BANGKOK, 9 May 2013 The Supreme Court disqualifies Pheu Thai Party member Karun Hosakul as an MP and bans him from politics for five years on grounds of defaming an MP candidate from the Democrat Party during the election in 2011.
The Supreme Court’s Election Cases Division on Thursday ruled that Mr Karun violated the election law, resulting in illegitimate results of the 2011 poll in Don Mueang district. Some parts of his speech during the election campaign were regarded by the court as slanders against the MP candidate from the Democrat Party, Thaenkhun Chit-itsara. According to the court, the speech contained false information about Mr Thaenkhun’s family and his past.
Election Commissioner Praphan Naikowit said the Election Commission (EC) was required by the law to arrange a by-election within 45 days after the post was vacated. Since it is expected to cost around 10 million baht to hold the new poll, the EC will sue Mr Karun to pay for it.
