Politics

Thai PM walks out of parliament, accusing MPs of not listening to him

Published

2 weeks ago

Friday, February 19, 2021

Maya Taylor

Thai PM walks out of parliament, accusing MPs of not listening to him | The Thaiger

PHOTO: MGR Online

Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has walked out of a parliamentary debate in an apparent huff that MPs were laughing instead of listening to him. Thai PBS World reports that the incident happened in parliament yesterday afternoon, while the PM was explaining the southern economic zone project as part of the censure debate. Accusing some of those present of not paying enough attention, he ended his speech abruptly and walked out.

“I think I will stop here because no one is listening, but laughing. That is enough, thank you.”

Thai PM walks out of parliament, accusing MPs of not listening to him | News by The Thaiger

PHOTO: Thai Post

The PM entered the debate after an accusation from opposition MP Prasertpong Sornnuwat, from the Kao Klai Party, who accused the Deputy Interior Minister Nipon Boonyamanee of an abuse of power. Prasertpong has accused Nipon of displacing villagers in the southern province of Songkhla by forcing them to sell their land to make way for developments in the southern economic zone project. He says this was done to further Nipon’s own interests and those of his people.

Nipon claims the dispute over the land occurred before he took over responsibility for the project, insisting that Prasertpong’s accusation is groundless and that the project is designed to improve the quality of life of people in the area.

The PM then took to the floor to defend the project, pointing out that issues in the south of the country are complicated and saying the government is working to solve them and bring prosperity to the region. He has refuted the suggestion that no progress has been made on the project, insisting that it is in the preparatory stage and pointing out that infrastructure development must be ready before investors decide to put money into the region. However, it appears he grew frustrated that some were not listening to his explanation, accusing them of laughing at him, before walking out.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World

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34 Comments

Geoff

Friday, February 19, 2021 at 11:45 am

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s the PM’s dummy!

Reply
- Changyue
  
  Friday, February 19, 2021 at 3:52 pm
  
  If people are laughing they are paying attention. A sleeping audience is much wor. ….zzzzzzzz
  
  Reply
  - Dave Macarelli
    
    Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 12:55 am
    
    Prayuth deserves all the flak and criticism he gets. If you can’t handle the heat, get out of the fire.
    
    He should be making a speech to the nation. “I am so sorry. I could have stopped this second wave from happening. Same goes for my health minister. We are both handing in our resignation, starting tomorrow. We really dropped the ball, and failed. It is the right thing to do. I now realize both myself and Anutin have been way over our heads, this entire time. We take responsibility.
    
    Forgive us, if u can, but we will never forgive ourselves for failing you, the people of Thailand.
    
    Reply
Toby Andrews

Friday, February 19, 2021 at 11:49 am

He will be the subject of a vote of no confidence debate soon.
Walking out of parliament like a spoilt child that is not receiving attention is likely to increase the votes of no confidence.
Laughing at a dictator is good opposition. Dictators hate ridicule.

Reply
- Issan John
  
  Friday, February 19, 2021 at 3:54 pm
  
  It’s still a foregone conclusion, as he has a majority – just. It’s very unlikely anyone would actually change sides.
  
  I recall someone being laughed at by the UN …
  
  Reply
  - David Mann
    
    Friday, February 19, 2021 at 5:58 pm
    
    Yes IJ. Trump was laughed at by the UN. But one key difference about those laughing. They majority were unelected Ambassadors and Diplomats and hence can not claim to represent the views of the people. The people laughing in the Thai Parliament were elected MP’s. Voted by the people for the people. It’s called democracy you see IJ. A term you seemingly dislike as you clearly like to dictate to people.
    
    Reply
    - Issan John
      
      Friday, February 19, 2021 at 11:47 pm
      
      Really?
      
      Maybe you’ve forgotten whose solution to re-opening Phuket to tourists consisted of “re-locating” a third of the population and then “locking again” the island so any Thais who wanted to leave would be quarantined before they could go anywhere in their own country … 😮
      
      Reply
      - David Mann
        
        Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 3:58 am
        
        WTF are you babbling about. Have you be on the rice whisky tonight ?
- Dave Macarelli
  
  Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 5:39 pm
  
  He got away with it again. By loading up the senate, they can get away with nearly anything. Where deos this leave the nation? What is the future of Thailand, with the dinosaurs in control?
  
