Court Dismisses Election Re-run Plea Over Coffee Distribution
A provincial court dismissed a plea for election re-run, ruling that coffee distribution by a mayor's supporter was neighborly kindness rather than vote-buying, rejecting Election Commission charges from a November 2023 incident.
On September 17 at the Provincial Appeal Court in Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, Mayor Yutthsak Shupreserit arrived with his lawyer and over 100 community members to hear the court's ruling. The case centered on Veena, a 44-year-old election observer representing Yutthsak, who was prosecuted by the Election Commission on vote-buying charges following an incident on November 17, 2023.
The judge ruled that Veena's distribution of coffee to voters constituted an act of goodwill and neighborly sharing rather than vote buying. The court noted the setup was conducted openly with no attempt at concealment or secrecy, and that Veena complied readily when asked to pack up by polling officials. The judge found no behavior suggesting electoral manipulation or intent to influence voting. Regarding the coffee distribution, the court determined it was an informal gesture of kindness with no motive to entice voters and thus had no effect on the election outcome. The court therefore dismissed the petition for a new election.
Following the ruling, some 100 residents presented flowers to congratulate Yutthsak. He expressed gratitude to supporters, the judge, and court staff, emphasizing his commitment to serving the community and improving conditions in Khlong Luang. He highlighted successful collaboration with provincial administrators, noting that recent infrastructure projects such as flood prevention in Khlong One canal have significantly transformed the municipality.
