BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand's powerful army chief, who helped oust former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has urged voters not to repeat the outcome of past elections in next month's balloting — an apparent warning against supporting Thaksin's allies.
Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha delivered his advice Tuesday night in a special broadcast on the country's two army-owned television networks, as polls indicated that pro-Thaksin forces are again headed for victory in the July 3 general elections.
Thaksin was deposed in a 2006 military coup after being accused of corruption and disrespect to King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
A sharp split between Thaksin's supporters and opponents has left Thailand in political turmoil since the coup, culminating in street protests in Bangkok last year that deteriorated into violence, leaving 91 people dead and more than 1,800 hurt.
Prayuth, an outspoken defender of the monarchy, said offenses against the royal institution had been increasing and voters should chose "good people" with good morals "who know what is right and wrong."
By bracketing his remarks about voting with the blast at critics of the monarchy, Prayuth implied that voters who respect the king should not support the pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai party.
Thaksin's youngest sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, is the party's candidate for prime minister.
Prayuth said if the same people voted the same way as before, the results would be the same, an apparent reference to the string of victories by pro-Thaksin parties.
Despite those victories, the rival Democrat Party of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was able to take power in 2008 after controversial legal rulings and defections by lawmakers from smaller parties in Parliament.
King Bhumibol has long been a unifying figure, but at 83 and in poor health, there are serious concerns about the future of the monarchy because Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn doesn't command as much popular respect.
Royalists suspect that Thaksin sought to usurp the king's authority and don't want him to return from exile overseas, where he fled to escape a jail sentence for corruption.
Thai army chiefs have a history of being powerful political figures. The country has gone through 18 coups or attempted coups since becoming a constitutional monarchy in the 1930s.
Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said Wednesday he saw Prayuth's comments as simply urging Thai people to vote in large numbers.
"We don't see that he is in favor of any particular party or against any other party," he said. "Pheu Thai is not worried about it. ... It is the people who will determine the future of the country. Nobody can manipulate them."
6 comments:
Mr Sam Rainsy, Why don't you sue PM Hun Sen as you promise to us Cambodian people and your true supporters?
Are you tried to bargain or negotiate with PM Hun Sen again like 2005 lawsuit at America??? Why?? Why??
We want to see Mr Sam Rainsy act as he said to sue PM Hun Sen in every democracy Countries court of justice around the world.
We want the results as transparency, from your progress in suing PM Hun Sen in every court of justices!!!
We are Cambodian people afraid that you are just using the lawsuit to scare PM Hun Sen than when PM Hun Sen gives you (Mr Sam Rainsy) green light. You again, hang your Lawsuit like 2005.
Mr Sam Rainsy, You must do as you said, otherwise you the same as Mr Kim Soka.
Mr Sam Rainsy, where are your law suit VS Hun SEn in America Court of justice? We want to see and hear the stories transparency because we afraid that you are just try to bargain with Hun Sen like 2005 again.
We Cambodian people as well as your supporters are waiting to see your real action in suing PM Hun Sen (In America Court of justice, all countries’ court of justice in Europe, Japan Court of justice, Australia Court of justice, New Zealand court of justice, Canada court of Justice, UN court of justice, World Human Right court of justice, NATO court of justice…) as you Mr Sam Rainsy said.
Mr Sam Rainsy must do as you said OK. Don’t you dare to bargain with PM Hun Sen like 2005 again?
May be you can’t be Prime Minister of Cambodia because of unfair election as 5-6 million Vietnamese votes for Hun Sen and Hun Sen add up his cheating skill in every election but you can be a great Khmer Hero by suing PM Hun Sen about the facts that he has done to Cambodia and Cambodian people so far.
If you Can’t be Prime Miniter due unfair election all the times but Mr Sam Rainsy, you can gives a great stain to PM Hun Sen and CPP Vietnam slave about their crimes against Cambodian people since 1970 until today.
Please don't remove the comment above 9:26 AM again. W khmer people are waiting to see the real action not words!
Please don't try to remove the comment above 9:26 AM again. We khmer people are waiting to see the real action not words!
9:26 AM
អញប្រាប់ហើយថា ទុកឲ្យមេដោះស្រាយ
កុំអន្ទះសារពេក សន្សឹមៗ កុំមាត់ទុកមាត់ស៊ីអាចម៏។
Mr Sam Rainsy! Can you get back Koh Tral sea lands of over 30 000Km2 back from Vietnam that PM Hun Sen gives to Vietnam treties from 1979 to 1986.
Please demonstrate that You (Mr sam rainsy ) can get our lands sea koh back from Vietnam.
Can KI media demonstrate that over 30 000km2 that PM Hun Sen gives to Vietnam, we khmer can get them back.
Please KI media as well as Mr Sam Rainsy enlighten us khmer
did you know siem are full of shit! just ask khmer people, really! we hated siem thugs, you know!
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