Move Forward MP for Bangkok, Chaiyamparwaan Manpianjit, who was found to have committed an act of sexual harassment by the party’s disciplinary committee, trended top on the X platform today in Thailand, followed by the party itself in third place, as most netizens called for his resignation.
Meanwhile, numerous female MPs in the party also described the party as having double-standards and called for the Bangkok MP’s resignation.
One of the MPs, Rukchanok Srinork, said in her Facebook post that she voted for the resignation of Chaiyamparwaan and another MP of Prachin Buri, Wutthipong Thonglao, who was also found to have engaged in sexual harassment.
She said she agreed with party deputy leader, Parit Wacharasindhu, who cited the case of a Japanese legislator, who appeared drunk when he participated in a debate in parliament.
She said that the Japanese MP resigned to take responsibility, adding that this is the standard of accountability in Japanese society. She also said that she will wait to see whether Chaiyamparwaan offers an apology to the public and to the victim “or just stages a show”, adding that she will cease participating in activities with the party and her fellow MPs.
Meanwhile, Wutthipong said he feels disappointed by his unfair treatment and vowed not to quit the party even though he was sacked.
He claims that there are five levels of sexual harassment and he committed an act in the third level, but was expelled from the party, while another party member, who was also found at fault, was only placed on probation for a year.
Wutthipong also claims that his alleged offence took place last year, when he was just a party member and not yet an electoral candidate. He questioned the party’s decision, noting that it should be the responsibility of a psychiatrist or a doctor to decide whether the victim felt she had been sexually harassed or not.
Parit, meanwhile, dismissed a suggestion that he was trying to protect Chaiyamparwaan, claiming that he was among the MPs who voted for the Bangkok MP’s expulsion.
120 MPs and executive committee members voted for Wutthipong’s expulsion. Under the party’s charter, 75% of the votes of all MPs and committee members (116) are required to expel a member from the party. However, 106 voted for Chaiyamparwaan’s expulsion, which fell short of the minimum required.
