The Senate candidates are reaching the climax of their electoral journey in Nonthaburi on June 26. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
The Election Commission (EC) has been shrugging off criticisms regarding the delay in certifying the election results for the 200 new senators. It’s been almost two weeks since the votes were cast, leaving many on edge. Speaking after the EC’s meeting on Monday, EC Chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong stated that the results couldn’t be announced immediately due to several issues that needed addressing first.
When asked if the results would be revealed during their upcoming Tuesday meeting, Ittiporn was tight-lipped. He assured skeptics that the delay wasn’t a sign of foot-dragging, irrespective of what critics might think.
A source within the EC hinted that if the results aren’t announced by Tuesday, the announcement might be postponed for another week, specifically until Mr. Ittiporn returns from his planned leave.
The pressure on the EC is enormous, coming from both the winners and losers of the Senate election. One party is pushing the agency to endorse the results quickly to prevent the current Senate from overstaying its term, while another faction is urging a thorough investigation into alleged fraud and dubious eligibility decisions.
On Monday, several former candidates stepped up the pressure. They threatened to file complaints of malfeasance against the EC if the results were announced hastily before their grievances and accusations of irregularities were addressed.
One candidate even resorted to filing a petition with the Administrative Court to halt the announcement. They also requested the outgoing Senate to impeach the poll commissioners for violating the constitution.
The organic law governing Senate composition offers no precise timeline for when the EC should announce the results. However, it does stipulate that the EC must leave a window of five days after the final round of elections to resolve any complaints raised.
Meanwhile, the outgoing Senate took a significant step on Monday, voting 101:10 with 17 abstentions to establish a 23-member special panel. This panel is tasked with investigating the Senate poll and has 30 days to complete its work.
Outgoing Senator Somchai Swangkarn supported the move, emphasizing that the senators felt it was their duty to oversee the process diligently until the very end of their term. They aimed to ensure a clean and smooth handover to the next higher chamber of the Senate.
This delay is ridiculous! It shouldn’t take this long to certify election results. Are they hiding something?
Exactly! Why is it taking them so long? Something fishy is definitely going on here.
It’s not that simple. They need to ensure no fraud occurred. Better to be thorough than quick, in my opinion.
Come on, Kamol. Two weeks is too long. If they can’t do their job quicker, they should be replaced.
Agreed, grower134. It’s causing too much drama and uncertainty. People deserve better transparency.
Delays are part of the process sometimes. Would you prefer a rushed, possibly faulty result?
It’s a political game. Some candidates are filing complaints just to delay the results. Pathetic.
Those complaints point to real issues that need to be investigated. You can’t just assume they’re playing games.
Nicha, a lot of those complaints are baseless and just a tactic to stay relevant.
Exactly, Somsak. It’s a tactic. If there were real issues, they should’ve been brought up sooner.
Joe, these complaints could be valid. We need integrity in our elections. Better safe than sorry.
Former candidates threatening to file complaints of malfeasance if the results are hastily announced? Seems like they’re afraid of losing seats fair and square.
That’s a good point! Why are they so desperate to delay? Just accept the results!
Or maybe they’re trying to ensure a fair process. We can’t just ignore possible fraud.
Jasmine, I get your point, but this level of delay is just counterproductive.
The existing Senate investigating its own process of election is like asking a thief to investigate a robbery. It’s ludicrous.
True, that’s a major conflict of interest. How can they be impartial?
It’s not perfect, but who else knows the process better?
Somchai, someone independent! We need oversight that isn’t influenced by the current Senate.
Exactly, Nicha. Independent oversight is the only way to ensure true fairness.
The EC needs to balance speed and accuracy. Rushing leads to mistakes but taking too long destroys trust.
Accuracy is fine but they’re way beyond reasonable timing.
Why isn’t there a clear timeline in the organic law for announcing results? This ambiguity just causes more problems.
If Ittiporn is going on leave, isn’t that a sign that the process isn’t as urgent as they claim?
Everyone’s politicizing the delays. We just need the truth, whether it takes one week or one month.
The Administrative Court should step in and put an end to this circus.
I can’t believe the outgoing Senate has this much influence still. They should step back and let the new Senate take over.
Voters deserve to know the results without these unnecessary holdups.
Agreed, John. But ensuring the legitimacy and accuracy of the results is paramount.
The special panel will only take 30 days. That’s not as long as people are making it out to be.
Special panel or not, the lack of transparency is what’s really concerning.