500+ Senate candidates meet for ‘banquet’ in Bangkok

More than 500 candidates competing in the ongoing senatorial election met at the Amari Don Muang Airport Hotel in Bangkok on Monday at an event dubbed “Meeting of Independent Senate Candidates”.

A source said on Tuesday that each group member paid 200 baht for the meal, so as not to violate the election law, which prohibits any banquets or catering events for senatorial candidates.

Several candidates took turns speaking on the stage, providing highlights on the procedures of the national-level voting to be held at Nonthaburi’s Impact Forum on Wednesday.

Among notable speakers was Vivatanachai Na Kalasin, former Thai Rak Thai party-list MP and several times Kalasin MP.

The 72-year-old veteran had reportedly set up a group on Line application, and invited participating candidates so they could “get to know each other better”.

“This event serves as a platform for senatorial candidates to meet and discuss face-to-face as there are thousands of candidates this year, who have never met each other,” Vivatanachai told reporters while insisting that the event does not violate election laws.

Political analysts believe candidates with close ties to political parties, both in the government and opposition camps, will sweep up most of the seats in the upper house in Wednesday’s voting.

According to the Election Commission, a total of 3,000 candidates, 2,164 men and 836 women, passed the district and provincial level voting on June 9 and 16, respectively, from the total candidates of 45,753.

The candidates will vote among themselves to select the new 200-member Senate to replace the 250-member Senate appointed by the junta after the 2014 military-led coup, whose term ended on May 10.