Video raised questions about whether long-dormant broadcaster was still ‘operating a media business’
PUBLISHED : 25 Jul 2023 at 18:21
Thapanee Eadsrichai, a well-known TV reporter who previously worked at the television channel iTV, on Tuesday met police investigators and gave a statement in a case linked with the iTV shareholding of Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the Move Forward Party (MFP).
Thapanee Eadsrichai, a well-known TV reporter who previously worked at the television channel iTV, yesterday met police investigators and gave a statement in a case linked with the iTV shareholding of Pita Limjaroenrat, leader of the Move Forward Party (MFP).
Ms Thapanee has also worked as a presenter for the Khao Sam Miti late-night news programme on Channel 3. In one investigative report, she revealed a discrepancy between the official minutes from the iTV annual shareholders’ meeting on April 26 and what was shown in a video taken at the event.
The minutes have been cited as documentary proof that iTV still operates as a media company. The accuser said that since Mr Pita was holding shares in a media firm, he has committed a legal violation in contesting a political election.
The law forbids a person applying to be an MP from holding shares in a media business.
Ms Thapanee, who is being treated as a witness by the police, confirmed the information that she had reported previously was true.
She received a tip-off about where to obtain the video of the April 26 meeting from a source whose identity she said needs to be protected.
Ms Thapanee said she had carefully studied the hours-long recording, and conducted more research and checked the facts.
She also handed to the police a video of the Khao Sam Miti TV programme containing the recording of the iTV shareholders’ meeting.
The investigation followed a complaint lodged with the Thung Song Hong police by lawyer Rachapon Sirisakorn, who accused the chairman of the April 26 meeting, as well as political activist Ruangkrai Leekitwatthana, of falsifying documents pertaining to its details.
The details of the shareholders’ meeting were believed to have been used by Mr Ruangkrai in lodging a petition with the Election Commission (EC) against Mr Pita.
The EC subsequently forwarded the iTV case to the Constitutional Court, which agreed to hear it. The court last week suspended Mr Pita from his duties as an MP pending its ruling.
Mr Pita said attempts were being made to mislead people into believing iTV was still functioning as a media company, in a bid to block him from becoming prime minister.
The MFP leader could be disqualified as an MP if he is found to have applied to be a list-MP candidate while knowing he might not have been eligible in the first place.
Many Move Forward supporters believe that iTV has ceased to operate as a media company, which would enable Mr Pita to avoid legal disqualification.
The discrepancy between what was in the video and the minutes has triggered a fierce debate over whether iTV was still functioning as a media company.
While iTV stopped broadcasting in 2007 and was delisted from the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 2014, it earned some income from a small media subsidiary for several years.
In the last financial year, however, the company’s only reported revenue was interest income from bank deposits and bonds.
The company’s business licence is still active because it is involved in an ongoing legal dispute with the government over concession fees. The Administrative Court is expected to issue its ruling sometime this year.