Thailand’s election commission has recommended that top prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat be re-elected as a Member of Parliament
Thailand’s election commission has recommended that top prime ministerial candidate Pita Limjaroenrat be re-elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) following the commission’s investigation, chairperson Ittiporn Boonprakong reported on Wednesday (July 12), news agency AFP reported. should be suspended. The commission is set to submit to the Constitutional Court the findings of its investigation into whether Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Limjaroenrat broke campaign rules.
The move comes just a day before Parliament votes on Pita Limjaroenrat’s post as prime minister. He has the support of eight parties in the coalition seeking to form the next government.
The Election Commission said, “The Election Commission will refer the matter to the Constitutional Court for a decision.” It is not yet clear what the Constitutional Court’s decision will be, should it accept the case, AFP reports.
The EC investigation focuses on Pita’s ownership of shares in ITV – which has not broadcast for years.
And according to Thai election law, politicians are not allowed to own media company shares.
If found guilty, he could face a jail term of up to 10 years as well as a ban from politics.
Limjaroenrat is eligible to contest for the post of prime minister even though he is suspended as an MP.
The report further states that even if Limjaroenrat is suspended as an MLA, he is still eligible to run for the post of prime minister.
In the May elections, his MFP won a majority of seats. But despite the victory, Limjaroenrat faces a number of challenges, including an investigation by the Election Commission.
His coalition has 312 seats in parliament, but needs at least 376 votes in a joint sitting of the bicameral legislature.
Last Sunday, the prime ministerial candidate held a massive rally in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, to thank voters.
He said at the time, “What we are asking is just to return common sense to Thai politics because it has been erratic for decades since the constitution was drawn up.”
“So, we are not asking for more, we are not asking them to vote for me, we are not asking them to vote for my party, we are asking them to vote for the majority, for democracy. and return common sense to Thai politics so we can finally move forward,” he said.
“Now that we have come to a turning point in the country, and then we put our personal differences aside, and then we start talking about the people, we start talking about the opportunities and the crisis. Let’s do what’s in front of us and then we’re starting a close gap, a close gap with the Senate,’ he said.