Elections in Thailand

For news and events from Nakhon Ratchasima, the Isaan, Northeast Thailand and Southeast Asia like the neighboring countries Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma and Malaysya
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Elections in Thailand

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » So Okt 21, 2007 8:41 pm

ABAC poll: 65% of respondents ready to sell votes

BANGKOK, Oct 21 (TNA) - Attempts by interim Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont to eliminate vote-buying during Thailand's upcoming general election are likely to be fruitless as a recent survey shows that two out of three Thais -- 64.6 per cent of the respondents in a new survey -- are quite ready to accept gifts or money in exchange for their votes.

Assumption University ABAC Poll director Noppadol Kannikar said the poll conducted among 3,758 eligible voters aged above 18 in 14 provinces nationwide between October 15 -20 showed that almost 65 per cent of all respondents were willing to accept bribes in exchange for their votes in the December 23 election.

Only of 35.4 per cent of the respondents said they would not accept bribes or favours in exchange for their votes.

Also, the most worrisome result obtained from the survey was that 83 per cent of the respondents said they would not inform the Election Commission or concerned officials on any vote-buying practices even if they had evidence.

Two-thirds -- 66.7 per cent -- said vote-buying in Thailand is now reaching its most critical point ever.

Only 51.9 per cent of the respondents said they would consider both political party policies and the qualifications and personalities of the candidates before casting their ballots, while 28 per cent said they would give preferential attention to the candidates themselves and only 20.1 per cent indicated they would make their decision based on party policy platforms. (TNA) - E111

ETNA Oct. 21, 2007
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Re: Vote-selling/-buying

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Do Nov 01, 2007 7:09 pm

Survey: People expecting more vote-buying

(BangkokPost.com) - More than half of people surveyed in a poll conducted by Suan Dusit Rajabhat University believed there will be more vote-buying in the Dec 23 election compared to previous elections because the competition is high.

The poll, released on Thursday, surveyed 2,387 people living in Bangkok and upcountry between Oct 29 to Nov 1.

Of the respondents, 50.37% believed there will be more vote-buying while 35.8% said vote-buying cases should be about the same as those of previous time.

Only 13.83% said they believed vote-buying will be less this time.

On the matter of factors influencing voter decision, 22.71% said speeches had impact on them the most while 21.41% said advertisements in media had a large effect. Some 20.43% said politicians' knocking on doors could win them votes.

On the types of media that shaped the voters' decision, 25.41% said television influenced them the most. About 19.59% said newspapers affected their decisions while 17.30% said posters did.

Bangkok Post nov. 1., 2007
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Re: Vote-selling/-buying

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Mo Nov 26, 2007 8:59 am

Democracy, and vote buying, returning to Thailand
By Thomas Fuller
Published: November 25, 2007

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand: There is an old story here in Thailand's vast, rice-growing hinterland about politicians who handed out a pair of slippers at election time - one slipper before the vote and the other after they were successfully elected.

Since the earliest days of democracy in Thailand seven decades ago, candidates have used both creative and not-so-creative ways to buy votes. The eve of an election is still known here as the "night of the barking dogs" because canvassers traditionally go house to house handing out cash - rousing hounds along the way.

Fourteen months after the military took power in a bloodless coup, Thailand is returning to democracy. And this, say government officials preparing for the Dec. 23 elections, means the return of money politics.

Phones have started ringing in the offices of the country's Election Commission, and 75 cases of alleged vote buying have been opened based on complaints and tip-offs, according to Suthiphon Thaveechaiygarn, the secretary general of the commission.

"Political parties will definitely try to buy votes," Suthiphon said in a phone interview from Bangkok. "They are trying to develop new techniques."

Vote buying in various forms exists in many countries, whether as last-minute road paving, "lunch money" for voters who attend rallies or the supply of food and provisions. But it is especially well entrenched in Thailand.

Economists have calculated that the economy swells by about 30 billion baht, or close to $1 billion, around election time. Supavud Saicheua, the managing director of Phatra Securities, which conducts research for Merrill Lynch in Thailand, called this estimate "not far-fetched."

