Jurin demands to know why 16 Democrat MPs went against party line on PM vote

Jurin said on Wednesday that if he is asked, he will order an investigation against the 16 renegade MPs.

Before the PM vote began on Tuesday, the Democrat executive board and MPs had decided that all Democrat MPs would abstain.

However, during the roll-call voting on Tuesday afternoon, 16 MPs known to be loyal to acting party secretary-general Chalermchai Sri-on defied the party’s resolution and voted in support of the Pheu Thai candidate.

An investigation appears imminent after deputy Democrat leader Satit Pitutecha said some 20 party members have signed a petition seeking one.

Sources said the 16 Democrat MPs initially waited outside a meeting room and returned to Parliament to vote for Srettha after two of them, Dej-it Khaothong (Songkhla) and Chaichana Dejdecho (Nakhon Si Thammarat), held talks with Pheu Thai deputy leader Phumtham Wechayachai.

The two had reportedly won a promise from Phumtham that the 16 MPs would be taken into the coalition’s fold, which is why they returned inside to vote for Srettha.

Jurin told reporters on Wednesday that though the charter gave individual MPs the right to make their own decision in a PM’s vote, they were also required to comply with the party’s regulations and stance.

Jurin said former Democrat leader Chuan Leekpai had voted against Srettha instead of abstaining and that he had sought permission from the party to do so.

He said the 16 MPs had not informed the party that they were not going to follow the party’s stance.

“These 16 MPs must explain themselves at the next party meeting. If a committee is set up to investigate them, then they must testify to the panel as well,” Jurin said.

“The party has its pride. We worked both as a coalition partner and an opposition party. We can perform all types of duties, but we have never been a spare parts party,” he said.

He also said that no Democrats have been tasked with the job of discussing the option of joining the coalition with Pheu Thai.

When asked if this would cause serious rifts within the party, Jurin said he cannot say whether he or the other members could continue working with the renegades.

“No matter what, the party will stay because it is an institution,” he said.

Satit, meanwhile, told reporters that the 16 MPs had no authority to negotiate with Pheu Thai about joining the coalition. He added that it had also become clear that the Democrat Party would be on the opposition bench when Pheu Thai announced its 11-party coalition on Monday.

Without naming names, Satit said some of the 16 MPs had travelled to meet former PM Thaksin Shinawatra in Hong Kong earlier.

“They initially denied this, but later admitted it in a TV show,” he said, without elaborating. These actions have caused damage to the party, he said, adding “we now have information on the leaders of this group of 16 MPs”.

He added that it would depend on the party’s executive board and MPs to decide how these 16 MPs should be dealt with, adding that the severest penalty would be expulsion from the party.