Bangkok, June 12: The frontrunner to become Thailand’s next prime minister is facing an election probe that could see him disqualified, a senior official said Monday, in the latest setback to his bid for the premiership.
Pita Limjaroenrat’s progressive Move Forward Party (MFP) won the most seats at last month’s election as voters delivered a crushing rejection of army-linked parties that ran the kingdom for nearly a decade.
But he has faced a number of challenges and complaints, and the election commission has now set up a special committee to investigate whether Pita was qualified to run for office.
“There is sufficient information and evidence to warrant further investigation into whether Mr Pita is qualified to run in the election,” commission chairman Ittiporn Boonpracong told AFP.
“The election commission has set up an investigatory committee to investigate further.”
It is not clear how long the investigation will take, but if found guilty, Pita could be disqualified and face up to 10 years in jail.
The probe relates to Pita’s ownership of shares in a now-defunct media company — prohibited under Thai election law.
Pita says he inherited the shares in the ITV television station, which has not broadcast since 2007, from his father.
The 42-year-old denies any wrongdoing and the party says it is not worried about the allegations.
“MFP is still confident that people power will win in the end, and the election commission will work honestly based on constitutional principles,” MFP secretary general Chaitawat Tulathon said.
MFP’s predecessor party Future Forward was also hit with the media shareholding rule in 2019, when billionaire leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit was disqualified as an MP by a court order.
