2 replies to this topic

[BORG]

"Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on Tuesday said he was stunned by the Election Commission's decision to disqualify House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat on grounds of campaign violations, saying he would have to clarify the information before deciding a next move.

The five-member EC ruled in a majority vote to petition the Supreme Court to launch a judicial review on alleged vote-buying in Chiang Rai involving Yongyuth, EC secretary general Suthiphon Thaveechaigarn said.

Once the high court has ruled to commence trial, Yongyuth is expected to suspend his speakership though he would retain in House seat as a partylist MP from Zone 1 covering the Upper Northern Region. His two deputies would act as interim speakers during trial. If he was convicted in the one-tier, fast-track review, he would lose his seat and face a five-year ban from the electoral process.

In trying Yongyuth who is concurrently a People Power Party executive, the EC is obliged to form an investigative panel to determine whether his alleged violations were linked to the party. Should the linkage be suspected, the EC must petition the Constitution Court to rule whether the dismantle the party."

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/02/26...cs_30066489.php

[B.I.G.]

"House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat announced Tuesday that he decided to suspend his duty as house speaker after Election Commission disqualified him for violating election rules.Yongyuth said in a press conference that he will suspend his duty as the house speaker and fight the EC's disqualification on him.

Yongyuth's announcement came as the EC ruled in majority to disqualify him as MP after he was found guilty of violating election laws. The EC will forward the case to the Supreme Court within two weeks. By laws, Yongyuth will be required to suspend his duty as house speaker only after the Supreme Court accepted to consider his case.

PS: The decision of the EC was 3-2.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingne...newsid=30066519

[Hedda]

PS: The decision of the EC was 3-2.

It's interesting that the junta's own hand-picked EC members split that closely (3-2) on this case. It may indicate the degree to which Thaksin's imminent return may be influencing even those junta supporters who see the writing on the wall. This close vote could also provide an easy way out for the Court to eventually reverse the decision on what looks like to be a required de novo hearing.