People’s Party Urges EC to Halt Legal Action

The People’s Party has called on the Election Commission (EC) to clarify concerns surrounding the 8 February 2026 general election and to halt legal action against members of the public and media. In a Facebook post on 28 February 2026, the party said the EC should address questions transparently rather than respond with what it described as disproportionate lawsuits that risk being viewed as attempts to silence scrutiny.

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The party cited multiple concerns raised since the poll, including delays in reporting results on the EC website, the discovery of tally sheets (Form Sor.Sor. 5/11) in areas resembling rubbish piles, and discrepancies between tally sheets (Sor.Sor. 5/11) and official result reports (Sor.Sor. 5/18) at certain polling stations. It also questioned the certification of constituency MPs before 100% of votes had been announced or turnout figures disclosed, recounts in some units that led to significant vote changes, and the ballot design featuring barcodes that could potentially be traced back to individual voters.

According to the party, rather than holding open briefings to answer questions from the public and media, the EC has relied on one-way written statements. On the night of 27 February, the EC issued a statement confirming it had filed complaints with the Crime Suppression Division against individuals who examined ballot-related issues, including events on 22 February during a re-run at Polling Station 9, Constituency 15, Bangkok.

Those reportedly named in complaints are believed to include academics, civil society representatives, journalists and Parit Wacharasindhu, also known as “Ice Tim”, the party’s spokesperson. The People’s Party expressed strong disagreement with the EC’s decision, arguing that public oversight of state authorities is a fundamental democratic right that must be protected rather than undermined.

The party described the legal action as potentially amounting to a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP), alleging it could impose time and financial burdens on defendants and create a climate of fear. It maintained that state agencies should instead facilitate public scrutiny and provide clear explanations.

Parit Wacharasindhu travelled to the Central Investigation Bureau’s complaint centre on 27 February to assert his innocence and request clarification of the allegations. He said he had attended the 22 February recount as an observer in a process conducted publicly and denied obstructing officials or receiving any warning at the time.

Naewna reported that the party’s legal team stated that if any complaint was found to be false or knowingly unfounded, it would pursue legal action against the EC. Amid ongoing public doubts about the election’s management, the party said restoring confidence required transparency and verifiable processes rather than litigation.

Key Takeaways

• The People’s Party has urged the EC to explain election concerns and stop filing lawsuits against citizens and media.

• Complaints reportedly include allegations linked to scrutiny of ballot handling and a 22 February re-run in Bangkok.

• The party warns that legal action may be viewed as a SLAPP and says it will consider countermeasures if allegations are unfounded.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Naewna 28 Feb 2026