PM Anutin Denies Thai Proud Party Link to Senate Election Case
PM Anutin denies the Thai Proud Party's involvement in a Senate election case, arguing the party issued a directive forbidding participation months before the July 2017 election and his government didn't form until 2018.
Prime Minister Anutin Chulanont addressed the Thai Proud Party's alleged connection to the Senate election case, stating the party has no involvement whatsoever. He dismissed opposition efforts to link separate issues as muddled and accused them of poor sportsmanship. He asked that party deputy leader Prissadang Wattrasindhu respond to government spokesman Napinthorn Srisawat's comments first, arguing the public will determine who is truthful after hearing both accounts.
Anutin emphasized that Thai Proud Party members cannot participate in the Senate election matter because a party directive—issued one month before the Senate election in July 2017—explicitly forbids involvement. He rejected the idea that the Anutin government is connected to the scandal, noting the timeline does not align: the government formed in September 2018 and March 2019, while the Senate election occurred in July 2017. He stated that no party members have violated the directive and no evidence exists proving otherwise. The Prime Minister compared the supposed connection to two separate roads—Rama 4 and Sukhumvit—that run in parallel and can never meet, as they exist in different times and contexts. When asked if he fears ongoing opposition efforts to link the issues, Anutin laughed and reaffirmed the government's position.