"People need to be incentivized to go to the polls," said Supavud, who also serves on a government economic planning committee. He added that as a form of wealth distribution "it's better than any government program."

Typically, money or favors are handed out by canvassers from political parties and distributed to voters by village headmen. It is considered too crass and too risky for candidates to give out money themselves.

No one knows what the scale of vote buying will be in this election, but the government appears to expect the worst. Both the prime minister and the general who led the coup last year have been warning for weeks of widespread vote buying. The Election Commission has sent 2,200 investigators, some of them undercover, to zones where they believe the problem will be most common. And six police officers have been assigned to monitor each of the 400 constituencies.

A recently passed law makes it illegal, and punishable with prison, to receive money for votes. Previously, only those who paid could be prosecuted. But the law, which came into effect in October, also offers rewards of up to 100,000 baht for those who have received money and who report it before or within seven days of election day.

Yet many people, including government officials, are skeptical that the new law - especially the reward provision - can work.

"You have to compare the value of the money they are receiving to the value of their lives," said Mehta Silapun, the director of the Election Commission in Nakhon Ratchasima, one of the main cities in northeast Thailand. "After they give the information, they still have to go back and live in the area with the people that they reported."

Politically motivated murders are not uncommon during election time. "The person who reports vote buying must be very brave, a very good person or have friends who can protect them," Mehta said.

Thavison Lownanuruck, the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce in Nakhon Ratchasima, says the law will discourage canvassers from handing out cash. But he predicts canvassers will provide voters with bus tickets and coupons for gasoline, as well as pay for things like school fees for children and payments on motorcycle loans.

"They will say, 'You just give the receipt to me, I will take care of it,' " Thavison said.

The election will pit allies of Thaksin Shinawatra, the billionaire tycoon who was ousted as prime minister last year, against his longstanding opposition, the Democrat Party, and an array of smaller parties. The military is watching the outcome nervously for signs that Thaksin's proxies will triumph.

"This is not just an ordinary election," Thavison said. "The question is whether Thaksin can come back or not."

At a government-sponsored seminar last Tuesday, Thavison asked an audience of village headmen from around northeast Thailand how many of them thought the election would be "fair." No one raised his hand.

Thaksin has remained overseas since the coup, and his party has been disbanded. But his allies created the People Power Party, which according to some opinion polls is the front-runner in the elections.

Northeastern Thailand, populous and poor, is a leading battleground for Thaksin; 135 of the 400 constituencies in Parliament will be elected from Isaan, as the region is known. Bangkok, by contrast, elects only 36 seats.

Vote buying has long been most prevalent in Isaan, where the tradition is woven into village life. Gothom Arya, a former election commissioner, says handing out money and favors is only one part of a "neo-feudal" relationship between a villager and politician-cum-patron.

"It's a setting where you exchange favors," Gothom said. "You rely on me. I rely on you."

Farmers and villagers offer their support in the expectation that their wealthy patrons will show their generosity and offer help when times get bad, Gothom said.

"Honestly speaking, this is normal," said Somporn Trisak, owner of a small roadside restaurant in a rice-farming community near Nakhon Ratchasima city. "Every party hands out money. People take money from everyone, but who they vote for is up to them."

Somporn said money had not yet been distributed to voters in her village, but said she had heard that local canvassers had already received money.

It remains possible that closer scrutiny by the authorities and tougher laws will deter vote buying. In 2001, when the Thai economy was still recovering from economic crisis, a popular and ironic phrase among villagers in the northeast was: "The money hasn't come. I don't know how to vote."

Somphant Techa-atik, a specialist on vote buying and a newspaper columnist based in the northeastern city of Khon Kaen, says that because of high gasoline prices, the most popular form of vote buying in this election will be paying for people to return to their hometowns to vote. Many people from the northeast work hundreds of kilometers from their homes on construction sites, in resorts or in Bangkok as waiters, maids, salespeople or taxi drivers.

"If you have to spend 3,000 baht to make it back to your hometown, nobody will do it," he said.

