Democrat Party Candidate Reveals Election Commission Raids Elder Community Leader's Home Over Suspected Vote Buying

On February 1, 2024, Watchara Phetthong, a Democrat Party MP candidate for Surat Thani's District 1, disclosed that a "good citizen" reported potential election law violations to the Surat Thani Election Commission. Villagers reportedly witnessed suspicious activity at the home of Mrs. P., the president of the Bueng Khun Thale community elderly club. The Election Commission collaborated with local police to investigate the property, located in Mueang District, Surat Thani. They found three women inside the house who appeared suspicious. Police requested and received permission to seize their phones for investigation. Upon examining the phones, officials discovered handwritten lists of names sent as images in a LINE group chat. Crucial messages like "Election Commission is coming" were found, with one woman admitting to being an "MP assistant" when questioned about the message. When police requested a home search, the homeowner refused. The Election Commission is now seeking a court warrant to conduct a thorough investigation. Watchara emphasized that this appears to be a systematic election law violation that could potentially implicate candidates and their political parties. The incident notably coincides with the national advance voting day.