Corruption Court starts operations today
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THE Central Corruption Court - the country’s first - will start to hear cases today filed against state officials accused of graft and misconduct, Court of Justice spokesman Suebpong Sripongkul said yesterday.
Officially called the Central Court for Corruption and Misconduct, it is part of the Criminal Court. The court is located in Bangkok’s Dusit district.
Lawsuits may be filed directly with the court or other lower courts. The Criminal Court also accepts corruption lawsuits.
But for offences that take place in Bangkok and the five surrounding provinces – Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani, cases must be filed with the Central Corruption Court only.
Plaintiffs may be individuals or state agencies. Suebpong said hearings could also be done through a video-conferencing system for cases filed with courts in the provinces, with case judges participating at the Central Corruption Court.
Cases already filed with other lower courts will continue to be tried in those courts until verdicts are issued, he said.
