Democrat red-carded for vote-buying

The Election Commission yesterday disqualified the Democrats' Samut Prakan MP-elect Soracha Weerachart-wattana for vote-buying.

EC secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaiygarn said the EC agreed unanimously to disqualify Soracha for distributing money along with name cards.

It would take criminal action against her and Chinnachote (or Pratueng) Saengsank for violating voting laws.

The EC planned to hold Soracha responsible for a new by-election, he said.

The EC would have a committee from the Council of State consider the report, but it had the right to insist on its decision, he said.

Soracha said she had not acknowledged the case before. "I never buy votes," she said.

Chinnachote was all along an election competitor, not a supporter. They had never walked together but only met at public events, she said.

"I have no clue why I am linked with Chinnachote," she said.

Chinnachote represented Chart Thai as an MP candidate for the province.

Soracha had been the Democrats' pride by winning elections in Samut Prakan over many years. But her road to Parliament was not rosy. Just a few days before the January 11 by-election, the Supreme Court ruled that electoral officials had mistakenly disqualified Soracha due to a technical glitch in its database for party membership.

Soracha is the first Democrat to receive a red card from the December 23 election.

Her sole election rival (there were only two contestants) Arunlak Kijlertpairote filed a complaint to the EC later that Chinnachote acted as a canvasser for Soracha and bought votes.

Arunlak's lawyer filed a complaint with the EC on January 23, along with photographs and CDs of Chinnachote giving money in an envelope to voters.

The complaint also said Chinnachote treated children to a meal on Children's Day on January 10, when he bought their parents alcoholic drinks.

The by-election was called to replace Songkram, Arunlak's husband, a former People Power Party executive. His voting right was revoked when the party was dissolved.

Democrat deputy secretary-general Chamni Sakdiset, in charge of Bangkok and adjacent provinces, said the EC's investigation process had not been finished.

"The party cannot do anything at the moment. But it will have to respect the EC's decision anyway," he said.

The EC yesterday also endorsed six MP-elects including four from Pheu Thai, one Democrat and one from Puea Pandin.

In a separate development, His Majesty the King yesterday endorsed Issara Somchai as the new Social Development and Human Security Minister.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva appointed Issara to the post to replace Witoon Nambutr, who resigned followed a furore about rotten canned fish handed out to flood victims in the South.

Issara was granted an audience with His Majesty at Klaikangwon Palace in Hua Hin at 5pm yesterday for his swearing-in ceremony.