Elderly voters spared charges for torn ballots

THE ELECTION Commission (EC) has sent a signal to police not to take legal action against people who destroyed ballot papers unintentionally while seeking to vote in the referendum.

EC deputy secretary-general Thanit Sriprathet said there had been 59 incidents of ballots being torn or destroyed in 35 provinces, mostly by senior citizens, and only one case in which a ballot paper was torn intentionally.

Thanit said two men associated with the New Democracy Movement (NDM) – Rangsiman Rome and Abhisit Supnapapan – face charges of violating the referendum law for wearing T-shirts with “Vote No” messages.

Peerapol Sae Wong also faces charges of violating the referendum law for allegedly taking a picture of a ballot paper in a polling station in Lop Buri.

Another NDM member, Piyarat Jongthep, who allegedly tore up a ballot paper in Bang Na in Bangkok, was released on bail after being charged with violating the referendum law and criminal offences.

In total, police pressed four charges against Piyarat, a student at Thammasat University’s Faculty of Law – destroying a ballot paper, causing a disturbance and blocking the referendum, destroying or tearing up a state document, and causing damage to state assets. 

Police released him on Bt20,000 bail after he confessed and said he had no intention to flee.

Piyarat’s friends Songtham Kaewpanpruek and Jirawat Ekakaranuwat who took a video clip of Piyarat tearing up the ballot paper also face charges for allegedly violating the referendum law.

Metropolitan Police Division 5 Commander Pol Maj-General Somprasong Yentuam ordered police to investigate if the group staged the activity based on political connections and to wrap up the case in four days.

Somprasong said police found that one member of the group had forwarded the clip recorded on a mobile phone to a media outlet but refused to elaborate.

He said they could face charges of violating the Computer Crime Act and other laws.

Meanwhile, the Chiang Mai Military Court rejected a request for bail from the lawyer for 11 suspects charged with sedition, criminal association and violating the referendum law.

Lawyer Chamnong Chaimongkol arrived at the 33rd Army Circle to post bail for the 11 suspects. However, the court rejected the request on the grounds that there has not been a new order from the government. 

Chamnong said he would seek bail again for the suspects next Monday.

 

Irregularities alleged

Meanwhile, Srisuwan Janya, secretary-general of the Association for the Protection of the Thai Constitution, said yesterday he would file a complaint with the National Anti-Corruption Commission accusing the EC of holding an unfair referendum.

Srisuwan said the EC failed to distribute the charter draft to every household and voters had not been given freedom to criticise the charter.

He said the EC also hastily announced unofficial results without investigating irregularities that took place.

He said there were reports that more ballot papers were counted at some polling stations than there were eligible voters.

He said the EC had also provided only one ballot paper for two questions, which caused confusion.

Srisuwan also said ballot boxes procured by the EC were not strong and safe, which violated EC regulations.