EC to prosecute 1,767 Senate candidates over disqualifications

BANGKOK, Aug 28 (TNA) - Thailand’s Election Commission (EC) has resolved to press criminal charges against 1,767 Senate candidates for registering despite lacking required qualifications or facing legal prohibitions, officials said.

The decision follows two EC meetings: an initial resolution to prosecute 1,605 individuals, followed by an additional 162 cases. Under Section 74 of the 2018 Organic Act on the Acquisition of Senators, individuals who register knowing they are ineligible face 1 to 10 years in prison, fines ranging from 20,000 to 200,000 baht, and a 20-year ban from voting rights. Any selected senator must also return all received remuneration and benefits.

The commission's legal affairs office has been directed to coordinate with provincial EC branches to proceed with legal action.

Parit Wacharasindhu, a People's Party list MP, questioned the timeframe, stating that while legal enforcement is necessary, the verification process took over two years despite involving basic eligibility checks. Parit called on the EC to expedite its investigation into a separate case involving 229 individuals accused of Senate election fraud before a 90-day deadline in early September. -819 (TNA)