Election Commission Deputy Secretary Warns: Not Prosecuting Could Violate Article 157

A Senate committee member has called for mediation between the Election Commission (EC) and citizens regarding legal action over election monitoring in Chonburi's District 1. Naresorns Prachyakorn, chair of the political development committee, facilitated a discussion aimed at understanding both sides' perspectives after citizens were sued for investigating election ballot procedures. During the meeting, Naresorns highlighted discrepancies in accounts, such as conflicting reports about ballot box sealing and transportation. He questioned whether the EC's prosecution was an attempt to silence citizens who were seeking transparency in the election process. EC Deputy Secretary Kanchat Jarearnin explained that while they did not intend to prosecute citizens, failing to take legal action could potentially expose them to charges of neglecting official duties under Article 157. The committee hopes for potential reconciliation and withdrawal of charges through further dialogue with the Chonburi EC office.