EC chief confident selection of 200 senators would conclude by 5pm today

Voting started at around 9.30am and the first round of voting should take about 2 hours and 30 minutes. After that, there will be a break for the candidates to have lunch and draw lots for grouping. Following this, the candidates will be given one hour to study the candidates' documents. The afternoon session is planned to start around 2.30pm and is expected to conclude in 2 hours and 30 minutes, approximately by 5pm.

On Tuesday (June 25), some groups had circulated polls on the likely winners from each group. Ittiporn warned that the law prohibits polls from being conducted, although other forms of commentary are allowed. 

Regarding the report that 300 candidates had formed a seminar group, Ittiporn explained that it was an open meeting to share opinions and facts. The law does not prohibit such meetings, he said. The EC's regulations on self-introduction have been relaxed by the court to allow candidates to introduce themselves as much as possible. Any openly conducted activity is presumed to be honest initially. However, the EC always sends staff to monitor the situation to ensure compliance with the law, he said, adding, it was important to determine if any lobbying involved offering benefits. If it involves presenting oneself as a qualified candidate, it is considered normal for the application process, he said.

When asked about reports of lobbying involving payments ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of baht, the EC chief said that the media and the EC have been following this issue closely from the beginning. Suspicious activities are being monitored, and whenever there is sufficient evidence, action will be taken. The EC is obligated to act whenever evidence is found. Group activities do not necessarily mean a smooth process, Ittiporn said. Some reports have been made, but it is up to the EC's investigative department to determine whether the evidence warrants prompt action by the EC, he said.

Ittiporn revealed that currently around 300 cases, mostly complaints but also cases initiated by the EC, are being investigated.

Regarding the suggestion to monitor restroom areas to prevent lobbying, Ittiporn said that measures had been in place for a long time. The EC, in coordination with police and provincial EC staff, checks restrooms before the start to ensure no items are left there. Entrants must notify staff, who will then escort and observe them to ensure nothing improper occurs. This procedure has been followed consistently to prevent misconduct, he said.

When asked if the goal of selecting 200 candidates today would be met, the EC chief affirmed, "Yes, many candidates have come, with an average of 150 per group, and at least 120. The process should proceed smoothly to reach 200 candidates. There is no indication that we will not achieve this."

Regarding rumours that some candidates might be linked to political parties, Ittiporn said that any symbols must clearly indicate connections with party support. Without such proof, it cannot be considered a connection.

“Raising three fingers is not explicitly prohibited, but it is best to avoid actions that might lead to such questions. Candidates will be eating together and introducing themselves as usual,” Ittiporn added.