Former Democrat MP Seeks Criminal Charges Against Election Commission
Ex-Democrat MP Wachara Petchthong filed a complaint demanding prosecution of Election Commission officials for allegedly prosecuting only 77 of 229 suspects in a vote-buying scandal, abandoning 152 cases despite solid evidence.
On September 17, Wachara Petchthong, a former Democrat Party MP, submitted a complaint to the Ombudsman asking the National Anti-Corruption Commission to prosecute the Election Commission and its members for alleged malfeasance and for aiding suspects to escape punishment following discriminatory conduct in the 2567 Senate election. He claims the commission filed charges against only 77 suspects at the Supreme Court while abandoning prosecution of 152 others, even though the commission's investigation panel gathered clear evidence of wrongdoing against all 229 individuals.
The investigation panel compiled comprehensive evidence of alleged vote-buying in the Senate election, including network maps linking 138 candidates to 91 vote brokers, vote-ordering instructions, financial trails, CCTV footage, and video clips. The panel recommended the commission prosecute all 229 suspects. Key evidence includes records showing Rattana Bothum, a personal adviser to Chaloat Ratchakij, a Bhumjaithai party MP and administrator, made 62 phone calls to 19 senators—establishing credible proof of violations under the Senate acquisition law.
Instead, the commission referred only 77 suspects to the Supreme Court and withheld charges against 152 others without citing new evidence or legal grounds for splitting them into two groups. Petchthong argues this amounts to deliberate assistance to certain individuals to escape punishment across 152 separate offences.
The complaint also mentions a dispute-resolution subcommittee and Karnchill Charoenindra, the Election Commission's Deputy Secretary, who drafted an opinion on September 15 recommending the commission dismiss charges against 21 suspects—all from the political bloc and leadership of Bhumjaithai Party—while seeking prosecution of an additional 229 separate charges.
Petchthong is calling on the Ombudsman to compel the Election Commission to submit all investigation documents, reports, and decisions within 15 days and urgently refer the matter to the National Anti-Corruption Commission for criminal prosecution of the commission and its members to prevent a denial of justice.
