EC to file a criminal charge against Thanathorn

[NanLaew]

8 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

17 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

You do bring up a good point inasmuch as so many of Thailand's former 'leaders' have opted to do a runner when faced with court and jail and even the most talented and educated dissenters tend to self-exile.

 

What do you consider as evidence that Thanathorn is made of sterner stuff here and a force to be reckoned with?

Giving people the benefit of the doubt and good faith. Also hope.

Good and reasonable human qualities. Since his party certainly did shock the ruling party by the strength of their vote at the election, do you see this all-important, younger and more progressive voter base being as motivated as the different colored shirt wearer's of the earlier, ultimately ill-fated democracy movements? There's nothing wrong with impressing as a potential strong, youthful and intelligent leader but it's pointless if there's really nothing much to lead.

 

I may be wrong but some of the less ardent former Future Forward MP's have already crossed the floor to align themselves with those currently in charge. That doesn't bode well if the same proportion of voters have similarly shrugged their shoulders and simply given up.

 

With this latest EC move, nothing short of his self-removal from the country will appear to satisfy them.

[ThailandRyan]

27 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

You do bring up a good point inasmuch as so many of Thailand's former 'leaders' have opted to do a runner when faced with court and jail and even the most talented and educated dissenters tend to self-exile.

 

What do you consider as evidence that Thanathorn is made of sterner stuff here and a force to be reckoned with?

You just need to read the CNN interview he did.  His family background, upbringing, his attendance at Thammasat University, his involvement with their student union and political group, plus his professor being a mentor and part of his FFP.  The flip side is the uncle who is part of Prayuths inner circle, and I am sure they believed because of family he would go quietly.  However, he is made of sterner stuff, and says that if he must go to prison he will.

[FarFlungFalang]

35 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

What do you consider as evidence that Thanathorn is made of sterner stuff here and a force to be reckoned with?

My take on it is if he runs he will not succeed if he sticks it out and they imprison him he may well get the population and the world behind him and have a better chance of success much in the way of Ghandhi and Mandella and others.

[Oziex1]

I agree with those who believe he will not exile himself, what then? 

[phantomfiddler]

Hun Sen, you are not alone !

[Tchooptip]

Thanathorn will also have his right to vote revoked for 20 years.

Ah well, not more? Only twenty years ????

[JimHuaHin]

Seems that General Prayut and the conservative Bangkok elite want a civil war.

[DPKANKAN]

5 hours ago, edwinchester said:

In the interests of being fair to all parties I am sure that the EC will soon be pressing charges against those 40 mp's in the Govt also accused of holding media shares.

And 'owning' watches, drug smuggling convictions, land encroachement and "Old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and alllllllll".... ????????????????????????????????????????

[Parsve]

You scratch my back, and I schratch yours. If not, I cut your hands off. That is the rule the Thai junta follow. 

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, edwinchester said:

In the interests of being fair to all parties I am sure that the EC will soon be pressing charges against those 40 mp's in the Govt also accused of holding media shares.

I was thinking the same thing, if they go after and press charges against Thanathorn then the field is open to go after all of them as it sets a president!

[billd766]

4 hours ago, NanLaew said:

You do bring up a good point inasmuch as so many of Thailand's former 'leaders' have opted to do a runner when faced with court and jail and even the most talented and educated dissenters tend to self-exile.

 

What do you consider as evidence that Thanathorn is made of sterner stuff here and a force to be reckoned with?

His belief and knowledge that he is right and that he will not be railroaded for things that he has not done.

 

Somebody posted that the HiSos and the government are paranoid about keeping power to themselves. They don't understand that the more they attack and persecute Thanathorn and the FFP by any other name, the shorter the time they have left.

 

It will be interesting to know what a certain person really thinks, and what he can or will do.

[alexth]

The EC should open their mouth after they learn counting. It seems they haven’t even been capable of that. On top of that, they’re all Prayut’s bitches. Furthermore, I hope Prayut and the entire gang, including the EC, end up in prison where they deserve!!!

[MickGC]

5 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

You just need to read the CNN interview he did.  His family background, upbringing, his attendance at Thammasat University, his involvement with their student union and political group, plus his professor being a mentor and part of his FFP.  The flip side is the uncle who is part of Prayuths inner circle, and I am sure they believed because of family he would go quietly.  However, he is made of sterner stuff, and says that if he must go to prison he will.

