Bangkok: The Pheu Thai Party has announced that it has received over 61 complaints regarding alleged asset giveaways and vote buying. However, no cases of payment of 7,500 baht per vote have been confirmed yet.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Chusak Sirinil, Deputy Leader of the Pheu Thai Party and Director of the Election Fraud Reporting Center, made the announcement at the party's headquarters, alongside Mr. Prasert Chantharawongthong, Party Secretary-General, and Mr. Phumtham Wechayachai, a party leader.
The party's election fraud prevention center, which has been operational since January 5th, has been continuously receiving complaints. Between January 5-22, the center recorded approximately 61 complaints related to election fraud. Upon examination, many cases were found to have merit, primarily involving the distribution of gifts, property, or defamation with false information, all of which violate election laws.
Mr. Chusak stated that all alleged offenses have been compiled into complaints to be reported to investigating officers and the Election Commission (EC) in the relevant provinces. Initially, about seven cases have been reported in areas such as Pathum Thani, Satun, Suphan Buri, Bueng Kan, and Bangkok, with three cases in Bangkok alone. The majority of offenses involve giving assets and benefits to influence political outcomes.
The director of the anti-corruption center expressed concerns about the election, noting a trend of using benefits and assets to gain votes. He urged the Election Commission to expedite its consideration and action to prevent corruption, including issues of bias by some parties.
Additionally, the Anti-Corruption Center analyzed data on advance voting registration and found that 26 provinces experienced an unusually high increase in registration numbers compared to the 2023 election. In some provinces, the number increased by more than 100 percent, such as Phayao Province, which saw an increase of almost 128 percent, and Khon Kaen Province. This anomaly may indicate vote buying in advance or across districts.
Irregularities were found in provinces including Bangkok, Khon Kaen, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Buriram, and Pathum Thani. The Pheu Thai Party plans to inform its parliamentary candidates about this information so they can appoint observers to monitor the advance voting on February 1st. The party also requests that the Election Commission increase vigilance in provinces with unusually high registration numbers.
Regarding rumors of vote buying at 7,500 baht per vote, Mr. Chusak confirmed that the center had not received any confirmed information on that figure. Most information indicated vote buying prices ranging from approximately 500 to 2,000 baht, depending on the area. The 7,500 baht figure still requires analysis of its source and plausibility.
Mr. Prasert added that if vote buying were occurring at the rate of 7,500 baht per head, it would necessitate a massive sum of money, given there are over 100,000 eligible voters in one constituency. Meanwhile, Mr. Phumtham mentioned that in some areas, particularly in the Northeast, Central, and Western regions, the figure was not 7,500 baht per head, but might have been lump sum payments of tens of thousands of baht given to community leaders, village headmen, or community leaders.