MPs tip Sita, Pavena for by-election

MPs tip Sita, Pavena for by-election

Sudarat unlikely to vie for seat in Don Muang

The Pheu Thai Party's Bangkok MPs have floated the names of Sita Divari and Pavena Hongsakula as potential candidates for the Don Muang by-election, a party source says.

The by-election was called after the Supreme Court's Election Cases Division found former Don Muang MP Karun Hosakul of the Pheu Thai Party guilty of defaming Tankhun Jitt-itsara of the Democrat Party and banned him from politics for five years.

The Election Commission (EC) has now set June 16 as the date for the Constituency 12 by-election in Don Muang district.

Pheu Thai's Bangkok MPs held a meeting shortly after the ruling against Mr Karun was handed down on Thursday.

They floated Squadron Leader Sita and Ms Pavena's names as likely contenders at the meeting after Sudarat Keyuraphan, the core party figure initially thought to be in the running for candidacy, asked members to help find a suitable candidate for the poll, the source said.

That implied she does not wish to contest the seat, the source said.

There was also speculation that red-shirt co-leader Jatuporn Prompan might be a potential candidate, but he has made it clear he does not wish to contest the by-election.

That leaves Sqn Ldr Sita, chairman of Airports of Thailand Plc, and Ms Pavena, who chairs the Pavena Foundation for Women and Children, with a strong chance of being nominated by Pheu Thai as potential candidates in the poll, the source said.

Sqn Ldr Sita and Ms Pavena have not said that they plan to put forward their names.

Sqn Ldr Sita is a former Bangkok MP with close ties to Khunying Sudarat who is widely respected by the Pheu Thai faction of Bangkok MPs.

Ms Pavena has worked with Pheu Thai and previously served as an MP in Don Muang under the Prachakorn Thai Party umbrella.

However, it remains unclear if Mr Karun will nominate his wife or a relative to run in the by-election, the source added.

Pheu Thai expects to announce its candidate officially after a meeting of party executives on Tuesday, party leader and Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan said.

Mr Karun is now serving a five-year political ban imposed by the court after he lost in the defamation case against Mr Tankhun.

The court ruled that he had slandered his Democrat rival during election campaign speeches in 2011.

Mr Karun won his parliamentary seat in Don Muang in the general election that year.

The EC later yellow-carded him over his speeches attacking Mr Tankhun, after Mr Tankhun complained to the EC about his remarks.

After yellow-carding him, the EC forwarded the matter to the court, which has now decided to issue him with a red card, which carries a five-year ban.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva admitted his party will find it hard to win the by-election in Don Muang which is a traditional Pheu Thai stronghold.

There has never been a Democrat MP in the constituency.

The party will set up a panel to select a candidate.

It will meet on Monday to shortlist potential candidates before letting the party executives pick the candidate.

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