Thai Election Commission Dismisses Complaints Against Pita for Holding Media Shares, But Investigation Continues

[bamnutsak]

1 minute ago, bannork said:

Other hurdles for Pita:

Yeah, he'll be lucky if he is allowed to remain in Thailand as a free man.

 

I suspect the Powers that Be want to drive him from the country, if only to send a message re: reforms of the Institution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[nobodysfriend]

Please help me understand what will happen if Pita is disqualified ...?

Even he is gone , the MFP still won the election and can continue preparing to form a new government in alliance wit Pheu Thai etc ...? ( with a new leader )

Or will the whole Party ( MFP ) become disqualified and , in this case , a new election must take place ?

Or will the present government take this as a reason it has to stay in power for longer , ignoring the election ?

I see social unrest if the election results are again being nullified because of a shareholder question .

Edited June 10, 2023 by nobodysfriend

[chuang]

Pita should be partly blamed for his predicaments. After the Future Forward Party's, has any due diligence been done before jumping into politics.

Was he just naive and ignorant or laissez -faire.

Sun Tzu's famous quote, know they enemy and know thyself.

A deja Vu is in the making. Politic is a very very dirty subject. I hope like most people that you be the PM.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, zzaa09 said:

Guess they're giving him the green light.

Though, I find the headline a bit confusing or even contradictory - they're dismissing complaints or possible charges, yet continuing to look into it deeper.....??

 

 

Same as I thought, dismissed the main problem yet chasing a grey area?

[nobodysfriend]

20 minutes ago, chuang said:

Was he just naive and ignorant or laissez -faire.

He certainly was not ignorant about what happened to Thanatorn before .

 

Just found this :

 

 "If he loses the share ownership battle and is removed as MFP leader, anything he has signed as leader, including the party candidate applications, could be declared null and void, and the respective MFP MPs-elect could be red-carded as a result."

 

If a candidate for a future PM does knowingly ignore the fact that he has to comply with the election law before posing his candidature , especially if he had the negative example of what can happen if he does not , if he ignored that , may be he is not suited for a PM anyway ...?

Edited June 10, 2023 by nobodysfriend

[hughrection]

56 minutes ago, bannork said:

Other hurdles for Pita:

1 . Accused of advertising alcohol by stating his preference for a particular brand on Channel 3.

2. Accused of lese majeste for comments in a BBC interview.

Possible penalties- banned, jail time

Obstacles for MF:

1. Accused of undermining Thailand's constitutional monarchy by image of hammer and sickle in a cartoon poster

2. Accused of letting two banned members, Thanathorn and Piyabutr influence the party.

Penalties- dissolution of the party, executives banned from politics.

 

This sums it up perfectly. He will not be PM, the party will be disbanded and then it's 4 more years until they do it all over again.

[nobodysfriend]

8 minutes ago, hughrection said:

This sums it up perfectly. He will not be PM, the party will be disbanded and then it's 4 more years until they do it all over again.

That means big social unrest in the streets of Bangkok , present government sends tanks and soldiers , another coup , democracy crushed again ...?

Edited June 10, 2023 by nobodysfriend

[Hamus Yaigh]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

the Election Commission stated that they would proceed with an investigation into if Pita knowingly competed for PM while having the media shares

It seems the only PITA here is the EC.

[Thingamabob]

One way or another the EC will try to disqualify Pita/MFP as per the instruction of their paymasters.

[chalawaan]

I have no idea why he didn't stick to politically safe  investments like luxury watch collecting or heroin trafficking. ????

[nobodysfriend]

The Election Commission (EC) says it will have to endorse the MP status of Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat before it can consider whether to strip him of it over his alleged share-holding offence.

He said the EC will have to endorse Mr Pita as a list-MP as part of the election process and then consider if he is qualified to hold the post.

However, he said the EC can investigate a criminal offence against Mr Pita, saying it can consider if he has violated Section 151 by applying as a list-MP candidate despite knowing he may not have been eligible to run for the House seat.

"The EC can't consider Mr Pita's status as an MP because he isn't an MP yet. If he is endorsed and the EC has questions about his qualifications, it can ask the Constitutional Court to rule,"

[4MyEgo]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Therefore, the issue is no longer the holding of the shares but rather if Pita knowingly competed.

Give it a break will you.

[NoshowJones]

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Therefore, the issue is no longer the holding of the shares but rather if Pita knowingly competed.

If found guilty, Pita could face significant prison time and be disqualified.

 

Good news that he could be disqualified and jailed? Really?

We regularly read that Thaksin should or could be jailed, now we are reading that Pita could be jailed.
What about the unelected caretaker PM, he stole the country with his soldiers in an illegal coup, screwed the country with flip flops and lies and lined his pockets big time since 2014, and yet no one is saying he should or could be jailed. Unbelievable.

[champers]

I am optimistic that Pita will be PM and form a Government. He will garner enough votes from MPs and Senators to become PM.

I think the US, for sure, plus other Western Governments have laid it out plainly that Thailand will be a pariah status state if the democratic will of the people does not prevail.

Prayut and Prawit have made no inflammatory statements; they understand the consequences.

It's diplomacy and won't make the media headlines.

[Caldera]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

However, Pita has a new and significant obstacle in his quest to become Thailand’s next Prime Minister as the Election Commission stated that they would proceed with an investigation into if Pita knowingly competed for PM while having the media shares and was aware that it could be a violation of Thai law, as well as Move Forward Party regulations.

 

Therefore, the issue is no longer the holding of the shares but rather if Pita knowingly competed.

I really don't like the sound of this. 

[1happykamper]

Several posts today are very confusing regarding this topic. 

 

I imagine the Thai people are even more confused and frustrated! This could get nasty... Soon? 

