Bangkok: Thawee Sodsong, the Minister of Justice, has announced that the investigation into the alleged collusion in the selection of senators is expected to be treated as a special case. This decision is set to be finalized during the upcoming NESDB meeting on March 6. Thawee highlighted that a leaked list has revealed 138 names matching those in the parliament, raising significant concerns.
According to Thai News Agency, Pol. Col. Thawee elaborated that the leaked documents consist of lists of approximately 1,200 senator candidates and elected senators. These individuals are being considered for questioning by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) as witnesses in the collusion case. He clarified that the documents did not originate from the DSI. During the senator election at Muang Thong Thani, around 3,000 people were elected, and it was discovered that cheat sheets containing about 1,000 names were in circulation.
The DSI plans to scrutinize the names involved, which might exceed 1,200 individuals. The presence of a name on the list does not inherently indicate wrongdoing. As per DSI's protocol, everyone with knowledge of the situation will be summoned to provide information. Whether this information is new will be determined by investigators, although all individuals, regardless of their presence at Muang Thong Thani, will be required to share their insights.
A Special Case Committee meeting on March 6 will decide if this matter qualifies as a special case. Pol. Col. Thawee acknowledged that the case file is substantial and complex. The Council of State previously suggested that the DSI might lack the authority to investigate this issue. Thawee addressed this by stating that it would be considered, emphasizing that the DSI would adhere to the law and that there should be no operational issues.
In response to the Senate's request for the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to investigate both Thawee and DSI chief Pol. Col. Yuthana Phraedam, Thawee assured that it would not hinder their work. He reiterated that if anyone feels unjustly treated, they can exercise their rights in a democratic system. He noted that while documents show 140 names submitted, with 138 matching parliament names, 62 individuals remain unaccounted for.
Thawee concluded that while the evidence is not conclusive, it consists of information gathered from various sources. A decision on accepting the case as a special case will be made in the NBTC meeting, and a resolution is anticipated.