Thai Constitutional Court accepts petition against PM Srettha

The Constitutional Court accepted a petition calling for the removal of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin over his decision to appoint a minister with a criminal record. Despite this, the court narrowly voted 5-4 not to suspend the Bangkok-born PM from his duties while awaiting its final ruling.

A panel of nine judges convened today to consider the petition submitted by 40 caretaker senators. By a majority vote of 6-3, the judges decided to accept the petition and requested the 62 year old PM to provide a detailed explanation within 15 days.

In a related decision, the court voted 8-1 to dismiss a similar petition against former Prime Minister‘s Office Minister Pichit Chuenban, noting his resignation earlier this week.

The caretaker senators had previously inquired whether PM Srettha and Pichit should be dismissed from their positions under Section 170 (4) and (5) of the constitution, which addresses the ethical conduct of Cabinet ministers.

Before his recent Cabinet appointment, Pichit served as an adviser to PM Srettha. Earlier in his career, Pichit was known for being the lawyer of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra during the lunchbox cash scandal, which resulted in his imprisonment for attempting to bribe the Supreme Court.

This past conviction has raised concerns about his suitability for a ministerial role.

On June 25, 2008, the Supreme Court sentenced Pichit and two others to six months in prison for attempting to bribe court officials by offering a lunchbox containing a paper bag filled with 2 million baht in cash just two weeks earlier.

All three were representing Thaksin and his ex-wife Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra in the Ratchadaphisek land case, for which Thaksin received a two-year prison sentence in 2008.

The Thai prime minister, currently on a trip to Japan, assured reporters last week that he remains focused on his duties despite the ethics complaint filed by the senators with the Constitutional Court.

“I will not be distracted by these complaints and will continue to focus on my responsibilities,”

The Court’s decision to accept the petition against PM Srettha but not to suspend him has garnered significant public attention.

The upcoming explanation from the Thai prime minister and the court’s final ruling will be closely watched, as it could have substantial implications for the current administration, reported Bangkok Post.

As the situation develops, the ethical standards for Thailand’s Cabinet ministers remain under scrutiny, highlighting the ongoing debate over political accountability and integrity within the country’s leadership.