August 2006 : Democrat announced public agenda for poll campaign Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva announced a public agenda as the mainstay of its election policy while the Senate appointed a 22 members panel to investigate qualifications and backgrounds of the nominees for the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) and Election Commission (EC). The 10 Election Commission candidates revealed their key viewpoints on how they would handle the general election to a Senate’s scrutinizing panel. Caretaker PM sacked Gen Pallop Pinmanee deputy director of the Internal Security Operation Command (Isoc) after police detained a military security officer on in a car loaded with explosives and charged him with assassination plot against the PM. Caretaker Public Health Minister Pinij Charusombat said he would not accept a portfolio, including cabinet members, in the next government but would serve as a party-list MP. The Election Commission allowed using video conferencing in polling campaign. The three southern provinces were unrest though Gen Prem Tinsulanondha president of Privy Council and statesman went to meet with Muslim leaders from 5 southern provinces to discuss bringing peace. A research revealed that violence in the three southern provinces during 2004-2005 has an impact on migration out of number of people mostly to the district of Had Yai in Songkhla province and 20 bombs went off in 20 commercial bank branches in Yala’s 5 districts taking one life and many casualties. Political parties’ policies and strategies Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva on August 9 reasserted his party’s policies to reduce people’s cost of living, including a cut in oil prices. He announced a “public agenda” as the mainstay of its election policy that aims to provide free basic education and better universal health care free of charge. He said good management and administration would reduce unnecessary cost such as that imposed by corruption, which he described as the most expensive tax, and one that people should not have to pay. The Democrats would bring in new-style leaders and policies that put the people first, he said, adding that politicians must be honest, decisive, quick and careful but also aware of the facts and ready to listen to all parties’ opinions. With PTT Plc mostly owned by the state, Abhisit said it could increase its dividend from 30 to 50 percent of its profit and put it towards paying the debt amassed by the Oil Fund. Oil prices could then be reduced by Bt 0.5-2.5 per liter. The Democrat also propose higher minimum wages and a new formula for electricity charges as the minimum wage in Bangkok, currently Bt 184 per day, should be increased by Bt 13 for increased skills and business owners could still make a profit if they had to increase wages. The party would extend the benefits of people receiving social security to their family members. This would reduce the number of people relying on universal healthcare, even though the budget would remain the same, allowing improvements in services. The government would need more than Bt 20 billion to fund free basic education, he said, while the state enterprises being privatized must be regulated by official independent from administrators and Democrats would not privatize organizations with monopoly businesses or national assets such as dams and expropriated land. Regards to all problems, crisis would be turned into opportunities, especially in the three restive south, for example, the party would promote trading areas along the southern border and develop an international center for Islamic education. Unscrupulous government officers in the South must be punished to increase local people’s trust in government officials. Finally, the Democrats would also revise free-trade agreements with other countries and consider comments from Parliament and the public before agreements were signed. It would also ask the US government to delay an agreement if necessary. On August 27 the Democrat revealed transportation policy cost 265 Bt billion for Bangkok residents by constructing 7 mass transit lines network totaled 139 kilometers. All fares should reasonable and complementary. The Democrat later in August 31 announced its policies for political and media reform. To solve the problem of politicians’ conflict of interest, the constitution should be amended to allow an easier checks-and-balances system in the Parliament and people’s participation. No confidence debates against a prime minister and ministers should be reduced request of one-tenth of House members votes and political party contribution from any donor should be limited of Bt10 million annually. The wives and immature children of Members of Parliament should disclose benefits the received from business connections, as well as MPs themselves. Immediately following the next election, Democrat will sign up to request an amendment to Article 313, opening the way for amendment of other sections by a group of 30-50 panel members politically neutral. For media reform the Democrat will propose amendments to