The Secretary-General of the Election Commission (EC) opened up after being sued over allegations of neglecting leads on collusion in the Senate election, stating it is a good matter to have the case proven in court rather than debated publicly.
On 28 June 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Saewang Bunmee, Secretary-General of the Election Commission (EC), spoke about the case filed by Police Colonel Manat Nakornsi, a former provincial election inspector who served during the 2024 national Senate election. He said he is aware of the complaint against himself and the EC Office regarding alleged misconduct. He sees it as positive that the matter is now officially in the legal system, which will allow all facts to be thoroughly examined and transparently proven in the justice process, rather than having parties exchange accusations through the media, which does not resolve the dispute or bring closure to the serious issue.
When asked about Police Colonel Manat's claims, especially the point that information about collusion in the Senate election was reported to the Secretary-General on the day of the event but was met with a response from Mr. Saewang saying, “Even if I know, I can’t do anything; they have already planned it,” the Secretary-General explained that the national Senate election day involved many complex details and simultaneous incidents. He chose not to elaborate or discuss these details publicly at this time because, with the case now in the justice system, he does not want to prolong the debate. He believes that allowing all parties to testify and be examined through the legal process is the most appropriate and proper way to establish the truth.
The Secretary-General added that he has remained silent and refrained from responding publicly, instead listening to information from all sides. Now that the situation has reached the justice system, he considers this a good sign to clarify all issues. He emphasized that he has no concerns about the case and is fully prepared to let everything proceed through the formal judicial process.