The Move Forward Party (MFP) has passed a resolution to expel Bangkok MP Chaiyamphawan Manpianjit, after he refused to issue a public apology for sexually harassing three people on his team.

Chaiyamphawan Manpianjit
(Photo from Chaiyamphawan's official Facebook page)

Following an internal investigation, the executive board found that Chaiyamphawan had violated party discipline, for which the maximum penalty is expulsion. However, under the current Constitution, an MP can only be expelled from a party with the support of a three-fourths majority of the party's executive committee and MPs combined. While a majority of MPs and executive board members present at a meeting last Thursday (2 November) voted to expel Chaiyamphawan, it did not reach the requisite three-fourths majority vote.

The resolution not to expel Chaiyamphawan and to instead censure him led to criticism against the party. Because the party voted to expel Prachinburi MP Wutthipong Thonglao during the same meeting for sexual harassment, many of its supporters and MPs expressed disapproval and said they believe both should have been expelled. Several MPs also called for Chaiyamphawan to resign.

As part of his penalty, the executive board gave Chaiyamphawan the condition that he must publicly acknowledge his wrongdoing, issue an apology, and provide restitution as required by the victims, or face expulsion. Instead, Chaiyamphawan held a press conference on Friday (3 November), during which he denied the allegations and disclosed private information that could reveal the identities of his victims. He also disclose private messages between himself and one of the victims.

Party leader Chaithawat Tulathon said in a Facebook post following the Friday press conference that not only did Chaiyamphawan not acknowledge his wrongdoing or apologize, the content of the press conference did further harm to the victims, all of whom worked on his team.

Another meeting of MFP MPs and executive board members was held yesterday (7 November). Chaithawat announced after the meeting that the party had voted unanimously to expel Chaiyamphawan because he did not abide by the conditions given to him by the board, further violating party discipline.

After his expulsion from the party, Chaiyamphawan will have 30 days to join another party or be removed from his MP position. Although he told reporters after being expelled that he deserved his penalty for damaging the party’s reputation, he said he is not resigning as MP.