Surrender to the godfathers

COMMENTARY

Published: 7 Nov 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Whichever their political allegiance - red or yellow, Pheu Thai or Democrat - the village heads and kamnan across the country have found themselves joining hands in the same fight to keep their positions until age 60.

"Withdraw the legal attempt to limit our terms to only five years. Otherwise, we will stage mass rallies nationwide. Also forget our support for the Pheu Thai government in the next election," they threatened.

The same day the world is watching how the US democratic system allows its citizens to elect their national leader every four years, our village heads and kamnan have won the war cry to hold onto their power.

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facts_only
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Discussion 8 : 09 Nov 2012 at 01.048
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whatajoke 7 -
"Had it not been for the 2006 coup d'etat, the retirement age issue would have been long dead...The Surayud government, however, reverted its terms on retirement age in a bid to win support. " - this article
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whatajoke
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Discussion 7 : 08 Nov 2012 at 08.427
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And to think some people on this forum bang on about unelected senators. Elections are won and lost by endorsement from village headmen/kamnans and Puea Thai can thank that for storming to power, of course it's a bad idea reverting to elected officers. Pretty darned hypocritical of a party always chanting democratic people's choice of governance at every opportunity.
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bennu
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Discussion 6 : 07 Nov 2012 at 21.106
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I remember the story of a volunteer mountain man who kept watching his volcano even when it erupted. Not all positions are the same, but there are many remarkable similarities the way people hold on.
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genii
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Discussion 5 : 07 Nov 2012 at 21.095
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Are these village heads and kamnan not politicians who should be beholding to the voters rather than becomming tyranical godfathers beholding to no-one. Any political or judical position not beholding to the voters soons becomes a dicatorship concerned only with their own little island.
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bangmodken
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Discussion 4 : 07 Nov 2012 at 18.554
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D3 : "It's common knowldege that the pujai baan,the village heads and the kamnan,the sub district heads,are powerful vote canvassers. Their influence through the entrenched patron-client networks remain crucial in deciding election outcomes in many "swing" communities".

PTP has to bow for these people because they do not have a majority vote.
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bkposter
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Discussion 3 : 07 Nov 2012 at 17.053
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finally the PT wants to do something that everyone agrees is a good idea even the oppisition......so why are they backing down?
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dao
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Discussion 2 : 07 Nov 2012 at 11.192
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Village heads should be limited to 4 years in power to avoid a monopoly on power .
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Ian
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Discussion 1 : 07 Nov 2012 at 10.301
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In my area the village boss, the Puyai ban, the Obador and the Nai Amphur are constantly in conflict, as a result very little gets done.
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Surrender to the godfathers | Bangkok Post: opinion