Stick to campaign budget limits or face dissolution, parties warned
Parties can spend a maximum of 44 million baht on their party-list campaigns and 1.9 million baht for each constituency candidate contesting in the May 14 general election.
The Election Commission (EC) announced the campaign budget limits on Sunday after they were published in the Royal Gazette.
Election law stipulates that if the House completes its full term, campaign budgets are capped at 163 million baht for party lists and 7 million baht for each constituency candidate.
However, since the House was dissolved ahead of this general election, the budget limits are reduced to 44 million baht for party-list and 1.9 million baht for constituency campaigns, said the EC.
Campaign expenses will be calculated from when the House was dissolved on March 20 to the election date of May 14.
The EC also prescribed campaign budget limits in case elections have to be rerun.
If the rerun occurs before results are announced, campaign spending will be capped at 630,000 baht for existing MP candidates or 950,000 baht for new candidates.
If the rerun takes place after results are announced, campaign budget limits will be raised to 1.9 million baht per candidate.
If a rerun is held because a majority voted for no candidate, campaign budgets will be capped at 950,000 baht for each new candidate fielded.
The EC warned that any party found breaking campaign budget limits or other election laws could face dissolution.
