Govt only buying time by seeking court review on delay of law enforcement: Pheu Thai
Consideration of the emergency decree postponing implementation of the Act on Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearances in its entirety will be delayed because it is being reviewed by the charter court.
The Cabinet employed the emergency decree to postpone the enforcement of the Act’s Articles 22-25 from February 22 to October 1.
After the postponement, Palang Pracharath Party MP Nirot Sunthornlekha, who doubles as chief government whip, led 100 MPs to seek a charter court ruling on whether the decree violates the Constitution’s Section 172.
Section 172 says that an emergency decree must be enforced to ensure the safety of the country and its public, economic stability and to prevent disasters.
House Speaker Chuan Leekpai has three days to submit this request to the Constitutional Court, while House consideration on the subject will have to be put off until the next parliamentary session. Tuesday was the last day of the current parliamentary session, while the House of Representatives' four-year tenure ends on March 22.
Opposition parties, meanwhile, raised a hue and cry over the delay, accusing the government of using delay tactics.
Pheu Thai Party leader Cholanan Srikaew said MP should consider and vote on the emergency decree immediately.
“Also, seeking the Constitutional Court’s review on the topic is the opposition whip’s job, not that of the government whip,” he said.
He added that MPs using this delay tactic should also take responsibility if people’s rights and liberties are violated as a result.
Democrat MP Chinnaworn Boonyakiat, however, reckoned that the charter court’s resolution will help in decision-making. Also, he said, seeking a court verdict proved that the government whip was concerned about the people.
Separately, Chuan wrapped up the final parliamentary session by thanking MPs for their hard work over the past four years. He added that Thai politics has entered an uncertain phase because the two sides may have swapped positions by the time Parliament meets again.
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