By Thai Newsroom Reporters
CERTAIN PARTIES HAVE desperately attempted to recruit some Move Forward MPs with money and positions in the wake of a possible dissolution of their reformist party, said former Move Forward leader/current Move Forward MP Pita Limjaroenrat today (Aug 7).
Without naming names, Pita said some persons closely connected with some parties had covertly offered to buy out a number of Move Forward MPs with money and positions in government in exchange for their skipping over to the clandestinely recruiting camps if the reformist party was dissolved by the Constitutional Court on charges of undermining rule by attempting to amend the lese majeste law, also known as Section 112 of the Criminal Code, albeit at parliament.
A range of 20 to 30 million baht in cash had been allegedly offered to each of the Move Forward MPs in exchange for their defection to those illicitly recruiting camps.
If the Move Forward was dissolved by court today, a total of 143 Move Forward MPs were legally provided a 60-day period to register themselves as members of other parties to maintain their MP status whilst five others, including Move Forward leader Chaithawat Tulathon and Pita, would be automatically deprived of their MP status and banned from assuming political positions at any levels for a 10-year period.
“The people are bound to know the fact that some parties were still engaging in dirty politics, offering to hand out money and positions in bid to recruit Move Forward MPs,” Pita said.
However, the former Move Forward leader said he did not believe any of the 148 Move Forward MPs would eventually be bought out by those illicitly recruiting camps and that they all will very likely join a brand-new party after the dissolution of the Move Forward.
Pita stopped short of naming the party to which all Move Forward MPs are largely expected to skip over in a 60-day period provided by law.
He was apparently responding to allegations that the Pheu Thai under de facto party boss Thaksin Shinawatra and the Bhumjaithai under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob, currently the largest and second largest coalition partners respectively, had quietly looked to recruit some Move Forward MPs.
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Top and Front Page: Former Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat. Photos: Thai Rath
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