Election censorship to apply to social media

Election censorship to apply to social media

Must be registered before vote-canvassing

The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) has been debating the election organic law since November. (Bangkok Post file photo)
The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) has been debating the election organic law since November. (Bangkok Post file photo)

Election candidates will be required to register for vote-canvassing on electronic and social media, according to the current draft of the organic law governing the election of MPs.

The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) committee vetting the bill has finished the first round of deliberation for all 178 sections of the law, said spokesman Taweesak Suthakavatin.

The bill was submitted to the NLA by the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) on Nov 28, along with another organic bill related to the Senate.

The panel's next task will be to ask those NLA members who proposed changes to the law to elaborate on their amendments.

Mr Taweesak said he expects the panel to submit a report to the NLA on Jan 12 so its chairman can consider putting the bill on the NLA's meeting agenda.

Mr Taweesak said one of the points discussed was a new format of canvassing on electronic media.

The panel concluded that election candidates will be required to register and verify their identities and the type of electronic media they will use in canvassing.

They will also have to stop posting or re-posting messages three days ahead of the election, Mr Taweesak said, adding the Election Commission (EC) will be responsible for issuing any additional regulations.

He said the organic bill requires the commission to determine vote-canvassing methods to ensure fair and equal treatment for both big and small parties. The EC will determine the format of vote-canvassing on television and radio, Mr Taweesak said.

It is not clear if authorities will monitor candidates' canvassing remarks on electronic and social media, once they have registered, or what impact this could have on complaints filed against them including by their rivals.

On another controversial point, the committee agreed that poll candidates' deposit should not be returned to political parties as proposed by the CDC.

The CDC suggested that if a poll candidate wins more than 5% of the votes in a constituency, the party should get the deposit back.

But the panel disagreed because the state must spend billions of baht to hold a general election so returning the deposit fee would impose a further administrative burden on the EC, Mr Taweesak said.

He said the committee concluded that opinion surveys on poll candidates can be held as in previous elections, though they must cease by 6pm on the eve of the election.

Agencies or organisations that conduct the surveys must be legally registered with accredited polling methods and their surveys must not be designed to sway voters.

Exit polls will also be permitted under the organic bill, though the outcomes cannot be released until the polls are closed, said Mr Taweesak.

He said a provisional clause under the organic bill on MP elections stipulates the EC shall issue a royal decree announcing an election date within 90 days of the organic bill becoming law.

This does not contradict the constitution which states that an election must be held within 150 days of the four election-related laws coming into effect, Mr Taweesak said.

The organic laws include those on the Election Commission, political parties, the selection of senators and the election of MPs.

Mr Taweesak said some NLA members suggested that the enactment of the organic bill on MP elections be delayed.

Instead of taking effect the day after the news is published in the Royal Gazette, they proposed the period be extended to three months.

This is possible in principle but must be properly justified, Mr Taweesak said, adding the NLA committee has not yet discussed the matter.

While the organic bills on the election of MPs and the Senate are being deliberated by the NLA, the organic laws on the EC and political parties have now been promulgated.

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