Officials Warned To Be Neutral During Election

[george]

Thai officials warned to be neutral during general election

BANGKOK: -- The Thai government has warned the country’s provincial authorities not to abuse their power or take sides during the general election campaign.

”Provincial governors, district chiefs and other officials must remain neutral and not take sides by helping any political party’s campaign in

their jurisdiction,” Interior Minister Bhokin Bhalakula told the ministry officials across the country during a teleconference on Thursday.

He ordered the officials to help the government guarantee the general election on 6 February would be clean.

Dark influential persons, acting as canvassers for political parties, should be closely monitored and warned not to use dirty tricks to win votes, he

stressed.

If any province cannot handle these people or there is widespread vote-buying, the central government will help the local authorities ensure the election’s fairness.

Academics and political experts have predicted the forthcoming general election could one of the dirtiest elections in Thailand's democratic history.

Many have already dubbed it ‘the grey election”, fearing heavy vote-buying and other illegal tricks, as the political parties try to win in what is lkely to be cut throat competition.

--TNA 2004-12-10