Sawt Falasteen - Thai runner-up party seeks criminal case against election officials

The reformist People's Party "submitted a case" to a criminal court against seven election commissioners, the Election Commission's secretary-general and another election official, deputy party leader Wayo Assawarungruang said.

"Two charges involve wrongful exercise of duties, and the last charge we claimed was about marking ballots with QR codes and barcodes which allow the votes to be traced and not kept secret as it should be," Wayo said.

The Election Commission confirmed the victory of caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's conservative Bhumjaithai party on Wednesday, ratifying most of the vote results.

Bhumjaithai won 170 constituencies, the most of any party, while People's Party -- which had been polling first ahead of the election -- came in second, with 88 constituencies, the commission said.

Some citizens and experts raised concerns after election day that QR codes and barcodes found on ballots could be used to identify individual voters.

But the commission said the markings were to ensure electoral security and prevent the use of fake ballots.

The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases said it will decide whether to hear the case by March 24, according to Wayo.

If the court takes up the case, the nine face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and the loss of their political rights for a decade.

- Old partners -

With no party winning an outright majority in the election, Bhumjaithai and third-place Pheu Thai, the populist party of jailed former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, have agreed to form a coalition.

The progressive People's Party has said it will be in the opposition.

The pro-military and pro-monarchy Bhumjaithai had its best electoral performance ever, riding a wave of nationalism following two rounds of deadly border clashes with Cambodia last year.

Pheu Thai, Thailand's most successful party of the 21st century, meanwhile, had its worst election result ever.

The two parties were previously coalition partners until Anutin pulled out in June following a leaked phone conversation of his predecessor, Pheu Thai's Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

In addition to the long-standing border conflict with its neighbour, Thailand's next administration will need to tackle anaemic economic growth, with its vital tourism industry yet to rebound to pre-Covid highs.

The new government will also need to manage fallout over multibillion-dollar cyberscam networks operating from the region.

C.AbuSway--SF-PST