Embattled Thai Election Commission hands TRT case to Attorney General

June 6, 2006

Thailand's Election Commission passed their subcommittee report on to the office of the Attorney-General without making a recommendation. The report, which The Nation describes as all legal documents detailing the allegations that the caretaker Prime Minister's populist Thai Rak Thai party paid small parties to take part in the April 2 snap election.

The EC subcommittee led by Nam Yimyaem concluded in their report that Thai Rak Thai had engaged smaller parties illegally in an effort to avoid the minimum voter requirement of the constitution. The report's recommendation was that the party should be dissolved.

The EC passing the buck on the election fraud allegations follows on from scathing criticism from the country's Supreme Court President, Charnchai Likit-jittha. In a letter to the acting Senate Speaker, Charnchai rejected Speaker Suchon Chaleekrua's proposal that he nominate two new members to the Election Commission to fill present vacancies. Citing the constitutional requirement that the EC be politically neutral, Charnchai said of the three remaining commissioners they, "are not in a position to have the trust to continue with their work".

The troubles of the Election Commission may see doubt cast on the proposed date of October 15 for a rerun of the general election.