Arseman to surrender, Jatuporn's eligibility challenged

[Flashermac]

A lawyer for Arseman Pongruangrong, a fugitive key member of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, has advised the Department of Special Investigation that his client wants to surrender now that it seems safe, DSI chief Tharit Pengdit said on Tuesday.

 

Mr Arseman is charged with terrorism in connection with last year's violent anti-government protests, and has been on the run. He was believed to have fled to a neighbouring country, usually reported as Cambodia.

 

Mr Tharit said the lawyer contacted the DSI seeking an arrangement for Mr Arseman to surrender.

 

He declined to give further details.

 

Meanwhile, the leader of the multi-colour group has asked the Election Commission (EC) to check whether Jatuporn Prompan is really qualified to serve as a Pheu Thai party list MP.

 

Tul Sitthisomwong has said if Mr Jatuporn was not qualified in the first place, the EC should not endorse his being a party list MP. Mr Jatuporn is the No 8 candidate on Pheu Thai's party list.

 

In his petition to EC chairman Apichart Sukhagganond, Mr Tul said that before the registration of election candidates the Criminal Court withdrew bail for Mr Jatuporn, charged with terrorism in connection with last year's violent protests of the red-shirts.

 

Since May 12 Mr Jatuporn had been detained at the Bangkok Remand Prison and a request for his release on bail was rejected by the Appeals Court.

 

As a result of the court's order throwing him back in the slammer, and denying release to vote, Mr Jatuporn was prohibited from voting in the July 3 election under Section 100(3) of the constitution and his Pheu Thai membership was consequently terminated under Article 20 of the Political Party Act as he was denied the right to vote, Mr Tul said.

 

Therefore, the EC should not endorse his being elected on the party list system, Mr Tul said in the petition.

 

Asked to comment on the possibility for a red-shirt leader being made a cabinet minister, Mr Tul said this could be done if it was not against the law.

 

The EC should take into consideration whether a person under detention by a court order should be appointed to the cabinet, he said.

 

The multi-colour group leader said if legislation to grant amnesty to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was tabled in the House of Representatives, he and members of the Network of Citizen Volunteers to Protect the Land would rally in front of parliament.

 

Mr Tul said he would today give more information to the DSI on the petition against Yingluck Shinawatra, who now stands to be made prime minister, for alleged perjury in the assets seizure case involving her elder brother Thaksin Shinawatra.

 

On July 12 he would go to the office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission to find out whether the NACC would file a lawsuit against Ms Yingluck for alleged perjury in the same case.

 

 

 

Bangkok Post