On Nov. 13, the police arrested the owner of a gasoline station in Nakhon Ratchasima Province and seized bank notes amounting to 10,700 baht that were stapled to a pamphlet carrying the names of candidates from the People Power Party. The Election Commission says it is investigating vote buying.

This is only the tip of the iceberg, Somphant said.

"It's difficult to offer tangible evidence of vote buying," Somphant said. "But everyone in Thailand knows it happens."

International Herald Tribune Nov. 25, 2007
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Korat vote buying case

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Mi Nov 28, 2007 3:51 pm

Ruling on Korat vote buying case next week

POST REPORTERS

The Election Commission (EC) intends to rule next week on a case of alleged vote buying in Nakhon Ratchasima that could have repercussions for the People Power party. EC chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said Tee Sae Lek was believed to have arranged for money to be distributed to a list of people.

Caught at a make-shift petrol station in constituency 3, Mr Tee had denied he was preparing to buy votes, saying the money in his possession was to pay for petrol.

The EC had ordered investigators to find out if Mr Tee was connected to any politician or political party.

The findings were expected by Monday, so the commission could rule on the case the following day.

If Mr Tee was linked to a candidate in the election, the EC would summon the candidate for questioning. If the evidence was strong the candidate would be charged and the EC would consider disqualifying him or her.

The EC could also choose to question leader of the candidate's party, Mr Apichart said. Electoral fraud can lead to the dissolution of the party concerned.

Mr Tee was believed to be helping the People Power party.

Mr Apichart said the EC received another 61 vote-buying complaints in the period Nov 21 to Monday,of which 24 were filed in the zone 6 provincial cluster of Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan. Only one complaint was filed in the South.

Of the total 3,894 constituency candidates, the commission had determined that 15 were unqualified to run in the election.

EC secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaiygarn said yesterday he would resign from the committee set up to crack down on vote buying two weeks before the Dec 23 polls.

This was not in response to Sunday's criticism by the former acting leader of the Thai Rak Thai party Chaturon Chaisaeng, Mr Suthiphon said.

He was fulfilling a promise he had made earlier to the committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi Boonyaratkalin.

Mr Chaturon, who is banned from politics but still helps the PPP in its campaign, accused the committee of trying to prevent the party winning the election and of meddling with the Election Commission.

Mr Suthiphon dismissed the criticism, adding: ''Don't worry. I will definitely resign.''

Bangkok Post Nov. 28, 2007
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Viagra for Votes???

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Fr Nov 30, 2007 9:57 am

Politician Accused Over 'Viagra Bribes'

The allegation, made by a campaign worker against a rival party, comes as rules about handing out favours to voters have become stricter than ever.

Candidates are now barred from distributing even free T-shirts and soft drinks.

Sayan Nopcha, a campaigner for the People's Power Party in Pathum Thai province just north of Bangkok, said the drug - used to treat sexual dysfunction in men - was being distributed to elderly male voters at social functions.

Viagra is supposed to be used only on a doctor's advice, but is generally available over the counter in Thailand.

SkyNews Nov. 29, 2007
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Re: Vote-selling/-buying

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Mi Dez 05, 2007 5:37 pm

EC to investigate allegations of vote-buying by PPP members

MONGKOL BANGPRAPA

The Election Commission (EC) yesterday ruled that there are grounds to allegations of vote-buying by the People Power party (PPP) in Nakhon Ratchasima. Commissioner Sodsri Sattayatham said the EC found evidence of alleged vote-buying by members of the PPP in constituency 3 of the province.

The EC has ordered parliamentary candidates at the centre of the allegations to testify next Thursday, she said.

The three candidates are Prasert Chanruangthong, Linda Cherdchai and Bunlert Krutkhunthot.

A man was earlier arrested with a number of calendars with bank notes stapled to them.

The calendars allegedly contained information and photos of candidates from a political party.

The EC will investigate whether the party's executives had been involved in the vote-buying scheme, said Mrs Sodsri.

The EC is expected to rule on the case before the Dec 23 general election, the source said.

