EC absolves Phalang Pracharat in fundraising case

[webfact]

EC absolves Phalang Pracharat in fundraising case

By The Nation

 

File photo

 

THE PRO-JUNTA Phalang Pracharat Party was yesterday cleared of wrongdoing over its high-profile fund-raising banquet last December after the Election Commission (EC) found no illegal donations to justify disbanding the party.

 

Of the 40 legal entities and 84 individuals who had donated to the party, none of them was a foreign entity, said EC secretary-general Jarungvith Phumma. While the law prohibits a number of persons from donating money to a party, only taking money from foreigners can lead to party dissolution, he said.

 

Ruangkrai Leekitwattana of the now-disbanded Thai Raksa Chart, who had filed the complaint against Phalang Pracharat, said he would continue to scrutinise the pro-junta party as he found many irregularities in its accounting. The party’s fund-raising became controversial after state agencies were suspected to have donated money.

 

Ruangkrai yesterday also submitted a letter to the EC asking the polling agency to speed up its investigation into whether Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was qualified to be Phalang Pracharat’s PM candidate. The law prohibits a state official from being proposed as a PM candidate. 

 

Critics have accused Prayut of using all means, including breaking the laws, to cling to power. The general, who staged a coup in 2014 to seize power, yesterday appeared unfazed by the accusation. In his weekly press briefing yesterday, he casually told reporters that it was a common practice for every government.

 

“That’s what politicians do all the time,” he said in response to criticism of him refusing to give up power. “All political parties and politicians want to form the government or become the prime minister. That’s clinging on to power, too.”

 

With elections finally taking clear shape, Prayut said the power was with the people to decide. 

 

All the candidates nominated are already well known to the voters, he said. “They can choose whoever they like. They’ve seen everything. They know everyone of these.”

 

However, the general also expressed his determination to continue in government, citing all his work over the past five years. 

 

He thanked his supporters and the polls that suggested he was being perceived well as PM. He said he was waiting to see if the survey results matched the reality after the election. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30365706

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-03-13

[BuckBee]

pro junta party could never do wrong khrap ????

time to ship out falang as thailands good years have well past ...

[Chang_paarp]

Well that was comes as a surprise to no one. Unfortunately the EC is perceived as an arm of the junta rather than an independent office through this and other actions associated with this election.

 

30 minutes ago, webfact said:

Ruangkrai Leekitwattana of the now-disbanded Thai Raksa Chart, who had filed the complaint against Phalang Pracharat, said he would continue to scrutinise the pro-junta party as he found many irregularities in its accounting. The party’s fund-raising became controversial after state agencies were suspected to have donated money.

That is something of a worry.

30 minutes ago, webfact said:

Ruangkrai yesterday also submitted a letter to the EC asking the polling agency to speed up its investigation into whether Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was qualified to be Phalang Pracharat’s PM candidate. The law prohibits a state official from being proposed as a PM candidate. 

I am a little confused by this. Can a sitting PM be nominated for a second term? Or is this because Prayut was a serving army officer when he "became" PM? Or because he is chairman of the NCPO?

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

only taking money from foreigners can lead to party dissolution, he said.

pitiful puppets; the issue is tax payer money blatantly flowing into a political party, thailand in too many cases is a sham

[Oziex1]

And in the end they will declare his victory in the election as a democratic win and Thailand a democratic country. 

[Prairieboy]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Phalang Pracharat Party was yesterday cleared of wrongdoing

Surprise, surprise.

 

[ocddave]

This would be funny if it wasn't so sad, Thailand and its people are doomed.

[Katipo]

While it might appear to be relatively minor, this incident and the 'not guilty' verdict are a huge reflect of where this country is at, and where it is going.... and it does not bode well for democracy and freedom for your average person.

[MisterPenguin]

EC absolves Phalang Pracharat in fundraising case

 

Of course it does.

 

 

Edited March 13, 2019 by MisterPenguin

[Srikcir]

6 hours ago, Chang_paarp said:

Well that was comes as a surprise to no one. Unfortunately the EC is perceived as an arm of the junta rather than an independent office through this and other actions associated with this election.

 

That is something of a worry.

I am a little confused by this. Can a sitting PM be nominated for a second term? Or is this because Prayut was a serving army officer when he "became" PM? Or because he is chairman of the NCPO?

In the past, elected prime ministers were required to assume caretaker status because their parliamentary term was considered expired. Leaders that have come to power through coups have been exempt from such limitations, since there was no formal parliament in the first place.

• Like Prayuth, Gen. Surayud Chulanont, who was made prime minister by the coup-makers of 2006, remained in full control of the government until the polls opened in December 2007.

“This government will not be in a caretaker status but will continue to perform its duties until a new cabinet is place,” deputy prime minister Wissanu Krea-ngam told reporters. “This government will continue to have full power.”

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2019/01/24/unlike-elected-pms-prayuth-to-retain-full-power-until-vote/

Prayut was a retired general when he became PM.

As Chief of the NCPO he disbanded the elected House MP's, appointed a new House (NLA) who then voted Prayut as PM. But Prayut remains NCPO Chief.

Remember that Prayut's political party doesn't have to win a majority of House seats to be elected  as PM. In the case of a "hung" House PM election vote, the Prayut-appointed pro-military Senate can participate in the PM election to swing the PM election to Prayut. Failing the Senate election process Prayut has the constitutional right as NCPO Chief to disregard the general election results due to reason of national security to remain in power.