  Reply
Ian Bromley

Friday, February 19, 2021 at 12:26 pm

It seems to me that even sham democracy is too much pressure for this man. Dictators are usually thin skinned and can only rule by control and repression and I believe that current circumstances in Myanmar are making him jealous of the actions taken by his buddy there. If we get to having another general election the people will wreak havoc on this sclerotic and chaotic administration. It will be fascinating to see how this cry baby responds to total rejection. Storming off & sucking his thumb wont do him much good then!

Reply
Stardust

Friday, February 19, 2021 at 1:10 pm

Acting like a child or make always others responsible for the own failures doesnt work and means incompitance and not capable to managing a country or anything else. To be on the level like a small kid will not work allover the world to deal with adults.

Reply
Mister Stretch

Friday, February 19, 2021 at 1:54 pm

“The PM then took to the floor to defend the project, pointing out that issues in the south of the country are complicated and saying the government is working to solve them and bring prosperity to the region.”

I call BS on that! The south is left out of almost every “development” project. Anything south of Surat Thani or Phuket is invisible to the PM, his lackeys and cohorts.

The project in question deserved to be laughed at. It’s ludicrous to think that a member of the high-and-mighty PM’s cabinet is in charge of a project that is forcing landowners to sell “to improve the quality of people’s life in the area.”

I hope people keep laughing at him, and he continues to be pissed off about it. Just like a Donnie Trump, Jr Jr…he can’t handle criticism.

Reply
harry1

Friday, February 19, 2021 at 1:58 pm

its not the behaviour expected of a PM,if he cant debate and accept scrutiny in parliament,then he no longer fit to serve

Reply
- Keith
  
  Friday, February 19, 2021 at 3:03 pm
  
  He has never been fit to serve
  
  Reply
Andreas Salamonsen

Friday, February 19, 2021 at 3:32 pm

I would laugh at a clown too! Hahaha!

Reply
Ian

Friday, February 19, 2021 at 3:45 pm

Hopefully the start of his downfall and his minions and hopefully a big turnout at the demonstrations this weekend and hopefully this will lead to a new election soon to get rid of this dictatorship

Reply
Gosport

Friday, February 19, 2021 at 3:56 pm

Showing respect is the cornerstone of being a humanbeing. Look at that lady, what a shame. Do you like a Thai girl like that lady?

Reply
- Jesus Monroe
  
  Friday, February 19, 2021 at 5:01 pm
  
  Look at that lady, do you like a Thai girl like that lady? I’m not meaning to be disrespectful Gosport but Is this a respectful comment?
  
  Reply
- Galaxy
  
  Friday, February 19, 2021 at 7:02 pm
  
  When It’s too much from too much It’s absolutely normal to react like that. The respect is too far.
  
  Reply
- Mister Stretch
  
  Friday, February 19, 2021 at 9:00 pm
  
  What is shameful about her, Gosport?
  
  She’s laughing. You don’t think it’s okay for women to laugh? Or do you think it’s wrong for a woman to laugh at a man? Does she need to “respect the man” even if he says something stupidly funny?
  
  Maybe she shouldn’t be in parliament, is that what you are thinking?
  
  What about the man next to her? He’s laughing even harder, but you don’t make a comment about him. Sounds like you’re a misogynist.
  
  Frankly, a woman that knows how to laugh is more interesting than one that doesn’t.
  
  Reply
Jim kelly

Friday, February 19, 2021 at 7:11 pm

HE’S JUST AN ARMY GENERAL FOR FECKS SAKE!! The man has no charisma, he’s always angry looking, his black bags under his eyes are getting bigger and, above all…. his likeability rating must be in single figures! He will go very soon. Not fit to govern, in cahoots no doubt with the monarchy and he will bring Thailand to its knees. Laughter at him is the ‘best vaccine’ of all!

Reply
Timmytime

Friday, February 19, 2021 at 8:07 pm

Keep on walking Mr Snowflake.

