Ekachai clears his desk at EC
Election Commission Secretary-General Ekachai Warunprapha formally resigns in front of his deputy Sathaporn Santibutr. Ekachai leaves office on Monday when his current holiday ends.
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Ekachai Warunprapha yesterday tendered his resignation as secretary-general of the Office of the Election Commission to leave a clean slate for the five incoming EC members.
"I want to give a free hand to everybody including the new election commissioners. And I won't get involved with the October 15 election, so some political parties that might not trust me can feel relieved," he said. He arrived at his office before 8.30am to pack his belongings as officials gave him words of encouragement to lift his spirits. His resignation letter, with effect on Monday, was submitted to his deputy Sathaporn Santibutr. The police major general thanked his deputy and the EC officials who had participated in organising the snap election. "Despite ... the election being found to have offended constitutional law, it was our responsibility," he said. The EC's top permanent official said he had performed his job reasonably well and has already laid the groundwork for the next general election, so he decided it was time to quit. After his press conference, a media representative presented a flower bouquet to him, prompting him to ask, "Are you pleased, or not yet?". He said his leaving the EC was in order because if he stayed his new bosses might have concerns. "My decision didn't have anything to do with being sensitive or ashamed if the new EC removes me," he said. As for public calls to reform the EC structure, the new commissioners had full authority to make changes including removing senior officials. After stepping down he would act as an adviser to a firm, but his new work would not involve politics. Asked about the possibility of serving as a government consultant like former EC member Yuwarat Kamolvej, he said he was not sure but he would not place any limits on himself. "I have learned a lot from being the EC secretary-general. I call it a life experience. However, if I knew what lay ahead before being appointed the EC secretary-general, I wouldn't have given up my police job," he said. In one of his last official moves, Ekachai sent letters to four political parties on Tuesday demanding they return subsidies given them by the EC because they were disbanded by the Constitution Court or are under consideration for dissolution. "I have to do it according to a political parties decree," he said. Thai Rak Thai owes Bt135 million, the Democrats Bt45 million, Thai Ground Bt130,000 and Pattana Chart Thai Bt16,000. Atthayut Butrsriphum The Nation
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