PUBLISHED: 23 Sep 2024 at 17: 20
Before being elected, political activist Ruangkrai Leekitwattana reiterated his call for the Election Commission (EC ) to look into whether Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra had properly resigned from positions in 20 of the family’s business empire.
He inquired to the EC whether Ms. Paetongtarn complied with the rules set forth by the Department of Business Development when leaving administrative positions in businesses related to her home.
He claimed that he was in good standing under Section 187 of the Constitution, which forbids officials from holding more than 5 % of the stock in a commercial company or working for a personal business.  ,
The political activist claimed that he also looked into Deputy Interior Minister Sabida Thai’s withdrawal following her appointment’s session and her shareholdings in a private company.
He said Ms Sabida, child of former deputy interior minister Chada Thaised, appeared to have followed the processes stipulated by the Department of Business Development, which raised more questions about Ms Paetongtarn’s situation.
Mr. Ruangkrai resolutely defended his appropriate under Sections 41 and 50 of the Constitution and defended his complicity in public-dependent bodies.
Mr. Ruangkrai questioned the prime minister’s standing late last month when he asked how long ago she had resigned from roles in the home businesses.
Srettha Thavisin, who was removed from office by the Constitutional Court, was succeeded by Ms. Paetongtarn’s election as prime minister on August 16 in the House of Representatives.
Mr. Ruangkrai’s complaint asked the EC to verify that Ms. Paetongtarn had really tendered her departure from all of the family’s administrative positions by August 15 and, if therefore, why not, until August 19, three nights after she was elected.
He claimed that Ms. Paetongtarn requested a nearby secretary to manage the records on her behalf on August 15. The Department of Business Development received the documents on August 19.
According to Mr. Ruangkrai, Ms. Paetongtarn gave her secretary the power to do this only one day after the Constitutional Court ruled to remove Mr. Srettha from business.