[bannork]

According to Jatuporn, ex Red Shirt turned disillusioned with Thaksin activist, some MF MPs could be banned because they didn't vote in the last election.

If true, that's a very foolish oversight on MF's part 

[BangkokReady]

6 hours ago, hotchilli said:

I'm hoping this is a "sowing of the seed" that Pita is going to be PM

The time frame of the legal limits for complaints is a bit lame.

But an avenue for the EC to turn down the complaints.

Whether Pita is guilty of knowingly campaigned or registered to campaign knowing he had shares is another issue, yet I think slightly less worrying.

Hopefully it will all be put to bed soon.  I guess they have to pay lip service to the complainers.

 

Was it the 15th that something is going to be confirmed or announced?

[billd766]

3 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

That means big social unrest in the streets of Bangkok , present government sends tanks and soldiers , another coup , democracy crushed again ...?

But IMHO it will not just be in Bangkok this time but spread across the country.

 

In addition the army group that Prayuth led for the last coup is no longer in favour.

 

AFAICS the most powerful group in the military now is the King's Praetorian Guard and they should do as they are ordered, NOT by the army, but by another person at the very top of the ladder.

[hotandsticky]

8 minutes ago, billd766 said:

But IMHO it will not just be in Bangkok this time but spread across the country.

 

 

‘That will just not happen.

 

Apart from pockets of activists it is not in the nature of the Thai general public to take to the streets (unless paid to do so by Thaksin like last time). A pitchfork revolution is a fantasy and most rural Thais have no passion for politics.

[newnative]

Read the headline and said 'Yaa!'.   Read the story and said 'Boo!'.

[TruthinThailand]

10 hours ago, Classic Ray said:

Very difficult to prove “knowingly” will depend on him either confessing or credible evidence from a witness that Pita admitted that he knew he was in the wrong.

Knowingly in the Thai Legal dictionary isn’t the same as every other country in the world!

[madmitch]

THailand seems to have some of the most ridiculous election rules in the world, mostly in place, no doubt, to be used as a tool against real democracy.

 

I sncerely hope Pita and co do get into government and one their first jobs should be to rip up the current constitution, and amend all these anti-democracy laws.

[scottiejohn]

I think it is perfectly correct that politicians should NOT hold shares, or even work for that matter, for in any media company.  In any country.  The UK has rules that limit political parties from owning some forms of media shareholding for example! 

Media-ownership-rules-report-2018.pdf (ofcom.org.uk)

If they don't own shares or work for the media then it is one less way that the politicians can be accused of using their "financial power" to influence the media!

[cncltd1973]

8 hours ago, jesimps said:

I still can't figure why MFP, with all the legal brains at their disposal, failed to insist that Pita dump his shares before the election. They must've known that it was illegal and that Prayuth, the EC and Senate would jump on it. If I, with my small knowledge of Thai politics had know this before the vote, I'd have been screaming at him to get rid.

I feel sorry for my poor missus who naively still thinks he's going to be PM.

because TIT. remember the previously leader of the party was also disqualified for the exact same issue,  don't overestimate the leaders, they are often figuring it out in realtime and also make mistakes without learning from them, unfortunately ???? 

[zzaa09]

8 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

Please help me understand what will happen if Pita is disqualified ...?

Even he is gone , the MFP still won the election and can continue preparing to form a new government in alliance wit Pheu Thai etc ...? ( with a new leader )

Or will the whole Party ( MFP ) become disqualified and , in this case , a new election must take place ?

Or will the present government take this as a reason it has to stay in power for longer , ignoring the election ?

I see social unrest if the election results are again being nullified because of a shareholder question .

Another real possibility that could evolve stemming from this uncertain mess [Pita question/coalition infighting/voting discrepancies], is that HM the King could declare this last election null and void, dissolve Parliament temporarily and seat the Caretaker Prayut as the logical interim until a general election[s] can be held again. 

 

After that....who knows. 

[digger70]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

if Pita knowingly competed for PM while having the media shares and was aware that it could be a violation of Thai law, as well as Move Forward Party regulations.

 

Therefore, the issue is no longer the holding of the shares but rather if Pita knowingly competed.

 

If found guilty, Pita could face significant prison time and be disqualifie

Of course he Knowingly competed for PM , He just thought to get away with that .

He should've known better . 

He's guilty and face the consequences, But than, Maybe Not.

[candide]

3 hours ago, madmitch said:

THailand seems to have some of the most ridiculous election rules in the world, mostly in place, no doubt, to be used as a tool against real democracy.

 

I sncerely hope Pita and co do get into government and one their first jobs should be to rip up the current constitution, and amend all these anti-democracy laws.

Don't dream. In order to be able to amend the Constitution, he needs the approval of at least  one third of senators.

[MrMojoRisin]

4 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

‘That will just not happen.

 

Apart from pockets of activists it is not in the nature of the Thai general public to take to the streets (unless paid to do so by Thaksin like last time). A pitchfork revolution is a fantasy and most rural Thais have no passion for politics.

There’s not too many things the Thais like more than a street mob.

For the past 20 years there’s been masses in the streets in various coloured shirts for extended durations again and again and again.

 

The pent up rage against the junta will explode should the election results be denied.

 

There are only two possibilities: Pita is PM or there is a massive uprising and then Pita is PM.

 

The only fantasy is from the junta lovers who think that the past will repeat itself and the junta has a viable path forward.

 

Its over.

The good guys won.

[zzaa09]

9 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

Yeah, he'll be lucky if he is allowed to remain in Thailand as a free man.

 

I suspect the Powers that Be want to drive him from the country, if only to send a message re: reforms of the Institution.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good luck with this heady task....