By Thai Newsroom Reporters
PHEU THAI MP ANURAK Tangpanithanond was immediately deprived of his MP status and banned from politics for 10 years from today (Jan. 6) due to an attempted extortion charge.
The Supreme Court ruled the Pheu Thai MP of Mukdahan guilty of attempting to extort five million baht in cash from a high-ranking government official whilst he was performing as head of a House subcommittee under the 2021 Budget Committee.
Anurak had allegedly telephoned Sakda Wichiansilp, the then-director-general of the Department of Groundwater Resources, to demand the five-million-baht kickback in exchange for a huge sum of the government budget to be purportedly allocated for his agency.
Given such severe misconduct charges, Anurak who has been suspended by court from performing as legislator of the largest opposition party since the last two years will be legally prohibited from engaging himself in all levels of politics for 10 years from now.
No by-election in the northeastern constituency will be held to find a replacement for the court-deposed MP during a current 180-day period prior to the election date, likely taking place early this year.
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Pheu Thai MP Anurak Tangpanithanond. Both Photos: Matichon
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