Ruangrot Chomsueb, the EC's public relations director, said his office has received more and more complaints.

Until Dec 3, about 230 complaints had been lodged, mostly involving the distribution of cash, the gathering of people's identity cards, accusations of slander and biased state officials.

Pol Col Panravee Veerapan, head of the EC's office for investigation and adjudication, said certain parties have adopted new vote-buying tactics.

In late November, a political party allegedly offered people between 300 and 2,000 baht to register as members through a broker, which is illegal, said Pol Col Panravee.

Bangkok Post Dec. 5, 2007

Anybody expected any different? :wink:
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Elections in Thailand

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Mo Dez 24, 2007 9:02 am

Pro-Thaksin party claims victory in Thailand's post-coup election

BANGKOK (AFP) - Allies of deposed Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra claimed victory in Sunday's elections, setting the stage for the billionaire's political comeback more than a year after his ouster in a coup.

The pro-Thaksin People Power Party (PPP) fell short of an absolute majority in parliament, according to the election authority, forcing its leader Samak Sundaravej to seek partners for a coalition government.

But the party's strong showing dealt a major blow to the royalist generals who toppled Thaksin in September 2006, and raised the prospect that he could soon return from self-imposed exile if PPP succeeds in its coalition building.

"I will be the next prime minister for sure," Samak confidently told reporters, saying that Thaksin had called from Hong Kong to congratulate him on the result.

The PPP looked set to win 228 of the 480 seats up for grabs, according to unofficial results from the Election Commission. Final, official results will not be released until later Monday at the earliest.

PPP's closest rival, the Democrat Party, was set to win 166 seats, with five smaller parties dividing up the rest, with 93 percent of votes already counted.

The military has made little secret that it would prefer to see a Democrat-led coalition, and the party's leader Abhisit Vejjajiva refused to bow out.

"The PPP has failed to win an overall majority it wanted," he told a press conference.

"If PPP succeeds in forming a coalition, the Democrat Party is ready to become the opposition. If the PPP fails, then the Democrat Party is ready to form its own coalition," he said.

PPP came out ahead in the polls even though one third of the country, including Thaksin's rural strongholds, is still under martial law.

"The results underlined that people still support Thaksin and want him to come back," said Ukrist Pathmanand, a professor of political science at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

A group of Asian election observers said that it had concerns over the secrecy of the ballot and reports of vote buying, but generally the polls had gone well.

"The Election Commission seems to have handled things pretty well," said Adam Cooper, spokesman for the Asian Network for Free Elections, which deployed 42 observers around the country.

The United States, meanwhile, praised the electorate for taking a "crucial step toward a return to elected government" after its "free and fair" vote.

The current holders of the European Union presidency, Portugal, described Sunday's polls as "an important milestone on the road back to constitutional order."

Thaksin has not returned to Thailand since the coup, living instead in self-imposed exile in Britain, where he bought Manchester City Football Club.

The junta dissolved Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party and banned him from political office, but the man who made a fortune in telecoms has remained a dominant and divisive figure in Thai politics.

PPP campaigned on promises to bring back Thaksin's economic policies and to allow the exiled leader to return to Thailand.
An election officer shows a ballot during a counting at a poll station

Few analysts believe the election will resolve deep divisions between anti-Thaksin urban dwellers and the rural masses, who remain loyal to the deposed leader.

PPP draws most of its support from farmers, the majority of Thailand's 64 million population, who remember Thaksin's efforts to boost the rural economy during his five-year rule.

The Democrat Party is popular among Bangkok's middle-class, who last year spearheaded anti-Thaksin protests that culminated in the coup.

The military has already taken steps to ensure its continued influence over the new government.

The generals tossed out Thailand's 1997 constitution, widely hailed as the most democratic the kingdom had ever known, and passed an army-backed charter in a referendum in August.

Critics warn the new charter will encourage weak coalition governments while returning real authority to the military, the bureaucracy and the royal palace.

