9 November 2023 at 4:00 p.m.
The Bhumjaithai Party is urging the Election Commission (EC ) to look into whether Padipat Santipada, Deputy House Speaker, and the Move Forward Party ( MFP ) conspired when the latter was expelled from the party.
Some think it conspired with Mr. Padipat so that the group could take over as the opposition leader while still retaining him under a different brand.
The Registrar of Bhumjaithai, Supachai Jaisamut, announced yesterday that he had submitted a petition requesting an investigation from the social party secretary in the EC.
Mr. Supachai claimed he had noticed a difference between the MFP’s expulsion of M. Padipat, who had previously refused to resign as assistant House speaker when the party asked him to do so, and that of two MPs who were accused of sexual abuse.
Following allegations of sexual abuse, the party just expelled MPs Wuttiphong Thonglour and Chaiyamphawan Manpianjit.
The eviction of Mr. Padipat was merely announced in a statement, in contrast to Mrs. Wuttiphong and Chaiyamphawan, who were subjected to an official inspection and given the opportunity to defend themselves prior to making their decision, said Mr Supachai.
According to the constitution, the MFP must decide whether to take the position of assistant House speaker or leader of the opposition party.
According to Mr. Supachai, the group’s rules call for the removal of an MP found guilty of serious punitive misconduct with at least three-quarters of the votes cast by MFP committee members and its MPs.
According to Mr. Supachai, the real issue is what major disciplinary offense Monsieur Padipat committed and whether the MFP had legitimately expelled him.
Mr. Padipat would finally lose his MP position if the MFP can vouch for the fact that it did not remove him but rather that he left on his own volition, as it had implied in a previous declaration, according to Mr Supachai.
However, the MFP may be disbanded as a form of punishment if it is determined that it collaborated with Mr. Padipat to act against the political system.
Another growth is that the Prachachat Party denies thinking about adding Mr. Wuttiphong and M. Chaiyamphawan to its membership.
The two MPs have 30 days to find a new party, according to Sawang Boonmee, secretary-general of the EC, or their MP position may be revoked.