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發表於 2007-8-20 13:01:32
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Thailand's referendum endorses army-backed charter
Thailand's first-ever referendum has endorsed the country's 18th constitution that promises to weaken the political party system and strengthen the hand of the bureaucracy and military, initial results showed Monday.
A count of 93 per cent of the ballots cast in Sunday's plebiscite, found that 58.3 per cent voted yes, 41.7 per cent no and the remainder were invalid, said Election Commission secretary general Sittipol Paveechaikorn.
About 25 million out of 45.6 million eligible voters, or about 55 per cent, participated in the referendum. Official results will be announced by 4 pm Monday, Sittipol said.
But the initial results also show Thailand's north-eastern region, the most populated and poorest, voting 63 per cent against the charter, which many have seen as a popularity contest between the military and the former populist regime of Thaksin Shinawatra who was deposed by a coup September 19.
"The military is satisfied with the people's acceptance of the constitution," said Army General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, who heads the junta that ousted Thaksin.
Political analysts, however, said the results indicate that Thailand remains deeply divided.
The north-east was Thaksin's stronghold during his six years in power between 2001 and 2006, and the region, home to nearly half of Thailand's population, still supports him and his Thai Rak Tahi Party, observers said.
"This vote shows that the polarization of Thailand is entrenched," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of Thailand's Institute of Security and International Studies. "It signifies a deeply divided country."
Thailand's other four regions - Bangkok, the south, the central plains and the north - supported the charter.
The endorsement of the constitution will pave the way for a general election scheduled in December.
Had it been rejected, Thailand's junta - the self-styled Council of National Security (CNS), would have chosen one of the country's 17 past constitutions instead.
The September 19 coup discarded Thailand's 1997 constitution, deemed by many to have been the kingdom's most liberal and participatory charter to date.
The 1997 charter, however, gave rise to Thaksin, a billionaire populist politician, who became one of the most divisive figures in Thailand's recent political history.
Thailand has been in political upheaval since January 2006, when a strong anti-Thaksin movement took off in Bangkok and built in force until it culminated in the September coup.
Thaksin, a former telecommunications tycoon, first came to power in the 2001 general election on a populist platform and slick campaign gimmicks that won him the backing of the rural poor and disgruntled urban middle class.
A good delivery record on campaign promises won his Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) Party an overwhelming majority in the 2005 polls, giving Thaksin an unprecedented parliamentary majority that allowed him run roughshod over over the opposition and independent bodies established by the 1997 charter to provide checks and balances to the executive.
Abuses of power eventually led to Thaksin's downfall, at the hands of the military, last year. Thaksin, who faces various corruption charges and an arrest warrant in Thailand, is residing in London where he has purchased several properties and the Manchester City football club, which unexpectedly beat Manchester United in a match Sunday.
While the 1997 constitution was written to strengthen the political parties against their traditional downfalls, weak and corrupt coalition governments that led to military coups, the 2007 draft charter essentially strengthens the hand of the bureaucracy, including the military, at the expense of the political parties.
There are good points to the new charter, such as the articles that increase the people's participation in politics.
But the new constitution's pro-military content, especially article 309, which grants an amnesty for coup makers and legitimizes the military's future role as a overseer of Thai politics, deeply worries pro-democracy activists.
Opponents to the 2007 charter criticize it as a step backward for Thailand's political party system, and a revival of the rule of the traditional elite - the bureaucracy, the military and the constitutional monarchy.(dpa)
Thaksin's Man City beats ManU
London (dpa) - Manchester United's disappointing start to the season continued Sunday when they were beaten 1-0 by rivals Manchester City, who went top of the English Premier League table, while a controversial penalty gave Chelsea a 1-1 draw at Liverpool in the first heavyweight clash of the season.
A goal from Geovanni on 31 minutes proved enough to give City their third straight win under Sven-Goran Eriksson and take them top on their own, while United have just two points from their opening three games.
United dominated the match for long periods and City were indebted to some robust defending and the woodwork, which kept out a header from Nemanja Vidic.
Vidic also got the slightest of touches to Geovanni's strike that took it past Edwin van der Sar, while Carlos Tevez missed several chances to equalize for the visitors.
At Anfield, Liverpool had the better of the game throughout and went ahead through Fernando Torres's first goal for the club, the Spaniard outpacing Tal Ben Haim to put the ball past Petr Cech on 16 minutes.
Both sides had chances to score before the end of the half but the match turned on 62 minutes when referee Rob Styles awarded a controversial penalty to the visitors.
Florent Malouda appeared to jump into Steve Finnan but to the amazement of Liverpool's players and their manager Rafael Benitez, Styles pointed to the spot and Frank Lampard slotted the ball home to equalize.
Cech saved well from Dirk Kuyt late on, but the two sides settled for a draw which leaves Chelsea two points behind Manchester City, while Liverpool are three points further back, though they have a game in hand.
The day's other match saw Blackburn come from behind to draw 1-1 with Arsenal, though they were indebted to a terrible mistake by goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.
Robin van Persie put Arsenal early on after a scramble in the Blackburn box, but Lehmann spilled a shot from David Dunn (72) to give the home side the equalizer.
Blackburn had defender Ryan Nelsen sent off late on but they hung on for a share of the points.
泰國的政治"回穩"了﹐他信先生也暫時沒事只要他不發對泰國不利的言論。他是聰明人﹐所有訴訟將過眼雲烟。個有所得﹐商機重現。 |
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二零零七年八月二十日 凌晨十二时十六分