BANGKOK, Nov 21 – Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) today set up an investigative committee to specially review the impeachment petition against the president of Parliament, his deputy and 308 legislators claimed to have unlawfully advocated the charter amendment.
The lawmakers were charged with breaching the Constitution by approving the charter review paving the way for a Senate composed entirely of elected members, not having some appointed as imposed in the current Constitution.
The Constitution Court handed over its verdict yesterday.
Parliament president Somsak Kiatsuranont and vice president Nikom Wairatpanij were among the MPs against whom a group of 40 senators initiated impeachment proceedings.
Appointed senators Wanchai Sonsiri and Prasarn Maruekpitak, two of the 40-Senators Group, said they will hand over the Constitution Court’s verdict on the case to the NACC tomorrow to help speed up the investigation.
“The documents will be useful for the NACC. We will seek legal action against the legislators for ignoring their official responsibilities and counterfeiting official documents,” they said.
They said the move to impeach the Parliament president, vice president and lawmakers was not revenge but manoeuvring in accord with the rule of law.
Though the House of Representatives is dissolved, their offences remain valid, they said.
Parliament president Somsak said he would consult Parliament’s legal team and would be ready to clarify to the NACC, insisting that there was no cause for concern as he had strictly followed the law.
