Crackdown On Vote Buying

[george]

Vote-buying may lead to assets confiscation, warns poll agency

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's Election Commission has threatened to confiscate the wealth of candidates contesting the December 23 election under the country's anti-money laundering laws if they are found to have bought votes in any manner, according to poll agency secretary-general Suthiphol Thaweechaikarn.

The Election Commission plans to consult regarding the matter with the chief of the Anti-Money Laundering Office shortly so that the assets of vote-buying candidates might be seized, he said.

The agency's secretary general added that certain candidates had allegedly transferred their bank accounts in unusual fashion though the amounts were not found alarmingly large as yet.

Meanwhile, EC chief Aphichart Sukhagganond sidestepped questions about a controversial recent poll conducted by the National Campaign Against Vote-Buying chaired by the deputy prime minister that basically said that Thai vote buyers would not be reported by the vast majority of citizens, and that two out of three voters would willingly sell their 'democratic' rights to the highest budder.

The poll reportedly indicated that 83 per cent of all respondents saying they would not inform the poll agency of possible vote-buying activity anywhere, while 64 per cent of the respondents say they will accept the money offered them in exchange for their votes for any candidate running for a parliamentary seat.

--TNA 2007-11-20

[lazeeboy]

Vote-buying may lead to assets confiscation, warns poll agency

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's Election Commission has threatened to confiscate the wealth of candidates contesting the December 23 election under the country's anti-money laundering laws if they are found to have bought votes in any manner, according to poll agency secretary-general Suthiphol Thaweechaikarn.

The Election Commission plans to consult regarding the matter with the chief of the Anti-Money Laundering Office shortly so that the assets of vote-buying candidates might be seized, he said.

The agency's secretary general added that certain candidates had allegedly transferred their bank accounts in unusual fashion though the amounts were not found alarmingly large as yet.

Meanwhile, EC chief Aphichart Sukhagganond sidestepped questions about a controversial recent poll conducted by the National Campaign Against Vote-Buying chaired by the deputy prime minister that basically said that Thai vote buyers would not be reported by the vast majority of citizens, and that two out of three voters would willingly sell their 'democratic' rights to the highest budder.

The poll reportedly indicated that 83 per cent of all respondents saying they would not inform the poll agency of possible vote-buying activity anywhere, while 64 per cent of the respondents say they will accept the money offered them in exchange for their votes for any candidate running for a parliamentary seat.

--TNA 2007-11-20

no matter what the government do people will still sell there votes ,its thai nature

[hammered]

This poll could very well be decided by vote buying (including the buying of sitting MPs).

[pete_r]

Before vote buying, the government may want to address the candidate buying, i.e. the millions some political parties are spending right now to sign up MP candidates with them.

If the candidates were receiving less money in the first place, they would have less to spend on vote buying. And they would have to compete with ideas and policies rather than who has the biggest wallet.

[Martin]

There is vote-buying in a simple form, and there is vote-buying in a sophisticated form.

Maybe it is time for Thais to get a bit of advice from the oldest parliamentary democracy on how to be a bit more sophisticated.

Don't take a 200-baht 'thankyou', but ask for a promise that the result of voting that party into power will result in your estate escaping from paying the inheritance tax that it would otherwise have to.

You favourite politician will thereby not only avoid the risk of being jailed, but have all the newspapers saying how he is very clever to be offering such a sweetener to you.

(And there I go again, risking the wrath of that poster who berated me for 'always dragging in comparisions with the UK'!!)

[Jai Dee]

Vote-buyers get savvy

Canvassers use ATM transfers, credit lines at stores and are 'difficult to catch'

Vote-buying has entered the modern era with sophisticated new tactics such as transfers of money through ATM machines and Smart Cards instead of simple cash hand-outs.

"Forms of vote-buying have changed a great deal. In the past, it was done through canvassers who directly handed money to voters, but doing so left clear evidence. If they got caught, the candidates were given a 'red card' and disqualified, Deputy Chart Thai leader Somsak Prisananatakul said.

"Canvassers now secretly ask people for their bank account numbers if they hold ATM cards and then transfer the money. It leaves no evidence and through the ATM, the transferor's name might remain unknown."

Besides paying via ATM, vote-buyers can also let voters pick commodities from shops in the village without having to pay. Vote-buyers pay the shop owners later. Villagers usually buy goods on credit anyway, so it is difficult to catch, he said.

