The Move Forward Party (MFP) on Wednesday voted to expel its MP accused of sexual harassment.
The MFP’s executives and members attended the meeting at the Parliament to address complaints of alleged sexual harassment involving two MPs, Mr. Wuttiphong Thonglour, Prachinburi MP and Mr. Chaiyamphawan Manpianjit, Bangkok MP for Chom Thong-Bang Khun Thian constituency.
Move Forward Party leader Chaithawat Tulathon said that the party’s executive board and MPs had found them guilty of similar offences. Consequently, the meeting voted to expel Mr. Wuttiphong from the party.
According to the constitution, the expulsion of a party member requires the approval of three out of four MPs, and in this case, all 128 members of the committee, including MPs, unanimously agreed that both cases involved actual sexual harassment and severely compromised the party’s discipline. The maximum penalty for such cases is expulsion from the party, and the secondary penalty is the removal of all rights in the party.
Mr. Wutthipong was expelled from party with 120 votes, while a majority of members supported the expulsion of Mr. Chaiyamphawan with 106 votes. However, since the votes did not reach the required threshold of three out of four, which is 116 votes, the meeting could not reach a decision to expel Mr. Chaiyamphawan.
Nonetheless, it was decided to revoke all his rights in the party and he is on probation. If he repeats the offence, he will be expelled from the party. (TNA)
