Digital wallet scheme does not violate election laws: EC
The Election Commission (EC) has dismissed complaints that Pheu Thai Party’s 10,000-baht digital wallet scheme violated election laws, a news source familiar with the matter said on Monday.
The complaints were separately filed by three individuals, namely Srisuwan Janya, secretary-general of the Society for Defence of Thai Constitution, Reungkrai Leekijwatana, former MP candidate of Palang Pracharath Party, and Sonthiya Sawasdee, a member of United Thai Nation Party.
The three accused Pheu Thai Party of using a populist policy in making a false promise to gain votes in the May 14 general election, in violation of the 2018 Organic Act on the Election of Members of the House of Representatives.
Section 73(1) of the Act prohibits procuring, giving, offering to give, promising to give or preparing to give property or any other benefit capable of calculation into monetary value to any person to gain votes.
Section 73(5) also prohibits election candidates from using deception, coercion, threats or slander to mislead voters.
Violation of the sections could result in the party being disbanded.
The source said that during the latest meeting, the election watchdog resolved that the complaints had no merit, as the scheme is part of a campaign policy and does not construe a promise to give.
Pheu Thai was just detailing the policy that it will implement once it becomes the government, said the source, quoting the EC.
The policy of distributing digital money of 10,000 baht to every Thai citizen over 16 was floated by Srettha Thavisin, one of Pheu Thai’s prime ministerial candidates during the campaign before May 14 general election.
The money can be spent only at local businesses within a 4km radius of the citizen’s registered address. The party estimated that about 560 billion baht would be required for the project.
Pheu Thai had earlier explained to the EC, as per election law requirements, how it would fund the scheme.
It said 260 billion baht would come from an estimated increase in state revenue, another 100 billion from taxes earned from the policy’s implementation, 130 billion from budget management, and 90 billion from an overlapping welfare budget.