AFP Dec. 23, 2007
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Re: Elections in Thailand

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Mo Dez 24, 2007 10:03 am

Voters refuse to give PPP a full mandate

According to the Election Commission's count of 93 per cent of votes cast in Sunday's elections, the PPP won 228 of the 480 contested seats, 12 short of a majority.

PPP leader Samak Sundaravej, a 72-year-old veteran of Thailand's political scene, said Sunday night that he would be the country's next prime minister and would approach other parties to form a coalition government before Parliament reconvenes in 30 days, as required by the constitution.

Samak told a press conference Sunday night that the support for the PPP was a statement on the military's September 19, 2006 coup that toppled Thaksin and installed an appointed cabinet of technocrats.

"The coup is dead," said Samak. "Now the people have had their say. The numbers that came out are an answer to those people," he said of the military.

It remains to be seen whether a coalition government under the PPP can be born, analysts said.

PPP's main rival, the Democrat Party led by Abhisit Vejjajiva, 43, has already announced that it will not join the PPP in a coalition but will become the opposition if it fails to lead a government.

The Democrat Party has won 166 seats nationwide and dominated the capital Bangkok, where it won 27 out of 36 contested seats. PPP received the other nine Bangkok mandates.

Coming third was the Chart Thai Party with 39 seats and the Peau Pandin Party fourth with 26 seats. The other slates to win seats were Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana with 10, Machima Thipataya with seven and Pracharaj with four, according to the latest unofficial tally.

Although PPP has won the most seats, it will have a hard time mustering a coalition government around it, observers said.

"We have a clean winner but not a clear-cut outcome," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University.

The Democrats have done better than expected at the polls and have won Bangkok's backing, deemed a crucial factor to any government's stability.

"The provinces elect governments, and Bangkok topples them," is an old Thai saying.

The Democrats also received strong support for their party list candidates, winning 33 of the 80 contested party-list MPS, compared with the PPP's 34.

"That means that many people split their vote, casting ballots for their preferred MPs but voting for the Democrats as their favourite party," said Thitinan.

Samak will need to persuade the Chart Thai Party run by Banharn Silpa-archa to join him if the PPP is to muster a government, but Banharn has reportedly asked to become prime minister of such a coalition.

It appears that Thailand is heading for a weak coalition government that is not likely to last long, analysts said.

PPP has campaigned on a platform of continuing the populist policies initiated by Thaksin during his two premierships from 2001- 06 and assuring a safe return for the billionaire politician, who has been in self-exile since the coup.

Thaksin, a former telecommunication tycoon, reportedly moved from his mansion in London to his luxury apartment in Hong Kong to observe the election and hopes to return on February 14 to Thailand. (dpa)

Bangkok Post Dec. 24, 2007
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Re: Elections in Thailand

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Mi Dez 26, 2007 9:56 am

Three pro-Thaksin party candidates get 'yellow card'

BANGKOK, Dec 25 (TNA) - Three People Power Party (PPP) candidates who won in last Sunday's election in Nakhon Ratchasima have been given a yellow card, on charges of involvement in a vote-buying scam.

Yellow cards and red cards are indicators certifying disqualification of elected candidates accused of wrongdoing.

An elected candidate who receives a red card will not be granted the seat, and will be banned from running in the by-election, already set by the EC for January 13, but those receiving yellow cards, however, are permitted to re-contest the seat in the by-election.

The Election Commission has handed out yellow cards which will be followed by a by-election scheduled for January 13 for the Thaksin-aligned PPP 's winning candidates in Constituency 3 of the northeastern province, namely Boonlert Krudkhunthod, Linda Cherdchai and Prasert Chanruangthong.

The trio was alleged of involvement in a hidden conspiracy of buying votes.

The current number of winning PPP candidates has now fallen to 230, following issuance of the yellow cards Tuesday.

In its earlier announcement of the official poll results, the Election Commission said that the PPP won 233 of the 480 seats in the lower house of parliament, with its top rival Democrat Party capturing 165 and Chart Thai gaining 37.

