EC to file charge against Thanathorn over alleged violation of media shareholding rules

[snoop1130]

EC to file charge against Thanathorn over alleged violation of media shareholding rules

By The Nation

 

Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit

 

The Election Commission [EC] on Tuesday resolved to file a charge against Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit over an allegation that he had violated media shareholding rules.

 

Citing an EC panel’s investigation, there are grounds to allegations that Thanathorn owned or held 675,000 shares in V-Luck Media Company, the electoral agency said in a statement.

 

Thanathorn is accused of registering for the general election while still holding shares in the media company, an action prohibited by the Constitution and punishable by disqualification. 

 

Thanathorn’s lawyer earlier said that his client had fully complied with the law as he had transferred all his shares in the media firm on January 8, the day he returned from campaigning in Buri Ram.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30368218

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-23

[madmitch]

They're going to get him disqualified one way or another!

 

I wonder if we'll see any Phalang Pratcharart candidates investigated for any reason?

[anterian]

How to antagonise a third of the electorate in one stroke. 

[Puchaiyank]

This reminds me of another country's leader who has so far weathered every storm the opposition has thrown at him...his biggest sin was winning an election.

 

Thanathorn’s sins are getting too many popular votes and threatening the status quo...

[geoffbezoz]

12 minutes ago, madmitch said:

They're going to get him disqualified one way or another!

 

I wonder if we'll see any Phalang Pratcharart candidates investigated for any reason?

yep, and if that does not work  he could possibly find himself being targeted more often then a black leopard..

[thequietman]

[nong38]

Makes you wonder whose side the EC is on, they do not seem to a neutral to be independent, of course I could be wrong.

[geoffbezoz]

Just now, nong38 said:

Makes you wonder whose side the EC is on, they do not seem to a neutral to be independent, of course I could be wrong.

I don't think anyone Thai or foreigner, considers them to be neutral. When the Junta approved a vast budget for brand new BMWs and Mercedes-Benzs so that the the newly appointed EC member's could "do their duty" , I think the writing was on the wall for all to read about their neutrality.

[nong38]

Well put I wonder how Thais view all that is going on?

[Fex Bluse]

26 minutes ago, nong38 said:

Makes you wonder whose side the EC is on, they do not seem to a neutral to be independent, of course I could be wrong.

Lack of neutrality is a core feature of Thai culture.

 

Thai society does not run by law or morality or ethics. It runs by power of man. 

 

Thai institutions of any type could almost never be impartial/neutral. 

[toenail]

The “regime” is sure feeling threatened and  insecure with this new political party 

[Orton Rd]

I suppose it's a bit more civilized then an ice axe in the head, but just as desperate.

[geoffbezoz]

44 minutes ago, nong38 said:

Well put I wonder how Thais view all that is going on?

That's the big problem. They don't care or perhaps more fairly understand as they are indoctrinated from infants not to challenge authority.

[impulse]

3 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

That's the big problem. They don't care or perhaps more fairly understand as they are indoctrinated from infants not to challenge authority.

 

Ya figure that may be because this is what happens when you do challenge authority?

 

[Khaeng Mak]

They will keep trying this bull$hit on and if it does not work they will just make him disappear.

[khunpa]

They should never have held the election, since it becomes more and more clear that there can one winner.

 

Guess this is what happens when you arrange an election and get surprised that you did not get 99,9% of the votes.

Edited April 23, 2019 by khunpa

[GarryP]

Well, when the chairman of the responsible sub-committee resigned due to undue pressure being brought "to rule in a certain way" on this case, I think it is quite safe to say this committee/commission is not neutral.

 

BTW kudos to the chairman for having the balls to finally stand up and say "no more". It could have serious repercussions for him. 

 

Also, I do believe that these actions will result in more support for Future Forward. The Junta and its cronies just can't help themselves. The more they connive to get Palangpracharat in power, the more they dig their own grave.       

[Donutz]

It is so much fun in juntaland. The EC is not doing a proper job and the whole election is a joke. Seems like the Thai style democratic election only allows for one outcome, with a fatherly general as PM. Let's all salute the much respected Thai army and Khon Dee. 55555

[ocddave]

This country is doomed, there is absolutely nothing positive on the horizon, its like watching a dreary dark movie play out in real life. Hopefully someone is keeping notes on how not to run a country, this a perfect example of a failed society.

[webfact]

EC blow for Thanathorn over media shareholding

By The Nation

 

File photo: Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit

 

Future Forward leader cuts short Europe tour over ‘unexpected incident’

 

THE Election Commission (EC) yesterday unanimously resolved to press a charge against Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit over alleged violation of media shareholding rules.

