A civil society network gathered in front of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre to hold a public inquiry titled "Election Commission Cheats People's Votes." 'Book Lai Chut' criticized the rush to certify MPs, fearing the election could be nullified.
On 25 Feb 2026 GMT+7, in front of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), the atmosphere was lively with citizens and political activists wearing symbolic shirts and holding signs demanding transparency. The key highlight was the public inquiry forum led by Mr. Sombat Boonngam-anong, known as Book Lai Chut, and Mr. Yingcheep Atchanont from iLaw, accompanied by music from the Commoner band reflecting the people's constitutional aspirations.
Mr. Sombat, or Book Lai Chut, said from the stage that the Election Commission's work in this election had many loopholes, especially the delayed reporting via the ECT Report system and the incomplete disclosure of polling station-level data as required. He also questioned the rapid certification of many MPs despite unresolved doubts about electoral integrity. If the Constitutional Court later rules the election null, it would severely impact MPs' status, massive budgets, and government administration.
"The Election Commission had years to prepare and cannot claim time constraints. You have complete polling station-level data from election day but chose to reveal only part of it, then suddenly rushed to certify results while society remains doubtful. Instead, you should have waited for legal clarity within the 60-day framework," Mr. Sombat stated.
Additionally, Book Lai Chut criticized the Election Commission for filing complaints against citizens who inspected election irregularities, calling it inappropriate and a form of Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) to suppress citizen involvement. He urged the Commission to reconsider and withdraw the lawsuits immediately, affirming that this public inquiry aims to set transparency standards and that he hopes the Commission will publicly address doubts through information exchange rather than one-sided press releases as before.