Thailand’s Election Commission (EC) has ordered a by-election to be held in Constituency 5 of Samut Prakan province after Palang Pracharat MP, Mr. Krung Srivilai, was issued with a yellow card by the EC for attempting to buy votes.
According to the EC, a close aide of Mr. Krung was found to have offered cash to voters attending a funeral during the election campaign period, which is regarded as an attempt to buy votes, in violation of Section 73 (1) of the Election Act.
The EC also revoked the voting rights and the right to contest an election of a former candidate for the Democrat party in Constituency 2 of Chanthaburi province, Mr. Chartchai Worapipat.
Both cases will now be forwarded to the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Offices to determine what punitive actions should be against Mr. Krung, his aide as well as the Democrat electoral candidate.
An informed EC source explained that, if the Supreme Court confirms the rulings of the EC within a year of the March 24th , 2019 election, the EC will have to recalculate the allocation of party-list MP seats. This will not be necessary, however, if the court’s rulings are not issued within that time.
The EC also decided to take criminal action against two other former candidates, Mr. Owpathara Klangpet of the Paradonparb party and Mr. Tinnakorn Kaewkla of the Democrat party, and five other people.