"These tactics are hard to catch, or vote-buyers might just be given a 'yellow card' (and be suspended from re-election). Some politicians now think of how to buy votes in ways that make it difficult to get caught," the veteran politician said.

The latest poll by Bangkok University shows the most popular forms of vote-buying include giving money or promising to give money, in cash or via ATM machines.

Paying tuition fees for voters' children and instalment payments also occurs.

Promising to give benefits or doing something for the community and giving gift vouchers were also popular, the poll revealed.

Cash can be deposited or transferred to bank accounts via ATMs (automatic teller machines). Giving away mobile phone top-up cards is another way of buying votes.

Meanwhile, the 7-Eleven Smart Purse card is another way to transfer money. Canvassers give money to shop employees and inform them the number of a Smart Purse held by any voter they want to transfer the money to.

However, the 7-Eleven call centre said money transfers using the cards require registration and ID numbers of both parties.

Meanwhile, Chamlong Krutkhuntod, one of the 111 former Thai Rak Thai executives whose voting right has been revoked for five years, said canvassers were an important and effective mechanism in vote-buying.

When he first entered politics 30 years ago, there was no buying votes from individual voters, Chamlong said. Candidates would just do something to please villagers such as providing free movies in public.

Giving out money started when candidates from other local parties ran in the election, he said. The people's mindset then changed from helping each other as a community to becoming more money orientated. It eventually became a tradition, and now a candidate who fails to give away money was a very slim chance to win.

Matchima Thipataya party-list candidate Maleerat Kaewka, the former Sakon Nakhon MP and senator, said canvassing had become popular as a profession.

Canvassers get money by providing candidates with lists of voters' names. They then give a candidate's money to voters, and take at least a 20 per cent commission, she said.

Ballot counting at the election unit also promotes vote-buying, as it is easier to check whether a canvasser has done his job properly. If the candidate wins, they might be awarded. But if they lose, a canvasser might get hurt.

"Since I was born, I've never seen anything like this, canvassing as a profession," she said.

Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, secretary-general of People's Network for Elections in Thailand (P-Net), said canvassers were very popular because they were effective.

They used various tactics. Money paid to individual voters was usually Bt200 and Bt500 for a family, he said.

The money for joining a rally to make a candidate appear more popular than he or she probably is, ranged from Bt100 to Bt200 each. The vehicle owners collect people for a rally might receive Bt1,000 to Bt2,000 per pick-up.

Other tactics include sponsoring village activities, free educational trips and trips from Bangkok to voters' hometowns to cast votes, he said.

Source: The Nation - 23 November 2007

[hammered]

There is vote-buying in a simple form, and there is vote-buying in a sophisticated form.

Maybe it is time for Thais to get a bit of advice from the oldest parliamentary democracy on how to be a bit more sophisticated.

Don't take a 200-baht 'thankyou', but ask for a promise that the result of voting that party into power will result in your estate escaping from paying the inheritance tax that it would otherwise have to.

You favourite politician will thereby not only avoid the risk of being jailed, but have all the newspapers saying how he is very clever to be offering such a sweetener to you.

(And there I go again, risking the wrath of that poster who berated me for 'always dragging in comparisions with the UK'!!)

The main difference between the UK style vote buying ala inheritance tax and the Thai style either through hard cash or policy promise is that in the uK most people get to hear all the parties promises and pledges and make up their own mind. In THailand in the villages all too often the control of information leads to one parties vote pledge being highly publicised while other parties possibly even better pledges are given no airing due to the nature of the canvasser, village headman link meaning that the avarge Thai perosn often gets to make the decision on limited information.

Edited November 23, 2007 by hammered

[Siripon]

One positive aspect to the current election is seeing all the major parties putting forward their policies on TV and then being questioned by the moderators. TITV and Channel 5 have both shown some excellent discussions where candidates can show their knowledge, or lack of, as Prachai did with his comments on forex management.

TV of course is an extremely important medium for getting the message across, and I wish a week before polling the government would broadcast discussions of this nature on every channel, forget the soap operas for one week on Channel 3 and 7, let the people see what their representatives have to say. That would be public service.

