Sacked EC member joins Democrats
Former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn applied to become a lifetime member of the Democrat Party yesterday and said he’s ready to run as an MP candidate if the executive board of the party thinks he is a suitable choice.
“I was born in Samut Sakhon and have been working in Bangkok for over 30 years, so I’m interested in these two provinces, but it all depends on the board of the party whether they think I’m the right person,” he said while addressing the media after finishing the application process at the party’s headquarters.
However, Mr Somchai said that being an MP candidate was not his main reason for becoming a member of the country’s oldest party. Rather, he was eager to use his knowledge and experience to do something that will benefit people.
“When you become a member of a political party, you are able to propose ideas to its executive board and play a role in policymaking,” he said.
“If the party’s board think I’m not suitable to be an MP candidate and thinks I should work behind the scenes, I’m okay with it and have no problem at all,” he added.
Mr Somchai also said that being a member of a party won’t stop him from criticising, whether it’s the government or his own party.
“I will continue expressing my opinion on various issues to the public. Even if the Democrat Party does something wrong, I will criticise it as well,” he said.
When asked what he wants to say to the current election commissioners, Mr Somchai said that as a former commissioner himself, he wanted to give them moral support and urged them to be as transparent as possible to earn public trust.
“In my view, the current commissioners have yet to make people think that they are ready for the election. This is what they need to do — gain public trust,” he said.
Mr Somchai yesterday was welcomed by deputy party leader Sansern Samalabha and former party-list MP Boonyod Sooktinthai. Mr Sansern said he was happy that an expert in law such as Mr Somchai had joined the Democrat Party and affirmed the party will find a suitable role for him.
Earlier in his career, Mr Somchai was a lecturer and later deputy dean at Thammasat University’s Faculty of Political Science. After that, he was instrumental in election monitoring groups including the Open Forum for Democracy.
He was chosen as EC commissioner in 2014. In March this year, Gen Prayut, as chief of the the National Council for Peace and Order, sacked him using his authority under Section 44 of the interim constitution, citing “inappropriate behaviour” after his comments on the coming election. He also cited an apparent conflict of interest after Mr Somchai applied to be EC secretary-general without first resigning from his role as commissioner.
After leaving the EC, he became an acting dean of the School of Political Science and Laws at Walailak University in Nakhon Si Thammarat province. He was also involved in politics as a leading member of the Open Forum for Democracy, monitoring elections.