Sa-ngaeng revealed irregular withdrawals totaling 250 million baht involved six commercial bank clients. Investigations are underway to uncover any relationships between political parties and candidates. He pointed out it might be a business matter and stressed the need for fairness. The Election Commission has been instructed to closely monitor 42 provinces with fierce campaign competition.
On 31 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Sa-ngaeng Boonmee, Secretary-General of the Election Commission (EC), discussed complaints about vote-buying. The EC has divided areas into 35 provinces with normal competition and 42 provinces with intense contests in each district. Officials have been instructed to enforce strict oversight to prevent vote-buying, deploying police in half the country as rapid response units for pre-election area inspections. Additionally, election inspectors and local democracy and election promotion centers (Ds) are monitoring for any leads, especially in high-risk areas.
Sa-ngaeng acknowledged that vote-buying news is ongoing, but prevention measures involve administration, police, and the EC. He noted that while money may be prepared for vote-buying, distribution must not occur.
He added that vote-buying activities are likely to begin from 1 Feb onwards, but so far, no concrete reports have emerged. Most reports received concern other matters. In the final week before the election, some vote-buying reports might surface, but the EC believes it can prevent such incidents.
Regarding the update on the 250 million baht cash withdrawal report from the Bank of Thailand, Sa-ngaeng said that on the evening of 30 Jan, the Bank of Thailand provided data on commercial bank clients. He confirmed six clients made irregular withdrawals. This information has been passed to the investigation unit to examine any links to candidates or political parties and to determine the purpose of the withdrawals. He emphasized that the withdrawals may not be related to vote-buying and fairness must be maintained. However, if linked to political entities, it would be straightforward to investigate. The matter will be presented to the EC on Monday, 2 Feb.
When asked whether the large sum is likely to be used for vote-buying, Sa-ngaeng said it is too early to tell. Regardless of the amount, if no connections are found, it might simply be business-related. The EC is collaborating with the Anti-Money Laundering Office to examine the source of the funds.