Opposition MP Challenges Parliament Move on Election Commission Report

On September 4, 2025, at the New Future Building, Sirikanya Tansakul, a Pheu Thai party list MP and deputy leader, responded to a Thai Smile Party Facebook post warning that debating an Election Commission (EC) report could become a whitewashing of an independent body. She said she still cannot understand why such lengths are taken to prevent EC discussion in parliament. A clear answer, she suggested, is that an EC debate covering 2024 performance would inevitably raise allegations of Senate election fraud, which Thai Smile Party has a direct stake in concealing based on Pheu Thai and public sector disclosures. "It is really about self-protection, not protecting the EC," Tansakul said. "Parliamentary debate carries legal immunity against lawsuits. So this may be a tactic to push those wanting to share facts with the public into speaking outside parliament, risking defamation suits. If they speak in parliament, they get protection and might dare share more interesting information if that immunity existed." She also predicted the next debate on the South bill amendment may drag as long as the September 3 session did. The ruling Thai Smile party had added nearly 20 MPs to speak while the opposition fielded only 5, drawing interest from MPs nationwide in southern border issues and potentially preventing the EC report from reaching parliament. She described it as a blocking tactic set for weeks ahead. When asked if Pheu Thai would file a complaint against the parliament speaker and deputy speaker, Tansakul said they have already voiced criticism for improvement and see no immediate need for a written complaint; they will wait to see if procedures improve, and may consider filing if the pattern repeats.