r/CannabisThailand Newsletter - Issue #53

Check yourself before you wreck yourself

Jul 09, 2023

Sawadee Everyone,

After weeks of squabbling like seagulls over a chip, Pheu Thai and Move Forward finally stopped pulling each other's hair and settled on a Speaker. They've opted for a surprise wildcard, the sage and wily statesman Wan Nor from an entirely different party.

If we're talking resumes, Nor's got a laundry list of parliamentary procedure savvy with not one, not two, but a whopping nine times being elected to public office. As far as qualifications go, the man's got more gold stars than the MFP's original hopeful.

However, whether this will turn out to be a clever play or an own goal for MFP, only time will tell.

Pita's popularity among Senators seems to be going down like a lead balloon. Those who had previously shown the political equivalent of puppy love are now doing a 180. It's like watching a bad break-up on a reality TV show.

This flip-flopping behavior is flinging open the doors for other parties to swoop in and cobble together a government coalition, potentially leaving MFP out in the cold.

Now with MFP no longer the master puppeteer of the Speaker role, it's doubtful Nor will suddenly turn into their fairy godmother and conjure a procedural saving grace if MFP can't pull together the necessary 376 votes.

Pheu Thai, having successfully cornered MFP on the Speaker issue, now has a carte blanche to bid adieu to MFP at the first whiff of a hiccup, potentially weaving their own coalition.

Progressive leaning, and normally MFP supporting, Thai Enquirer, unleashed a scathing editorial recently. According to them, MFP's political maturity is akin to a teenager's first attempt at shaving: lots of cuts, no finesse, and they're playing right into PT’s hands.

As Pheu Thai introduces Wan Muhamad Noor Matha into the consideration for house speaker, it’s an instructive moment for MFP. The party’s overzealous public statements, their premature announcements, and a cavalier attitude have exposed a lack of political maturity. It’s as if they’ve willingly handed Pheu Thai a strategic advantage, thus underlining their inability to keep their own counsel.

The timing of Thai Enquirer's brutal takedown of Pita remains a mystery. Was it penned before or after he confessed his undying love for Taylor Swift on Twitter? I guess we'll never know. What's clear is this: Pita's newfound status as a 'Swiftie' has surely won him the heart-eyed emoji of his teenage and early-twenties fans, but whether the adults in the room were impressed is a whole other story. If his and his party's maturity were already on trial, declaring allegiance to pop music might not exactly be the 'Exhibit A' they were hoping for in their defense.

The coming week is the ultimate "sink or swim" moment for MFP. They'll either be kicking up their feet in the PM's seat and running the government, or they'll be...well, not.

Cheers,

u/CannabisThailandMod

Don’t forget that we’ve partnered with some dispensaries for exclusive deals available to members of this newsletter and the r/CannabisThailand sub on Reddit. Just type “Dank Deal” into the comments of any post and the AutoMod will send you the current discounts being offered.