The Election Commission (EC) has decided to ask the Supreme Court's Election Division to strip a Democrat election candidate in Bangkok and her campaign assistant of their election rights for allegedly engaging in vote-buying.
In its statement, the EC said it had found Ketkanda Inchuay, a Democrat candidate for Bangkok's Constituency 16, and her campaign assistant, Duangruedee Phansomton, were involved in vote-buying in the lead-up to the May 14 general election.
The EC said it would pursue legal action against the pair and forward the case to the Supreme Court's Election Division to consider stripping them of their election rights.
According to the EC's findings, between April 17-19, Ms Duangruedee contacted a complainant and asked the individual to supply a list of voters with a promise to pay them 500 baht each in exchange for their votes for Ms Ketkanda.
The complainant gave the list with four names to Ms Duangruedee via the Line chat app on April 22 and received 2,000 baht from her on April 25. The complainant had audio and video clips to back the vote-buying allegation, said the EC.
Based on Ms Ketkanda's statement that Ms Duangruedee distributed leaflets to voters and helped her solicit votes during the campaign, the EC said the two had a close working relationship.
"The evidence suggests that Ms Ketkanda was aware that Ms Duangruedee, her campaign assistant, gave money to voters in exchange for their votes," said the EC.
The poll agency said it decided not to pursue the charge against the complainant, who is being treated as a witness in this case.
Democrat Taenkhun Jit-issara apologised to the public and said he hoped the candidate in question would consider quitting the party.