Thailand

Articles about voting issues in the Kingdom of Thailand.

Parliament Prepares to Elect First Woman Prime Minister | VoA News

Aug 052011

Thailand's Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn reads a statement at the opening ceremony of the first session of Thailand's new parliament at the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall in Bangkok

Thailand’s parliament is meeting this week for the first time since the July 3 general elections that resulted in a clear majority for the Pheu Thai Party and its leader, Yingluck Shinawatra. But Ms. Yingluck faces considerable challenges ranging from selection of her Cabinet to implementing the party’s populist election promises.

The 44-year-old’s Pheu Thai Party won 265 seats in the house and joined minor parties to hold a ruling majority of 300 seats in the 500 member House of Representatives. Read More »

Parliament to Open as Thaksin's Sister Set for Premiership | San Francisco Chronicle

Aug 012011

Thailand’s Parliament will open today for the first time since Yingluck Shinawatra’s Pheu Thai party won a majority last month, paving the way for lawmakers to select her as the country’s first female prime minister.

The Election Commission has certified all but four of 500 winning candidates in the July 3 vote, discarding complaints aiming to thwart the sister of exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra from taking power. Court rulings and a coup have overturned three previous Thaksin election wins since 2005.

“They won a landslide so it will be easier to manage the country,” said Suwat Bumrungchartudom, an analyst at Bangkok- based Bualuang Securities Pcl. “The coalition is quite solid. The question now is whether they can follow through on their commitments before the election.” Read More »

Two re-elections, one recount, same results | Bangkok Post

Aug 012011

Two MPs-elect who had been handed yellow cards by the Election Commission for vote-buying offences in the July 3 national poll retained their seats in a re-election yesterday, while a third victory was confirmed following a recount.

The two yellow-carded politicians were Pheu Thai’s Somkid Banthaisong of Nong Khai Constituency 2 and the Bhumjaithai Party’s Chakkrawan Chaiwiratnukul of Sukhothai’s Constituency 3. Meanwhile, Democrat Abdulkarim Dengrakina was the recipient of an even bigger victory following the recount in his Yala Constituency 2.

Mr Somkid, who was yellow-carded for buying votes in the general election, defeated his Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party rival candidate Pitak Sitabutr again. The Nong Khai Election Commission Office announced unofficial results that Mr Somkid received 46,403 votes, while Mr Pitak won 10,726. In the previous poll, Mr Somkid won 45,927 votes. Read More »

Red Shirts threaten lawsuit against Election Commission | Pattaya Mail

Jul 302011

Key leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), the Red Shirts, on Thursday threatened to file suit against the Election Commission (EC) for dereliction of duty if the poll agency fails to endorse top Red Shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan as a member of parliament by the end of this month.

Natthawut Saikua, now a new Pheu Thai party-list MP, announced the UDD stance after visiting fellow Reds, Mr Jatuporn, now being detained on terrorism charges at Bangkok Remand Prison.

Some Red Shirt supporters also turned up at the prison to show their moral support for the detained protest leader. The EC on Wednesday endorsed 94 more MPs-elect, including all elected Red Shirt candidates, except Mr Jatuporn, bringing the total number of endorsed MPs to 496, more than 95 per cent of total 500 seats, to open way to convene the first House session next Monday. Read More »

Election Commission certifies enough MPs to hold House session -| Shanghai Daily | 上海日报

Jul 282011

The Election Commission of Thailand (EC) on Wednesday certified the status of 94 more MPs, allowing the House of Representatives to have enough MPs to hold its first session to select prime minister. EC Secretary-General Suthipol Taweechaikarn said at press conference on Wednesday evening that the EC committee resolved to certify MP status of 94 more MPs, that was elected on the general election on July 3, making the number of certified MPs to 496 of 500 or more than 95 percent of the House seats.

According to the Thai Constitution, 95 percent of MPs, or 475 out of 500, must be endorsed before the first meeting of the Lower House of Parliament is able to take place within 30 days from the election date.

