Thailand
Bans and limits on private income
Public funding
Regulations of spending
Reporting, oversight and sanctions
| Question | Value |
|---|---|
1. Is there a ban on donations from foreign interests to political parties? |
Code
Yes
Comment
BLANK
|
2. Is there a ban on donations from foreign interests to candidates? |
Code
No
|
3. Is there a ban on corporate donations to political parties? |
Code
No
|
4. Is there a ban on corporate donations to candidates? |
Code
No
|
5. Is there a ban on donations from Trade Unions to political parties? |
Code
No
|
6. Is there a ban on donations from Trade Unions to candidates? |
Code
No
|
7. Is there a ban on anonymous donations to political parties? |
Code
Yes, above certain threshold
Comment
Ban on anonymous donations exceeding THB 4999 [I$ 300].
|
8. Is there a ban on anonymous donations to candidates? |
Code
No data
|
9. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with government contracts to political parties? |
Code
No
Source
Art 71, 'No... enterprise of which the State is a major shareholder... shall make a donation to a political party. An enterprise of which the State is a major shareholder under this Section means the enterprise in which the State is a partner or holds the largest number of shares when compared with each and all of the other partners or shareholders, or where the proportion of the controlled partnership stakes or shares is one-third or more of the total partnership stakes or shares of such enterprise.' (Source: Organic Act on Political Parties, B.E 2550, 2007) |
10. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with government contracts to candidates? |
Code
No
|
11. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with partial government ownership to political parties? |
Code
Yes
Source
Art 71, 'No... enterprise of which the State is a major shareholder... shall make a donation to a political party. An enterprise of which the State is a major shareholder under this Section means the enterprise in which the State is a partner or holds the largest number of shares when compared with each and all of the other partners or shareholders, or where the proportion of the controlled partnership stakes or shares is one-third or more of the total partnership stakes or shares of such enterprise.' (Source: Organic Act on Political Parties, B.E 2550, 2007) |
12. Is there a ban on donations from corporations with partial government ownership to candidates? |
Code
No
|
13. Is there a ban on the use of state resources in favour or against a political party or candidate? |
Code
Yes
Comment
State officials exercising their duties must not favour any candidate or political party.
|
14. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during a non-election specific period? |
Code
No
|
15. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during a non-election specific period, what is the limit? |
Code
Not applicable
|
16. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during an election? |
Code
No
|
17. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a political party during an election, what is the limit? |
Code
Not applicable
|
18. Is there a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a candidate? |
Code
No
|
19. If there is a limit on the amount a donor can contribute to a candidate, what is the limit? |
Code
Not applicable
|
20. Is there a limit on the amount a candidate can contribute to their own election campaign? |
|
21. Is there a limit on in-kind donations to political parties? |
|
22. Is there a limit on in-kind donations to candidates? |
|
23. Is there a ban on political parties engaging in commercial activities? |
|
24. Is there a ban on political parties taking loans in relation to election campaigns? |
|
25. Is there a ban on candidates taking loans in relation to election campaigns? |
|
26. Is there a ban on donors to political parties/candidates participating in public tender/procurement processes? |
|
27. Are there provisions requiring donations to go through the banking system? |
| Question | Value |
|---|---|
28. Are there provisions for direct public funding to political parties? |
Code
Yes, regularly
Comment
Annually.
|
29. What are the eligibility criteria for political parties to receive public funding? |
Code
Share of votes in previous election Matching funds available to all parties receiving certain type of small private donations.
Comment
Parties must have won at least 0.5% of the votes in the preceding election.
|
30. What is the allocation calculation for political parties to receive public funding? |
Code
Proportional to votes received Number of members
Number of party branches and matching funds (5% of donations not exceeding 100 baht, not exceeding 50% of total allocation of public funds).
Comment
80% is distributed according to votes received in previous election, 10% according to the number of party branches and 10% in accordance to number of active members. No party can receive more than 50% of the total amount being allocated.
|
31. What are the provisions on 'ear marking' direct public funding to political parties (how it should be used)? |
Code
No
Comment
While the law does specify how the funds may be used, these rules are so general that they cannot be said to amount to ear marking.
|
32. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for political parties? |
Code
Yes
Comment
blank
|
33. What criteria determine allocation for free or subsidized access to media for political parties? |
Code
Share of seats
Comment
blank
|
34. Are there provisions for free or subsidized access to media for candidates? |
Code
No
|
35. Are there provisions for any other form of indirect public funding? |
Code
Comment
EMB may also provide political parties assistance regarding for example postal fees and public utilities. Donations are tax deductible.
|
36. Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties tied to gender equality among candidates? |
Code
No
|
37. Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties? |
Code
No
|
| Question | Value |
|---|---|
38. Is there a ban on vote buying? |
Code
Yes
Comment
blank
|
39. Are there limits on the amount a political party can spend? |
Code
Yes
|
40. If there are limits on the amount a political party can spend, what is the limit? |
Code
Limit determined by EMB after consultation with the political parties
|
41. Are there limits on the amount a candidate can spend? |
Code
Yes
|
42. If there are limits on the amount a candidate can spend, what is the limit? |
Code
Determined by EMB after consultation with the political parties
|
43. Are there limits on the amount that third parties can spend on election campaign activities? |
|
44. Are there limits on traditional media advertising spending in relation to election campaigns? |
|
45. Are there limits on online media advertising spending in relation to election campaigns? |
|
46. Do any other restrictions on online media advertisement (beyond limits) exist? |
| Question | Value |
|---|---|
47. Do political parties have to report regularly on their finances? |
Code
Yes
Comment
Annually
|
48. Do political parties have to report on their election campaign finances? |
Code
Yes
|
49. Do candidates have to report on their election campaign finances? |
Code
Yes
Comment
Unless the candidate has been nominated by a political party on a party list (then the party reports)
|
50. Do third parties have to report on election campaign finances? |
|
51. Is information in reports from political parties and/or candidates to be made public? |
Code
Yes
Comment
blank
|
52. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates reveal the identity of donors? |
Code
Sometimes
Comment
Donations over 100,000 baht must be reported to the EMB.
|
53. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates include information on itemized income? |
|
54. Must reports from political parties and/or candidates include information on itemized spending? |
|
55. Which institution(s) receives financial reports from political parties and/or candidates? |
Code
EMB
Comment
The Registrar (EMB Chair)
|
56. Which institution(s) is responsible for examining financial reports and/or investigating violations? |
Code
EMB
|
57. What power is granted to the institution(s) responsible for examining reports and/or investigating violations? |
|
58. What sanctions are provided for political finance infractions? |
Code
Comment
A court may order the disfranchisement of violators for not more than five years.
|
