Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Thaksin's Brother-in-law Elected As New Thai PM

Thailand's Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, center, is surrounded by aides after his meeting with cheering supporters outside Parliament Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008 in Bangkok, Thailand. Lawmakers elected Somchai, a brother-in-law of deposed leader Thaksin Shinawatra as the new prime minister of Thailand on Wednesday, setting up a showdown with protesters determined to tear down his political legacy. Somchai, a 61-year-old bureaucrat who is married to Thaksin's sister, won a firm majority of votes in the lower house of Parliament, backed by the governing six-party coalition. (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong)

2008-09-17
The Nation

BANGKOK, THAILAND: Somchai Wongsawat, brother in law of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, became the 26th Thai prime minister after winning voting in the parliament on Wednesday (17 Sept).

Somchai, deputy leader of People Power Party, won 298 to 163 over Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva. Five abstained.

House Speaker Chai Chidchob announced Somchai's victory after about an hour of voting.

PPP MPs voted for Somchai on Wednesday after difference over the nomination inside the party was settled on Tuesday (16 Sept). A faction in the PPP on Monday vowed not to vote for Somchai.

Somchai is married to Yaowapa, the younger sister of former prime minister Thaksin.

Yaowapa was a member of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party and lost her voting right when the party was dissolved. His daughter Chinnicha is the youngest female MP in the current House of Representatives.

Political observers said Somchai's strength lies in his soft and gentle character, which is why he would be the perfect person to negotiate an end to political tensions with the anti-government group, People's Alliance for Democracy.

Somchai was justice permanent secretary from 1999 to 2006, and then became permanent secretary for the Labour Ministry.

In 2003, when Somchai was permanent secretary of justice, he made headlines for conflicting with then-justice minister Purachai Piumsombun over the ministry's budget.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

From the last pharagraph of this article, I am sure that his fate is the same as Thaksin. Corruption everywhere in his cabinet...

SpicyGroup said...

between Thai and Cambodia royal families, who have more members?

Sisowat had about 40 registered wives and 300 concubines. Norodom also had 36 registered wives and hundred concumbines. King Monivong has 200 concumbines. Soramarith has 20.
Sons and grandsons of Sisowat and Norodom have about 5 to 10 registered wives.
Daughters and grand daughters of Sisowat and Norodom have about 3 to 4 husbands.

In conclusion, there are more than 2,000 royal family members.

They are not going to give up easily.

Anonymous said...

2:45 PM

So does Ah Sen's administration!

Anonymous said...

3:22 PM

I wonder how do you get these figure?

Anonymous said...

Ah king Siam is the play main actor behind all these events. Ah king chkout lop sa teh want to swallow khmer land. how about ah king chkout and Ah Xhmer leaders with cutting throat killing-style facing each other? How about that?

I will bet Ah king Siam, though since he's shown he's had the real gut rahter than fucking coward good-for-nothing killing own compatriots.

Anonymous said...

The loyal blood are promiscuous but the fact is people pull facts out of their asses. Just like how you think about everything else in Cambodia lol.

Sam Rainsy was gonna win the election? lol Stop talking out of your ass on the internet. You know at the end of the day, you're just wasting your time because whatever you say or say (not do lol) will not affect a goddamn thing. So save that time and energy and put it into something that actually affects your life huh?

Btw, the money you donated to Sam Rainsy will be swell for the school tuition and living expense for his daughter and son at the prestigious universties right here in America.

Anonymous said...

And yeah how about the elite, clans of cpp daughters and sons? No abuse, good role model...??? They themself don't even have a slight trust in their family's ruling system. How about they suffer from the anarchic system designed by their family<

Anonymous said...

here are the lessons you folks have apparently learnd:

1. You folks might be taught to hate COMMUNISM SINCE THE SYSTEM ABUSE THE BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOM, SAY FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM OF PROTESTS. That's proven to be ultimately correct since there is extreme range of diversity preferrable for peopel AND PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE UNDER INTIMIDATION OR SUPPRESSION TO JUST FOLLOW THROUGH THE DESIGNED AND ASSIGNED ONE.

