EC targeting May 14 for poll

Sawaeng urges all to follow election law

The Election Commission (EC) has scheduled the general election for May 14 and urged all involved to obey the election law in the build-up to the poll.

EC secretary-general, Sawaeng Boonmee, said yesterday that a meeting of election commissioners has decided the election will now be held on this date.

The EC will accept MP candidacy applications for those planning to contest the constituencies from April 3-7 and the applications for list-MP candidates from April 4-7.

Parties must submit the lists of their prime ministerial candidates to City Hall in Din Daeng district from April 4-7.

Those who are eligible can register for advance voting inside and outside constituencies and overseas between March 27 and April 13. They will cast their ballots on May 7.

Anyone who is not able to go to the polls and vote must inform authorities of their reasons why they will not be able to vote from May 7-13 and May 15-21.

Mr Sawaeng said the EC is now ready to organise the election, and everyone involved should follow the election law.

The government has assumed a caretaker role after the House was dissolved, and it should follow the EC’s guidelines on what can and cannot be done under Section 169 of the constitution, he said, adding government officials must not use their position to benefit or disadvantage election candidates.

“If everyone acts within the appropriate parameters, the election should proceed nicely,” Mr Sawaeng said.

He said the next step is for the EC to inform the caretaker cabinet of its decision on the election date so the matter can be published in the Royal Gazette.

The House of Representatives has been dissolved to pave the way for a general election. A royal decree announcing its dissolution was published in the Royal Gazette on Monday with immediate effect.

Speaking after yesterday’s cabinet meeting, Caretaker Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he stressed the need for all caretaker cabinet ministers to tread carefully to avoid violating the election law.

Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said he briefed other caretaker ministers on the correct protocol. For example, they can appear as guests at social functions or events, he said.

But when they are invited to give an address on stage, they must avoid saying they are election candidates and not mention their campaign policies or attack rival parties, Mr Wissanu said.

Citing guidelines issued by the EC, Mr Wissanu said any pictures of cabinet ministers put up near the ministries’ signs must be removed.

However, election campaign posters can show pictures of election candidates taken with party leaders, prime ministerial candidates or other party members.

But pictures of those who are not party members are not allowed on the campaign posters, Mr Wissanu said.

He also warned political-office holders and government officials not to use their positions to benefit certain candidates.

Mr Wissanu said caretaker ministers and other political-office holders can use state-owned cars but must pay their own fuel costs.

They can also use state-owned helicopters for inspection trips, which may be followed by their election campaigns in the same province, he said.

“They can do so as long as they don’t move away from the route of their official visit.

“For example, if they finish their official visit in Lop Buri and then go on an election campaign in Nakhon Ratchasima, this would be considered wandering off the route of their official visit, and they are not permitted [to use the helicopters for this purpose],” he said.