Political parties have cried foul over the rules on online electioneering, calling them "trivial", "full of discrepancies" and "spoiling poll campaigns", after the Election Commission (EC) ordered the immediate removal of prematurely erected campaign posters.
The EC insists that it must be notified before political parties can launch poll campaigns on online platforms.
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Thursday the party has submitted the notification, only to be rejected by some provincial EC offices on the grounds that no MP candidates have been registered yet, while EC offices in other provinces accepted the notification.
The EC offices which rejected the notification said that since no candidate has been legally recognised, no election advertisement is permitted. The registration for candidacy will be open between Feb 4 to 8.
However, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said that politicians can start campaigning right away, as the royal decree on the election has been announced.
Mr Abhisit said the EC must clarify the discrepancies.
The former PM said that his party is trying its best to comply with the online campaign restrictions, but the level of detail required on the campaigns -- which includes information on the producer of the campaign, the date of production, and the duration and amount -- makes compliance difficult.
"We're more than willing to comply. But we must say to the EC that the restrictions it has imposed are trivial. Is this really necessary? It's overly complicated," Mr Abhisit said.
Also, it would be an uphill task on the party's part to screen out comments posted on the party's campaign websites that risk infringing on the election law, he said.
Mr Abhisit urged the EC to state clearly what actions constitute online campaign violations and spell out the consequences.
"If an excessive degree of control is exercised by the government, the election atmosphere would be subdued because the distribution of campaign information would be restricted," Mr Abhisit said.
Pheu Thai Party leading member Watana Muangsook said the online campaigning regulations are counter productive for the election.
Even though online campaigning is currently banned, the proposed candidates and their political parties can canvass for votes in other ways, such as by addressing crowds, Mr Watana said on his Facebook page.
Mr Watana said the regulation is not "well thought out", and that he plans to write the the EC about the issue.
Meanwhile, the EC said it expects to announce the locations where election campaign posters can be put up next week.
Despite the promulgation of the royal decree on the election, Wichuda Mekanuwong, director of the EC office for Bangkok, said political parties are not permitted to erect campaign posters until the EC designates the locations.
Proposed MP candidates who had already put up posters are given five days to take them down or face punishment under Bangkok's cleanliness law, which could jeopardise their election prospects.
She said areas permitted for election signs and posters include premises of state agencies, while privately owned land and public pavements are off-limits.
Ms Wichuda said that posters must adhere to size restrictions outlined by the regulations -- which are 30cmx42cm, 130cmx245cm and 400x750cm.
In Bangkok, parties may erect no more than 270 small posters, 540 medium-sized posters and one large poster per district. Ms Wichuda said that candidates who exceed the poster quota may face jail terms of up to six months, and/or a maximum fine of 10,000 baht.
The EC sounded the alarm after posters depicting the proposed candidates of Pheu Thai and Palang Pracharath parties for Bangkok's constituency 8 were found in Lat Phrao.
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