BANGKOK, 18 April 2011 (NNT) – The Election Commission (EC) has drafted a strict regulation banning politicians and electoral candidates from alluding to the monarchy, neither positively nor negatively, in their election speeches. Election Commissioner Prapan Naikowit elaborated that the regulation, which will be effective after House dissolution, will ban electoral candidates from alluding to the monarchy in all circumstances, including speaking to protect the monarchy.
Violators will be considered as breaching electoral regulations and might be given yellow or red cards depending on the gravity of the offence. Yellow card refers to warnings and re-elections must be held in the constituency while red card refers to political rights suspension for violators.
In addition, violators might face criminal charges of lèse majesté while political parties which the violators belong to, might be faced with dissolution similar to buying votes under Section 237 of the 2007 Constitution.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva earlier assigned the Secretariat of the Cabinet to ask the EC to issue electoral regulations to prevent electoral candidates from alluding to the monarchy or involving the monarchy in national politics.
Mr Prapan said actually the EC has already drafted the regulation before being ordered by the prime minister since the EC had received many complaints on the issue during previous elections. He expected that the draft legislation would be considered within this month and be put into effect before the next general election.
