A Ratchaburi court ordered former Palang Pracharath MP Pareena Kraikupt to pay Bt7.6 million today for the cost of a by-election held by the Election Commission after she was removed as an MP for ethics violations.

The court said Pareena must pay the sum to the Election Commission within 30 days. If she fails to comply with the order, her assets will be confiscated or she will be arrested and jailed.

In April last year, the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders found Pareena guilty of severe ethical misconduct.

Consequently, she was stripped of her MP status, banned for life from running for political office and given a 10-year suspension of her political and election rights.

The verdict came after the National Anti-Corruption Commission found the MP guilty of encroaching on 113.76 hectares of land in February last year.