Abide by self-intro rules, Election Commission warns

Abide by self-intro rules, Election Commission warns
Applicants for the Senate at the Bang Kapi area company on May 20. ( Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)

Before the first round of district-level elections on June 9, the Election Commission (EC ) is reminding Senate candidates that they must strictly adhere to the rules during the self-introduction stage.

In a message posted on Twitter on Sunday, EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee stated that “in a few days, the area vote for senators may begin.”

” I would like to thank all Senate candidates for the smooth]candidacy registration ] and their compliance with the rules and regulations]in the registration process ]”.

He urged candidates to be aware of the rules governing the self-introduction phase of the vote and strictly adhere to them.

The Senate vote is taking place at district, provincial and national rates on June 9, 16 and 26, both. Candidates who pass the city and municipal stages will be able to cast ballots in the last national-level voting.

According to Mr. Sawaeng, the law forbids individuals from hiring, being hired, or coercing people into registering as individuals. Individuals are also barred from receiving gifts from officials, he said.

He even stressed that applicants must not fool people into a false knowledge about their qualifications, registration, quality or careers.

Sen. Somchai Swangkarn on Facebook also suggested that block-voting might become a factor in the Senate race.

He said the labels of some 149 applicants were already being “earmarked” to ship through the last step, even before the district level.

” Is there something amiss around”? he said.

” Is this the problem of the law or the EC’s regulations”? he added.

He claimed that the key issue was whether social events were plotting block-voting.

He added that the EC should be on the lookout for and keep an eye on any electoral fraud.

Apart from the 149 candidates who may be on training to be” shortlisted” for the federal- level vote, he said, some more candidates may be a part of a prevent- voting campaign.

After 2, 020 others were declared invalid because they did not meet the registration requirements, a total of 46, 206 people were determined to had met the election needs.

The EC has published the names of the Senate candidates online and on the agency’s website and mobile app.

Candidates who’s brands are not on the EC’s list of publications may file a complaint with the Supreme Court to have their case looked into without having to pay a fee.