the law to protect media professionals from threats and interference. Meanwhile, Thai Rak Thai disclosed its strategy in the upcoming general election that the party would stipulate party list cores in each province to assist in campaigning. Later the party promised if they become government again they would feature 10 electric-train route covering a stretch of 300 kilometers across Bangkok with a flat rate fare of B15 per one ride. Mahachon party stated their policies on 1. Social reform; to establish social securities in free education for 12 years, nationwide educational standard and decentralization of education management by not transform to local authorities, health security by free health care to the poor while the people who have should share the cost, medical standard nationwide and grantee on rights in accord to the constitution through public participation 2. economic reform; promoting self sufficient concept and moderate spending, set up applicable energy consumption, tax reform to justice and penalty to tax invaders and public debt relief 3. political reform; constitutional amendment completed within 18 months, PM under scrutiny, independent organs free from political influence, increase penalty on corruption and no-limit on political cases. Chart Thai party disclosed its political reform policy in 2 parts: 1. urban area concerning social, rights and freedom, justice and good governance by anti-corruption, social securities in education and public health. 2. rural area focusing on infrastructure and increase household income. For the three southern provinces urgent policies on 1. social sector; set up an urgent appeal body to promote justice 2. administration sector; set up a special administrative body 3. economic sector; development of labor forces to serve Muslim nations, and 4. integration of education and culture which is a sensitive issue starting from public hearing. Senate to vote on NCCC and EC HM King Bhumiphol endorsed a royal decree to open the special Senate session on August 15 to appoint a 22 members panel to investigate qualifications and backgrounds of the nominees for the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) and Election Commission (EC). Previously, the 83 judges panel meeting submitted a short list of 10 nominees to the Senate to vote to become 5 Election Commissioners. They were Wicha Mahakhun, Chief justice of the Supreme Court’s Juvenile and Family Division, Wasan Soipisut, Head of the Supreme Court’s Labour Division, Apichat Sukhakkanon, Chief justice of the Supreme Court’s Environment Division, Udom Fuangfung, Senior judge of the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court, Somchai Jungprasert, Supreme Court senior judge, Prapan Naikowit, Deputy attorney-general, Kaewsan Atibodhi, Former senator, Sodsri Satayathum, Chief of the Supreme Court’s judges’ quorum, Sumet Oupanisakorn, Senior judge of the Southern Bangkok Criminal Court and Nam Yimyaem, Former deputy Supreme Courtpresident. Those 10 nominees would have to show their visions, answer questions, reveal their assets and be political neutral. However, the Senate voted 104 to 68 on August 16 to seek a Constitutional Court ruling on the qualifications of 5 NCCC nominees whether they are equivalent to the civil service rank of director-general or not as required by the Constitution. Potential election commissioners’ viewpoints The 10 Election Commission candidates revealed their key viewpoints on how they would handle the general election to a Senate’s scrutinizing panel on August 17 as followed: Wicha Mahakhun: Election commissioners should put fairness and transparency at the top of their agenda. A fair election needs cooperation from local organizations because the EC in Bangkok cannot know each area as well as the local people do. Without clear evidence, the EC will not be able to disqualify cheating candidates. Strong evidence will also enable subsequent voting rounds to be held in time. Wasan Soipisut: There is no need to talk about a revamp of the EC because the new commissioners’ terms will end in about two years. If the Senate picks me as one of the five commissioners, you can trust me that the EC will not surrender to any attempt by politicians to interfere. I have worked as a judge all my life and have never taken sides or worked for any political party. Apichat Sukhakkanon: The EC cannot do a good job without excellent work by local election officials, so the chairmaen of the local ECs nationwide should be questioned about their neutrality. Some who are senior police officers should be replaced by senior judges who are independent of all local bodies. The number of polling stations should be reduced to enable better control. Udom Fuangfung: Disqualifying a candidate dose not require clear evidence like criminal or civil courts do. If the EC finds even a clue leading it to believe that a candidate cheates or attempted to cheat, it has to bot him or her out of the race. However, the EC needs to establish clear criteria on what violetes the election law or which actions deserve punishment for better understanding of EC