Bangkok: "Santhiya" has submitted a formal request to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) to review the acceptance of the Senate election case. He emphasizes the need for collaboration between involved agencies and questions whether the DSI's current evidence includes information from the Election Commission.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Sonthiya Sawasdee, a former Senate candidate, has formally approached the DSI to investigate allegations of collusion, secret societies, and banditry related to the Senate election. Having participated as a candidate in the Pathumwan district of Bangkok, Mr. Sonthiya was eliminated at the provincial level despite advancing past the district level. He had previously filed complaints regarding collusion at the district level, implicating a large electricity company, which prompted the Election Commission (EC) to conduct two investigations. Mr. Sonthiya argues that before the Special Case Committee makes a decision on whether to treat this as a special case, the DSI should consider his evidence, especially if the EC has already certified the election results under constitutional provisions, which could indicate a neglect of duty in failing to investigate the alleged collusion.
Mr. Sonthiya further highlighted that complaints have been lodged by groups not directly involved in the Senate elections, suggesting that the EC's process is rigorous. He described strict monitoring during the election, including restrictions on interactions even in personal spaces.
In discussing potential collusion during the Senate elections, Mr. Sonthiya noted that only the committee is privy to the election process details. The EC reportedly possesses comprehensive evidence, including recordings and data, that could be pivotal in identifying collusion. However, Mr. Sonthiya's attempts to access this information have been thwarted, as any release of such data requires a court order due to constitutional mandates placing the responsibility of certifying election results on the EC.
Mr. Sonthiya questioned whether the DSI has engaged with the Election Commission to obtain crucial election documents, such as video evidence from polling stations, emphasizing that the DSI's investigation needs to comply with legal and constitutional provisions.
The DSI is urged to deliberate carefully on this matter, considering potential legal and constitutional conflicts that might arise from their investigation.