On June 12, political activist Sonthiya Sawasdee submitted a petition to the Election Commission (EC), calling for an investigation into a person holding 21.62% of shares in a hotel in the Lumpini area. The individual in question shares the surname "Saleeratvipak" and is alleged to be the lawful wife or cohabiting partner of Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Pirapan Saleeratvipak, as well as the mother of his children.
Sonthiya emphasized that if the shareholder is indeed Pirapan’s lawful wife and the children are legally his, then under the Organic Act on the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), they are required to declare and properly manage their shareholdings. The constitution stipulates that a minister, their spouse, and minor children may not hold more than 5% of any company. Violating this rule would be grounds for Pirapan’s removal from office under Article 170 (5), paragraph 4 of the constitution, which may lead to a Constitutional Court ruling ending his ministerial status.
Sonthiya stated that on May 28, he verified that the individual still holds 21.62% of the hotel shares and also serves as one of four authorized executive directors who must sign legal documents on behalf of the company. He requested the EC to investigate and, if warranted, refer the case to the Constitutional Court for a ruling.