Senator Nantana presses the Senate President to clarify publicly whether he is the man shown in the video submitting a ballot slip. Meanwhile, Senator Wutipong urges the Election Commission to swiftly forward the case to the Supreme Court's Election Division for a final ruling.
At 1:00 p.m. on 16 June 2026 at the Parliament, the New Breed Senators led by Senator Nantana Nantavaropas, Lieutenant Commander Wutipong Pongsuwan, and Mr. Sunthorn Pruksapipat held a press conference demanding Senate President Mongkol Surasajja clarify the video involving the Senate election. The video, revealed by MP Parit Watcharasinsuwat, showed a man resembling Mongkol submitting a ballot slip to the Election Commission (EC). Senator Nantana said this issue raises serious public concerns. As senators, they cannot remain silent and want Mongkol to confirm if he is the man in the video. She said she does not believe it but only he knows the truth. Therefore, he should answer the public whether he is the man in the clip. If he remains silent, it implies acceptance. If not, he should explain his role in the Senate election at Muang Thong Thani on 26 June 2024. This is very important because the Senate President is the head of the legislative branch and the Senate.
She warned that continued silence would imply that he is indeed the man in the video.
“Regarding the Senate election collusion, society has watched closely for nearly two years but no senator involved has been punished. However, in the EC’s process, some unsuccessful Senate candidates were found guilty by the court for having chat messages discussing vote trading, resulting in a 10-year political ban. This proves collusion is a crime, including vote trading. If evidence such as the collusion slips, financial trails, phone contacts, and witness testimonies exist, don’t they prove those involved are guilty of election collusion? Currently, the Senate’s image is severely damaged. We call on the EC to speed up the case and have the Supreme Court’s Election Division adjudicate to clear suspicions that four of the seven EC members were appointed by this Senate and that all 139 senators should be charged with collusion, revealing a clear conflict of interest. The best solution is for the EC to submit the case to the Supreme Court’s Election Division to decide and conclude before this Senate’s term ends in 2029,” said Senator Nantana.
She urged the EC to promptly submit the case to the Supreme Court's Election Division for a ruling.
Lieutenant Commander Wutipong Pongsuwan, a senator, said he questions how the video was obtained but doubts anyone used AI to create it. This raises widespread public suspicion about whether the video is real. He stressed that the court with election jurisdiction should quickly consider the case to ensure a fair and transparent investigation. This would help ease concerns among the public, media, and senators, many of whom feel uneasy about the situation. He called on the EC to act urgently and fairly.
He emphasized that prolonging the issue only harms the Senate's image.
Senator Sunthorn Pruksapipat said allegations of Senate election collusion have been discussed since the 2024 Senate election and remain a public concern, directly damaging the Senate’s reputation. He urged the EC to promptly clarify the facts to determine right or wrong and not leave the matter unresolved. He questioned whether the current EC, with four members approved by this Senate, faces a conflict of interest deciding the case. For fairness and to restore credibility, the EC should promptly refer the case to the judiciary so the court can decide. The public should not be left in doubt or prolonged uncertainty. If this continues, it raises concerns about the country’s direction. He appealed to all sectors, including the media, to scrutinize the matter and raise public awareness about what is truly right, instead of ignoring the issue, or Thailand’s progress will be at risk.