It is now up to the Election Commission (EC) to review the findings and decide whether to pursue the charges, which could include petitioning the Constitutional Court to dissolve the Bhumjaithai Party, reports the Bangkok Post.
The accused include 138 current senators, as well as 91 other people affiliated with Bhumjaithai, such as executive members and those tied to associated groups.
The recommendations that were made yesterday (July 17) came from a panel that comprised representatives of the EC and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), which have been conducting parallel investigations into different aspects of the complex case.
Following a review of the evidence, the committee found grounds to believe the actions of the accused led to the senators being elected through dishonest and unfair means.
The actions violated Section 113 of the constitution, which stipulates that senators must remain independent and not be under the influence of any political party.
Bhumjaithai and its leader, Anutin Charnvirakul, have consistently denied any involvement in efforts to influence the outcome of the election in June 2024.
The investigation will now move into the second procedural phase. Once the dossier is received by the EC, the case will undergo analysis by investigators.
Their opinions will be submitted to various parties, including the secretary-general of the EC or the deputy secretary-general as delegated.
It was previously reported that EC secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee would delegate authority to one of his deputies, since he served as national director of the 2024 poll, which may present a conflict of interest.
The investigations that began in March focused on “blue bloc” senators, a reference to a large group linked to Bhumjaithai, which until recently was the second-largest party in the government coalition.
The final Senate vote on June 26 last year produced highly unusual results, notably a disproportionate number of winners from provinces where Bhumjaithai is strong electorally.
Fourteen senators, the largest number by far of any province, come from Buriram, the home base of Newin Chidchob. Though he holds no formal position and claims to have washed his hands of politics, he is widely believed to still hold considerable influence in Bhumjaithai.