EC red cards Pheu Thai's Karun

The Election Commission (EC) has disqualified Phue Thai's Karun Hosakul for defaming Democrat Party candidate Tankhun Jitt-itsara during last year's campaign.

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EC red cards Pheu Thai's Karun

Aekarach Sattaburuth  and online reporters

The Election Commission (EC) has disqualified Karun Hosakul, the Pheu Thai Party MP for Bangkok's Constituency 12, for defaming Democrat Party candidate Tankhun Jitt-itsara during last year's campaign.

EC secretary-general Puchong Nutrawong said yesterday the commission had resolved to revoke Mr Karun's voting rights and order a by-election in Don Muang district.

The commission has requested that, if found guilty in court, Mr Karun be required to meet the cost of holding the by-election.

Mr Tankhun charged Mr Karun with making four false accusations against him:

1) Mr Karun accused Mr Tankhun of changing his Chinese surname, causing his father to die of grief.

2) He accused him of being a photo model for a pornographic magazine and claimed that he was homosexual.

3) He alleged that the Democrats were paying people 300 baht each if they turned up to listen to their speeches during the campaign.

4) He claimed that Mr Tankhun looked down on the people of Don Muang.

Mr Tankhun's petition supporting his case included recordings of speeches made by Mr Karun on June 3 and June 12 last year at fresh markets in Don Muang.

Mr Puchong said the EC had submitted the case to the Supreme Court's Election Cases Division for a final verdict on Mr Karun's disqualification.

Mr Karun must cease performing all functions as an MP if the court accepts the case for a ruling.

Mr Karun said on Wednesday that he accepts the Election Commission's decision to disqualify him.

However, he had decided he would contest the EC's decision in the court  after consulting the party's legal team.

He said he was not discouraged because he had survived many problems more serious than this one in the past.

Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was surprised that the EC took so long to decide Mr Karun's case.

Mr Abhisit said there was nothing complicated about it.

"If there's a by-election, Democrat candidate Tankhun will contest again," the former prime minister said.

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said the party had not begun looking for  a  candidate to run in the by-election because Mr Karun would continue performing his duties as an MP until the court accepts the case for a final ruling.

Election Commission – the independent government agency that oversees elections คณะกรรมการเลือกตั้ง
disqualify – to not allow someone to do something  because they have committed an offence ทำให้หมดสภาพ
constituency – a district that elects its own representative to parliament เขตเลือกตั้ง
defame – to say or write something bad about someone that is not true and makes other people have a bad opinion of them ทำลายชื่อเสียง
candidate – a person who is trying to be elected ผู้สมัครรับเลือกตั้ง
campaign – a planned series of activities designed to persuade voters to vote for a particular candidate or political party การรณรงค์หาสียง
resolve – to make a formal decision ตัดสิน, มีมติ
revoke – to officially say that something is no longer legal  เพิกถอน
by-election – an election held to fill an empty seat in parliament  การเลือกตั้งซ่อม
find guilty – to prove in a court of law that someone has committed a crime พิสูจน์ว่ามีความผิด
charge – to accuse someone officially of committing a crime ตั้งข้อกล่าวหา
surname – a name shared by all the members of a family (written last in English names) นามสกุล
grief – a strong feeling of sadness, usually because someone has died ความเศร้าโศก
pornography – books, magazines, DVDs, etc. that describe or show naked people and sexual acts in order to make people feel sexually excited, especially in a way that many other people find offensive หนังสือ ภาพ เรื่องเขียน หนังและศิลปะที่ลามก
claim – to say that something is true although it has not been proved and other people may not believe it อ้าง
allege – to say that something is true or that someone has done something wrong, even though this has not been proved  กล่าวหา
look down on – to fail to give someone respect ดูถูก
petition – a request of someone in authority to do something คำร้อง
submit – to formally give something to someone so that can make a decision about it ยื่น (เอกสาร) เพื่อการพิจารณา
Supreme Court – the highest court in a country ศาลฎีกา, ศาลสูงสุด
verdict – a decision by a court of law คำพิพากษา
cease – to stop จบ, ยุติ
function – job or particular responsibility หน้าที่, บทบาท
ruling – a decision by a court of law คำตัดสิน คำชี้ขาด
contest – to disagree with something and often to take action to stop it from happening ถกเถียง  โต้แย้ง
consult – to ask for information or advice from someone หารือ
legal – relating to the law or lawyers เกี่ยวกับกฎหมาย
discouraged – feeling that it is useless to try to do something หมดกำลังใจ, ท้อแท้
survive – to manage to deal with something difficult or unpleasant รอดไปได้
complicated – difficult to deal with, do or understand  ซับซ้อน
contest – to compete for something แข่งขัน