Bangkok: The Election Commission (EC) Chairman, Narong Klanwarin, is waiting for a legal interpretation to assess the performance of Secretary-General Saeng Boonmee, amid allegations of scapegoating. The EC Chairman has denied claims that Saeng is being pushed into a scapegoat role, emphasizing that the issue at hand concerns Saeng's performance as Secretary-General.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Narong explained that the evaluation process for Mr. Saeng's performance is currently pending a legal interpretation from the Office of the Council of State. The interpretation will determine which EC panel holds the authority to conduct the evaluation. The EC is addressing this matter to ensure thoroughness and transparency, especially after controversies regarding leaked information. Mr. Narong affirmed that Mr. Saeng has been carrying out his duties with integrity and is prepared to provide necessary explanations.
Mr. Narong addressed concerns regarding the evaluation's connection to election management. He questioned how a previous election could have been conducted if Saeng's performance was deemed unsatisfactory. He urged the public not to jump to conclusions, asserting that all actions are governed by law, and the legality of past actions cannot be prematurely judged.
In response to observations about Mr. Saeng potentially being a scapegoat amid election pressures, Mr. Narong clarified that the EC operates as a committee with oversight as its main function. He stressed that Mr. Saeng is executing his responsibilities as Secretary-General and is not being positioned as a scapegoat.
Furthermore, Mr. Narong dismissed any notion that a negative evaluation of Mr. Saeng's performance would result in the freezing of the Senate collusion case. He stated that the two issues are unrelated and there is no reason to fear any case freezing as a consequence of the evaluation.