By Thai Newsroom Reporters
ELECTORAL CANDIDATES ARE NOW prohibited by law from handing out calendars which may contain a picture of themselves, either posing side by side with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha or not, according to a senior official of the Election Commission.
Election Commission secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee today (Dec.22) cited the electoral rules as strictly prohibiting electoral contestants from distributing calendars, which may be officially considered as a giveaway item of value, to constituents anywhere during a current run-up to the next general election.
However, content on social media which may feature a calendar of any kind either with or without a picture of an electoral contender is legally allowed for posting and circulation online, Sawaeng said.
His comments apparently followed news reports that Palang Pracharath MP Sayan Yutitham had planned to produce and hand out copies of a 2023 calendar featuring a picture of himself posing side by side with Prayut.
The coalition MP who will likely seek reelection in a Nakhon Sri Thammarat constituency under the tickets of the pro-Prayut Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party categorically denied he would produce or hand out such a vote-wooing calendar though he had already posted online what may be viewed as campaign content featuring a picture of himself posing next to the current premier.
Former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn earlier cautioned that Prayut not be allowed by law to pose for a picture with any electoral contenders as a calendar cover or for other purposes as far as the premier has not as yet registered himself as a partisan member of the Ruam Thai Sang Chart or any other party.
CAPTION:
Top: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said that he did not know anything about Palang Pracharath MP Sayan Yutitham having made a New Year greeting campaign poster (inset) depicting the two of them together. Photo: Thai Rath
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