Decree out for Khon Kaen by-election

Decree out for Khon Kaen by-election

Convicted Pheu Thai Party MP Nawat Tohcharoensuk boards the prison truck at Khon Kaen provincial court after he was sentenced to death for masterminding a murder, on Sept 24. (Photo by Chakkrapan Natanri)
Convicted Pheu Thai Party MP Nawat Tohcharoensuk boards the prison truck at Khon Kaen provincial court after he was sentenced to death for masterminding a murder, on Sept 24. (Photo by Chakkrapan Natanri)

A royal decree for a by-election in Constituency 7 of Khon Kaen has been issued. It was published in the Royal Gazette on Sunday.

A seat for an MP representing the constituency has been left vacant after the Constitutional Court ruled on Wednesday that murder convict Nawat Tohcharoensuk of the Pheu Thai Party is no longer a parliamentarian, effective from Oct 16 when the court ordered him to stop carrying out the functions and responsibilities of a member of parliament, pending its final decision whether to strip him of MP status.

The suspension order came after the Khon Kaen Provincial Court on Sept 18 found him guilty of masterminding the murder of an assistant chief of the Khon Kaen provincial administrative organisation six years ago and sentenced him to death.

The Constitutional Court's ruling stripping Nawat of MP status led to the issue of the royal decree, which was countersigned by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

Under the decree, the chairman of the Election Commission is to fix the by-election date.

Although the EC chairman has yet to officially set the date, the by-election was expected to take place on Dec 22.

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