Democrats accuse small-party candidates

[dr dave soul monsta]

Democrats accuse small-party candidates of accepting massive bribes to switch constituencies to help TRT win seats

Hopes of forming a government deteriorated further into chaos yesterday as more allegations of electoral violations compounded the turmoil faced by the election authorities.

As the Election Commission (EC) races against time to convene a new House of Representatives by May 2, the final date set by the Constitution, the Democrat Party raised accusations of constituency hopping to help the Thai Rak Thai Party pick up seats in the by-elections on April 23.

Six candidates from Thai Rak Thai will contest the second round of voting unopposed again in four southern provinces. To gain election, they will need to win support from at least 20 per cent of the eligible voters.

Three of them will be standing in Songkhla and one each in Chumphon, Yala and Narathiwat.

Thai Rak Thai candidates won votes numbered in the thousands in the April 2 election compared to the tens of thousands who voted for no political party. Observers say it is highly likely the solitary Thai Rak Thai candidates will fail to get the minimum number of votes.

The second round of voting on April 23 will be held in 39 constituencies in 16 provinces, most of them in the South, the stronghold of the Democrat Party.

Election commissioner Prinya Nakchudtree said yesterday the commission would discuss whether another decree would be needed to call a third round of voting if the April 23 ballot failed to fill all 500 House seats.

The Democrats yesterday raised suspicions of constituency hopping by candidates from smaller parties. They said this could violate the electoral law.

The Democrats found candidates from six small parties who stood and lost in the April 2 election registered again over the weekend to run in other constituencies where Thai Rak Thai candidates would otherwise be standing unopposed, Democrat spokesman Ong-art Klampaiboon said.

These "suspicious acts" took place in 12 constituencies.

"The law states one has the right to register in one constituency and cannot move to register to any other constituency. We don't know how the EC allowed this to happen," Ong-art said.

Some of those who registered in another constituency were Pakdee Naboon, Thai Citizen Party candidate in Nakhon Si Thammarat's constituency 7 (moved to constituency 1); Kanok Jitmala (Thai Citizen Party) moved to constituency 2 from constituency 5; and Khonkhoplodnee Party candidate Soporn Chankaew from constituency 3 to 9.

A candidate from the Pattana Chartthai Party in constituency 10 of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Prayoon Boonchan, who the EC is considering disqualifying after the April 2 election, had registered in Phuket's constituency 2, Ong-art said.

Chat Thai Party deputy leader Somsak Prissanananthakul said the party was concerned the Parliament would not get all 500 MPs and would not be able to be convened.

"The questionable poll made Thailand look like a laughing stock in international eyes," he said.

"Especially the second round of balloting in 38 constituencies in which candidates from small parties are switching from their original constituencies to another in order to allow candidates of 'a certain party' to beat the minimum 20 per cent of eligible voters," Somsak said.

Last week the Democrats petitioned the Central Administrative Court to cancel the EC's ruling for a second round of balloting, claiming it might be illegal as the law says only failed candidates could be fielded in the by-elections.

The court is expected to rule next week on whether the case merits judicial review.

Democrat Party deputy spokesman Sathit Pitutecha said according to election laws, when the EC announced a new round of candidate registrations the candidates should draw for a new number.

But the EC allowed the Thai Rak Thai Party candidates to get number 2, the same number when they first registered to run in the April 2 election, while candidates from others parties had to draw for new numbers. That would give an advantage to the party, Sathit said.

He said the Administrative Court will today seek an explanation from the EC about the case.

"I have heard that it's hard to find a qualified candidate from other parties to register in the South to avoid the minimum 20 per cent vote. That's why the cost to hire those candidates to contest the repeat election is higher than in the first round of the election, up to seven from six figures," he said.

The Nation