Senators blast People’s Party for ‘false’ poll claims

Election Commission urged to investigate whether party unlawfully disclosed evidence

A group of senators has accused the opposition People’s Party (PP) of misleading the public with false claims about the 2024 Senate election in an effort to discredit the upper House.

The group also urged the Election Commission (EC) to investigate whether list-MP Parit Wacharasindhu had unlawfully disclosed election-related evidence during a seminar held on Sunday at parliament.

Phisit Apivatanapong, a senator who serves as spokesperson for the Senate whip, said the party had deliberately chosen parliament as the venue for the seminar to lend credibility to its allegations.

He insisted the Senate had fully cooperated with all investigations into the election, adding that senators had carried out their duties in accordance with the law.

He accused Mr Parit and other speakers of presenting “clickbait” content designed to attract public attention rather than provide factual information, alleging the seminar sought to mislead the public and diminish the legitimacy of the Senate.

Organised recruitment

At the event, Mr Parit described the Senate election as a fraud because evidence, some of which his party revealed last month, suggested the organised recruitment of candidates and voters through payments and other inducements.

Mr Phisit also questioned how Mr Parit had obtained documents and video purportedly linked to the EC’s investigation into the election.

If the materials were genuine evidence, they should have been submitted to the EC through the proper legal process rather than being disclosed publicly, he said.

As a legislator, Mr Parit should rely on legal procedures rather than attempting to pressure the EC through public opinion, Mr Phisit said, adding that any authentic evidence could be verified through forensic examination, including fingerprint analysis.

He further criticised comments made by former senators at the seminar alleging that the current Senate had improperly entered office and was using its authority to appoint members of independent state agencies for political gain.

Such accusations were serious and unfairly damaged the reputation of the current Senate, whose members should still be presumed innocent, Mr Phisit said, adding that they had been subjected to “trial by public opinion” despite no legal ruling against them.

He maintained the current Senate was elected entirely in accordance with the 2018 organic law and defended the body’s constitutional authority to endorse office-holders in independent organisations.

Disclosure issues

Mr Phisit called on the EC to determine whether the evidence presented at the seminar formed part of its investigation files and, if so, whether its public disclosure was lawful.

If any laws had been violated, the EC should take appropriate action, he said, arguing the reputational damage to senators had already been done.

The 2024 Senate election gave rise to allegations of systemic fraud and vote-buying by over 120 senators.

The vote produced some highly unusual results, notably a preponderance of winners from provinces where the Bhumjaithai Party, which now leads the government, is strong electorally. Buri Ram, the home base of party patriarch Newin Chidchob, sent 14 senators to the Upper House. Bangkok elected only nine.

The Election Commission since March 2025 has been investigating reports of collusion to rig the vote in 2024. It is expected to decide by September whether to forward cases involving 229 individuals identified by an investigative panel.

The Department of Special Investigation, meanwhile, has interviewed hundreds of people about reports of money-laundering related to the election and is now reviewing the findings.

Mr Parit expressed concern at Sunday’s seminar that both the EC and DSI could halt their investigations before they ever reach the courts.