Election Commission Sets up Anti-Fake News Center

BANGKOK, May 2 (TNA) – The Election Commission (EC) has opened the anti-fake news center ahead of national polls slated for May 14.

Election commissioners Pakorn Mahannop and Thitichet Nuchnart told a news conference that the newly-established center will gather information that tarnishes the image of the EC and its officials and will clarify the operation of the EC to create understanding and confidence among the public.

Thitichet said the center would scrutinize the content and provide facts to counter fake news which also emerged during the election four years ago and damaged trust in the EC. Legal action was taken against the culprits.

People can express their opinions but they must not disseminate fake information, slander or defame the EC, he said.

In response to comments about the EC work, Pakorn explained about the details of the ballot papers that the EC did not design the ballot papers but the organic law on the election of MPs stipulate the details of the ballot papers.

The purple ballot papers, which will be used for constituency-based MPs contain the numbers of the candidates without their names and the party’s logos. The green papers for party-listed MPs will have the party names and logos.

He denied the rumour that the EC printed seven milllion books of spare ballot sheets. He said there were five million spare ballot sheets in total.  Almost four million spare ballot sheets will be distributed to about 100,000 polling units including those for officials at polling stations to cast their ballots.

The rest of about one million spare ballot sheets are prepared for printing error.

The spare ballot sheets are prepared for the smooth election and there is no election fraud regarding ballot papers. After the polls close, each polling unit will report the number of ballot sheets used at the respective polling units, said the election commissioner. (TNA)