Somchai congratulated the Election Commission on not having to pay 70 million baht of public funds after the Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit over issuing a yellow card to Suraphol Kiatchayakorn in the 2019 Chiang Mai MP election, calling it a lesson to work more carefully.
At 1:00 p.m. on 10 March 2026, at the Chaeng Watthana Government Complex, Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, former member of the Election Commission, spoke about the case in which the Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by Suraphol Kiatchayakorn, former Member of Parliament for Chiang Mai from the Pheu Thai Party, seeking damages from the Office of the Election Commission and the Election Commission totaling about 70 million baht with interest. The claim was for damages due to the EC’s issuance of a yellow card and the one-year election ban imposed on Suraphol. He said this is a lesson for the EC that from now on, in considering or deciding cases, they must do so carefully to prevent similar problems from arising in the future. Otherwise, such cases will lead to complaints and prolonged lawsuits lasting over eight years, causing both sides to lose time and incur costs.
Somchai added, He believes this verdict will give the EC confidence and courage to issue yellow, red, or orange cards to those who commit election fraud. He congratulated the previous EC team on the court's decision and the EC office on avoiding the loss of approximately 70 million baht in public funds. .