THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

From 'parasite' Senate to 'it was flour', reporters ridicule politicians in year-end rap

From 'parasite' Senate to 'it was flour', reporters ridicule politicians in year-end rap

A group of reporters who cover parliamentary news dubbed the Senate, which has 250 senators appointed by the junta, as "parasite" in their year-end ritual of mocking politicians.

“Parasite" senators suck the country's resources and make no contribution to the country, they said.

The reporters blamed the Senate for using delaying tactics to stall the much-needed amendment of the Constitution, despite being pushed hard by pro-democracy protesters and MPs of opposition parties.

The House of Representatives was dubbed “termites trapped in the mud”, meaning that each termite operated for his or her own benefits and survival, without caring for the people's interest. Members of Parliament were blamed for not giving priority to House meetings and this undermined democracy, according to the reporters.

House Speaker Chuan Leekpai was mocked as a "principal with a broken cane", alluding to his inability to make Parliament meetings effective, comparing him with a school principal who fails to bring order to the classroom.

But not everyone was mocked. The reporters picked chief of opposition whip and Pheu Thai Party MP Suthin Khlangsaeng as “star of Parliament”. Suthin's performance outshone that of opposition leader Sompong Amornwiwat, leader of Pheu Thai Party, they said.

The reporters chose the proposed Constitution amendment as the "event of the year", as it was the first time a draft of the constitution amendment proposed by the people had landed in Parliament, though it was eventually voted down in November. Pro-democracy protesters also demonstrated outside Parliament in November, leading to violent clashes as police used water canon and tear gas against the youth-led protesters. The government also mobilised ultra-royalists to counter the youth-led protesters, leading to a violent clash between the two groups. The clashes left many people injured.

The reporters picked “it was flour”, as the quote of the year. They were referring to the infamous use of the word “flour” by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Captain Thamanat Prompow, who had been jailed for smuggling heroin into Australia. Defending himself during a no-confidence debate in February, Thamanat had claimed that it was not heroin but flour.

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