Ec Tells Parties To Watch Poll Spending

[Lite Beer]

EC tells parties to watch poll spending

By The Nation on Sunday.

Election Commission secretary-general Suthipon Thaveechaiygarn yesterday warned that political parties must not spend beyond legal limits for the use of social media networks in their election campaigning

He said parties are expected to use social media networks, including SMSs, as they are inexpensive and popular and offer easy reach to their target group. They must also report expenses incurred from this method of campaigning and not resort to mud-slinging.

Election Commissioner Sodsri Satayathum yesterday urged MP candidates to accept the election results and shun violence.

She said the EC would meet with television and radio station officials, including cable television stations and community radio stations, to allocate airtime to political parties.

She also urged all EC officials across the country to carry out their duties with neutrality to prevent any problems.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra issued regulations on putting up election posters on Bangkok streets. Political parties are banned from using glue, nails and paint to stick their posters. They must not stick or hang posters too close to one another or cover other parties' posters or traffic signs.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai's party chief in charge of elections in Bangkok, Wicharn Meenchainant, yesterday voiced concerns over possible electoral irregularities following reports that military officials had been assigned to check eligible voters in Bangkok communities.

He said he had been informed that the Internal Security Operations Command claimed it wanted to check drug problems in Bangkok communities and had dispatched a number of security officials to many areas. But people believe they had not come to check on drugs but to check eligible voters. He feared that many people who were not home would find others exercising their voting rights.

He expressed confidence his party would win the election because of its policies.

Pheu Thai Party's Klong Sam Wa district candidate Jirayu Huangsab said he was confident of his chances against the Democrat Party's Samai Charoenchang because many voters remember him as a news announcer, and they have an understanding of the bloody Songkran and May mayhem last year after he explained the situation to them.

Pheu Thai's Don Muang candidate Karun Hosakul was confident he could beat his Democrat competitor Thaenkun Jit-issara because he was better prepared while his rival could not expect to attract votes by merely campaigning for a month.

-- The Nation 2011-05-22

[whybother]

Since when have SMS's been "Social Media"?