Reply
Jim kelly

Friday, February 19, 2021 at 8:21 pm

He should read the Thaiger and see what people really have to say about him! He would be walking for a lot longer… OR, RUNNING?! “Run Forest, run!!””

Reply
Yan

Friday, February 19, 2021 at 8:41 pm

Walk out…the best he can do….

Reply
Crispy

Friday, February 19, 2021 at 9:43 pm

It is a seriously foolish response to walk out saying people are laughing at you.
Better to ask the Speaker to intervene (why hadn’t he?) and have the offenders removed by the bailiffs.

Reply
Toby Andrews

Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 12:06 am

I j Well I have forgotten please explain, otherwise this is not relevant.
11.47pm. how many big bottles of Chang have you drunk?

Reply
Political Observer

Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 4:53 am

His net worth is US $4 million (according to Wikipedia). How did he get that on a general’s salary ?

Reply
- Kevin Skinner
  
  Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 11:19 am
  
  So everybody starts at zero when they reach the pinnacle of their career do they. No previous earnings, no inheritances, no careful savings or investments.
  
  Try doing some research before making ridiculous accusations.
  
  Reply
James Pate

Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 7:42 am

Keep walking- all the way to the retirement community.

Reply
Ian

Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 6:18 pm

Can you tell us how he got it mr skinner because we all know its not through hard work but more scams and brown envelopes even generals in UK forces don’t acumalate this wealth but id sure like to hear your rational How he accumulated this amount

Reply
Ian

Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 6:26 pm

This so called general is was the leader of a army that would surrender at the first sign of western forces landing on the shores to battle them in full combat gear and sa 80s not flip flops and shorts and as for shrewd investments ,savings his record speaks for itself hes destroying thailand daily

Reply
Masaomi Eric

Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 7:39 pm

For the sake of this nation, Prayuth should leave! He is a total Liability to this country including the foreigners in Thailand!
He’s the Devil citing scriptures from the Bible for his own purpose!
May he rot in Hell!

Reply
Yan

Sunday, February 21, 2021 at 12:06 pm

… finally he made the best step in his career: walking out…

Reply
- Mike froment
  
  Monday, February 22, 2021 at 4:59 pm
  
  I think he’s just like a petulant child look at me like at me sooner he gone the better.
  
  Reply

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Protests

Motorists told to avoid certain areas in Bangkok as protests planned for today

Published

21 hours ago

Saturday, March 6, 2021

Ann Carter

Motorists told to avoid certain areas in Bangkok as protests planned for today | The Thaiger

Bangkok motorists are being told to avoid areas where protests are planned to take place today. Kasetsart intersection, Lat Phrao intersection, Rachaprasong shopping district’s Central World shopping mall and 11th Infantry Regiment barracks in Bangkhen are the sites where demonstrators are set to infiltrate.

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner says he is most concerned about the Lat Phrao intersection, due to the Redem or Restart Democracy group planning to hold a leaderless protest, which has been prone to violence in the past as demonstrated last Sunday. The group is an offset of the Free Youth movement, which is one of the main groups that have been demonstrating against the military-backed government.

The Redem protesters plan to march from the Lat Phrao intersection to the Criminal Court on Ratchadapisek Road, despite a law announced in the Royal Gazette last night which banned protests, mass gatherings and assemblies. The law stated the reasoning was not political, citing fears over Covid-19 instead.

The newly announced law would give the government a wider range of power in enforcing such public gatherings, with law-breakers being subjected to up to a 40,000 baht fine or up to 2 years in jail. The Redem group is expected to demand the release of core Ratsadon leaders and others being held in jail without bail.

The Ratsadon group reached the outskirts of Bangkok yesterday, after a nearly 250 kilometre-long march from the Thao Suranaree statue in Korat province’s Muang district province. But they were met by police who tried to prevent them from marching further into Bangkok, but eventually allowed them to keep marching until they reached the Kasetsart intersection. The group is expected to end the march tomorrow, at Democracy Monument.

