Move Forward MP caught drunk driving must wait to be sworn in before quitting
The Election Commission on Wednesday said that it endorsed a Move Forward party-list MP despite her having already opted out of the election because she must wait until she’s sworn in before resigning.
The EC explained that Nathiphat Kunsetthasit’s decision to drop out of the election was not recognised in law.
As a result, the EC endorsed Nathiphat as Move Forward’s 27th-ranked party-list MP.
Nathiphat was arrested for drunk driving on May 15, the night after the election. On May 16, she withdrew her MP candidacy.
After she refused to take a blood alcohol level test, the court gave her a two-month suspended jail term and fined her 4,000 baht for drunk driving.
The EC explained that, under election law, candidates could not quit after submitting their applications.
If Nathiphat wanted to resign as an MP, she must wait until after newly elected MPs pledge their oath of loyalty to the King.
On Wednesday, Nathiphat tweeted that she did not intend to deceive the public about her resignation. She confirmed she would resign as an MP after the swearing-in ceremony.
“It’s not a lie. After announcing my resignation, I consulted with the EC Office on how to do it. The EC had not yet endorsed MPs, so I couldn’t resign. According to the law, I must be sworn in before I can resign,” she said in her Twitter message.
Move Forward secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon said Nathipat would be replaced as an MP by the next Move Forward candidate on the list, Suthep U-on.
Move Forward won the election, securing a total of 151 seats – 39 party-list MPs and 112 constituency MPs.
The swearing-in ceremony for the 500 newly elected 500 MPs is expected to be held on July 15.