[hammered]

One positive aspect to the current election is seeing all the major parties putting forward their policies on TV and then being questioned by the moderators. TITV and Channel 5 have both shown some excellent discussions where candidates can show their knowledge, or lack of, as Prachai did with his comments on forex management.

TV of course is an extremely important medium for getting the message across, and I wish a week before polling the government would broadcast discussions of this nature on every channel, forget the soap operas for one week on Channel 3 and 7, let the people see what their representatives have to say. That would be public service.

That may work. Whenever spending time in the village I notice the soap opera and the daily report on what the royal family have done get watched but very little else including news programs. It seems news comes more from the village headmans morning broadcast via tannoy.

[Martin]

"In THailand in the villages all too often the control of information leads to one parties vote pledge being highly publicised while other parties possibly even better pledges are given no airing due to the nature of the canvasser, village headman link meaning that the avarge Thai perosn often gets to make the decision on limited information. "

True.

But it will change from this year on.

The 'amphoes' are already getting a bigger pool of potential 'middle-class' knowledge leaders, and soon it will be happening for the villages.

It is all down to those institutions for the certification, creation and recreation of the middle-class, which are called universities.

Now that there aren't the jobs in Greater Bangkok to absorb the graduates, more and more are staying in the provinces.

The coming recession in the West will also start to actually make a lot of present-day Greater Bangkok jobs redundant.

It is going to be interesting to see the effect of the 'ex-Bangkok' middle-class folk in the provinces on many things---and electioneering will be one that feels 'the wind of change'.

The slimming of Bangkok and the strengthening of BanNork is going to be fascinating to observe.

We will live in interesting times.

[hammered]

"In THailand in the villages all too often the control of information leads to one parties vote pledge being highly publicised while other parties possibly even better pledges are given no airing due to the nature of the canvasser, village headman link meaning that the avarge Thai perosn often gets to make the decision on limited information. "

True.

But it will change from this year on.

The 'amphoes' are already getting a bigger pool of potential 'middle-class' knowledge leaders, and soon it will be happening for the villages.

It is all down to those institutions for the certification, creation and recreation of the middle-class, which are called universities.

Now that there aren't the jobs in Greater Bangkok to absorb the graduates, more and more are staying in the provinces.

The coming recession in the West will also start to actually make a lot of present-day Greater Bangkok jobs redundant.

It is going to be interesting to see the effect of the 'ex-Bangkok' middle-class folk in the provinces on many things---and electioneering will be one that feels 'the wind of change'.

The slimming of Bangkok and the strengthening of BanNork is going to be fascinating to observe.

We will live in interesting times.

The old Chinese curse

nice to hear your thoughts on things

[Iambabababor]

In my Isan village the pick up trucks tour 3/4 times a day starting at 6am. Only 1 party is represented, the others presumably not bothering because they know who will win as inevitably money will be handed out during the last 3 days before the election.

The villagers do not care about politics -only money. As previously stated they will watch the soap operas, but will turn off when politics is discussed.

Isan (money) will determine the winner of the election, and that result is already practically guaranteed.

[John K]

In my Isan village the pick up trucks tour 3/4 times a day starting at 6am. Only 1 party is represented, the others presumably not bothering because they know who will win as inevitably money will be handed out during the last 3 days before the election.

The villagers do not care about politics -only money. As previously stated they will watch the soap operas, but will turn off when politics is discussed.

Isan (money) will determine the winner of the election, and that result is already practically guaranteed.

I am very sure that is tied to the level of education. Money they can see feel and use today. Understanding the steps along with the anticipate difficulties to see a political idea mature is beyond most to understand.

[younghusband]

In my Isan village the pick up trucks tour 3/4 times a day starting at 6am. Only 1 party is represented, the others presumably not bothering because they know who will win as inevitably money will be handed out during the last 3 days before the election.

The villagers do not care about politics -only money. As previously stated they will watch the soap operas, but will turn off when politics is discussed.

Isan (money) will determine the winner of the election, and that result is already practically guaranteed.

I am very sure that is tied to the level of education. Money they can see feel and use today. Understanding the steps along with the anticipate difficulties to see a political idea mature is beyond most to understand.

