May 24, 2024
BANGKOK – Six of the nine Constitutional Court judges decided to accept the petition on Thursday, which calls for Srettha’s removal. The petition filed on May 15 claims that Srettha violated political ethics standards by appointing former lawyer Pichit Chuenban, who once faced criminal charges related to bribery, as PM’s Office minister.
Pichit was given the portfolio after the Cabinet reshuffle on April 28.
In 2008, while representing ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra in court over a controversial land case, the former lawyer was charged with offering a cash bribe of 2 million baht contained in a snack bag to court officials.
He was sentenced to six months in jail for contempt of court when he argued that the bag was only supposed to contain snacks. After completing the court-ordered jail term, the public prosecutors dropped the bribery charges against him.
The petition says Srettha breached the Constitution’s Articles 160 (4) and (5). Article 160 (4) mandates that the PM be of evident integrity, while (5) says the PM’s behaviour must comply with ethical standards.
In the review on Thursday, five out of nine judges ruled not to suspend Srettha, but demanded that he submit documents in his defence within 15 days.
Srettha is on a European and Japanese diplomatic and is scheduled to return on Friday.
The court also said that since Pichit has already stepped down as PM’s Office minister, there is no reason to launch an investigation against him.