Future Forward Party outlines next months before election campaign
The newly-established Future Forward Party has presented its next steps for coming months in the run-up of democratic elections early next year. Here's my report on the party’s plans and its challenges ahead.
FULL TRANSCRIPT
As Thailand’s political landscape slowly awakes from its forced slumber since the military coup of 2014, the political parties are holding their first official activities after a partial lift on these activity restrictions a few weeks ago.
The newly established Future Forward Party has outlined its next steps in the run up of democratic elections for next year, but before that it was showcasing its - at least for Thai political standards - very progressive ideals, including opposing the current military government and any long-lasting legacies it may or may not leave behind. More importantly, the party wants to re-establish trust in the democratic system.
Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, Co-Founder Future Forward Party:
"[The people need] their power, their rights, their voices, their part in the decision making. They need new opportunities in order to progress and contribute to the economy and society. They need the public infrastructure and the public assistance as a foundation."
Furthermore, the party wants to utilize an online-based membership drive in order to get as many new recruits to the party as possible in the next few months. Would-be members can sign up online as opposed to the usual paperwork conventional parties would require.
As for the challenges ahead, not only do they have to fight against established parties with established voter bases upcountry and translate the hype from the launch into actual votes - the founder of the party, 38-year old billionaire Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and two other members have been recently charged with computer crimes after criticizing the current military government.
When asked whether this will be a concern in the coming months, Thanatorn’s remains defiant:
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit; Co-Founder Future Forward Party:
"The case against the three of us, it’s not a pressing concern for us. [In English] It’s not our concern, not our pressing concern. It’s not deterring us from walking the way we walk right now."
While political parties can now hold meetings and recruit new members, they still cannot go out and campaign. That is still prohibited by the restrictions of the current military, but they are expected to lifted by the end of this year or beginning of next year as the first democratic elections since 2011 are tentatively scheduled for as early as February and as late as May next year.
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TRANSCRIPT
On the most northern point of Thailand is the small town of Mae Sai, bordering neighboring Myanmar.
It is from there that many people seek a better life on this side of the border, both legally or illegally.
Over generations, different ethnic tribes from Southern China, Myanmar and Laos have criss-crossed through the open borders on the hills into Northern Thailand.
According to official statistics, nearly 500,000 are registered as stateless – but the actual number is estimated to be much higher. many of them are living in the northern border regions.
Four members of the "Wild Boars" football club are among them, including their coach Ekapol Chanthawong. The 25-year old is from the ethnic Shan tribe. He came to Thailand as a young boy after his parents’ death and grew up in a Buddhist temple.
Many stateless children can get a basic education at any school in Thailand. It is here when they are first documented.
TANAWAN CHANDANG; Teacher:
"We coordinate with the local Municipality office. We do this every year. We all have the kids' documents and we pass them to the responsible offices which in turn contact those kids so they can get their IDs. We've done this for many kids."
But growing up stateless in Thailand has many hurdles.
SAKSITH SAIYSOMBUT, Chiang Rai province:
"Stateless people face many more restrictions: they can’t leave the province without a permit, they can’t open a bank account, they can’t get married or own land. There’s a process for them to obtain citizenship, but it is a long and bureaucratic one."
Khamaun Namwong’s mother came to Thailand after fleeing from armed conflict in neighboring Myanmar. But because her birth was undocumented, her application process has hit a roadblock.
While the 24 year old has lived a relatively normal life within the legal limits so far, a Thai citizenship would be the final step to complete her life.
KHAMAUN NAMWONG; Stateless person:
"What I need is a Thai citizenship. It would expand my opportunities Because now without it, the circle of limitations is only about that big. But with a citizenship, it would broaden it wide open."
The hope for the stateless members of the Wild Boars is that their survival story may speed up their citizenship process.
It would be another major victory for the boys.
Saksith Saiyasombut, Channel NewsAsia, Chiang Rai Province
Thai cave survivors attend merit making ceremony as they return to normal life
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Thai cave rescue: Wild Boars' first public appearance
The 12 Thai boys and their football coach made their first public appearance after being rescued from Tham Luang cave complex in the northern province of Chiang Rai, Thailand.
#ThamLuang: Authorities want to turn cave into tourist attraction
Our last Channel NewsAsia dispatch from the #ThamLuangCave saga: The spectacular rescue of 12 boys and their football coach out of a cave in Chiang Rai province has just concluded and as the survivors are recovering, there are already plans for the Tham Luang Cave to make it a big tourist destination. But what about the other caves in the region? We went spelunking to find out.
MASSIVE, MASSIVE THANKS to my team for the last crazy ten days covering this story: Producer Kittiphum Srinamuang and camermamen Siddhar Tungaparhara and Theerapong Puengsook.
#ThamLuang: School ready to welcome rescued children back to a normal life
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TRANSCRIPT
It’s another morning at the Mae Sai Prasitsart School in Chiang Rai province, in northern Thailand.
The children arrive for their daily morning ritual: the national anthem and prayers to start off the day - but a special announcement breaks the routine.
There is good news to be shared:
"The wild boars are out of the cave!"
Six of the 12 boys rescued from the nearby Tham Luang cave, after being stuck in there for more than two weeks, are attending this school.
And while everybody awaits their return, the school is also making plans to ensure they don’t fall behind their classroom peers.
KANET PHONGSUWAN; Principal Mae Sai Prasitsart School:
"We have a study for those children, they will have additional classes. When they return to school, the first thing we will do is to ease them back into school and everybody is willing to support and encourage them, whether it’s their fellow students, the teaching staff and the administration in order for the children to become their old self."
Their fellow students are also looking forward to see them back again.
WORANUT WAEWSORN; Student at Mae Sai Prasitsart School:
"I hope that they can return to a normal life when they get back here and hope that they can take their survival lessons into their lives."
SAKSITH SAIYASOMBUT; Mae Sai, Chiang Rai Province:
"It will still take a while until the boys and their coach can go home after their ordeal - they need to stay at least for a week in the hospital until they’re discharged. But after 17 days in the Tham Luang Cave, they have the chance to live a normal live again."
Saksith Saiyasombut, Channel NewsAsia, Mae Sai, Chiang Rai Province
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