The Election Commission is downright hopeless. It seems unable to learn from its mistakes and continues to act as if it is collaborating in a process to steal an election. No wonder it faces a challenge (that the junta will simply see off as it controls all agencies involved).
The EC has said no further election results can be issued despite “counting the remaining 5 per cent of votes…”. EC secretary-general Jarungwit Phumma was quoted as saying this is “due to complaints of irregularities in some constituencies…”. The EC says it has 146 complaints. It is unclear – the EC is deliberately opaque – whether this includes the 100 or so complaints it had about pre-polling. He also said that the EC would “investigate” all complaints before 9 May, the legal deadline for announcing final results.
Apparently, although this is also unclear, there will be a final vote announcement sometime on Thursday, with EC secretary-general Jarungwit Phumma saying that the EC needed “examine votes for all candidates…”.
It isn’t clear what this might mean.146 complaints to be checked by 9 May but all votes being “examined” by today Bangkok time? Is the EC flustered, hopeless at communication, poorly reported, a bunch of dunces, under orders or conniving in cheating? Take your pick and think of combinations.
Meanwhile complaints pile up about the election and the EC, with the Thammasat University Students Union having “denounced the EC for its inefficient and opaque work during the election.”
EC president Ittiporn Boonpracong found it necessary to reject “speculation that the irregularities could lead to the annulling of the election.” Elections have been annulled for far less in the past, but that was in 2006 and by a politicized judiciary on yellow shirt complaints. The situation now is likely in the hands of the junta and it will do what it thinks serves its interests.
Nothing about the EC is transparent, clear or pellucid.
Political Prisoners in Thailand 