The Move Forward Party, after six hours of a tense meeting, on Wednesday night decided that two of its MPs had committed sexual harassment as alleged. As a result, one has been expelled from the party and the other put on probation.
The meeting of the opposition party's executive committee and MPs to consider sexual abuse allegations against Wuttiphong Thonglour, a Prachin Buri MP, and Chaiyamparwaan Manpianjit, a Bangkok MP, was held at parliament, starting from 5pm.
News reporters were barred from getting close to the meeting rooms while all meeting attendants were told to leave their mobile phones outside.
Chaithawat Tulathon, the party leader, emerged from the meeting at about 11.10pm for a press conference.
Mr Chaithawat said the meeting, which was attended by 128 executive committee members and MPs, found the two MPs had committed sexual harassment as alleged and agreed to expel both of them.
According to the constitution, a vote of at least three-fourths of the existing executive committee members and MPs, or 116, is required to expel an MP from membership of a party.
In Mr Wuttiphong's case, 120, voted against him, higher than the required 116. He was effectively expelled.
Prachin Buri MP Wuttiphong Thonglour, centre. (Photo: Wuttiphong Thonglour's Facebook)
In Mr Chaiyamparwaan's case, 106 voted against him, fewer than the required 116. Although he was not expelled, the meeting agreed to deprive him of his rights in the party and put him on probation throughout the next parliamentary session. If he again committed misconduct which could be construed as sexual harassment, he would be expelled.
Moreover, the meeting agreed that Mr Chaiyamparwaan must come out to admit guilt and offer an apology to the public. Moreover, he must apologise and pay compensation to the damaged party as requested.
If Mr Chaiyamparwaan insisted he had not been in the wrong and refused to offer an apology and compensation to the damaged party, the party's executive committee and MPs would call a meeting again to reconsider his case.
Bangkok MP Chaiyamparwaan Manpianjit. (Photo: Chaiyamparwaan Manpianjit's Facebook)
Mr Chaithawat said the party's disciplinary committee would inform the two MPs of the punitive actions against them. However, the party would not ask the two MPs to resign as members of the House of Representatives to show responsibility, but would leave it to them to decide with their own discretion, he added.
He said the party will set up a special committee, chaired by deputy party leader Bencha Saengchantra, to improve the party's regulations to prevent a recurrence of the sexual harassment cases.