Vote-buyers top up credit

       Reports of vote-buying and intimidation mounted in some provinces yesterday as poll organisers mobilised resources to ensure today's country-wide local elections are clean and fair.
       People across the country go to polling stations today to elect members of 2,959 tambon administrative organisations.
       The polls, in which more than 117,000 people are vying for TAO seats and more than 6,400 people are running for TAO mayoral posts, are expected to be fierce in several areas.
       Prasit Kotchakotra, chairman of Kalasin provincial election committee, said vote-buying allegations surfaced in many areas as the polls approached.
       More than 200 million baht was believed to have changed hands to elect members of 98 TAOs, he said.
       Gen Weerawut Songsai, chairman of Nakhon Ratchasima provincial election committee, said canvassers had come up with a new form of vote-buying.
       Instead of handing out cash, the campaigners transferred call credits to voters'mobile phones, which made it more difficult to track vote-buying, he noted.
       In Kamphaeng Phet's Kosamphinakhon district, Sithon Piarodwong, clerk of tambon Lan Dok Mai administrative organisation, said police and election staff would be deployed at polling stations.
       He said the contest was fierce because three candidates are running for mayor.
       Prapun Naigowit, member of the Election Commission, said the poll agency would use all the resources at its disposal to ensure fair elections.
       In the northeastern province, elections are being held at 100 TAOs in 26 districts.
       EC member Sodsri Sattayatham said the provincial committee would look into a complaint against local election staff in Nakhon Ratchasima for failing to be politically neutral.
       Election staff in tambon Polkrang in Muang district were accused of favouritism.
       Mrs Sodsri, who inspected poll preparations in Nakhon Ratchasima yesterday, said she had told election panels to strictly enforce the law.