Thailand’s Election Commission says top candidate for prime minister may have broken election law

By JINATAMAS SAKSORNCHAI and GRANT PECK

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s state Election Commission says it has concluded there is evidence that the top candidate to become the country’s next prime minister, Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat, has violated election law and referred his case to the Constitutional Court for a ruling. The commission’s decision on Wednesday means the court could order Pita to be suspended from his duties as a Member of Parliament until the ruling is issued. In theory it does not rule out him being nominated to become prime minister by Parliament on Thursday. The Move Forward Party swept to a surprise first-place finish in May’s general election, capturing 151 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives and the most popular votes.