Suthep, 3 Ministers Found Guilty of Sedition Against Yingluck Gov’t

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24 February 2021, 17:45

S__5963831 — Suthep Thaugsuban is seen at a news conference on March 17, 2017.

BANGKOK — A court on Wednesday convicted former Democrat Party executive Suthep Thaugsuban and five others on charges of insurrection for their roles in street protests against the elected government back in 2013 and 2014.

Suthep was sentenced to 5 years in prison for the protests, which culminated in the military coup that toppled Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration in May 2014. The court declined to suspend their sentences, though it is not clear as of publication time whether Suthep and others would be granted a bail release while they appeal the verdict.

Defendants who were given jail sentences alongside Suthep include Digital Economy Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta, Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan, and Deputy Transport Minister Thaworn Senniam.

Buddhipongse and Thaworn were sentenced to 7 and 5 years in prison, respectively, while Nataphol got 6 years and 16 months.

*Suthep Thaugsuban, center, receives a hug from his supporter before entering the Criminal Court to hear his verdict on Feb. 24, 2021.*

Speaking briefly to reporters, Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam said the trio has immediately lost their seats in the Cabinet, since the law bans individuals who are convicted and given jail terms by the court to hold ministerial offices.

The other two defendants found guilty of the same charges were Suriyasai Katasila and Taya Teepsuwan, who is married to the Education Minister. The court handed down a sentence of 2 years for Suriyasai, and 1 year and 8 months for Taya.

Suthep told reporters before entering the courthouse that he is willing to face any legal repercussions for his actions.

“Our fight was the fight for the country,” Suthep, 71, said.

The former Deputy Prime Minister quitted his post as the vice chairman of the Democrat Party in late 2013 to form a group called the People’s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King as Head of State – or known in English as the People’s Democratic Reform Committee – with an aim to oust Yingluck’s government and implement unspecific set of reforms before a new election can be held.

State prosecutors had accused the Suthep and 38 other protest leaders of treason, sedition, voter suppression, as well as five other charges for the campaign.

*Suthep Thaugsuban waves to supporters on Jan. 17, 2014, while leading a street protest in Bangkok.*

The city-wide protests, billed as the “Bangkok Shutdown,” lasted for seven months and came to an end when army chief Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha seized power on May 22, 2014.

“All of the 39 defendants have come to terms with the verdict, no matter how it will turn out,” Suthep said prior to today’s verdict. “Our struggle saw 24 people dead and over 900 people wounded. Some of us already went into prison, so no matter what will be, will be.”

He added, “We will take responsibility for it, we respect the law and justice system.”

The official death toll was put at 27 by Bangkok’s emergency medical service center, with some of the victims as young as 4 years old.

At the height of the protest from 2013 to 2014, Suthep led thousands of demonstrators to occupy key intersections and government institutions across the capital to pressure then-PM Yingluck to resign and install a new unelected government to “reform the country.”

The Constitutional Court eventually removed Yingluck from office in May 2014 on the grounds that her Cabinet unfairly transferred an official from his post in 2011.

Citing the need to restore public order, the army declared a martial law on May 20, 2014 and ousted the remnants of Yingluck’s government two days later in a coup led by Gen. Prayut, who named himself the new Prime Minister.

Officials Show Off Skill of Manhandling Grandma for ID

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Khaosod English

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24 February 2021, 17:20

District officials carry Chumrun Sachat out of her home on Feb. 22, 2021 to make her Citizen ID. Photo: Don Phut District Office Saraburi Province / Facebook

SARABURI — Local officials in the rural district of Don Phut, Saraburi, came under fire Wednesday after they posted photos of themselves carrying a bedridden elderly woman to a district office to issue her with an ID card – instead of making one for her at home.

The saga was told through an album of 34 photos posted by Don Phut District Office, in what was meant to be a positive publicity campaign for the officials. Chumrun Sachat, 85, is said to have been carried out of her home by district chief Puttipong Suriyasing himself on Tuesday afternoon.

“Citizens’ IDs are an important document of identification. Don Phut District gives importance to citizens in the area,” the post said, accompanied by photos of men carrying Chumrun to a car, putting her in a wheelchair, taking her photo and fingerprint, and carrying her back to her home in a stretcher.

