Judgement day for Pita: A closer look at case that could change Thai politics

[webfact]

 

The Constitutional Court is set to rule on Wednesday (January 24) whether Pita Limjaroenrat, the initial front-runner to become Thailand’s 30th prime minister, violated the charter by contesting last year’s election while holding shares in a media company.

 

The former leader of the reformist Move Forward Party is accused of holding 42,000 shares in iTV Plc when he registered to contest the May 2023 election. A guilty verdict would result in Pita being disqualified from office and losing his seat in Parliament.

 

It could also prompt the Election Commission (EC), which brought the case, to sue Pita for violating the election law, which states that anyone contesting an election while knowingly unqualified to do so faces one to 10 years in prison, a fine of 20,000-200,000 baht, and 20 years with no electoral rights.

 

An EC subcommittee earlier suggested that criminal action against Pita be dropped due to a lack of incriminating evidence, but the election commissioners have reportedly postponed their decision to see whether any such evidence is mentioned in Wednesday’s court verdict.

 

If the court finds that iTV is not a media business, Pita will retain his MP seat. In that case, he is expected to return as leader of Move Forward and therefore of the parliamentary opposition.

 

Both seats are currently held by Chaithawat Tulathon, who replaced Pita last September after being elected at a general meeting of the party. Pita had stepped down amid uncertainty over his MP status to pave the way for a new Move Forward chief to become the opposition leader.

 

Chaithawat has vowed to step down for Pita to return as leader if he is cleared by the court.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2024-01-23

 

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[ikke1959]

all charges should be dropped and the stupid law should be out of the constitution or whatever they call the law in Thailand.. Everything in it is just to protect the wealth and famous and the army..With a coup the constitution is worthless and the army have to write a new one. Now they want some changes and it seems impossible.. I hope Pita wins, the Government is brought down and new Election with a true PM that will change Thailand for the best

[Burma Bill]

The very best of luck to you Sir, but I do have reservations when you are up against the minority, but powerful, anti-democratic Establishment and Military.

 

[JackGats]

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

all charges should be dropped and the stupid law should be out of the constitution or whatever they call the law in Thailand.. Everything in it is just to protect the wealth and famous and the army..With a coup the constitution is worthless and the army have to write a new one. Now they want some changes and it seems impossible.. I hope Pita wins, the Government is brought down and new Election with a true PM that will change Thailand for the best

Well, the last election brought recriminalisation of cannabis and taxation of remittances. What will the next one bring for us expats? Blanket taxation of worldwide income for anyone staying over 90 days per year?

[retarius]

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

all charges should be dropped and the stupid law should be out of the constitution or whatever they call the law in Thailand.. Everything in it is just to protect the wealth and famous and the army..With a coup the constitution is worthless and the army have to write a new one. Now they want some changes and it seems impossible.. I hope Pita wins, the Government is brought down and new Election with a true PM that will change Thailand for the best

It is a good law because it prevents people who control the media from participating in elections. 

[BritScot]

2 minutes ago, retarius said:

It is a good law because it prevents people who control the media from participating in elections. 

Weren't the shares in a company that had stopped trading ie a folded company well before he became an mp? 

[samtam]

47 minutes ago, retarius said:

It is a good law because it prevents people who control the media from participating in elections. 

 

Like the RTA?

[herfiehandbag]

43 minutes ago, BritScot said:

Weren't the shares in a company that had stopped trading ie a folded company well before he became an mp? 

And inherited as such!

[ikke1959]

7 hours ago, retarius said:

It is a good law because it prevents people who control the media from participating in elections. 

And please explain what the problem is with owning mediashares.. Mediashares make it a good or bad person/ politician??

[smedly]

he was 100% innocent, a very intelligent man and the people knew that

 

that's why they voted for him

 

he was a threat, let's see what happens next -to mister grin 

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

The Constitutional Court is set to rule on Wednesday (January 24) whether Pita Limjaroenrat, the initial front-runner to become Thailand’s 30th prime minister, violated the charter by contesting last year’s election while holding shares in a media company.

If found innocent then the government should be dissolved with a new election.

[Thingamabob]

It seems likely that he will punished by being banned from political activity. The ruling elite are frightened by his views, and by his popularity.

On 3/15/2023 at 6:12 AM, redwood1 said:

Minister health, Minister of transport, Minister of weed.....This guy can do it all...

 

On 3/25/2023 at 10:37 AM, scorecard said:

Agree, every few seconds it appears on the rght side of my screen, not small, have to keep moving what I'm reading or what I;m writing to above the advertising. 

 

Really annoying.

 

I realize the site needs revenue but there's plenty of other spaces the ads could be plced.

 

Please move this advertising to another spot on the screen.  as said really really annoying.

 

On 3/27/2023 at 2:36 AM, still kicking said:

Why call it ping pong the name is table tennis 

 

On 11/23/2023 at 7:09 PM, bignok said:

The roads are better, the streets are cleaner but f me sideways its boring. $8 a beer in a pub to watch keno. $33 for steak and salad. The barmaids are 70kgs and no go. 

