Activist group seeks NACC probe into EC’s conduct

[webfact]

Activist group seeks NACC probe into EC’s conduct

By The Nation

 

 

SRISUWAN SAYS EVIDENCE OF ‘IRREGULARITIES’ WILL BE PROVIDED TO ANTI-GRAFT BODY; POLL AGENCY BLAMES DELAYS ON COMPLICATED NEW SYSTEM
 

THE UNDER-FIRE Election Commission (EC) finds itself in more hot water after an activist group said it planned to lodge a petition with the anti-graft body today, seeking an investigation into the poll agency’s conduct and alleged irregularities.

 

Srisuwan Janya, secretary-general of the Association of Organisations for the Protection of the Thai Constitution, said yesterday the group would submit the petition at the headquarters of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) in Nonthaburi province. 

 

The petition alleges offences committed by all seven members of the EC, and Srisuwan said the evidence will include the names of voters and “witnesses” to the alleged offences.

 

He said the group wants the NACC to refer the matter to public prosecutors, who he believes will bring it before the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders. “If the court agrees to accept the case, the seven commissioners have to stop working until a verdict is delivered,” he said.

 

EC deputy secretary-general Sawang Boonmee defended the body, saying the allegations were groundless and the Thai electoral process was one of the world’s most secure, as it was safe from any kind of fraud or cheating. 

 

The system is transparent as the election committee is stationed in all 350 constituencies and 92,300 polling stations across the country, Sawang posted on his personal Facebook page yesterday.

 

More than a million volunteers, independent observers from home and abroad, political parties’ representatives and media were allowed to watch the process at the polling stations, he said. 

 

However, he said, the system is a bit complicated since there are 350 different ballot cards for all 350 constituencies because candidates have different numbers. 

 

Previously, candidates of a political party had the same number for all constituencies. A lot of voters living overseas also got it wrong in advance voting as they were confused by the ballot cards. 

 

Sawang said the polling hours were longer than in previous elections – from 8am to 5pm, rather than until 3pm as in the past. With the high numbers of eligible voters – more than 51 million – officials had to work 15 to 18 hours on election day, he said. 

 

Complicated system

 

The turnout of 74 per cent is the highest-ever since elections were held under the 1997 Constitution, he said. Eighty-one political parties and more than 12,000 candidates were in the electoral fray, he said, adding that usually only 20 to 30 parties and a few thousand candidates take part. The legal complexities as well as a complicated system and different ballots overwhelmed election officials on the day, he said. 

 

The most complicated issue has been the announcing of results. The commission until now has only released the total number of votes each party won, but there is no confirmation yet on how many Lower House seats they translate into.

 

The two major camps competing for the right to form the government have made equally strong claims. While the pro-junta Phalang Pracharat Party claimed it had the people’s mandate as it got the most number of votes – 8.4 million – the anti-junta Pheu Thai has staked its claim as it has won the most seats – 137 out of 350 constituencies. 

 

An even more contentious issue is the right formula for calculation of party-list MPs, as different formulas would favour different camps. 

 

Election commissioner Sawang defended the delay, arguing it was a long process as the Constitution and the election law had laid out a complicated formula for calculating the number of seats. 

 

Also, he said, the intense rivalry between parties had resulted in a spree of complaints. “There are so many groundless allegations against the Election Commission,” he said. “If such allegations are backed with solid evidence, the commissioners cannot escape action.

 

“If anybody has the evidence to prove that our work was without transparency, and neither free nor fair, then please show us the evidence so we can tackle the problem,” he said.

 

Full story: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30367375

 

-- © Copyright The Nation

 

[edwinchester]

"......the Thai electoral process was one of the world’s most secure, as it was safe from any kind of fraud or cheating."

 

Lmao. How they keep a straight face saying that is astonishing.

[Denim]

4 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

"......the Thai electoral process was one of the world’s most secure, as it was safe from any kind of fraud or cheating."

 

Lmao. How they keep a straight face saying that is astonishing.

I agree with your comment but what exactly does lmao mean ?

Lick my anal orifice ?

[Fex Bluse]

10 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

"......the Thai electoral process was one of the world’s most secure, as it was safe from any kind of fraud or cheating."

 

Lmao. How they keep a straight face saying that is astonishing.

What is far more astonishing is that most Thais will believe it.

 

In Planet Thailand, they are enamored with themselves and given to baffling themselves with their own nonsense. 

 

Edited April 9, 2019 by Fex Bluse

[Lungstib]

What a farcical situation! The NACC, probably the most discredited 'independent' organisation produced by the NCPO, will be asked to investigate the other prejudiced institution, the EC which is guilty of doing what it has been asked to, in monitoring an election created to be as difficult as possible by a drafting committee, also created by the same people, with designs to get elected. I'm sure the Constitutional Court, another non-elected body that was due for retirement until it's extension by special order ensured its continuation, can get involved to ensure all 'independent' agencies can say what they have been told. 

[yellowboat]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Complicated system

"Any fool can make things complicated, it requires a genius to make things simple”.   Ship O fools.  Ernst F. Schumacher  

 

Far be it for me to criticize the brave junta who took the government away from an elected little girl.  

[Eligius]

3 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

What is far more astonishing is that most Thais will believe it.

 

In Planet Thailand, they are enamored with themselves and given to baffling themselves with their own nonsense. 

 

I know what you mean, Fex Bluse, and I think the fascist-orientated Thais will believe this (because they want to and could not recognise reality if it bit them in the backside).

But I suspect that most ordinary Thais can see through all of this charade and nonsense.

The problem is: what will they do about it?

