A Move Forward Party (MFP) MP for Rayong, Nakhonchai Khunnarong, tendered his resignation on Thursday due to a past conviction and jail term for theft more than two decades ago.
Mr Nakhonchai sent an MFP staff member to submit his resignation letter to the Election Commission (EC) on Thursday.
Accoding to election rules, a by-election will be held within 45 days, following the resignation of an MP. In Mr Nakhonchai's case, the by-election must take place by Sept 16. If the by-election is scheduled for Sunday, it will be held on Sept 10 instead.
The EC is expected to meet this week to set the dates for candidacy applications and the by-election.
Last week, Mr Nakhonchai, also known as “Ice Rayong’’, announced his resignation after admitting that he had been convicted in a theft case and served 18 months in jail 24 years ago.
The case dated back to October 1999, he said, when he was partying with a group of friends. He said he found a woman's wristwatch but was arrested by police along with a friend who confessed to stealing it.
At the police station, he said he unknowingly signed a confession. Although he was sentenced to three years in jail, the sentence was reduced by half due to his confession.
The 2017 Constitution sets out the qualifications required of candidates that they must not serve any jail term in the past.
Deputy House speaker Padipat Suntiphada, also a Move Forward MP representing Phitsanulok, confirmed Mr Nakhonchai's resignation during a parliament meeting on Thursday, bringing the number of MPs to 498.
Earlier, MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat was the first MP under this parliament who had to stop performing his duty after the Constitutional Court suspected him from duty as an elected member of the House of Representatives pending a ruling over his shareholding in defunct media company iTV Plc.
The constitution prohibits parliamentarians from holding stock in a media organisation. Mr Pita has argued the 42,000 shares were part of his late father's estate, which he managed as executor. He said the title had since been transferred to relatives.
