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Published on October 22, 2007

Articles 22, 23 and 109 of the Political Party Act stipulate that offering money to a candidate is an offence punishable by up to two years' imprisonment and a Bt40,000 fine, plus a ban from politics for five years.

It has been claimed that some MP candidates had been offered Bt30 million to Bt40 million to defect and join new parties.

Sodsri urged anyone with information on illegal party-jumping to inform the EC which would pass it on to a panel probing vote-buying headed by General Sonthi Boonyaratglin.

Meanwhile, an election official said paying MPs to join a party might not be an offence.

Thepthai Senpong, the Democrat Party's election office spokesman, said if offering money to MP candidates was not an offence, the EC could still monitor the candidates to see if they used the money to buy votes.