BANGKOK, THAILAND – Days before the parliamentary election, Thailand’s election authorities investigated unusual cash withdrawals totaling 250 million baht, while serious allegations of vote buying and abuse of power cast a shadow over the campaign.
Election watchdog tracks suspicious cash flows
The secretary-general of the Election Commission, Sawaeng Boonmee, said his office had received information from the central bank on 30 January about cash withdrawals worth 250 million baht flagged as unusual. The money was spread across accounts held by six individuals and withdrawn through branches of commercial banks, and officials first needed to determine whether the transactions were business-related or linked to the election.
Investigations and legal grey areas
According to Sawaeng, the data were immediately sent to a special investigation team to check for links to political parties, candidates or constituencies and to clarify the purpose of the funds. He stressed that no direct connection to vote buying could yet be assumed, because a criminal assessment required proof that money had actually been distributed to voters or used to influence the ballot.
Multiple agencies and coordination hurdles
In parallel, the Election Commission involved the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to examine the origin of the funds and identify possible red flags in the financial system. Legal experts, Sawaeng noted, pointed out that issues of electoral corruption, money laundering and misconduct in public office fell simultaneously under the jurisdiction of the Election Commission, the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the police, the DSI and other bodies, complicating coordination.
Setback in separate Senate election case
As an example of these difficulties, officials referred to a separate investigation in which the DSI suffered a setback this week in an alleged plot related to the 2024 Senate election. Prosecutors decided not to press charges against eight suspects, arguing that not all alleged participants had been identified and that the Election Commission first needed to take procedural steps before any case could proceed.
Provincial complaints over pressure and misuse of power
Former deputy prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai warned publicly of growing irregularities and said his Pheu Thai party had received complaints from several provinces about vote buying, intimidation and the use of state power against political opponents. He cited Kanchanaburi, Sisaket, Kalasin and Ubon Ratchathani among the provinces where the conduct of certain office-holders appeared particularly troubling, as party figures with state authority were allegedly involved.
Allegations of abuse of office and local networks
According to Phumtham, state officials were instructed during the campaign to engage in targeted political activity, undermining the required administrative neutrality at several levels. He also described a network of village heads and local police officers who were allegedly deployed as political promoters for candidates from their own camp, while rival contenders were put under pressure.
Intimidation tactics and scale of alleged vote buying
Phumtham said intimidation included threats against rival candidates and pressure exerted through official channels, with career advantages or other benefits offered in return. On vote buying, he spoke of a scale that in his view exceeded that of previous elections, which he said eroded public trust in the integrity of the electoral system and damaged fair competition.
Nationwide monitoring stepped up
Sawaeng said the Election Commission had classified all provinces by the intensity of political competition, with 35 seen as normal and 42 as highly contested and therefore at greater risk of irregularities. In these high-risk areas, monitoring and controls were strengthened, resources were redeployed, and local election workers were instructed to report suspicious incidents immediately.
Police and local watchdogs on high alert
He added that about half of the national police forces had been mobilised as rapid response units to patrol constituencies before voting and to react quickly to any disturbances. Election inspectors and local democracy and election promotion councils in subdistricts were also activated to document suspicious activities and forward them to headquarters, raising the density of oversight in the decisive days.
Rumours, risk periods and calls for restraint
Sawaeng acknowledged that numerous rumours of vote buying circulated in the heated final phase of the campaign but said no cases with sufficiently solid evidence had yet been confirmed, with most complaints relating to procedural and administrative issues. He noted that vote buying historically increased mainly in the last week of campaigning and warned that the risks were usually highest around 1 February, which was why preventive measures now took priority.
Online warnings and appeals to voters
In a 30 January social media post, Phumtham described familiar patterns from previous election periods, including vote buying, state interference and harassment of candidates, and criticised that some officials ignored existing rules.
“I urge voters not to be guided by money, but to decide independently,”
said Phumtham Wechayachai, former deputy prime minister, while the Election Commission pointed to intensified observation and ongoing investigations without directly addressing his specific allegations so far.