Friday, January 11, 2008

'No conspiracy' in probe of People Power

'No conspiracy' in probe of People Power

Election Commission member Prapun Naigowit said yesterday there was no conspiracy involved in the investigation of 65 winning candidates of the People Power Party and the commission had not acted under pressure from the junta.

Published on January 5, 2008

"The reviews of electoral fraud allegations will proceed based on evidence; the withholding of endorsement is due to disputed results pending investigation," he said.

The commission did not target People Power as alleged, he said, and the high number of disputes involving People Power reflected its having won 233 House seats.

For any disqualification by red or yellow card, by-elections will be held by January 20 in order to allow the convening of Parliament on January 22, he said.

The commission is confident it can resolve electoral-fraud cases and conclude an endorsement within the 30-day deadline, he said.

In a related development, the commission yesterday yellow-carded Thanathorn Lohsunthorn, the winning People Power candidate in Lampang Constituency 1, for alleged vote-buying, said secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaiygarn.

Thanathorn can contest the by-election scheduled for January 13.

The Nation

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