Chumrun is paralyzed in half of her body and has not gone out of her house for 16 years, the post says. She lives alone, and is unable to climb down from the stairs of her own residence. She had lost her old ID long ago.

Local officials also registered her for the “We Win” government handout, since Chumrun does not own a smartphone.

But the post, which has been shared more than 5,000 times, was soon attacked by users who criticized the officials for not bringing equipment to make the ID cards to her home and make her life much less difficult.

The backlash was so damning that the district office removed the post by Wednesday afternoon.

“Wouldn’t it be easier to send officers to her home? Why do you have to make easy things so difficult?” wrote Facebook user Chonlakan Chaiphanukiat. “Moving her like this could even be a danger to her.”

“Well, you got your photo op to send to your boss,” wrote user Piyanat Kantee under a photo of an official giving a thumbs up with Chumrum and her new card.

152765370 260291012306789 8832633803228870955 o 1 — *Photo: Don Phut District Office Saraburi Province / Facebook*

It’s not even a revolutionary idea either – the Department of Interior Affairs has been deploying mobile ID card teams for years now. Residents who require the service can simply call the 1548 hotline to request for a unit to be sent to their home.

“This is convenient. It’s hard for me to go to the district office,” Chanchai Suwannaplang of Prachinburi said in a government video from 2017 promoting the mobile card making program.

According to the 2019 census, Don Phut district has a population of 6,737.

Rural Pupil Who Braves Scorching Sun for Internet Signal Goes Viral

Gov’t Won’t Confirm Burmese Junta Rep’s Talks With Prayut

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Khaosod English

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24 February 2021, 15:10

Burmese demonstrators hold up banners during an anti-coup protest in front of the United Nations office in Bangkok on Feb. 21, 2021.

BANGKOK — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday declined to comment on news reports that Myanmar’s junta-appointed foreign minister has met with his Thai counterparts in an effort to resolve the political crisis at home.

Sources at Government House say Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his foreign minister Don Pramudwinai met with Burmese foreign minister U Wunna Maung Lwin at Don Mueang Air Force Base on Wednesday morning.

If confirmed, it would be the first overseas visit by a Myanmar government representative after its military seized power in the Feb. 1 coup, which led to street protests in Myanmar’s largest cities and a chorus of condemnation from the global community.

But foreign ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said he can neither confirm nor deny the report.

“I can’t confirm it right now,” Tanee said.

Government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul gave a similar response, “I haven’t received any reports about it.”

A news report published by Reuters on Wednesday said Wunna Maung Lwin arrived in Bangkok to discuss diplomatic efforts led by members of the ASEAN bloc to resolve the crisis in Myanmar.

Japan-based Kyodo News also reported that Thai foreign minister Don is expected to hold talks with Wunna Maung Lwin, before he would meet with Indonesian foreign minister Retno Marsudi separately.

Retno is currently in Thailand after her trip to Myanmar was abruptly canceled on Wednesday; the Indonesian government said it was “not an ideal time” for the visit. Indonesia has been spearheading calls for fellow ASEAN members to take a regional action on the worsening situation in Myanmar.

“After taking into account current developments and the input of other ASEAN countries, this is not the ideal time to conduct a visit,” Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah said in a media briefing Wednesday.

Thailand, like many other ASEAN governments, has not officially condemned the coup in Myanmar and the deadly crackdown on dissidents that followed.

Monarchy Reform Activists Denied Bail for 3rd Time

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Khaosod English

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24 February 2021, 14:00

153536048_4071239942894907_4367860175611131512_o — Pro-democracy activist Arnon Nampa speaks to reporters on Dec. 16, 2020.

BANGKOK — The court on Tuesday once again refused to release four activists who organized pro-democracy protests on bail, their attorney said.

It was the third time the bail request was submitted to the court. The latest bid was also endorsed by Thammasat University former rector Charnvit Kasetsiri and the dean of the university’s Faculty of Law, Panus Tassaneeyanon. The pair posted up to 400,000 baht as a surety, to no avail.

“I must say that I was saddened and disappointed,” Charnvit said. “But I still think the chance of securing a bail is still there.”

He added, “What the four have been calling for, the monarchy reforms, it’s the most correct thing to do, especially if we consider the history of monarchies around the world.”

