On 2/11/2026 at 9:58 AM, ronnie50 said:

Vote buying is a standard procedure by BJT and PTP. But my uderstanding is that while everyonre takes the cash they still vote for the candidate they want regardless.

So by your own admission if vote buying does exist, it doesn’t work and has no impact on the results.

On 2/11/2026 at 6:13 PM, dinsdale said:

PP did get the most votes but not the most seats. Somewhere around 10 million. The EC is saying they will take a couple of days looking for inconsistencies before giving a green light or not to the results. Any investigation into anomalies should be carried out by independent bodies and as we well know the EC is a long way from being independent.

It’s doesn’t matter if PP won the most votes or most seats unless it’s an outright majority.

They will never become the government, they will make a good opposition though.

21 hours ago, wensiensheng said:

I understand the example that you cite. It’s certainly nice to hear.

On the other hand, are you willing to go outon a limb and say that corruption is not involved in many, if not most, aspects of life in Thailand?

I think it’s hard to say that corruption isn’t happening all around us, all the time. Small payments to cops, bigger payments to jump the queue at the land office, 30k baht payment so that my mother in law can jump the queue for a cataract operation at a government hospital, bribes paid to get visas without having money in the bank. I mean the list is literally endless.

And yes, in amongst all that there are random acts of trust such as you describe. Although, there are cynics who will say that the 7-11 cashier is being lazy. Maybe, maybe not.

But imho, corruption is a big issue in Thailand.

I agree with all of that as I have also shoved a few shillings in the right direction at land offices etc, I have not looked back at your comment again but it seemed to state everywhere and everything is 'bent'.

A few quid in a certain persons pocket as I was over a speed limit.

I think in contrast the rules are far too strict and heavy handed in the UK for example, a six months driving ban for using a mobile phone while driving as happened to a guy last week in England, a piece of paper left over from the council rubbish collection ending up on the streetand you are later fined hundreds of pound for littering which has happened many times.

The girl was not being lazy, she was acting the same way all the other cashiers have behaved over the years with the exchange of the few thousand baht in coins.

I do remember another instance in 7/11 a few yeas ago when my bill was 280 baht and I handed what I though was three hundred baht to the cashier, she handed me back the 1000 baht I had mistaken for a 100, I tried to tip her for her honesty but she refused the tip.

Corruption at some level is in every country in the world.

12 hours ago, Hotchilli123 said:

You need to take your blinkers off... just because your locality is honest doesn't mean the rest of the country is.

Take yours off too, so I am the only person in the country where my area is not corrupt and everywhere else is according to you? I must be in paradise then. 😃

People like you are negative at all aspects of Thailand, why you live here no one will ever know, perhaps lack of choice due to finances?

On 2/11/2026 at 9:00 AM, ronnie50 said:

That's what everyone who voted PP is thinking right now. And it's why the establishment is on edge - ordering a police clampdown on any attempts to mob further polling stations to force a recount. I doubt few PP (or even PTP) voters believe the official outcome. But the party leaders must say they accept the official 'overall outcome' or they could be charged with contempt or libel.

The discrepancy between the Party List vote and the Constituency results is massive, which is, to say the least, strange!

13 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said:

I agree with all of that as I have also shoved a few shillings in the right direction at land offices etc, I have not looked back at your comment again but it seemed to state everywhere and everything is 'bent'.

A few quid in a certain persons pocket as I was over a speed limit.

I think in contrast the rules are far too strict and heavy handed in the UK for example, a six months driving ban for using a mobile phone while driving as happened to a guy last week in England, a piece of paper left over from the council rubbish collection ending up on the streetand you are later fined hundreds of pound for littering which has happened many times.

The girl was not being lazy, she was acting the same way all the other cashiers have behaved over the years with the exchange of the few thousand baht in coins.

I do remember another instance in 7/11 a few yeas ago when my bill was 280 baht and I handed what I though was three hundred baht to the cashier, she handed me back the 1000 baht I had mistaken for a 100, I tried to tip her for her honesty but she refused the tip.

Corruption at some level is in every country in the world.

I can’t speak for other countries, I’ve only lived in Thailand and Singapore for the last 40 years.

Singapore isn’t really a good yardstick because it is way out there in terms of lack of corruption and severe penalties for those who do try it on. The 3rd least corrupt country in the world according to a recent survey, behind a couple of Scandinavian countries.

I take your point with what you say about the UK, but those aren’t really examples of corruption. Whether the penalties for using a phone while driving or littering are too severe or not, isn’t really a corruption issue.

And yes, I too have had money returned when i accidentally handed over a big note instead of a small note.

My take on it all is that corruption in Thailand is more institutionalized as part of the process, rather than it being a reflection of each individuals honesty.

In other words, the guys who take bribes to allow people to jump a queue, probably don’t think they are being dishonest. They are simply part of a “system” that exists to serve the public.

On 2/12/2026 at 7:15 PM, JamesPhuket10 said:

Take yours off too, so I am the only person in the country where my area is not corrupt and everywhere else is according to you? I must be in paradise then. 😃

People like you are negative at all aspects of Thailand, why you live here no one will ever know, perhaps lack of choice due to finances?

Believe yourself then... I've lived here over 20 years and know how politics runs

On 2/12/2026 at 6:40 PM, Hunz Kittisak said:

So by your own admission if vote buying does exist, it doesn’t work and has no impact on the results.

Not if everyone voted for the same candidate as they did for the Party List - but then somehow, magically, their constituency votes changed. PP easily won most of the party list seats.

On election night - right after the polls closed - the main Thai TV-Government news channels were showing blue across most of the 70+ provinces with "0" consituencies elected/confirmed and with only 1% of the vote counted. In other words, they were already indicating an election win for Anutin's party with only 1% of votes counted - how and why comes to mind as questions. I've never seen that done in an Western democracy. Even at 10%, the western broadcasters are careful unless it is what they call a 'safe' seat, then they might call the winner after 20% or so of the votes counted.