PM acted within mandate on Cabinet seats: Ombudsman
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Despite some reservations, the Office of the Ombudsman has found that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra acted within her mandate in appointing two Cabinet members.
In regard to the appointment of PM’s Office Minister Nalinee Taveesin, the prime minister will have to assume responsibility if the country’s reputation is tarnished due to a US financial and entry ban on Nalinee, the ombudsman’s spokesman Rakkecha Chawchai said yesterday.
Concerning the appointment of Deputy Agriculture Minister Natthawut Saikua, the ombudsman noted that the prime minister had failed to factor in Natthawut’s ethical misconduct before finalising the appointment, Rakkecha said.
He said the review of the prime minister’s rebuttals on the two appointments was complete and the ombudsman report would be submitted to Parliament as per Article 279 of the Constitution.
The gist of the rebuttals for bringing Nalinee into the Cabinet was that she was fully qualified for the job under Thai laws.
The ombudsman was of the opinion that the prime minister was obliged to be extra careful to safeguard the country’s reputation after allocating a Cabinet seat to an individual barred by the United States from entry or financial dealings.
The rebuttals on Natthawut’s appointment omitted to address the ombudsman’s concern that the Civil Court decision had found he had led the red shirts in their street protests in 2010 beyond the peaceful means sanctioned by the Consitution..
The ombudsman was of the opinion that the prime minister should have reviewed the judicial decision on Natthawut’s ethical record before appointing him as minister.