The MPs who were certified Wednesday included anti-establishment “red-shirt” core leader and Pheu Thai MP Nattawut Saikua who was jailed for about nine months for terrorism charge after the “red- shirt” demonstration ended in May last year. Read More »

Discrepancy forces ballot recount | Bangkok Post

Jul 272011

The Election Commission has ordered a ballot recount in Yala province. The EC agreed in a three-to-two vote yesterday to order the recount in Yala’s constituency 2 following a complaint filed by Pheu Thai MP candidate, Sugarno Matha, EC deputy secretary-general Somchart Jesrichai said.

Mr Sugarno told the EC earlier that the total number of ballots cast did not match the voter turnout in the constituency. Mr Sugarno received 33 votes less than Abdulkarim Dengrakeena, the winner from the Democrat Party. There were more than 9,000 dud ballots in the constituency. Read More »

Election Commission hoping to meet 30-day deadline | The Nation

Jul 252011

The Election Commission would consider whether to endorse Pheu Thai party-list candidates and red-shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan within the 30-day deadline, EC chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said.

Meanwhile, another red-shirt leader, Thida Thawornseth, said the group would wait and see the EC’s decisions before deciding on future moves. However, Thida said the group’s decision had nothing to do with a request by Pheu Thai’s PM-in-waiting Yingluck Shinawatra for the group not to pressure the electoral body.

“The red shirts are formed by the people. People’s opinions can vary. However, no one should be worried that the red shirts will do any damage,” she said. Read More »

Abhisit, Yingluck ask Red Shirts not to pressure Election Commission | People's Daily Online

Jul 222011

Thailand’s outgoing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the Prime Minister in-waiting Yingluck Shinawatra on Thursday asked the members of “Red Shirt” movement not to put pressure on the Election Commission (EC) to endorse all elected Pheu Thai MPs.

The caretaker premier Abhisit said Thursday morning that leaders of the Red Shirt, or the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), should stop putting pressure on the Election Commission (EC). Read More »

Thai Election Body Certifies Yingluck's MP Status | CRI.com

Jul 192011

The Election Commission of Thailand on Tuesday certified the MP status of Prime Minister designate Yingluck Shinawatra and Caretaker Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, Thai media reported.

The EC certified 12 more MPs Tuesday. Among the twelve are Yingluck Shinawatra, the prime minister candidate from fugitive prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s Pheu Thai Party, Caretaker Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Acting Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban from the elite-back Democrat Party, Thai media reported.

The EC had spent about two weeks after the election day on July 3 to probe into a complain on electoral fraud amid pressure from various political groups, especially the pro-Thaksin “red-shirt” camp, who organized a small rally in front of the EC office last week. Read More »

False charges delay Election Commission work | Bangkok Post

Jul 192011

The Election Commission is to endorse the election of more MPs today. The work of the EC has been slowed down by numerous objections lodged after the July 3 election. By this point after the 2007 general election, the EC had completed its inspection of party-list candidates. This year, the number of protests, complaints and objections means that as of this morning, 142 seats have yet to be filled out of the 500 MP seats. There is strong evidence, including statements from the EC, that many of the complaints are frivolous.

Kudos, then, to the sometimes controversial Commissioner Sodsri Satayathum for speaking out against trivial complaints lodged against the winning candidates. There seems little doubt that a small number of hardline political followers hopes to sideline candidates from other parties by launching official complaints of cheating during the campaign or at the polls. The EC should deal with such tactics with its own harsh response. Read More »

Thai Panel Certifies Yingluck Election | VoA News

Jul 192011

Prime Minister-elect Yingluck Shinawatra of the Puea Thai Party addresses reporters at her party's headquarters in Bangkok, July 19, 2011

Thailand’s election commission endorsed the election to parliament of Pheu Thai leader Yingluck Shinawatra, Tuesday, clearing the way for her to become the nation’s first female prime minister.

