Bangkok: The Secretary-General of the Election Commission has reiterated that even preparing to buy votes constitutes an offense under election law.
According to Thai News Agency, the Secretary-General, Mr. Saeng Boonmee, clarified his statement, "You can prepare money, but you cannot buy votes," emphasizing that even the preparation to buy votes is illegal. He noted that catching those involved is challenging without clear evidence. Mr. Saeng addressed complaints regarding vote buying, stating that the Election Commission (EC) is focused on ensuring a positive campaign atmosphere and maintaining honest and fair elections, free from vote buying. This oversight involves personnel from the Election Commission and other agencies, including the Royal Thai Police, working on prevention, suppression, and intelligence gathering. While intelligence suggests some activity, it has not escalated to criminal levels, with most complaints currently related to campaigning via social media.
Mr. Saeng admitted the difficulty of confirming arrests for vote buying due to the preparatory nature of such offenses. He highlighted that the 2018 Act on the Election of Members of the House of Representatives, particularly Section 73, deems premeditation to buy votes illegal. He assured that measures are in place to prevent or suppress vote buying, emphasizing that even with money, votes cannot be bought. The EC has identified 42 provinces with intense competition, where specific constituencies face heightened scrutiny. However, covert preparations make detection challenging without sufficient evidence to report incidents to the police and obtain court warrants.
The Bank of Thailand's information aids in determining whether money withdrawals are linked to candidates or parties, involving campaign assistants or party members. This intelligence gathering helps assess the purpose and usage of withdrawn funds. Mr. Saeng mentioned that investigations are ongoing concerning unusual withdrawals reported by the Bank of Thailand, involving six individuals. The authorities are examining their connections, withdrawal methods, and fund usage. These findings will be presented to the Election Commission on Monday.
Each province will have suppression and intelligence operations teams, with a list of political canvassers conducting area assessments with various agencies, including election inspectors, police, and public members like the Center for the Promotion of Democracy. Addressing an incident where a vendor was accused of vote buying after posting about 7,000 baht on social media, Mr. Saeng clarified that it was not vote buying. Investigations revealed the money was from her business, and the accusation stemmed from someone misusing her Instagram post. The Election Commission is investigating the incident, involving three individuals.