 

On 12/14/2023 at 7:58 PM, CanadaSam said:

I just don't get it.  When I was younger, there was never any type of gay sex or even kissing on TV, movies.

 

Now, it seems that almost every show has gay scenes, and I'm worried about the impact it has on youngsters.

 

It really seems like TV, movies make it look like it's perfectly normal, and I don't believe that it is!

 

I mean if everyone was gay, there would be no next generation of humans, right?

 

On 12/28/2023 at 1:03 PM, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

Two days later.

 

On 1/13/2024 at 1:16 PM, bbko said:

Make the bull owners pay for injuries and suffering.

 

On 1/16/2024 at 1:11 PM, John Drake said:

 

These people are the end of it all. This is what national collapse looks like.

 

[jippytum]

Please let this court pass a judgement just once in favor of justice and common sense to benifit the people of Thailand and not for the benifit of  hi so  devisive families like the Shiniwatras and their kin. 

 

[mikeymike100]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

If found innocent then the government should be dissolved with a new election.

Yes, but somehow I don't think that will happen?

[SmartyMarty]

If banned, the party will survive and its popularity will only increase 

[RandolphGB]

Pita is a threat to the establishmen-archy. They will show no mercy.

 

But they will do it in the typically two-faced cowardly Thai way and appear to kindly smile while plotting to seal his fate.

[edwinchester]

18 hours ago, retarius said:

It is a good law because it prevents people who control the media from participating in elections. 

Holding about one tenth of one percent of the shares in a media company that ceased operation nearly 17 years ago is not control or influence of the electorate at all. This whole affair was the last ditch attempt by the military and it's supporters to deprive the winner of most public support in the last election their rightful chance to firm a Government.

[Eric Loh]

January 31 is the judgement date for Pita and the party not this case which he likely to be acquitted.

[RamblingOn]

20 hours ago, samtam said:

 

Like the RTA?

RTA????

[anchadian]

#BREAKING: Thai Constitutional Court clears ex-

@MFPThailand

leader

@Pita_MFP

of illegal possession of shares in a media company, allowing him to return as MP.

 

https://twitter.com/SaksithCNA/status/1750060742286688424

 

[animatic]

Good news. It was a dodgy charge to begin with.
It was not him as a person,

it was him as ‘Juristic Person’

‘his father’s executor’. 

But also, not a lick of ‘media business’ was done in 15 years by this dormant company, just waiting for a law suit to finish. Nothing to do with manipulating the electorate unfairly.
So a good call by the CC.

Edited January 24 by animatic

[Brickleberry]

30 minutes ago, anchadian said:

#BREAKING: Thai Constitutional Court clears ex-

@MFPThailand

leader

@Pita_MFP

of illegal possession of shares in a media company, allowing him to return as MP.

 

https://twitter.com/SaksithCNA/status/1750060742286688424

 

 

Isn't the result due tomorrow?

[FritsSikkink]

6 minutes ago, Brickleberry said:

 

Isn't the result due tomorrow?

No, today at 2pm

[retarius]

On 1/23/2024 at 2:06 PM, BritScot said:

Weren't the shares in a company that had stopped trading ie a folded company well before he became an mp? 

yes...no longer doing or did any sort of trading for years.

[scorecard]

15:44 pm 24 Jan - Abbreviated from another Thai media site: 

 

The Thai Constitutional Court has ruled the shareholding was not a violation and he can return to his MP duties. 

 

Good news!

[billd766]

On 1/23/2024 at 2:01 PM, retarius said:

It is a good law because it prevents people who control the media from participating in elections. 

It doesn't and didn't stop the military who own many national radio and TV stations in Thailand, from before the last coup until now.

 

If the military own many national radio and TV stations in Thailand, they should automatically be disbarred from politics.

[BritScot]

On 1/23/2024 at 5:17 AM, ikke1959 said:

all charges should be dropped and the stupid law should be out of the constitution or whatever they call the law in Thailand.. Everything in it is just to protect the wealth and famous and the army..With a coup the constitution is worthless and the army have to write a new one. Now they want some changes and it seems impossible.. I hope Pita wins, the Government is brought down and new Election with a true PM that will change Thailand for the best

Then the tanks roll in again. 

[bannork]

One case down, one to go ( Jan 31).

[samtam]

7 hours ago, RamblingOn said:

RTA????

 

This lot:

 

 

3 hours ago, billd766 said:

It doesn't and didn't stop the military who own many national radio and TV stations in Thailand, from before the last coup until now.

 

If the military own many national radio and TV stations in Thailand, they should automatically be disbarred from politics.

 

[samtam]

2 hours ago, bannork said:

One case down, one to go ( Jan 31).

 

Yes, Pita's days as an MP might be very short indeed. If MF is banned there may well be trouble.