Commentator Thitinan Pongsudhirak has an op-ed detailing all of the tricks Cambodia’s Hun Sen and his party have engaged in to win an election that is hardly free and fair. He has one comment on Thailand: “While Thailand has a seemingly indefinite military government with no clear poll date, Cambodia is holding an election on July 29 with a foregone conclusion.”
Of course, The Dictator in Thailand is hoping that when he decides to allow an “election,” it too will be a foregone conclusion. Perhaps Thitinan can be persuaded to comment on Thailand’s rigged election at some time. Preferably while the “preparations” are ongoing. Almost everything crooked that has been rigged in Cambodia has also been done in Thailand or is being put in place.
Meanwhile, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) has:
warned that Cambodia’s parliamentary election on 29 July will be neither free nor fair, as the vote will take place in a highly repressive political environment while the only viable opposition force – the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) – has been banned from taking part.
The network of regional lawmakers urged the international community to not lend the sham vote an ill-deserved veneer of legitimacy by sending observers or other forms of election aid.
Hopefully they will be as strong when Thailand, one day (maybe), heads to the polls.
Political Prisoners in Thailand 