2. Democracy proven to serve the people's interest-the national interest SINCE THEORIETICALLY THE GOV.T IS FORMED BY PEOPLE AND FOR PEOPLE.AND THE SYSTEM MUST SECURE AT ALL COST THE BASIC RIGHTS AND FREEDOM NOT TO MENTION THAT PEOPLE CAN PROTEST WHEN THEY DISGUST SOMETHING.

-My important message is: until now the gov.t is far from named itself as a RULE OF DEMOCRACY-NO EFFICIENT RULE OF LAW YET JUST MEMORANDUMS OR WORDS OF LAWS FROM THE SOLE MOUTH, the so-called hun sen. And basic human rights or freedom still facing extreme abuse-not secure by independent, neutral bodies of law and authories are all about immplementing party's orders.

My second important message is: Khmers were not fooled and exploited once but for hundred times already-read the history pro-cpp. KHMERS CAN PRAISE CHINA OR RUSSIA OR OTHER DIE-HARD COMMUNIST LEADERS, BUT THE FACT FROM THE HISTORY THAT"PROTECTING JUST THE SYSTEM THAT BENEFITS INDIVIDUALS OR FAMILY" WILL BRING DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES FOR THE COUTRY. Take kings'past history internal fighting for the crown and resulted in ceding more and more land to neighboring countries... and SIHANOUK to determined to retain the MONARCHY AND DISPLAYED HIS BOASTFUL PRIDE (still true until now-bowing to the regime as long as his monarchy still exist) invited pol pot-the massacre of own-blood people. And pol pot the PURE INSANE COMMUNIST PULLED THE STRING,AND SUPPORTED BY CHINA ignorantly yet consciously led the coutry to total devastation. AGAIN THE PROTECTION OF OWN REGIME REGARDLESS WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES HAS BROUGHT ABOUT. And current leaders any major shifting from repeating the history? CHINA OR RUSSIA CANNOT BE TRUSTED AND ANY IMMPLEMENTATION AIMING TO PROTECT INDIVIDUAL OR PARTY INTERESTS WILL RESULT IN REPEATING THE HISTORY AND CHINA OR RUSSIA WILL EXPLOIT AND FOOL THIS FOOL COUNTRY UNTIL NOT A MILLI INCH OF LAND REMAIN!

Khmer Washington

Anonymous said...

Thailand had 18 military coups so far. And..... and make your own judgment of Thailand and her people.

Cambodia had 1970 and 1997 military coups and.... make your judgement view.

Anonymous said...

HUN SEN is right.
If Thailand have internal turmoils and wants to lead the group is very bad example.

Dragging their feet with Khmer/Thai negotiation and prolonging the time is very unacceptible for Khmer.

They don't even know who is in charge the military, and when HUN SEN expressed who is the military listen to or why do the Thai military being stray and encroaching Khmer's soils. Why?
The Thai PM or the King order this?

If nobody responsible for this Khmer have the right to fight them. This is just like a militia that no one control. If Thai have a legimate goveernment they should be able to control these Black Clads soldiers.

Khmer Phnom Penh,

Anonymous said...

We should prefer 1000 small stormes than one Thaiphoone, that what you think 10:13PM?

Anonymous said...

10:33PM you want to fight them with your fliflop and sling? The sling can only take out your PM eye!

Anonymous said...

11:07 PM you are right.

Anonymous said...

11:07 PM and 11:56 PM, with flipflips and slings or whatever we have, we still are fighting for our country. Can you say the same, you gutless bastard? I bet if the war happens, none of you pussies would do anything but talk like you have been doing. A real Khmer would be back in Cambodia ready to go to the frontline, no matter where they are residing. Can you genuinely say the same for yourselves?