Nakhon Ratchasima _ Two Thai Rak Thai candidates in constituencies 4 and 5 have accused their Democrat and Mahachon rivals of fraud and said that they should be disqualified by the Election Commission (EC).

TRT candidate Uthai Mingkhwan said competition was fierce in constituency 4, covering Non Thai, Kham Thale So districts and Phra Thong Kham sub-district, and his Democrat rival strongly hoped to win. Therefore, Mr Uthai said, election fraud was likely.

His research always showed he was in the lead. ''If voting goes the opposite way, there will be a red card in this constituency,'' he said.

Mr Uthai said he had asked his staff to follow his rival's canvassers around the clock to collect evidence of fraud.

Meanwhile, Pitsinee Kittiraksakul, the Thai Rak Thai candidate in constituency 5, said she had 10 staff on standby with video cameras ready to rush immediately to scenes of election fraud to tape them.

She claimed canvassers for her Mahachon rival, Tasaneeya Ratanaset, were distributing leaflets with money inside in the constituency every night. However, neither the local police or election authorities bothered to take any action against them, she said.

The constituency covers Non Sung and Kham Sakae Saeng districts.

Mrs Pitsinee admitted that of all Thai Rak Thai candidates running in the province's 16 constituencies, she had the slimmest chance of winning. But she blamed it all on her main rival whom she claimed was ''using all kinds of tricks'' and had a number of government officials acting as political canvassers.

Mr Uthai is adviser to Suwat Liptapanlop, deputy prime minister and deputy Thai Rak Thai party leader, whom he has known for 16 years. He also used to work for Prateep Kreethavej, the former MP for the constituency.

Mr Uthai is competing against Democrat Ladtha Chanaphai, a local school director who has lived in the area for more than two decades and knows many villagers and local politicians.