THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
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Chaturon warns junta of ‘total collapse’ if NACC members allowed to remain in office

Chaturon warns junta of ‘total collapse’ if NACC members allowed to remain in office

Chaturon Chaisang, a key figure from the Pheu Thai Party, has warned the ruling junta of a “total collapse” if current National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) members are allowed to continue working even though they do not meet the qualifiying criteria under the new Constitution.

He suggested on Monday that the bill on the NACC, which was recently passed by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), should be amended to reflect the relevant constitutional clauses involving the qualifications of NACC members.
The NACC bill exempts some members of the agency from complying with the Constitution’s tough clauses regarding required qualifications and prohibited qualities.
NACC president Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, for example, lacks certain qualifications and also has a prohibited quality, having been out of political office for less than the 10 years required by the charter for someone to be eligible to work as a commissioner.
In a Facebook message, Chaturon said that by passing the bill, the NLA members in effect had allowed the existing NACC membership to remain in office until their term ends, although they do not meet the tough qualifications set by the 2017 Constitution.
He added that the charter set high standards for NACC members with the goal of preventing possible political intervention from people in power.
“It is against the Constitution for the NLA to allow the existing NACC members to remain in office until their term ends,” Chaturon insisted.
He also noted that the NACC chief is close to the ruling junta, and by allowing him to remain in office, the junta would undermine the Constitution’s checks-and-balances system aimed at preventing government corruption.
“If the existing NACC members are allowed to remain in office, without the NACC bill being revised, the NCPO should brace for a total collapse,” Chaturon said, referring to the ruling National Council for Peace and Order.

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