By Thai Newsroom Reporters
FORMER PHEU THAI-ATTACHED deputy prime minister Plodprasop Suraswadi today (June 29) branded a recent senatorial election “the century’s most disgusting.”
Plodprasop posted on his Facebook page to remark that as many as half the total 200 senators-designate might probably be prone to electoral rigging and other wrongdoing charges.
Plodprasop insisted that the Election Commission promptly investigate allegations of bloc-vote rigging and other irregularities perpetrated during the “most disgusting election of the century” and keep all suspected senators-designate from being officially ratified next week.
He quoted an outvoted senatorial candidate as saying politically-connected wheeler-dealers had arranged banquets for “puppet” contestants at hotels on Bangkok’s outskirts where payoffs in cash had been covertly offered and electoral rigging shenanigans discussed in hush-hush fashion.
At those makeshift venues, as many as 400 bribe-taking contestants had been given a list of five candidates to pick in the national tier of the senatorial election, the former deputy prime minister said.
He said many of the “puppet” contenders were practically known as car drivers, fish vendors and villagers in charge of publicity through village-based news broadcasting towers, among others with unlikely careers.
His comments apparently followed criticism that the Bhumjaithai under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob had allegedly manipulated to land electoral victories for many of the senatorial candidates, especially those being natives of Buriram, the biggest stronghold of the second largest coalition partner, and other Isaan provinces.
Nevertheless, Election Commission Secretary-General Sawaeng Boonmee has earlier confirmed that all 200 senators-designate will be officially ratified upcoming Wednesday though some could possibly be suspended by court from doing their legislative duties at a later date if evidently found to have violated the election law and rules.
In the recent senatorial election, deemed as an unprecedented, complicated race of its kind in Thailand, all candidates picked fellow contestants for senators whilst an election for MPs simply had votes cast by constituents.
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Top and Front Page: Former Pheu Thai-attached deputy prime minister Plodprasob Suraswadi. Photos: Thai Rath
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