Abhisit Urges EC to Send Senate Collusion Case to Supreme Court
Abhisit Vejjajiva addressed parliament on Sept 10, 2026, urging the EC to send the Senate collusion case to the Supreme Court over conflict of interest concerns.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Abhisit Vejjajiva debated the fiscal year 2027 budget bill on September 10, 2026.
- Proposed a 10% budget cut for independent agencies, citing a crisis of trust in the EC.
- Demanded the Senate collusion case be forwarded to the Supreme Court to avoid conflicts of interest.
On September 10, 2026, during the House of Representatives meeting to deliberate the second and third readings of the fiscal year 2027 annual budget bill totaling 3.78 trillion baht, Abhisit Vejjajiva, party-list MP and leader of the Democrat Party, took the floor to debate Section 32 concerning independent agencies and the Office of the Attorney General, which has an allocated budget of 7.85 billion baht.
Abhisit proposed a 10 percent budget reduction, clarifying that it was not targeted at any specific project. He stated that the proposal to cut the budget stems from a lack of confidence and trust in the operations of independent agencies, particularly the Election Commission (EC), which is facing a severe crisis of public faith.
During his speech, Abhisit noted that while independent agencies are crucial pillars of a democratic system, scrutinizing them remains highly restricted. For instance, investigating the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) requires relying on the Speaker of the House to refer the matter to the Supreme Court to appoint an independent inquiry committee.
Debating the budgets of independent agencies serves as an important parliamentary mechanism for MPs to question the efficiency and accountability of state expenditures. While direct budget cuts face legal limitations, high-profile critiques from senior political figures like Abhisit help exert political pressure and draw public scrutiny toward the transparency of independent bodies handling high-stakes political cases.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
A key issue highlighted by Abhisit was the handling of the Senate election collusion case. He strongly urged the EC to transfer the case files to the Supreme Court for adjudication, citing serious concerns surrounding the upcoming verdict.
Abhisit pointed out that four EC commissioners scheduled to rule on the case on September 14, 2026, originate from the Senate selection process. He warned that should their ruling favor the accused parties, it would inevitably raise public questions regarding potential conflicts of interest and the impartiality of the electoral body.
Source: Khaosod Politics
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