Move Forward Party list MP-elect Nateepat Kulsetthasith has confirmed her intention to resign her seat after beng charged with drink-driving last month.
However, she must first complete the proper electoral procedures, she said on Wednesday.
The Election Commission (EC) endorsed all 500 MPs-elect on Monday, and her name appeared on the Office of the Secretariat of the House of Representatives’ board introducing new MPs.
The 46-year-old announced her resignation as a candidate MP on May 16, two days after the general election, after police arrested her for drink-driving earlier that day. She apologised to the public and regretted her actions.
Ms Nateepat said on Wednesday she would not go back on her announced intention to take responsibility for her actions and stand aside.
The EC had informed her that she could not tender her resignation to the commission. No MP had ever resigned this way. It required a parliamentary procedure. She had to register as an MP before she could resign.
On June 27, she would report to parliament. After taking the oath of allegiance she would formally resign.
“There’s no deception. After announcing my resignation, I consulted the EC about resignation guidelines. As the EC had not yet endorsed MPs-elect at the time, I could not resign as an MP. My name is still on the list of MPs-elect.
“After completing all proper parliamentary procedures, I can resign as an MP. The name of the party-list candidate next to me will be moved up,’’ Ms Nateepat said on her Facebook account.
Ms Nateepat was stopped at a police checkpoint in Lat Phrao district of Bangkok on May 16. An alcohol breath test registered 66 miligrammes of alcohol per 100ml of blood, above the legal threshold of 50mg.
The Nonthaburi Criminal Court subsequently sentenced her to two months in prison, suspended for two years, fined her 4,000 baht and ordered her to perform 12 hours of community service.
Ms Nateepat was 27th on Move Forward’s 100-strong party list.