Provincial election preparations in high gear

Municipal election committee members and officers should prepare for statewide management organization elections on February 1.

Mr Sawang Boonmee, secretary-general of the EC, yesterday presided over the opening ceremony of a trainers ‘ factory in readiness for the PAO votes.

During his speech, Mr Sawang referred to the EC’s guidelines for managing PAO votes, saying that while election officials are trained, unforeseen problems require specialized knowledge and problem-solving skills.

Local EC workplaces may offer shut support to ensure timely and accurate options, he said. Mr Sawang even acknowledged condemnation of the EC, especially during the 2023 elections. He claimed that the majority of those who criticised the EC had previously studied law, including researchers.

Some critics, he said, sought to satisfy their visitors without contemplating the consequences, while another exploited legal gaps for private gain. Legitimate contradictions often lead to unfairness, he said, which affects the public. He urged those who were unsatisfied with the laws to make changes a priority.

Mr. Sawang suggested critics file legal problems if they think the EC is to blame, rather than just making up their minds about discrimination or lack of transparency. He said,” I hope the criticism they face does not deter election officers.” There will always be opposition, no matter what we do because the vote is a social contest and there are always winners.

So we must persevere and make sure we adhere to the law. If we follow the law, we have nothing to fret about, “he said. When questioned about party attention, he claimed the EC aims to prevent mistakes as PAO elections draw attention.

The EC is committed to maximising performance, from polling facilities to vote counting and outcomes reporting, he said. He cited previous PAO elections held in 29 counties as examples of structure loads that caused results to be reported 1-2 hours later than expected. In addition, Mr. Sawang made comments on the music clip that allegedly showed a conversation about someone reportedly preparing to spend 20 million ringgit on the elections in Prachin Buri. He said the EC had research all problems.