Minister: 5 million oppose UDD petition

GMT +07:00

• E - Paper
• SMS
• Print Front Page
• Newswire
• Print subscription
• RSS

• news
• business
• opinion
• feature
• travel
• leisure
• entertainment
• auto
• life
• tech
• Job
• Forum
• Classifieds

Breakingnews » Breakingnews

Share your thoughts

For more candid, lengthy, conversational and open discussion between one another, use our Forum

Report objectionable comments click here. Include: discussion #, commenter name, comment date / time as it looks on the page. Example: discussion 15: 09/01/2009 at 10:00 AM.

• mike

  Discussion 11 : 12/08/2009 at 06:22 AM11

  who care how many signature you have, the true of the matter is Issan peaple Love kum Thaksin. Long live Thaksin, Long live Our Great PM.

• Richard Collins

  Discussion 10 : 12/08/2009 at 06:07 AM10

  I read this in an overseas paper, but not here or I didn't see it.
  
  From correspondents in Thailand
  August 10, 2009 03:45pm
  GUNMEN have sprayed bullets at a Bangkok office of the party of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, underscoring the kingdom's continuing political tensions.
  
  There were no injuries in the pre-dawn incident today at the Democrat Party office in the Klong Toey area of the capital, but the gunfire damaged the front door of the office, police said.
  
  The attackers were believed to be travelling by motorcycle, police said.
  
  Abhisit's Democrat Party has led Thailand's ruling coalition since December last year, after months of protests that ended in the toppling of the previous government loyal to fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
  
  Abhisit has struggled to heal the rifts between the largely rural poor - many of whom remain loyal to the populist Thaksin who was ousted in a 2006 coup - and powerful Bangkok cliques in the palace, military and bureaucracy.
  
  Riots by pro-Thaksin "Red Shirts" in April derailed a major summit of Asian leaders and left two people dead and 123 injured, prompting Abhisit to declare emergency rule in Bangkok.
  
  Later in April the founder of the rival "Yellow Shirts" - who were behind a nine-day blockade of Bangkok's airports late last year that hastened the end of the last government - was wounded in an assassination attempt.

• Philadelphia

  Discussion 9 : 12/08/2009 at 02:57 AM9

  Right on John in BKK.
  Why not make it 500 million people are against
  the pardon. This would be as true as saying it were five. Then all of SE Asia would undisputedly
  and without a doubt be in agreement with the
  respectable educated PAD airport mafia jerks and hate that terrible corrupt Thaksin guy.
  I thank Buddha everyday we have Obama over here.
  P.S. Help FREE AUNG SUN SU KYI! I'm waiting for Abhisit's lame wimpy statement on this.

• wow

  Discussion 8 : 12/08/2009 at 02:17 AM8

  Yeah, its only stupid when your opponent does it. Lol.
  
  I think the lesson to be learned here is that anyone can fill up a paper with names. UDD's petition is just as stupid, meaningless and childish as this one. Both petitions represent immaturity and the unqualified nature of the people that run this country. What good are elections when you have ZERO, read that ZEEEERRRROOOO qualified candidates running?
  
  You know what the solution is? Educating everyone around you, working together, and doing your best to solve your own local problems while trying to keep the crook politicians in line, in check, and out of your way. Stop supporting them - tolerate them at best. Venerating someone like Thaksin or Abhisit has to be the dumbest thing imaginable.

• John in BKK

  Discussion 7 : 11/08/2009 at 11:58 PM7

  I have a petition with 20 million signatures that says Mr Boonjong's petition has large numbers of fake signatures.

• Bill Canada

  Discussion 6 : 11/08/2009 at 09:37 PM6

  All elections are rigged to an extent and/or influenced by money. Sure, a benign dictatorship is probably the most efficient and wished for form of government, but name one since Asoka.
  
  In authoritarian countries you have one party in control of the ballot box and sometimes only one candidate to vote for.
  
  Western countries like to hold themselves out as examples of true democracy and free, untainted elections. Well we know that's a myth. Political parties raise as much money as possible to tell and spread as many lies about the opposing party(ies) as possible to influence the outcome. This usually makes little difference to those who bought and paid for politicians on all sides, but it makes the voters feel they participated.
  
  As a jobless young man hanging around a union hall in America, I saw a political machine in action when asked to help a local union on election day. They were backing a particular party. My job was to drive an old time union hack around skid row taking drunks to vote "correctly" and when they came out exchange their voting stub for a pint of whiskey from the hack.
  
  Sound familiar Thailand. My point is rigged election or not. An election is a more accurate indicator of the majority's choice than a worthless petition that only a part of the electorate, if that, (See red capitalist) "signs on the dotted line. If money is paid or not as long as the ballot is secret the corrupt payers never know for sure who "betrayed" them.
  
  I admit elections are not perfect, and not just Thai elections, but are better than than other forms of choosing a leader that represents most voters. If anyone has a better idea, besides coup d' etat, please post it.

• Gordon

  Discussion 5 : 11/08/2009 at 09:29 PM5

  Another wow wow for DP and their allies, it is less than 2 days ago that Bkkpost reported 2 million signatures against UDD's 5 million plus signatures. Now, there is no more reporting about the accumulation of signatures by the UDD. Where are all these 3 million more opposition's signatures coming from with 2 days?

• Suchon Chavalittumrong

  Discussion 4 : 11/08/2009 at 06:39 PM4

  It is quite obvious to many people that the election in Thailand has not yet reached its real democratic state. Rather, it is a race where more money means more vote. Though, I do agree that both petition signing are a waste of energy. I don't think that waiting for another election is the way out.
  The way of law must be followed. If petition for a royal pardon is legally possible, let it be done. If it is not, just kill it legally. The current Government must be sincere and honest to the people. The law must be obeyed.

• Is Election the Answer?

  Discussion 3 : 11/08/2009 at 06:09 PM3

  To Discussion #1
  
  Is ELECTION the answer or solution? ... when every elections in Thailand continue to be rigged and vote-buying is rampant. Will the election outcome be legitimate?
  
  Democratic elections can only worked if all involved parties (politicians and electorates) appreciate the virtue of election, and respect the rules and not resort to underhanded means to get into power.
  
  Just listen to the news, besides Thailand, there are now more and more countries (Cambodia, Iran, Eastern European countries, Latin America, Africa, etc.) all having rigged elections.
  
  The true purpose/objective & values of election & democracy are dumped into the bin, literally.

• Red Capitalist Turning Blood Red

  Discussion 2 : 11/08/2009 at 05:58 PM2

  Three days ago, Khun Boonjong claimed 2 mln supporters against supporters. Now the same minister claims 5 mln. 3 mln new signatures in 3 days?
  
  Sure, some people are stupid enough to believe that water is dry and the earth is a triangle, so why not.
  
  Shouldn't anybody be ashamed for contributing to the ever growing rift in our society?
  
  Khun Boonjong should start doing his work. Or better: resign.

 1  2  Next Last