People’s Party Deputy Leader Rangsiman Rome said today, August 20, that the party will not shield Phuket MP Somchat Techthawornjaroen over nominee shareholding allegations, as the case awaits examination by two separate agencies.
The case traces back to a complaint activist Ruangkrai Leekitwattana filed on August 9 at the government complaints centre opposite Government House. Ruangkrai asked that Somchat’s shareholdings be examined for whether the shares were fully paid, where the money came from, and whether the companies involved operate lawfully.
Department of Business Development records dated August 18, 2025 list Somchat as a director or shareholder in 28 companies, directly or through his firm Avocats Lawyers Co., Ltd. Somchat has said he is not involved in the matter of the 28 companies, though that clarification appears only as background in the Thairath report.
A Department of Special Investigation inquiry has also been reported. People’s Party list MP Krunaphon Thiansuwan said on August 19 that the DSI has not summoned Somchat and sees no irregularity in the case. He accused unnamed parties of leaking Somchat’s name as though he were already guilty.
Speaking to reporters at Parliament, Rangsiman said the matter splits into two separate issues. One is the alleged nominee shareholding, the other is the alleged concealment of an asset declaration.
The asset-declaration question is for the National Anti-Corruption Commission, Rangsiman said. MPs file their declarations directly with the NACC rather than with their party, and he described the commission as best placed to look into it, since it can check declared assets retroactively.
Rangsiman said the nominee-shareholding question had already been referred to the Department of Business Development. That referral went through the House Committee on Political Development, Mass Communication and Public Participation. As far as he knew, the department had not yet confirmed the allegation.
The party is not indifferent to the allegations and supports a serious investigation, Rangsiman said. He added that he would be willing to support legal action against Somchat if the nominee allegation is confirmed. The party’s standard is not to shield wrongdoers, he said, though its own powers are more limited than legal or judicial action.
Somchat was first elected in Phuket Constituency 1 in 2023 under the Move Forward Party. He was re-elected in the same constituency in 2026 under the People’s Party. As of publication, no statement responding to Rangsiman’s remarks has been issued by Somchat.
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