The Election Commission (EC) has decided to seek criminal action against Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and 15 other former Future Forward Party (FFP) officials over the 191.2-million-baht loan that led to its dissolution, a source said on Monday.
The source said Mr Thanathorn will face a charge under Section 66 (1) of the Political Parties Act, which limits donations to 10 million baht per donor per year. If found guilty, the former FFP leader could be jailed for five years and be fined 100,000 baht. A court can also order a five-year ban on political activities.
The source said the 15 include former secretary-general Piyabutr Saengkanokkul and spokeswoman Pannika Wanich, who will face a charge under Section 66 (2), Section 72 and Section 137 of the Act, which deal with funds acquired from suspected illegitimate sources. If found guilty, they could be jailed for three years and be fined 1 million baht.
The source said the EC has yet to decide if the 191-million-baht loan will be seized and given to the Political Party Development Fund, adding there are differing opinions over the matter.
The Constitutional Court dissolved the FFP in February and banned executives from politics for 10 years for accepting the loan from Mr Thanathorn.