EC mulls criminal suit against FFP execs

The Election Commission (EC) will closely examine the Constitutional Court’s ruling to dissolve the Future Forward Party (FFP) before deciding whether to launch criminal action against FFP executives over the loan which led to the disbandment.

A source said the EC met yesterday to formally acknowledge the disbandment ruling passed last week.

The meeting also outlined regulatory steps which the EC and FFP executives must follow in formalising the dissolution.

The meeting was told of the EC’s order for its office to promptly examine the ruling for grounds to pursue criminal action against FFP executives.

The Constitutional Court dissolved the FFP and banned its executives from politics for 10 years for accepting 191.2 million baht from party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit.

The court decided the loan fell under the category of “other benefits” under Section 66 of the Political Parties Act, which limits donations to 10 million baht per donor per year.

The court said the EC could now proceed with criminal action against Mr Thanathorn and 15 other party executives, including secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul and spokesperson Pannika Wanich.

If convicted, Mr Thanathorn could be jailed for up to five years, and other executives for up to three years. The loan money in excess of 10 million baht, or 181.3 million baht, will be seized and placed in the Political Party

Development Fund.

However, EC commissioners yesterday agreed that seeking the prosecution of FFP executives needed careful consideration, the source said.

The EC ordered Mr Thanathorn and FFP executives to stay in their posts for the next 30 days to sort out the party’s finances before submitting the accounts to the EC, added the source. The accounts will then be forwarded to the State Audit Office for vetting.

The EC has also instructed other parties to explain loans they have obtained.