Electronic campaigning, election campaign spending, and prohibitions on campaign materials are expected to top the agenda of a meeting between the Election Commission (EC) and political parties this week.
The poll agency is preparing to quiz parties on a number of issues when they meet on Wednesday as it hopes to improve regulations governing the election campaign.
The rules will be enforced once a royal decree announcing the general election takes effect, tentatively in early January. The general election is tentatively scheduled for Feb 24.
On electronic campaigning, leaders of parties are required to inform the EC if they intend to woo votes on social media. Electronic campaigning can be carried out until 6pm on election eve.
On election campaign expenditure, the EC has reportedly capped election candidates' spending at 2 million baht each, while the ceiling for party expenditure will depend on the number of candidates contesting the polls.
The proposed expenditure ceiling for parties that field between 301-350 candidates is 70 million baht, while the maximum spending amount for parties that field between 1-50 candidates is 10 million baht.
However, the source said the issue that is expected to be hotly discussed at the meeting is the prohibition on the use of photos of other people in election campaign materials.
It is reported that election candidates are not permitted to use photos of anyone except their party leader, or the party's prime ministerial candidate in their campaign materials.
On Sunday, Laddawan Wongsriwong, spokeswoman of the Pheu Thai Party, played down the impact of the photo restrictions on campaign materials, saying it would not affect the party's campaign because both former leaders have nothing to do with the party's affairs.
Some Pheu Thai candidates were expected to ride on the popularity of two former prime ministers, Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra, and use their photos in the campaign materials.
Ms Laddawan said Thaksin and Yingluck came up with economic and social innovations to improve the well-being of the people and their good deeds cannot be erased.
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the photo issue should be clarified at the meeting, despite the EC having assured his party that it could use the photo of former prime minister Chuan Leekpai in its election campaign.
Nat Laoseesawakul, the EC's deputy secretary-general, said that even if Mr Chuan is not the party leader or the party's prime minister candidate, the Democrat chief adviser is considered a part of the party's brand.
The meeting will also touch on the EC's support for parties during the lead-up to the polls.
The EC will sponsor an election debate for parties, which will be sorted into one of three groups, depending on the number of the candidates they field in the elections.
Only party leaders and/or a party's prime ministerial candidate can take part in the debate.
Provincial election offices will also provide campaign signboards for every candidate in their jurisdiction and cooperate with government agencies and/or the private sector to erect these campaign signboards.
State-run television and radio stations are obliged to allocate air time to all parties to promote their policies. Each party will have 10 minutes to read out policy statements and a 30-second advertisement for each party.
These contents will run after the royal decree on the election is announced, until two days before the election day.
Radio and television programmes are allowed to invite parties to discuss policies or to present their reports on the election, but they must be nonpartisan.
Meanwhile, Pongkasem Sattayaprasert, spokesman of the Thai Raksa Chart Party, called on the EC to take into consideration a fresh opinion survey in which almost 50% of people want the names and logos of parties to be included in the ballot paper.
He said the EC has the obligation to make it easy for the voters to identify candidates and political parties they want to vote for.
The photos issue is just the latest issue to trip up the EC as it decides on the format of ballot papers. The EC says it is willing to consider all views before making a final decision.
Noppadon Pattama, member of the Pheu Thai Party, said the EC should amend the laws to allow candidates of the same parties to use the same numbers across all constituencies to avoid confusion.
He said the practice would not give any party an advantage over others and it could also help reduce spoiled ballots.
He added that the practice would make more sense because one ballot is used in the election, and each vote will count for both the candidates and their parties.
Democrat member Ongart Khlampaiboon urged the government to allow international groups to observe the elections, saying it would help boost transparency.
Mr Abhisit said while the government does not need to invite international organisations to observe the polls, it should not restrict any from observing the elections.
"They cannot interfere with the elections. They just observe. We can show them our elections are transparent, which will be in our best interest," Mr Abhisit said.
The Foreign Ministry has welcomed the idea of allowing embassy staff to observe the general election, but not non-residents or foreign organisations.
Minister Don Pramudwinai said the EC had sought the ministry's view on foreigners acting as observers.
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