Bangkok governor handed "yellow card", EC seeks court's approval for new gubernatorial election

BANGKOK, March 11 (TNA) - The Election Commission of Thailand (EC) has given a "yellow card" to incumbent Bangkok Governor M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra for his alleged violation of the local election law and sought an Appeal Court ruling on a new gubernatorial election. The EC made the decision, with the majority vote of 3:2, at its meeting on Tuesday, reasoning that M.R. Sukhumbhand was found to frame his opponents during his gubernatorial electoral campaigns and should be, thus, disqualified to be the Bangkok governor for the second term. The election agency acknowledged that there was no strong evidence and it is, therefore, seeking an approval from the Court of Appeals Region 1 for holding a new election of the Bangkok governor in which M.R. Sukhumbhand could contest again. Meanwhile, the EC also resolved to organize new elections in Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Prachuap Khiri Khan Provinces on April 5 and in Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phuket, Satun, Phang-nga and Ranong Provinces on April 27, while waiting for the Constitution Court's ruling on what action it should take for 28 constituencies in the Thai South, where no candidates registered for the February 2 general election. (TNA)