EC wants more power to deal with election irregularities

[webfact]

EC wants more power to deal with election irregularities

BANGKOK, 10 August 2015 (NNT)- The Election Commission of Thailand (EC) has said it needs absolute power if Thailand is to have transparent elections in order to deal with vote buying and other election irregularities.

Following a comment by former People’s Democratic Reform Committee Suthep Thaugsuban, who lambasted the EC for failing to prevent corruption, EC member Prawit Rattanapean admitted that the current EC was unable to hold the last general elections as political conflicts intensified even though it, like everyone else, wanted to hold a free, fair and corruption-free election but could not do so as it had no power required.

The present Constitution Drafting Committee has also refused to hand the EC more power which Mr. Pawit claimed would authorize the EC more to keep elections transparent.

He has expressed his support for national reform particularly in relation to elections in order to stop Thailand from making the same political mistakes all over again.

He is also urging critics of the EC to make use of their ability to help pulling the country out of the political abyss instead of making comments.


-- NNT 2015-08-10

[h90]

The elections before were full of vote buying. Maybe the EC had no power to prevent it, but at least they could tell that the election was a disaster...the same as the elections before. It seems they were happy and comfortable with it.

[bamnutsak]

5-5-5.

"Irregularities" in EC-speak means "the wrong party won".

[pisico]

How dare the EC demand more power!!!

We have in the country the best law there is for regimes such as this: Hobson's Choice.

[Mango Bob]

The EC could get an election going two years ago with the power they had, why give them more. What they need to do is replace this bunch of incompetent officials.

[Bodene]

The elections before were full of vote buying. Maybe the EC had no power to prevent it, but at least they could tell that the election was a disaster...the same as the elections before. It seems they were happy and comfortable with it.

Any evidence or just a sound-bite?

Edited August 10, 2015 by Bodene

[bamnutsak]

The elections before were full of vote buying. Maybe the EC had no power to prevent it, but at least they could tell that the election was a disaster...the same as the elections before. It seems they were happy and comfortable with it.

Any evidence or just a sound-bite?

h90 is practicing what Joseph Goebbels made famous with the line,

If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.

So even though repeating this lie makes him look like an ignorant buffoon, he clearly doesn't care.

The effects, or distinct lack thereof, of supposed vote-buying had no effect on the outcomes of elections, as has been proven with many independent studies. But facts don't matter when they prove your beliefs to be wrong.

[Reigntax]

They wont be using that new power for many years yet. If ever!

[jcsmith]

Following a comment by former Peoples Democratic Reform Committee Suthep Thaugsuban, who lambasted the EC for failing to prevent corruption, EC member Prawit Rattanapean admitted that the current EC was unable to hold the last general elections as political conflicts intensified even though it, like everyone else, wanted to hold a free, fair and corruption-free election but could not do so as it had no power required.

Does nobody find it ironic that the party and the person responsible for blocking those elections is now complaining about it?

[Srikcir]

It would seem given EC's history, HOLDING elections constitutes an irregularity.

This organization seems to function best when it has nothing to do.

[Srikcir]

It would seem given EC's history, HOLDING elections constitutes an irregularity.

This organization seems to function best when it has nothing to do.

[bamnutsak]

The EC couldn't organize an election for Prathom 3 class president without botching it up.

Time for a fact-finding trip to North Korea?

Only in Thailand, with no elections in sight, is there a need for an Elections Commission to be lobbying for increased powers?

[Baerboxer]

It would seem given EC's history, HOLDING elections constitutes an irregularity.

This organization seems to function best when it has nothing to do.

What specific EC history are you referring to? Would you care to speculate?

[Ulic]

I am not against the EC in theory or practice but the group responsible for the last election has

to be replaced in its entirety.