as the “older woman” trying to attract a “a younger man”, a reference to the MFP, which is run by a much younger crop of politicians.
However, Mr Jatuporn said the “older woman” was going through her menopause with episodes of hot flushes that explained her unpredictable behaviour.
The UDD leader pointed to Pheu Thai’s frequent stance switches, from affirming it had the right to the House speakership to then declaring the biggest party should have the role, only to return to its original demand a few days later after protests from within the party and its supporters.
In the end, both the MFP and Pheu Thai Party, in a gesture of concession, agreed that Mr Wan should take the job to avoid further clashes.
Mr Wan was elected House speaker on July 4 and has since quit as leader of the Prachachat Party.
Earlier, in the first sign of cracks in the MFP-Pheu Thai alliance, Pheu Thai leader Dr Cholnan Srikaew said his party was trapped in an arranged marriage it could not get out of. He said expectations from pro-democracy camp supporters — for the two parties to stick together and successfully produce a government together — were too high to be dashed.
‘Brat pack’ tests ties
Life as the election winner is not a barrel of laughs for the Move Forward Party (MFP), and given a series of events in the past week, the party could even end up in the opposition camp, according to observers.
The party is unpopular with the military-appointed Senate due to its highly controversial policy to amend the lese majeste law. Its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, faces scrutiny for allegedly running for a House seat despite being aware he was not eligible to do so.
As widely speculated, when the crucial day came on July 13, Mr Pita failed to secure enough support to become prime minister. Although the eight prospective coalition partners showed solidarity, he had only 324 votes, 52 short of the 375 required to become the country’s 30th prime minister.
Knowing they would be fighting another losing battle unless the MFP backed down on the lese majeste issue, the MFP-led bloc, however, agreed to renominate Mr Pita for the second round of voting on Wednesday.
But, the plan was thwarted when parliament said Mr Pita’s renomination was against House regulations and blocked the second bid.
As Mr Pita was the MFP’s sole prime ministerial candidate, its chances of leading the next government are believed to have evaporated. To rub salt in the wound, the charter court suspended Mr Pita as an MP the same day, pending its ruling on his parliamentary status over the iTV shareholding saga.
The MFP’s main ally, the Pheu Thai Party, is now in pole position to take the lead in forming the government. The question is whether Pheu Thai will stick with the current alliance or cobble together a new one without the MFP.
Several analysts believe that as long as the MFP remains in the coalition, Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidate is unlikely to secure support from parliament. The MFP has also initiated a charter amendment proposal seeking to strip the Senate of its power to co-select the premier, giving the Senate another excuse not to vote for a bloc candidate.
The MFP’s setbacks come at a time when several Pheu Thai heavyweights are said to be losing patience with MFP politicians and playing second fiddle.
Pheu Thai, the election runner-up with 141 House seats, has a better chance of setting up a government, but it has exercised goodwill toward the MFP following the election result. It is also bound by a memorandum of understanding to support the MFP’s bid for power.
However, there has been a fair amount of frustration among those in Pheu Thai’s ranks tasked with negotiating with prospective coalition partners and following through with their agreement.
According to a Pheu Thai source, many party figures have had to put up with the attitude of young MFP politicians over the past two months, and their patience is wearing thin.
These MFP figures apparently have no respect, no care for seniority and no understanding of how political bargaining works. They refuse to acknowledge that their partners have political obligations to fulfil and have to answer to their supporters too.
“They are like spoiled children. They must have their way, and they don’t trust others,” said the Pheu Thai source who cited negotiations over the House speaker post as an example.
After locking horns for weeks, both parties decided to give the job to Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, then leader of the Prachachat Party, to end the stalemate and keep the coalition’s formation moving forward.
But while it was agreed that the matter of the House speaker was limited to three parties, a core MFP figure proceeded to hold a press conference to try and make it the affair of all eight parties.
According to the source, considering the way the MFP treats Pheu Thai, it is hard to imagine how these young politicians will deal with senior state officials of high calibre and decades of experience if it has the chance to run government ministries.
Besides a lack of knowledge and experience, MFP politicians do not have the political adeptness needed to win the trust and support of state agencies in policy implementation, and the MFP may not be fit to lead a government and be put in charge of key ministries, said the source.
Parting ways with the MFP is deemed the most viable option for Pheu Thai, according to the source.
“Although it won’t be easy for us to work because the MFP has proven to be a strong opposition party, we have an obligation to the 11 million people who voted for us,” said the source.
Pita: Thwarted in bid to be PM
Police to monitor political gatherings for 3rd PM vote
Top cop urges rallies to be peaceful affairs
PUBLISHED : 22 Jul 2023 at 06:38
Police have said they will closely monitor political gatherings on July 27, the day of the third round of prime ministerial voting.
