Pheu Thai MP in hot water for illicit online campaigning

The Election Commission (EC) has unleashed legal fury upon Pattana Sapso, the Pheu Thai Party MP for Sakhon Nakhon.

The EC’s crackdown comes in the wake of a damning investigation revealing Pattana’s alleged breach of election laws by engaging in prohibited online canvassing just hours before the crucial May 14 general election.

The EC’s official statement, released on December 8, confirmed that the investigation was triggered by a formal complaint against Pattana, citing violations of Sections 70 and 79 of the Election Act of 2018.

The complaint alleged that, at 6.55am on election day, Pattana shared a post on his Facebook page that had originally surfaced on Pheu Thai’s official page a day prior. The post called on constituents to attend a pivotal Pheu Thai rally, featuring a speech by Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the Party’s prime ministerial candidate and daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Pattana’s post also included the party’s campaign video, running for approximately four minutes and 55 seconds. Election laws explicitly prohibit online campaigning from 6pm on the eve of polling day until the close of the election.

In his defence, Pattana claimed innocence, asserting that he might have inadvertently reposted Pheu Thai’s message without any malicious intent and insisted he was unaware of the circumstances leading to it.

Pattana maintained that on May 13, at 5pm, he had conscientiously declared on his Facebook page his commitment to cease all electronic campaigns from 6pm until the election’s conclusion, reported Bangkok Post.

However, the EC swiftly debunked Pattana’s claim of accidental reposting, deeming it unjustifiable. The EC released an official statement.

“There are sufficient grounds to support the allegation that Pattana had violated Sections 70 and 79 of the Election Act of 2018.”

Consequently, Pattana now finds himself in the crosshairs of legal action.

In related news, the former leader of the Move Forward party (MFP), Pita Limjaroenrat, is gearing up for a courtroom showdown to defend himself against allegations involving a media scandal. Read more about this story HERE.