Election watchdog ‘mulling 19 complaints against political parties’
The Election Commission has received 83 complaints against 25 political parties for alleged violations of the 2017 Act on the Political Parties, and is still considering 19 of them, it said on Thursday.
All of the complaints have been received since 2020 and 61 have been dismissed, it said.
The most complaints are against the main opposition party, Pheu Thai. The commission has received 33 complaints against the party and is considering six of them, it said. The other 27 have been dismissed.
It has received 15 complaints against the ruling Palang Pracharath Party. Eleven have been dismissed, one was retracted, and three are being considered, the commission said.
The Democrat and New Palangdharma parties have been the subject of three complaints each. In both cases, two complaints have been dismissed and one is being considered.
The commission received multiple complaints against three other parties but all were dismissed, it said. It dismissed the five complaints it received against Move Forward, and the two each it received against Bhumjaithai and Klong Thai.
The Thai Liberal, United Thai Nation, Phalang Thai Rak Thai, Thai People Justice, Thai Nation Power, Thai Teachers for People, and Ponlamuang Thai parties have all been the subject of one complaint each and the commission is still considering them, it said.
The commission can seek a ruling from the Constitutional Court to dissolve any political party found to have severely violated the 2017 law.
When a political party is dissolved for violating the law, its executives may be banned from politics for up to 10 years.
Thailand is expected to hold a general election on May 7.
