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Published on December 19, 2007

Chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said yesterday it was investigating the destruction of papers in the province on Saturday.

Director Saroj Pairoh had been authorised to care for and destroy unused ballot papers, Apichart said. Chanin Noilek has replaced Saroj.

"I am wondering why the authorised officer permitted others to destroy the papers. According to the rules, ballot-card burning requires a committee and officials of C7 level and above," Apichart said.

"We cannot just assume it was a mistake. I personally suspect the genuineness of the burnt ballot cards. We only saw the ballot box."

A total of 5,600 ballot papers were reportedly destroyed. If genuine ballots were not burnt, they might be used in electoral fraud, Apichart said.

Commission provincial investigator Chadinthorn Laotha has been transferred to Nakhon Ratchasima over the same incident.

Saroj said yesterday that carelessness led to the breach of regulations. Politics was not involved. He said the order was for the destruction of August constitution-referendum ballots.

He said the destruction process had been well organised and he remained in the dark about how the mistake occurred.

He will prove his innocence of allegations of wrongdoing and return to serve the commission in Roi Et, Saroj declared.

Attayuth Butrsripoom,

 Sompong Asavasaengpitak

 The Nation