Posted on 08/19/2007 7:40:35 AM PDT by Ghayyour
Thailand's military coup leaders have won a referendum on a new constitution by a large margin, taking around 70% of Sunday's vote, exit polls suggest. It was the first vote to be held since Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted by the army last year and replaced with Gen Surayud Chulanont.
About 60% of voters turned out, according to the election commission.
Thaksin supporters had urged a No vote, saying the new constitution had been drafted by an illegitimate government.
But Prime Minister Surayud said the result marked a victory.
"We consider that this constitution has been approved by the people, and by the end of August the constitution will be submitted to the king for endorsement," he told national television.
He said that the vote meant elections to restore democracy would be held by the end of the year.
This referendum was about a lot more than the 194-page constitution which few Thais are likely to have read, the BBC's Jonathan Head reports from Bangkok - it was also a vote on the coup itself.
'Loopholes'
The charter is meant to replace the popular 1997 constitution, which the generals tore up after seizing power.
Critics say the new constitution is less democratic, as it proposes that the Senate should be only partly elected.
But the government says there were too many loopholes in the old charter that allowed Mr Thaksin to abuse power.
Its also says the new charter has many other clauses, like those recognising minority rights, which are more liberal than before.
The draft document limits future prime ministers to two terms in office and makes it easier to impeach them.
The military has promised elections to restore democratic government by the end of the year, on the basis of the new constitution.
Considerable opposition to the new rulers remains in the countryside of the north and north-east, where poor farmers stay loyal to Mr Thaksin.
there, that's done.
the new charter has many other clauses, like those recognising minority rights
that would be the mooslimes, yes?
Huh? How can you say it is pandering to Muslims when the draft charter wasn't even translated into Yawi? Of course, never let the facts get in the way of a good story... Yawn...
Muslim groups support draft charter
36. Muslim groups support draft charter (16:39 Aug 17, 2007)
(BangkokPost.com) - Eighteen Islamic organisations declared Friday that they will accept a draft constitution at a national referendum.
The organisations presented a letter to Constitution Drafting Assembly member Chirmsak Pinthong at the parliament to declare their standpoint.
They also called on their fellow Muslims to accept the draft charter, saying that the draft gives more freedom to religion and protect unfair treatment from authorities.
Mr Chirmsak, meanwhile, said he is confident that the charter will pass the referendum.
He, however, accepted that there are attempts to distort details in the draft. People in Buri Ram, he said, misunderstood that accepting the charter means the ending of the monarchy.
05:34 Aug 17, 2007
and exactly what “facts” are you yawning about not knowing?
Your comments about the draft charter somehow pandering to Muslims is laughable.
I asked you about the “facts” to which you referred, I’m not very much interested in what amuses you.....
Insurgents attack polling station in South
(BangkokPost.com) - Insurgents opened fire onto a polling unit in Rueso district of Narathiwat on Saturday afternoon, injuring a soldier stationing there.
The attack came one day before voters cast their votes on a draft constitution at a national referendum.
Police said two insurgents on a motorcycle shot more than 10 times into Ban Baluka school, which is used as a voting unit. Soldiers shot them back but missed the targets.
The school, however, will still be used as a polling station tomorrow.
05:34 Aug 17, 2007
I am referring to the fact that there is nothing in there granting any special rights or privileges to Muslims.
Insurgents attack polling station in South
Yes, my friends are stationed at a few of them in Yala.
“..the fact that there is nothing in there granting any special rights or privileges to Muslims.”
Well now.....lets see you back that claim up....and while you’re at it, will you tell me the name of the Thai organization that is the equivalent of CAIR? If you are confused about it, you can write to the 18 mooslimey organizations referenced in the article above.
Give it a freekin break man.....Thailand is under a mooslime assault from the south, and due to the complacency of the Thais and mooslime taqiyya we are watching stage 2 of what happened over time (the absolute takeover) in peninsular Maylasia.
Unless you wish to pay consulting fees, I am not going to translate the entire document into English for you.
the name of the Thai organization that is the equivalent of CAIR
There isn't one.
due to the complacency of the Thais
I can accuse the Thai government of many things but complacency on the problems in the South isn't one of them.
Well, I should have specified the Thai PEOPLE, so you couldn’t twist my meaning.
Nonetheless, you failed everything else I asked you about.
Even the mullahs in the south didn’t bother to translate it....they merely told their flock to vote yes, and they did............in fact way out of proportion to the rest of the country:
“In a breakdown by region, the “Yes” versus “No” votes were 59.7% to 29.3% in Bangkok; 60.6% to 39.4% in the Northeast; 74.5% to 25.5% in the North; 70% to 30% in the Central Region; and 90.1% to 9.9% in the South.”
http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=120979
the name of the Thai organization that is the equivalent of CAIR
There isn’t one.
Sure there is......for now, you and I can call it “18 muslim organizations and the mullahs”
You are right. I am a failure and know nothing about Thailand. Sorry to bother you.
actually, you have convinced me that you are one of the complacent Thai people.
Or a Thai mooslime.
In case the former is the case, I will restate the following:
Thailand is under a mooslime assault from the south, and due to the complacency of the Thais and mooslime taqiyya we are watching stage 2 of what happened over time (the absolute takeover) in peninsular Maylasia.
Check out the big brain on Brad. You nailed it again. Can't pull anything over on you, huh? Oh well, I tried. My complacent bed is calling me... have a nice day.
Thank you.
Now we can read the thread in peace...
Nighty Nite!
But know this...........I like Thailand as it has been.....and widespread complacency with regard to what Islamic designs and escalating activities indicate currently will be its downfall.
I guess your theory of the new draft Consitution pandering to Muslims doesn't hold up. The weakest support in the South was in Pattani, Yala, and Narithiwat. The strongest support in the South was in Champhon, hardly an extremist Muslim stronghold. ...but of course, feel free to disagree since I don't know anything about Thailand...
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