The CNN interview was a good read

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/09/asia/thanathorn-thailand-democracy-intl-hnk/index.html

[Chazar]

Thanathorn should  become  a  drug  smuggler  instead,  try  heroin to Australia

[chama]

9 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

They really have to be very afraid of him to come up with such initiatives which are totally counterproductive.
The undecided who voted for other political parties will join the 6 million who support it.
You should know that very many adults who are often the parents of young students, voted for him.
When I asked my wife for whom she was going to vote, I imagined that she was going to answer me: for the party close to Thaksin; well no it was for Thanathorn

They are very afraid of him and want to bury him. But other leaders will emerge from the numbers that voted for the FF party. The Genie is out of the bottle and the winds of change are starting to blow. The Thai youth are not that different from the youth around the world. 

[newcomer71]

Three words come to my mind: straw, back, camel.

[webfact]

Banned Thai opposition figure faces new criminal charges

 

FILE PHOTO: Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit gives a speech, at the party's headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand February 21, 2020. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's Election Commission said on Wednesday it would file a charge against Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, leader of the now-defunct Future Forward Party, for breaching electoral law in the latest action against the former anti-junta politician.

 

"This is criminal case where the EC (Commission) is the complainant. The legal process will be handled by the police," Sawang Boonmee, deputy secretary-general of the commission, told Reuters.

 

Last month, the Constitutional Court dissolved the Future Forward Party and banned 16 of its top officials, including its leader, from politics for 10 years over what the court ruled was an illegal loan from its founder.

 

The legal moves, which sparked protests by students and were condemned by pro-democracy activists, bolstered the position in parliament of a coalition led by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the ex-junta leader who took power in a 2014 coup.

 

Thanathorn, a charismatic billionaire who founded the party, already faces two criminal charges, one for computer crimes over a speech he posted on Facebook criticising the junta and another for sedition for allegedly aiding anti-junta protesters in 2015.

 

An Election Commission statement said the new charges against Thanathorn touched on his application to be a candidate for parliament knowing he was not qualified. The offence carries a jail term of one to 10 years, a fine of up to 200,000 baht ($6,370) and a 20-year ban from politics.

 

The charges follow the Constitutional Court's decision last year to disqualify Thanathorn as a member of parliament for holding shares in a media company on the date his election candidacy was registered.

 

"It is clear there is an attempt to eliminate #Thanathorn and former leaders of the #FutureForward Party from the political system," Thanathorn responded in a Twitter post.

 

"This shows that the Thai political system is bankrupt," the post said, echoing his call for Prayuth to resign and for the public to demand reforms of the judiciary and military.

 

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

 

Future Forward finished third in the March 2019 election and emerged as a major adversary to the government. Prayuth's pro-military party came second in the election though won the popular vote. Opposition parties say electoral laws written by the junta were designed to ensure continued control over politics by the military establishment.

 

Thanathorn, heir to an auto-parts fortune, has vowed to continue fighting for democracy.

 

(Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-12

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[unamazedloso]

Guy needs to organize a coup. Its the only legal way apparantly.

[legend49]

Pathetic persecution. This country will never see corruption free democracy.

[YetAnother]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

It is clear there is an attempt to eliminate #Thanathorn and former leaders of the #FutureForward Party from the political system," Thanathorn responded in a Twitter post.

this whole thing is pathetic

[rwill]

looks like they are trying to get him to flee the country

[Srikcir]

4 minutes ago, rwill said:

looks like they are trying to get him to flee the country

Same game plan as with Yingluck.

Then trial in absentia and seize all his Thai assets. Get quilty verdict and if not directly from the Supreme Court from which there can be no appeal, no chance to appeal lower court decision unless he returns to Thailand.

[klauskunkel]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's Election Commission said on Wednesday it would file a charge against Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit

which I'm sure has nothing to do with:

Quote

Election Commission (EC) staff will enjoy a hike in salary effective from March 1, according to an announcement in the Royal Gazette on March 7.

 

[billd766]

3 hours ago, rwill said:

looks like they are trying to get him to flee the country

I don't think he is going to play that game with their rules.

 

IMHO he will stay in Thailand and go to jail if necessary.

 

I cannot believe how stupid this government really is.

[hargri]

On 3/12/2020 at 1:04 PM, billd766 said:

I don't think he is going to play that game with their rules.

 

IMHO he will stay in Thailand and go to jail if necessary.

 

I cannot believe how stupid this government really is.

 

At 1:03:20 "I'm not going to flee".

[ubon farang]

This is how Stalin , Castro ,Peron , Hun Sen, Suddam, Idi Amin ,Mugabe,  and all the other dictators behaved  Except they shot their opposition