Bhumjaithai’s Chontida Asavahame quits party
Chontida Asavahame, the fifth candidate on Bhumjaithai’s political roster, has quit the party. The move dashes any hopes she had of replacing former Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob as an MP, according to an inside party source.
Supachai Jaisamut, Bhumjaithai’s registrar, confirmed the development, revealing that the party promptly notified the Secretariate Office of the House of Representatives about Chontida’s resignation. This move renders her ineligible to step into the shoes of Saksayam.
Anticipation now builds as all eyes turn to Nanthana Songpracha, the next candidate in line, who is poised to fill the void left by Saksayam’s resignation. The political theatre unfolded when the former minister stepped down from his MP role following a Constitutional Court ruling. The court found that he employed a nominee to conceal his ownership of a company that secured government construction projects.
Having faced suspension from his Cabinet position last year when the case gained court acceptance, Saksayam’s departure created an opening that Chontida seemed poised to fill. However, she surprised many by announcing her departure from the Bhumjaithai Party via an Instagram post yesterday, January 19, reported Bangkok Post.
In her statement, Chontida expressed her decision as a commitment to assisting her mother and a renewed focus on serving the people of Samut Prakan.
In related news, the Supreme Court delivered a harsh blow to three former Bhumjaithai MPs, slamming them with a 10-year ban from contesting elections. Chalong Thirdweerapong, Phumisak Kongmee, and Natee Ratchakitprakarn were all found guilty of a severe breach of parliamentary ethics.
The court’s ruling, based on a parallel case in the Criminal Court, unveils a scandalous scheme. On May 18 last year, the trio was convicted of handing over their MP identification cards to others during the deliberations of the 2020 budget bill. This deceitful act resulted in a nine-month jail sentence, which they are currently appealing.
