Three parties have unveiled their potential candidates to contest a by-election in Bangkok to find a replacement for Sira Jenjaka who was disqualified as a lawmaker last week by the Constitutional Court.
According to the court's ruling, Mr Sira should not have been eligible to stand as an MP in the March 2019 election, and as a result he was immediately stripped of his MP status.
A by-election in Bangkok's Constituency 9 has been ordered to be held within 45 days of the ruling. A decree calling the election is expected to go before the cabinet on Tuesday.
The Pheu Thai, Move Forward and Democrat parties have confirmed their plans to field candidates. The ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), however, remains tight-lipped.
Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew said former party candidate Surachart Thienthong who remains active in the constituency is expected to stand under the party's banner.
He said candidate selection will proceed in line with the party regulations and the political party law. Mr Surachart's candidacy will be endorsed by the party's executive after the decree calling the election is published.
Dr Cholnan said the by-election is expected to be intense and it will be a litmus test for the elections of Bangkok governor and city council members scheduled to take place next year.
The Move Forward Party has endorsed actor Karunpol Thiansuwan as the party candidate in the by-election instead of former candidate Kritnucha Sansern who finished third in the 2019 poll.
Karunpol, who has been a vocal critic of the government policies, said he decided to make his political debut with the MFP because they share the same dream of making lives better for the people. The actor-cum-politician kicked off an early campaign in Prachaniwet 1 market yesterday.
Pol Maj Gen Wichai Sangprapai, former deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, will stand in the by-election on the Democrat Party's ticket, said Democrat leader Jurin Laksanawisit. Pol Maj Gen Wichai also stood in the previous poll.
A party source said the party lost to Mr Sira because the PPRP and Democrat candidates shared the same support base. The party is confident Pol Maj Gen Wichai will win the seat.
In the 2019 poll, Mr Sira received 33,321 votes, followed by Mr Surachat who got 30,564 votes. The MFP's candidate got 23,693 votes while Pol Maj Gen Wichai captured 15,102 votes.
The newly-formed Kla party is likely to field secretary-general Atthawit Suwannapakdi to contest the poll. The veteran MP quit the Democrat Party to form the new party with former Democrat Korn Chatikavanij.
The ruling PPRP has yet to select a candidate amid reports that Mr Sira's wife, Saranrat, is among the potential choices.
However, a party source said there are concerns that their close connections will backfire.