EC defends Songkran trips to check advance voting

The Election Commission (EC) has taken flak after all six of its members flew abroad over the Songkran holiday using taxpayers’ money to conduct inspection visits.

Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, a former election commissioner and an MP candidate for the Seri Ruam Thai Party, said yesterday that EC members travelling overseas during the Songkran festival was an inappropriate use of the public’s money.

Mr Somchai also queried whether they had visited the countries that seemed to have experienced the most problems during the last election or those with the biggest population of Thai residents.

Regardless, he said the timing of the move was improper as the general election has not yet got underway.

If they just wanted to attend any meetings to learn about any problems being faced…