ELECTION COMMISSION
EC to tackle problems arising from disrupted poll
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- THE ELECTION Commission (EC) will meet today to decide how to resolve major problems stemming from the February 2 election, a source from the EC said yesterday.

The source said the poll organiser would hold discussions with its legal advisory team before seeking solutions for the problems, which include how to hold elections at polling stations where voting was disrupted; advance voting; and how to handle 28 constituencies in the South where no candidates are registered.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit yesterday filed a complaint with the EC, asking it to seek a court order to dissolve the Democrat Party.

Prompong alleged that the Democrats had violated Article 68 of the Constitution by seeking to overthrow the democratic system through their support for protesters in blocking the February 2 election.

The complaint alleges that the Democrats supported the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), which is led by former Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban, in blocking the election.

Prompong also handed over video CDs of the PDRC's protests and blockades of party-list candidacy registration, advance voting and the February 2 election.

Prompong said the Democrats had asked the Office of the Ombudsman to seek a ruling by the Constitutional Court to annul the election because the Democrats wanted to overthrow an elected government.

"The country is embroiled in problems now because Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and Suthep would not accept the rules of the nation. Although the government dissolved the House and set a new election date, the Democrats refused to contest the election and used the [call for] reforms as an excuse to further its own political interests," Prompong said.


-- The Nation 2014-02-06

"The country is embroiled in problems now because Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and Suthep would not accept the rules of the nation. Although the government dissolved the House and set a new election date, the Democrats refused to contest the election and used the [call for] reforms as an excuse to further its own political interests," Prompong said.

Of course it has nothing to do with PTP policies. Nice to see them blame the Democrats instead of evil spirits though.

"The country is embroiled in problems now because Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and Suthep would not accept the rules of the nation. Although the government dissolved the House and set a new election date, the Democrats refused to contest the election and used the [call for] reforms as an excuse to further its own political interests," Prompong said.

Of course it has nothing to do with PTP policies. Nice to see them blame the Democrats instead of evil spirits though.

Regardless of policies of either party, shouldn't both respect the constitution and the laws of the Nation? I find it ironic that the Democrats who changed the constitution when they were in control, now fight against it. While Duthep complains about how Yingluck's administration has no respect for the constitution, he repeatedly ignores its provisions because, well, Yingluck's administration is corrupt. So he gets a free pass on whatever he does.

The EC has impossible mountains to climb in bringing together all the continuing loose ends of this " perpetual " poll. They are not a policing agency. The CMPO was completely powerless and the police's " 200,000 " was all but invisible. Pheu Thai seems to think the EC is invincible. This poll will never go ahead, because there is no infrastructure to enforce it.

".........the Democrats wanted to overthrow an elected government."

Which elected government? The election results have not been declared, and if the election is annulled they won't be.

The EC has impossible mountains to climb in bringing together all the continuing loose ends of this " perpetual " poll. They are not a policing agency. The CMPO was completely powerless and the police's " 200,000 " was all but invisible. Pheu Thai seems to think the EC is invincible. This poll will never go ahead, because there is no infrastructure to enforce it.

Or maybe because there is no "will" to enforce it?

Considering that the country is in political limbo, the EC is not exactly showing signs of urgency, are they? It takes them 4 days to convene a meeting?

"The source said the poll organiser would hold discussions with its legal advisory team before seeking solutions for the problems, which include how to hold elections at polling stations where voting was disrupted; advance voting; and how to handle 28 constituencies in the South where no candidates are registered."

The solution to the above is not exactly rocket science.

- how to hold elections at polling stations where voting was disrupted - hold them again, with the police / army or whichever authority is responsible, in place to ensure that all who wants to vote will be allowed to do so

- advance voting - set another day and refer above

- 28 constituencies bla bla - reregister and refer above

If the EC's argument is that they fear violence, then they have effectively said that Thailand will never be able to hold another election again