Regional News
Constitutional Court Revokes MP’s Status for Murder Conviction
The court found that Nawat ordered the murder because the victim was having an affair with his wife.
Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled on Wednesday that convicted murderer Nawat Tohcharoensuk is no longer a member of Parliament. The court said his status as a parliamentarian effectively ended on Oct 16th.
The Constitutional court ordered him to stop carrying out the functions and responsibilities of a member of parliament.
Nawat was found guilty by Khon Kaen Criminal Court in September of masterminding the murder of a local administrative official six years ago. He was sentenced him to death and also ordered to pay Bt300,000 for the victims funeral costs.
Nawat’s request for bail pending an appeal was rejected by the court.
The court found that Nawat ordered the murder because the victim was having an affair with his wife.
The 52-year-old former MP hired five people — including two former policemen — to kill Suchart Khotethum. Suchart was an assistant chief of the Khon Kaen provincial administration organization.
Suchart was shot dead in front of his home in Khon Kaen’s Muang district on May 3, 2013, as he was leaving for work.
Nawat once also ran a construction business in Khon Kaen’s Nong Rua district and was also an executive of the provincial administrative organization.
He has also been accused of ordering an assault on fellow Pheu Thai MP, Yutthapong Charassathien, on Sept 10.
