Candidate disqualified for belonging to two parties

Published on February 18, 2005

TThe Election Commission yesterday disqualified a Democrat Party MP-hopeful in Kanchanaburi for holding membership of two parties, secretary-general Police Maj-General Ekkachai Warunprapa said.

The Democrat Party’s vote-winning candidate, Paramet Photharakul, is also a member of the Mahachon Party. That is against the election law, Ekkachai said, adding that the EC has to order a new poll in Constituency 3 of Kanchanaburi.

Also yesterday, the Senate’s panel on local administration unanimously voted to set up a subcommittee to probe the EC for using a double standard, said Maj-General Intarat Yodbangtoei, a senator.

The committee said the EC had failed to carry out its work with justice when it gave Democrat candidate Vitoon Nambutr a yellow card on Wednesday.

The panel will probe all officials who investigate electoral law breaches, provincial election commissions, constituency election commissions, police and non-governmental organisations.

The Senate acted after receiving complaints from Ubon Ratchathani, Sakhon Nakhon, Uthai Thani and Nakhon Ratchasima.

Senator Wichai Krongyuti (Ubon Ratchathani) said locals in Ubon Ratchathani believed Vitoon was framed. “The people are upset and suspect the EC ruled with double standards and favouritism,’’ he said.

Senator Karun Saingam of Buri Ram said state officials and the EC had worked with candidates to break electoral law during the election. “EC officials have become canvassers for politicians. Systematic election fraud makes it hard to detect,’’ he said.

“The EC has failed to follow the spirit of the Constitution in carrying out its duties with justice,’’ said Warin Thiamcharas, secretary-general of the PollWatch Foundation.

Vasana Puemlarp, the EC chairman, said the commission had ruled in accordance with the evidence and he could not tell whether the evidence was falsified. “I only know that Vitoon is a decent and a quality MP, but that is irrelevant. Since there is incriminating evidence that he was elected through fraud we must order a new election,’’ he said.

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