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Published on August 20, 2007

Prawat Singsena, 68, told police he had not meant to destroy the ballot paper but misunderstood that he was supposed to tear it along the dotted line before putting it into the ballot box.

Police are investigating whether he should be charged with violating Article 8 of the Public Referendum Act, which is punishable by up to one year in jail and a Bt20,000 fine.

Angthong Police held and later released Charn Kammuangdong, 79, after he told them that he tore out a section of the ballot paper by mistake. Police believe Charn did not intend to destroy the paper.

In Roi Et, former school director Thawee Wanla, 61, was charged after he tore his paper and inserted the section he had marked into the ballot box. A relative told police that Thawee was mentally unstable.

In Ayutthaya, Somchai Fuangtakian, 40, was arrested on charges of destroying state property after he tore up his ballot paper.

He was under the influence of alcohol.

In a high-profile case last year, Chaiyan Chaiyaporn of Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Political Science was acquitted on charges related to tearing his ballot paper in protest at the April 2006 election.