ECT investigates Senate collusion regarding IMPACT banquet

MGR Online•Politics•56m ago

Reader Briefing

The Election Commission of Thailand is investigating allegations of illegal banquets used to influence Senate candidates.

•The Election Commission (ECT) is investigating three cases of Senate election collusion involving the People's Party, Progressive Movement, iLaw, and independent Senators.
•The investigations focus on meetings and banquets held at the Jupiter Room of IMPACT where candidates reportedly did not pay for food or venue costs.
•The ECT is determining whether to continue with the current investigation committee (Committee 26) or appoint a new one due to the upcoming retirement of its chairman.

•The Election Commission (ECT) is processing three remaining case files regarding meetings held to prepare for the Senate election.
•The ECT is investigating three specific groups: the People's Party, Progressive Movement, and iLaw at the provincial level; the People's Party, Progressive Movement, and iLaw at the national level; and a group of independent Senators.
•Preliminary findings suggest individuals provided food and venue costs for the meetings, which may violate Section 77 (3) of the Organic Act on the Acquisition of Senators 2018.
•The alleged banquets were held at the Jupiter Room of IMPACT.
•On September 14, Narong Klanwarin, Chairman of the ECT, announced that the ECT had ordered the prosecution of 77 accused individuals in Senate collusion cases.
•Police Captain Chanin Noilek, Deputy Secretary-General of the ECT and Chairman of Investigation Committee 26, is scheduled to retire at the end of September.
•Itthiphon Bunprakhong, the ECT Chairman at the time of appointment, signed to establish Investigation Committee 26 and later established Sub-committee 36 to handle these files separately.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Election Commission of Thailand(กกต.)ℹ️

The body investigating Senate election collusion and ordering prosecutions.

People's Party(พรรคประชาชน)

A political party associated with one of the groups under investigation for Senate election collusion.

Progressive Movement(คณะก้าวหน้า)ℹ️

A group associated with the Senate election collusion investigation.

iLaw(ไอลอว์)

An organization associated with the Senate election collusion investigation.

Department of Special Investigation(DSI)ℹ️

The agency whose officials joined as members of Investigation Committee 26.

Narong Klanwarin(ณรงค์ กลั่นวารินทร์)

Chairman of the Election Commission of Thailand who announced the prosecution of 77 accused individuals.

Police Captain Chanin Noilek(ร.ต.อ.ชนินทร์ น้อยเล็ก)

Deputy Secretary-General of the ECT and Chairman of Investigation Committee 26.

Itthiphon Bunprakhong(อิทธิพร บุญประคอง)

The ECT Chairman who signed the appointment of Investigation Committee 26 and Sub-committee 36.

Sittichot Intharawiset(สิทธิโชติ อินทรวิเศษ)

The person who proposed to the meeting that the Senate collusion case be treated as an important case.

Jupiter Room, IMPACT(ห้องจูปิเตอร์ อิมแพ็ค)

The venue where the alleged banquet to influence Senate candidates took place.

Organic Act on the Acquisition of Senators 2018(พ.ร.ป.ว่าด้วยการได้มาซึ่งสว. 2561)

The law under which the alleged banquet may be a violation of Section 77 (3).