The four protest leaders – Arnon Nampa, Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, Parit “Penguin” Chiwarak, and Patiwat “Bank” Saraiyam – are charged with royal defamation for organizing an overnight protest at Sanam Luang over the weekend of Sept. 19 and 20, 2020.

For their calls of reforms to make the monarchy more accountable, they have been jailed at Bangkok Remand Prison for 14 days so far. Their pre-trial detention can last up to 84 days.

The presiding judge, Chanathip Muanpawong, wrote in Tuesday’s ruling that the decision made by other judges to deny the four defendants of their bail release was clearly reasoned, and there’s concerns that the defendants will commit the lese majeste offense again if let out.

“There is cause to believe that the defendants may repeat similar offenses of which they are accused if they are granted a temporary release,” Chanathip wrote.

Poonsuk Poonsukcharoen, an attorney of the legal defense team, said that the chance of getting bail for the four activists grew slimmer in each failed attempt.

“The chance in the next attempt is even lower, if nothing changes,” said Poonsuk, who works for the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights.

Chanathip is the same judge who presided over an infamous court case back in November 2011, when a 61-year-old man named Ampon Tangnoppakul was convicted of lese majeste and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Ampon died in prison less than a year later, sparking widespread uproar over the lese majeste law.

Chanathip also presided over the sentencing of Redshirt activist Daranee Charnchoengsilpakul to 15 years for lese majeste in 2011, and the convicting of political activist Surachai Danwattananusorn in the same offense in 2012. Surachai was given a jail term of 7.5 years.

Royal insult is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, per count.

Bangkok Highways Toll-Free This Friday for Makha Bucha

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Khaosod English

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24 February 2021, 13:49

An overhead view of a highway in Bangkok. Photo: Matichon

BANGKOK — Kickstart that long weekend by barreling down at (safe) speeds free of charge this Friday.

The Expressway Authority of Thailand announced on Wednesday that tollway fees for Chaloem Maha Nakhon Expressway, Si Rat Expressway, and Udon Ratthaya Expressway will be waived Friday for Maha Bucha, a Buddhist holiday that would make Friday through Sunday a long weekend.

The fee exemption is intended to ease the flow of traffic for those going out of town for a vacation.

Needless to say, a booze ban will be applied during the holiday per law.

In a Sign of Reopening, Vaccine Set Aside for Tourist Destinations

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Khaosod English

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24 February 2021, 11:06

519054 — PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and his entourage welcome the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine, developed by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac, at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Feb. 24, 2021.

BANGKOK — The tourism minister on Wednesday said up to 100,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine has been reserved for hospitality workers in five provinces most popular with foreign tourists – a sign that the country may be on track for a reopening.

Tourism and Sport Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan told reporters that the five provinces to receive the Sinovac doses are Chiang Mai, Chonburi, Phuket, Krabi and Samui island in Surat Thani.

The vaccine will be distributed to workers at hotels that would be designated as quarantine facilities for tourists who arrive from overseas, Pipat said.

“We want to build confidence for tourists,” he said.

The top tourism official also said he has already proposed the government coronavirus response center to allow arriving tourists to leave their rooms and use hotel facilities after spending just 3 days in quarantine, instead of the current 14-day isolation period.

Pipat’s announcement came as a surprise to many, since the government previously said the priority of the Sinovac doses will be limited to frontline health workers and vulnerable populations in areas hardest hit by the coronavirus.

The first shipment of the Sinovac-developed vaccine, containing nearly 200,000 doses, arrives in Thailand on Wednesday morning. The government said up to 2 million doses made by the Chinese pharmaceutical will be secured by April.

Although several media reports in recent weeks suggest that Thailand will soon allow tourists who are already vaccinated against COVID-19 to visit without undergoing quarantine, Pipat is less than committed to the idea.

“We will have to see how many Thais are vaccinated by the end of the year,” the tourism minister said. “And we will have to see whether the Department of Health can issue vaccine passports by then. If so, then we will submit the proposal.”

He gave no timeline, but said the proposal will probably be submitted to the pandemic center by “the 3rd quarter” at the earliest.

