By-election canceled

PHUKET: The by-election for Phuket Voting District 2, which includes all areas outside of Phuket City and its surrounds, has been canceled following a ruling by the Central Administration Court (CAC) that the by-election had been called at too short notice.

The CAC at 4 pm today announced that all 14 by-elections that were to be held in nine provinces had been canceled.

Dr Prapa Kayee, Head of the Phuket Election Commission (PEC), told the Gazette, “We are rushing to let people in Voting District 2 know that tomorrow’s by-election has been canceled, and we are working to collect the boxes that have already been delivered to polling booths.

“We don’t know what will happen next. We have to wait for the central courts [Supreme Administration and Constitutional Courts] in Bangkok.”

Three candidates had registered for tomorrow’s by-election: Wisut Santikul of the Thai Rak Thai Party, Prayoon Poonchan of the Pattana Chart Thai Party, and Wisut Chanthira from Prachakorn Thai Party.

However, although they were allowed to run in the election, K. Prayoon and Wisut Chanthira had yet be cleared by the Supreme Court following complaints that they were ineligible to run.

“We have yet to receive the Supreme Court’s decision as to whether they [were eligible] to run in the election. I believe the Court has been busy in deciding whether to cancel the election tomorrow,” Dr Prapa added.