Meanwhile, three other winning PPP candidates in Lampang's Constituency 1 are also suspected of involvement in electoral wrongdoings, and have been told to report to the polling agency for questioning on Thursday.

They are Kittikorn Lohsunthorn, Thanathorn Lohsunthorn and Wasit Phayakhabut. (TNA)-E008

MCOT Dec. 25, 2007
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Re: Elections in Thailand

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Mi Dez 26, 2007 6:28 pm

EC presses to consider 50 election fraud cases

(BangkokPost.com) - Election Commission prepares to work on documents on elected candidates who are suspected of charting at the polls on Sunday.

About 50 cases are expected to be considered at Wednesday's meeting.

On Tuesday, three elected People Power party candidates in Nakhon Ratchasima were yellow-carded after they were caught with cash and a list of eligible voters.

Yellow-carded candidates will get to contest in the by-elections set for Jan 13.

Election Commissioner Somchai Juengprasert denied to comment on news reports that the Election Commission voted 4 to 1 to hand the candidates yellow cards instead of red cards. He only said that he will explain the matter to the media if the information is not confidential.

Bangkok Post Dec. 26, 2007

EC pressured to end probe by Thursday

(BangkokPost.com) – The Election Commission has until tomorrow to decide whether to endorse or punish MPs who contested the December 23 election suspected of having committed electoral fraud.

According to EC secretary-general Suthipol Thaweechaikarn, EC officials have already reviewed 10 cases on Dec 25 and have 38 more pending cases. Mr Suthipol also revealed that 50 more cases recently emerged but whether or not the EC will have time to deliberate on all of them remains to be seen.

The EC confirmed that they have so far concluded several cases including an attempt by canvassers to buy votes in Petchabun with 1.3 million baht, canvassers handing out cash outside polling stations in Chaiyaphum province and the transfer of 50 million baht to a former MP in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

EC member Sodsri Sattayatham explained the reason behind tomorrow's deadline, saying that some of the cases need to be processed further for at least five days after the EC completes its review, after which red cards can then be issued.

From: Bangkok Post Dec. 26, 2007
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Re: Elections in Thailand

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Fr Jan 04, 2008 10:20 am

Thailand Election Commission investigates 83 poll victors on suspicion of fraud

BANGKOK, Thailand: Thailand's Election Commission said Thursday it is investigating 83 victors from Dec. 23 parliamentary elections accused of vote buying and other irregularities, a move that could diminish the seat tally of allies of ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

Of the 83 winners under investigation, 65 were members of the pro-Thaksin People's Power Party, the commission's Secretary-General Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn told reporters. Most of the cases deal with alleged vote buying, he said.

The PPP came out on top in the country's first election since Thaksin was ousted by a military coup in September 2006, winning 233 seats in parliament's 480-seat lower house. The anti-Thaksin Democrat Party won only 165 seats — six of which are under investigation, Suthiphon said.

PPP said Monday it had formed an alliance with three small political parties to form a coalition government with 254 seats in parliament.

The Election Commission had expected to certify the election results Thursday but got bogged down by investigations into election irregularities.

The EC chairman, Apichart Sukhakkanon, said the EC is trying to expedite the probes to meet the required certification of 95 percent — or 456 members of parliament — before the lower house convenes Jan. 22.

By Thursday, the EC had certified 397 parliamentarians, he said.

The commission said last week it had disqualified three election winners from the PPP on charges of vote-buying.

International Herald Tribune Jan. 3, 2008
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Re: Elections in Thailand

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Mi Jan 23, 2008 10:41 am

Panel wants month to probe PPP ties to TRT

MONGKOL BANGPRAPA

A sub-committee considering the petition claiming the People Power party (PPP) is a nominee of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party is asking the Election Commission to give it a full month to look into the issue. Election commissioner Somchai Juengprasert said yesterday the sub-panel, chaired by Paitoon Netipothi, had sought more time because it still had to question many witnesses.

The panel was scheduled to report its findings to the EC on Jan 27.

The complaint, filed by Veera Somkwamkid, the secretary-general of the People's Network against Corruption, accuses the PPP of distributing VCDs featuring deposed prime minister and former TRT leader Thaksin Shinawatra urging people to vote for the PPP.