The commission said it had voted unanimously to dismiss complaints that Yingluck violated election laws by involving banned politicians – including her elder brother – in her campaign. The decision eases fears of instability raised by the commission’s failure to endorse her with the majority of the July 3 election winners last week.

The commission also announced the endorsement of outgoing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, whose endorsement also was delayed last week. A total of 370 lawmakers have now been approved. Read More »

Yingluck, Abhisit 'to get Election Commission nod' | The Nation

Jul 192011

Pheu Thai’s top party-list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra, the PM-in-waiting, and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva are expected to be endorsed as MPs today, Election Commission member Somchai Juengprasert said yesterday.

The Election Commission is scheduled to announce a second batch of endorsed MPs today. However, Somchai, who is in charge of election investigations, said it was not certain yet if all other winning candidates would be endorsed. Read More »

Electoral Commission gets tough on complaints | Bangkok Post

Jul 182011

Commissioner Sodsri Satayathum said an old tactic by opponents of victorious candidates is to set up networks which lodge false complaints, either in a bid to set up the disqualification of the MPs-elect or to stall for time in the hope that they are not endorsed before the deadline. Ms Sodsri said she could not yet confirm if such tactics had been employed since the July 3 election, but conceded “anything is possible”.

“We can encounter both real and false complaints,” she said. She warned people against trying to deceive the EC. In the past, the EC has taken criminal action against people found to have been involved in dishonest complaints.

The watchdog has been flooded with between 300 and 400 complaints stemming from the July 3 poll, with the number rising after the election as complaints came in even after the polling day. Read More »

Election Commission set to endorse Thai premier-in-waiting | M&C

Jul 162011

Thailand’s prime minister-elect Yingluck Shinawatra is expected to be endorsed next week, a newspaper reported Friday citing an Election Commission official.

Commissioner Sodsri Satayatham, who is in charge of political party affairs, said consideration of Yingluck would be completed Tuesday when the government election body holds its second round of endorsements, the English-language Nation newspaper reported online.

The commission did not qualify Yingluck, who leads the Pheu Thai party, during its first round of endorsements this week because of questions concerning the involvement of banned politicians in her campaign. Read More »

Election Commission gives first 'Yellow Card' to Pheu Thai party winner in Nong Khai | mcot

Jul 152011

Thailand’s Election Commission (EC) issued its first ‘yellow card’ to the Pheu Thai Party winning candidate in Nong Khai Constituency 2 while a new election for this constituency will be held on July 31.

Election Commissioner Sodsri Satayathum said the agency commissioners late Thursday agreed unanimously to hold a new election for Constituency 2 in the northeastern province of Nong Khai after suspending endorsement for Somkid Banthaising, winning candidate of the Pheu Thai Party, for alleged election fraud. Mr Somkid allegedly paid pedal taxi drivers to carry people to the election campaign rally and allegedly gave money to prospective voters. Eight witnesses gave statements that reported the same observation, she said. Read More »

Election Commission strives to endorse most MPs by July 28 | Bangkok Post

Jul 152011

The Election Commission is giving assurances it will be able to endorse at least 95% of MPs by July 28. At least 475 of 500 MPs are required to convene the first meeting of the House of Representatives. The EC has endorsed 358 MPs.

EC secretary-general Suthipol Thaweechaiyagarn said the agency would investigate complaints against the remaining winners, and endorse the results if it finds no reason to pursue the complaints. Pheu Thai’s potential prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and outgoing Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva are among those still waiting. Read More »

Thai Election Commission Postpones Certifying New Prime Minister | VoANews

Jul 142011

A woman uses her mobile phone to take a picture of Prime Minister-elect Yingluck Shinawatra

Thailand’s Election Commission has delayed certifying the election victory of both Prime Minister-elect Yingluck Shinawatra and the former leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva, because it says it is still looking into complaints of irregularities in the vote.

