Thailand’s EC warns parties over fake membership scandal
Election body urges public to verify listings and report any unauthorised use
Thailand’s Election Commission (EC) has warned political parties against using fake member data after a surge in online complaints from unsuspecting citizens.
The warning comes after a surge in online complaints, where users discovered their names listed in party rosters despite never joining. One viral post on platform X sparked a wave of similar reports, prompting the EC to launch an immediate review.
Sawaeng Boonmee, secretary-general of the EC, said party membership requires a person’s consent, legal qualification checks, and confirmation of no disqualifications.
“Party membership must be voluntary and properly verified.”
He said that the registrar is responsible for reviewing the data before it enters the EC’s official public database.
Sawaeng added that any registrar found knowingly registering false members could face criminal charges, including up to three years in prison. Party leaders may also be fined for violations.
“If a party registrar knowingly registers false members, that person will face criminal liability and up to three years in prison.”
The EC urged those affected to report the issue to the police. Citizens can verify their membership status on the EC’s website using their 13-digit national ID number.
In a related development, the Constitutional Court unanimously dismissed two petitions concerning a memorandum of agreement (MoA) between Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the People’s Party, and Anutin Charnvirakul, head of the Bhumjaithai Party, and current prime minister.
The petitioners alleged that the MoA, which aimed to rally support for Anutin as prime minister, breached constitutional rules prohibiting power deals and political interference.
However, the court ruled that the agreement merely expressed a shared political intention and found no evidence of unconstitutional conduct or attempts to subvert Thailand’s democratic system under the monarchy, Bangkok Post reported.
With both controversies making headlines, the EC continues to stress transparency and accountability within political parties as the country gears up for the next round of political developments.
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