By Thai Newsroom Reporters
OUTSPOKEN PALANG PRACHARATH MP Sira Jenjaka today (Dec. 22) was deprived of his MP status at the order of the Constitutional Court for having been previously convicted of fraud.
Seven out of nine judges of the Constitutional Court passed the majority ruling to retroactively terminate the MP status of Sira who was convicted of money fraud charges by Pathumwan District Court in 1995.
Thai Liberal Party leader Seripisut Temiyavej had summoned the signatures of 147 MPs to endorse his petition for the Constitutional Court to pass judgement which finally deprived the MP status of the ruling party’s lawmaker, leading to a by-election for MP in Lak Si/Chatuchak constituency of Bangkok which is yet to be held within 45 days from today to find a replacement for him.
Though Sira had earlier been granted amnesty for a four-month jail term based on conviction on fraud charge, he was legally not immune to contesting for MP in the 2019 election, thus rendering the court to put an end to his MP status as of the election year.
Sira obviously ranked among a few Palang Pracharath MPs who have often made remarks in parliament and the media in defence of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha over his handling of varied issues.
Those included Palang Pracharath MP Parina Kraikupt who is currently suspended from doing her MP duties pending a court ruling on a lawsuit filed against her allegedly involving forest reserve encroachment in Chom Bueng district of her home province of Ratchaburi.
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Top: Sira Jenjaka being interviewed by the press today after losing his MP status. Photo: Siam Rath
Home Page: MP Mongkolkit Suksintharanon, at rear, Sira Jenjaka, foreground, clashed verbally recently after the former called on Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to step down. Photo: Naewna
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