Senator Alongkot Worakee, 61, was again thrust into the spotlight after he refused to speak to the press, repeatedly shaking his head and responding only in French: "Je ne parle pas" [I'm not saying].
This was after he appeared before the Election Commission (EC) on Monday to respond to allegations of Senate election collusion.
When a reporter challenged him, asking, "You're a Thai senator -- why not speak in Thai?" He replied: "Je ne parlerai que français [I will only speak French]."
The EC summoned Mr Alongkot and 54 other senators to acknowledge charges related to the alleged collusion in the 2024 Senate election.
Prior to joining the Senate, Mr Alongkot, who has a doctoral degree in development administration and a master's in political science, was deputy governor of Uthai Thani, a stronghold of the Bhumjaithai Party, known as the "blue bloc".
Mr Alongkot began his career in public administration and eventually rose to serve as inspector general at the Ministry of the Interior.
According to his Senate application resume, he has worn many hats -- academic, politician, marketer, and media professional.
Under the 2017 Constitution's revised senator selection system, he was eligible in six professional categories: government official, academic, senior citizen, arts and culture, NGO, and media.
However, he chose to apply under the "non-professional" category. This strategic decision may have helped him avoid scrutiny tied to specific sectors and allowed him to position himself more flexibly within influential networks.
In the Senate election held on June 26, 2024, Mr Alongkot ranked fifth in the national poll with 43 votes and a cross-qualifying score of 67.
However, his conduct during the election drew attention. Observers noted his unusual behaviour -- wandering around the polling venue and standing near the ballot box and election officials' table, an area regarded as off-limits to candidates.
Questions about his transparency surfaced early in his Senate term, notably after he voted against establishing a standing committee to oversee flood prevention policy.
Throughout the 2024 Senate session, the so-called blue bloc group of senators consistently dominated the votes, prompting concerns of collusion.
In response to the allegation against 55 senators by the EC, Mr Alongkot commented that the probe by officials from the EC and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) may have violated Section 157 of the Criminal Code, which pertains to malfeasance.
He questioned the DSI's own transparency, suggesting it might be influenced by opposition lobbying.
"The DSI is merely a statutory agency," he asserted. "I, on the other hand, am a senator acting under the constitution -- a higher legislative authority," he said.