The special case panel of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has agreed to delay its decision, on whether to accept the case of alleged voting collusion in the senatorial election last June as a special case to be probed by the DSI, pending a clarification from the Election Commission (EC).
The DSI has proposed that the allegations be treated as a special case, claiming that it has sufficient evidence to prove that the election of 200 new senators last June was riddled with voting collusion and bloc voting.
It also accuses the Senate of criminal association, posing a national security threat.
Before the meeting of the panel today, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, also head of the panel, told the media that the issue at stake is not a political one, but a factual matter, which must be substantiated with explicit evidence for the board to treat it as a special case for investigation by the DSI.
Only 19 of the 22 board members were present at the meeting this afternoon. The three absentees were commissioner-general, Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet, Pol Lt-Gen Samran Nualma, assistant commissioner-general and Pol Gen Suthin Sappuang, a specialist in criminal investigation.
To accept the matter as a special case, the votes of two-thirds of the board are required.
After about two hours of discussion, the board agreed to delay its decision and to invite the EC, or its representatives, to provide an explanation to the board.
