BANGKOK, THAILAND – Six prominent figures from politics, academia and business faced serious criminal allegations after Thailand’s Election Commission filed a complaint linked to the recent parliamentary election.
Election Commission files criminal complaint
The Election Commission (EC) submitted a formal complaint to the police force’s specialized Crime Suppression Division (CSD) against six individuals. According to information provided by the EC, the accusations included obstruction of election officials, incitement of public unrest, membership in a criminal organization and the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information.
The case centered on claims that election documents in a Bangkok polling station were photographed in order to trace how specific voters had cast their ballots. The alleged actions were tied directly to procedures during the parliamentary vote.
Who was under investigation
Those named in the complaint included Parit Wacharasindhu, spokesperson of the People’s Party, and former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn. They were joined by four others from academic and private-sector backgrounds.
Also listed were D‑Vote director Thammathee Sukchoterat of Sri-Pathum University, blockchain and software specialist Thanarat Kuawattanaphan, CEO of Domecloud, entrepreneur Chaiyaphan Chavalvanichai of M.I.B Marketing in Black, and Songphol Ruangsamut, chief photographer of Spacebar. All six were treated by investigators as part of the same alleged operation.
Alleged conduct inside the polling station
Deputy secretary-general of the Election Commission, Kanchit Charoen-in, described the alleged events at polling station 9 in constituency 15 in Bangkok’s Khan Na Yao district on 22 February. He said the six suspects had acted in concert at the location.
“They allegedly worked together at polling station 9 in Khan Na Yao district to photograph coded ballots and their ballot stubs in order to trace individual voters and their votes using the image data.”
said Kanchit Charoen-in, deputy secretary-general of the Election Commission.
The EC’s account stated that both the coded ballots and the corresponding sections were photographed. The purpose, according to this account, was to make it possible to link ballot images back to specific voters and their choices.
Possible penalties if convicted
Under Thai law, obstruction of election officials carried a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and or a fine of 100,000 baht. These penalties could apply if courts found that officials had been hindered in carrying out their duties.
The offences of inciting public unrest and belonging to a criminal organization each carried potential prison terms of up to seven years and or fines of 140,000 baht. The complaint also referred to the alleged unauthorized sharing of confidential information, which formed part of the broader set of charges reported by the EC.