Nantana expressed frustration at retaliation from the blue senator faction, which dug up issues related to the Jupiter room. She affirmed that there was no collusion list involved and criticized the Election Commission (EC) for prosecuting only 26 senators, saying it changes nothing. Pichai condemned the prosecutions as targeting minor offenders but not the major ones, pointing out that the power atop this sandcastle is bound to collapse.
On 19 Sep 2026 GMT+7, the Assembly for a Just Parliament, the Coalition for Legislative Reform, and Reserve Senators held a panel discussion titled “Corrupt Senators: The Starting Point of a Country’s Takeover.” Participants included Parit Watcharasindhu, party-list MP from the People’s Party; Satit Pitutecha, Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party; Nantana Nantawaropas, Senator; Patthapong Supakorn (Lawyer Aun); Pichai Rattanadilok na Phuket, political science scholar and PhD program director at the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA); Yingcheep Atchanont, Director of iLaw; Pol. Lt. Gen. Kamrob Panyakao, Reserve Senator; and prospective senator Montree Chieblaem.
Nantana said they were not gathered to celebrate but to remember the problems caused by the coup. People have lost faith in the Election Commission (EC) because since the 2024 Senate elections, many have complained that those sitting in the Senate were not legitimately elected. Clear evidence shows votes coming in blocks, overturning the board, with groups wearing yellow shirts, black folders, and convoys of vans.
The Senate’s behavior is to vote uniformly, starting from the first day when they elected the Senate President, and continuing for over two years with majorities exceeding 150. The EC should have intervened, but instead, it prosecuted only 40 cases of disqualified senators. Nantana suggested that if the EC properly handled the sitting senators, there would be no need to prosecute the disqualified ones. She questioned the EC’s partiality, asking, “Which color is the EC?”
She said they fought both inside and outside parliament. Inside, she opposed the election of independent agencies, arguing it should be postponed because 138 senators faced allegations of illegitimacy. Even without verdicts, those accused choosing bodies like the EC, NACC, and Constitutional Court to judge them is clearly a conflict of interest. Yet, whenever she spoke against this, she was silenced, protested, insulted, and accused of serious ethics violations for using the phrase “pork sellers.”
“This is the audacity of the majority forcing everything to go their way. I want to whisper loudly that I am not afraid of them. I am currently being retaliated against by the blue faction, who dug up the Jupiter room issue—a transparent gathering with the EC and media invited. We did not hide or secretly plot in hotels with lists. Reports say there were 300 people because everyone was visible. They are trying to find the 'ants' but cannot see the whole 'elephant' in the room.”
On 14 Sep 2026 GMT+7, the EC announced the vote-rigging case results, reducing suspects from 229 to only 77. Party executive members were not prosecuted, causing public frustration as it appeared to cut off investigations before reaching the masterminds. This process, which affected many provinces nationwide, leaves the 77 as light-blue senators, while the hardline ones remain comfortably in the Senate.
Since the executives were unaffected, calls to dissolve the party failed. Prosecuting only 26 senators does not change parliamentary dynamics because the majority of 124 still remain. They can still elect independent agencies, amend the constitution, hold majorities in committees, and pass laws. The Air Quality Act was severely weakened by the Senate, making people feel their efforts to expose corruption are futile.
Fortunately, two minority EC members revealed that the Senate election was a coordinated process, not individual actions—showing the full picture of the 'elephant.' Hope remains as reserve senators have filed lawsuits directly to courts. Multiple courts—Supreme, Criminal, Constitutional—will be approached, and if necessary, even spiritual courts. A four-step plan to dismantle the country’s takeover was proposed.
1. Collaborate to expose the Senate corruption network fully, reaching the masterminds, and share this with the public.
2. File lawsuits with the Supreme Court, Criminal Court, and Constitutional Court to empower the judiciary against the masterminds.
3. Dig out corruption networks everywhere to ensure no corrupt person is allowed shelter.
4. Draft a new constitution that truly belongs to the people, with the power to select the constitution-drafting assembly coming solely from the populace.
This is the method to stop the country’s takeover. Personally, it seems like Mission Impossible, but we will make it possible in our generation.
Pichai said, "Who do the senators belong to?" Although the Senate’s formation has evolved, the Constitution Drafting Committee chaired by Meechai Ruchuphan has caused many problems. Changes have worsened the situation, limiting citizens’ rights and favoring those who organize groups, as assessments of Thai politicians’ capabilities, especially local bosses, have been underestimated.
He noted that Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul often claims ignorance or non-involvement because his path has been managed by others, suggesting cooperation between the federation of local bosses centered in Buriram and conservative elites. This reveals a lack of legitimacy and a crisis.
Surveys show the EC’s credibility has fallen to just over 3% or even negative, representing a crisis these organizations must bear under the blue regime’s influence. With Anutin’s denial of government involvement, questions arise why the EC prosecuted 77 people including members of the Bhumjaithai Party. This selective prosecution targets minor offenders but ignores major ones present. The growing distrust is expected to become a wave that will sweep the government away. The blue regime’s power rests on a fragile sandcastle of legitimacy, unable to withstand repeated public discontent and soon to collapse.
