A People’s Party’s candidate, standing in the municipal council election in the Si Racha district of Chon Buri province, has been disqualified by the provincial Election Commission, after it was discovered that he was sentenced to four years in prison on drug charges almost two decades ago.
Manasanan Withana, director of Chon Buri’s Election Commission Office, said today that the election watchdog has decided to drop Sitthichai Samrith from the list of candidates vying for seats on the Chao Praya Surasak municipal council, because he does meet the legal requirements specified in the Local Administration Election Act.
The law forbids people sentenced to prison terms of one year or more and/or fined 20,000 or more from standing in local elections.
She disclosed that Sitthichai was convicted of drug offences by the Pattaya court and sentenced to four years and six months in prison and fined 300,000 baht. Even though a law was enacted in 2007, to commemorate the 80th birthday of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, which cleansed convicts of their prison records, she said that the law does not restore his right to contest a local election.
It is reported, however, that Sitthichai’s name has not been deleted from his home page, which is still urging people to vote for him.
