With the evening sun dipping beneath the horizon, a wave of candidates who didn’t make the final cut for the Senate election ambled out of the polling place. The venue, Impact Muang Thong Thani, was abuzz on Wednesday night, culminating the search for 200 fresh faces in the Senate—a quest clouded by allegations of electoral misconduct. Official results? They’re set to be unveiled next Tuesday, and the Election Commission (EC) promises thorough investigations into the brewing storm of fraud accusations.
The grand final saw 2,989 candidates who had triumphed in the previous provincial elections vie for a coveted spot, all under the same intra- and inter-group voting system, held at Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi. Beyond the chosen 200 senators, an additional 100 were put on standby, ready to step up in the event of disqualifications or other unforeseen circumstances. These 200 successful candidates hail from 20 diverse professional groups, each holding a quota of 10 senators.
Since the election marathon started on June 9, the EC has been playing whack-a-mole with countless reports hinting at attempts to manipulate the results. From the bustling streets of Bangkok to the quieter corners of Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, and Pathum Thani, the narrative of unusual activities has persisted. Reports suggested that certain candidate groups were rendezvousing for orchestrated activities, drawing suspicion of possible collusion.
The EC has been vigilant, their eyes firmly set on these shadowy maneuvers right from the district-level elections. Already knee-deep in probing alleged misconduct, the commission has thrown its doors wide open, welcoming any shred of information regarding vote rigging.
Hathairat Phaholtap, the indefatigable editor of The Isaan Record, an independent media gem based in Khon Kaen, revealed an intriguing proposition that came her way. She recounted how a familiar political figure dangled 50,000 baht per vote for ten specific candidates in front of her. Unfortunately, Hathairat, who bowed out in the first-round vote on Wednesday morning, lacked concrete evidence, having not recorded the conversation.
Thanuphong Sakthanawat, better known by his stage name Na Kluay Choen Yim, shared a similarly tantalizing tale. Despite his flair for comedy, Thanuphong took the offer of ‘tea money’—a euphemism for bribery—with utmost seriousness, turning it down flat. He cast doubt on the authenticity of candidates who won by overwhelming margins, suspecting behind-the-scenes machinations.
Then there’s Yingcheep Atchanont, the manager of the Internet Dialogue on Law Reform (iLaw), firmly batting away media claims that iLaw was lobbying votes for certain candidates. He clarified that although iLaw had fielded information from numerous candidates alleging vote-buying attempts, the organization itself had no candidates in the race. iLaw had even faced temporary shutdown of their Senate67 website while raising public awareness and encouraging candidacies, only for the Administrative Court to later greenlight its revival after ruling against restrictive EC regulations.
Pro-democracy Push
In a twist of political drama, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, the relentless chairman of the Progressive Movement, took to social media on Tuesday night to rally pro-democracy candidates. His impassioned letter was a rallying cry, urging the candidates to stay the course and flood the Upper House with pro-democracy voices. Thanathorn envisaged a future Senate elected by the public, touting this as an opportunity to fundamentally rewrite the constitution to ensure the independence of key institutions.
“Do you still dream of this democratic ideal? Or has your personal ambition overshadowed our collective goal?” he queried, striking a chord with many.
However, not all voices sang in unison. The anti-Move Forward Party (MFP) Facebook page, ironically named “What Lies Has MFP Come Up with Today?”, accused certain Senate candidates of being swindled into what appeared to be an independent race, only to reveal itself as an orchestrated ploy by the opposition. In rebuttal, Move Forward categorically denied any involvement, underscoring that all party members were strictly adhering to the organic law governing the Senate composition and steering clear of the election fray.
Another day, another set of rigged elections. Why should we even bother voting anymore?
I understand your frustration, but if we all give up, nothing will ever change. We have to keep fighting for transparency.
True, but it’s hard to stay hopeful. Feels like a never-ending cycle.
The key is rigorous oversight and empowering watchdog organizations. Apathy is what corrupt officials rely on.
I knew it! The whole system is a joke. Maybe we need more extreme measures to make these fraudsters pay.
Extreme measures often lead to more violence and chaos. We need to focus on peaceful change.
Peaceful changes take forever and often don’t work. Maybe drastic actions are the wake-up call they need.
Yingcheep Atchanont’s clarification is crucial. Misinformation can really ruin organizations trying to do good.
Exactly. It’s important for media outlets to verify facts before pointing fingers.
Absolutely. Mistakes can cost these organizations their credibility.
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit’s call for a pro-democracy Senate is inspiring. We need more voices like his.
Ha! And next he’ll promise world peace. Politicians are all the same, only worried about their own agendas.
That’s a bit cynical, don’t you think? Some genuinely want to make a difference.
Maybe, but history’s shown us that power corrupts, and he’s no different.
The allegations of collusion make this election look like a bad soap opera!
It’s frightening how easy it is to manipulate votes even in seemingly tight systems.
Hathairat Phaholtap’s story is telling. Bribery is more common than we think and hard to prove.
True. Maybe there should be better mechanisms to protect whistleblowers.
Exactly. Without protection, people are scared to come forward.
And yet another case of trying to buy votes. When will they learn that integrity can’t be bought?
I feel like I’m watching a never-ending drama. When does it stop?
Anti-Move Forward Party pages dragging down candidates is just a dirty tactic. Focus on your own campaign!
Agreed, mudslinging only makes everyone look bad. Let’s focus on policies.
Unfortunately, smear campaigns have always been part of the game.
Hats off to Thanuphong Sakthanawat for standing firm. Not everyone is willing to reject bribes.
Or maybe he just wants to appear noble for future political gain.
That’s a harsh take. Sometimes people do good things without ulterior motives.
The EC needs to be more aggressive. Only thorough investigations will reassure the public.
So much chaos! Makes me wonder if a publicly elected Senate would be any better.
It could be better or worse. Public election has its own set of challenges.
Love the idea of a pro-democracy Senate. Keep up the pressure, Thanathorn!
Does anyone actually trust the Election Commission anymore?
Not really. They need to rebuild trust through transparent actions.
Collusion and vote-buying are endemic. Solutions need to go beyond band-aid fixes.
How can a candidate like Yingcheep Atchanont stay focused amidst all this drama?
Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani… seems like the whole province is corrupt!
Reading about these allegations just makes me more cynical about politics in general.
The anti-MFP page is just trying to distract from their own weaknesses.
Seems like another round of the same old problems. Can we ever trust election results?