EC will review campaigning rules

"The EC is willing to accommodate complaints raised by media professionals and political parties and adjust the rules within the scope of the election law," EC member Prapun Naigowit said.

Following the meeting, the EC is scheduled to review the rules on Tuesday before granting some leeway, he said.

The EC approved campaigning rules on Thursday to oblige all political parties to follow its "roadmap" to make the election fair and equal. It claims the rules will reduce the influence of money politics.

The commission only allows all campaign billboards and posters to be set up in spots it designated. It also has the power to rule on the size of posters. The EC will also prescribe airtime on television and radio for all parties.

Candidates are only allowed to use cars to advertise campaign messages, but are banned from converting vehicles into a platform for making campaign speeches in front of a rally.

Meanwhile, Tavorn Senniam, the Democrat Party's deputy secretarygeneral, yesterday submitted a letter to the commission demanding it change the rules to make them more democratic.

A group of students of Ramkhamhaeng University also handed a letter to the EC to oppose the new rules.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the rules were impractical. The EC wanted to make the election fair and equal for all parties but it should also have a touch of democracy.

Under the rules, candidates are banned from campaigning although they wanted to reach the people, he said. But those who wanted to buy votes would still be able to carry on with their task, he added.

Chaturon Chaisang, an adviser to the People Power Party, blasted the EC. He said the rules reflected the EC's misunderstanding about principles of democracy and freedom of the people. They would cut off communication between candidates and voters, which would finally lead to widespread vote-buying.