The Palang Pracharat party’s legal advisors went to the Constitutional Court this afternoon (Thursday) to seek a reprieve from possible suspension for 27 MPs accused of media share ownership.
The party‘s deputy spokesman, Mr. Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, said today that, during the previous administration of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, the Constitutional Court granted temporary protection to MPs facing suspension from duty after they were accused of holding shares in media firms.
However, the the case against the party’s MPs, initiated by Pheu Thai-led opposition parties, was different from that of Future Forward party leader Thanathorn Juangroonruangkit because he actually ran a media business, whereas the 27 Palang Pracharat MPs merely stated media business in their firms’ memoranda of association, without actually running a media business.
Thanakorn said he was optimistic that the Constitutional Court would take into consideration all aspects in a fair manner, adding that the party would accept the court’s ruling.
In an apparent tit-for-tat, the Palang Pracharat party earlier asked House speaker Chuan Leekpai to submit to the Constitutional Court their petition for the court to probe opposition MPs accused of holding shares in media firms.
Meanwhile, it is reported that Thanathorn’s lawyers were to ask the Constitutional Court today to extend the deadline for submission of written clarification and evidence of his alleged shareholding in ‘V Luck Media’ until July 23rd because they need more time to check the evidence.
Thanathorn has been suspended from performing his duty as an MP by the Court since May 23rd after the court ruled there are grounds to the accusation that he owned the media shares when he registered his election candidacy in violation of the law.
