NLA impeaches ex-defence minister Sukampol
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The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) Friday voted to retroactively impeach former defence minister ACM Sukampol Suwannathat, who was accused of intervening in the transfers of senior military officers in the Office of Defence Ministry’s Permanent Secre
The offence is regarded as an abuse of power under the previous 2007 Constitution and a severe ethical violation under the Prime Minister Office’s Code of Ethics for Civil Servants.
Sukampol, a former assistant Air Force commander-in-chief, served as defence minister in a government led by the Pheu Thai Party’s Yingluck Shinawatra.
Of the 217 NLA members attending Friday’s meeting, 159 voted to impeach Sukampol, compared to 27 who voted not to impeach him. There was an abstention.
At least three-fifths of the existing NLA members, or 131 votes, were required to impeach him.
The impeachment means Sukampol is banned from politics for five years, during which time he will be unable to assume any political or government position.
