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Published on November 15, 2007

An Election Commission (EC) panel convened its first meeting yesterday to draw up guidelines on what banned party executives can legally do in campaign activities.

The guidelines would clarify the scope of advisory role permitted for banned executives, EC member Prapun Naigowit said.

Following the two-hour meeting, deputy panel chairman Boonthan Dokthaisong said the banned party executives were not allowed to work behind the scenes in any executive capacity even though they may claim to be dispensing advice.

Boonthan was commenting on claims many banned executives were appointed to advisory positions but were involved in selecting election candidates.

Under Articles 17, 18 and 44 of the 2007 Political Parties Act, party administrative duties were spelt out clearly and banned executives were not allowed to carry them out directly or indirectly, he said.

In the guidelines, the panel would address more than 73 issues relating to banned party executives, he said.

The panel has yet to clarify, for example, whether a spouse or proxy candidate of a banned executive can seek to sway voters by using the executive's name.

The People Power Party (PPP) met yesterday to prepare for campaigning for the poll. It invited EC officials to explain the law. Party members tried to ask if they could use anything in relation to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in the campaign.

But the EC officials were unable to answer. They cannot respond until results of the panel's meeting are officially announced.

While doubt remains over what role the former PM can play, the PPP plans to show a video link with Thaksin during a party rally at Sanam Luang on Friday.

Meanwhile, the EC had launched a probe into vote-buying in Ratchaburi and was reviewing more than 60 complaints about money politics in the Northeast, EC member Somchai Juengprasert said yesterday.

"Parties and politicians must stop the old habit of buying votes because the EC is serious about cracking down on campaign violations," he said.

Somchai said the Ratchaburi case took place in Damnoen Saduak district, where authorities uncovered evidence that canvassers paid money to constituents and took their identification cards as collateral in exchange for their votes.

"Some witnesses said they were instructed by canvassers to blame rival candidates for paying them," he said.

He said campaign offenders would face criminal proceedings as well as disqualification from the election. Authorities would penalise cheats and any attempts to frame rivals.

"The EC will be extra careful to punish the right offender on the right charge and not be misled by any frame-up."

EC member Sumeth Upanisakorn said he had set up a ceremony for party-list candidates today at which they must swear to run a clean campaign. The ceremony will take place in eight key provinces, including Bangkok, Suphan Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai.

The Bangkok ceremony will be held at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha at 9am.

 Atthayut Butrsripoom

 The Nation