PM Srettha Guilty of Ethical Misconduct, Entire Cabinet Dismissed

[webfact]

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin listens to a question from a reporter during a press conference at Government house in Bangkok, Thailand after a court removed Srettha from office over an ethical violation Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

 

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has been ousted from office by the Constitutional Court today, following a ruling that found him guilty of gross ethical misconduct.

 

This decision came after his controversial appointment of Phichit Chuenban, a long-time lawyer for the influential Shinawatra family, as the Prime Minister’s Office Minister. The court’s verdict also mandates the removal of Srettha's entire cabinet.

 

The court concluded that Srettha exhibited a "lack of evident integrity" when appointing Phichit, who had previously been sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court by the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders in a bribery case.

 

The court underscored that Phichit's criminal record disqualified him from holding a ministerial position, and Srettha should have known and acted accordingly.

 

Despite Srettha’s argument that, as a businessman, he was not familiar with legal intricacies, the court found this defence unacceptable. The court highlighted that Phichit's criminal history was publicly known and that Srettha had sought advice from the Council of State, indicating his awareness of potential qualification issues.

 

Phichit's name was initially excluded from the first list of cabinet ministers but appeared on a revised list after Srettha had consulted with an undisclosed individual.

 

This revised list was subsequently submitted for royal assent. The court interpreted this sequence of actions as evidence that external influences swayed Srettha, thus compromising the integrity of his office.

 

"The Prime Minister should have exercised proper judgement," asserted the court. "Integrity is a fundamental principle, and the reinstatement of Phichit’s name to the cabinet list, after it had been removed, demonstrates a breach of ethical standards."

 

This ruling has significant political implications, leaving Thailand with the immediate task of forming a new government in the wake of Srettha’s and his cabinet's dismissal.

 

-- 2024-08-15

 

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[smedly]

and banned for 10 years

 

muppets

[Gknrd]

The Military hates the Taksin clan.. He should have known better. 

[stoner]

knock knock

who's there

 

it's me anutin. 

[dinsdale]

43 minutes ago, stoner said:

knock knock

who's there

 

it's me anutin. 

The military royalist establishment hates him too. 

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Despite Srettha’s argument that, as a businessman, he was not familiar with legal intricacies, the court found this defence unacceptable. The court highlighted that Phichit's criminal history was publicly known and that Srettha had sought advice from the Council of State, indicating his awareness of potential qualification issues.

 

Phichit's name was initially excluded from the first list of cabinet ministers but appeared on a revised list after Srettha had consulted with an undisclosed individual.

Did Thaksin throw Srettha under the bus or make a huge mistake?

[mattyc1957]

The 'Constitutional Court' seems to hold an awful lot of power. Seems if you get them on your side you can achieve any result you want. Who are its members? What is its intended purpose?

[Dcheech]

Another judicial coup, and what fun! The Deep state smacks down the T man's proxy after putting MFParty down for the count. All in a weeks work. That's a power move.

Thankfully I have a large & strong cup of coffee this morning. I'm going to need it. 
BTW, our offensive line is coming along, but that defense is going to tear helI off the cross this season. 

[dinsdale]

4 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Did Thaksin throw Srettha under the bus or make a huge mistake?

Thaksin set him up BUT PTP as I have said before are as much in the crosshairs of the military royalist establishment as is was MFP now PP. This appointment must have been known by the powers running the show to be enough to bring down the PTP PM and it was allowed to proceed.

[hotchilli]

2 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Thaksin set him up BUT PTP as I have said before are as much in the crosshairs of the military royalist establishment as is was MFP now PP. This appointment must have been known by the powers running the show to be enough to bring down the PTP PM and it was allowed to proceed.

So Thaksin thought he could slip this lawyer into place unnoticed, but the powers to-be said thanks, just the ammunition we needed to oust Srettha?

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, Gknrd said:

The Military hates the Taksin clan

Not only the military hates the criminal and his lackeys.

And we have at least 100 reasons to hate him.

