Senate poll big step toward Thai democracy<\/p>\n
BANGKOK (AP): Thailand's first Senate election was hailed on
\nSunday as a major step toward full-fledged democracy, despite
\nrampant vote-buying and victories by wives of Cabinet ministers,
\nprovincial godfathers and suspected underworld figures.<\/p>\n
Observers praised the unprecedented voter turnout - at least
\n70 percent by the Election Commission's unofficial count - and
\nwins by independently-minded social workers, human rights
\nactivists, academics and technocrats with sterling reputations.<\/p>\n
The commission, double-checking figures and compiling ballots
\nfrom some outlying provinces, said official results would be
\nannounced late Sunday or Monday, but it did not expect any major
\nchanges.<\/p>\n
"A new chapter of Thai politics has just been opened," said
\nformer Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun, key architect of the
\nreformist 1997 Constitution that Saturday's Senate elections put
\nto the test for the first time.<\/p>\n
The contest for 200 Senate seats among 1,521 candidates was
\nseen as one between the people's emerging power and traditional
\nmoney politics. The election for the Senate, authorized to act as
\na powerful watchdog over the political scene, does not affect the
\nmake-up of Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai's government.<\/p>\n
The winners included slum worker Pratheep Ungsongtham and
\nMechai Viravaidya, internationally recognized for his birth
\ncontrol and anti-AIDS campaigns. Also elected was human rights
\nlawyer Thongbai Thongpao, one of four winners of the Magsaysay
\nAward, Asia's equivalent of the Nobel Prize, who will enter the
\nSenate.<\/p>\n
Observers said such people, who have no connections with power
\nbrokers, would serve as a counter-weight to those seeking to move
\nthe Senate toward their self-interests.<\/p>\n
But roughly one-half the winners were closely related by blood
\nor loyalty to politicians or powerful provincial godfathers.<\/p>\n
One was Chaweewan Kanchornprasart, wife of the interior
\nminister, who denied accusations of vote-buying after amassing an
\nunusually large ballot count. Suspected and known underworld
\nfigures also took seats in the new body.<\/p>\n
But Saiyud Kerdpol, an official of one watch group, called the
\nelection "a very good start," with senators coming from many
\nwalks of life. While acknowledging the vote-buying, Saiyud said
\nthe new enthusiasm for democracy had "disappointed" many who had
\ntried to buy votes.<\/p>\n
While voting was mandatory, penalties were largely symbolic
\nand many voters had to travel for hours aboard packed buses and
\ntrains to reach poll stations at their homes of record. The cost
\nof travel in most cases was higher than any cash corrupt
\ncanvassers could offer.<\/p>\n
An editorial from Sunday's editions of The Nation newspaper
\ncalled Saturday's election "a watershed in the ongoing democratic
\ndevelopment in Thailand."<\/p>\n
Still, the Election Commission and independent watch groups
\nreceived thousands of calls complaining about vote-buying, fraud
\nand other irregularities.<\/p>\n
Dubbed "ghost voting," several hundred voters turned up at
\npolls only to find their ballots had already been filled out.<\/p>\n
Commission member Gothom Arya told The Associated Press that
\ninvestigations would be launched, with those found guilty of
\nfraud facing jail terms of up to 10 years.<\/p>\n
The election was the first test of political reform under
\nThailand's 1997 constitution, which attempts to increase
\ncitizens' participation in politics while limiting the influence
\nof money and special interests.<\/p>",
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