EC suspects foul play ahead of national level of Senate election
At least four methods of possible cheating at national level of Senate election noted by EC
The Election Commission has detected at least four methods of foul play ahead of the national level of the senatorial election on Wednesday, including demands for money or positions in exchange for votes, a well-informed source from the EC Office said on Sunday.
The source said the four types of alleged fraud were mostly detected in northern provinces and the EC has instructed its provincial inspectors to investigate.
The provincial level of the senatorial election was held on June 16 and the winners will cast votes in two rounds to elect 200 senators at the national level at the Impact Arena in Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi on Wednesday.
According to the source, some winners of provincial levels had negotiated with candidates for money or posts as political appointees, such as secretaries, in exchange for their votes.
In the second trend, certain political groups that support particular candidates were trying to contact and negotiate with candidates from other provinces to vote for their choices in exchange for certain benefits.
In the third method, some power brokers have rented hotel rooms near Impact Arena for candidates in their control to gather so that they could check the number of votes in their control for negotiating with certain candidates for selling votes, the source said.
The source added that the EC has also learned that some politicians have been luring some winners of the provincial level to join their group with a promise to help them win the final senatorial election.