 

[dinsdale]

1 minute ago, hotchilli said:

So Thaksin thought he could slip this lawyer into place unnoticed, but the powers to-be said thanks, just the ammunition we needed to oust Srettha?

Yep and destabalise the entire political landscape with the CC also being directed to dissolve MFP and ban it's executives from politics for 10 yrs. 

[Dcheech]

The Deep State brings the  T Man back to spike the MFP's win, then turns on him. You gotta admire the audacity of their double dealing deceit.  

[hotchilli]

4 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Yep and destabalise the entire political landscape with the CC also being directed to dissolve MFP and ban it's executives from politics for 10 yrs. 

So we have Thaksin trying to play master... but "who" is pulling against him?

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, Gknrd said:

The Military hates the Taksin clan.. He should have known better. 

Reality is that the military machine controls all. 

 

The military machine has controlled the whole situation right back to 1932 ane further back than that.

 

An old learned Thai professor mentioned at a seminar similar to the Siam Society  decades ago that the military controlled everything, his e.g. 'leaders on elephant back fighting the Burmese'. Then 1932 happened as an attempt to install democracy but wasn't really a success and the whole sorry tale has bumped along ever since with the military keeping ultimate control. 

[stoner]

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

The military royalist establishment hates him too. 

 

not with his 77 seats they dont. 

[nobodysfriend]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

a court removed Srettha from office over an ethical violation Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024.

 

At least he traveled first class around the world , stayed in the best hotels , had great food , met world's leaders ... and all at the expense of the thai taxpayer .

Now he can retire from his job , but will have good memories to share with his family .

Good job .

The new one will want to do the same ...?

bye bye ...

[dinsdale]

45 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

So we have Thaksin trying to play master... but "who" is pulling against him?

There is only one true master that overrules everyone else.

[retarius]

Lots of claims by people that do not have any insider information claiming Thaksin has organised this coup on this thread. 

[Wuvu2]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And we have at least 100 reasons to hate him.

I have 420 reasons 🙄

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, Gknrd said:

The Military hates the Taksin clan.. He should have known better. 

They are sleeping together. Thaksin sold his soul and the party to the army, upon his return. He is no threat to them now. They appointed his attorney. 

[mfd101]

43 minutes ago, retarius said:

Lots of claims by people that do not have any insider information claiming Thaksin has organised this coup on this thread. 

Yes, the daily certainties of the ignorant.

[mfd101]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Srettha had sought advice from the Council of State, indicating his awareness of potential qualification issues.

And the Council of State having assured Srettha that all was well, will the Constitutional Court now dismiss all members of the Council of State?

[Emdog]

If the military hates him, can he be all bad?

[klauskunkel]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The court concluded that Srettha exhibited a "lack of evident integrity" when appointing Phichit

The majority of Thai people concluded that the Constitutional Court exhibited a "lack of evident integrity" when dissolving Move Forward Party..., however, the Constitutional Court is not accountable to the people.

[Thingamabob]

Clearly Srettha was set up by the 'undisclosed individual' who advised him to include Phichit in his cabinet. After following that advice he was never going to be in office for very long.

[LALes]

Awesome, bloodless coup for the military.  One week's work got rid of MFP and the PM.

No tanks necessary.

[Dcheech]

32 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

They are sleeping together. Thaksin sold his soul and the party to the army, upon his return. He is no threat to them now. They appointed his attorney. 

Yes, but they knocked down his proxy. They wanted to remind him who was boss, just in case he gets too full of himself ...  again.  

[dinsdale]

1 hour ago, retarius said:

Lots of claims by people that do not have any insider information claiming Thaksin has organised this coup on this thread. 

Not me. This is being manipulated from above. Thaksin coming back, MFP dissolved, ex con being appointed it's all being done to destabalise the political landscape. 

[Thingamabob]

23 minutes ago, Dcheech said:

Yes, but they knocked down his proxy. They wanted to remind him who was boss, just in case he gets too full of himself ...  again.  

Agreed. In terms of the Thai hierarchy Thaksin has never been as powerful as some people on here seem to think.