The opposition Move Forward party has decided to expel one of its MPs, Wutthipong Thonglao, an MP for Prachin Buri, after he was found to have committed an act of sexual harassment by the party’s disciplinary board, according to party leader Chaithawat Tulathon.
But the party decided to place another MP on probation. Chaiyamparwaan Manpianjit, a Bangkok MP, was also found to have committed sexual harassment by the disciplinary committee.
Citing the party’s charter, which requires three-fourths of the votes of the party’s executive committee and all MPs to expel a member, Chaithawat said that only 128 were present at the meeting last night and only 106 of them voted for the Bangkok MP’s expulsion, which is short of the three-fourths of the votes all members of the executive committee and MPs.
He said that it was, however, decided to impose penalties on the Bangkok MP by requiring him to offer an apology to the victim and to the public and to compensate the victim appropriately. Failing that the party will meet again to reconsider expelling him from the party.
In the case of Wutthipong, he will have to apply for membership of another party within 30 days of his expulsion in order to maintain his parliamentary status.
Reacting to the Move Forward party’s decision last night, Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, former secretary-general of the now defunct Future Forward party, predecessor of the Move Forward party, said he was disappointed with the party’s decision to sack only one MP.
In his Facebook post today, Piyabutr said that sexual harassment is unacceptable in Thai society these days and, if the Move Forward party wants to upgrade its standards on sexual harassment, it must strive to prevent this wrongdoing in its organisation and in other work places.
Accusing the Bangkok MP of not taking any responsibility, he said it will be difficult for the MP to continue performing his duty in the party without being criticised. He urged the MP in question to quit to save the party.
The party’s decision is being seen by some as an example of double-standards and has provoked uproar among some of the party’s female MPs, namely Sasinan, Kalayapetchara, Passaraporn and Passarin, who reportedly changed their pictures in their web pages to black.
A post by Passaraporn reads: “Shame on you. Be a human being before being an MP.”
The other post asks why two MPs were found guilty of sexual harassment, but only one of them was sacked.
Move Forward MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, however, defended Chaiyamparwaan, saying that he is one of his trusted teammates and that he is confident that he is an MP of whom people in Chom Thong district should be proud.