You misunderstand the nature of Thai politics, although I concede your confusion is quite commonly shared by relative newcomers.Thai politics is not about ideology or ideas.It's about money.Whether educated or uneducated, the motivation is the securing and deployment of cash and resources.To this extent vote buying is deplorable but at the same time almost irrelevant, though one would have to note the sickening hypocrisy of the urban types who condemn the "corrupt and stupid" peasantry while insisting the haves should take economic priority over the have nots.Thaksin, for all his faults, changed the system through politicisation of the hitherto exploited majority.Even the most boneheaded juntophile must wonder why despite all the institutions of state ranged against it, the Thaksinite PPP rump looks like being the most popular party in the kingdom.Perhaps they will just make bovine calculation that it's all to do with "votebuying".Let's see.

Edited November 24, 2007 by younghusband

[blaze]

In my Isan village the pick up trucks tour 3/4 times a day starting at 6am. Only 1 party is represented, the others presumably not bothering because they know who will win as inevitably money will be handed out during the last 3 days before the election.

The villagers do not care about politics -only money. As previously stated they will watch the soap operas, but will turn off when politics is discussed.

Isan (money) will determine the winner of the election, and that result is already practically guaranteed.

I am very sure that is tied to the level of education. Money they can see feel and use today. Understanding the steps along with the anticipate difficulties to see a political idea mature is beyond most to understand.

Not like educated Americans: where according to a recent survey done by an NYU journalism class, over two thirds of their fellow students would forfeit their right to vote if the price was right (as low in many cases, as a new ipod-) over half said they'd give up their votes forever in exchange for a million dollars.

Historically money they can see, feel and use today is about the best that the poor in Thailand have been able to get from the democratic process- at least until Thaksin's 'populist schemes'.

More worrying is that 80 percent of Thais, according to a columnist in either the Nation or the Post a few weeks ago, quoting an earlier poll, stated they would willingly live under dictatorship as long as they are making money.

[ThaiAdventure]

Vote-buyers get savvy

Canvassers use ATM transfers, credit lines at stores and are 'difficult to catch'

Vote-buying has entered the modern era with sophisticated new tactics such as transfers of money through ATM machines and Smart Cards instead of simple cash hand-outs.

"Forms of vote-buying have changed a great deal. In the past, it was done through canvassers who directly handed money to voters, but doing so left clear evidence. If they got caught, the candidates were given a 'red card' and disqualified, Deputy Chart Thai leader Somsak Prisananatakul said.

"Canvassers now secretly ask people for their bank account numbers if they hold ATM cards and then transfer the money. It leaves no evidence and through the ATM, the transferor's name might remain unknown."

Me thinks the reporter is using the wrong orafice!

Cash handovers leave no trace, but bank transactions leave a paper trail to the moon.

[John K]

EC: Corrupt political parties risk dissolution

(BangkokPost.com) – The Election Commission (EC) has threatened to deal harsh punishment to politicians found to have been involved in electoral fraud.

"Parties also face a dissolution order," the poll agency warned.

EC member Sumet Upanisakorn quoted an EC lecturer pointing out to a new method of vote-buying through postal orders.

“We know that over 200 people in the northern region have already been sent these postal orders worth about 1,000 baht each,” Sumet said. “The police are already on the case and if we find out that politicians were involved in this, their voting rights will immediately be revoked. Any political party involved in electoral fraud may face dissolution.”

More here: http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=123921

[stateman]

"In THailand in the villages all too often the control of information leads to one parties vote pledge being highly publicised while other parties possibly even better pledges are given no airing due to the nature of the canvasser, village headman link meaning that the avarge Thai perosn often gets to make the decision on limited information. "

True.

But it will change from this year on.

The 'amphoes' are already getting a bigger pool of potential 'middle-class' knowledge leaders, and soon it will be happening for the villages.

It is all down to those institutions for the certification, creation and recreation of the middle-class, which are called universities.

Now that there aren't the jobs in Greater Bangkok to absorb the graduates, more and more are staying in the provinces.

The coming recession in the West will also start to actually make a lot of present-day Greater Bangkok jobs redundant.

It is going to be interesting to see the effect of the 'ex-Bangkok' middle-class folk in the provinces on many things---and electioneering will be one that feels 'the wind of change'.

The slimming of Bangkok and the strengthening of BanNork is going to be fascinating to observe.

We will live in interesting times.

Interesting observation. I think this is true to an extent. Interesting to see how much effect it will actually have.

