Tag: elections

Cambodia’s Past Blurring into the Present

September 19, 2017

Just a few days ago, “First They Killed My Father” began streaming on Netflix. The movie, based on the book with the same name, follows the story of a girl who is forced to become a child solider while her family is sent to labor camps under the rule of the Khmer Rouge. The other famous film about this time in Cambodian history is “The Killing Fields,” that tells the true story of a journalist and his interpreter. While the genocide in Cambodia that occurred from 1975 to 1979 under the rule of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge may be generally known, the legacy of that time that stretches into the present is much less so.

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A motorcycle with two riders drives by with the Ghanaian National Patriotic Party flag waving from behind

Change has Come in Ghana: a New President

January 27, 2017

While much of the world spent 2016 focused on the voting of two countries (the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom and the elections in the United States), Ghana also held elections for parliament and the president.

There are a number of political parties in Ghana, but the two major parties are the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The election placed President John Mahama (NDC) against Nana Akufo-Addo (NPP), and Ghana decided it was time for a change. President Akufo-Addo was sworn into office on 14 January 2017.

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a chart showing the different iterations of Thailand's constitutions and how democratic they were

Thailand’s Newest Constitution

September 27, 2016

Last month, the Thai people voted on a referendum for a new constitution, their 20th constitution since 1932 when King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) acquiesced to the demands of a bloodless coup. It passed with 61% of the vote, with 59% of eligible voters participating. But the numbers don’t tell the whole story.

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A gold colored statue of Kwame Nkrumah with his arm raised pointing forward

All About Ghana’s Republic Day

July 1, 2016

This weekend is a three-day weekend, and not because of July 4th, America’s Independence Day. Here in Ghana, today is Republic Day, which is separate and different from Ghana’s Independence Day (March 6).

On this day, in 1960, Kwame Nkrumah was inaugurated as the first president of the first independent Black African nation. But it took some time to get to that point.

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An Interim Constitution and Prime Minister for Thailand

August 29, 2014

Thailand has been experience some political turmoil over the last year. It began with protests, which lead to the government dissolving. The protests continued and new elections were held, though the election was declared void. Then, in May there was a bloodless coup d’etat, and the junta has been promising to make strides back towards democracy. Recently, they’ve created an interim constitution and appointed an interim Prime Minister.

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Voided Elections, Impeachment & Protests in Thailand

May 16, 2014

In my last political update, things in Bangkok were looking pretty calm. Most protest sites had been cleared and consolidated to Lumpini Park. Government-wise, a lot of things were up in the air: the election had been declared void and caretaker prime minister Yingluck was facing two sets of charges (one for the removal of the head of the National Security Council and corruption charges for negligence in her overseeing of the rice subsidy program.)

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Election Day Comes with Some Hiccups

February 4, 2014

It was early December and I was stopped over in Bangkok on my way back to my site after a vacation in the South to go diving and visit Khao Sok. I meet up with another Peace Corps volunteer who was also in the city at the time, and we were wandering around Khao San Road when he got a text. It said the prime minister had resigned and was calling new elections. I soon found out that the date for the elections was set for February 2. On Sunday, the voting was scheduled to be open from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.

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New Elections Scheduled for February

January 7, 2014

Nearly a month ago, Thailand’s government dissolved as a response to ongoing protests in Bangkok. The crown issued a decree for new elections to be held.

The election date has been set for February 2 and registration for the election has taken place. The Democrat Party, which is in support of the protests calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and an appointment of a “people’s council”, has vowed to boycott the elections. The Democrat Party has not won an election since 1992 and the common analysis is that Yingluck’s Puea Thai Party will win in the new election, as it has won every election since 2001.

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