Thai PM Candidate Faces Disqualification Bid

[webfact]

FILE - Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat votes in Thailand's general election May 14, 2023, in Bangkok. 

 

by Zsombor Peter

 

BANGKOK — Thailand’s Election Commission is weighing a last-minute legal challenge to the pro-democracy front-runner in the country’s race for prime minister in a case that could derail the political career of one of the military-backed government’s fiercest critics.

 

The complaint against Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat bears strong echoes of the case that brought down another rising star of Thailand’s gaining pro-democracy movement four years ago and set the stage for a wave of anti-government protests.

 

In both cases “it’s the same legal provision,” said Jade Donavanik, president of the law faculty at Thailand’s College of Asian Scholars.

 

That provision bars candidates for public office from holding shares in a mass media company. Days before Sunday's vote to fill Thailand’s House of Representatives, a candidate for the ruling, pro-military Palang Pracharath party filed a case with the commission accusing Pita of holding shares in the inactive broadcaster iTV and of failing to disclose them among his assets.

 

Pita’s party had been surging in opinion polls heading into Sunday’s vote on a wave of mounting frustration with the government of Prayut Chan-o-cha, an ex-army chief who seized power in a 2014 coup. 

 

Full story: https://www.voanews.com/a/thai-pm-candidate-faces-disqualification-bid/7099334.html

 

-- © Copyright Voice of America 2023-05-19

 

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[Geoffggi]

But it is OK for the military Senators to hold the country to political ransom and ignore what the people have voted for.  

[CelticBhoy]

Jeez. There are some sore losers in this country.

[RandolphGB]

And so it begins... the establishment will do anything to keep the country in the past. There is far too much power and wealth at stake for a handful of the elite to allow any kind of progress. 

[bob smith]

DO IT!

 

Civil war will ensue and you will no longer be safe in your military compounds.

 

Go on, DO IT!!!

[anchadian]

Off topic but worth a mention:

1/2) United Thai Nation leader Pirapan Salirathavibhaga said Thurs night its PM candidate Gen Prayut will not quit politics but will remain active with the party to "protect the nation, religion & monarchy".

(2/2) The party won only 36 MP seats far less than opposition Move Forward's 152 seats but Pirapan cited 4.6 million party-list votes as proof of support.

https://twitter.com/KhaosodEnglish/status/1659373129763004416

 

[Purdey]

Look, both Pita and Thanathorn knew the law or had legal advisors and ignored it thinking it wouldn’t affect them. Didn’t they know what they were up against?

Good hearts but naive thinking won’t cut it.

[h90]

iTV still reports business data and turnover they are not inactive

[stoner]

2 minutes ago, anchadian said:

"protect the nation, religion & monarchy".

at any cost. 

[MrMojoRisin]

7 minutes ago, h90 said:

iTV still reports business data and turnover they are not inactive

Your desperation is showing.

????????????

[MrMojoRisin]

6 minutes ago, stoner said:

at any cost. 

Protecting the nation from…. Its own citizens!

????

[tomacht8]

Since the coup, Prayut and his cronies have completely controlled the media, the EC, the CC and the Senate. No democracy can function in such a constellation.

 

It is clear from the election that the majority of the people want a change. If this time the will of the majority of the people, can be so easily suppressed by flimsy tricks of the establishment; I have my doubts about that.

 

 

[RandolphGB]

11 minutes ago, Purdey said:

Look, both Pita and Thanathorn knew the law or had legal advisors and ignored it thinking it wouldn’t affect them. Didn’t they know what they were up against?

Good hearts but naive thinking won’t cut it.

They were done on this same technicality four years ago so they have had plenty of time to ensure their party is whiter than white. Surely they would know that the government would be looking for any excuse to end them. 

 

[h90]

7 minutes ago, MrMojoRisin said:

Your desperation is showing.

????????????

google iTV Thailand annual report...there is 2020, 2021, 2022 the company is active.
And why on earth should I be desperate? I have no dog in this fight

[h90]

4 minutes ago, tomacht8 said:

Since the coup, Prayut and his cronies have completely controlled the media, the EC, the CC and the Senate. No democracy can function in such a constellation.

