Court accused of govt bias as Move Forward MP suspended for ‘media involvement’

By The Nation

 

 

A court ruling to absolve 29 ruling coalition MPs but suspend an opposition MP over involvement in the media business caused outrage among pro-democracy netizens on Wednesday.

 

The Constitutional Court ruled that 29 coalition lawmakers were innocent of accusations they had stakes in media companies. However, Thanwarin Sukkhapisit, an MP for the opposition Move Forward Party, was suspended for what the court ruled was a lack of clarity over the accusation.

 

Six other MPs who were facing the same charge – three from the coalition and three from the opposition – resigned before the ruling.

The verdict triggered a wave of criticism on social media, where netizens accused the court of pro-government bias.

 

Move Forward was born from the ashes of the Future Forward Party, which was disbanded after the Constitutional Court ruled in February last year it had received illegal funding from its leader, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit.

 

Thanathorn was also disqualified as an opposition MP last November, after the court said that his 675,000 shares in V-Luck Media Co violated the Constitution.

 

The Election Commission (EC), which brought the case, cited rules against media influence during the election campaign.

 

Thanathorn said he sold the shares to his mother on January 8, but there was no record of the transaction at the Business Development Department.

 

The court then ruled that Thanathorn still possessed V-Luck Media’s shares on the day that the names of list-MP candidates were filed to the EC.

 

The dissolution of Future Forward triggered pro-democracy protests that resurfaced four months ago with demands for the government to step down, the military-scripted Constitution to be rewritten and the monarchy to be reformed.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30396941

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-10-29

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

37 minutes ago, webfact said:

The verdict triggered a wave of criticism on social media, where netizens accused the court of pro-government bias.

Keep pouring on the petrol lads!! 

The courts need to be non political and not under ANY part of the government or big business.  

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The Constitutional Court ruled that 29 coalition lawmakers were innocent of accusations they had stakes in media companies. However, Thanwarin Sukkhapisit, an MP for the opposition Move Forward Party, was suspended for what the court ruled was a lack of clarity over the accusation.

 

Yep, all fair and above board, nothing at all dodgy about that.....

 

It would be really funny if it wasn't so <deleted>in disturbing, how anybody can swallow that amount of BS at a single serving is scary.....

3 hours ago, webfact said:

court ruling to absolve 29 ruling coalition MPs but suspend an opposition MP over involvement in the media business caused outrage among pro-democracy netizens on Wednesday.

Why has it caused outrage?

Surely there is no way the honourable members of the constitutional court by biased in any way.

I reckon the one good thing about the junta is they are literally thick as!

 

They are incapable of any free and fair dialogue and too stupid to see that as a problem, at the end of the day I reckon that will be their downfall...

I wonder how or what pressure is applied to the judges if they aren't actually in or like the Regime or Elite club? Must be something horrible as I do not actually think everyone is on their same page and with them. And that goes for the military as well.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

A court ruling to absolve 29 ruling coalition MPs but suspend an opposition MP over involvement in the media business caused outrage among pro-democracy netizens on Wednesday.

About as blatant as it gets.

Students better add getting rid of the EC.

 

That the "EC is biased toward the government", is the understatement of the century.

 

I guess in Thailand the outcome is guaranteed 

5 hours ago, mark131v said:

It would be really funny if it wasn't so <deleted>in disturbing, how anybody can swallow that amount of BS at a single serving is scary.....

But it isn't being swallowed anymore. Why do you think tens of thousands of people are out on the streets demanding change? The times, they are a'changing.

9 hours ago, webfact said:

The verdict triggered a wave of criticism on social media, where netizens accused the court of pro-government bias.

another reason for more and more protests, EC/Prayut don't see further then the tip of their nose, being so partisan only creates more and more anti trust (if there was any) in their government .... Thailand so called "democracy" rule of law became the laughing stock

4 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

But it isn't being swallowed anymore. Why do you think tens of thousands of people are out on the streets demanding change? The times, they are a'changing.

 

I hope you are right!

 

Still plenty of idiots in yellow and our good friend Steven as well as all the other assorted hard of thinking swallowing a big old spoonful of junta propaganda...