Abhisit Signs Election Verification Team, Party Secretary Emphasizes Government Participation as Secondary

On February 17, 2026, Chaiwuth Bannawat, Secretary-General of the Democrat Party, commented on the Bhumjaithai Party's discussions with political parties about joining the government. He emphasized that the Democrat Party currently considers government participation as a secondary priority, focusing instead on understanding the transparency and fairness of the Election Commission's election management process. Following the February 8 elections, several cases raised doubts about the election management process, with various sectors demanding that the Election Commission prove the facts. The Election Commission has ordered re-voting and vote recounting in some areas due to issues like ballot markings, barcodes, and QR codes on ballots. Chaiwuth further stated that party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva has signed a team to investigate the election, with party leader Nipith Intarasombat leading the process. They will formally discuss and examine information related to the recent election management. "Therefore, joining or not joining the government is currently a secondary concern. Our priority is to verify that the election process is legally correct and follows the constitution. If there are issues that undermine confidence, it could negatively impact Thai politics," Chaiwuth said.