 

 

Citing investigations by two EC panels, Sawang Boonmee, the EC deputy secretary-general, told a press conference that Thanathorn had allegedly violated the law by owning or holding 675,000 shares in V-Luck Media Company while registering as a candidate for the general election.

 

“Thanathorn’s share certificate number is from 1350001 to 2025000,” said Sawang, referring to the findings of two panels the EC had set up to investigate the case. 

 

Thanathorn was accused of contravening Article 98 (3) of the Constitution and Article 42 (3) of election law, which states that a shareholder in a media company is barred from contesting an election for member of parliament, according to the EC. The action is punishable by disqualification. The case was filed by Srisuwan Janya, secretary-general of the Association for Protection of the Thai Constitution, on March 25. An EC source said the agency had yet to suspend Thanathorn’s right to contest in elections for one year or give him an “orange” card, as it was just an initial charge. Thanathorn will have seven days to give testimony or submit documents in his defence to the EC, Sawang said, adding his lawyers would also be allowed to witness the trial.

 

After the testimony, the EC will finalise the case as soon as possible in order to finish it before May 9 when it will announce the election results.

 

 

However, Sawang said he could not tell at the moment which Article of the laws Thanathorn had violated.

 

Thanathorn, whose party is tipped to win around 80 MP seats in last month’s election, was on the way back from his tour to Europe. He posted on his Facebook page yesterday that he had been notified to quickly return to Thailand to face an “unexpected” incident.

 

Future Forward secretary-general, Piyabutr Saengkanokkul yesterday questioned the EC’s decision, saying the poll agency needs to wait until Thanathorn is endorsed as an MP before it can question his qualification. 

 

The news that Thanathorn still allegedly owned the shares while he was an MP candidate was first reported by Isra news agency before the election was held. 

 

The news agency reported that Thanathorn and his wife Raweepan owned a total of 900,000 shares, worth about Bt9 million, in V-Luck Media Company. But all of their shares in the media firm were reportedly transferred to Thanathorn’s mother on March 21, or three days before the election. Thanathorn’s lawyer had earlier said that his client had fully complied with the law, as he had transferred all his shares in the media firm on January 8 or one month before registration for election. 

 

Later it was found that on the day of the reported transfer, Thanathorn was in fact campaigning in Buri Ram. His legal team later said Thanathorn had rushed to Bangkok in the afternoon to sign the transfer document. 

 

However, Srisuwan challenged that claim. The activist yesterday filed additional documents with the EC in the case. Srisuwan said the explanation offered by Piyabutr, was not reasonable and he seemed to produce false documents to defend against the allegation. The activist said it was impossible for Thanathorn to be able to return to Bangkok from Buri Ram in such a short time as claimed by Piyabutr.

 

 Meanwhile, Raksagecha Chaechai, secretary-general of the Office of Ombudsman, said the EC had until tomorrow to submit an explanation to the office regarding a petition seeking an annulment of the March 24 election.

 

The office last week resolved to accept the petition filed by the now-defunct Thai Raksa Chart Party’s former MP candidate, Reungkrai Leekijwatana, who asked the office to submit its opinion to the Administrative Court or the Constitutional Court regarding whether last month’s election should be annulled.

 

The petitioner cited confusion and dubious matters occurring after the election for which the EC had failed to find solutions.

 

Raksagecha said if the EC submitted the explanation in time, the office would be able to make a final decision before the May 9 deadline for the EC to announce the election results. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30368236

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-24

[webfact]

Thai election commission moves to disqualify anti-junta politician

By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Panu Wongcha-um

 

FILE PHOTO: Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the Future Forward Party attends a news conference to form a "democratic front" in Bangkok, Thailand, March 27, 2019. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's Election Commission on Tuesday accused a prominent anti-junta politician of breaching the election law, moving to disqualify him from parliament almost a month after the disputed March 24 election.

 

Rising political star Thanathorn Jungroongruangkit, 40, is accused of holding shares in a media company after registering his candidacy, which would violate the election law.

 

The outcome of the first national election since a 2014 military coup is still unclear. Final results due on May 9 will indicate whether a pro-army party has enough seats to allow junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha to remain in power.

 

Thanathorn's progressive, youth-oriented Future Forward Party came third in the election in a surprisingly strong showing.

 

His party has joined an opposition "democratic front" with a party loyal to Thaksin Shinawatra, ousted as prime minister by the military, to try to block Prayuth, who led a 2014 coup against a pro-Thaksin government.

