BURIRAM — The Election Commission on Wednesday ruled that posters advertising a cycling event in Buriram province must be removed for resembling election posters.
Commissioner Kriangsak Wonglertprayoon said the posters, which promote a biking tournament to be held in May, are too similar to campaign materials, such as the font, style and what appears to be a party name and number.
“These advertisement posters might cause confusion to voters,” Kriangsak said.
The posters were made by organizers of the Buriram Bike Fest, in which cyclists will bike up to 147 kilometers on May 19. They bear close resemblance to thousands of campaign posters that currently plague sidewalks and streets.
“Bike From Time to Time,” the posters declare, using a Thai wordplay on the term pak, which can mean both times and political parties, while a woman on bicycle smiles at the camera in the manner similar to MP candidates.
Listed under “policies” are three different biking routes available in the event. Similar to campaign posters, there’s also a big “X” mark next to number 19, which turns out to be May 19 at a closer look.
It might be a clever marketing strategy, but the election regulators are not amused. Kriangsak said at today’s conference that organizers must remove them immediately and use different designs to avoid confusion.
