People’s Party list-MP Parit Wacharasindhu on Friday disclosed additional evidence in the Senate election collusion case, starting with testimony collected in Nakhon Phanom province.
Mr Parit, also the opposition chief whip, said that an Election Commission investigative panel had already found sufficient grounds to implicate 229 accused individuals, with evidence that he claimed was stronger and more conclusive than in previous election-related cases.
If the EC dismissed these cases despite such evidence, questions would inevitably be raised about its impartiality, said the opposition MP, who spoke at the Future Forward Building in Bangkok on the second anniversary of the Senate election.
Multiple investigations have been taking place into alleged irregularities in the three-stage Senate election that concluded on June 26, 2024. The final poll produced highly unusual results, notably a disproportionate number of winners from provinces where the Bhumjaithai Party is strong electorally.
The People’s Party has gathered evidence from several provinces, supplementing publicly available information with testimony from witnesses who had appeared before the EC’s investigation panel.
While acknowledging that the party did not have access to the full case file, Mr Parit argued that if its own findings were already compelling, evidence held by the EC, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and an investigative panel should be even stronger.
He said the party would gradually disclose evidence from provinces across the country, beginning with the northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom, where it had compiled five key pieces of evidence.
The first was a video featuring Supachai Phosu, a former Bhumjaithai MP for Nakhon Phanom, speaking at a traditional baisri sukhwan ceremony on Aug 17, 2024, to celebrate the election of Sithikorn Khongyos as a senator.
In the clip, Mr Supachai referred to Mr Sithikorn and two other senators from Nakhon Phanom as members of the “blue faction”, a term widely associated with the Bhumjaithai Party.
‘Blue-line senators’
Mr Supachai said in the clip that he was proud to publicly identify the three as “blue-line senators”, adding that blue symbolised loyalty to the monarchy and that there was no reason to conceal such affiliation.
He also praised Mr Sithikorn as someone who had consistently supported his political activities over many years, saying that although he could no longer formally belong to Bhumjaithai because senators are prohibited from party membership, he still belonged to the “blue” camp.
Mr Parit said the remarks demonstrated Mr Supachai’s close relationship with the three senators and reflected the existence of organised political factions within the Senate. Although Mr Supachai described himself merely as a supporter, witness testimony suggested he may have played a more active role.
The second piece of evidence concerned a meeting allegedly held at a hotel in Ayutthaya province on June 24-25, 2024, shortly before the Senate election.
According to witness testimony, the gathering included Senate candidates, Mr Supachai, the three eventual senators from Nakhon Phanom and an academic identified only by the initial “Por Pla”, who was allegedly involved in preparing voting lists.
Recommended candidates
Witnesses claimed that recommended candidate lists were drafted on the back of Senate election documents for use during both morning and afternoon voting sessions.
According to the testimony, some candidates became dissatisfied after discovering their own numbers were absent from the lists and questioned whether they would ultimately receive support.
One individual who later became a senator allegedly reassured them that candidates from other provinces would vote for them and promised 300,000 baht in cash to anyone who failed to secure sufficient votes.
Mr Parit also alleged that when discontent escalated, Mr Supachai privately negotiated with some candidates, offering Senate assistant positions on a rotating basis if they failed to win election.
They were allegedly instructed to sign undated resignation letters in advance, while being warned that CCTV footage of the meeting had been recorded, which he described as indirect intimidation.
Mr Parit said his team had inspected the hotel and confirmed that it was equipped with numerous security cameras capable of identifying attendees. He also noted that the property owner belongs to the family of a local politician.
Nine plane tickets
The third piece of evidence was an airline booking allegedly made by one of the future senators from Nakhon Phanom, who reportedly purchased air tickets for nine other people. The party said it possessed flight details and ticket prices.
The fourth concerned a gathering at a concrete mill in Nakhon Phanom on June 20, 2024, about one week before the Senate election.
The fifth and final piece of evidence was an audio recording purportedly featuring a senator from Nakhon Phanom discussing benefits with another local leader.
In the clip, the speaker allegedly discussed paying travel and accommodation expenses, persuading successful Senate candidates to help “block” positions, and offering Senate assistant posts with salaries as rewards.
“We’ve already paid for everyone’s flights. The Nakhon Phanom group’s airfare and hotel expenses have all been arranged,” the male voice says in the recording.
“If we don’t lock this down, we won’t be able to compete with them. I’ve seen people abandon their parents, but I’ve never seen anyone abandon money.” Mr Parit said the audio and supporting evidence indicate systematic coordination across provinces, involving financial incentives, logistical arrangements, and promises of positions. He urged the EC to consider all evidence collectively rather than in isolation.
Now two years since the Senate selection, he said sufficient time has passed for the EC to act decisively. He maintained that any additional evidence in the party’s possession could be submitted if needed, though he believed the EC and DSI already hold comprehensive information.
He also emphasised the importance of corroborating witness testimony with other evidence, including travel records and CCTV footage, which authorities could further investigate
He added that more disclosures from other provinces are forthcoming, as the party continues to compile evidence.
He reiterated that all 229 individuals identified by the investigation panel should be referred to the court, as they have already undergone preliminary screening indicating grounds for wrongdoing.
Earlier, a group of reserve Senate candidates and an election inspector had submitted fresh evidence to the opposition, alleging misconduct by election authorities in the 2024 election.
Pol Col Manas Nakornsri, an election inspector for Samut Prakan, alleged that an EC investigative subcommittee had previously found grounds to pursue cases against 229 individuals, including 136 sitting senators, over alleged collusion.