Central Election Commission To Decide Fate Of Bangkok Governor-Elect

[webfact]

Central Election Commission to decide fate of city governor-elect
By English News



BANGKOK, March 13 – A hot potato will be passed to the Central Election Commission (EC) which will have to decide on the fate of former Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra who was re-elected in the March 3 gubernatorial election.

The Bangkok Election Committee voted on Tuesday to forward two complaints against Mr Sukhumbhand to the Central EC for a final decision.

The two complaints involve the posting of a photo on the 2010 political violence in Bangkok on a social media network by Democrat MP Sirichoke Sopa, and a social media statement by Seri Wongmontha, a journalism academic, calling on people to vote for the Democrat Party.

Mr Sukhumbhand ran in the Bangkok election under the Democrat ticket.

“When the two complaints reach the Central Election Commission, it’s up to the commission’s judgement,” said Bangkok Election Committee chairman Taweesak Toochinda.

He said the Central EC will have three choices: endorsing Mr Sukhumbhand as the new Bangkok governor, not endorsing him, or instructing the Bangkok Election Committee to re-investigate the complaints.

“We will not propose giving the winning candidate a yellow ticket or a red ticket,” he assured.

Under Thai election procedures, a new election is required if an elected candidate receives a yellow ticket but he is allowed to run again. An elected candidate with a red ticket is banned from the new election.

Pol Lt Gen Taweesak was questioned about Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung’s prediction that either a yellow ticket or a red ticket will be issued by the EC, and that the EC will be courageous if it endorses the governor-elect.

“Every Election Commission member strictly abides by the law,” Pol Lt Gen Taweesak said bluntly. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-03-13

[Zpete]

Some bloody sore losers in Thailand.
Cannot say what I think of them in TV......

[jcb2001]

Well, let's see if the EC has been influenced by Dubai like the DSI.

[LotusBoy]

Some bloody sore losers in Thailand.

Cannot say what I think of them in TV......

+1

[webfact]

DPM Chalerm: No govt involvement in EC's delayed endorsement of new Bkk governor

BANGKOK, 13 March 2013 (NNT)-Deputy Prime Minister Police Captain Chalerm Yubumrung said the government has no influence over the decision by the Central Election Commission to endorse an election result.

Pol. Capt. Chalerm said whatever decision the EC would make surrounding the quality of M.R. Sukhumbhand Paripatra as Bangkok Governor, it was not resulted from the government’s pressure. He stressed that the decision entirely depended on the EC’s deliberation.

He added later if the EC refused to endorse M.R. Sukhumbhand, supporters of the Democrat Party must abide by the rule and refrain from amassing a rally against the EC’s decision. He said that he was not concerned if another gubernatorial election was necessary and would create greater public favor for a Democrat candidate.


-- NNT 2013-03-13

[rubl]

The two complaints involve the posting of a photo on the 2010 political violence in Bangkok on a social media network by Democrat MP Sirichoke Sopa, and a social media statement by Seri Wongmontha, a journalism academic, calling on people to vote for the Democrat Party.

The doctored photo's of celebrities endorsing Pongsapat were just ordinary pranks by well meaning red-shirt supporters, the posting of photo's of real events is much more serious of course. That's almost like reminding people of things which should to be forgotten.

The offence of having a journalism academic calling for people to vote MR Sukhumbhant seems similar. Unless someone can proof beyond doubt that MR sukhumbhant or the party he stood for had pushed the academic into doing so.

Obviously the EC doesn't need to hurry and may need another 30 days or so to delve into these clear fraud cases. Unless our skyping hero had something to say about this, now let me check first

[Nickymaster]

_{As Thaksin would say: We have to leconcile.....}

Edited March 13, 2013 by Nickymaster

[chainarong]

Talk about bloody confusing, what about photographs on social media 2010, so what , smarten up fellas and get some balls, something that's sorely lacking in some area's of Thai politics,

[Nickymaster]

The two complaints involve the posting of a photo on the 2010 political violence in Bangkok on a social media network by Democrat MP Sirichoke Sopa, and a social media statement by Seri Wongmontha, a journalism academic, calling on people to vote for the Democrat Party.

The doctored photo's of celebrities endorsing Pongsapat were just ordinary pranks by well meaning red-shirt supporters, the posting of photo's of real events is much more serious of course. That's almost like reminding people of things which should to be forgotten.

The offence of having a journalism academic calling for people to vote MR Sukhumbhant seems similar. Unless someone can proof beyond doubt that MR sukhumbhant or the party he stood for had pushed the academic into doing so.

Obviously the EC doesn't need to hurry and may need another 30 days or so to delve into these clear fraud cases. Unless our skyping hero had something to say about this, now let me check first

The beauty of having Red shirts at your disposal. If you need them, use them. If they do something wrong you can say: "I have nothing to do with them".

[zydeco]

All this while the pile of rice gets higher. Just divert everyone's eyes with whatever tactic can be employed.

[otherstuff1957]

I wonder if Redshirts will be called upon the visit the EC Commissioners' homes? If I recall correctly, their addresses were disclosed at a Redshirt Rally already.

[Bagwan]

If the Governor Elect is not endorsed all that I can see is another election and the World and his wife turning out to vote him back with an even larger majority.

[hellodolly]

DPM Chalerm: No govt involvement in EC's delayed endorsement of new Bkk governor

BANGKOK, 13 March 2013 (NNT)-Deputy Prime Minister Police Captain Chalerm Yubumrung said the government has no influence over the decision by the Central Election Commission to endorse an election result.

Pol. Capt. Chalerm said whatever decision the EC would make surrounding the quality of M.R. Sukhumbhand Paripatra as Bangkok Governor, it was not resulted from the government’s pressure. He stressed that the decision entirely depended on the EC’s deliberation.

