The pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai party is demanding that the Election Commission (EC) disband the pro-Prayut Palang Pracharat party on the grounds that an executive committee member of the party is the proprietor and shareholder of a media company.
A petition was submitted to the EC’s Office today (Wednesday) by Mr. Narong Rungthanawong, head of Pheu Thai party’s information and statistics centre, after he found out that Mr. Charnvit Wipoosiri, a candidate and an executive committee member of the Palang Pracharat party, was allegedly the proprietor and shareholder of a media firm when he registered his election candidacy.
Mr. Narong said that the Palang Pracharat party should be held accountable for Mr. Charnvit’s violations of the Constitution and the MP Election Act as a member of the party’s executive committee.
The Pheu Thai party is also demanding legal action be taken against both the Palang Pracharat party and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s Cabinet for alleged misconduct in connection with the approval of a compensation fund for village health volunteers just two days before the March 24th election in a way which would benefit the Palang Pracharat party.
The party’s core members, who include the party leader, party secretary-general and party legal chief, told a press conference this morning that the Cabinet’s approval of a nearly 4.22 billion baht fund was politically motivated.
Mr. Chusak Sirinil, the party’s legal chief, said Palang Pracharat party leader Uttama Savanayana and party secretary-general Sontirat Sontijirawong were cabinet ministers and were present at the meeting which approved the funding.
Phumtham Wechayachai said the party found it necessary to raise the matter in the public interest and to take legal action against both the Palang Pracharat party and the Cabinet for alleged misconduct in violation of Article 73 (1) of the election law.
