BANGKOK, Aug 25 – Opposition Democrat Party on Thursday moved to impeach Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul for abuse of power for helping fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra get an entry visa to Japan.
Lodging an impeachment motion on behalf of the opposition, Democrat MP Virat Kalayasiri submitted the motion signed by 130 members of parliament to Senate Speaker Gen Theeradej Meepien. They asked the Senate to consider impeaching Mr Surapong as he allegedly abused his authority when he met with Japanese ambassador to Thailand Seiji Kojima to facilitate Mr Thaksin’s Japanese visa.
The petition said that after the new foreign minister met with the Japanese authorities, Thai media reported that the convicted ex-premier was issued a special entry to Japan as requested by the Thai government, an action which indicated that Mr Surapong had obviously exercised his ministerial influence prior to the new government delivering its policy statement to Parliament.
The action was considered as facilitating Mr Thaksin’s personal visit, a matter not an urgent issue for Thailand’s new administration, said Mr Virat, reasserting that the foreign minister’s action clearly breached Article 176 of the Constitution.
Gen Theeradej said it will take about 30 days to verify the names of MPs endorsing the motion and that he will inform the Senate about the case. When the verification process is complete, the petition will be forwarded to the National Counter-Corruption Commission (NCCC) for further investigation.
The opposition’s move followed remarks of Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano that Japan decided to issue a visa for the ex-premier Thaksin in light of the request from the Thai government as he planned to visit Japan Aug 22-28 to give a special lecture on trade, and to tour northeastern areas devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
The Democrat legal team also filed criminal charges against the foreign minister as the law indicates those who facilitate escape for persons fleeing a court’s detention order could face a maximum 3-year jail term and/or a fine of Bt6,000.
Ousted in a bloodless coup in Sept 2006, Mr Thaksin is still a fugitive as he was convicted in 2007 under the anti-graft law for helping his wife securing a prime land deal with below-market price and the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders had sentenced him to a two-year imprisonment.
