MPs warned against illegally posing with Prayut in campaign pictures

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

ALL MPs AND OTHER electoral contestants are being cautioned to never have any pictures of themselves posing side by side with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha distributed anywhere otherwise they may be charged with illegal campaigning, according to former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn.

Somchai today (Dec.20) posted on his Facebook page to say for instance that an unidentified Palang Pracharath MP had allegedly produced copies of a 2023 calendar featuring himself posing side by side with the non-partisan Prayut with a message containing the words Ruam Thai Sang Chart in Thai and the party logo.

The Palang Pracharath MP’s calendar which has been evidently designed for distribution to constituents as part of his electoral campaign is considered illegal as far as Prayut remains a non-partisan person who has not yet registered himself for Ruam Thai Sang Chart membership, Somchai pointed out.

He said the allegedly undue activity of the coalition legislator may be tantamount to a breach of the electoral rules which, he said, could probably see the would-be electoral candidate handed a “red card” and banned from all levels of politics for a number of years.

The unidentified lawmaker is among several others who will very likely hop over from the Palang Pracharath and other coalition partners to the Ruam Thai Sang Chart in a concerted move to help Prayut prolong his rule after the next general election.

In addition, the Ruam Thai Sang Chart executive board could probably be held accountable, albeit unknowingly, and subject to legal penalties for the distribution of such campaign calendars which may contain illicit pictures and content in undue relation to their own party, said the former election commissioner who will run for MP under the banners of the Thai Liberal Party.

CAPTIONS:

Top: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Photo: Matichon

Front Page: Former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn. Photo: Thai Rath

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