Meet Thailand’s Hottest TikTok Star: A Cambodian Migrant Worker

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Khaosod English

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24 February 2021, 10:37

Kaew lipsyncs to Ham PMN’s “I Don’t Need a New Girlfriend,” left, and MasterD’s “4D,” right. Photos: @Sartsart555 / TikTok

CHONBURI — Posing against a tin shack in street fashion attire, lip piercings, and anime-style dyed hair, a young Cambodian construction worker lipsyncs to Thai, Laotian, and Cambodian songs.

Meet “Kaew,” the top trending star on TikTok right now. His account, @Sartsart555, has skyrocketed to viral fame since he posted a video Monday of himself lipsyncing to a Vietnamese singer’s Thai version of his hit. Yes, we’re as confused as you are.

@sartsart555 ♬ เสียงต้นฉบับ – qh Viet Nam

Kaew currently has more than 1.9 million followers on his TikTok. He first joined the social media app in April 2020, his schtick mostly consists of himself lipsyncing to Thai songs, K-pop hits, as well as pop songs from the ASEAN region.

But perhaps the most eye-catching thing about his video is the humble setup. Most of his videos are filmed against a corrugated tin wall, commonly seen in housing quarters of migrant workers and low-income communities in Thailand.

Kaew is able to speak some Thai, to the endearment of netizens – especially because he uses the pronoun “nhoo,” often used by children or younger women.

Kaew’s manager said by phone Wednesday that Kaew is still doing labor and construction jobs in Thailand, but is also able to supplement his income by reviewing products like whitening soap on TikTok.

His largest following is in Thailand, as well as in Cambodia, the manager said, who declined to give Kaew’s full name.

@sartsart555 ♬ ไม่ต้องการแฟนใหม่ Acoustic HamPMN – Ham PMN

Kaew’s videos usually get a few hundred thousand or even a few million views – but his lipsync of MasterD’s “4D” song has gained him a whopping 21.8 million views, and counting.

MasterD, or Quang Hung, is a Vietnamese singer. He released his “4D” song in the original Vietnamese on Nov. 1. On Feb. 13, he released a Thai version of the song, which many Thais complemented for his relatively accurate pronunciation. The song currently has more than 3.5 million views on YouTube.

“He was so determined in practicing a foreign language so he could sing for us Thai fans. This song makes me so happy,” user Jariya Junson commented on YouTube. “This is the kind of artist that should be supported.”

Kaew can also be followed on Facebook.

Tiger Woods Faces Hard Recovery From Car Crash Injuries

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Associated Press

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24 February 2021, 09:01

1000 (3) — A law enforcement officer looks over a damaged vehicle following a rollover accident involving golfer Tiger Woods, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, in the Rancho Palos Verdes suburb of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — In a career filled with remarkable comebacks, Tiger Woods faces his toughest recovery of all.

Woods was driving through a sweeping, downhill stretch of road through coastal suburbs of Los Angeles when his SUV struck a sign, crossed over a raised median and two oncoming lanes before it toppled down an embankment, coming to a halt on its side.

The airbags deployed. A sheriff’s deputy poked his head through a hole in the windshield to see Woods, still wearing his seatbelt, sitting in the driver’s seat.

The crash caused “significant” injuries all down his right leg that featured rods, pins and screws during what was described as a “long surgical procedure” at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

Anish Mahajan, the chief medical officer, said Woods shattered tibia and fibula bones on his right leg in multiple locations. Those were stabilized by a rod in the tibia. He said a combination of screws and pins were used to stabilize additional injuries in the ankle and foot.

A statement on his Twitter account said he was awake, responsive and recovering.

“I will say that it’s very fortunate that Mr. Woods was able to come out of this alive,” said Carlos Gonzalez, the deputy from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department who was the first on the scene after a neighbor called 911.

“As if his body hasn’t endured enough,” Jon Rahm, the No. 2 player in the world, said from the Workday Championship in Florida. “I just hope he can get out of the hospital after recovery and he can still play with his kids and have a normal life.”

The single-car crash was the latest setback for Woods, who at times has looked unstoppable on the golf course with his 15 major championships and record-tying 82 victories on the PGA Tour. He is among the most recognizable sports figures in the world, and at 45 with a reduced schedule from nine previous surgeries, remains golf’s biggest draw.

He won the 2008 U.S. Open with shredded knee ligaments and two stress fractures in his left leg. His personal life imploded on Thanksgiving weekend in 2009 when he was caught having multiple extramarital affairs, and he returned to win his 11th award as PGA Tour player of the year and reach No. 1.

