Jatuporn wished to register his candidacy by himself which is his basic right under constitution.

-- The Nation 2011-05-18

Not if you are already in prison it isn't.

It would seem the Court agrees with your position.

Jailed Red-shirt Leader Allowed to Apply for MP Candidacy

Bangkok's poll panel suggests that a detained red-shirt leader is permitted to register as an MP candidate in absentia.

Chairman of Bangkok Election Commission, Police Major General Suthep Rommayanont, said Pheu Thai ex-MP and red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan, who is being detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison since the revocation of his bail on terrorism charges, does not need to apply in person to be a party-list MP candidate.

Suthep said the permission for Jatuporn's temporary release so that he can register as an MP candidate is based on the court's decision.

Suthep today held a meeting with the chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau and other related police agencies regarding the organization of the July 3 election.

He said the meeting was aimed at explaining to city police which acts are considered violations of the election laws and provide the agency with a guideline on how to handle election and related cases.

The Bangkok poll panel also handed out guide books on election laws to agencies under the city police bureau.

Suthep said his agency has arranged for three units of its staff to provide legal advices to the city police's 33 investigation squads in charge of monitoring the election in all of Bangkok's 33 constituencies.

He said conducting an exit poll is permissible, but pollsters must be aware of causing a disruption at polling stations and they cannot disclose their finding before the stations are officially closed.

He said no poll fraud complaints have been received yet and advised people to alert the central election agency if they see suspicious activities by calling hotline number 117.

-- Tan Network 2011-05-18

JULY 3 GENERAL ELECTION

Court rejects petition for Jatuporn to temporarily leave prison

The Criminal Court on Wednesday rejected a petition for red shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan to temporarily leave prison.

Lawyers of Red shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan on Wednesday filed a petition with the Criminal Court seeking permission for their client to temporarily leave prison on Thursday to register as a partylist MP candidate.

The petition said Jatuporn had been endorsed by Puea Thai Party executives as a party candidate in the partylist system and the detention could bar him from applying as a candidate during the May 1923 registration period.

The lawyers asked the court to issue an order for the Corrections Department officials to bring Jatuporn to the ThailandJapan Youth Centre at Din Daeng, the venue for registration of partylist candidates, on Thursday. They pledged to take him back to Bangkok Remand Prison after completing the process.

The petition also cited the precedent of another red leader; Korkaew Pikulthong, who was detained on terrorism charges and allowed to leave prison to register as a candidate in a Bangkok by election last year.

Jatuporn wished to register his candidacy by himself, which is his basic right under the constitution.

Pheu Thai MP Jatuporn and another red leader, Nisit, were sent to Bangkok Remand Prison last week after the Criminal Court revoked their bail. Earlier, Jatuporn enjoyed parliamentary immunity.

-- The Nation 2011-05-18