BANGKOK: Following a meeting on Wednesday (Nov 1) that lasted six hours, the executive board of Move Forward Party voted to expel Prachin Buri MP Wuttiphong Thonglour (pic) after an internal probe found him guilty of sexual harassment.
The party’s executive board met on Wednesday to discuss punishments for two male MPs accused of similar offences.
The other, Chaiyamphawan Manpianjit, an MP for Bangkok’s Chom Thong-Bang Khun Thian constituency, was also found guilty of sexual harassment but was spared dismissal after a vote.
Party leader Chaithawat Tulathon revealed that the meeting voted to expel the two MPs, which requires three-quarters of members’ votes, in this case 116, as per the current constitution’s stipulation on voting to expel a member from a political party.
The move to expel Wuttiphong received 120 votes from a possible 128, while Chaiyamphawan’s dismissal received 106, which is below the 116 threshold.
As a result, Chaiyamphawan can remain in the party albeit on probation, but all of his rights in the party will be cancelled.
The board also agreed that Chaiyamphawan must admit to his wrongdoing, as well as apologise to and compensate the victim.
If Chaiyamphawan refuses to do the above, the board will meet again to further discuss his punishment, Chaithawat said.
On Oct 12, Move Forward expelled one member and punished a Bangkok MP with a penalty “one step short of expulsion” after its disciplinary panel found grounds to believe sexual violence accusations against them.
Kriangkrai Jankokphueng, a failed MP candidate from Chaiyaphum province, was expelled immediately, while Sirin Sanguansin, a Bangkok MP, was stripped of all rights in the party, banning him from being appointed to any party post. - The Nation/ANN
