By Thai Newsroom Reporters
A PEOPLE’S CONTESTANT was today (Dec.29) completely dismissed from running for MP in constituency-based mode in Bangkok in the face of an arrest warrant recently issued for his alleged involvement in a yet-unspecified money-laundering activity.
The People’s executive board member Picharn Chaowapattanawong confirmed that the reformist party has ultimately deprived Boonrit Raoroongroj of official nomination as one of the People’s candidates who would be otherwise contesting in a Bangkok constituency in the Feb.8 general election after the Narcotics Suppression Bureau has issued the arrest warrant for him, albeit without a subpoena warrant which may have been otherwise issued in the first place, on charge of being a registered owner of an unidentified firm suspected of involvement in money-laundering activity.
Picharn contended that he had earlier thoroughly examined personal background and qualifications of Boonrit, among others, and found nothing criminally suspicious about him for whom, he said, no arrest warrants had been previously issued until after he had applied to contest last Saturday.
Nevertheless, ex-People’s MP Thaopipop Limchittakorn who had earlier opted to no longer contest the election for MP is now replacing the suspect as the People’s contestant vying in one of the constituencies on the Thonburi side of the capital.
Electoral candidates may be changed by the parties with which they are legally registered until the final day of application which is scheduled for the upcoming Wednesday.
Deputy People’s leader Rangsiman Rome expressed his apologies to the public for the unprecedented event in which one of the People’s electoral candidates has been allegedly involved in money-laundering business but reassured that the reformist party will ultimately take unrelenting action against all money-laundering and scam networks which might probably involve high-profile politicians and government officials in Thailand.
Rangsiman, a former chair of the House Committee on State Security, Border Affairs & National Strategies and Reforms, confirmed that if the People’s become a post-election government, they will immediately take steps to eliminate all scam and money-laundering rackets.
The People’s appeared to be the first party to have publicly declared war against all “gray” businesses whilst a few others have been largely suspected of being more or less associated with them whilst large sums of ill-gotten, laundered money could probably be used to buy votes by certain contestants and their canvassers in constituency-based mode nationwide.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page – People’s executive board member Picharn Chaowapattanawong talking to the press today, Dec. 29, 2025. Photos – Amarin TV
Insert – People’s former election contestant Boonrit Raoroongroj. Photo – Thai Rath
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