EC credibility slammed over incorrect ‘correction’ of election results
The Election Commission (EC) had its credibility questioned after it issued a correction for an incorrect but unofficial recount result that was released on Sunday.
Sunday’s announcement of the recount in Nakhon Pathom province said the Future Forward Party had won over the Democrat Party by 65 votes.
But it seems the Democrat was the rightful winner over Future Forward by four votes.
The confusion arose on Sunday when EC commissioner Chatchai Chanpraisri told the press that the recount had found that Future Forward won the election in Nakhon Pathom’s first constituency after the recount.
That led the Democrat Party to challenge the new total, saying it had evidence that showed its candidate Sinthop Kaewpichit had won the constituency with 35,711 votes, while Future Forward candidate Savika Limpasuwanna earned 35,707.
Before the recount, Sinthop was declared the winner in the constituency, but Savika petitioned the announcement, citing mistakes in the counting.
The EC’s secretary-general Jarungvith Phumma admitted on Monday the Democrat account was accurate.
In a press conference, the agency deputy secretary-general Sawang Boonmee said the incorrect results announced on Sunday were unofficial and were made before the counting tally had been completed.
The agency was slammed harshly for the mistake. The Democrat deputy leader Satit Pitutacha wrote on Facebook: ”Please, do not make any more mistake. Your agency has already suffered a severe credibility crisis.”