National police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas said on Friday that safety measures, as per the Public Assembly Act, applied to protesters in front of parliament on July 19, will be again applied to any gatherings on July 27.
Pol Gen Damrongsak said police will also conduct situation assessments daily before the date.
Political protesting is a basic right under the law, he said, but those organising protests must inform police in advance so that police can prepare to ensure the gatherings are peaceful and safe from any attempts from a so-called “third hand” to stir up violence.
Pol Gen Damrongsak also ordered the same measures for police nationwide.
In an update, he said legal action would be taken against a 63-year-old man who threw a bag of fermented fish sauce at the office of the Election Commission (EC) in the Government Complex on Chaeng Watthana Road. The man was protesting the EC’s decision on Wednesday to forward the iTV shareholding case involving Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat to the Constitutional Court.
Pol Gen Damrongsak also said that some Senate and EC members have been filing security requests after being threatened by netizens. He said he had ordered officers to investigate netizens who have threatened senators and EC members online.
Meanwhile, Arnon Klinkaew, chairman of Thai People Protecting the Monarchy group, and Nopadol Prompasit, secretary-general of the Legal Help Centre for Cyberbullying Victims, on Friday filed a case against a netizen who published an audio clip claiming to be an “important [royal] figure” on TikTok.
They submitted what they said was evidence with Pol Maj Gen Athip Pongsiwapai, commander of the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD), to investigate if the publisher violated Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the lese majeste law.
The audio file was published before the second attempt at a prime ministerial vote on Wednesday. According to Mr Arnon, the voice was completely counterfeit, but the voice was made at least 90% similar to a royal figure.
Mr Anon also added that the lese majeste law was designed for no other purposes than royal protection, not for political defamation.
How celebs keep healthy: Li Nanxing and Chef Bobâs eating-out hacks, Jin Yinjiâs senior workout tips and more
Li, who hosted and cooked with hawkers on the 2021 series LNX x Hawkers, has some culinary tips, too. “Make meat the side dish instead of the main focus of your meal. You can use small amounts of meat to flavour soups, stews and stir-fries,” said the actor, who is used to crossing flavours to create new dishes on his show.
If you must have meat, opt for lean meat such as chicken breast, turkey or fish. These meats are lower in saturated fat and calories, he said.
EAT HEALTHIER WHEN DINING OUT
Li has this tip: Google the menu before you get to the restaurant or cafe. When you make decisions when you’re not hungry, you’re less likely to choose dishes that are fried, battered or smothered in sauces. Make a note of the options that are grilled, baked or broiled and order those instead, he said.
“Many restaurants offer small plate or tapas-style options that allow you to sample a variety of dishes without overeating,” said Li. Or ask for a half-portion or order an appetiser instead of a main course. Sharing dessert with someone else is another great way to save calories.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for sauces or dressings on the side, or request for grilled or steamed vegetables instead of fried,” he added.
Speaker defends second Pita vote
PUBLISHED : 22 Jul 2023 at 06:11
House speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha on Friday defended his decision to call a vote on whether Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat could be renominated for prime minister.
Mr Wan came under fire from the MFP and the Pheu Thai Party for allowing lawmakers to settle the dispute surrounding Mr Pita’s renomination by a vote instead of making a ruling.
The majority rejected Mr Pita’s renomination on the grounds that parliamentary meeting regulation No.41 prohibited the resubmission of a failed motion during the same parliamentary session unless new circumstances were factored in.
They argued that an earlier motion regarding Mr Pita’s nomination had already been rejected by parliament on July 13, when he failed to get the needed majority of votes in the first round.
Mr Wan said he listened to the MPs and senators discuss the matter for several hours during the July 19 session, and none of them showed there were new circumstances to be considered.
“When there are new circumstances, I can make a ruling. But when no one pointed out how the circumstances had changed, I was unable to do so,” he said.
He said he accepted criticism but insisted that he was doing his job impartially and in accordance with regulations. He also said the MFP had the right to ask the Constitutional Court to rule if the parliament resolution was constitutional if they disagreed.
According to Mr Wan, a letter has been issued calling for a joint meeting of MPs and senators on July 27 to select a new prime minister, while MPs and senator whips would meet on July 26.
Atthajak Sattayanurak, a lecturer at Chiang Mai University’s Humanities Faculty, issued an open letter to Mr Wan asking him to address the “flawed” decision he made before the next round of voting for a prime minister.
The academic echoed the views of Borwornsak Uwanno, the former chair of a constitution drafting committee, saying that invoking a parliamentary session regulation undermined the constitution and this must be addressed before setting an “ugly” precedent.
“You must be the one who fixes it by announcing before lawmakers that the vote on July 19 was against the constitution and correct it before the next session,” he said.