PDRC petitions PM against prosecution for blocking 2014 poll
Representatives of the now-defunct People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) accused of sabotaging the February 2014 elections under the Yingluck Shinawatra government yesterday sent a petition to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, urging him to recheck
A spokesman of the former PDRC, Akanat Promphan, accompanied by former committee member Thaworn Senniam went to Government House to submit their request.
Earlier this month, the Election Commission (EC) submitted a resolution to the attorney-general accusing 234 people including the PDRC of obstructing the election, as well accusing Yingluck of failing to hold the general election successfully. The EC would sue the PDRC and Yingluck for Bt2.4 billion.
Thaworn insisted that the PDRC had only peacefully demonstrated and was not responsible for the failure of the election.
The election itself was doomed to fail, as there were no MP candidates in 28 constituencies, he said. The EC appeared to be aware of the situation, as it had submitted a query to the Constitutional Court on whether to postpone the election date, Thaworn claimed.
Despite that court’s conclusion that the election could be postponed, the government at that time did not comply with the decision. It went ahead with the election and it eventually failed, he added.
“We would like to ask the prime minister to find the real culprits and claim back the damage incurred from the EC and the Yingluck government,” Akanat said. “Filing a charge against the PDRC is like filing a charge against the wrong party.”
Regarding photos and evidence showing some PDRC protesters obstructing people from going to vote, Thaworn said that they should be prosecuted on a case-by-case basis and separately from the PDRC as a whole.
The PDRC organised a series of political demonstrations in 2013 and 2014 prior to the May 2014 coup. The PDRC’s activities ranged from opposing the then-government’s attempt to enact a blanket amnesty bill to occupying many of government buildings demanding Yingluck’s resignation.
The demonstrations included mass blockades in front of polling stations and stopping people from voting.
Many of leading figures of the PDRC are former Democrats, including Thaworn, Akanat, and their leader Suthep Thaugsuban.
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