Pheu Thai survives bid to dissolve party

Pheu Thai Party has been saved from an attempt to dismantle the party after Election Commission (EC) dismissed a petition to investigate the party’s decision to field a candidate involved in the corruption case in the local election last year.

The petition was submitted by Noparuj Worachitwuthikul, a leading member of the political movement Phirap Khao 2006 (“White Pigeons 2006”), who administered the poll body to take action against the ruling party for nominating Charn Phuangphet in the Pathum Thani provincial administrative organisation (PAO) polls last year.

However, the petition alleged that the party nominated Charn — a former chairman of Pathum Thani’s PAO — in the polls last year despite having been aware that he was being investigated by the National Anti-Corruption Commission in connection with a graft case.

The EC ruled that there was insufficient evidence to support the claims by the petitioner against the party.

Judicial agency therefore decided that it would not seek the dissolution of the ruling party — something permitted under Section 92 of the organic law on political parties — before the charter court, a source said.

In October last year, the Region 1 Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases sentenced Charn and six others to 7.5 years each in prison for their parts in a graft case dating back to 2011.

A rerun of the June 30 poll was announced on Sept 22. Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit Toopkrajang, who was initially defeated by Charn in the first poll, won it.