Mr Somchai said the Election Commission should have no problem granting an extension. The inquiry's findings would be presented as evidence to the Constitution Court to help it make a ruling, said Mr Somchai.

He said the inquiry panel should not rush its work, to avoid making mistakes.

Election commissioner Sumeth Upanisakorn said yesterday he had been notified that PPP list MP Yongyuth Tiyapairat had resigned as party deputy leader before parliament yesterday voted to make him the new House speaker.

Election Commission secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn said Mr Yongyuth had submitted a letter to the EC showing his intention to quit as PPP deputy leader.

The constitution prohibits the speaker from holding an executive position in a political party, said Mr Yongyuth, who is facing a separate investigation by the EC in a vote-buying case.

Mr Somchai said Mr Yongyuth's job as speaker would not affect the investigation into his alleged vote buying in his native Chiang Rai province.

The sub-panel would later submit its findings to the EC, which would consider whether to issue him a red or yellow card. The commission would then forward its recommendations to the Supreme Court, which would pass a judgement on the case, said Mr Suthiphon.

The sub-panel is expected to submit its inquiry report to the EC within next week, he added.

Bangkok Post Jan. 23, 2008

Would be a real demonstration of independence, if something came of it.
Es gibt nichts Gutes, ausser man tut es! Erich Kästner, 1899 - 1974

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Drug money 'financed election campaigns'

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Fr Jan 25, 2008 9:35 am

Drug money 'financed election campaigns'

Nakhon Ratchasima - A niece of a People Power party MP was arrested on Wednesday for drug trafficking.

Police said Pranee Khlangpha, 37, a niece of Lop Buri MP Amnuay Khlangpha, confessed she spent some of the drug money to secure political support for herself and a certain national politician. She is a councillor for Khok Samrong district in Lop Buri.

On Wednesday, policemen posing as drug buyers went to Ms Pranee's house in Muang district of Nakhon Ratchasima to pick up 200 methamphetamine tablets.

They arrested her there.

They also seized cash, three mobile phones, eight passbooks recording movements of cash totalling more than 10 million baht, and the house and a car. Ms Pranee confessed she bought the assets with drug money, police said.

Police said they learned from previous arrests and tip-offs that a major drug-trafficking network run by Ms Pranee had recently expanded its operations to Nakhon Ratchasima, using the house for storing and delivering the drugs.

She told police she had traded in drugs for more than five years. The millions of baht she made from the trade were invested in a large-scale chicken farm and construction business.

She bought the speed pills from Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. They were delivered to Lop Buri by bus. She paid 100 baht a tablet and sold them at twice the price.

In October last year, Mr Amnuay's son, Narongrit, was caught by police with 4,000 amphetamine tablets and guns in his possession.

Mr Narongrit, chief of Wang Ploeng tambon administration organisation, and two other men were arrested at the bus terminal in Lop Buri as they were allegedly collecting the drugs from a bus from Chiang Mai.

Bangkok Post Jan. 25, 2008

Is there still anybody who does not believe that all those small-time drug dealers in The War On Drugs were shot by "competing drug dealers" ? :evil:

What will happen to a party who financed its campaign with illegal money?
Es gibt nichts Gutes, ausser man tut es! Erich Kästner, 1899 - 1974

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Re: Elections in Thailand

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Fr Feb 15, 2008 9:29 am

Panel says Yongyuth a poll cheat
Could end up stripped of House Speaker's job

MONGKOL BANGPRAPA

The Election Commission's sub-committee investigating House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat has found him guilty of electoral fraud, marking the onset of a process which could see him stripped of the speaker's post.

The panel, headed by former Constitution Court judge Suwit Thirapong, ruled that Mr Yongyuth, a list-MP for Zone 1 encompassing his home province of Chiang Rai, violated election law by bribing local administrators to campaign for votes for the People Power party (PPP).

Mr Suwit said the witnesses, all local administration officials, stood by their statements given to a team of investigators under the Special Branch Police (SBP).

