BJT sues Chuvit Kamolvisit for damage to party reputation
The Bhumjaithai Party (BJT) has filed a lawsuit against the former politician and whistleblower Chuvit Kamolvisit, accusing him of damaging the reputation of its party candidates and seeking 100 million baht in damages. The party’s lawyers, Natchanikarn Ketkhamkhwa and Pichai Iem-on claim that Chuvit has harmed the party’s popularity in the lead-up to the general elections.
The BJT is also requesting a court injunction to prevent the ex-massage parlour magnate from attending its final election campaign rally today in Bangkok. The party is requesting the injunction to prohibit any possible disruptions by Chuvit at any BJT events from today until election day.
Chuvit has publicly opposed the BJT’s cannabis policy and urged voters to support his crusade against the recreational use of the plant. The BJT has maintained that it supports the medicinal use of cannabis but opposes recreational use. However, this stance resulted from its push to remove cannabis from the national list of controlled drugs before a law could be properly enacted to clarify what is and is not allowed.
Lawyer Pichai explained that the BJT is suing Chuvit because he has infringed upon the rights of the party, and further intimidated its members and supporters near Din Daeng police station in Bangkok on May 2nd. The damages amount is based on the campaign budgets of party candidates in 400 constituencies across the nation, amounting to 1.9 million baht per constituency MP.
The court has accepted the lawsuit for consideration, with witness examinations scheduled to begin on July 3rd. A decision on the injunction was expected yesterday evening. Pichai stated that Chuvit is still free to hold press conferences and give media interviews within the framework of the law. The party, however, has requested that he avoid staging any moves against it close to their rally venues to prevent potential confrontations.
In April, a court granted a temporary injunction in response to a BJT request that barred Chuvit from criticising its cannabis policy. This decision raised concerns among free-speech advocates, but it was swiftly overturned by the Civil Court, which stated that the public has the right to be informed about the benefits and potential risks of cannabis usage.
Chuvit has also been a vocal critic of the Chidchob family, the primary force behind the BJT, reports Bangkok Post.
