Charges urged against 229 over Thai Senate vote-rigging scandal
Political fallout looms as pressure mounts on election watchdog to act amid growing public scrutiny
An investigative panel has urged charges against 229 people, including executives from the Bhumjaithai Party, related to allegations of extensive vote-rigging during Thailand’s Senate election last year.
The Election Commission (EC) must now evaluate these findings to decide on further action, which might involve petitioning the Constitutional Court to disband the Bhumjaithai Party.
The group of accused comprises 138 sitting senators and 91 individuals linked to Bhumjaithai, including executives and affiliates.
The panel, consisting of representatives from the EC and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), made these recommendations yesterday, July 17. Both organisations have been conducting separate investigations into different elements of this intricate case.
Upon reviewing the evidence, the committee determined there was sufficient reason to believe that the actions of the accused contributed to the senators being elected through dishonest and unjust methods.
These actions reportedly breached Section 113 of the constitution, which requires that senators remain independent and not be influenced by any political party.
Bhumjaithai and its leader, Anutin Charnvirakul, have consistently denied any role in attempts to sway the June 2024 election outcome. The investigation now progresses to its second procedural phase.
Once the EC receives the dossier, investigators will analyse the case and submit their findings to designated parties, including the EC’s secretary general or the deputy secretary general.
It was previously noted that EC Secretary General Sawaeng Boonmee would delegate authority to one of his deputies, due to his role as national director of the 2024 poll, which could present a conflict of interest.
The investigations, which started in March, focused on blue bloc senators, a term referring to a large group associated with Bhumjaithai, which was recently the second-largest party in the government coalition, Bangkok Post reported.
The final Senate vote on June 26 last year yielded unusual results, particularly a disproportionately high number of winners from provinces where Bhumjaithai has strong electoral support.
Notably, 14 senators hailed from Buriram, the largest number from any province. Buriram is the home base of Newin Chidchob, who, despite holding no official position and claiming to have stepped away from politics, is believed to still wield significant influence within Bhumjaithai.
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