SPECIAL REPORT
Karun verdict is a lesson for others
Opas Boonlom
The Nation


Former Pheu Thai MP Karun Hosakul takes to the stage at a red-shirt rally in Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- The Pheu Thai MP for Bangkok's Constituency 12 should have learned a lesson now that the Supreme Court's Election Division has handed him a red card and taken away his election rights for five years as proposed by the Election Commission.

Karun Hosakul was found guilty of framing his Democrat rival Tankhun Jittitsara during the 2011 election campaign. The EC also plans to ask the court to get Karun to cover the Bt10 million needed for a new by-election.

The ruling comes as a cautionary warning for other election candidates, so they can avoid making similar mistakes. The court considered two points and three key statements in convicting Karun.

In the first point, the court considered if Karun was directly referring to Tankhun and the Democrat Party in his campaign speeches.

The verdict read: "Though Tankhun and the Democrat Party were not directly named - for instance, he used terms like 'new generation politician and the old political party' - it was clear he was referring to his and his party's direct foes - Tankhun and the Democrats."

In the second point, the court studied three campaign statements made by Karun and concluded that they clearly defamed the Democrat candidate.

In the first statement, Karun alleged that Tankhun had called him a hooligan and that the Democrat looked down on residents of Don Muang district.

"I am hurt by his scornful remarks, in which he said that those who have elected Karun are stupid ... I don't mind him calling me a hooligan, but he should not look down on Don Muang residents," Karun had said.

The court said Karun could not prove that Tankhun had made these remarks. Plus, he had once testified in the Civil Court saying the Democrat had never attacked him for being an influential person in Don Muang. Hence, the court ruled that Karun's statement had caused voters to hate Tankhun and thus could be regarded as false allegations against the Democrat.

In the second statement, the court found Karun guilty of framing Tankhun by saying that he had posed for a gay magazine and was behind his father's death.

"This guy! This candidate! I don't know which mountain he has come from. I don't know which 'sae' [Chinese surname] he used earlier, but he changed it to a Thai one, causing his dad to become depressed and die because his son hated his own 'sae'. This guy has posed for photos in a gay magazine, hasn't he? Is it true that you are from a hilltribe but you changed your surname to a Thai one, causing your dad to die? Is it true that you posed for a gay magazine as a male prostitute?" Karun said in his campaign speech.

The court ruled that Karun had directly affected his rival's votes by launching a personal attack and damaging his image by making unfounded allegations.

In the last statement, Karun alleged that the then-Democrat government was corrupt and had bought votes.

"I am hurt that an old political party and a new-generation politician came here with paint brushes. They painted pretty pictures and gave Bt300 to each Don Muang resident to get them to hear rally speeches. If they give you money, take it because money is tough to find under this government. The more you are cheated, the more you should give it to us. My people, if anyone gives you money, take it. Spend it to buy sweets and embarrass them by voting for Karun Hosakul, Pheu Thai candidate No 1."

The court ruled that in this statement, Karun accused the Democrat Party of cheating and hiring people to listen to campaign speeches and of buying votes - statements that were made with malicious intent.

The court went on to explain that it has taken all these factors into account to rule that Karun violated Article 53 (5) of the MPs and Senators Election Act of 2007 and would hence be disqualified.


-- The Nation 2013-05-11

No it's not a lesson because Thai politicians and officialdom in general never learn.

Having a pop at dropping a Chinese name for a Thai one won't go down well at PTP central.

Again the question remains why only ban this low life for 5 years? All politicians who use their position hiding behind parliamentary privilege for malicious means or curruption should be banned for life.

Further to the cartoon thread, I thought politicians were supposed to be okay with being called prostitutes.

Lesson learned - do not get caught

Day after day we get the same kind of allegations and to be honest it just makes me sick to the core. There is little hope for any form of reformation in this educationaly beleaguered country. Stupid people simply do not have the ability to see that they are stupid.

Again the question remains why only ban this low life for 5 years? All politicians who use their position hiding behind parliamentary privilege for malicious means or curruption should be banned for life.

It's a bit like so many other things in Thailand that are not pursued with due vigour as politicians may need a favour returned in the future. A law encompassing a life time ban would never be passes as the politicians know how close they sail to the wind at any given time and could find themselves on the wrong end of that life ban but 5 years makes it look as if they are sorting out the bad ones while leaving an opening for them to return. Look at Yaowapa Shinawatra, virtually the moment her ban was up she's in a by-election, wins and is now being spoken of as next caretaker PMd

so they can avoid making similar mistakes

There was no mistake he said these things on purpose.

1 down, How Many To Go???????????????????????????