Varathep faces challenge over post

The Nation

Newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana, right, and his deputy Sermsak Pongpanich, left, talk to the media in front of the Thai Khu Fah building at Government House before attending their swearing-in ceremony.

BANGKOK: -- Varathep Ratanakorn, the new PM's Office Minister, may face a petition to the Constitution Court over whether he's qualified to take the Cabinet post.

Senator Prasarn Maruekapitak said yesterday he believes Varathep, who received a suspended sentence over the government lottery scandal, is not qualified and his appointment may be a violation of Section 174 (5) of the charter.

Varathep was banned from politics by the Supreme Court on September 30, 2009 and received a two-year suspended sentence in a corruption case involving the two- and three-digit lottery during his term as deputy finance minister. Prasarn said he would petition the Constitution Court next week over the matter.

"Section 174 (5) states that a minister must not have been sentenced to prison and appointed no sooner than after five years of serving the sentence unless the crime is due to carelessness. For Varathep, it's been less than five years and his sentence was related to corruption, so he seems to lack the qualifications," said Prasarn, adding that as a member of the House Committee on Good Governance and Corruption Monitoring, he would also raise the matter with the committee.

Prasarn said he would also urge the committee to summons the fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

"So far no related agencies have arrested [Thaksin] despite the fact that they know which country he is travelling to, but claim they do not know his exact address. I see it as an excuse and an intention not to carry out their duty under Article 157 of the Criminal Code."

Cabinet secretary-general Ampon Kittiampon said there would be no problems with Varathep's appointment and that the Cabinet secretariat's legal experts had verified his qualifications.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday summoned her newly appointed ministers to personally give them their job assignments.

Cabinet members, permanent secretaries and aides lined up at Government House awaiting their turn to see Yingluck in her office.

Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana said he and Deputy Education Minister Sermsak Pongpanich had met Yingluck and received their orders.

"The prime minister wants the Education Ministry to ensure smooth distribution of tablet computers to first graders," he said.

Phongthep said his other tasks include mapping out a solution for graduates to access start-up funds that would enable them to repay their student loans.

He said he would also focus on tailoring the education system to meet market demands.

Commenting on his concurrent position as deputy PM, Phongthep said Yingluck had yet to make those assignments. He said he expected the reallocation of duties among deputy premiers to be finalised after the new Cabinet's first meeting, which is tentatively scheduled for next week.

He dismissed speculation about a quota system to allocate Cabinet seats and assignments.

Phongthep also sought to allay concerns about frequent changes in the Education Ministry, saying that even though the education portfolio had changed hands three times in a year, the government and its education policies were unchanged.

He said he would carry on the work of his predecessor Suchart Tadathamrongvej.

Speaking after his meeting with the PM, Sermsak said he was ready to serve and work as an educator.

He did not mind the education post even though he had prior experience in the Interior Ministry. "I think education is a very challenging job," he said.

Deputy Commerce Minister Natthawut Saikua said Yingluck had full control of the Cabinet line-up, and that the red shirts had not made any demands about Cabinet positions.

A number of red shirts voiced support for a post for their leader Jatuporn Promphan, but this was just their personal view, Natthawut said, adding that he talked with Jatuporn every day and could therefore confirm that there was no rift between the government and the red-shirt movement.

-- The Nation 2012-10-31

[...]...unless the crime is due to carelessness. [...]

It always is, because they couldn't care less about the law.

Cabinet secretary-general Ampon Kittiampon said there would be no problems with Varathep's appointment and that the Cabinet secretariat's legal experts had verified his qualifications.

Would that be under the laws of the land or under Thaksins interpretation of the law as he sees it ?

He did not mind the education post even though he had prior experience in the Interior Ministry. "I think education is a very challenging job," he said.

The challenge begins with how to suck the corruption out of it as he did with the lottery scam when he was Interior Minister.

The challenge continues with how to do so without getting caught as he did when he was Interior Minister.

The proven crooks of Thai Rak Thai return.

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Edited October 31, 201213 yr by Buchholz

Hey, with his criminal background he seems qualified for the current govt.

Yet another reward for loyalty..

Is there a government in the world with as many convictions or pending convictions?

This must be a Guinness World Record

Is there a government in the world with as many convictions or pending convictions?

This must be a Guinness World Record

That goes along with the other thread:

Yingluck And Her Cabinet Full Of Glittering Prizes

If he was sentenced for corruption that would make him perfectly qualified for life in Thai politics, I thought it was a mandatory requirement.

Sent from my GT-I9003

"Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday summoned her newly appointed ministers to personally give them their job assignments"

From Thaksin with love, more like it!! Oh, I forgot the kisses XXXXX .

Prerequisite to be a minister in the Yingluck Adminstration. Any combination or all of the following:

1. Criminal record.

2. Indicted terrorists.

3. Ex-convict

4. Relative of Shinawatra family either directly or by marriage.

5. Lap dog to Shinawatra family willing to sell your soul.

I mean - you have to laugh right? Another scammer with a doubtful past and he gets an appointment. Is there no shame in this country - or is it there just simply is not a 'clean' person with ethics, who can step up and take a post?

As to the PM personally giving them their postings I would love to see her give a 'job' description. That would be the same George Bush sitting there with the book upside down. And even funnier to actually have that description published so the public who were stupid enough to vote for her, could see exactly what they are not able to achieve...

Job Description: Don't do anything until the boss is back but keep finding ways to fill the back room coffers

Thaksin's puppet parties do seem to have serious problems reading, understanding or obeying electoral law. And of course, when their breaches are pointed out and rectified, the regulatory bodies concerned are biased puppet stooges of the amart ruling class.

