Sukampol approves decision to strip Abhisit of military rank

Sukampol said he would forward the case to the Ombudsman’s Office, but denied reports that he would hold a press conference on Sunday to announce the panel’s decision.

"It will be known by Monday how Abhisit is to be penalised for supplying forged documents needed in the process for exemption from Army conscription,’’ Sukampol said.

Abhisit faces the loss of his military rank and salary over charges that he used falsified documents to apply for the position as a military lecturer. He said he would fight the allegation and dismissed it as an attempt to tarnish his image.

"The attempt to remove my military rank is improper and politically motivated. The allegations against me do not involve my actions – they concern invalid documents.

He said the documents in question were produced not by him, but by state agencies. He asked why, if his enlistment in the military was not lawful, no action had been taken against officials in charge of the enlistment.

Abhisit said the move to strip him of his rank demonstrated a double standard, because others who had been sentenced to jail and had their assets confiscated had retained their ranks.

The Opposition leader said the committee had rushed to wrap up the investigation without giving him sufficient opportunity to present his side of the story. He said the committee had invited him to clarify the issue only once – on Tuesday – when he could not appear, as he was on a previously scheduled official overseas trip.

The issue has been used against Abhisit by the Pheu Thai Party and its red-shirt allies, who allege a double standard in favour of the Democrat Party, which they say was backed by the military and rose to power after the military coup in 2006.