The Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS) and its allies have set up a centre to monitor the Feb 24 general election under a campaign to educate the public about the poll and encourage them to take a greater role in pushing for public policies.
Wilasinee Phiphitkul, Thai PBS' director-general, said the election will provide an opportunity for people nationwide to become more politically conscious and follow up on policies presented by the parties.
Thai PBS and its allies will work together to set up a database to equip the public with information they can need to check if parties honour their election pledges after they enter government, Ms Wilasinee said.
Its partners in the project are the Institute for Human Rights and Peace Studies, the King Prajadhipok's Institute, the Thailand Development Research Institute, the Thailand Research Fund, Thammasat University, the Open Forum for Democracy Foundation (P-NET), the Thai Journalists Association, and the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association.
Forums will also be held in Bangkok and the provinces so parties the public and stakeholders can discuss the issues, Ms Wilasinee said.
The forums are intended to encourage parties to give priority to formulating policies based on the needs of the people, she said. Set up under the theme "Relay the People's Voices Beyond the Election", the monitoring centre will have a tentative one-year time frame.
Monitoring activity will gradually increase from now and will peak during the lead-up to the Feb 24 poll and after a new government is formed, she said. She added Thai PBS has also set up a website, www.thaipbs.or.th/Election62, to supply information to other media outlets covering the election.
Laddawan Tantivitayapitak, a representative of P-NET, said the group was ready to help arrange forums where politicians will be invited to meet locals in communities and discuss ways to address their problems.
P-NET, a poll monitoring group, will also press on with its duty to observe the election and receive complaints about poll fraud and pass them on to various state agencies, she said.