EC yellow-cards Pheu Thai's Somkid

[Flashermac]

The Pheu Thai Party winning candidate in Nong Khai's Constituency 2, Somkid Banthaisong, is the first to be denied an MP seat for suspected poll fraud.

 

The Election Commission has decided to give him a yellow card based on two electoral fraud allegations, EC secretary-general Suthipol Thaweechaiyagarn said.

 

[color:red]Mr Somkid was accused of paying 200 baht to samlor drivers to take people to his campaign rally and back home and of giving 100 baht to each person who attended his rally.[/color]

 

[color:red]Mr Suthipol said the EC's decision to suspend Mr Somkid's election victory was unanimous.[/color]

 

A panel investigating the charges against him had recommended a red card, but the commissioners agreed that the charges did not warrant disqualification.

 

A yellow card means a candidate suspected of cheating can return to a fresh contest while a red card bars the candidate from re-election.

 

In the face of the EC withholding its endorsement for 142 MPs-elect, red shirt leaders yesterday threatened to put on a "big show" if the election governing body failed to endorse Pheu Thai's winning candidates.

 

[color:red]Natthawut Saikua, also a Pheu Thai list MP-elect, said the red shirts would bide their time for now as the EC has 30 days after the election to endorse the winners.

 

"But if it fails to endorse the winners in the end, I can promise there will be a big show," he wrote on Facebook.[/color]

 

The red shirt leader claimed an "invisible hand" was at work to prevent Pheu Thai's rise to power and said any attempt to block the party from forming the government would undermine the public mandate.

 

Kwanchai Praipana, another leading red shirt member, claimed the EC's decision to withhold endorsements suggested that "special powers" were trying to stall the House's first meeting.

 

He said red shirts from Udon Thani are ready to march if the winners are not endorsed by Aug 2.

 

[color:red]The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship chairwoman Tida Tawornseth earlier called on red shirts to "fully charge their batteries" in anticipation of the EC's move.[/color]

 

Her comment was seen as a signal for the red shirts to prepare to mobilise if the situation was not in their favour.

 

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai's would-be prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday denied that former prime minister and banned politician Somchai Wongsawat had assisted in her election campaign.

 

She said the party was gathering information in her defence in case she is summoned by the EC. The poll agency is withholding endorsement of her victory.

 

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Mr Natthawut's Facebook message was inappropriate.

 

He said the Pheu Thai member was putting pressure on the EC.

 

Meanwhile, MPs elect yesterday picked up their endorsement certificates at the EC office.

 

A total of 358 winners have received endorsement.

 

Saharat Kulsri, Pheu Thai winner in Suphan Buri's Constituency 5, was the first to get the certificate.

 

Staff from the National Anti-Corruption Commission were there to congratulate the new MPs and give them corruption-for-free pins as souvenirs.

 

Most MPs went straight to parliament to report for duty immediately after collecting the certificates.

 

[color:red]The new MPs are eligible for a salary of 113,560 baht.[/color]