POST REPORTERS

Security has been boosted across the country ahead of Sunday's election, while police and poll workers are busy investigating alleged breaches of campaign rules which they say are just as bad this time as in past elections.

Pol Lt-Gen Adul Saengsingkaew, commander of Police Region 3 in the Northeast, said 43 poll fraud cases, ranging from vote buying to goods give-aways to vandalism of campaign posters, were being investigated.

The complaints had been lodged by eight provinces in the lower Northeast, mostly from Ubon Ratchathani. Only one case had come in from Buri Ram, where campaign irregularities were rife in the past.

Pol Lt-Gen Adul said crackdowns on gunmen and influential figures were picking up.

Supoj Preuksawan, Phitsanulok's chief election supervisor, said his staff were handling five campaign fraud cases involving vote buying and state officials acting in favour of certain parties.

Prapoj Srithes, the People's Network for Elections in Thailand (P-Net) chairman for the lower North, said campaign malpractice was widespread in constituencies 1, 5 and 6, with government officials helping canvass for certain candidates.

Mr Prapoj said P-Net was keeping a close watch on certain areas said to be targets of vote buying after about 70 million baht was reported to have been brought into the province.

In the southern province of Narathiwat, Malaysian currency _ often used in border trade _ was running scarce because canvassers had bought large amounts to buy support from Thai workers returning home from Malaysia to vote.

Using ringgit bills would make it difficult for election scrutineers to trace the notes back to the payers as workers would take them back to Malaysia.

The number of people applying for ID cards at all 13 districts in Narathiwat was high, forcing officials to impose tough checks on evidence to stop cheats obtaining cards on false pretences.

Kanchanaburi police chief Pol Maj-Gen Chaicharn Kitichan, meanwhile, said 59 firearms offenders, a motorcycle thief, 75 drug dealers and 317 gamblers were caught in a one-month crackdown which ended on Wednesday.