In my Isan village the pick up trucks tour 3/4 times a day starting at 6am. Only 1 party is represented, the others presumably not bothering because they know who will win as inevitably money will be handed out during the last 3 days before the election.

The villagers do not care about politics -only money. As previously stated they will watch the soap operas, but will turn off when politics is discussed.

Isan (money) will determine the winner of the election, and that result is already practically guaranteed.

Right on!

Numerous times candidates from other parties are complaining that THE party which has mega bahts are going to win. [And everyone knows which party!] This sounds like a resignation based on reality, so early into the election.

I am very sure that is tied to the level of education. Money they can see feel and use today. Understanding the steps along with the anticipate difficulties to see a political idea mature is beyond most to understand.

That is a sad fact. Democratically, Thailand is very backward. Villagers who happen to comprise the majority of the people don't realize that the little pittance they receive is destroying the country. The paying candidates once elected naturally seek big return to recoup the investment plus big profit, at the taxpayer's expense.

Many foreign media and governments keep insisting that Thailand have election, despite the fraud. It matters not to them that the corrupted people who hoard big wealth are buying their way into the new government time and time again. Is election really good for the average person?

[Martin]

"Is election really good for the average person?"

Not until 'the average person' feels that what is done by the elected beween elections by the politicians actually matters to them (the 'average' people) and start holding the politicians to account for their actions.

I have strayed into representative democracy (in so far as it has yet developed) in England. Although I pretty quickly came to the conclusion that it 'wasn't my thing' and strayed out again, it was enough to show me that it is the holding of politicians to account by their constituency activists between elections, and by the whole electorate at the next election, that drives the whole thing.

Up here in Isaan, looking at Thai politics through the eyes of the yeoman peasantry or the landless, I can see how the representative democracy thing has failed to catch on over the past 75 years.

If it didn't make any difference to your circumstances who came up here from Bangkok and got your vote, then why not give it to the highest bidder? Especially if that highest bidder also had local power, other than in politics, that it might be useful to you to be associated with.

Thaksin altered things by showing that voting for his party (of the powerful local guys) DID make a difference to you. And it is a huge difference. It is that big, new, crowded out-patients building at the local hospital that is the first thing that is seen where the highway comes into the amphoe township.

Another thought whose effect shouldn't be underestimated is: "Thaksin got up the noses of those who were led by that much-hated Chuan, so he must have been doing some good."

Things will change, but not until the situation changes. As I said earlier, I think the change will be that rural-to-urban drift will stop (or even reverse) and the villages will start keeping their 'brightest and best' who will add political awareness to the mix of the social capital that the village operates on.

[John K]

Based on the Democrats making education a very high priority, I can see they can also see the long term negative effects of high numbers of cheaply bought votes.

[chanchao]

There is vote-buying in a simple form, and there is vote-buying in a sophisticated form.

Maybe it is time for Thais to get a bit of advice from the oldest parliamentary democracy on how to be a bit more sophisticated.

Don't take a 200-baht 'thankyou', but ask for a promise that the result of voting that party into power will result in your estate escaping from paying the inheritance tax that it would otherwise have to.

Couldn't have said it better myself. (Though it happens of course on both sides of the political spectrum in the UK (and anywhere else) too.)

People vote with their wallets firmly in mind, one way or the other.

[hammered]

Dunno about the Isaan but I do know about the huge amounts being offerd in certain northern areas. If that party will win becuase of its leader and reputation one wonders why what can only be described as mind boggling amounts are being offered for votes. It is difficult to have a workable form of representative democracy in a feudal landscape.

[John K]

If you rule out the purchased votes in Isaan, I think what remains is the true direction the Thais want to take their country.

[hammered]

If you rule out the purchased votes in Isaan, I think what remains is the true direction the Thais want to take their country.

I think in 2005 the TRT win was so big that even without vote buying they would have still won handsomely.

This time their main succesor party is less popular, and is split from several factions and they have less control over the state voting mechanisms and village headmen, so this time they will almost certainly need to influence the group of voters that could vote for them or someone else. Hence the large amounts of paper. Most of the other parties populist policies will actually give more to the people, but that doesnt seem to worry them. They will rely on transferred sitting MPs from their feudal fiefdoms, canvasser and headmen networks and round it all off with a bit of the old paper stuff. Will it be enough? Quite likely the combination of all will bring them close to the numebr needed if not just over it, but if they get caught along the way.....