 

It is clear from the election that the majority of the people want a change. If this time the will of the majority of the people, can be so easily suppressed by flimsy tricks of the establishment; I have my doubts about that.

 

 

Sure not the media.....they were very pro MF. But I agree otherwise, I can't see much democracy...

[Dan O]

16 minutes ago, Purdey said:

Look, both Pita and Thanathorn knew the law or had legal advisors and ignored it thinking it wouldn’t affect them. Didn’t they know what they were up against?

Good hearts but naive thinking won’t cut it.

I believe the issue is owning shares not holding shares.

 

The shares in question (if true) were his father's and are in a legal trust that Pita is only the executor for the trust, so he does not own them nor anything else in the trust. I'm sure the wording of the regs will magically be changed 

[tomacht8]

That is ridiculous. 42000 shares inherited in 2006. The company share is less than 1%. Pita tried to sell the shares. He has also reported his shares to the EC. iTV a micro-channel without any meaning.

 

Where is there supposed to be or have been any influence on popular opinion or on broadcaster policy?

 

Any democratic constitutional court in the world would not even accept such a case for review.

But not in Thailand.

[Pink Mist]

Several Trolling and baiting posts have been removed.  Stay on topic, stop attacking each other, remain civil or your posting rights could be suspended.

 

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[NextG]

45 minutes ago, h90 said:

google iTV Thailand annual report...there is 2020, 2021, 2022 the company is active.
And why on earth should I be desperate? I have no dog in this fight

 

You seem to have ‘forgotten’ about the serious  irregularities pointed out to you on another thread. Yet here you are, posting repeatedly about a ‘technicality’. Why is that? Do you seriously believe that this ‘shares’ business bears any comparison to the matters pointed out to you with regard to what seems like corrupt behaviour and it being swept under the carpet? Where is the media coverage on that?

[Kaopad999]

1 hour ago, bogs smith said:

DO IT!

 

Civil war will ensue and you will no longer be safe in your military compounds.

 

Go on, DO IT!!!

I can't see them letting go of power anytime soon.  And  you think it's gonna be possible to defeat a whole army?  I don't think so... 

I believe that it's going to take generations to come for Thailand to actually chnage. 


 

[MrMojoRisin]

43 minutes ago, h90 said:

google iTV Thailand annual report...there is 2020, 2021, 2022 the company is active.
And why on earth should I be desperate? I have no dog in this fight

Whatever credibility your arguments / opinions may hold are only further diminished by supporting this sort of nonsense.

 

The junta needs to accept defeat, go away and improve, come back and contest the next election by presenting a better version of themselves to the voters - don’t be a sook and a coward by cheating after you have lost fairly and squarely.

[tomacht8]

45 minutes ago, h90 said:

Sure not the media.....they were very pro MF. But I agree otherwise, I can't see much democracy...

I'm sorry, what? Not the media? I clearly remember the years of synchronization of all major television stations, where Prayut then advertised his politics for hours every Friday evening.

[h90]

5 minutes ago, NextG said:

 

You seem to have ‘forgotten’ about the serious  irregularities pointed out to you on another thread. Yet here you are, posting repeatedly about a ‘technicality’. Why is that? Do you seriously believe that this ‘shares’ business bears any comparison to the matters pointed out to you with regard to what seems like corrupt behaviour and it being swept under the carpet? Where is the media coverage on that?

I seriously don't understand anything you write, here are the annual reports....the company is active. Someone else corrupt behaviour is irrelevant to this issue. Every politician is corrupt, just in this case it is very obvious and proof-able. If some other did something wrong, banned them from politics for live no matter what party:

https://www.intouchcompany.com/ir_an_itv_en.asp
http://www.itv.co.th/

 

 

[h90]

2 minutes ago, tomacht8 said:

I'm sorry, what? Not the media? I clearly remember the years of synchronization of all major television stations, where Prayut then advertised his politics for hours every Friday evening.

