Opposition vows legal action against EC over alleged leniency toward Bhumjaithai

EC chairman says no proof politicians aided Senate candidates

Mr Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the opposition and the People’s Party, has vowed to take legal action against the Election Commission (EC) after it dropped charges against key political figures from the ruling Bhumjaithai Party in its case concerning alleged collusion in the Senate election.

Mr Natthaphong told a press conference on Monday evening that the EC had been derelict in its duty by sparing ministers, MPs and Bhumjaithai Party executives from the case.

He made the remarks after learning that the EC would seek prosecution at the Supreme Court against 77 of the 427 suspects accused of colluding in the Senate election held in June 2024.

“The Senate election collusion case is one of the biggest electoral frauds in the history of Thai politics. It stemmed from a political group seeking to control the country’s political institutions. Yet the prosecution involves only 26 senators, while political officeholders such as ministers, MPs and Bhumjaithai executives have been spared,” Mr Natthaphong said.

He appeared to be referring to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who is also leader of the Bhumjaithai Party.

Twenty-six senators are among the 77 suspects whom the EC resolved to prosecute in the Supreme Court.

Mr Natthaphong said the EC’s resolution had protected most of the accused from trial in the Supreme Court, despite evidence including voting instructions, voting statistics, money trails, audio recordings and meetings allegedly linked to the collusion.

He vowed to pursue charges of dereliction of duty against the commission, seek prosecution of the spared suspects in the Supreme Court, and scrutinise the suspected politicians through parliamentary debates and public campaigns.

EC: “No evidence”

EC chairman Narong Klunwarin said the commission had found no evidence that politicians or political party executives had assisted Senate candidates, or that candidates had received help from politicians or party executives, because the witnesses were deemed unreliable.

Some witnesses had changed their testimonies, while others had been sentenced to prison, Mr Narong said.

Although records showed phone calls and meetings involving Bhumjaithai leader Anutin and veteran politician Newin Chidchob, who some observers believe is the party’s de facto leader, there were no details proving that the communications were related to the Senate election, the EC chairman said.

On Sunday, supporters of Internet Dialogue on Law Reform (iLaw) together with People's Party leader Natthaphong marched 11-kilometres through Bangkok demanding the EC submit the senate election collusion case and its 229 suspects to the Supreme Court for judgement.