[Eligius]

2 hours ago, Lungstib said:

What a farcical situation! The NACC, probably the most discredited 'independent' organisation produced by the NCPO, will be asked to investigate the other prejudiced institution, the EC which is guilty of doing what it has been asked to, in monitoring an election created to be as difficult as possible by a drafting committee, also created by the same people, with designs to get elected. I'm sure the Constitutional Court, another non-elected body that was due for retirement until it's extension by special order ensured its continuation, can get involved to ensure all 'independent' agencies can say what they have been told. 

You've implicitly summed up the whole situation very well, Lungstib (above).

ALL 'legal' or 'constitutional' channels to justice have been infiltrated by 'good people' and those who do their bidding.

Thailand is in a TOTAL legal/constitutional impasse.

But don't worry, have no fear: the 'good people' will rise to the surface (why does the image of scum come to my mind?) and make sure that those same 'good people' continue to rule.

At least, for as long as the Thai people allow them to (which might be a LONG time) ...

 

Edited April 9, 2019 by Eligius

[Baerboxer]

59 minutes ago, yellowboat said:

"Any fool can make things complicated, it requires a genius to make things simple”.   Ship O fools.  Ernst F. Schumacher  

 

Far be it for me to criticize the brave junta who took the government away from an elected little girl.  

 

They didn't take the government away from an "elected little girl". She was a party list MP elected by the party owned by her brother.

 

And she was removed by a court whilst caretaker PM for an illegal act prior to a coup.

 

In reality she was never running or in charge of anything. Even when self appointed.

[Eric Loh]

30 minutes ago, Eligius said:

The problem is: what will they do about it?

What they should not do is a repeat of street violence that played into the hands of the military. ASEAN has good examples of peaceful, spontaneous and sustained People Power that lead to the political and social changes. Philippines in '82 against election fraud and regime violence, Saffron revolution '88 challenging military dictatorship resulted in victory at the polls 2 years later, Suharto chased out of office by Indonesian youth and lately People Power in Malaysia which started as election reform crusade became a national movement for democracy, social reform and government corruption. Is Thailand reaching the intolerance threshold for the young citizens to come out? Maybe so. 

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, Lungstib said:

What a farcical situation! The NACC, probably the most discredited 'independent' organisation produced by the NCPO, will be asked to investigate the other prejudiced institution, the EC which is guilty of doing what it has been asked to, in monitoring an election created to be as difficult as possible by a drafting committee, also created by the same people, with designs to get elected. I'm sure the Constitutional Court, another non-elected body that was due for retirement until it's extension by special order ensured its continuation, can get involved to ensure all 'independent' agencies can say what they have been told. 

 

The NCPO didn't produce the NACC. It was in existence long before the NCPO.

[Baerboxer]

1 minute ago, Eric Loh said:

What they should not do is a repeat of street violence that played into the hands of the military. ASEAN has good examples of peaceful, spontaneous and sustained People Power that lead to the political and social changes. Philippines in '82 against election fraud and regime violence, Saffron revolution '88 challenging military dictatorship resulted in victory at the polls 2 years later, Suharto chased out of office by Indonesian youth and lately People Power in Malaysia which started as election reform crusade became a national movement for democracy, social reform and government corruption. Is Thailand reaching the intolerance threshold for the young citizens to come out? Maybe so. 

 

You are right that street violence isn't the answer nor is it desirable. But the previous street violence was orchestrated by one faction or another vying for control for themselves. Not a people's movement or people power. The majority of ordinary Thais seem either not bothered, don't think they can change things, or accept things as they are. Unless that changes and their is a passion within ordinary people not to accept the current musical chairs then things will remain the same.

[sammieuk1]

As the junta made the rules and appointed the EC to follow the rules they made there is not so many halfwits left to fool as the internet was forgotten about????

[Eric Loh]

4 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

You are right that street violence isn't the answer nor is it desirable. But the previous street violence was orchestrated by one faction or another vying for control for themselves. Not a people's movement or people power. The majority of ordinary Thais seem either not bothered, don't think they can change things, or accept things as they are. Unless that changes and their is a passion within ordinary people not to accept the current musical chairs then things will remain the same.

That old style violent divide and conquer by self interest groups may be things of the past; hopefully. The Reds are in disarray and divided and have distrusts with the leaders; some of which have been outright betrayal by joining the junta's party. The yellows shirts in the south are equally disappointed and betrayed; showed in the polls. 

[Grossman]

1 hour ago, Eligius said:

The problem is: what will they do about it?

Toss vulgarities at their television set? And if you're lucky, the vulgarities do stem from the fact that the person actually thinks what's going on and presented in the telly and express frustration over the state of things rather than just get pissed over a disruption in the latest soapy. 

 

Well, pessimism aside.. I've seen some recent development in the above pattern though, many in the local community have actually moved on from shouting obscenities at the television set to actually discussing the current events in length among actual people in the community, and it tends to get rather heated at times (and it's not about them arguing between themselves..). If this is not just an isolated occurrence, then I'd be willing to go as far as saying that the frustration is definitely building up beyond shouting at inanimate objects.

[chama]

Well I feel better, a corrupt organization probing an even more corrupt organization. What can go wrong?

[spidermike007]

Srisuwan Janya, secretary-general of the Association of Organisations for the Protection of the Thai Constitution. What constitution is he referring to? The one the army rewrote? Does that really need to be protected? I think it needs to be re-written yet again, and this time with the army having no say, no place, no power, and no position in the government from here forward! What has the army done for Thailand lately? How have they improved the quality of life for the average Thai?