Report Court Crushes Petitions: GT200 Fiasco and Prayut's Cabinet Call

[webfact]

GT200. File photo for reference only

 

In a decisive move, Thailand's Constitutional Court has shut down two pivotal petitions. They tackled the infamous GT200 bomb detector mess and scrutinised the former PM, General Prayut, for his choice of Cabinet member. Judgement day saw both cases dismissed without a hint of courtroom drama.

 

GT200 Case Lacks a Bang

 

The first petition, put forward by Colonel Kriangkrai Ladpala, aimed to revisit an earlier verdict concerning the GT200 bomb detectors. These devices were found to be as effective as a twig, sparking legal action against the military officials who bought them. Kriangkrai argued that those officers, allegedly bamboozled by the supplier, shouldn't be left holding the legal bag.

 

Despite this fresh plea, the court remained firm on its previous ruling. With no new evidence to offer, Kriangkrai’s second attempt found itself on the courtroom floor. The court maintained that the legal spotlight shouldn't shift from those who gave the green light for purchase without due diligence.

 

Prayut’s Appointment: A Legal Swing and a Miss

 

The second petition came from the political activist Pirapong Supkitthanakul, who attempted to challenge General Prayut's premiership due to his selection of Thamanat Prompow for a Cabinet position. Thamanat's past criminal conviction for drug trafficking in Australia made waves, and Pirapong leaned on Article 170(4) of the Constitution, claiming this tainted appointment reflected poorly on Prayut's standards.

 

Nonetheless, legal savvy prevailed as the court sidestepped Pirapong’s motion, declaring he lacked the legal muscle to make a complaint under Article 82. The ruling concluded the petition was off-piste and tossed it aside.

 

Judicial Dismissal: No Change in Status Quo

 

In summation, both cases hit a legal dead end with the Constitutional Court's firm rejection. While the GT200 fiasco continues to haunt military purchase history, Prayut's political choices remain unwavered by legal challenges. The judgements uphold a status quo amidst ongoing debates on accountability and ethical governance in Thailand.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Nation 2025-06-06

 

 

[Pouatchee]

Damn, only the innocent seem to go to jail in thailand

[redwood1]

Of all the government corruption scams the GT200 Bomb detector has been my favorite....What make it a true classic was it went on for a number of years and there were repeated massive multi million dollar purchases..

The kickbacks had to have been 70-80%......No one dared speak the truth about the GT200 with this kind of mega payday....

 

Need we even mention the blimp or the submarine...lol

[blaze master]

Long live Prayut.

[chuang]

No one can touch Prayut now...

He has very very strong backing..

[lordgrinz]

2 hours ago, blaze master said:

Long live Prayut.

 

....as a dung beetle. 

[mfd101]

If he lives long enough, his day will come.

 

But it might be quite a wait.

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

These devices were found to be as effective as a twig, sparking legal action against the military officials who bought them. Kriangkrai argued that those officers, allegedly bamboozled by the supplier, shouldn't be left holding the legal bag.

Gotta laugh...