People's Party Faces Dissolution Risk Over Laser ID Data Access

MGR Online•Politics•17d ago

Reader Briefing

The Election Commission is investigating the People's Party for potentially violating the Organic Act on Political Parties by collecting member Laser ID data without permission from the Department of Provincial Administration.

•The Election Commission is considering whether the People's Party violated Section 92 of the Organic Act on Political Parties.
•The Department of Provincial Administration informed the Election Commission that the People's Party had not been granted permission to connect to the ID verification system.
•Party leader Natthapong Ruengpanyawut admitted that the connection with the Department of Provincial Administration was severed during the transition from the Move Forward Party to the People's Party.
•Potential penalties include party dissolution and the stripping of political and voting rights for party executives.

Overview

•The Election Commission coordinated with the Department of Provincial Administration to verify the system connection for checking Laser ID data of People's Party members.
•The Department of Provincial Administration notified the Election Commission that the People's Party was not authorized to connect to the ID card verification system.
•Natthapong Ruengpanyawut stated in February that the transition from the Move Forward Party to the People's Party caused the connection with the Department of Provincial Administration to be severed.
•A source stated that the maximum penalty for this case is party dissolution and the revocation of political rights for the party's executive board.
•The Election Commission working group will summarize the offenses to be presented to the full Election Commission for a decision on whether Section 92 of the Organic Act on Political Parties was violated.
•The People's Party is currently facing other issues, including allegations against party members and legal cases involving Section 112.
•Observers noted the party's online registration lacked a consent button for accessing personal data, potentially violating the PDPA.

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Key Quotes

Election Commission source

"Therefore, the collection of 13-digit identification numbers on ID cards and Laser IDs by the People's Party may constitute an offense."

ดังนั้นการเก็บรหัสสิบสามหลักบนบัตรประชาชน และเลเซอร์ ไอดี ของพรรคประชาชน อาจจะเข้าข่ายการกระทำความผิด

Key Entities

Organization

People's Party(พรรคประชาชน)

A political party facing potential dissolution over unauthorized data collection.

Election Commission(คณะกรรมการการเลือกตั้ง)

The body investigating the People's Party for legal violations.

Department of Provincial Administration(กรมการปกครอง)ℹ️

The government agency that manages ID card data and denied the People's Party system access.

Ministry of Interior(กระทรวงมหาดไทย)ℹ️

The ministry overseeing the Department of Provincial Administration.

Move Forward Party(พรรคก้าวไกล)ℹ️

The former party that preceded the People's Party.

Constitutional Court(ศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ)ℹ️

The court that would provide a final ruling if the Election Commission finds grounds for dissolution.

Bhumjaithai Party(พรรคภูมิใจไทย)ℹ️

A political party mentioned in relation to government formation and legal disputes.

Kla Dharma Party(พรรคกล้าธรรม)

A political party that the People's Party previously announced it would not cooperate with.

Law

Organic Act on Political Parties(พ.ร.ป.พรรคการเมือง)

The law under which the People's Party is being investigated, specifically Section 92.

PDPA

The personal data protection law the party may have violated by lacking a consent button.

Person

Natthapong Ruengpanyawut(ณัฐพงษ์ เรืองปัญญาวุฒิ)

Leader of the People's Party.

Pawut Pongwitayaphanu(ภาวุธ พงษ์วิทยภานุ)

A party-list MP of the People's Party accused by the DSI regarding a forex network.

Chat Suphatwanit(ฉัตร สุภัทรวณิชย์)

An MP for Nakhon Ratchasima and Deputy Chairperson of the Military Committee.

Thissana Chunhavan(ธิษะณา ชุณหะวัณ)

Former Bangkok MP for the People's Party who disclosed issues regarding sexual harassment.

Sirikanya Tansakul(ศิริกัญญา ตันสกุล)

Deputy leader of the People's Party.

Rakchanok Srinok(รักชนก ศรีนอก)

A party-list MP of the People's Party facing defamation lawsuits and Section 112 cases.

Suchart Chomklin(สุชาติ ชมกลิ่น)ℹ️

A Chonburi MP from the Bhumjaithai Party who sued Rakchanok Srinok.

Parit Wacharasinthu(พริษฐ์ วัชรสินธุ)

Deputy leader of the People's Party facing various charges including inciting unrest.