Edited November 26, 2007 by hammered

[pete_r]

Based on the Democrats making education a very high priority, I can see they can also see the long term negative effects of high numbers of cheaply bought votes.

I will believe it when I see it!

So far the only thing I see is electoral promises.

[pete_r]

In my Isan village the pick up trucks tour 3/4 times a day starting at 6am. Only 1 party is represented, the others presumably not bothering because they know who will win as inevitably money will be handed out during the last 3 days before the election.

The villagers do not care about politics -only money. As previously stated they will watch the soap operas, but will turn off when politics is discussed.

Isan (money) will determine the winner of the election, and that result is already practically guaranteed.

I agree that money is going to play a big role in the election, however I also have this story: Last August the politician father of my friend was asking around his constituency in Korat province which party people would vote for. The answers he got were along the lines, don't bother being a candidate if you're not with the PPP.

Which I take as a sign that voters have their own opinions, before the canvassers come round (unless PPP bought their votes real early, of course).

[John K]

Based on the Democrats making education a very high priority, I can see they can also see the long term negative effects of high numbers of cheaply bought votes.

I will believe it when I see it!

So far the only thing I see is electoral promises.

Actually I think this has merit for one big reason, Thais with a higher education tend to like the Democrats and can see false promises better. So to fix the education system serves both the Thais and the Democrats.

[Plus]

Thaksin has won minds and hearts in Isan, no doubt about that, and nothing's going to change their minds unless their local poo yais still hold some sway, too.

It's the middle class votes that are important, if not in this election, then in the next. Isan's majority is demographically shrinking, nothing they can do about it. In 2005 middle classes stood behind Thaksin but situation has changed now. Will traditional support base among Isan farmers and poorest urbanites be enough to win this elections? I think not.

Populist policies are being offered by every party, it seems it doesn't make any difference while the traditional feudal patron-client relationships with generous amounts of money still work just fine, as long as the "clients" are in majority, which won't be for very long, as I said.

What is worrying is "Thaksin vs everyone else" attitude that PPP tries to exploit. They, of course, blame this division on Democrats or junta or Bangkokians, or middle classes while they themselves and no one else flame this hatred. Example - "hated Chuan". He has never been hated. At most people were indifferent, at least until Thaksin blamed the crisis on Democrats and labelled himself as a saviour.

[sriracha john]

Tough new laws inspire new and creative forms of vote buying in Thailand

BANGKOK, Thailand: Thailand's Election Commission said Monday it was investigating two cases of suspected vote buying by allies of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The cases indicate that some politicians are ignoring tough new laws to curb vote buying and devising creative ways to dole out money ahead of Dec. 23 elections, said Sumet Upanisakon, one of five election commissioners.

The cases under investigation occurred in the north and northeast, rural and poor areas that remain strongholds of Thaksin, Sumet said.

Thaksin's former ruling party was disbanded but has regrouped as the People's Power Party, which recent polls show is neck-in-neck for the lead with its rival, the Democrat Party.

People's Power Party spokesman Kuthep Saikrajang denied the allegations, calling them "smear campaigns" against the group.

Authorities are investigating one northern village where hundreds of people reportedly picked up 1,000-baht (US$32, €21) money orders from their local post office, believed to have been supplied by the PPP, Sumet said.

In a separate case, police arrested a PPP campaign worker in northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province after finding 10,000 baht (US$321; €216) in his house, Sumet said. The money was divided into small denominations with each bill stapled to PPP campaign material. The canvasser told police that the cash was not intended to buy votes, but to pay the transportation costs of getting voters to an election rally, Sumet said.

Under a tough new law, both the supplier and recipient of vote buying can face criminal charges. Candidates can be disqualified and their party disbanded, as was the case with the old law, while voters who accept money or gifts can now face from one to 10 years in prison.

To evade scrutiny, "politicians are deploying new tactics for buying votes and handing out cash," Sumet said. The commission is looking into reports that voters in the north and northeast have been showered with prepaid telephone cards and direct transfers into their bank accounts.

More than 4,200 candidates from 41 parties are competing for 480 seats in the lower house of parliament in the upcoming polls — the first to be held after a bloodless military coup ousted Thaksin in September last year.

- Associated Press

[John K]

Just a matter of time now.