Fourth Poll in Suphan Buri as Thailand's Corrupt Senate Elections Go for Another Try at Honesty by Phairath Khampha 30 June 2000 A fourth round of Senate elections was required in Thailand's Suphanburi and other provinces because election authorities found incriminating evidence of electoral fraud in the June 4 ballot, highly-placed sources said on June 6. Thus even after the third round of the Senate Elections there were corrupt activities and fraud and it seems impossible for the Thais to clean up their act during elections. It was a further demonstration that Thai politics are all but a democracy and politicians just buy their way into power. Investigative officials with the Election Commission said there was substantial evidence indicating candidate Manas Rungruang committed electoral offences in the third round of the Senate poll. They had found evidence Manas offered 50 Baht to voters and threw parties for voters before the election, as well as giving away clocks. The clocks had the message "Best Wishes for the year 2000 from Banharn Silapa-archa" on them. Officials believe Manas has close connections with Banharn, the Chat Thai Party leader. Banharn, a former prime minister, is famous for his venal behaviour, corruption and nepotism and is colloquially referred to by the people of Suphanburi as "the Godfather", and for good reason, The EC refused to endorse Manas as a winner in the second round of Senate elections after he was found to have committed electoral fraud. The candidatecould be deprived of the right to contest further by-elections if the EC disqualified him, or refused to endorse him again. The EC commissioners decided whether to permanently terminate Manas' right on the condition that the scale of electoral frauds committed were the big influence that lead him to win the most votes, the source said. EC sources said the commission had been unable to find incriminating evidence against Senate candidates in Maha Sarakam and Nong Khai, even though there were many complaints against them. An official said the commission was likely to endorse the winners of the ballots in Maha Sarakam and Nong Khai. EC commissioner Yuwarat Kamolwej rejected a comment by fellow commissioner Sawat Chotipanit that a fourth poll might be called in Nong Khai and Ubon Ratchathani. Yuwarat said the comment was only Sawat's personal opinion. Election officials were still investigating complaints of vote-buying against three Senate candidates in Ubon Ratchathani, including the wife of Justice Minister Suthas Ngenmuen, Chaweewan Ngernmuen, who was disqualified as winner in the second round of elections. The third round of elections in Ubon Ratchathani saw more complaints of vote-buying than the two previous rounds, the official said. EC orders yet another round Thailand's Election Commission (EC) ordered yet another round of Senate by-elections in four provinces, including Maha Sarakham, where a vote-buying witness committed suicide. Following a marathon meeting on June 8, the EC ordered new by-elections in Maha Sarakham, where Prawat Thongsomboon was the winner in the last by-election, Udon Thani (Chairat Soda), Nong Khai (Sirirat Chuklin) and Ubon Ratchathani (Maitree Naiyakul). Prawat, Chairat and Sirirat automatically lost their right to compete in the next by-election because they all had been disqualified once before for having committed the same crimes. Maliwan Ngernmuen, wife of Justice Minister Suthas Ngernmuen, was endorsed by the Election Commission. Her victory was suspended following the March 4 election in Ubon Ratchathani and she then lost in the subsequent by-election. The EC suspended the results of that by-election in the province and ordered another round of voting. Manas Rungrueng, who is close to corrupt Chat Thai leader Banharn Silapa-archa, finally came through in Suphan Buri, getting the EC's endorsement. Kavi Suptira was endorsed in Khon Kaen, as was Ubon Uasri in Nakhon Ratchasima. The EC yesterday also endorsed Noppadol Somboon and Nikhom Chaokittisopon (Lampang), Niphon Suthidej (Amnat Charoen) and Amorn Nilprem (Ubon Ratchathani). The new round of by-elections took place on June 18, with advance voting having taken place the second weekend of June. Before the announcement of the election results on June 8, Senator-elect for Suphan Buri province Manas Rungruang reported to the EC to deny allegations he had violated election laws. Manas told reporters after meeting with commission members that he told them he was not supported by an influential figure in Suphan Buri as was alleged in one complaint. "Such a complaint was false and intended to damage my reputation," he said. Senator-elect Ubol Uasri from Nakhon Ratchasima province also met with EC members on June 8 to be questioned about allegations of fraud in the last Senate election. Ubol said the votes he received clearly showed a mandate from the people of Nakhon Ratchasima who wanted to see a clean and fair election. "I am confident in my innocence. I did not cheat in the election and all Nakhon Ratchasima voters know that," he said.