By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE ELECTION COMMISSION was today (Jan.3) suggested to consider whether Caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul may have evidently violated the electoral rules by reportedly promising to pay the people 2,400 baht in cash each under the Bhumjaithai-led government’s Copay-Plus handout project.
Former deputy transport minister Manaporn Charoensri who is running for a constituency-based MP of Nakhon Panom under the Pheu Thai tickets advised the polling agency take into account whether Anutin who is seeking to retain his elected premiership under the Bhumjaithai banners may have deliberately breached the electoral rules by publicly pledging to pay the people 2,400 baht each under the Copay-Plus populist project in case that his ruling party return as core of a coalition government after the Feb.8 election.
The rules prohibit electoral candidates from making promises to the public to provide any grants in cash or in kind during electoral campaigns or else they could probably be subject to legal penalties and kept out of the race to parliament.
The caretaker prime minister had earlier commented that he is virtually owing the people nationwide 2,400 baht in cash each under the Copay-Plus project which has been already handed out to some of the people, leaving millions of others unpaid so far and that he will undoubtedly carry out the populist project if the Bhumjaithai come back as core of the post-election government.
Manaporn contended that a previous Pheu Thai-led government had initiated the 10,000 baht “digital wallet” handout project for which a government budget had been drawn from the Central Fund only to be eventually diverted to the Bhumjaithai-led government’s unfinished Copay-Plus project.
The Bhumjaithai under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob and the Pheu Thai under de facto party boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra are mostly contesting against each other for constituency-based MP seats in the northeastern, northern and central regions.
Nevertheless, Newin’s camp are more or less speculated to align with the Klatham under de facto party boss/Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Agriculture & Cooperatives Minister Thammanat Prompao in a hush-hush, premeditated effort to set up a coalition government either with or without Thaksin’s camp, among others, following the nationwide election.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page – Caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, right in above image. Photos – Thai Rath
Insert – Former deputy transport minister Manaporn Charoensri. Photo – Thai Rath
Also read:
937,000 voters wish to cast early votes
Bhumjaithai furious at academic for alleging next PM has been chosen
Immigration Police release Myanmar murder suspect citing overcrowded detention centres
Phang Nga villagers launch boat to ward off bad luck and welcome the New Year