And then after four back surgeries that kept him out of golf for the better part of two years, he won the Masters in April 2019 for the fifth time, a victory that ranks among the great comebacks in the sport.

Now it’s no longer a matter of when he plays again — the Masters is seven weeks away — but if he plays again.

No charges were filed, and police said there was no evidence he was impaired.

Woods was in Los Angeles over the weekend as the tournament host of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. Monday and Tuesday had been set aside for Discovery-owned GOLFTV for Woods to give playing tips to celebrities. A tweet Monday showed him in a cart at Rolling Hills Country Club with comedian David Spade. He also worked with NBA great Dwyane Wade, who posted a video to his Instagram account.

1000 3 30 — Tiger Woods watches his tee shot on the first hole during the first round of the PNC Championship golf tournament in Orlando, Fla., in this Dec. 19, 2020, file photo. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

Woods was headed to Rolling Hills on Tuesday when the accident happened.

“It was a great day,” Wade said Tuesday night on Turner Sports, where he is a studio analyst. “And I woke up today so proud to be able to post that moment for the world, like a little snippet of our moment together. And I took a nap, and I woke up to the news. So, you know, just like everybody out there, my thoughts and prayers are all to his loved ones.”

Thoughts and prayers have come from everywhere — Jack Nicklaus and Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, and former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Woods played golf with both of them, and Trump awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019 after perhaps his great triumph — the Masters after he had gone through four back surgeries.

Woods had a fifth back surgery, a microdiscectomy, on Dec. 23, just three days after he played the PNC Championship with his son Charlie, who now is 12. Woods also has a 13-year-old daughter, Samantha.

The news put a damper on the World Golf Championship in Florida, where Woods was eligible to play if healthy.

“I’m sick to my stomach,” said Justin Thomas, No. 3 in the world and among the younger players whom Woods has embraced. “It hurts to see one of my closest friends get in an accident. Man, I just hope he’s all right.”

The crash happened about 7:15 a.m. as he drove his courtesy vehicle from the Genesis Invitational through the upscale suburbs. Gonzalez says he sometimes catches people topping 80 mph (129 kph) in the 45 mph zone and crashes are common.

Police said Woods was alert as firefighters pried open the front windshield to get him out. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the airbags deployed and the inside of the SUV stayed mostly intact, which “gave him a cushion to survive the crash.”

Authorities said they checked for any odor of alcohol or other signs he was under the influence of a substance and found none. They didn’t say how fast he was driving.

This is the third time Woods has been involved in a car investigation. The most notorious was the early morning after Thanksgiving in 2009, when his SUV ran over a fire hydrant and hit a tree. That was the start of shocking revelations that he had been cheating on his wife with multiple women.

In May 2017, Florida police found him asleep behind the wheel of a car parked awkwardly on the side of the road. He was arrested on a DUI charge and said he had an unexpected reaction to prescription medicine for his back pain. Woods later pleaded guilty to reckless driving and checked into a clinic to get help with prescription medication and a sleep disorder.

Woods hasn’t won since the Zozo Championship in Japan in fall 2019, and he’s reduced his playing schedule in recent years because of injuries. Besides his five back surgeries, he’s had four surgeries on his left knee.

He was asked during the CBS broadcast Sunday at Riviera about recovering from his back surgery in time to play the Masters and Woods replied, “God, I hope so. I’ve got to get there first.”

___

Ferguson reported from Jacksonville, Florida. AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds reported from Miami.

Japan Distillery Drinking up Plaudits as Its Craft Whisky Proves a Hit

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Kyodo News

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24 February 2021, 09:01

SAITAMA (Kyodo) — Riding the craft whisky boom at home and abroad, a small distillery north of Tokyo is boosting production to meet the growing demand for its world-renowned and award-winning “Ichiro’s Malt” product.

Venture Whisky Ltd. in Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture, has established itself as a pioneer in the more recent Japanese craft whisky industry, which actually has roots in commercial production dating back nearly a century.

Continue reading the story here.

Lam Backs Hong Kong Electoral Changes Excluding Opponents

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Associated Press

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24 February 2021, 09:00

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam gave her clear support Tuesday to electoral reforms that would likely further exclude opposition voices and cement Beijing’s control over the semi-autonomous Chinese city’s politics.

