People’s Party seeks probe into leaked ‘Help the Blue’ LINE chat

The opposition People’s Party will ask the National Anti-Corruption Commission and the Election Commission to investigate a leaked LINE chat message reading “Please help the Blue”.

The message was allegedly exchanged between Provincial Administration Department (PAD) director-general Narucha Kosacivilize and Phuket assistant governor Roongruang Thimabutr during the election campaign in January.

Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, deputy leader of the People’s Party, said the request seeking help for “the Blue” — a colour associated with the Bhumjaithai Party — allegedly sent by the PAD chief, may constitute an abuse of power and a violation of the Election Act.

Technically, he said, a LINE account can be logged into simultaneously on several devices, such as a cellphone, laptop and desktop computer. In cases where a user’s ID is used by someone else to send a LINE message, the message would also appear on the user’s cellphone and other devices.

He also said that the PAD chief’s denial of any knowledge of the message was not believable, and demanded that Narucha provide a public explanation.

Meanwhile, former election commissioner Somchai Srisutthiyakorn said he believes the LINE chat message, “Please help the Blue”, which was posted on Sunday, Jan 10, without mentioning the year, was actually sent this year because earlier messages in the chat referred to election candidate numbers in Constituencies 2 and 3 of a province.

Further investigation indicated that the province in question has three constituencies and that only Phuket matches the names of the candidates mentioned in the LINE chat.

On Friday, the PAD published a statement by its chief, Narucha, claiming that the LINE message in question was not his and insisting that he had strictly maintained neutrality and complied with the law during the election.

He vowed to exercise his legal rights to protect his name, honour and department.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who is also leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, has pledged to set up a panel to investigate the controversy.