Push to dissolve Bhumjaithai Party over free-marijuana campaign

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

THE BHUMJAITHAI PARTY is facing an unprecedented lawsuit involving their previous free-marijuana campaign which might possibly result in the dissolution of the second-largest coalition partner, said Pheu Thai party leader Chonlanan Srikaew today (Oct. 17).

The Pheu Thai-led opposition bloc has resolved to file a lawsuit against the Bhumjaithai Party, headed by Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, early next month alleging that the coalition partner had illegally propagated the free use and household production of marijuana during their previous electoral campaign which had won overwhelming votes from some constituencies in the 2019 general election, according to Chonlanan.

The Bhumjaithai Party, de facto led by former cabinet member Newin Chidchob, had reportedly pledged to legalise the consumption and household production of marijuana purportedly for medical reasons. The free-marijuana campaign had seen 39 constituency-based contestants and 12 party-listed candidates elected as MPs under the tickets of Newin’s camp which finally jumped onto the bandwagon of a Palang Pracharath-led coalition after the previous election.

Chonlanan said the free-marijuana campaign tactics had evidently violated the Political Party Act of 2017 to trick many constituents nationwide into voting for candidates running for MP under the Bhumjaithai banners in the previous election.

The opposition’s lawsuit against the Bhumjaithai Party is expected to be lodged with the Election Commission early next month and bound to be forwarded to the Constitutional Court for final judgement which could possibly lead to the dissolution of the party if finally found guilty as charged, he said.

The Bhumjaithai Party, which has roped in a dozen MPs from other camps on both sides of the House chamber aisle with many more to follow during a run-up to the next general election, is largely speculated to relentlessly contest against the Pheu Thai Party, among others, for future MP seats whilst Newin himself has openly pledged to see to it that Anutin be named as a partisan candidate for head of government.

CAPTIONS:

Top: Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Public Health Minister-cum-Bhumjaithai party leader Anutin Charnvirakul smelling a marijuana plant. Photo: Matichon Weekly

Front Page: Bhumjaithai Party de facto leader Newin Chidchob. Photo: Thai Rath

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