A prominent Thai lawyer, known for providing free legal advice via his popular Facebook page, has called for the probe into Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat to be dropped.
In a letter submitted to the Election Commission yesterday, June 19, Ratchapol Sirisakhon described the investigation into Pita’s alleged shareholdings in a media firm as “unfair” and suggested the activist who filed the complaint should be sued instead.
Political activist and serial moaner Ruangkrai Leekitwattana had filed a complaint with the Election Commission, asking for Pita to be disqualified as an election candidate. He accuses the PM candidate of holding 42,000 shares in a media company, which he says is still operating, despite evidence to the contrary.
The complaint was dismissed on the grounds that it was outside the period in which candidates’ qualifications could be considered. However, the EC decided to invoke Article 151 of the MPs Election Act to determine if Pita had stood in the May 14 general election while knowing he was not qualified to do so.
Ratchapol has slammed the EC’s investigation, describing it as “unfair”, and pointing out that an investigation into whether or not Pita had violated Article 151 could only take place once it was determined that the Move Forward leader did hold shares in a media company when he entered the election race.
“Conducting a probe against Pita for alleged violation of Article 151, even though he has not yet been found guilty (of holding shares in a media company) is not fair.”
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
