EC adopts the King's words of wisdom

EC adopts the King's words of wisdom

Stripping bad people of power the key

The Election Commission including commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, left, at a recent press conference (photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
The Election Commission including commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, left, at a recent press conference (photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)

The Election Commission (EC) has adopted His Majesty the late King's famous speech, which specifically calls for Thais to "strip bad people of power".

The speech provides a guide to five strategies aimed to prevent election fraud next year.

The five strategies, which will mobilise well-trained people to help the EC organise and look out for irregularities in the general election, match the King's 1969 speech that emphasises a key principle of the government's administration -- to support good people and "keep away bad ones", EC member Somchai Srisutthiyakorn said yesterday.

"There are good and bad citizens in the country," said His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej as he presided over the 6th National Scout Jamboree in Chon Buri's Si Racha district in 1969.

"Nobody can make all of them good persons.

"To keep the country peaceful and in line with order does not simply mean an act to make everyone good persons. But it is to promote good persons to rule the country and control and limit bad persons' power so that they cannot cause trouble."

The EC is committed to ensuring clean and fair elections, especially politicians' election to parliament, the country's top legislative body, so it regards this as an important duty to help screen out bad election candidates.

This is what the EC can do for the beloved King, Mr Somchai said.

Late next year, when the general election is set to be held, the EC plans to work with civic networks including scouts to keep a close watch on the election.

This is to ensure it will proceed in a fair manner, he said as he explained the first strategy.

Various civic groups will join the election watchdog in strengthening surveillance for at least 75% of 100,000 balloting booths countrywide, he said.

The second strategy is the smooth running of the election by one million EC-appointed officials.

Any mistakes, especially accusations of disparity, must be severely restricted, he said.

The third and fourth strategies are aimed to equip eligible voters with clear knowledge of election candidates so that they will have sound judgement in electing good people who most suit the jobs.

Under the third strategy, at least one village in each district will be made a "vote buying-free village," Mr Somchai said.

They will be a model for other villages in the campaign against vote cheating.

Technology will also be used to help voters better know their representatives.

The "wise election" app is being developed to give them details of election candidates and political parties, he said, exemplifying an action plan in the fourth strategy.

The fifth strategy involves legal action against people accused of committing election fraud.

The EC is training hundreds of people who will learn how to prepare accusation documents and file petitions with the court, Mr Somchai said.

All of these strategies are aimed at achieving the late King and the nation's goal -- to have "only good people" rule the country.

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