Accused senators vow to fight charges

Lawmakers expected to defend their cases separately before Supreme Court

Senators accused of irregularities in the 2024 Senate election have vowed to fight the charges after the Election Commission (EC) decided to refer cases against 77 people, including 26 serving senators, to the Supreme Court.

Atcharaphan Homros, a senator representing Surat Thani and one of those named, said on Wednesday that she was not concerned and had already explained the matter to the EC. Asked whether the 26 senators would fight their cases separately, she said, “Yes.”

Senator Alongkot Worakee, one of those facing charges, said he accepted the EC’s decision and was ready to enter the judicial process. He said senators were not above the law and would comply if the court ordered them to suspend their duties.

“We are not above the law. We are all subject to the EC’s decision and the law,” he said, adding that the senators supported one another but would pursue their cases separately.

Some of the senators face charges related to alleged vote-rigging and collusion, and others are accused of breaching candidate-introduction rules.

Nipon Aekwanich, another senator facing charges, said he was not worried and would wait to see what charges were brought, insisting he had not committed any wrongdoing and had already provided explanations to the authorities.

Senator Cheewapap Cheewatham, however, said he did not accept the findings of the EC subcommittee that recommended charges against him, arguing that he had not been questioned or given an opportunity to explain himself.

He said his financial records showed no connection to vote-rigging and that gatherings at his restaurant were ordinary customer visits, not attempts to exchange benefits.

No political party executives, House of Representatives MPs, other political office holders or reserve senators are named in the charges announced on Monday by the poll body after investigations lasting nearly two years.

The central allegation in the case was that the Bhumjaithai Party was behind an organised campaign to manipulate the Senate poll held in June 2024. The Election Commission said it had found no empirical proof to support that charge.

An official vote breakdown released on Tuesday showed that the seven-member EC voted 5-2 against referring Prime Minister and Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul, party co-founder Newin Chidchob and 10 other senior Bhumjaithai figures to the Supreme Court.

Of the 26 senators named, none came from Buri Ram, the stronghold of Bhumjaithai and the Chidchob family. Fourteen of the 200 elected senators — one of them a former driver for Mr Newin’s father — came from the northeastern province, more than from any other province. 

Bhumjaithai leaders on Tuesday welcomed the news that none of the party’s executives or MPs were among the 77 defendants. Deputy Prime Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn reiterated that the party was not involved in the Senate election process.

Prime Minister’s Office Minister Paradorn Prissananantakul denied devising the alleged vote-rigging system, saying a key witness had recanted and no other evidence supported the claim.

The senators named by the Election Commission are as follows:

• Gen Sawat Tassana (Sukhothai)
• Pol Lt Gen Boonchan Nuansai (Surin)
• Sek Julkasorn (Nakhon Sawan)
• Wiwat Rungkaew (Si Sa Ket)
• Suthep Sangwiset (Ang Thong)
• Nonglak Kankhiew (Sukhothai)
• Somsak Chankaeo (Nakhon Si Thammarat)
• Techasit Chukaew (Nakhon Si Thammarat)
• Maria Phaoprathan (Prachuap Khiri Khan)
• Yakob Teemla (Songkhla)
• Khemrat Suramethimanop (Ayutthaya)
• Cheewapap Cheewatham (Sing Buri)
• Nipon Aekwanich (Phuket)
• Sophon Manomaya (Songkhla)
• Pol Lt Col Sanga Songmahachai (Lampang)
• Sorachat Wichaya Suwanaprom (Nong Bua Lamphu)
• Atcharaphan Homros (Surat Thani)
• Sommai Srichan (Nakhon Phanom)
• Wiwat Kraipisitkul (Chiang Mai)
• Wichian Chaisathaporn (Lamphun)*
• Nirut Suthinanon (Ranong)
• Sakon Phulsirikul (Nakhon Phanom)
• Phanupong Tengwongwatthana (Sing Buri)
• Sitthikorn Thongyos (Nakhon Phanom)
• Alongkot Worakee (Uthai Thani)
• Natthakit Nurod (Nakhon Si Thammarat)

Note: Wichian Chaisathaporn is no longer a serving senator after the Supreme Court ruled he had lied about his qualifications and disqualified him from seeking office for 10 years in January 2026.