Despite the groups’ plans to ignore the recent law that bans protests, police have warned that they will face charges if they defy the new order. 32 companies of anti-riot police have been placed on standby in light of the expected protests taking place in Thailand’s capital today.

SOURCE: Thai Pbs World

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Thailand

Thailand classified as a “not free” country in Freedom House report

Published

3 days ago

Thursday, March 4, 2021

Caitlin Ashworth

Thailand classified as a “not free” country in Freedom House report | The Thaiger

October protest at the Asok-Sukhumvit intersection in Bangkok / Photo by Caitlin Ashworth

On a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 being absolute freedom, Thailand scores at 30, a “not free” country, according to the nonprofit Freedom House. Each year, the organisation reviews the political rights and civil liberties of countries around the world. According to their recent assessment, Thailand has declined in terms of rights and liberties, dropping on the scale from “partly free” to “not free.”

The main reason for the drop on the freedom scale, the organisation says, is “due to the dissolution of a popular opposition party that performed well in the 2019 elections, and the military-dominated government’s crackdown on youth-led protests calling for democratic reforms.”

The Future Forward Party was dissolved in February 2020 after the court found that the founder, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, had made a large donation to the party that exceeded the legal limit. The party’s leaders were then banned from politics for the next decade.

Youth-led protests started in February, but the demonstrations were put on pause due to Covid-19 restrictions banning large public gatherings. Protesters gathered in July as restrictions lifted, but some leaders then faced charges for holding a public gathering, which was still banned under emergency orders.

In October, the prime minister imposed what Freedom House calls a “severe” State of Emergency order in Bangkok that banned gatherings of more than 5 people. Some protesters were arrested for violating the order nearly immediately after it was imposed.

With activists pushing for monarchy reform and an end to the military’s involvement in government, raising subjects considered taboo and unprecedented in Thai society, the Thai government has increased its use of the draconian lèse majesté law. Since November, dozens of activists have faced charges for insulting or defaming the Thai Monarchy.

Freedom House scores countries on topics like the electoral process, questioning if politicians and leaders were elected in free and fair elections, as well as freedom of expression and individual rights.

Thailand’s military seized power in 2014 in a bloodless coup. The 2017 constitution was drafted by a committee appointed by the military’s National Council for Peace and Order. In 2019, the country transitioned to what Freedom House calls a “military-dominated, semi-elected” government.

The 2019 elections were overseen by the Election Commission of Thailand, whose members were appointed by the military. All 250 senators were appointed by the military in 2019 to serve 5 year terms.

In 2020, the combination of democratic deterioration and frustrations over the role of the monarchy provoked the country’s largest anti-government demonstrations in a decade. In response to these youth-led protests, the regime resorted to familiar authoritarian tactics, including arbitrary arrests, intimidation, lèse majesté charges, and harassment of activists. Freedom of the press is constrained, due process is not guaranteed, and there is impunity for crimes committed against activists.

SOURCE: Freedom House

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Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Riot police officer in Bangkok tests positive for Covid-19

Published

3 days ago

Thursday, March 4, 2021

Caitlin Ashworth

Riot police officer in Bangkok tests positive for Covid-19 | The Thaiger

Protest in Bangkok on February 28 / Photo by Thai News Pix

A riot police officer, who was deployed at the recent pro-democracy protests in Bangkok, has tested positive for Covid-19. His supervisor, chief of Wang Thonglang station Ekapop Tanprayoon, says the officer had visited Samut Sakhon, a coronavirus hotspot.

Riot police who worked closely with the infected officer, Somyot Nuamcharoen, are ordered to quarantine. The Wang Thonglang police station and any items the police officer handled are being disinfected, the chief says.

The officer had met up with friends during a visit to Samut Sakhon, just southwest of Bangkok. He travelled to the coastal province on February 18 and returned to Bangkok the next day.

On the 20th, he was deployed to a protest outside of parliament, just after returning from his trip to the “red zone” province. On Sunday, he deployed the protest outside the military barracks in Bangkok. The demonstration turned violent and numerous people were injured.

On Tuesday, his friend from Samut Sakhon tested positive for the virus. The infected officer was tested for Covid-19 that day and his result came back positive yesterday.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post

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