Former election commissioner Somchai Srisuttiyakorn has withdrawn his candidacy for secretary-general of the Election Commission after he was informed that he was not qualified to run for the post.
because he used to be vice rector of Thammasat University.
Mr Somchai said today (April 22) that he was informed by the screening panel that he did not meet qualification requirements because he had never held a position at the supervisory management level although he used to be a vice rector of Thammasat University.
The panel explained that the vice rector position was not a supervisory management position under the EC’s definition.
Mr Somchai said he had already notified the selection panel about the withdrawal of his candidacy and that he would not appeal against the EC’s resolution.
He explained that, if he appealed to the Administrative Court, the selection process for the new EC secretary-general would be further delayed, which would affect all parties concerned.
The former election commissioner said he suspected some powers-that-be in the country didn’t want him to work with the EC because he is straightforward and is not hesitant to criticize anything which he finds to be not right.
In order to not cause any difficulty to the selection committee and the remaining incumbent four election commissioners, he said that his withdrawal from the race for the secretary-general’s post is the best option under the present circumstances.
As for himself, he said that he will look for a new job that suits his qualifications – be it in the academic or political field.
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