The Democrat Party called on Bangkok governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra Sunday to respond to an allegation that City Hall sought cash donations from businesses for the Aug 7 referendum campaign.
The move came after former Democrat MP Watchara Phetthong said his party received complaints from Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) officials, who claim they were ordered by chiefs of the 50 district offices to seek donations of 5,000 each from private companies.
The money was allegedly needed to make boards encourage people to vote in the charter referendum, Mr Watchara said.
It is not clear how much has been raised in the City Hall donations campaign, but the Election Commission stated that all of it is illegal.
Mr Watchara also urged MR Sukhumbhand to explain whether the donations initiative was launched by the BMA, and whether the Election Commission has allocated a budget for the referendum campaign to the agency.
EC chairman Supachai Somcharoen said Sunday that budgets for the referendum campaign were allotted to both the BMA and provincial election commissions.
He said it was permissible for state agencies to seek sponsorship for the campaign from business operators but monetary donations were not allowed because state agency budgets have already been allocated.
Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry has ordered provincial governors and local authorities to monitor anyone attempting to disturb the election process.
The order was sent Sunday to the governors and other local authorities, including district chiefs, kamnans, and village headmen, saying the ministry received a report that a group of teenagers tore the lists of eligible voters in the Aug 7 referendum from a noticeboard in a village on Saturday.
In addition, according to the letter to local authorities, false information was disseminated via social media alleging that internet users who check the voter list online via the Provincial Administration Department's www.khonthai.com are putting themselves at risk of having their data hacked.
As a result, the minister has ordered local authorities to inform the Election Commission and lodge complaints to police as soon as possible if they find anyone has tampered with or ruined voter lists in their local area.