EC Sitthichote explains dissenting vote in Senate election case

Election commissioner Sitthichote Intaraviset has explained that he voted to indict Bhumjaithai executive members, including Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and some MPs, for involvement in the Senate election fraud because evidence from witnesses matched real events and instructions on whom to vote for in the election matched the names of 12 winning candidates.

The EC voted 5:2 on Monday to exclude them from the names forwarded to the Supreme Court. Sitthichote was one of the two commissioners who dissented from the majority. The other was commissioner Chai Nakornchai.

The EC also voted 4:3 to indict 26 incumbent senators of involvement in the election fraud.

Sitthichote insisted that he did not rely on the testimonies of any particular witnesses, but on the testimonies concerning events which occurred and phone communications between some Bhumjaithai executives and senate candidates.

He said also said that there was no evidence of money being paid by key politicians, but from people around them for use in the Senate election rigging.