No red cards to be issued before the poll

General News - Thursday December 20, 2007

RACE TO PARLIAMENT

No red cards to be issued before the poll

MONGKOL BANGPRAPA

The Election Commission will not red-card any candidates before Sunday's election, fearing skulduggery by political parties trying to gain the upper hand over their rivals.

This means that People Power party (PPP) candidate Prasaeng Mongkholsiri can contest the poll.

Mr Prasaeng had been at risk of being disqualified by the EC for distributing VCDs of speeches by ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and using Mr Thaksin's photo on his campaign posters.

The EC is investigating whether the PPP as a whole is guilty of distributing the VCDs to help its election campaign.

Election commissioner Sumet Uppanisakorn said although the 2007 election law allows the commission to punish candidates who breach the law if it has enough reliable information, the EC has agreed to hold back and not rush to disqualify those who have allegedly committed election fraud.

''I think it's better for us to be slow but sure. Quick action could lead to mistakes,'' he said.

The five-member Election Commission includes four former judges, so it tends to consider complaints carefully to avoid allegations of defamation, said Mr Sumet, a former senior judge at the Bangkok South Criminal Court.

''Politicians know how to destroy their rivals. We don't know what tricks they will get up to,'' he said.

Mr Sumet admitted the EC could be compromising its legal authority.

However, the EC would be more pensive in deciding what action it should take against Mr Prasaeng.

The Administrative Court yesterday decided to put on hold a petition filed by some candidates of the Pracharaj and New Aspiration parties seeking the anulment of some aspects of advance voting last weekend.

The plaintiffs claimed the EC had no legal right to organise advance voting on Dec 15 and 16 for those casting votes in the constituencies they live in.

It had authority only to organise advance voting for eligible outside their constituencies and who registered beforehand.

The court said this issue would take time to consider.

In Chiang Rai, provincial Election Commission director Amornpong Wichikul said the province had still not received 1,200 ballot boxes from the EC.

A source said the delay was the result of mistakes in the box-making process.

The EC promised all ballot boxes would reach every province today at the latest.

If not, smaller boxes, such as those in local elections would be used.

Bangkok Post