A guide to patterns of cheating in Thai ELECTIONS

14/2/2549

by Sunai Phasuk

Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL)

Pre-election scenario in Thailand shows a picture of contradiction. On the one hand, there exists the growing understanding by the public that a clean, free and fair electoral process is essential for the realization of a system of democratic governance based on "the rule of the people, by the people and for the people". Bad elections, on the contrary, are seen as the root cause of cronyism, corruption and a political system that lacks professional and ethical qualifications to serve and protect people’s interests.

Yet efforts of the Election Commission, related government agencies and various people’s organizations to uphold the integrity of elections are running at odd with "bad candidates" that determine to win at all costs.
Records from previous elections and media reports about the upcoming elections clearly indicate that cheating is seen by these electioneers as the deciding factor for victory at the polls. Common cheating techniques include:

1. Vote Buying

A. Vote Buying in Cash

• Candidates distribute packets of cash between 100 and 2,000 baht to voters accompanied by information about themselves. This practice is usually carried out through village headmen, Kamnan and the network of canvassers. Vote buying money is usually paid to voters in return for their sworn allegiance.

• In some cases, money is paid as a contribution to a village fund.

• Candidates may send postal orders to eligible voters or ask voters to open a bank account so money can be transferred into it.

• There are also reports that candidates organize chit funds in which participating voters are bound to benefit. Candidates use their network of canvassers to give loans to voters under the agreement to terminate repayment clauses when they win. This practice is also known as "green harvesting".

• Candidates buy ID cards from voters and use these ID cards in their favor on the election day. Candidates may also hold ID cards of voters known to be supporters of rivals in return for cash and return their ID cards after the balloting. This practice is known as negative vote buying or buying abstention.

• Candidates pay a daily allowance to voters to attend party seminars and discussion panels. Candidates also pay party membership for voters and then pay them a "salary" in return for "party jobs". These
  voter are often told that it is illegal for party members not to vote for their parties.

• Widespread election gambling is encouraged in a village. Canvassers hold "MP stakes" and deliberately offer lucrative odds on their own candidates to influence the betting.

B. Vote Buying in "Kind"

• In addition to the use of cash, vote buying can also exist in "kind" when candidates distribute containers of water, metal food containers, watches, clothes, sports equipment, tires, cement, kitchen implements, water-coolers, poultry, fertilizers, bags of rice, flood relief supplies, Amphetamine pills, etc to voters. These items are sometimes distributed without name cards of candidates. Canvassers simply inform recipients verbally that the handouts were compliments of their candidates to avoid the awkward consequence of getting caught red-handed.

• Motorcycle taxi men are given riding jackets they need to avoid having to pay extortion money.

• New pickup trucks and motorcycles are given to canvassers.

C. Voting Bribery

• Expressions of generosity as a measure to win votes can be seen as voting bribery.

• Lavish banquets and parties are held. In some cases, voters are requested to pay for these banquets and parties a nominal entry fee about 10 baht per person to disguise as charity events.

• To increase their popularity among voters, candidates sometimes provide scholarships to students and education materials to schools in the constituency as a show of generosity and commitment to community development.

• Community development services as well as the construction and maintenance of public facilities are provided by candidates.

• Generous donations are made for funeral services, wedding parties or community charities to boost support of candidates among voters.

• Candidates pay religious centers for their congregations to pray for them. At the same time, basic necessities or gifts are amassed at local religious centers for distribution to voters along with incense sticks to make voters fear that they would suffer ill luck if they accept these items without voting for candidates who provide them.

• In some areas, free concert or entertainment shows tickets are handed out and ticket-holders can also take home their seats or souvenirs after the show.

• Free trips and vocational training are organized for voters.

• Free medical care, hair cuts, perms and dental treatment are provided.

• Farm products are bought at inflated prices.

• Free transportation is provided to voters in the constituency on the polling day.

2. Misinformation

• Voters are inform by candidates that valid ballots for a party list election and a constituency based election have to be in the same number only.

• Candidates invite voters to become party members and inform these voters that it is illegal for party members not to vote for their parties.

• Candidates spread false information to voters about the Election Commission decision to disqualify rival candidates.

• Candidates orchestrate vote buying or cheating incidents using the name of rival candidates in the constituency to get the Election Commission to sanction their rivals.

3. Intimidation, Thuggery and Violent Actions? Candidates, canvassers and their supporters are threatened not to compete or run election campaigns in the constituency. Posters, campaign materials and vehicles are vandalized. Voters attending campaign rally of rival candidates are also intimidated.

• Violent actions, particularly in forms of assault and murder, against rival candidates and canvassers are used as a desperate measure when competition is so fierce that intimidation fails to create competitive edge in the constituency.

• Witnesses and related government officials are threatened so that they would not report or take action against fraudulent activities.

4. Partisan Conducts of Election Officers and Government Officials

• Candidates could use their money and influence to have related government officials to act in their favors. At provincial, constituency and polling station levels, government officials are often acquainted to candidates and canvassers. In some cases, these officials may opt for inactive approaches in handling election administration by not taking decisive action against fraudulent activities for fear that their careers, personal interests and safety would be subject to retaliation. But in most cases, government officials
  are also members of the patronage network and they act to serve their patrons that run for an election in the constituency. This is the main cause of dishonest handling of the balloting by election officers and related government officials. Election officers and related government officials turn blind eyes to violations committed by their patrons while overtly taking tough stance against rival candidates.

• Prior to the polling day, additional names are wrongfully filled in the house register as a measure to assist candidates to bring in phantom voters. In some cases, even a deserted house is reported to have more than 10 names of residents. For the same purpose, ID cards are wrongfully issued to persons
  that do not have the right to vote in the constituency. Foreign immigrants and factory workers are provided with ID cards and told to vote for certain candidates.

• Government officials sometimes involve in the dissemination of false information about election process, qualification of candidates, etc to increase competitive edge for their patrons. For example, these officials help their patrons in spreading false information to voters about the Election Commission decision to disqualify rival candidates. In some cases, these officials talk to voters while attending election education sessions or community activities that that valid ballots for a party list election and a constituency based election have to be in the number of their patrons only.

• The smuggling of ballot papers, multiple voting, phantom voting and tampering of ballot boxes are possible only with cooperation from dishonest election officers.