Ex-Thai speaker stripped of

Thai election officials Tuesday stripped the former parliamentary speaker of his seat for handing out bribes, paving the way for an investigation which could see the ruling party dissolved. The Election Commission found Yongyut Tiyapairat guilty of bribing local officials in northern Thailand while campaigning for his People’s Power Party ahead of December elections. ‘There is evidence to believe that Yongyut has violated election law leading to an election which was not free and fair,’ the verdict said. ‘The court rules to withdraw his political rights for five years and orders a by-election in constituency 3 in Chiang Rai.’ Yongyut, a close ally of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, immediately cancelled a planned press conference on hearing the verdict. He had denied the charges and now faces a criminal investigation. PPP spokesman Kuthep Saikrajang said the party would accept the verdict. ‘The party, however, is upset that the judgement bans Yongyuth from political activities for 5 years,’ Kuthep said, adding that the current political climate is too unstable. ‘But, we will be patient and continue fighting because this is just the beginning,’ he said. The conviction opens the door to a broader probe into the operations of the PPP itself that could lead to the dissolution of the party, which rallied Thaksin’s supporters in the elections late last year.