Thanathorn delays hearing charges

Rights group calls on govt to drop case

Future Forward Party (FFP) leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit was yesterday granted a delay in hearing charges against him in connection with a “flash mob” incident on Dec 14.

He said he needed to attend a New Year Party organised by an ethnic

Hmong group in Tak province, an engagement that had been scheduled in advance. He said he would arrange an alternative date with police soon.

Mr Thanathorn and FFP member Pairatchote Chantarakhachorn had been summonsed to respond to the charges at Pathumwan police station today. Meanwhile, three FFP lawmakers including party secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, spokeswoman Pannika Wanich and partylist MP Pita Limjaroenrat, have been protected by parliamentary immunity.

Meanwhile, rights group Amnesty

International issued a statement calling for authorities to drop the charges against the opposition members and activists who held the protest.

End “judicial harassment of the political opposition, human rights defenders and activists in Thailand”, the statement said.

The peaceful protest followed an Election Commission (EC) announcement, on Dec 11, that it would recommend that the Constitutional Court order the FFP’s dissolution.

The court on Wednesday accepted the EC’s request to consider the disbandment of the FFP for allegedly violating the organic law on political parties for accepting a 191-millionbaht loan from Mr Thanathorn to finance its election campaign.

The FFP was given 15 days to submit its defence to the court.

The EC cited Section 72 of the law, which prohibits parties and its executives from accepting cash donations, assets or other benefits when they know or suspect the money comes from an illegitimate source. The EC considers the loan “illegitimate”, citing Sections 62 and 66 of the law on political parties, according to EC sources.

In a separate case yesterday, Dusit District Court yesterday acquitted 44 leaders and participants of the antiregime “People Who Want Elections” group, including Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, who organised a political rally at Thammasat University. The court said there was no evidence as to where and how the defendants joined the rally and how they violated the law.

However, Cholthicha Chaengrew, a rally organiser was fined of 1,000 baht for failing to prevent the rally affecting the public.