The board, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, was initially expected to make a decision last Tuesday but postponed it to allow for further review, with the Election Commission (EC) invited to provide information today, reports the Bangkok Post.
Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong, also a member of the board, said that tomorrow’s meeting should not be postponed again.
Pol Col Tawee, who oversees the DSI, said that if the board accepts the case for investigation, a team of special case investigators will be set up to work with the prosecutors on the case. But if the board rejects the case, it may forward it to certain other agencies for action, he said.
The complaints related to vote-fixing were made by a group of unsuccessful candidates, alleging the EC has been slow to act.
The allegations are believed to be directed against “blue bloc” senators, a reference to a group known to favour the Bhumjaithai Party (BJT), a government coalition member.
The Senate threatened to seek Pol Col Tawee’s removal following the DSI’s suggestion that last year’s Senate election may have been rigged.
Pol Col Tawee previously dismissed a Senate petition seeking his removal for alleged abuse of authority over the DSI probe into the Senate election, insisting the DSI’s move was not politically motivated.
Previously, Pol Col Tawee said that some poll-related allegations involved criminal offences listed under the Criminal Code, implying that they should be handled by the DSI.
He said the DSI initially found influential groups orchestrated an illegal activity, so the agency is investigating if the alleged offence constitutes criminal association.
The minister said no board member has questioned the DSI’s preliminary findings, which suggest there are grounds for a formal investigation.
During a Senate session in parliament yesterday, a group of “blue bloc” senators attacked the justice minister and the DSI over the planned investigation.
Pol Maj Gen Chattrawat Saengphet, a senator who chairs a Senate committee on independent agencies’ affairs, alleged that the DSI, which is responsible for handling complex criminal cases, has been plagued by political interference.
He also accused the justice ministry of affording former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra preferential treatment during his detention at the Police General Hospital.
The senator also said the allegations related to the collusion in the Senate election and criminal association have defamed the senators.
He said that a legal team had been assigned to pursue legal action against those who had made such defamatory remarks.
“The justice minister and the DSI’s director-general have held media briefings about the probe daily. This has raised suspicion that the probe is specifically targeting the blue bloc senators,” Pol Maj Gen Chattrawat said.
Sen Alongkot Worakee said the DSI can often end up as the target themselves as they can be prone to political interference. “It should be transferred to the supervision of the Office of the Attorney-General instead to keep political influence at bay.”
Senate Speaker Mongkol Surasajja said that suggestions made by members of the Upper House would be sent to the cabinet for consideration.
The 200-member Senate was chosen from 20 professional groups in a month-long process that involved intra- and inter-professional group voting rounds at the local, provincial and national levels last year amid complaints of collusion to manipulate the results.