He added later if the EC refused to endorse M.R. Sukhumbhand, supporters of the Democrat Party must abide by the rule and refrain from amassing a rally against the EC’s decision. He said that he was not concerned if another gubernatorial election was necessary and would create greater public favor for a Democrat candidate.

-- NNT 2013-03-13

Is the guy even literate. The government is not involved. They just used their stooges to loge the complaints.

O we are so fooled.

Who does he think he is kidding his wife. Every one in Thailand knows that if the position was turned around and it was the PT discredited Public rallies would be the order of the day.

Their arrogance and ignorance knows no bounds.

[jbrain]

He added later if the EC refused to endorse M.R. Sukhumbhand, supporters of the Democrat Party must abide by the rule and refrain from amassing a rally against the EC’s decision.

Look who's talking .

[phupaman]

Police Capt Chalerm and the boss of Bankok Police must surely take some blame for the loss by Pongsapat, It was not so long ago that the 2 of them invoked emergency rule and unleashed 100,000 policemen onto the innocent public who wanted to attend a rally organised by Anti Government , General Boonlert.

It was the Govt side who organised petty violence and the firing of tear gas before 9 am before any serious protesters even showed up.I fail to see how they can be surprised at the result in BKK, The only surpriseis how they got so many votes at all .. I suppose it just proves that

Money talks.

phupaman

[waza]

First the denial...........

"Pol Lt Gen Taweesak was questioned about Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung’s prediction that either a yellow ticket or a red ticket will be issued by the EC, and that the EC will be courageous if it endorses the governor-elect."

Then the threat...........

“Every Election Commission member strictly abides by the law,” Pol Lt Gen Taweesak said bluntly."

That would be Thaksin law, red democracy in action..........

PS: Seems this list of celebrities who endorsed the red candidate was ok though.............

Edited March 13, 2013 by waza

[bigbamboo]

An extraordinary comment by Chalerm, little more than a thinly veiled threat and further proof that even in the dirty, unscrupulous world of Thai politics this man is a national disgrace.

[webfact]

Bangkok poll still up in air
The Nation



National EC to discuss local watchdog's annulment call

BANGKOK: -- The more than 1.25 million supporters of Bangkok governor-elect Sukhumbhand Paribatra will have to keep their fingers crossed as the man they voted for in the March 3 election has yet to be endorsed by the Election Commission despite the record number of votes.

Election Commission member Sodsri Satayathum said yesterday that the EC was likely to endorse the winner first before it finds any solid evidence against him. "The EC is worried about issuing a red or yellow card before endorsing the election result. To do so, we would need to have clear evidence, and there is little time left for a new election," she said.

The five election commissioners will convene next week to discuss the recommendation by the EC's Bangkok office, Sodsri added.

Justification

The Bangkok EC rejected news reports that it had already issued a "yellow card" for Sukhumbhand, which would lead to a new election. It said it had simply recommended that the national EC nullify the election result.

"This is not true because I have no mandate to disqualify any candidates," Bangkok Election Commission chairman Pol Lt-General Thaweesak Tuchinda said, adding that only the national Election Commission had such powers.



As for its investigation into allegations of campaign violations involving Sukhumbhand, he said his commission would finalise its report today. This report will then be used by the EC to decide whether it should drop the complaints, hold a new election or disqualify the outcome and ban Sukhumbhand.

Previously, questions arose about the Bangkok commission's authority when its recent announcement made it sound as if it had yellow-carded Sukhumbhand. Several observers, including a member of the national Election Commission, reacted to the announcement by saying the Bangkok EC was overstepping its jurisdiction.

Sodsri yesterday said two complaints the Bangkok EC had spoken about had yet to be submitted to the national body, but once the reports were handed in, the EC secretary-general would decide whether further investigation was needed. If more investigation is needed, the EC will set up a subcommittee to look into the complaints and submit its findings to the commissioners within 30 days after the election.

Sodsri said that if the investigation could not be completed in 30 days, Sukhumbhand would have to be endorsed first, and if he is found later to have violated the election law, the EC will call on the court to disqualify him within a year.

She confirmed that only the national EC had the power to give yellow or red cards to candidates within 30 days after the election.

On Monday, Thaweesak announced that his agency had resolved with a majority vote to send two complaints against Sukhumbhand to the national election watchdog and implied that the governor-elect should be disqualified.

Only one authority

The act on the election of local councillors and administrators requires provincial agencies only to gather evidence and hand it over to the EC, regardless of whether these provincial agencies find grounds for complaints or not. Hence the Bangkok Election Commission and other agencies of its calibre do not have the authority to voice their opinions on the complaints or try to sway the national EC's decision.

Earlier, the national watchdog expressed dissatisfaction after several provincial Election Commissions implied in media interviews that they believed election results should be cancelled and a new vote held.

The EC said such comments were unacceptable and could be considered a form of pressure, especially since it had not yet made a decision on the issue. The EC also said it had it more experience and skills than provincial committees to consider such complaints. In terms of the March 3 election, Sodsri said the Bangkok EC should be reprimanded for making such statements.

"The investigations should have been confidential, and no results from the Bangkok EC can be considered final," she said. "The EC has warned provincial commissions that they cannot publicise details of cases that have not been finalised. Obviously, the Bangkok Election Commission might have misunderstood its role."


-- The Nation 2013-03-14

[waza]

If these are breaches they seem pretty minor ones. Overall it all sounds a like a case of sour grapes. Amazing Thailand

[Robby nz]

As I said on another topic;

Imagine what would happen if the Dems win the next general election.

"Working seamlessly" yea right!