At 9:40 AM on May 27 at Parliament, Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit, Chair of the Senate Committee on Political Development, Public Participation, Human Rights, Freedoms, and Consumer Protection, addressed calls to delay the upcoming May 30 special Senate session for selecting a vetting committee for independent organizations. This follows allegations that some senators were involved in collusion during the Senate selection process.
Angkhana raised concerns over why her committee has never been chosen to join the selection panels for independent agencies, despite being the only one out of 21 Senate committees left out every time. She reiterated the principle that individuals accused should be presumed innocent but also emphasized the importance of ethical conduct.
She stressed that while accused senators may not be violating the law, they are potentially violating ethical standards. If those suspected of misconduct participate in selecting independent bodies, the legitimacy of those appointments could be questioned.
Angkhana noted that if independent agency positions remain vacant, the constitution allows the President of the Supreme Court and the President of the Supreme Administrative Court to appoint interim officials. Therefore, there should be no rush or pressure.
She confirmed a Senate whip meeting is scheduled for May 28 to consider whether to proceed with forming a vetting committee. She warned that ignoring public concerns and ethical responsibility could erode the dignity of the Senate and damage Thai democracy.
Regarding a leaked audio clip allegedly involving vote-trading among Senate candidates, she said she personally witnessed candidates moving around during voting, while she was restricted. She attributed this issue to inefficient oversight by the Election Commission.
Angkhana questioned why the EC could quickly issue yellow, orange, and red cards for 500 MPs, yet has delayed investigating just 200 senators. Given that senators select members of key independent bodies such as the EC and NACC (who serve up to 9 years), she called for caution and integrity in this process.