BANGKOK, 3 January 2012 The Chairman of the Election Commission (EC) has shrugged off criticism that he has been helping the government with the planned referendum on charter amendments.
EC Chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said, on Thursday, that the Commission is not worried about criticism against its resolution to send the EC Secretary-General and some officers to discuss with government representatives the issue of public referendum, needed for the constitutional amendment plan. Mr. Apichart said that the EC’s resolution was the response to an invitation from PM’s Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn, who is the secretary-general of the government whip team in charge of the study of the charter amendments.
He added that the discussion of the issue was called for before the committee can draw a conclusion on the referendum plan, which will later be reviewed by the EC.
The EC Secretary-General went on to say that the government’s invitation letter to the Commission clearly asked for its opinions on how to properly arrange the public referendum, which can cost as much as two billion baht to complete.
Mr. Apichart stressed that the EC is not worried some could think it has been giving the government a hand in the referendum campaign as it has merely been fulfilling its legal duties.
