Samut Prakan Candidate Demands Election Recount Over Discarded Materials

MGR Online•Politics•1d ago

Reader Briefing

A candidate in Samut Prakan's District 6 alleges electoral irregularities and calls for a vote recount after election materials and voter lists were discovered in a garbage dump.

•Weerapat, a candidate for District 6, Samut Prakan, representing the 'Orange Party' (People's Party), has petitioned the Election Commission (EC) for a recount.
•The request stems from the discovery of election materials, including vote scoring sheets and voter lists from Buriram, discarded in a landfill in Samut Prakan.
•He also cited other irregularities, such as a polling officer allegedly replacing his name at a polling station.
•The candidate questions the purpose and effectiveness of the EC's overseas study trips on electoral transparency.

Overview

•Weerapat, a candidate for Election District 6, Samut Prakan for the People's Party, submitted a request to the Election Commission (EC).
•The request was made due to the discovery of election documents, including vote scoring sheets and voter lists from Buriram, discarded in a landfill in Samut Prakan.
•Weerapat also cited other irregularities, such as the replacement of his name at a polling station, for which a complaint was already lodged with the Samut Prakan EC.
•An investigation into the discovery of discarded election materials in the landfill was reportedly initiated on February 14, following the discovery.
•Weerapat stated that the EC should conduct a recount or a new election due to the irregularities discovered.
•Weerapat questioned the value of the EC's study trips to Switzerland, suggesting they were not conducive to improving electoral transparency in Thailand.
•The candidate also referenced past electoral management issues, such as the Election Commission managing the last provincial administrative organization election on a Saturday.
•Weerapat hopes the EC will listen to his petition and proceed with a recount as desired by the local constituents.

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Source: MGR Online (Original)

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Key Quotes

Weerapat

"Therefore, it is seen that the EC should conduct a recount or a new election."

จึงเห็นว่า กกต.ควรจะมีการนับคะแนนใหม่ หรือ เลือกตั้งใหม่

Weerapat

"I therefore suspect whether the EC's study trip to manage elections and referendums was in vain."

ตนจึงตั้งข้อสงสัยว่าการไปดูงานของ กกต. เพื่อจัดการเลือกตั้ง จัดการทำประชามติ เสียเปล่าหรือไม่

Key Entities

Person

Weerapat(วีรภัทร)

Candidate for Election District 6, Samut Prakan, representing the People's Party.

Organization

Election Commission (EC)(กกต.)ℹ️

The electoral body responsible for overseeing elections in Thailand, petitioned by candidate Weerapat.

People's Party(พรรคประชาชน)

The political party represented by candidate Weerapat in Samut Prakan District 6.

Lad Luang City Municipality(เทศบาลเมืองลัดหลวง)

The municipality whose closed area was used as a landfill where election materials were found dumped.

Samut Prakan Election Commission(กกต.สมุทรปราการ)

The provincial branch of the Election Commission to which initial complaints regarding irregularities were made.

Samut Prakan Provincial Administrative Organization(อบจ.สมุทรปราการ)

An organization for which the Election Commission previously managed an election, cited as an example of past opaque practices.

Place

Samut Prakan District 6(เขต 6 สมุทรปราการ)

The electoral district in Samut Prakan where candidate Weerapat is contesting and alleges irregularities.

Buriram Province(จังหวัดบุรีรัมย์)ℹ️

The province from which voter lists were reportedly found discarded in Samut Prakan.

Timeline

Last Year(ปีที่ผ่านมา)

Refers to the period when the Election Commission reportedly undertook a study trip to Switzerland.