Phuket vote fraud allegations can't stop Pian
Phuket Gazette -

Patong Mayor Pian Keesin after winning the September 2012 election. He has since been charged with vote fraud. Photo: Gazette file

PATONG Mayor Pian Keesin has the right to run for re-election even if he is found guilty of vote fraud and the order to remove him from office is upheld, election officials have confirmed.

Action to unseat Mayor Pian began last year when the Office of the Election Commission of Thailand (EC) headquarters in Bangkok, responding to a complaint after the September 2012 election, issued an order to remove him and five other Patong officials from office for electoral fraud.

The next step took place in Phuket, when Phuket Election Commission (PEC) Director Kittipong Thiengkunakrit signed that order on July 29 this year (story here).

To go into effect, the order must now be filed by the EC and then supported by the Administrative Court Region 8 in Phuket Town.

As of Wednesday, the EC had yet to file the complaint, a court official confirmed to the Phuket Gazette.

“Once the court has received the complaint, Mayor Pian and the five other officials will be suspended from office, pending the outcome of the court hearing,” Dr Kittipong said.

“During the hearing, the accused will have the right to defend themselves against the allegations,” he added.

The EC in Bangkok has until September 25 to file the complaint, Dr Kittipong confirmed.

“At this stage, all we can do is wait until the EC files the complaint to the court. I simply don’t know when then that will happen,” he said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Phuket-vote-fraud-allegations-can-t-stop-Pian-22166.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-09-04

I can't write what I think of this <deleted> bloke as it would get me banned.

I can't write what I think of this <deleted> bloke as it would get me banned.

Banned or disappeared ?

What a farce!. In most countries you'd be getting a free bed and meals for a period of time for these actions, but not here.

Complete farce

"The Robert Mugabe of Phuket" - it's the only way I can describe him, and the "system" he controls here.

I cant belive it

Just take a look at his face!

Just take a look at his face!

I'd rather not.

That's what he looks like - all the way to the bank.

Did I read that correctly? It's taken a year to get to the point where they are going to file some paperwork to remove him, and THEN he doesn't get punished at all and can run for election again????

Pure ganagster, allegedly!

+++News update of the hub situation+++News update of the hub situation+++News update of the hub situation+++

Thailand- the hub of the untouchables! Actual hub score of today = 176.349 and counting

Why doesn't he get his teeth fixed?

Its an absolute disgrace - he should be arrested and prosecuted not being able to run again for re-election.

I met him a couple of years back at the Loi Krathong festival. Definitely an intimidating man. His son has his hands on everything in Patong as well.