Ms. Yingluck is playing down the decision, but it is just one in a series of challenges she faces before forming a new government.
Voter fraud Thailand’s Election Commission has been investigating complaints of irregularities and fraud in the July 3 vote and postponed endorsing the victory of the 44-year-old Pheu Thai Party leader, Yingluck Shinawatra. Read More »

Prime Minister-in-waiting confident she will be cleared | Channel NewsAsia

Jul 132011

Thai prime minister-in-waiting Yingluck Shinawatra said on Wednesday that she was confident that alleged campaign irregularities which are holding up her appointment would be dismissed.

Thailand’s Election Commission on Tuesday put off a decision on whether to approve Yingluck and 141 other candidates, including outgoing premier Abhisit Vejjajiva, as members of the 500-seat lower house.

“There’s still time left under the law. I think the EC is trying to finish its investigation,” she said. “I hope and am confident that the EC will treat me and my Puea Thai Party with fairness and justice.” Read More »

Yingluck yet to be endorsed by Thai election commission for fraud complaints | xinhua.net

Jul 132011

The Election Commission (EC) of Thailand on Tuesday verified the election result of 358 members of the parliament, or 71.6 percent of the total 500 MPs, but decided not to verify the incoming prime minister (PM) Yingluck Shinawatra and the outgoing PM Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Both Yingluck and Abhisit are facing complaints filed in connection with electoral frauds and EC needs to investigate. Among 358, 249 are from constituency-based system and 109 from party-list.

Some key “Red-shirt” leaders — Jatuporn Prompan, Nutthawut Saikua and Weng Tojirakarn, who are also on Pheu Thai Party’s list, are not yet endorsed by the agency as they also have complaints regarding their qualification. Read More »

'Noodlegate' an utter farce | Bangkok Post

Jul 122011

The Election Commission last week found itself stuck in a situation that was both silly and serious. On one hand, it received a complaint about election campaigning that perhaps 99% of the nation would consider frivolous and, at best, a joke.

On the other, the complaint that the top candidate as the next prime minister had bribed voters is actually enshrined in the election laws. The idea that Yingluck Shinawatra’s noodle cooking amounted to an election bribe is ludicrous. Unfortunately, because of a bad law that never was corrected, the EC is actually forced to consider reversing Ms Yingluck’s election and banning her from politics.

How did we get in one week from a universally praised free and fair election to the point where almost every campaign stop by every candidate is contested by hard-nosed opponents? It is not as if this issue arose suddenly. It is almost three years since then-prime minister Samak Sundaravej was thrown out of office because he had once conducted cooking shows on television.

Key Thai Democrat disagrees with Election Commission's Yingluck noodle probe | Bangkok Post

Jul 112011

Democrat Party spokesman Buranaj Smutharaks says he opposes an Election Commission investigation into allegations that Yingluck Shinawatra, likely the next prime minister, broke the election law by giving food to voters.

Mr Buranaj yesterday said he disagreed with the EC’s move to investigate an allegation that Ms Yingluck violated election law when she fried noodles and distributed them to voters during a May 31 campaign stop in Nakhon Ratchasima province. Mr Buranaj said cooking in front of voters was a common campaign activity and the leaders of other parties had also done this during their campaigns.

The EC has already received the findings of the investigation into the matter by the Nakhon Ratchasima provincial election commission. The EC is set to consider the case on Tuesday. Read More »

Thai Democrats seek Pheu Thai Party's dissolution | Bangkok Post

Jul 092011

The Democrat Party of Friday initiated legal action seeking the dissolution of the Pheu Thai Party, filing a complaint with the Election Commission about the involvement of banned politicians.

Democrat Party’s legal team member Wirat Kallayasiri (Photo by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd)

The outgoing ruling party asked the Election Commission to recommend that the rival Pheu Thai Party, which won the July 3 general election, be disbanded on the grounds that banned politicians were involved in its election campaign. Read More »

Election Commission reveals invalid votes reached 5% | Bangkok Post

Jul 062011

The high number of invalid ballots cast for constituency candidates resulted from voters marking a cross in the wrong boxes, particularly the boxes of parties which had not fielded candidates in that particular constituency, the Election Commission said. EC secretary-general Suthipol Thaweechaikarn yesterday announced unofficial counts of invalid ballots cast in Sunday’s election.

