EC Provincial office holds meeting on corruption prevention

[Lite Beer]

EC Provincial office holds meeting on corruption prevention

BANGKOK, 18 Oct 2014, (NNT) - The provincial Election Commission offices yesterday held a seminar on the amendment of law to prevent election corruption.

According to EC President Supachai Somcharoen, when the new constitution is in effect, the EC’s authoritative power would be terminated. He urged provincial EC officers to brainstorm ideas, possible problems, and approaches to make election process more transparent, fair, and efficient, in accordance with the 2014's temporary, Clause 35, Paragraph 4.

The EC President said the amendment must prevent those with criminal records, especially on corruption cases, from entering the race for the prime ministerial position.

Mr. Supachai said the suggestion will be forwarded to the National Legislative Assembly for its consideration. Should the Assembly approve the amendment, it would lay a concrete foundation for the election reform.

Election Commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakorn, meanwhile, stated that even though the EC did not work directly with the National Reform Committee, it will gladly share its expertise in order to help with the national reform.

-- NNT 2014-10-18

[JOC]

The fox counting the chickens??

[jaltsc]

"...even though the EC did not work directly with the National Reform Committee, it will gladly share its expertise in order to help with the national reform."

Because its expertise has succeeded so well in preventing election corruption in the past? With so many comedians out of work, why are these guys cracking jokes for free?

"The EC President said the amendment must prevent those with criminal records, especially on corruption cases, from entering the race for the prime ministerial position."

Interpretation....Any criminal whose family did not have enough money or influence to have the charges dropped will not be eligible to run for office. We only want rich crooks in the government.

Edited October 18, 2014 by jaltsc

[Pib]

Maybe they mean folks running for office will just need to be more creative in how they buy votes...just a couple dozen eggs or Bt500 for a person's vote may not be enough anymore.

[Thailand]

Physician heal thyself!

[rubl]

Physician heal thyself!

Apart from stepping down from their elected position there's not much the E.C. can do but advise. it would seem that is, even with this 'independant' organisation which depends on the organic law of elections, a law they didn't write.

Edited October 18, 2014 by rubl

[Robespiere]

These guys are going to look so foolish when the history books about this farcical period of Thai politics are finally written

[heybruce]

Few people will think future elections are legitimate unless they are monitored by credible election monitoring organizations from outside Thailand. Even if elections are properly monitored the losers will still cry fraud.

[Alwyn]

so the EC are going to talk about election corruption? Well they know all about Election prevention so why not?

[rickirs]

“the amendment must prevent those with criminal records, especially on corruption cases, from entering the race for the prime ministerial position.”

What a brilliant, original suggestion!

2007 Constitution:

Section 174. A Minister must possess the qualifications and must not be under any of the prohibitions as follows:

(4) not being under any of the prohibitions under section 102 (1), (2), (3), (4), (6), (7), (8), (9), (11), (12), (13) or (14);

(5) having been discharged for a period of less than five years before the appointment after being sentenced by a judgment to imprisonment, except for an offence committed through negligence or petty offence;

Section 102. A person under any of the following prohibitions shall have no right to be a candidate in an election of members of the House of Representatives:

(4) having been sentenced by a judgment to imprisonment and being detained by a warrant of the Court;

(5) having been discharged for a period of less than five years on the election day after being sentenced by a judgment to imprisonment except for an offence committed through negligence;

(6) having been expelled, dismissed or removed from the official service, a State agency or a State enterprise on the ground of dishonest performance of duties or corruption;

[rickirs]

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Few people will think future elections are legitimate unless they are monitored by credible election monitoring organizations from outside Thailand. Even if elections are properly monitored the losers will still cry fraud.

The Democrats don't cry foul - they just have the military overthrow the elected government and have it handed to them on a wicket basket.

[oneday]

Just ask all the EC officials that went to Scotland on that "fact finding mission" (junket). They should have all the answers wrapped up nicely in a document they immediately drafted upon returning from their...ack...hum..."fact finding mission".

This is not rocket science boys. If you truly wanted to create fair elections it would be simple. The first step is to create a law that immediately disqualify any candidate who is proven to have bought just ONE vote. Just having the law and knowing there is a will to enforce it would go a very long way to stopping this practice. Then you can proceed with all the other details needed to create fair elections.

[soalbundy]

easy, stop elections

[IAMSOBAD]

Only let farang vote.

[Krataiboy]

Wonder who they could possibly be thinking of?

[northernjohn]

Physician heal thyself!

To be honesty I think they are trying. I do believe that it should make it impossible for those people to run for any public office.

Not going to happen. But you have to admit it would be nice to have people elected who were not experienced already in corruption. Make it easier to catch them if they try.

[bronco10250]

Just go on with this bubble-talk... now even the poorest educated Thai understands the rules, but Bangkok elites still play the same game... The EC is a paper tiger!

Edited October 19, 2014 by bronco10250

[MobileContent]

These guys are going to look so foolish when the history books about this farcical period of Thai politics are finally written

But of course it will only be published outside of Thailand as all coups are not mentioned in any books printed within Thailand.

[Acharn]

These guys are going to look so foolish when the history books about this farcical period of Thai politics are finally written

But of course it will only be published outside of Thailand as all coups are not mentioned in any books printed within Thailand.

Really? You mean there is no mention in Thai history books of Pridi, Prince Bovoradej, Phibulsongkhram, Sarit, Thanom, October 1973, October 1976 and Prem Tinsulanond? Or do you just mean there's no mention of how they came to power? Seems like that would be pretty hard to sell, but they have pretty well expunged October 1976 from any mention. Nobody wants to remember those days -- they were too terrible.

[razer]

Here is an idea ...

China rail official given death sentence for corruption

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-29655466

Edited October 19, 2014 by razer