Thailand's Future Forward Party Leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit receives flowers from his supporters after arriving at the Constitutional Court in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 20, 2019. Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has lost his MP status due to his alleged holding of a media firm's shares. The Constitutional Court on Wednesday ruled Thanathorn guilty of holding shares of V-Luck Media Co. after he applied in early February to contest the March election for MP. No electoral candidates are legally allowed to hold shares of a media firm. (Xinhua/Rachen Sageamsak)
BANGKOK, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Future Forward Party Leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit has lost his MP status due to his alleged holding of a media firm's shares.
The Constitutional Court on Wednesday ruled Thanathorn guilty of holding shares of V-Luck Media Co. after he applied in early February to contest the March election for MP. No electoral candidates are legally allowed to hold shares of a media firm.
The Constitutional Court cited the Department of Business Development as saying there has been no evidence of Thanathorn formally transferring his shares to his mother, as he had insisted in early January, which would have otherwise preceded his application for the electoral candidacy in the following month.
The Constitutional Court's ruling which has deprived the Future Forward Party leader of his MP status took a retroactive effect since May 23 - the date on which he was suspended by court from doing his MP duties.
Nevertheless, the Constitutional Court has not banned him from contesting future elections.
A crowd of Future Forward Party supporters showed up outside the court's premises to give him moral support. Thanathorn's brand-new party won 81 MP seats though it merely contested the nationwide election for the first time in March.
