There's a method to the impeachment madness
Play
As a long time political observer, I must say the National Anti-Corruption Commission knows full well that Suthep Thaugsuban will survive the impeachment, that's why it called for it in the first place.
For Suthep to be removed from politics, it’ll take 90 out of 150 senatorial votes to ban him, meaning if 61 senators vote in his favour, he’ll survive. Now let’s see the Senate structure: 74 senators are appointed and they are not on good terms with Pheu Thai, which is why they were appointed in the first place. Plus 14 elected Senators are from the South, the Democrat’s stronghold. That makes 88 senators who could vote in favour of Suthep. So the odds of Suthep getting banned are very slim, very close to the chance of finding a polka-dot flying unicorn.
But why did the NACC call for the impeachment if the move was worthless in the first place? To show the public that it is non-partisan, so that if in the future it calls for the impeachment of, say, Yingluck or Pheu Thai’s key men (and it will), the red shirts will have no valid reason to protest.
Somsak Pola
Samut Prakarn
