BANGKOK, Thailand – The Constitutional Court unanimously dismissed a petition accusing the Justice Minister and the Department of Corrections of misconduct and favoritism in allowing former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to receive medical treatment on the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital, December 18. The court ruled that the evidence presented was insufficient to substantiate claims of constitutional violations.
The case was filed by Mr. Kongdecha Chairat, who alleged that the Justice Minister, the Director-General of the Department of Corrections, and the Warden of Bangkok Remand Prison violated constitutional principles by granting Mr. Thaksin preferential treatment. The petitioner claimed the authorities failed to enforce prison regulations strictly and allowed Mr. Thaksin to stay in a VIP hospital room without clear evidence of severe illness, as required under Section 246 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The complaint further argued that this preferential treatment breached constitutional provisions under Section 27, which guarantees equality before the law, and Section 49, which prohibits actions aimed at overthrowing democratic governance with the King as Head of State.
The Attorney General had previously declined to pursue the case, prompting the petitioner to submit the matter directly to the Constitutional Court. After deliberation, the court concluded that the evidence lacked sufficient clarity to demonstrate that the accused parties acted in a way that violated the Constitution or attempted to undermine democratic governance. Consequently, the petition did not meet the criteria for further judicial review under Section 49 of the Constitution.
The court’s decision effectively closes the case, reaffirming that the allegations were unsupported by concrete evidence. (TNA)
