Activist bids again to oust prime minister

Political activist Ruangkrai Leekitwattana is making another attempt to oust Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra by petitioning the Election Commission (EC) to look into whether she broke ethical rules when she appointed Surapong Suebwonglee and Nattawut Saikua as advisers since both have served jail sentences.
Surapong, a former finance minister, and Nattawut, a former director of the Pheu Thai family, were previously sentenced by the Supreme Court. The premier appointed them as her advisers on Sept 16 and Oct 4, respectively.
Mr Ruangkrai referred to the Constitutional Court ruling on Aug 14 against former prime minister Srettha Thavisin’s violation of ethical standards and failure to meet the qualifications under Section 160 of the constitution, which led to his stepping down. The ruling stemmed from his appointment of ex-convict Pichit Chuenban as a cabinet minister, who was found to have been involved in bribery.
When comparing this ruling to Ms Paetongtarn’s appointments of Surapong and Nattawut, Mr Ruangkrai suggested this could similarly result in the termination of her premiership under Sections 170 and 160. If the EC finds grounds for the complaint, Mr Ruangkrai urged the case to be rushed to the Constitutional Court for deliberation and that the court order the premier suspended until a final decision is made according to Section 82.
In 2016, the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders handed Surapong a one-year jail term over a shareholding in Thaicom, according to media sources. The court also gave him a suspended one-year sentence over another 2008 malfeasance case.
Surapong was named deputy chairman of the panel of government advisers, according to an order dated Sept 16.
Nattawut, a former co-leader of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, was sentenced to two years and eight months in 2020 for leading a violent protest outside the residence of late Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda in 2007.
He was appointed an additional member of the adviser panel on Oct 4.