Paiboon queried over justice fund use
NATIONAL Legislative Assembly member Wallop Tangkananurak has questioned Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya at an NLA meeting over the appropriate use of the justice fund.
Wallop contends that the fund last year was improperly used to help defendants involved in terrorism cases. Some of those defendants have reportedly fled custody.
“Last year there were many cases that failed to comply with the justice fund’s regulations”, he said.
Wallop said the rules related to those cases were not followed as the fund must serve public interests and not violate moral standards.
Wallop asked Paiboon about the rules governing the granting of the fund and how it was overseen because he did not want it to be used by those deemed to be destroying the country.
Paiboon accepted that the operation of the fund last year followed a Cabinet resolution of the Yingluck Shinawatra administration and “this did not abide by the regulations of the justice fund”.
He said that the current government was not using the fund in the same way as everything was based on regulations.
Wallop asked Paiboon to ensure the fund was used correctly so taxpayer money was not misused again.
The justice fund, overseen by the Department of Justice, is supposed to be used to help indigent defendants on matters relating to legal consultations and bail placements, human rights violations and legal education.
Paiboon said the fund was last year used for 2,200 cases worth Bt47 million in total.
Nearly 80 per cent of that amount, or Bt36 million, was for bail placements, 13 per cent was for hiring lawyers, and 5 per cent was for court fees.