Her comments came a day after a top Beijing official signaled major changes would be coming to ensure Hong Kong is run by “patriots,” a sign that China intends to no longer tolerate dissenting voices, 23 years after the former British colony was handed over to Chinese rule with a promise it could maintain its own rights and freedoms for 50 years.

Following China’s imposition of a sweeping national security law on the city last year, authorities have moved to expel members of the city’s Legislative Council deemed insufficiently loyal and rounded up veteran opposition leaders on charges including illegal assembly and colluding with foreign forces.

Government critics and Western governments accuse Beijing of going back on its word and effectively ending the “one country, two systems” framework for governing the dynamic Asian financial hub.

1000 8 — *A masked couple walk by pro-democracy protesters who wave US and British flags as they gather on a street in Hong Kong, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)*

Lam said political strife and unrest in the city, including anti-government protests in 2019 as well as protests in 2014, showed there were always some people who are “rather hostile” to the central authorities in China.

“I can understand that the central authorities are very concerned, they do not want the situation to deteriorate further in such a way that ‘one country, two systems’ cannot be implemented,” Lam said at a regular news briefing.

The Hong Kong government on Tuesday also said it plans to require district councilors — many of whom are directly elected by their constituents and tend to be more politically independent — to pledge allegiance to Hong Kong as a special region of China. Currently, only the chief executive, high officials, executive council members, lawmakers and judges are required to take an oath of office.

Those who are found to take the oath improperly or who do not uphold the city’s mini-constitution, the Basic Law, will be disqualified and barred from running for office for five years, according to the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Erick Tsang.

Opposition figures swept district council elections following the 2019 protests and the Beijing authorities have since sought to prevent them from exerting influence on other aspects of the political system.

The move comes after an oath-taking controversy in 2016 ion which six pro-democracy lawmakers were expelled from the legislature after court rulings that they had not properly pledged allegiance because they mispronounced words, added words or read the oath extremely slowly.

FA2E99FB 5901 4E70 B177 17BA69917347 16 — *Riot police detain a protester during a demonstration against Beijing’s national security legislation in Causeway Bay in Hong Kong, Sunday, May 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)*

Hong Kong’s legislature is expected to deliberate the draft legal amendments on March 17.

On Monday, Xia Baolong, director of Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, said Hong Kong could only be ruled by “patriots,” which exclude those who lobby other countries for foreign sanctions and “troublemakers.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin added to those assertions Tuesday, saying that “people in important positions, holding important powers and shouldering important administration responsibilities must be staunch patriots. It is a matter of course.”

The electoral changes are expected to be discussed and possibly passed at next month’s meeting of the National People’s Congress, China’s rubber-stamp legislature, and its advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

They will likely take the form of a redistribution of votes in the 1,200-member electoral commission that selects Hong Kong’s chief executive, subject to Beijing’s veto. The commission is composed of voting blocs intended to represent Hong Kong’s various economic, educational and social sectors, along with its largely Beijing-dominated political institutions.

The one exception is the 117 commission members drawn from among the city’s 458 local district councilors.

JGPBZWJHX5BXHH575232XAK7EI — *Protesters in Hong Kong on Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Gemunu Amarasinghe)*

With all other commission members deemed to be firmly under Beijing’s control, speculation has risen that the 117 district council votes will be transferred to another bloc, possibly that of Hong Kong’s representatives to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, ensuring that they will follow Beijing’s directives.

It remains unclear whether Lam, who is deeply unpopular among Hong Kong’s population, will seek a second five-year term in next year’s poll.

Another possibility is that China will close what it calls “loopholes” in the election for members of the Legislative Council, now entirely dominated by pro-Beijing legislators since opposition deputies resigned en masse last year after four were expelled for being insufficiently loyal to the government.

Lam postponed elections for the council last year, citing concerns over COVID-19, in a move largely seen as designed to prevent an opposition victory.

Of the 70 members of the council, half are directly elected from geographic constituencies while the rest are drawn from trade and other special interest groups. Changes could include preventing district counselors from also sitting in the body or simply raising the requirements for loyalty and patriotism above the already stringent levels they are set at now.

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