The Supreme Court has ordered a by-election in constituency 5 of Samut Prakan province after Krungsiwilai Suthinphueak of the Palang Pracharath Party was yellow-carded for vote-buying, Election Commission secretary-general Pol Col Jarungwit Phumma said on Tuesday.
Pol Col Jarungwit said the EC asked the Supreme Court to order a new election after an EC inquiry concluded that during the lead-up to the March 24, 2019 general election a close associate of Mr Krungsiwilai gave a wreath and 1,000 baht in an envelope to support a funeral in the constituency.
Mr Krungsiwilai was later elected.
The EC ruled that this action was construed as handing out property or a benefit to induce eligible voters to support Mr Krungsiwilai, in violation of the 2018 law on the election of MPs.
The EC gave Mr Krungsiwilai a yellow card, which stripped him of his MP status, and asked the Supreme Court to order a by-election. Mr Krungsiwilai is still eligible to again run for election.
The EC would ask the cabinet for a royal decree calling the by-election, and would later set the date, Pol Col Jarungwit said.