The Election Commission (EC) has decided to dissolve its legal advisory committee because it is unhappy that one of its advisors had sent a written testimony in support of the Move Forward Party, a source said.
The well-informed source explained that the EC had voted on Monday to dissolve the advisory board, which now has six members after chairman Boonsong Noisophon resigned. Boonsong, a former election commissioner, quit after being elected as senator.
The six remaining legal advisors for the EC are:
- Sirichai Jiraboonsri, a former senior judge at the Supreme Court
- Samriang Mekkriangkrai, a law lecturer at Chulalongkorn University
- Anurak Niyomvej, a law lecturer at Chulalongkorn University
- Watcharin Panurat, deputy director of the Investigation Department at the Office of the Attorney-General
- Professor Dr Surapon Nitikraipot, former rector of Thammasat University
- Boonrod Tanprasert, former senior judge of the Supreme Court
The source said the commissioners were uneasy that Surapon had provided a written statement to the Constitutional Court in defence of Move Forward. The EC had filed a case against the party accusing it of seeking to topple the country’s constitutional monarchy.
The source added that after the board chairman resigned, the EC saw it as a good chance to dissolve the committee and appoint a new one.
The source said a new team of legal advisors will be nominated for EC’s approval soon.