''The tambon and village heads who were invited [to meet Mr Yongyuth at a hotel in Bangkok] stick to their statements. The panel has thus reached the same conclusion as the SBP's team that Mr Yongyuth is guilty,'' he said.

Mr Suwit was referring to a gathering of Chiang Rai-based local administrators in Bangkok on Oct 28 last year.

Mr Yongyuth was accused of paying the local leaders 20,000 baht each to influence them to campaign for the PPP in the Dec 23 election and sway the party-list votes in Zone 1. The incident was reportedly recorded on a VCD.

The Suwit panel will forward its findings to the EC for consideration.

A source close to the Suwit panel said if the EC agrees with the panel's findings, there is a chance Mr Yongyuth could be stripped of his House seat.

If the EC endorses the panel's findings, it will forward the case to the Supreme Court's section on election cases. If and when the case goes to the court, Mr Yongyuth's role as House Speaker would be suspended pending a verdict. He can resume his work if the court clears him of the alleged wrongdoing. If he is found guilty by the court, he would face a five-year political ban. Suspension of duty, however, will not retroactively invalidate the official papers and obligations he has signed as House Speaker.

The House Speaker post would be reserved for him during the trial.

The EC is unlikely to opt for an election re-run at this time on the grounds that this would have impacts on other political parties and provinces.

A poll re-run, if any, would be organised in Zone 1 covering eight northern provinces, not just Chiang Rai where the alleged vote buying took place.

The source said if the EC endorses the Suwit panel's findings, it will likely start another inquiry to find if the PPP benefited from the wrongdoing, an offence which could lead to the party being dissolved by the Constitution Court.

If Mr Yongyuth is found to have acted in his capacity as a PPP executive, the PPP may be at risk of dissolution, said the source.

Mr Yongyuth yesterday protested his innocence and insisted he was framed. ''Of course it was a set-up. I don't have to say anything. Society will know the truth,'' he said.

''I'd rather not make any comments otherwise I will be pressuring or interfering with the EC's work. Let's wait until the dust settles,'' he added.

Mr Yongyuth has claimed the VCD recording the alleged fraud was a fake. He suspected the Suwit inquiry result may have been leaked.

''How come you know about it so fast? Is there a leak? I am the one involved and I don't know anything,'' he said.

Prime Minister's Office Minister Chusak Sirinil, a leading member of the PPP's legal team, reacted with caution to the findings. ''Let's wait and see what the EC says before we make any comments,'' he said, but added the PPP is expected to discuss the matter today.

In a related development, the EC has decided to seek election re-runs in Phetchabun's constituency 2 after a probe suggested vote buying had taken place there.

EC secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn said the commission would petition the Supreme Court to order a poll re-run.

Constituency 2 is currently represented by PPP members _ Iam Thongjaisod, Wanpen Prompat and Surasak Anakpan who will be stripped of their parliamentary status if the court agrees to go ahead with the poll re-run. The three are still eligible to stand.

Bangkok Post Feb. 15, 2008

Looks like somebody who has (or made himself to) access the server of the Bangkok Post doesn't want people to read this article from its description on the front page. :lol: The url there leads to another article. The article can still be accessed via the link in the General News section.
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Re: Elections in Thailand

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Di Feb 26, 2008 12:11 pm

EC finds Yongyuth guilty of electoral fraud charges

(BangkokPost.com) - Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday found House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat guilty of electoral fraud charge in the Dec 23 general election.

The five-member panel voted 3-2 to red-card him.

The ruling came after one-week delay, after Mr Yongyuth requested the panel to question one more witness before the ruling.

Mr Yongyuth, a list-MP for zone 1 covering Chiang Rai and other provinces in the upper North, was found by the sub-panel to have bribed local administrators in Chiang Rai to campaign for votes for the People Power party in the general election. He was a deputy leader of the PPP at the time.

Bangkok Post Feb. 26,2008
Es gibt nichts Gutes, ausser man tut es! Erich Kästner, 1899 - 1974


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