PUBLISHED: 23 Jan 2025 at 05 :07
Election Commission (EC) secretary-generalSawang Boonmeecould be taken to court for passing on a decision not to recommend the dissolution of the Bhumjaithai Party over unlawful donations allegations.
The top EC national faces a complaint filed with the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Circumstances by attorney Pattharapong Supaksorn.
Mr Pattharapong cited Mr Sawang’s reported dereliction of duty as basis for his complaint. The complaint stems from Mr Sawang’s determination not to suggest that the Constitutional Court break Bhumjaithai over the claims.
On Dec 28, 2024, the EC announced it would not continue with seeking to dissolve the partnership group after reviewing the situation. The EC said there was insufficient evidence to back claims that Bhumjaithai consciously received funds from illegal options.
The EC was acting on problems lodged by past room tycoon-turned-politician Chuwit Kamolvisit and three people. The problems cited Section 72 of the natural law on political events, which prohibits parties from receiving funds from illegal sources, and Section 92 of the rules to get its dissolution.
Bhumjaithai was accused of having unjustly received donations from Burijarearn Construction, a company reportedly owned by nominations of Saksayam Chidchob, a former travel secretary under the Prayut Chan-o-cha state and also the group’s former secretary-general.
Mr Saksayam was eventually removed as chancellor by the jury for allegedly concealing stocks in Burijarearn Construction, which afforded him the power to control the company. The legislation prohibits a government minister from having such a play in a business firm.
Mr Pattharapong on Wednesday said the power to decide no to follow the dissolution event rests with Mr Sawang, and he must account for such a decision. The lawyer drew similarities between the unlawful donations case and the dissolution in February 2020 of the Future Forward Party ( FFP ) over an illegal loan extended by its leader, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit.
Mr Pattharapong said both circumstances dealt with illegal sources of funding linked to their individual functions. He said he failed to understand why Mr Sawang reportedly failed to consider the ruling to break the FFP. If the EC secretary-general had examined the decision, he may have made a different choice. His failing to look into the FFP situation was enough to find Mr Sawang’s trial in court, Mr Pattharapong said.