BANGKOK, DEC 18 (TNA) – Thailand’s Foreign Ministry will
not invite foreign observers to monitor the upcoming election, says Foreign
Minister Don Pramudwinai, amid growing calls foreign observers to ensure
fairness and transparency in the polls.
Don reiterated that foreign election observers were not
needed as their presence would suggest Thailand’s incapability to hold free and
fair election.
Thailand was a dignified country and had considerable
experiences in holding election, Don said on Tuesday.
The Foreign Minister stressed that the government had never
barred foreign observers.
However, whether to invite any observers would be the duty
of the Election Commission, not the Foreign Ministry, he said, adding that he
would suggest the Commission to allow foreign diplomat to observe the polling.
An election commissioner said on Monday there had been no
requests by foreign entities to observe the election. Thailand’s Election Commission has normally
invited election commissioners of other countries as observers to ensure
transparency.
Civil groups and political parties have increasing called
for foreign observers to monitor the general election tentatively scheduled for
February 24, which will be the first since the 2014 military coup, to enhance
the credibility of the Thai election process.
Earlier over the weekend, Don said that developed countries
including Japan and Singapore did not have foreign observers monitoring their
national elections.(TNA)