justice. Somchai Jungprasert: A big change in EC management, particularly concerning local election officials, is unlikely to happen since the new EC has limited time to arrange the October 15 election. The EC should look into urgent problems instead. Local courts and attorneys should help the local ECs in investigating and wrapping up cases of election fraud. Prapan Naikowit: EC officials, police and military officers and election volunteers should be trained in fundamental principles, doing their task and coping with situations, otherwise it will lead to big trouble with the election results subject to protest from parties or candidates. As the next poll is due to take place in October, reforming the EC at this point would cause more problems than it solves. Kaewsan Atibodhi: The EC should look into political parties that exploit government fund for the election campaigns. The former EC turned a blind eye to it. But if I become an EC member, I will not allow it to happen. The EC should also set a standard for disqualifying a candidate. Any action that involves a candidate in electoral fraud, even if he doesn’t commit it himself, should disqualify him. Sumet Oupanisakorn: The local ECs nationwide play a major role in ensuring that an election is administered fairly. If the new ECs failed to control them, the forthcoming election will fail to meet the public expectation that it will be fair to all parties. Facing a crisis of faith, the new commissioners urgently needed to prove that they are neutral and not aligned with any party. Sodsri Satayathum: The new EC should change the rule that the ballot boxes must be carried to a local election centre for vote-counting. Instead, ballots should be counted at the polling stations. This will reduce the chances that the boxes will be switched with ones full of fake ballots. All polling stations should be equipped with closed-circuit TV cameras to prevent cheating during counting. Nam Yimyaem: The new ECs must serve His Majesty the King’s wish to see the country return to peace, so it has to put on a fair election with no fear of bias. As the ten nominees include judges and legal experts, there should not be big concern about disqualifying cheating candidates. They all have lengthy experience in investigation and considering cases. Bomb plot to kill PM failed Police detained a military security officer on August 24 morning in a car loaded with explosives and charged him with assassination plot against caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Later in the afternoon the PM sacked Gen Pallop Pinmanee deputy director of the Internal Security Operation Command [Isoc] without allegation whether he was the mastermind of the plot or not. However, the public was controversy on the assassination due to while one side believes the assassination was real due to TRT cores said, 2 weeks earlier, they knew about the plot while the other doubts it was a set up to distract the media from the incidences of crashes between support and anti Thaksin groups ended on injuries of the anti side. On August 19, during a book-launching at the Siam Paragon complex, Mr. Thaksin was ousted by a group of about 30 people. After he left there was a crash between the pro and anti groups resulted one man was knocked at his mouth. Again, on August 20, there was another crash between the two groups at the Ratchabhat Chankasem University and lastly on August 21 when he opened the TK Park at central World the fight broke shortly after his car left. Three anti-PM protestors, two elderly men and a woman, were taken to the hospital. Political intermission Caretaker Public Health Minister Pinij Charusombat disclosed on August 15 that he would not accept a portfolio, including cabinet members, in the next government to provide an opportunity to younger politicians but he would serve as a party-list MP. However, on the next day after being begged by Thai Rak Thai members, Pinij changed his mind. Pinij also said Somkid Jatusripitak, deputy prime minister and Commerce minister, planned to end his political career at the end of the caretaker government’s tenure and was thinking of becoming a lecturer. Pinij, later apologized Somkid of disclosing his willing but Somkid denied Pinij’s words and confirmed he shall stay in politics. Previously, two prominent legislative figures of Thai Rak Thai, Bowornsak Uwanno, former cabinet secretariat and Wisanu Kraeu-ngam, former deputy prime minister resigned to resume their career as lecturer. The former entered monkhood for a short time. Caretaker Thaksin Shinawatra, being questioned on his political destiny, said he would definitely runs in the first party list candidate but hasn’t made any decision on a portfolio. Polling campaign via video conference Deputy secretariat to the Election Commission Praving Kachajeeva announced the video conferencing technique is now allowed in polling campaign regardless the official’s equipment be used and the campaigning is off-official hours. Prem met southern Muslim leaders Gen Prem Tinsulanondha president of Privy Council and statesman, Gen Surayuth Junnanondha and