Bangkok governor stops performing duties

BANGKOK, March 29 (TNA) - Although the Appeal Court has not yet sent its order requiring Bangkok Governor M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra to leave the post, following allegations that he violated the election law, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has asked the first deputy governor, Pusadee Tamthai, to perform duties in lieu of the incumbent Bangkok governor. Sanya Chantarat, Secretary to the embattled Bangkok governor, told journalists of the update on Saturday, saying that the decision to have Pusadee to perform Sukhumbhand’s duties is to prevent the BMA from being sued. Sanya acknowledged that he has not known how many witnesses are in the case and how long the trial will last. Sukhumbhand is to stop working immediately, after the Election Commission of Thailand (EC) sends him a formal letter informing him about the case. The letter is expected to be sent next week. The EC earlier this month voted to disqualify M.R. Sukhumbhand as the winner of the Bangkok governor election about a year ago, after charging him of violations of the election law. The election agency made the decision after seeing there were sufficient grounds to the allegations that Sukhumbhand’s supporters slandered his rival from the ruling Pheu Thai Party in public forums during the gubernatorial electoral campaign. (TNA)