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Published on December 24, 2007

"I have coordinated with police to mobilise investigators from the Special Branch to assist in probes on campaign violations, as the EC is obliged to endorse the ballot results within 30 days," she said.

Sodsri said the five-member EC agreed to look into ongoing cases together instead of leaving EC member Somchai Juengprasert to sort through them alone.

"Every EC member and all electoral officials must be jointly responsible for resolving the electoral fraud and those unwilling to do their job should reflect on their performance."

She was certain some winning candidates would be disqualified due to fraud committed before the balloting.

"In a worst-case scenario, the EC has prepared a contingency plan to organise two new rounds of voting," she said.

Somchai said slow progress in resolving fraud cases was due to so many complaints being filed without evidence to back them up.

He denied claims he was reluctant to get to the bottom of electoral fraud, saying he was obliged to proceed on matters based on evidence.

The EC has mobilised 2,400 officials and volunteers to check into complaints on electoral fraud since the poll began.

The EC has received some 927 tip-offs, but 674 cases have been ruled out as attempts to frame rivals. Provincial electoral offices are checking a further 253 cases based on incriminating evidence.

The EC has completed reports on 32 out of 101 cases of alleged vote-buying. It will make decisions soon on whether to suspend or ban candidates - by issuing either yellow cards or red cards to those accused of offences.