EC said ready to accept applications for Senate poll candidates

The Election Commission Office secretary general is confident that the first day of nationwide candidacy registration for Senate elections on Monday would be done smoothly, as the EC Office has made full preparations for it.

EC Office secretary general Sawang Boonmee was speaking to reporters after he visited the Khan Na Yao and Bang Kapi district offices in Bangkok to observe the preparations for Senate poll candidacy registration.

Candidacy registration for the Senate poll is being held nationwide from Monday to Friday this week.

After the inspections, Sawang said he would like to thank the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration for making good preparations for the candidacy registration.

Sawang said the Khan Na Yao district office is large and is well-organised for candidates to submit their applications and to check documents, pay fees and get receipts.

Sawang said he has instructed officials to proceed with the applications as the applicants have already checked their own qualifications.

He said if complaints about qualifications are later filed, the Supreme Court will be asked to make rulings.
Sawang said the EC Office has fully prepared a budget for the senatorial election.

He added that the office has prepared measures for dealing with collusion among candidates or of some candidates being paid to vote for particular persons.

If allegations of collusions occur, the EC Office may need time to investigate, but the announcement of 200 new senators would be done in time, Sawang said.

Successful candidates will vote among themselves in three levels of elections to select the new 200-member Senate. Elections at the district level will be held on June 9, at the provincial level on June 16 and at the national level on June 26.