Mongkol Bangprapa

The Election Commission faces an uphill task monitoring the campaign expenditure of some candidates who are likely to have political parties, city and district councillors canvassing on their behalf.

Commission chairman Pol Gen Wassana Permlarp said each candidate was allowed to spend up to 37 million baht campaigning.

That included the cost of cutouts, campaign posters and brochures put out by political groups or local politicians for particular candidates, Pol Gen Wassana said.

His comment followed reports the Thai Rak Thai party, which has not fielded any candidate in the race, would back certain candidates to prevent Apirak Kosayodhin of the Democrat party from moving into city hall.

``Campaign spending by candidates' supporters will be calculated as expenditure by the candidates they campaign for,'' he said. ``But in practice, it's difficult to calculate or keep track of it. No candidates ever admit their spending exceeds the limit. They may claim that they had nothing to do with the activities of local politicians who support them.''

He warned candidates they must check the qualifications of those in their team of proposed deputy governors. Their qualifications must be announced during campaigning.

A candidate may boast that a proposed deputy governor has a master's degree, he said. But if an inquiry finds that the person is only studying for a master's, and has not graduated, the candidate would be red-carded out of the poll.

Pol Gen Wassana said 150 police selected to serve as members of sub-panels looking into poll fraud in each constituency were given training yesterday. There are 50 sub-panels, each comprising two commissioned officers and one non-commissioned officer.

Phumpitak Kongkaew, director of the commission's investigation section, said the investigation panels will closely monitor election violations.

Maj-Gen Jirachai Dejdamrong, director-general of the army's Directorate of Civil Affairs, said candidates interested in campaigning in the barracks can directly contact unit commanders, who will arrange for groups of three to five candidates at a time to speak to army personnel, probably in the unit's officers club.