A number of political parties have expressed their disagreement with the Election Commission’s revised constituency boundary mapping in Bangkok, with the Chart Pattana Kla Party threatening to take the case to the Administrative Court seeking to get it revoked.
Atavit Suwanpakdee, deputy leader of Chart Pattana Kla Party, said that, according to the rules, entire districts must be grouped together to form an electoral constituency, adding that, in more than 13 constituencies in Bangkok, the EC has put together several sub-districts to form the boundary of a constituency.
Surachart Thienthong of the Pheu Thai Party said that, in drawing the boundary of a constituency, the EC should put together communities where their people are regularly in contact in the same constituency, not putting together several sub-districts into a constituency.
He also said that the party used to recommend that the EC use the constituency boundary mapping for 2011 or 2014 as the model for this year’s election.
A senior member of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party, Narumon Pinyosinwat, admitted that the EC’s constituency boundary mapping for Bangkok has caused a problem for the selection of the party’s election candidates.
She said that she will discuss the problem with Sakoltee Phattiyakul, the party’s election campaign chief for Bangkok, adding that the party expects to win at least 12 seats in the capital.
Suphachai Jaismut, registrar of the Bhumjaithai Party, admitted that there may be problem in some of Bangkok’s constituencies for the party’s candidates because they may not be familiar with the area or the people due to the revised electoral boundary.
Democrat Party Leader Jurin Laksanawisit, however, said the party will accept every rule imposed by the EC, but the party may make some planning adjustments to fit the revised boundary.
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