EC sets no cap on red and yellow cards

"The EC will not be pressured to cap the number of disqualified candidates simply because the law requires the presence of 456 of 480 MPs to convene the new House," she said.

Although Parliament is scheduled to convene within 30 days of the December 23 election, the charter prescribes for the National Legislative Assembly members to act in lieu of MPs in the transition period, she said, hinting that the EC would not rush to endorse the voting results before the completion of probes into votebuying.

At the earliest date, the EC could start to endorse noncontested results on January 3 because it is obliged to allow seven days to lapse after the voting in order to allow time to contest the outcome, she said.

She dismissed the speculation that the EC would disqualified no more than 24 candidates.

She said the EC already started to look into electoral fraud complaints and that it has scheduled January 13 as the date for the first of two new rounds of voting.

Next week, the EC will begin to review and rule on the first batch of 48 cases, she said.

In regard to a possible recount of votes, it was too late to review the issue because any complaints about the tallying of votes must be lodged within 24 hours after the release of the unofficial results, she said.

She was reacting to remarks by Matchima Thipataya Party leader Prachai Leophairatana who questioned his party's defeat in proportionate votes in Zone 6 covering Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan.