EC Sets Strict Rules for Party Flood Relief Donations
The Election Commission has issued strict guidelines for political parties collecting flood relief donations, requiring all funds to flow through dedicated party accounts labeled as donation accounts. Violations — including diverting money to personal or unofficial accounts — could lead to party dissolution under Article 72 of the Political Parties Act. The rules also cap individual donations at 10 million baht annually and mandate public disclosure of donors giving over 5,000 baht.
The Election Commission has clarified regulations for political parties accepting donations to aid flood victims, warning that failure to channel funds through official party accounts could result in severe penalties including party dissolution. On November 12, following public criticism and doubts about political parties fundraising for flood relief through online channels and social media pages, legal experts detailed the strict requirements under the Political Parties Act.
In principle, political parties may accept donations to assist disaster-affected citizens but must comply strictly with EC regulations and the Organic Act on Political Parties, particularly regarding financial channels. All donations must be transferred directly to the party's official bank account — not to personal accounts, party executives' accounts, or unofficial page accounts. The law requires parties to open a separate bank account from regular operating funds, clearly labeled with the party name and "donation account" in parentheses, and notify the EC of the account number within seven days of opening.
For every donation received, parties must create a record specifying the donor's name, address, amount, and purpose, signed by both the donor and party representative as evidence. Donor qualifications and limits are strictly defined: individual donors must be Thai nationals showing national ID cards; corporate donors must be registered in Thailand with at least 51% Thai shareholders. Each donor may contribute up to 10 million baht per party per year, and corporate donations exceeding 5 million baht must be reported to the next shareholders' meeting. Parties must publicly disclose donors giving over 5,000 baht and submit all reports and evidence to the EC for review.
Regarding concerns about parties creating pages soliciting donations where the destination account is not the official party donation account, experts stated this depends on facts and circumstances. If proven that donations did not reach the party's actual account, it constitutes a violation of Article 72 of the Political Parties Act, carrying penalties severe enough to dissolve the party.
Additionally, the Prime Minister's Office has queried the EC on the scope of party disaster assistance. Parties may use donations to set up field kitchens or aid victims under set spending limits: MPs may spend up to 300,000 baht per occasion in their own constituencies, while parties may spend up to 3 million baht. Excess spending must be counted as election expenses in the next election. Parties are also prohibited from soliciting funds from government agencies, though they may publicly invite general donations through proper channels.
