EC red cards Pheu Thai MP Karun for slander
MP vows to fight case in court while Democrat complainant Tankhun says he will contest the resulting by-election
The Election Commission, with a majority vote, yesterday decided to give Bangkok’s Constituency 12 MP Karun Hosakul a red card, withdrawing his election rights. The commission ruled Karun guilty of slandering Democrat candidate Tankhun Jitt-itsara during the election campaign.
The EC will hand the case to the Supreme Court’s Election Cases Division and if the court accepts the complaint, Karun must cease his duties as an MP until the court issues its ruling. In the past, the Supreme Court has usually ruled along with the EC.
Karun yesterday accepted the EC’s decision and said he would seek advice from his legal team on the court hearing. However, he said the ruling didn’t bother him unduly.
“In politics, sometimes we might feel uncomfortable or disappointed but I am still confident about my actions. I didn’t try to defame [anyone] and my words didn’t specify anyone. This should be a case study, saying that we can’t speak [about] anything.” Karun said.
Asked who would be the Pheu Thai Party candidate if the court went along with the EC decision, Karun said the party had many choices as Constituency 12 is his base. But they would have to decide later who was the most suitable.
Karun said he would fight the EC decision in the Supreme Court with sincerity. “That will prove our ability. Only the way of democracy will allow the country to move forward,” said Karun.
Tankhun, the Democrat candidate, yesterday told The Nation that he would run as a candidate in the by-election.
He said he is preparing for the campaign, where security will be an issue after his canvasser was shot during the previous election. He said that he would begin planning with his party today, and seek special security from police during the campaign.
“I will have to be extra careful. However, I feel more confident about this by-election campaign than the last one,” said Tankhun.
He is confident that Karun will be prohibited from running as a candidate if the court ruling supports the EC. However, he believes the Pheu Thai could field Karun’s wife as candidate.
Tankhun also said he believed there was public misunderstanding over what was behind Karun being handed a red card. Some were accusing him, Tankhun, of political defamation. He would arrange a press conference this week to explain the truth, to thank the EC and to announce himself as the Democrat candidate.
“I feel glad to see justice even though it took long, a year since I filed the case. But I hope people will give me a chance this time.” Tankhun said.
On June 17, 2011 Tankhun filed a complaint with the EC in Bangkok to have Karun withdrawn as the Pheu Thai candidate, “for slandering or inducing misunderstanding in the popularity of any candidate or political party following the Electoral law, Article 53 of the penal code.”
The EC decided “it was of the opinion that Karun unfairly attacked Tankhun on personal issues and defamed [him by claiming] that Tankhun paid voters Bt300 each at Saphan Mai Market”.