army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratklin, on August 14, in a meeting with Muslim leaders from 5 southern provinces; Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Songkhla and Satun, agreed to promote educational standard and develop school curriculum in Islamic private schools in order to bring the three southern provinces back to peace. Gen Prem also gave money to support the youth educational activities. Lt. Gen. Ongkorn Thongprasom chief army 4 said in the seminar that problems in the south was deeply rooted for many decades and generations and the concept and ideal of separatists has not changed. Enhanced by state officials mistreat and misunderstanding on the local ways of life, the people were neglected and the situation was worsen because of drugs, illegal trades, local politics conflict and international terrorism. The circumstance should exist due to the terrorists were implanted after the SBPAC and Force 43 disbanded in 2002 but in regards to cooperation of the administration, police and military, many offenders and their network were revealed and arrested and the officials gained more support and information from the locals, for example, 24 arms robbed from army 4 were recovered. However, there is an inadequacy of field officers therefore the army is recruiting local residents to be trained as militants and they shall take care of their villages. Previously, the Islamic committee of the 14 southern provinces and the national Islamic leader co-announced their support on the National Reconciliation Commission’s proposal to bring peace back to the three southern provinces through reconciliation and nonviolence. Mrs Jiraporn Boonnak deputy secretariat to the National Security Council said the state should recognized local people’s needs and their ways of life. Bilingual, Thai and Yawi, should be allowed in Ponoh and Tadeeka and there should be an overall strategy and means to solve the problems. She also said the implementation should comply with policies and focus should be given on unity. Lastly, local residence should be allowed to participate in budget planning. Despite of various endeavors to solve the problems violence in the south still remains daily and on August 2 more than 122 places in the three provinces were attacked leaving 3 policemen died during their railway patrol. Migration in the 3 southern provinces Sakee Pitakchumpol, a researcher to the Institution of Peace Studies, Songkhla Nakarin University in Had Yai, revealed his study, on August 19, on the impact of violence in the three southern provinces that during 2004-2005 a significant number of people had migrated out and majority of them moved to the district of Had Yai in Songkhla province. Reasons behind migration were security, social and economic factors and they chose Had Yai because it is not far, economic prosperous and educational opportunities. However, the newcomers faced difficulties since they might work harder while receiving fewer money and the cost of living in Had Yai is quite high. The migrants also have to adapt to the new environment; language, cultures and traditions. 20 banks bombed in Yala Bombs went off in the late morning of August 31 inside 20 commercial bank branches in Yala’s 5 districts, killing one person and injuring 24 others. The blasts were powerful enough to shattered glass windows and ripped through nearby walls and chairs and tables and all commercials banks in Yala were closed for one day. The banks’ closed-circuit security cameras revealed pictures of some suspects which led to detained of five people Contempt of court jailed The Criminal Court on August 3 jailed four of 14 people for contempt of court after they acted disrespectfully to the court on hearing the verdict against the three former election commissioners on July 25. The court also handed a one-month suspended jail term to Chart Thai deputy leader Chuwit Kamolvisit and filed charges against Thana Benjathikul, caretaker prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s lawyer, for offending the court. All of them are paying the legal price for commiting contempt and offending the Criminal Court over the verdict jailing the commissioners-Wasana Permlarp, Prinya Nakchatree and Veerachai Naewboonnien- for four years for mishandling the April 23 election. All but Mr. Thana were seen berating the court on its premises on July 25. Political party refund Pol Maj Ekachai Warunprapa secretariat to the Office of the EC on August 15 sent letters to 4 political parties; Thai Rak Thai, Democrat, Pan Din Thai and Pattana Chart Thai, requesting their return of political party subsidiary within 15 days. Regards to the chief attorney submitted a petition to the Constitutional Court to disband the 4 political parties, the secretariat, on behalf of the political party registrar, asked them to return the unused fund and report the expenditure on their activities in according to the political party law. In 2006, Thai Rak Thai received Bt 135 million, Democrat Bt 45 million, Pan Din Thai Bt 1.3 million and Pattana Chart Thai Bt. 160 thousands from the fund.