Rights group questions "free and fair" elections in Thailand

Dec 21, 2007, 2:48 GMT

New York - Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Friday questioned whether Thailand's upcoming general election Sunday will be 'free and fair' in light of evidence that the military has interfered in the process.

The New York-based human rights group faulted Thailand's Election Commission for failing to act on growing evidence that the military has tried to undermine the chances of the People Power Party, a political party close to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a coup on September 19, 2006, from winning the election.

HRW noted that a military-backed Constitutional Tribunal on May 30 this year dissolved Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai Party and banned 111 TRT politicians (including Thaksin) from politics for five years for allegedly manipulating the last general election of April 2, 2006.

'The courts dissolved the Thai Rak Thai Party for manipulating the electoral process, but now the junta is doing the same thing,' said Elaine Pearson, Asia deputy director at Human Rights Watch. 'Military leaders are maneuvering to influence voting results and to prevent Thaksin's allies from returning to government.'

Thailand has been under an interim government for the past 15 months, appointed by the military after its September 19, 2006 coup that toppled Thaksin and his cabinet on charges of corruption and dividing the nation.

The junta has promised to restore full democracy this year with a general election scheduled on Sunday.

Despite efforts to destroy Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai political machine, it has reemerged as a player in the upcoming polls in the guise of the People Power Party, deemed a reincarnation of TRT.

The PPP is expected to win the largest number of contested seats Sunday, but may be blocked from leading the next government by a post-polling dissolution, from breaking election laws, or by a coalition of smaller parties teaming up against it to exclude it from power, according to Thai analysts.

Human Rights Watch noted that its been revealed that the junta had issued an internal memo outlining its plan and ordered various operations to harass, block, and discredit the People Power Party and its supporters.

The plan also included the mobilization of army-run television channels, radio stations, intelligence, and security agencies to present reports and circulate rumors discrediting the People Power Party and Thaksin, said HRW.

'By endorsing a plan to discredit and harass political candidates, the junta has violated its legal obligation to remain neutral in the elections,' said Pearson.

People Power Party candidates have claimed harassment and intimidation by the military, but the Election Commission has yet to act on those complaints.

Martial law is still in effect in 31 Thai provinces, mostly Thaksin's political strongholds in the north and northeast of the country, giving the military the right to ban political gatherings, censor the media, and detain people without charge, said the HRW.

'Imposing martial law prevents political parties from competing on a level playing field,' said Pearson. 'Although Thaksin and his allies showed contempt for human rights and democracy, it is up to the Thai voters, not the military, to decide who should govern the country.'