MP candidates see red over blurry logos, mismatched and faded photos

Complaints have been made in London and Bangkok, and at least one politician is already calling for an international investigation to ensure a level playing field in the May 14 election.

Thai citizens in London have filed a complaint with the Royal Thai Embassy there over an election document that swaps the photos of Pheu Thai and Thailand's Future candidates in a document introducing the candidates.  

Pheu Thai deputy spokesperson Chanin Rungthanakiat is calling for action to be taken to ensure photos of candidates have not been swapped with rival candidates in other countries.

"The EC's mistake in arranging voting outside the Kingdom has affected a Pheu Thai MP candidate," Chanin said.

Thai citizens living abroad can cast ballots from April 25 to May 5. Early voting in Thailand begins on May 7.

Move Forward also noticed its logo was blurry on a document with party-list candidates in Bangkok.

Its MP candidate Chorayuth Chaturapornprasit told reporters that its party logo on the list of party-list MP candidates at a polling station in Bangkok's Bang Kho Laem district appeared faded and less vivid than those of rival parties.

Chorayuth surmised that the faded Move Forward logo could not have been caused by the printing process because it was the only faded logo on the list. 

The faded logo could be a part of a nefarious political game, he said.  

He demanded an immediate answer from the EC and that the blurry logo be made crystal clear as soon as possible. 

The EC’s job is to facilitate elections and help political parties run in them, he said. Winners are decided by voters, he added. 

He also called for other MP candidates to inspect documents at polling stations in their constituencies nationwide.

Move Forward secretary general Chaitawat Tulathon called on the EC to investigate the blurry logo and explain what happened to the public. 

A faded logo can lower a party’s visibility and impact voting, Chaitawat said.

"People will not be able to discern a faded logo, and this will result in electoral advantages and disadvantages," he explained.

All political parties should compete on a level playing field, he added.

Democrat Party Bangkok MP candidate Watchara Phetthong blamed the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration for using a faded photo of him on the list of MP candidates running in Bang Khae-Nong Khaem constituency.

He said the photo used was not the same as the one he submitted to the EC when he registered as a candidate. His face is faded when compared to the faces of other candidates on the list, he explained.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt should resolve the faded-photo issue as soon as possible, Watchara said. 

"I would like to ask the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to replace the photo with the one I submitted to the EC,” he said. 

He gave the administration 24 hours to do this and told it to use his hi-resolution photo in all media.