Thailand: Constitutional Court approves petition to impeach Prime Minister

On May 23, the Thai Constitutional Court approved the petition to remove Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin for appointing a minister with a criminal record. However, the court also voted not to suspend Mr. Srettha from his duties while waiting for the court's verdict.

Earlier, nine Constitutional Court judges were summoned to consider the petition filed by a group of 40 acting senators. By a vote of 6-3, the judges agreed to accept the petition and asked Prime Minister Srettha to provide an explanation within 15 days.

The court also voted 8-1 to reject a similar petition against former Prime Minister's Office Minister Pichit Chuenban, citing Pichit's resignation on May 21.

Earlier, the caretaker senators petitioned the Constitutional Court on whether Mr Srettha and Mr Pichit should be sacked under Section 170 (4) and (5) of the constitution which deals with the ethics of cabinet ministers.

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Photo: NATION

Before his appointment to the cabinet, Mr. Pichit was an adviser to Mr. Srettha. However, he was a lawyer for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in the "lunchbox money" scandal and was imprisoned for bribing the Supreme Court. On June 25, 2008, the Supreme Court of Thailand sentenced Mr. Pichit and two of his colleagues to six months in prison after they were convicted of attempting to bribe Supreme Court officials by giving them a lunchbox with a paper bag containing 2 million baht (more than 54,000 USD) in cash.

MINH CHAU

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/thai-lan-toa-an-hien-phap-chap-thuan-don-yeu-cau-phe-truat-thu-tuong-post741262.html