A group of 40 senators has submitted a complaint to the Senate Speaker seeking a Constitutional Court ruling on stripping Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and PM’s Office Minister Phichit Chuenban of their ministerial status. The senators accuse them of violating Section 170 (4) and (5) of the Constitution.
Latest reports are that the complaint has already been sent to the court by the Senate Speaker, but the court is yet to decide whether to accept it for consideration.
The complaints against the prime minister and Phichit are related to a bribery case, dubbed the “snack box” case back in 2008. On June 10th, 2008, during the trial of then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, in the Supreme Court’s Court Criminal Division for Holders of Political Office, three of Thaksin’s lawyers, led by Phichit Chuenban, gave a sealed box to court officials, claiming that it contained snacks. The box was found, however, to contain two million baht in 1,000-baht bills.
The court’s secretary, Anant Wongpraparat, ordered the box to be returned to Thaksin’s lawyers. An immediate probe was ordered, which led to the prosecutions and convictions of Phichit and two other lawyers on charges of contempt of court. All three were sentenced to six months in prison without suspension.
Direkrit Janekrongtham, one of the 40 senators who seconded the complaint said, in the case of Phichit, it was clear that he is not qualified to be a minister because he was convicted for bribery and sentenced to six months in prison.
He also that, after the conviction, the Law Council removed Pichit’s name from the council’s list of lawyers.
Regarding the prime minister, Jade Donavanik, former advisor to the Constitution Drafting Committee, explained that Srettha should be fully aware of the “snack box” case and that Phichit’s conviction for bribery indicates that the former lawyer is dishonest and, therefore, not qualified to hold ministerial office.
Jade said that, if the Constitutional Court accepts the senators’ complaint, it should consider whether the prime minister and PM’s Office Minister Phichit should be suspended from duty.
If the prime minister is suspended, Jade noted that the entire cabinet may be affected.