I don't have a TV, but Bangkok Post and the Nation hyped MF day and night....The Manager hate Prayuth as well

[h90]

5 minutes ago, MrMojoRisin said:

Whatever credibility your arguments / opinions may hold are only further diminished by supporting this sort of nonsense.

 

The junta needs to accept defeat, go away and improve, come back and contest the next election by presenting a better version of themselves to the voters - don’t be a sook and a coward by cheating after you have lost fairly and squarely.

yes the junta parties lost massive.....but MF broke the election laws. And there is no government yet. There are solid majorities without MF. I am positive that MF can buy some Democrats and some senators and than Pita get banned and the drama starts again. And with his ideas about 112 it is a questions of months till there are demonstrations. I am not enthusiastic about that. A PTP lead government (I am no fan of them as well) without MF can have a majority and will be easier accepted. And noone can tell they are close to the junta.

[mikebike]

1 hour ago, h90 said:

google iTV Thailand annual report...there is 2020, 2021, 2022 the company is active.

I believe the reports are a requirement until all assets are dissolved, or until the original license runs out in 2025.

 

If you had bothered to actually download the latest report you cite, you will see the first paragraph:

 

"The Company used to operate a UHF radio and television broadcasting station under a joint 
operating contract and a Built Build-Transfer-Operation operating agreement signed with the 
Office of the Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister's Office (the “PMO”) on 3 July 1995, 
for a period of thirty years ending 3 July 2025. The station was named “ITV broadcasting 
station”.

Current Status

: As at midnight (12.00 p.m.) of 7 March 2007, the Company was compelled to cease its 
business operation of the ITV broadcasting station due to the cancellation of the 
operating agreement by the PMO. On 24 July 2014, the Board of Governors of the 
Stock Exchange of Thailand resolved to delist the Company’s common stock until 
further notice."

[Mavideol]

1 hour ago, h90 said:

google iTV Thailand annual report...there is 2020, 2021, 2022 the company is active.
And why on earth should I be desperate? I have no dog in this fight

I have/still have an inactive/dormant company since 2014, however still publish/provide annual reports to the government

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, CelticBhoy said:

Jeez. There are some sore losers in this country.

They are worse than the Australians in this regard.

[traveller101]

1 hour ago, tomacht8 said:

That is ridiculous. 42000 shares inherited in 2006. The company share is less than 1%. Pita tried to sell the shares. He has also reported his shares to the EC. iTV a micro-channel without any meaning.

 

Where is there supposed to be or have been any influence on popular opinion or on broadcaster policy?

 

Any democratic constitutional court in the world would not even accept such a case for review.

But not in Thailand.

I fully agree - but judging from the past - disqualifying Pita from holding public office opens an easy way out of the present conundrum ......

Pheu Thai Leader new PM candidate. Promises not to amend 112 laws, willing to include Anutin's party in a coalition, subsequently receives the 250 senate votes to become the new PM.

I really hope it does not come to this, it would constitute a real tragedy and missed opportunity for Thailand to move forward and embrace the 21st century.

[Eric Loh]

3 minutes ago, h90 said:

I seriously don't understand anything you write, here are the annual reports....the company is active. Someone else corrupt behaviour is irrelevant to this issue. Every politician is corrupt, just in this case it is very obvious and proof-able. If some other did something wrong, banned them from politics for live no matter what party:

https://www.intouchcompany.com/ir_an_itv_en.asp
http://www.itv.co.th/

 

 

iTV ceased operating in March 2007. However they maintain their status as a legal entity because of a legal battle against the PM's Office. The Administration Court ruled that the termination of iTV's contract was unlawful and ordered compensation of US$2.89 million. PM's Office appealed and case is still ongoing. iTV still generate revenue from investments and from its subsidiary, Artware Media which leases equipments for television and radio production. Technically this case has little merits as iTV is no longer a media company. Besides he is holding the shares in family trust and reported this to the NACC. He done nothing wrong in terms of the complaint and certainly not corrupt as you insinuated.