Buri Ram governor must step down if fails to keep law and order

Buri Ram governor must step down if fails to keep law and order

Council for National Security caretaker chief Air Chief Marshall Chalit Pukpasuk suggested that Buri Ram Governor take responsibility if he cannot control the protest in the province.

Chalit was responding to questions that the CNS deployed military officials to protect Buri Ram Provincial Election Commission after more than 20,000 people gathered in protest against its decision to issue red cards to three People Power Party winning candidates.

Chalit said Buri Ram Governor, his deputies including Buri Ram Police Chief had the respensibility to keep law and order in the province. He defended that the CNS sent General Somjet Bunthanom to Buri Ram to carry out intelligence work in the province.

"The Buri Ram governor is in charge of keeping peace in the province. He must take full responsibility for this duty. If he cannot, he must consider himself,'' he said.

He declined to comment if the protest in Buri Ram would turn violent.


Former PPP candidate calls for people's uprising in Buri Ram
Buri Ram's Muang District people met with political confusion Monday morning after People Power Party's Uthai Thani MP failed candidate distributed "Thaksin CDs" calling for the people uprising in a bid to help deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra return to the country.


Prasaeng Mongkolsiri, PPP failed candidates hired a number of trucks campaigning in support of Thaksin telling the people in Buri Ram's Muang District that the People Power Party would be soon dissolved.

Many local people were confused because they did not know who Prasaeng was. They also received leaflets from another political camp telling them not to believe local politicians to join the protest against the EC for giving red cards to three People Power Party winning candidates. The leaflets said the local politicians duped the villagers to travel from their homes telling them to join the condolence ceremony but they ended up in the political protest.


Chuan gives EC his moral support

Democrat Party chief adviser Chuan Leekpai has expressed moral support for the Election Commission to carry out its duties with honesty.

Published on January 7, 2008

Chuan denied any knowledge of a report that Democrat Party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban knew the exact number of People Power Party MP candidates who would not be endorsed by the EC, saying he did not believe there would be any interference in the work of election officials.

"I believe it would be difficult to interfere with the EC but I cannot guarantee 100 per cent because if there is an attempt, people can be swayed. I do not know if there is such an attempt,'' he said.

He said a lack of evidence would prevent the EC from punishing some MPs suspected of electoral wrongdoings.

"The reason a particular party is making noise about the EC's work is because in the past Thai Rak Thai had control over the previous EC," Chuan said.

"Today the party does not have the control, so when they are checked, they make a loud noise. The EC is not harassing them but there is evidence that offences have been committed.''

Bancha Khaengkhan

The Nation