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Published on September 6, 2007

What do you think of the strong reaction from the junta-installed government to the MoU and the EU's wish to observe the Thai general election? Why are they so negative?

I tried to understand it by thinking that this was the first time the EU wanted to observe [a Thai election]. Also, they are Westerners. The election commissioners are new and may have had limited exchanges with foreign counterparts. The Election Commission staff should have told the commissioners not to be insecure. The EU always signs an MoU [as a prerequisite]. The reaction also reflects nationalistic sentiment.

You have seen EU election observers working in many countries. Do they violate others' national sovereignty as the Thai government has charged?

They are not terrorists and not bad in any sense. They have their own standard of observation work. Having them will improve our election. In the long term, it will also enhance the credibility of the [military-installed] government. It will help Thailand become a real democracy. If we [refuse] them we are no different from Burma. What are we afraid of? The EC could come up with a code of conduct for EU observers to comply with.

Do you think the Thai gov-ernment should sign an MoU?

Don't make it a big deal - we should certainly sign it. The details can be adjusted. But not signing would reflect more negatively on our country.

Some have claimed Thaksin Shinawatra is behind the EU and the MoU, and some in the govern-ment are tak-ing that line.

This is far-fetched. This is not the first time the EU has dispatched observers to Asia. I don't see Thaksin as having that kind of clout. Since the coup, the world community has been concerned about the situation. I was in Nepal [last week] and the MoU issue was reported by the local press. If we have nothing to hide it will even help deter Thaksin's claim that all is bad. The government should vow to never influence any media, and lift martial law prior to the election too.

Anfrel doesn't require an MoU before it goes into any country. Why?

Our organisation is part of civil society, but even without [an MoU] countries like Singapore, Burma and Vietnam did not welcome us. However, countries that feel insecure about their politics, like Malaysia, welcomed us with their EC being the host. As for the EU, they were welcomed in Indonesia and their observers were given accreditation cards.

Anfrel will also observe the coming general election, but some have accused it of not being neutral - espec-ially people like you who urged people not to wear red or yellow during the constitution referendum, even though citizens have the right to do so.

Some may not see us as impartial but we are against all forms of autocracy, even though we didn't join anti-coup protests. When we observe the Thai election, the local staff will have no significant role and the observation role will be performed by other Asian observers [of Anfrel].

Poll Watch made a state-ment after the referendum that they saw the hands of the junta and the military all over the process. How con-fident are you that the upcoming general election will not see state mecha-nisms being used to woo voters in one direction, and that the election will be free and fair?

This is something of concern with every government - they tend to favour the ruling party. We hope not to see the junta behind certain parties. The Election Commission must be above these power struggles and totally independent. It's not right for the Council for National Security or the government to exert influence, so the task is not only to look out for vote buying by politicians.