The Chairman of the Election Commission (EC) revealed the procedure for evaluating Mr. Sawang's performance, noting they are awaiting the Council of State's interpretation on which EC panel holds the authority. He denied pushing the EC Secretary to be a scapegoat and stressed there is no need to fear freezing the Senate vote-rigging case if the Secretary's evaluation does not pass.
On 9 June 2026, Mr. Narong Khanwarin, Chairman of the Election Commission (EC), discussed the steps for evaluating the work performance of Mr. Sawang Boonmee, EC Secretary. He said the EC was actually unaware how the related news leaked out. Due to disputes, for caution, the current EC panel resolved to submit facts and legal matters to the Council of State for interpretation regarding which EC panel has the duty or authority to assess the Secretary's performance in this case. The opinion from the Council of State is currently awaited. He also noted that Mr. Sawang has performed straightforwardly and can clarify as needed.
When asked if a poor evaluation related to election management would cause problems for the validity of the past election, Mr. Narong said not to jump to severe conclusions. Everything is governed by law. He cannot comment on whether past actions were legally correct or not.
Regarding the observation that Mr. Sawang might be a scapegoat for the EC absorbing criticism during the recent election, Mr. Narong denied this, saying the EC operates as a committee. Its main role is oversight. The Secretary performs his role independently. Therefore, he is not a scapegoat; he is simply fulfilling his duties, not being pushed to take the blame.
Mr. Narong also denied that a failed evaluation of the EC Secretary would result in freezing the Senate vote-rigging case, stating the two issues are unrelated. He reassured there is no need to fear any case freeze.