Election Act 'should outlaw social money'

[webfact]

'Election Act should outlaw social money'

THE NATION 

 

Seri

 

Ban among 11 items proposed by NRSA's reform committee

 

BANGKOK: -- THE NEW ELECTION Act should prohibit election candidates and MPs from making monetary gifts to social functions such as weddings, funerals and ordinations, the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) has suggested.

The ban was included in the 11-point proposal the assembly's political reform committee, chaired by Seri Suwanpanont, submitted to the Constitution Drafting Commission because it would help candidates and political parties save on their campaigning costs, a source said yesterday.

The proposal had been floated by certain NRSA members but met strong disapproval from politicians, who deemed it impractical. 

Local custom called for guests at social occasions to make a financial contribution as a "merit-making" gesture, they said.

The NRSA panel also suggested that state officials should be subject to disciplinary measures for failing to vote in elections, besides the usual sanctions of stripping some voting rights for ordinary citizens, the source said.

Another suggestion made to the CDC was stretching voting days to 8am-6pm from the present 8am-3pm.

The CDC will prepare four major organic laws to implement the new constitution - the MP Election Act, Senator Acquisition Act, Political Parties Act and Election Commission (EC) Act.

The EC is finalising its drafts of the four laws to be proposed to the CDC, said Tanith Sriprateth, deputy EC secretary-general. The EC would attempt to complete the draft bills as soon as possible although he did not know exactly when that would be.

Seri and Nipit Intrasombat, deputy Democrat Party leader, voiced their opposition to a proposal by pro-junta former senator Paiboon Nititawan for a ban on election campaigning, saying it would be unfair to new-face politicians.

Paiboon, a former charter drafter, on Wednesday suggested an election reform plan including a ban on campaigning in a bid to reduce the need for big budgets for political parties and the domination of donors over candidates.

Seri said Paiboon's proposal was unlikely to happen because campaigning for votes was standard practice for politicians. 

However, to cut down the parties' election expenses, it was possible to set a cap on the election budget of each party during campaigning.

Paiboon, who plans to set up a political party called People's Reform, suggested that the EC be responsible for disseminating candidates' profiles and party policies to all voters across the country. 

The profiles and policies should be displayed in public places for voters to get to know the candidates better. This could dramatically reduce campaign spending, as seen in Japan.

Seri said this would work for veteran politicians who were already well known among the electorate, but not for first-time candidates, who had to meet and greet with people and make public speeches to get voters familiar with them and gain their support.

Regarding vote canvassers, it was normal for politicians to use them, but they should be banned if they buy votes, he said.

The Democrats' Nipit said the proposed ban on election campaigning would handicap political newcomers. In adopting foreign election practices, it was important to consider the Thai political context, he said.

Combating election fraud 

Paiboon's additional suggestion about the next election's arrangement to follow the August 7 referendum's practice was unworkable, he said, as elections were different than referendums. 

Politicians play key roles in elections while in a referendum, the state is the only player and political activities were "one-way" communications.

"As politicians are players in elections, if there are no election campaigns and debates, it would be hard for the people to examine [the politicians]."

NRSA member Wanchai Sornsiri, who chairs the committee tasked with making suggestions for the new MP Election Bill, said the coming organic law would include a strict mechanism to combat election fraud.

Party leaders and executives also had to take action to prevent possible fraud. Party leaders would face a lifelong suspension of their rights to political participation if they were negligent and their party members were found guilty.

Convicted politicians would be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison without the possibility of suspension, and would have their election rights permanently suspended, according to Wanchai. 

Election fraud cases would have a 20-year statute of limitations. 

The law would prohibit MPs from sponsoring people's social activities. It would also allow people to file petitions against politicians based on electoral fraud.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Election-Act-should-outlaw-social-money-30294326.html

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-09-02

[PatOngo]

Yes but...........just a little grease on the cogs keep the wheels turning.

Let's not rush a decision here.

Edited September 1, 2016 by PatOngo

[kannot]

"helps them save on their campaign costs" not because its  corrupt  then? 

[jamesbrock]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

In adopting foreign election practices, it was important to consider the Thai political context, he said

 

...which is that rarely does one enter politics out of duty to their country, but rather for the potential of gross personal enrichment; and the richer one is, the more votes they can buy, the greater the return on that investment.