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Published on October 26, 2007

 They say banning candidates from running their own public activities will benefit vote buyers.

Parties said they would submit letters to the commission demanding it alter the rules to make them more democratic.

The EC insisted the new rules would make the December 23 election fair and equal for all parties. But it would reconsider them if it made campaigning too difficult.

"The new rules violate democratic principles and will push the country backward," Thavorn Senneam, deputy secretary-general of the Democrat Party, said.

"They will benefit the parties that like to buy votes," he said. "But it will ruin the Democrat Party as our strategy is to approach and get in touch with the people."

Supapornphong Chuanboon, deputy spokesman for the Matchima Thippatai Party, said the EC's rules were so tough candidates would have little room to run a campaign without breaking the law.

He said he was worried the rules would hamper the restoration of democracy.

Wichit Plangsrisakul, a legal expert for the People Power Party, said the rules were difficult for any party to follow. As such, they would not be able to take any new steps to getting politics back on track.

He said quality candidates would have no chance to make themselves known to the public.

The Democrats planned to submit an appeal to the EC today asking it to reconsider the rules, Thavorn said.

The EC obliges all political parties to follow its "roadmap" to make the election fair and equal. It claims the rules will reduce the influence of money politics.

Election Commission chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said the EC welcomed comments on whether certain rules were too strict. However, the EC was serious about preventing electoral fraud and the use of dirty or underhand tactics.

Television stations were still allowed to report on politics, but they must not feature specific politicians to the detriment of their opponents. Candidates should not be favoured over others just because they have more money, Apichart said.

He said the EC had tried its best to make the regulations acceptable to the people. It had tried to ease some rules that might have been too tough, while at the same time keeping others that would help to improve things. While trying to loosen the rules on campaigning, not everyone would be happy.

EC secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaigarn warned the parties to begin observing the campaigning rules immediately as the royal decree on the December 23 election came into effect yesterday.

Election candidates and media outlets, if convicted of campaign violations, could face a jail term of up to six months, he said.

"The rules are meant to ensure fairness so that large parties will not have an advantage over small parties," he said.

One of the key rules was that television stations must allocate equal airtime to all parties in the race if they invite candidates to appear on their programmes.

The regulations on airtime are prescribed by respective provincial panels, each of which is chaired by a provincial election committee chairman.

Each local government is responsible for supervising campaign billboards and other forms of public displays.

Candidates are allowed to use mobile units to broadcast campaign messages but are banned from converting vehicles into a platform for making campaign speeches at a rally.

Candidates can communicate freely with their constituents via email, websites and print media.

Supapornphong said Matchima Thippatai leaders were examining if the party's current activities or future plans would violate the EC rules.

If the party found it impossible to carry on under the rules or found they made the election unfair for any party, it would officially oppose them and announce its stand to the EC.

People Power Party deputy leader Somchai Wongsawat said it would not reject the strict campaigning rules as long as the EC enforced them fairly.

"My party will not resort to underhand tactics to sway votes in spite of the stringent rules."

Somchai called on the EC not to play favourites. He said the party had issued a handbook reminding its candidates to observe the 45 guidelines on campaigning and avoid being disqualified.

Strictly speaking...

1  All campaign billboards and posters are only allowed to be set up in spots designated by the EC, which will also have the power to rule on the size of posters.

2 Only the EC is authorised to allow stages or forums for candidates to publicly campaign, both in the capital and provinces. Privately run associations and educational institutions are not allowed to provide such forums without permission from the EC.

3 The EC will prescribe air-time on television and radio for all parties.

4 Candidates are only allowed to use cars to advertise campaign messages, but are banned from converting vehicles into a platform for making campaign speeches in front of a rally.

5 Candidates must notify the EC about expenditure by campaign staff.

6 Candidates are banned from presiding over ceremonies such as merit making, or giving donations or charity events.

7 Campaign parades with music are banned from the registration day.

8 Television stations must allocate equal airtime to all parties if they invite candidates to appear on their programmes.

The Nation