EC boss walks tightrope of trust amid MP endorsements

Ex-judge faces critical test, writes Jutamas Tadthiemrom

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As the Election Commission (EC) prepares to endorse party-list MPs today, its chairman Narong Klunwarin stands at the centre of intensifying scrutiny over the recent general election.

Mr Narong, 65, a former Supreme Court judge, was elected chairman of the commission in November 2025 by a narrow 4-3 vote over fellow former judge Sittichote Intaraviset. The slim margin exposed divisions within the seven-member EC and placed him under immediate public observation at a politically sensitive time.

He prevailed in the selection process ahead of Mr Sittichote and former governor Narong Rakroi. The latter failed to secure any votes amid scrutiny over perceived political associations, leaving Mr Narong to assume the leadership at a time when institutional credibility was paramount.

A career jurist, Mr Narong built his reputation within the judiciary over several decades. He served as chief justice of the Central Bankruptcy Court, justice of the Supreme Court and head of a panel in the Supreme Court.