The counts showed that the total number of invalid ballots cast for constituency candidates accounted for 5.74% of all ballots cast.

Invalid constituency ballots outnumbered invalid ballots cast for party-list candidates, which stood at 4.88%, Mr Suthipol said. The average rate of invalid ballots for both election systems was 4-5% which is not much different from that of the 2007 general election, he said. Read More »

Asian Observer Group Commends Thai Election, Cites Minor Flaws | VoAnews

Jul 062011

Voters wait in line to cast their votes, next to a board showing information on candidates, at a polling station in Bangkok July 3, 2011

An Asian election monitoring group has hailed Thailand’s nationwide election as final results were tallied for being generally peaceful, orderly and allowing the public to express their voice. But, the Asian Network for Free Elections also cited some flaws in the polls and warned the Thai military not to intervene in politics.

ANFREL congratulated Thailand for holding a peaceful and orderly vote with a large voter turnout. Thailand’s Election Commission estimates more than 70 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots in Sunday’s election. Read More »

Thai election commission to verify voting result on July 12 | xinhuanet.com

Jul 052011

The Election Commissioner Prapun Naigowit said on Tuesday the Election Commission (EC) expects to endorse the July 3 election results on July 12 if no more complaints about electoral frauds are made.

According to the EC, vote counting is expected to be completed Tuesday and an official announcement of the results will be made right after, therefore, the EC is likely to be able to certify the result next Tuesday. Read More »

Thailand elects first woman prime minister | WORLD News

Jul 042011

Thailand’s opposition has won a landslide election victory, led by the sister of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a triumph for red-shirt protesters who clashed with the army last year.

Exit polls showed Yingluck Shinawatra’s Puea Thai (For Thais) party winning a clear majority of parliament’s 500 seats, paving the way for the 44-year-old business executive to become Thailand’s first woman prime minister.

“I’ll do my best and will not disappoint you,” she told supporters after receiving a call of congratulations from her billionaire brother, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and lives in Dubai to avoid jail for graft charges that he says were politically motivated. ”He told me that there is still much hard work ahead of us,” she said. Read More »

Vote buying, ballot tearing top legal complaints in Thai election | The Nation

Jul 042011

Suspected vote-buying and the tearing of voters’ ballots were the most common legal breaches on election day, with many complaints of such criminal acts lodged with the Election Commission (EC) and private watchdog P-Net.

A number of voters were arrested yesterday for tearing ballots for various reasons – ranging from misunderstanding to drunkenness to upset after crossing the wrong boxes – all of which could subject violators to a five-year restriction on voting, a one-year prison term and/or a maximum fine of Bt20,000. Read More »

Backgrounder: Thailand's general election | xinhuanet.com

Jul 042011

Polling started on Sunday morning in Thailand’s first general election after years of political unrest as voters are casting their votes to pick up 500 members of the House of Representatives. The polling began at 8 a.m. and will close at 3 p.m. on Sunday. The unofficial results of the election are expected to be available by 10 p.m.

The Election Commission, according to law, shall endorse results within seven days if there is no complaint about electoral fraud. However, one could still file complaints about unfair election within 30 days.

Some 47.3 million eligible voters across the country will pick up 500 members of the House of Representatives, or the lower house — 375 members from single-seat constituencies and another 125 from party-list category. Read More »

Election Commission warns netizens of breaching election law | mcot.net

Jul 042011

The Election Commission (EC) has warned political parties and online citizens to be more careful in using websites–particularly social network sites including Facebook and Twitter–to campaign during the dead period before and after the general election on Sunday, according to EC Secretary General Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn.

