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Court rules 4 years jail for 3 election commissioners

BANGKOK, July 25 (TNA) - Thailand's Criminal Court Tuesday ruled four-year jail terms for the country's three embattled election commissioners, finding them guilty of misconduct and banning them from playing any official part in organising and supervising the country's elections for 10 years.

The three commissioners--Pol. Gen. Vasna Puemlap, Prinya Nakchudtree and Virachai Naewboonnien--though accepting the court's verdict, vowed to fight the case in the Court of Appeal.

The trio were charged in a case lodged by Deputy Secretary General of the opposition Democrat Party Thaworn Senniam of violating Article 157
of the Criminal Law and the Articles 24 and 42 of the statute regarding the election agency for misconduct in organising the April 23 by-election without a legal mandate and in circulating a letter to provincial election commissioners favouring ruling Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party candidates who failed to win 20 per cent of the total eligible
vote.

If the court turns down the three commissioners' proposed payment of bail, their legal status as national election supervisors will immediately end.

After the death of one election commissioner and the resignation of another, the remaining three commissioners have been pressured by critics of the government, as well as the oppostion bloc to step down to pave the way for election of a new five-member elections panel to oversee the country's elections.

TNA

Government won't act on new EC selection, says spokesman

BANGKOK, July 25 (TNA) - Thai government Spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee Tuesday said the government would not interfere with the mandated process of selecting new election commissioners.

However, he said, the selection process must be complete prior to the upcoming general election set for October 15.

Mr. Surapong commented after Tuesday's historic Criminal Court ruling sentencing the three remaining election commission (EC) members to an immediate four-year jail term--without suspension--for mishandling the controversial April 2 and April 23 general election polls.

Mr. Surapong disclosed that after learning the court ruling, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra inquired of the secretary general of the Office of the Council of State regarding the next step to be taken.

The spokesman said the secretary-general pointed out that when incumbent EC members cannot function, the senate must select the new commissioners by reporting to the Supreme Court and asking it to nominate candidates from which the senate will then make its selection.

"The government won't interfere with the process," he said.

Will the selection be complete before the October 15 election?, the spokesman was asked.

"It must be completed before the election because the election must proceed," Mr. Surapong said, "The Royal decree setting the election date has been endorsed," Mr, Surapong said, "and its must be acted."

TNA

EC guilty, losing status

Council of State says EC's status no longer valid, Thaksin says Supreme Court can start new selection process, EC commissioners still seek release on bail

The government Tuesday admitted its defeat and said the Supreme Court could begin new EC selection process right away after the Criminal Court convicted three election commissioners in malfeasance and sentenced them to four years in jail.

The three commissiners were found guilty of violating the election law and sentenced to four years in jail.

The court found EC chairman Vasana Puemlarp, EC members Prinya Nakchadtree and Virachai Naewboonnien guilty of mishandling the April 2 election and a subsequent election.

The court declined to suspend the jail term against them.

The huge crowd waiting to hear the verdict at the court erupted in cheers. But EC supporters became dismayed and criticised the court.

The three immediately filed a request to be released on bail before they were led to a detention room inside the court. The bail process was still going on at press time.

The suit was filed against the three EC commissioners by Democrat deputy secretary-general Thavorn Sennium on April 18.

Thavorn alleged the three with violating the Criminal Code and MPs and Senators Election Act.

The court ruled that Thavorn had no authority to file the criminal charges citing the Criminal Code but the three EC commissioners were found guilty of violating the MPs and Senators Election Act.

Anchormen of iTV announced the verdict and said the EC commissioners could lost their status automatically because they had received a jail sentence and their election rights revoked.

iTV reported that atmosphere at the Criminal Court was rather chaotic as pro-EC people tried to prevent Democrat members from leaving the court.

EC supporters threw water bottles against Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban while he was about to leave the court and hurled abuses against him, causing him to retreat back to the court.

Thavorn was interviewed on iTV that EC commissioners had lost their status because he had objected the commissioners' request to be released on bail.

Thavorn said if the commissioners were released on bail, he would ask the Constitution Court to rule that they had lost their status.

Prinya gave inteview to iTV on phone that he believed the three commissioners' status had not expired yet as the case has not been final by the Supreme Court's verdict.

Prinya also gave an interview to Nation TV that he regarded that the three EC commissioners were still in office as the case against them had not been finalised.

But the Council of State Tuesday reported to the Cabinet that the three election commissioners have already lost their status following a court ruling against them.

Government Spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee told reporters that a senior official of the Council of State informed the Cabinet that the three EC commissioners' status was no longer valid.

Following the interpretation by the Council of State, caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra affirmed with reporters that the three EC members had lost their status and the process to select a new EC could begin right away.

Thaksin expressed confidence that the new Election Commission would be appointed in a month and in time for organizing the October 15 election.

Thaksin said he believed the Supreme Court already had its choices of EC commissioners so the process to select a new EC would not take longer than a month.

The Nation

EC Commissioners head to jail

Corrections Department has prepared registration documents and cells for three Election Commissioners who were sentenced to four years in prison following rejection from the Criminal Court to grant them bail.

Justice Ministry's Deputy Permanent Secretary Thongtong Chantarangsu and Corrections Department chief Natthee Jitsawang went to Bangkok Remand Prison to prepare documents and cells for the three convicted EC members; EC chairman Vasana Puemlarp, EC members Prinya Nakchadtree and Virachai Naewboonnien.

The three were found guilty of mishandling the April 2 election and a subsequent election. Their bail requests were rejected on Tuesday afternoon on ground that their release would create chaos in the society. The three convicted EC members vowed to fight on. Their status as EC members has yet to be officially invalidated.

The Nation