Last push to save Yingluck from legal action

The party’s legal team will file a petition with NLA president Pornpetch Witchitcholachai objecting to his decision that the assembly should go ahead with impeachment proceedings against Yingluck over alleged corruption in the rice-pledging scheme.

Lawyer Pichit Chuenban dismissed as unreasonable the NLA’s argument that it has the authority to impeach Yingluck because it was taking as an option previous Thai norms and traditions in impeaching other political-office holders, such as Somchai Wongsawat, Surapong Suebwonglee and Suthep Thaugsuban.

Pichit said these three politicians faced impeachment in accordance with the Senate meeting directives of 2008. The NLA, thus must cite these Senate meeting directives 2008 if it wants to take as an option the previous norms and traditions in impeaching Yingluck.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) filed impeachment cases with the NLA against former Parliament president Somsak Kiatsuranon and his deputy Nikom Wairatpanich after finding them guilty of violating the 2007 Constitution by pushing for charter changes in relation to composition of the Senate. The NLA will tomorrow decide over whether to accept the impeachment case against Somsak and Nikom.

“The NLA has only a little over a year to work – and has it issued specific regulations only to impeach Yingluck, Somsak and Nikom?” he asked.

The NLA is also scheduled to proceed with the impeachment charges against Yingluck next Wednesday.

Pichit said Yingluck was accused of violating Article 11 of the State Administration Act and  Article 58 of the Anti Corruption Act 1999. He pointed out that the State Administration stipulated the responsibilities of the PM but did not state the punishment.

He said Article 58 of the Anti-Corruption Act 1999 was a constitutional organic law. The NLA could not use this constitution organic law to impeach political officer holders appointed in accordance with a charter that had been scrapped, he claimed.

Separately, former Pheu Thai Party MP for Samut Prakan Worachai Hema yesterday attacked the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), saying it was to be blamed for the proceedings as it had threatened to call a rally if the three politicians were not impeached. 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had warned pressure groups against staging political rallies over the impeachment cases. 

Worachai said the PDRC was first to issue the rally threat to pressure NLA into impeaching the three politicians. “The red shirts or the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship [UDD] have been cooperating with the National Council for Peace and Order [NCPO]. We have sat still and not instigated anything. Prayut has to stop the PDRC,’’ he said.

In reaction to Prayuth’s call on the media to cut down on the coverage of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra’s movements as he is a fugitive, Worachai said that Prayut may have forgotten that in a democratic society, the media has full right to report on public figures. 

“The PM must understand the roles and duties of the media. If they don’t do their work, their coverage may be outdated and uninteresting. 

“The NCPO can sue the media if they distort information. Those in power should use it in the right way or they will fall from grace,” he said.