 

The Pheu Thai Party loyal to Thaksin won the most seats in parliament but not a majority. The pro-army Palang Pracharat party came second.

 

Thanathorn, the heir to an auto parts fortune, has brought a new element to Thai politics that have for 15 years been divided between the royalist-military establishment and the populist "red shirts" linked to Thaksin.

 

"The evidence has shown that Thanathorn is the owner or a shareholder of V-Luck Media company," Sawang Boonmee, deputy secretary-general of the Election Commission, told reporters.

 

"This disqualifies him from having the right to become a candidate for member of parliament based on the constitution and the election law."

 

Thanathorn has previously denied breaching electoral law, saying he sold his shares in the media company on Jan. 8, prior to registering as a candidate.

 

He has seven days to submit evidence to the Election Commission to refute the allegation.

 

If found guilty, Thanathorn would be banned from running for election for one year. He could also face criminal charges for contesting the election knowing he was ineligible, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a ban from politics for 20 years.

 

Thanathorn, who was travelling back to Thailand from the Netherlands, posted on Facebook: "I was just told from Thailand to quickly return to prepare for an unexpected situation. See you in Thailand."

 

Thanathorn faces two other criminal charges, one of sedition for allegedly aiding anti-junta protesters in 2015, and another for cybercrime for a speech he made on Facebook criticizing the junta last year.

 

In a separate legal proceeding, the Thai Supreme Court on Tuesday sentenced former premier Thaksin in absentia to three years in prison for conflict of interest by ordering a state-owned bank to lend money to Myanmar so it could buy products from Thaksin's own business while he was in office.

 

Thaksin, who was overthrown by the military in 2006 and lives in self-imposed exile, has already been sentenced to two years in prison in a separate 2008 corruption conviction. He said the corruption cases were politically motivated.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-04-24

[BuckBee]

the best face in politics and this the ballache you get .

One can only hope the hatred of the ec and junta is growing stronger due to these silly stunts .

[YetAnother]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

However, Sawang said he could not tell at the moment which Article of the laws Thanathorn had violated.

doesnt really matter, in their presecution, on blatant display, of him they will just make something up; maybe umbrella it under 'national security'

Edited April 23, 2019 by YetAnother

[yellowboat]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thanathorn’s lawyer had earlier said that his client had fully complied with the law, as he had transferred all his shares in the media firm on January 8 or one month before registration for election. 

The law in Thailand is whimsical.  It is what they say it is.   Having this guy around the future will be a headache for the junta.   

[ocddave]

With any hope, the Western Countries will say they have had enough of this circus and refuse to have any further dealings with the Junta. No more cooperation, no more investment, sanctions on any Junta led initiatives, sanctions/blacklisting of all Junta cohorts, and freezing of all money/assets abroad until a true democratic government is elected.

Edited April 24, 2019 by ocddave

[JohnOFphon]

8 minutes ago, ocddave said:

With any hope, the Western Countries will say they have had enough of this circus and refuse to have any further dealings with the Junta. No more cooperation, no more investment, sanctions on any Junta led initiatives, sanctions/blacklisting of all Junta cohorts, and freezing of all money/assets abroad until a true democratic government is elected.

Seems like a good plan to push them faster into the out stretched hands of the Chinese..Not Thailand for long...new name...Chinland.

[ocddave]

2 minutes ago, JohnOFphon said:

Seems like a good plan to push them faster into the out stretched hands of the Chinese..Not Thailand for long...new name...Chinland.

The Western countries should done so years ago, its been 5 years, and no democracy.....enough is enough.....if they want go run to China, so be it.

[Zack61]

Luckily for many there is no such law preventing army generals from being elected to the trough. 

[jayboy]

35 minutes ago, ocddave said:

With any hope, the Western Countries will say they have had enough of this circus and refuse to have any further dealings with the Junta. No more cooperation, no more investment, sanctions on any Junta led initiatives, sanctions/blacklisting of all Junta cohorts, and freezing of all money/assets abroad until a true democratic government is elected.

Dream on.

 

Like it or not, the Junta represents a government representing almost no problems for the West. An election has been held albeit a dodgy one but the new government will be legitimate (kind of). The West will do nothing.

 

I'm not denying the situation stinks but it will only be resolved by the Thai people. Ranged against them are the feudalists, big business, the military top brass, the courts and much of the wealthy Sino Thai urban middle class.

 

'The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of tyrants and patriots".

 

Thomas Jefferson

[Farang99]

He was always on a hiding to nothing. Any pretext will do to smother the opposition.