The Election Commission (EC) reported that virtually all of vote-buying incidents during yesterday’s elections took place in Bangkok, which boasts the highest variety of constituencies among all provinces. Despite this, the EC noted that the general variety of poll-related violations was decrease than in previous elections.
EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee disclosed that the commission obtained 163 complaints yesterday, with fifty eight regarding vote-buying, fifty five involving fraud, and 17 in regards to the abuse of power by state officers overseeing the elections. Vote-buying incidents were reported in various regions, although most occurred in Bangkok.
National police chief Damrongsak Kittiprapas acknowledged that over 150,000 officers had been deployed to take care of peace and order at the 94,737 polling stations countrywide. In the previous two to three days, a minimum of three people have been charged with vote-buying. Police are additionally investigating incidents of marketing campaign banner vandalism.
Deputy national police chief and head of the Royal Thai Police’s election administrative centre, Roy Inkapairoj, defined that nearly all of complaints acquired by the centre were related to the destruction of campaign banners. The centre’s spokesman, Nithithorn Chintakanon, added that over 1,000 candidates’ banners had been vandalised in the course of the campaigning period.
On the eve of the elections, there was a surge in vote-buying complaints in Kanchanaburi. In Dollar , native law enforcement has gathered enough evidence to cost several individuals with vote-buying offences.
In related information, former politician and whistleblower Chuvit Kamolvisit claimed that in Ayutthaya, Chon Buri, Pathum Thani, Songkhla, and Yala, a minimum of 100 people distributed 500 baht (approximately US$15) every to native villagers in exchange for his or her votes. The proof supporting his allegations stays unspecified.
Meanwhile, lecturers are predicting that the Move Forward Party (MFP) is prone to type a government coalition with the Pheu Thai Party and different smaller parties following yesterday’s Thai election..