The Election Commission (EC) has unanimously decided to order the Future Forward party to submit documents related to the 191 million baht loan it borrowed from party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit.
According to a press release today (Monday), from the Office of the Election Commission, the move is to enable the case to be cleared up in a way which is fair to all parties concerned.
The commission said that a probe by an EC’s Office panel had previously asked for the relevant documents from the Future Forward party, but it is yet to receive them.
Thanathorn himself disclosed the fact of the loan during a dinner talk at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand. He also declared the loan in his mandatory assets declaration filed with the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
Two loan contracts were signed between him and the party. The first, amounting 161.2 million baht, repayable in three years, was signed on January 2nd, the second, amounting to 30 million baht and repayable in one year, was signed on April 11th.
Political activist Srisuwan Janya asked the EC to investigate whether Thanathorn’s extension of loan to his party constitutes a violation of the Political Party Act which, if so, may lead to the dissolution of the party by the Constitutional Court.
