Ruangkrai asks EC to investigate when Paetongtarn had resigned from her firms

Serial petitioner Ruangkrai Leekitwattana on Wednesday sent a complaint to the Election Commission (EC), asking it to investigate whether Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra had resigned from management positions in her companies before being elected PM.

Ruangkrai told reporters that he had submitted the complaint to the EC Office via express mail service.

Ruangkrai said if Paetongtarn had not resigned from her executive posts in 21 firms of the Shinawatra Group, including Alpine Golf Course, before August 16, the EC must ask the Constitutional Court to remove her as the prime minister for violating articles 170 (5) and 187 of the Constitution.

In his complaint, Ruangkrai quoted an Isara news agency report that Paetongtarn had authorised one of her employees to represent her to resign from management positions of the 21 firms on August 15, one day before she was elected the prime minister by the House of Representatives.

Ruangkrai noted that the authorised person had informed the Business Development Department on August 19 of Paetongtarn’s resignation.

Ruangkrai said he had asked the EC Office to investigate whether Paetongtarn’s actual date of resignation was August 15 or 19. Ruangkrai asked why the authorised person did not inform the department about Paetongtarn’s resignation on August 16, which was a Friday, and why he had waited until August 19 to register her resignations from the 21 firms.

Ruangkrai added that if Paetongtarn had resigned on August 19, she must be removed as the PM for holding management posts in private firms after winning the post of prime minister.

Article 170 of the charter states that a Cabinet member’s status will be terminated if he or she violates Article 187. Among other things, Article 187 bans a minister from getting involved in the administration or management of shares or affairs of the partnership or a company.