Bangkok: The Constitutional Court has unanimously ruled to expel Somchai Lenglak from the Senate, effective December 11, 2024, due to a revocation of his right to run for election, rendering him ineligible to hold the position.
According to Thai News Agency, the court's decision was based on the Constitution, specifically Section 111 (4) in conjunction with Section 108 (c) (1) and Section 48 (5). The ruling follows the Supreme Court's judgment no. ?? ?? 338/2567 dated September 23, 2024, which stripped Mr. Somchai of his electoral rights for a decade starting from the judgment date. This decision was due to credible evidence indicating that during the 2023 MP election, Mr. Somchai, a candidate for MP in Constituency 9, Songkhla, under the Bhumjaithai Party, was aware of and supported his subordinates in distributing money to voters to secure votes, an act constituting electoral fraud.
The Constitutional Court highlighted that these actions violated the Organic Act on the Election of Members of Parliament 2018, Section 73(1) in conjunction with Section 138, paragraph one. Consequently, Mr. Somchai is disqualified from holding a senatorial position as per constitutional provisions.
The court further clarified that the senator position is considered vacant from the date of the court's ruling, in accordance with the Organic Act on the Procedures of the Constitutional Court 2018, Section 76, paragraph one. The ruling was read on March 26, 2025, marking the official vacancy of the senatorial position in line with Section 107, paragraph four of the Constitution.