Slovenian nabbed in Kalasin as election poster attacks continue

Slovenian nabbed in Kalasin as election poster attacks continue

Slovenije Nad (centre) is taken to the Muang police station in Kalasin's Muang district on Monday after he has damaged posters of Chalong Khanlert, a MP candidate for the Phalang Pracharath Party. (Photo by Yongyuth Phupuangphet)
Slovenije Nad (centre) is taken to the Muang police station in Kalasin's Muang district on Monday after he has damaged posters of Chalong Khanlert, a MP candidate for the Phalang Pracharath Party. (Photo by Yongyuth Phupuangphet)

Valentine's Day disappointment was behind the damaged posters for an MP candidate in Kalasin -- but the ongoing vandalism against campaign posters in other provinces are more likely to be politically related.

Election posters for candidates from the Palang Pracharath (PPRP), Pheu Thai and Thai Local Power (Palang Thongthin Thai) parties were found damaged in constituency 2 in Chiang Kham district of Phayao on Tuesday. Thawat Sutthawong of PPRP registered a complaint with police.

Phayao joins Kalasin, Ratchaburi and Chon Buri as provinces where vandals have defaced posters of candidates running in the March 24 election.

So far only the defacement in Kalasin was ruled not to be politically related, while motives in the other cases are unknown.

Police arrested Slovenije Nad, 54, on Monday and charged him with damaging property of other persons. He told police that he destroyed eight posters of Chalong Khanlert, a PPRP candidate in constituency 1, during the early hours of Saturday after his girlfriend could not find time to have a Valentine's dinner with on Friday.

Mr Nad said his girlfriend was helping the PPRP candidate's election campaign and he could not contact her, according to police. He decided to take out his frustration on the campaign posters.

CCTV captured Slovenije Nad damaging an election campaign poster in Kalasin.

Pol Col Ratthaphol Sermsaran, chief of the Muang police station in Kalasin, said on Monday investigators had checked CCTV footage and found the suspect riding a motorcycle. A check of its licence plate number led to the foreigner's arrest at an apartment in Muang district, he added.

Police seized a knife used to damage the posters, the bike used that night and the clothes he wore as evidence.

Mr Chalong shook hands with the vandal at the police station.

The courts may not be so forgiving, as damaging property of other persons carries a maximum fine of 6,000 baht and/or imprisonment up to three years.

A campaign poster of Thawat Sutthawong of Palang Pracharath is seen damaged in Chiang Kham district of Phayao. (Photo by Saiaroon Pinaduang)

In Phayao, Pol Lt Col Sukrit Khamwiengsa, acting chief of the Chiang Kham police station, on Tuesday said police were hunting the perpetrators of several attacks on election posters in that district. "So far we cannot pinpoint that who is behind the damage," he said.

A photograph showed a large hole ripped in a campaign poster for PPRP candidate Thawat Sutthawong. "The incidents have affected the good image of Phayao," Mr Thawat said.

Natthapatch Chanmaen, a representative of Thai Raksa Chart, points to a defaced poster in Photharam district in Ratchaburi. (Photo by Saichon Ochkajorn)

Natthapatch Chanmaen, a representative of Thai Raksa Chart in constituency 1 in Ratchaburi, filed a complaint with police in Photharam district on Monday after a poster was damaged. "You can like or dislike any parties -- but don't damage posters used for their campaigns," he said.

Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda has ordered the ministry's officials to help authorities prevent further vandalism in an effort to promote a smooth run-up to the election.

Meanwhile, Thai Raksa Chart is waiting to find out whether its entire election campaign - and its existence - is ripped up by the Constitutional Court.

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