Call for NACC to look into nepotism at the NLA

ACTIVIST Srisuwan Janya will today call on the anti-corruption agency to investigate allegations of cronyism among National Legislative Assembly (NLA) members who have hired their relatives to help with their official duties. 

Srisuwan, secretary-general of the Association of Organisations for the Protection of Thailand’s Constitution, said yesterday that this was a serious matter as it violated the spirit of the amended version of the 2011 anti-corruption law. He argued that this law along with the Prime Minister’s Office regulations on the ethics of political officials would set a clear benchmark for this issue. 

He said he would submit a petition to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) in relation to the controversy, which has sparked criticism from media and non-governmental organisations over the NLA’s transparency. 

“NLA members can be considered political officials,” Srisuwan said, adding that it was unethical of them to get their relatives involved in their official duties. 

“We have always criticised such practices,” he said, adding that the term “assembly of husbands and wives” was invented as a result of that.

“At a time like this, the reform body should not incorporate the practices and habits of politicians in the past,” he reasoned. 

The May 22 coup was staged to do away with practices like this and pave the way for reform and changes, but if the very people working on reform get their relatives involved, then their work will make no difference, he suggested. 

The hiring of relatives or spouses by NLA members, including the secretary-general and deputy secretary-general of the Senate Secretariat, goes against the law and code of ethics for political officials. 

Hence, he said, the Association of Organisations for the Protection of Thailand’s Constitution has decided to take this matter to the NACC so it can punish those indulging in such cronyism. 

When the matter first surfaced last week, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha reacted by saying there was no clause prohibiting relatives of politicians from playing a role in public affairs. However, he said it was crucial to refer to the regulations and he did not want to speak about this issue, other than that it should not be associated with the previous problem of “husband-and-wife assemblies”. 

Prayut is said to have ordered those responsible to be careful about the matter and verify the possibility of nominating relatives. 

When asked about the possibility of establishing a commission to scrutinise relatives who have been working as assistants to NLA members, Prayut said he had told NLA President Pornpetch Wichitcholchai to look into the matter. If any wrongdoing is discovered, then an investigation will be launched, he said.