The House of Representatives is scheduled to consider a police request this Thursday, for the arrest of Progressive Thai party MP Chaiyamparwaan Manpianjit on a rape charge.
Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet, the police commissioner-general, submitted a letter to House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha on February 11th, seeking his permission for the arrest of the MP, after a Taiwanese tourist filed a complaint with police in Chiang Mai on February 9th, claiming that she had been raped by the MP at a hotel.
Even though the court has issued a warrant for the MP’s arrest, police cannot make the arrest without permission from the House, because he is protected by parliamentary immunity.
While serving as an MP of the now defunct Move Forward party, Chaiyamparwaan was also accused of sexually harassing his female staff. He quit the party to join the Progressive Thai party, to protect his parliamentary status.
Parit Wacharasindhu, spokesman for People’s party, formerly Move Forward, called on Chaiyamparwaan to resign as an MP today, to take responsibility, adding that the party will discuss how it will vote in parliament.
Meanwhile, government chief whip Wisut Chainaroon recommended that the MP turn himself in to police to acknowledge the rape charge.
