Rayong MP Nakhonchai steps down after criminal past revealed

Amid the swirling storm of controversy, Move Forward Party MP for Rayong, Nakhonchai Khunnarong made a public statement on his Facebook account regarding his criminal conviction in a theft case over 20 years ago. In his post, he expressed his willingness to shoulder the blame and depart from his role. He confirmed that he would be stepping down in just one week.

No sooner had the controversy picked up speed, than the election committee of Rayong delved deep into the allegations and discovered that Nakhonchai had indeed served a jail sentence of a year and a half in 1999 due to an issue related to theft. The MP claimed that friends he was partying with had stolen a woman’s watch, and he caught blame for the theft along with one other friend.

As a consequence of this newfound information, the committee requested the decisions of the Election Commission regarding the revocation of Nakhonchai’s position as an MP. An upcoming potential disqualification loomed large in case the commissioners reached an agreement, reported The Pattaya News.

Nakhonchai took a defensive position in his post on Facebook. He remained adamant in his belief that his former criminal activities do not act as a disqualifier, preventing him from participating in elections by the rules of the Constitution. He reiterated his commitment to leading an upright life after his release from prison. He expressed his certainty that his previous stint in jail did not qualify as the type of crime that would automatically exclude him from aspiring for political office.

The controversy took another turn when the leader of the Seree Ruam Thai Party, Seripisuth Temeeyaves, took the issue to a public platform, raising doubts about Nakhonchai’s fitness to hold a place in the House. The matters in question remained a hot topic for the public as well as the authorities; the subsequent possible punishment has yet to be determined by the Election Commission.