BANGKOK, June 19 (CNA) - All 500 newly elected Members of Parliament (MPs) were endorsed by the Election Commission of Thailand on Monday (Jun 19) following the country’s general election last month.
The 500 MP-elects include 400 from the constituency elections and 100 from the national party lists – a type of proportional representation where multiple candidates are elected from a list prepared by their respective parties, based on the total votes the party received.
According to Election Commission secretary-general Sawaeng Boonmee, the endorsement took place before the electoral body completes its investigations into related complaints because it wants to give all sides the opportunity to defend themselves.
“The investigation must be completed within one year after the announcement of the electoral results,” he said in a press conference on Monday.
Mr Sawaeng explained that the Election Commission still has the authority to continue its investigations after the endorsement. If there is credible evidence of electoral fraud involving any of the endorsed MPs, it can request for the Supreme Court to revoke their electoral rights.
Thailand held its general election on May 14, with the Move Forward Party emerging as the winner.
Under the leadership of prime minister hopeful Pita Limjaroenrat, the party won 151 seats in parliament and formed a coalition with seven political allies, namely Pheu Thai, Prachachat, Thai Liberal Party, Thai Sang Thai, Fair, Plung Sungkom Mai and Pue Thai Rumphlang.
Together, they have 312 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives. But for Mr Pita to become prime minister, he needs the approval from more than half of the 750-seat National Assembly, or at least 376 votes in either the House of Representatives alone or the Senate too.
Several senators remain undecided on whether they will support his premiership, while others have made it clear they will vote against him.
Currently, Mr Pita is caught in a controversy involving 42,000 shares in media firm ITV, which he claimed to manage on behalf of his family’s inheritance fund.
He was accused of violating the Constitution, which prohibits individuals from running in an election of Members of the House of Representatives if they are shareholders of any newspaper or mass media business.
Last week, the Move Forward Party raised questions about possible attempts to sabotage its leader, following a news report on Jun 11 that revealed discrepancies in documents used against his candidature.