Political parties are prohibited from any campaign activity after 6 pm Saturday until midnight of Sunday, July 3. The sale of alcoholic beverages would also be banned during this period. Read More »

Poll agency invites foreign observers to observe Thai election | mcot.net

Jul 022011

Thailand’s Election Commission (EC) said on Thursday it has invited international representatives and organisations to observe the July 3 general election. Election Commissioner Prapan Naikowit disclosed the information as he and EC Secretary-General Suthipol Thaweechaikarn opened a seminar on the Thai election observation by foreigners and international organisations attended by representatives of 11 countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, South Korea, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Switzerland and Japan.

Mr Suthipol said the invitation of foreign representatives to observe July 3 election is aimed at creating better understanding about the Thai election and the voting management of the agency, the Election Commission, which he asserts meets international standard practices. Read More »

UN chief calls for credible, peaceful Thai polls | Channel NewsAsia

Jul 012011

UN chief Ban Ki-moon called Thursday for the upcoming crucial election in Thailand to be conducted peacefully and in a “fair, credible and transparent” way. UN Secretary General Ban urged all parties to refrain from violence before, during and after the July 3 poll and “to accept and respect the will of the people as expressed at the ballot box,” his spokesman said in a statement.

Amid fears the vote could bring unrest, more than 430 candidates have sought protection, according to police, and more than 170,000 police officers are due to be deployed to protect polling stations on voting day. Read More »

'There are three phases of vote buying in this year's Thai election' | TODAYonline

Jun 302011

The fierce race to claim victory at Thailand’s general election on Sunday has resulted in more rampant vote buying nationwide, with the average price of vote buying in central provinces higher than in other regions, a survey has revealed.

This time, vote buying was divided into three phases including a period before the candidate registration, during the official election campaign after the election registration and in the final leg of the race, said Mr Sukhum Chaloeysap, director of the Suan Dusit Poll by the Suan Dusit Rajabhat University.

In the first phase, vote buying was aimed purely at boosting the popularity of the political parties and the average price of such vote buying was 300 baht (S$12) per voter per candidate, Mr Sukhum said. Read More »

Thai Election Commission gets 521 poll violation complaints | Bangkok Post

Jun 302011

The Election Commission has received a total of 111 direct complaints about alleged campaign violations, backed with evidence, since May 23, and nearly half of them are about slander and intimidation by candidates. The EC also received another 410 poll-related complaints lodged via its hotline and website without any supporting evidence.

The commission said on Wednesday that of the 111 complaints, 51 alleged slander and acts of intimidation, 17 allege cash handouts in return for votes, four complained of candidates organising parties to woo votes, 20 questioned the political neutrality of government officials and 19 were related to campaign billboards and campaign rallies. Read More »

Election Commission accused of disenfranchising 500,000 voters | Bangkok Post

Jun 282011

Two independent election watchdogs have criticised the Election Commission over its handling of advance voting on Sunday, accusing the poll agency of effectively disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of voters. As many as 500,000 eligible voters lost their right to vote because of a misunderstanding caused by the Election Commission’s poor public relations and an outdated regulation, the People’s Network for Election in Thailand (Pnet) said on Tuesday.

It said these people had registered in 2007 to vote in advance outside their home constiuencies and had not been properly informed they needed to advise the authorities if they intended to vote elsewhere this time. They had not voted last Sunday in the area they were previously registered, and as a consequence they were now denied the right to vote on July 3. Read More »

Vote-buying expected to kick into high gear as Thai election looms | TODAYonline

Jun 282011

A total of 2.6 million voters exercised their right to cast votes ahead of the July 3 election yesterday as cases of vote-buying are expected to rise. A poll released on Saturday found that 18.7 per cent of respondents had been exposed to electoral fraud.

Vote-buying has traditionally been rampant the night before election day. In the past, canvassers have been seen carrying bags filled with bank notes to offer to villagers to vote for their parties or candidates. Vote-buying is now carried out in a more subtle matter, such as mobilising voters at a campaign rally. Read More »

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