Senate votes against police request to question Senator Upakit Pachariyangkun

[snoop1130]

 

The Thai Senate voted overwhelming today (Monday) against a police summons for Senator Upakit Pachariyangkun to acknowledge charges of drug trafficking and money laundering, following a debate in parliament after the embattled senator was given a chance to defend himself.

 

Senator Upakit was linked to an influential Myanmar businessman, Tun Min Latt, who has close connections with the Myanmar strongman, who was arrested in Bangkok in September last year on charges of drug trafficking and money laundering.

 

Before the debate, Deputy Senate Speaker Suphachai Somcharoen informed senators about the request from the Royal Thai Police to summon Senator Upakit for questioning regarding the charges against him.  He also informed senators about Section 125 of the Constitution, which prohibits the arrest or detention of a member of parliament unless there is consent from the House or the Senate.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2023-10-09

 

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[jvs]

Unbelievable!and so it goes on,two laws.

One for them and one for the poor people.

Is it any wonder people are starting to dislike

anything that has to do with politicians?

Sure he is willing to defend himself in court.

Edited October 9, 2023 by jvs

[Karma80]

The senate circus continues to be tone deaf to the mood of the nation and reinforce the public opinion they should go.

This isn't a parking ticket - it's drug dealing and money laundering for heavens sake.

Laughable. A low bar.

[mark131v]

4 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

He also informed senators about Section 125 of the Constitution, which prohibits the arrest or detention of a member of parliament unless there is consent from the House or the Senate.

Isn't that essentially saying they are above the law?

 

Everything they say and do appears to be absolutely despicable, how can anybody have any respect for any Thai in a leadership or powerful position when their actions so frequently show them for what they are namely absolute scumbags... 

[ChaiyaTH]

Explains why some thais always brag of having a mp connection

[Haveasay]

All thanks to the last PM. Who himself made sure he's beyond retribution. Can only hope in time farcical constitutional inclusions by previous govts, get withdrawn and the will of the majority gets its way, if a genuine democracy is to exist.

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

He also informed senators about Section 125 of the Constitution, which prohibits the arrest or detention of a member of parliament unless there is consent from the House or the Senate.

Protectionism is still strong.

[Nicholas Paul KNIGHT]

Naturally, do not think for one moment that JUSTICE will be done in this country, more so if you are an APPOINTED  Senator 

[d4dang]

 

Can he be prosecuted after his 5 year term is up? 

[kennw]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Protectionism is still strong.

"Dont set a precedent, down the line it could be any one of us" !!!

[koolkarl]

As long as the Thai people do nothing other than complain on social media, these appointed guys will do whatever they want to with impunity. 

[mikebell]

Thai Democracy!

[spidermike007]

No, you cannot question him. We know he is corrupt but we all are. However, we are above the law and we are above nearly everyone in Thailand. 

 

The army appointed senators are weak, pathetic, cowardly, self entitled hooligans, who are accustomed to a perch atop the ivory tower, scared to death of being taken down a notch, and being asked to be accountable for their heinous and unforgivable actions. Of course they will resort to whatever dirty tactics they can. That is who and what they are. Filth. They are the deplorables.

 

These lowlifes have been bullying the Thai people for many years now. Guess they never expected the favor to be returned. They all assume they are "above it all". Mightier than the masses. Too rich to touch. Well, perhaps things are about to change. Perhaps your lives are about to take a turn for the worse, and you and your families are going to be subject to intense harassment for the cowardly and highly dishonorable positions you accepted. After all, the fortune comes at some cost, right?

 

Even their kids benefit from the fortunes their parents make off their illicit jobs. They are treated special due to their parents positions. They need to know that their parents are monsters. We must stop coddling the kids. Life can and should be ugly for those entire gangster families. Mothers, fathers, cousins, siblings and kids. 
 

[brianthainess]

x 250. send 'em all packing. 

[WHansen]

Expect a lot of prosecutions of senators next year if they are disbanded and can no longer protect each other.

[retarius]

Sometimes I cannot speak without a mouthful of filthy words spewing out of me. This is one of those times, but I will take care not to let my anger make the moderators angry. Here we have a trafficker being protected by appointed senators. IT IS SCANDALOUS. IT is even worse that it is LEGAL. It is OBSCENE. It is a Medieval Constitution that needs ripping ups and burning, imho, it is not fit to wipe ones arse on. 

[Emdog]

Was thinking I would love to have heard the debate when this law was cooked up, but then thought "I bet there was no debate." Not even a "get out of jail free card" more a "never get near a jail, let alone a trial, card"

[Mavideol]

is anybody surprised??? I am not....this justify why they didn't want to vote for the MF party... banana republic that the international community doesn't take them to serious

[billd766]

5 hours ago, koolkarl said:

As long as the Thai people do nothing other than complain on social media, these appointed guys will do whatever they want to with impunity. 

IMHO if Thais actually do physically protest they will be arrested and charged with LM under section 112.

 

Again IMHO, there needs to be at least a million people on the streets to do so. To get that many it will need to be very well organised, because if they are caught before it happens, then they will be arrested and charged with LM under section 112. In addition they will be charged with computer crimes and anything else that the police can hang on them.

Edited October 10, 2023 by billd766
corrected some bad spelling

[madmitch]

They all finish their term of duty next year. Maybe he'll be questioned then.

 

But this is Thailand and who knows what might happen?

Edited October 10, 2023 by madmitch

[fondue zoo]

1 hour ago, madmitch said:

They all finish their term of duty next year. Maybe he'll be questioned then.

 

But this is Thailand and who knows what might happen?

That pot is already bubbling.

 

 

 

 

[MikeN]

^ Well first they have to have a referendum to see if the public want to change the constitution, and then another to approve the changes (said the Constitutional Court). The new govt is already backsliding away from it's alleged desire to change things so I don't think this guy will get what he wants...or the MFP with public support might slip in some of their ideas too, and that would not be what the Senators want !

[Dogmatix]

There is also a minister who spent time in jail for heroin smuggling, another who was censured for corruption while a senior cop, and deputy minister with a mafia making up hit lists of mafia whose son was shot dead in a road rage gunfight started by him and his brother, who didn't think their intended victim might also be armed. He is now also cracking down on guys who carry guns around illegally, presumably so as to reduce the risk to his own illegally armed men.   On top of the whole thing we have a PM who lost the election acting as a nominee for someone who got 10 years in jail for corruption and is supposed to be in jail but isn't.

[Dogmatix]

19 hours ago, fondue zoo said:

That pot is already bubbling.

 

 

Interesting but do you know how the next batch of senators are to be appointe?  Nothing in the constitution about this. So it must be in one of the organic laws.

Edited October 11, 2023 by Dogmatix

[Brickleberry]

On 10/9/2023 at 8:16 PM, Karma80 said:

The senate circus continues to be tone deaf to the mood of the nation and reinforce the public opinion they should go.

This isn't a parking ticket - it's drug dealing and money laundering for heavens sake.

Laughable. A low bar.

There is at least one confirmed ex-drug dealer in the cabinet, why not the senate?

[billd766]

9 hours ago, Dogmatix said:

Interesting but do you know how the next batch of senators are to be appointed?  Nothing in the constitution about this. So it must be in one of the organic laws.

I don't think that anyone really knows at this point, if the new senators will actually be elected or appointed.

 

My heart says that they should be elected, but my mind says that they will be appointed as per the current constitution.

 

The reasoning behind that is that for them to be elected the constitution has to be changed and there is not enough time for that to happen before next May, even IF the current government wants to change it.