Thailand's Election Commissioners have been warned they could face jail if they fail to pursue alleged vote-buying and electoral rigging linked to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Bhumjaithai figures. People's Party MP Parit Wacharasindhu, the chief opposition whip, issued the warning on July 22, saying the seven-member Election Commission must not apply double standards while handling the claims. Four of the commissioners were named by senators regarded as pro-Bhumjaithai, according to Parit. He said the commissioners risk prosecution for alleged misconduct and neglect of duty if they cover up evidence or fail to bring suspected organisers and manipulators before the courts. "Acquired pieces of evidence notwithstanding, if the commissioners have decided against proceeding lawsuits to court and chosen to cover up those suspected mastermind politicians, they should now think it over again or they could probably bear the risk of themselves being thrown in jail," Parit said. Call for Supreme Court action Parit said the Election Commission is legally required to take cases concerning the alleged vote-buying and rigging plots to the Supreme Court. The allegations concern Anutin, who is both prime minister and leader of the largest coalition partner, as well as other Bhumjaithai ministers and figures. Parit said they should be prosecuted as prime suspects rather than shielded from legal action. Claims over the 2024 Senate election Parit urged Anutin and the other Bhumjaithai figures not to file a libel case against Yingcheep Atchanont, project manager of the iLaw activist group. Yingcheep has publicly accused them of involvement in alleged fraud that gave 138 contestants undue victories in the 2024 senatorial election, leaving them with an overwhelming majority in the 200-member Senate. Instead, Parit said the prime minister and others should publicly provide clear and truthful explanations. He said the allegations were substantially based on accounts from witnesses who were purportedly present during the alleged rigging. One claim is that Anutin attended an informal meeting of more than 100 winning candidates at a Bangkok hotel, where they allegedly prepared collectively for the selection of a Senate speaker and two deputy Senate speakers. Yingcheep cited unnamed witnesses who alleged that Anutin and other Bhumjaithai ministers were separately seen at the alleged scenes. The 229 suspects include Deputy Prime Minister Songsak Thongsri, described as personally close to de facto Bhumjaithai boss Newin Chidchob; Prime Minister's Office Ministers Paradorn Prisnanuntakul, Napinthorn Srisanpang and Suksamruay Wantaneeyakul; chief government whip Koravee Prisnanuntakul; Transport Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn; and former deputy House speaker Supachai Bhosu. Anutin, who is also interior minister, has categorically denied involvement. He said he had done nothing related to the alleged conspiracy and was not head of government when the Senate election took place two years ago, adding he would have been named a suspect "long time ago" if implicated. Picture courtesy of Thai Newsroom Join the discussion? 24 July 2026
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