Prapat Panyachatraksa
Encyclopedia
Prapat Panyachatraksa was a student demonstrator during the violent 1973 democracy movement during which he confronted an M-60 armed soldier armed with just a piece of wood, for which he was popularly nicknamed "Ai Karn Yao" (after the hero in the movie Walking Tall
). Later, as executive of the Thai Rak Thai
party, he was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives and Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment.
While a Cabinet minister, he was investigated by the National Counter Corruption Committee for abusing state power. He was alleged to have illegally acquired a plot of land reserved for the poor. He defended himself by claiming that he legally acquired the land 20 years before he had entered politics. The NCCC ruled that although the acquisition of the land was illegal, the offence had taken place before he became a Cabinet minister.
He later defected to the Chart Thai party as a party-list candidate prior to the October 2006 election
. The election was cancelled due to the 19 September military coup that overthrew the government.
Walking Tall
Walking Tall is a 1973 semi-biopic of Sheriff Buford Pusser, a former professional wrestler-turned-lawman in McNairy County, Tennessee. It starred Joe Don Baker as Pusser...
). Later, as executive of the Thai Rak Thai
Thai Rak Thai
The Thai Rak Thai Party was a Thai political party that was officially banned on May 30, 2007, by the Constitutional Court of Thailand due to violations of electoral laws during the 2006 legislative elections. From 2001 to 2006, it was the ruling party under Prime Minister and its founder Thaksin...
party, he was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives and Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment.
While a Cabinet minister, he was investigated by the National Counter Corruption Committee for abusing state power. He was alleged to have illegally acquired a plot of land reserved for the poor. He defended himself by claiming that he legally acquired the land 20 years before he had entered politics. The NCCC ruled that although the acquisition of the land was illegal, the offence had taken place before he became a Cabinet minister.
He later defected to the Chart Thai party as a party-list candidate prior to the October 2006 election
Thailand legislative election, October 2006
After Thailand's April 2006 elections were declared invalid by the Constitutional Court, it was decided that new elections would be held on 15 October 2006...
. The election was cancelled due to the 19 September military coup that overthrew the government.