Sonthi tries to stop vote buying

General News - Saturday December 15, 2007

RACE TO PARLIAMENT

Sonthi tries to stop vote buying

SUBIN KHUENKAEW & SUPOJ WANCHAROEN

Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi Boonyaratkalin yesterday kicked off an anti-vote buying campaign in Chiang Mai, the political bastion of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai party. Gen Sonthi, chairman of the government committee fighting vote buying, praised all agencies and the public for their cooperation in campaigning against poll fraud and other forms of election law violations.

He made the statement at the launch of an anti-vote buying campaign attended by more than 20,000 people from all walks of life, including school students, university students, members of the public, officials and grassroots leaders.

He called on Chiang Mai people to exercise judgement when casting ballots, saying they should stick to politicians with clean records, who were honest and loyal to the monarchy.

''They [the winning candidates] will manage our country. Hence, those who are to be elected must be honest and loyal to the monarchy.'' he said.

Gen Sonthi was scheduled to launch anti-vote buying campaigns across the country, focusing on areas that were strongholds of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai party whose members are running under the People Power party banner. He is to launch campaigns in Udon Thani and Buri Ram provinces tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) yesterday vowed to stay neutral in the election.

City clerk Pongsak Semsan led more than 2,000 BMA officials and employees in a ceremony in which they made public their pledge to combat vote buying and stay neutral in the poll. The event took place in front of City Hall yesterday.

The BMA will next week mail post cards to leaders of all parties, asking them not to buy votes, and to Bangkokians, asking them not to sell their votes.

Bangkok Post