Court Sentences Ex-MP to 8 Months for Proxy Voting
Former Pheu Thai MP Saranwut Saranchet was sentenced to eight months in prison for proxy voting during a 2013 parliamentary session, after allowing another legislator to use his electronic ID card to cast votes while he was absent.
The Political Crimes Court sentenced Saranwut Saranchet, a former Uttaradit MP from the Pheu Thai Party, to 8 months in prison on September 14, 2025, for proxy voting. The court found the conduct serious and did not stay the sentence. Saranchet applied for temporary release pending an appeal, which the court granted.
The Office of the Attorney General prosecuted Saranchet for events on September 20, 2013, when Parliament held a special session to consider a draft law authorizing the Finance Ministry to borrow funds for national transport infrastructure development. While serving as MP for Uttaradit District 2 under the Pheu Thai Party, Saranchet traveled to Sukhothai and did not attend the parliamentary session. He left his electronic parliamentary ID card with another legislator, who used it to cast votes on his behalf during consideration of the bill, thereby corrupting the parliamentary vote and violating the 2550 Thai Constitution and parliamentary meeting rules of 2551.
The Political Crimes Court examined evidence and witness testimony from National Anti-Corruption Commission investigations. The majority of judges found that the electronic parliamentary ID card clearly displays a photograph, name, and surname, making it unlikely another MP could use it by mistake. Casting votes with such a card requires multiple steps. Multiple votes were cast using Saranchet's card while he was absent, across several occasions throughout the day, indicating the other legislator must have known in advance when Saranchet would be absent and when he would return, and must have possessed his card. Such an act would be impossible without Saranchet's prior knowledge or consent to hand over his card.
The proxy votes cast on each article consistently aligned with Saranchet's previous votes and his party's position, reducing the likelihood the other legislator acted unilaterally and risked later detection and prosecution if Saranchet denied complicity. Such conduct violates Article 126, paragraph 3, of the 2550 Thai Constitution regarding voting procedures and breaches Article 72, paragraph 3, of the 2551 Parliamentary Meeting Rules.
Although no direct evidence clearly showed which legislator Saranchet handed the card to, Saranchet admitted that after the session ended he did not take his electronic ID card with him; rather, Saramsri kept the card and used it to reserve his seat.
