Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07CHIANGMAI202
2007-12-21 08:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Chiang Mai
Cable title:  

ELECTION COMMISSIONS: A TALE OF TWO PROVINCES

Tags:  PGOV TH 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7426
PP RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHCHI #0202/01 3550809
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 210809Z DEC 07
FM AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0629
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RHMFISS/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 0683
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CHIANG MAI 000202 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2017
TAGS: PGOV TH
SUBJECT: ELECTION COMMISSIONS: A TALE OF TWO PROVINCES

REF: CHIANG MAI 200 (Local MOI Official Admits Raids Target PPP and Vote Buying)

CHIANG MAI 00000202 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Alex Barrasso, Chief, Pol/Econ , CG Chiang Mai.
REASON: 1.4 (b)
Classified by Pol/Econ Chief Alex Barrasso for reasons 1.4 (B)
and (D).

-----------------
SUMMARY
-----------------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CHIANG MAI 000202

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2017
TAGS: PGOV TH
SUBJECT: ELECTION COMMISSIONS: A TALE OF TWO PROVINCES

REF: CHIANG MAI 200 (Local MOI Official Admits Raids Target PPP and Vote Buying)

CHIANG MAI 00000202 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Alex Barrasso, Chief, Pol/Econ , CG Chiang Mai.
REASON: 1.4 (b)
Classified by Pol/Econ Chief Alex Barrasso for reasons 1.4 (B)
and (D).

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) At provincial Election Commission of Thailand (ECT)
offices in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai Provinces, we heard two
very different assessments of the road ahead leading up to the
election on December 23 and its aftermath. While the Chiang Rai
ECT's most pressing concern is natural disasters that could
interfere with voters getting to polling stations, Chiang Mai
ECT officials are concerned about having to handle many invalid
ballots and navigating the numerous election law changes since
the most recent elections in 2006. Regardless of how optimistic
they are about their ability to fulfill their mandate, the lack
of resources at these two ECT offices, and general confusion
about the balloting process, make their task an ongoing uphill
battle. End Summary.

-------------- --------------
Chiang Mai: A Tough Road Ahead
-------------- --------------


2. (C) On November 16, Chiang Mai ECT officials briefed
Consulate staff and visiting Bangkok poloff on the challenges
the ECT is facing in this key northern province. They cited two
changes in election laws that have a significant impact on
voters. First, in 2006, loopholes existed in provisions in the
law designed to combat vote buying making only officials
offering the money subject to legal sanction. But now, new
election laws also prohibit citizens from accepting money in
exchange for their votes. The Chiang Mai ECT claimed it is
actively trying to educate the public about this change,
particularly through announcements over loudspeakers in
villages. A second key difference between this election and
previous ones is the existence this year of two ballots -- one
for constituency seats and a second for party list candidates.
According to the ECT, the distribution of these seats means that
in most electoral districts in Chiang Mai province, voters can
select as many as three candidates on the constituency ballot,

while in one district they can only choose two. Chiang Mai
Election Commissioner Pakdee Ratanaphol speculated that this
change, which may not completely be understood by most voters,
would lead to an increase in the number of invalid ballots cast
by a confused electorate. In the last election, he noted that
three percent of Chiang Mai provincial ballots were deemed
invalid; this time, he expects that figure to rise to five
percent.

--------------
Investigations and Monitoring
--------------


3. (C) Pakdee said he also had several concerns about dispute
adjudication. First, investigations eat up resources and time.
Pakdee asserted that the Chiang Mai ECT only has 20 employees
for the entire province, five of whom are investigators tasked
with investigating election law violations. He said they will
be counting on significant support from the military and police
if they have to carry out any investigations. Furthermore,
Pakdee noted that legal action would have to follow any
investigation, requiring expertise the provincial ECT does not
possess. Lastly, he was concerned that the entire dispute
adjudication process could delay the announcement of final
election results.


4. (C) Pakdee said there would be six NGOs contracted by the
government observing the elections in Chiang Mai. He said he
was not aware of other "official" observers that would be in the
province. (Note: The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL)
plans to deploy at least one observer team to the province. End
note.) Pakdee said the government had set aside 99 million Baht
(approximately USD 2.9 million) for election monitoring
nation-wide. Of this amount, Chiang Mai Province received only
one million Baht (approximately USD 30,000). According to
Pakdee, Chiang Mai Province will have 2,500 polling stations
operating on election day serving approximately 1.6 million
registered voters. Each polling station will be staffed by
approximately 15 people. Representatives of political parties
will also be present to observe the process.

--------------
Chiang Rai: WE CAN DO IT!
--------------

CHIANG MAI 00000202 002.2 OF 002




5. (C) Amornpong Wichitakul at the Chiang Rai Provincial ECT
office told us on December 12 that he has every expectation the
December 23 election will be free and fair. He said there has
been news on TV about vote-buying, but that the ECT does not
have any investigations underway. Press reports alleging bias
on the part of government officials toward certain candidates
were untrue, he said, as were reports in November that eight
Provincial Government officials had been transferred because of
such biases. (Note: In late November, a journalist told us that
two of these officials (Assistant Subdistrict Officers) had
indeed comported themselves in a manner favorable to the
People's Power Party, leading to their transfer. End Note.)


6. (C) Amornpong said the Chiang Rai ECT has 22 employees
responsible for overseeing the province's 1,863 polling stations
and approximately 840,000 registered voters. He confirmed that
NGOs would be observing voting on election day, adding that
observers can deter any attempt to manipulate results.
Representatives of political parties, police, and students would
also serve as witnesses at polling stations, he affirmed.
Though he admitted that vote-buying techniques had become more
sophisticated, he expressed confidence in the ability of ECT
staff, with support from the police and military, to investigate
complaints of improprieties. Like Pakdee in Chiang Mai,
Amornpong did express concern about voters not understanding
election processes. He said that the Chiang Rai ECT was making
use of the media in cooperation with the Ministry of the
Interior and local leaders to educate voters about how to
properly mark ballots. When we asked what his biggest concern
was about election day, Amornpong quickly responded it was that
rainfall or other natural disasters like landslides might
prevent voters from getting to polling stations. (Comment:
This strikes us as disingenuous at best given that (a) it's the
dry season and (b) Chiang Rai has been rife with reports of
alleged campaign irregularities, including intimidation tactics
by the army and police - see Chiang Mai 200. End Comment).

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


7. (C) Amornpong was far more optimistic about polling in Chiang
Rai going smoothly than was Pakdee about the situation in Chiang
Mai. Amornpong appeared to dismiss our questions about
vote-buying and other irregularities, whereas Pakdee was more
forthcoming about the difficult task ahead. Pakdee has
significantly more election experience than Amornpong, having
worked for the Ministry of the Interior and served as a Vice
Governor several times before joining the ECT. We believe that
the problems Pakdee pointed out (confusion over filling out
ballots and lack of resources to investigate complaints) are
likely to figure more prominently in the results of the December
23 elections than any natural disaster. Overseeing such a large
operation with so few staff on election day, and carrying out
proper investigations of complaints, are likely to remain
significant challenges for these two ECTs.
MORROW