After massive political upheaval and violence leading to many deaths, political division of the country, and politicians being banned from their sources of (legitimate and illegitimate) income, you might think they could rectify their failings. Unless it is intentional.

Edited October 31, 201213 yr by OzMick

I mean - you have to laugh right? Another scammer with a doubtful past and he gets an appointment. Is there no shame in this country - or is it there just simply is not a 'clean' person with ethics, who can step up and take a post?

...

Well, last time someone like that came around an angry mob tried to kill him.

Prerequisite to be a minister in the Yingluck Adminstration. Any combination or all of the following:

1. Criminal record.

2. Indicted terrorists.

3. Ex-convict

4. Relative of Shinawatra family either directly or by marriage.

5. Lap dog to Shinawatra family willing to sell your soul.

I think that this is probably more correct

1.Relative of Shinawatra family either directly or by marriage.

2.Lap dog to Shinawatra family willing to sell your soul.

3.Indicted terrorists.

4 Criminal record.

5. Ex-convict

Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana said he and Deputy Education Minister Sermsak Pongpanich had met Yingluck and received their orders.

"The prime minister wants the Education Ministry to ensure smooth distribution of tablet computers to first graders," he said.

As far as I understand distribution is no problem (assuming more shipments arrive, are checked, repackaged, moved to schools). The problem is in infrastructure, teaching teachers, meaningful incorporating the use of tabletPCs in the P1 curriculum and find some good reasons to expand the project to cover students in other classes than P1 as well

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday summoned her newly appointed ministers to personally give them their job assignments.

Cabinet members, permanent secretaries and aides lined up at Government House awaiting their turn to see Yingluck in her office.

The welcome speech from Ms. Yingluck might be something like:

I have personally handpicked you using as criteria knowledge, capabilities, potential and suitability. My brother, who has nothing to do with this and only helps me because he thinks I need it being a novice at playing PM, has told me to agree completely with my choice.

Now as for your job assignment, first priority is preparing yourself for the censure debate, following which the only priority left if getting my brother who I miss so much back home.

Prerequisite to be a minister in the Yingluck Adminstration. Any combination or all of the following:

1. Criminal record.

2. Indicted terrorists.

3. Ex-convict

4. Relative of Shinawatra family either directly or by marriage.

5. Lap dog to Shinawatra family willing to sell your soul.

I think that this is probably more correct

1.Relative of Shinawatra family either directly or by marriage.

2.Lap dog to Shinawatra family willing to sell your soul.

3.Indicted terrorists.

4 Criminal record.

5. Ex-convict

I stand corrected

BANGKOK: -- Varathep Ratanakorn, the new PM's Office Minister, may face a petition to the Constitution Court over whether he's qualified to take the Cabinet post.

Senator Prasarn Maruekapitak said yesterday he believes Varathep, who received a suspended sentence over the government lottery scandal, is not qualified and his appointment may be a violation of Section 174 (5) of the charter.

Today, the Senate Speaker, forwarded the petition from the Senate to the Constitution Court to obtain a ruling on whether or not Yingluck's Minister Varathep was qualified for his position.

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BANGKOK: -- Varathep Ratanakorn, the new PM's Office Minister, may face a petition to the Constitution Court over whether he's qualified to take the Cabinet post.

Senator Prasarn Maruekapitak said yesterday he believes Varathep, who received a suspended sentence over the government lottery scandal, is not qualified and his appointment may be a violation of Section 174 (5) of the charter.

Today, the Senate Speaker, forwarded the petition from the Senate to the Constitution Court to obtain a ruling on whether or not Yingluck's Minister Varathep was qualified for his position.

As an update, the Constitution Court did receive the Senate petition and is to announce it's ruling tomorrow at 2 pm.

Court Secretary-General Chaowana Traimas said the judges would decide on Prime Minister Office Minister Varathep's qualifications for a Cabinet position under the constitution.

His guilty finding and prison sentence (suspended) while he was Deputy Finance Minister in the Thaksin Cabinet will be adjudicated as to whether or not that is disqualifying.

He was made PM Office Minister in the last reshuffle after his banishment from politics on an unrelated electoral fraud conviction had expired.

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Edited January 31, 201313 yr by Buchholz

IF the convicted Varathep is disqualified as PM Office Minister tomorrow, at least a replacement could be included in the pending Cabinet reshuffle for Tourism/Sport Minister instead of needing a further Cabinet reshuffle after the pending one.

That way there's only 4 Cabinet reshuffles in 19 months, instead of 5.

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Thank-heavens there is a bottomless-pool of talent and ability within the PTP/Red-Shirt ranks !

This afternoon, In a 6 to 3 decision, the Constitution Court ruled in favor of PM Office Minister Varathep and determined he was NOT disqualified from his position due to his conviction and suspended prison sentence.

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This afternoon, In a 6 to 3 decision, the Constitution Court ruled in favor of PM Office Minister Varathep and determined he was NOT disqualified from his position due to his conviction and suspended prison sentence.

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Oh, I'm sure that after being not punished in any meaningful way for his previous corruption he will walk a straight line this time around.

This afternoon, In a 6 to 3 decision, the Constitution Court ruled in favor of PM Office Minister Varathep and determined he was NOT disqualified from his position due to his conviction and suspended prison sentence.

Oh, I'm sure that after being not punished in any meaningful way for his previous corruption he will walk a straight line this time around.

Yingluck's Minister Varathep's case hinged on the prison sentence of his conviction in the lottery scam.

The Constitution Court interpreted the appropriate section as meaning disqualification did not include prison sentences that were suspended.

If, however, he had spent even a single day in the clink, he'd have been given the heave-ho from the Cabinet.

I agree that certainly with two convictions under his belt now, that's he's learned his lesson to behave.

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Actually, a nice piece of circular logic.

He gets suspended prison sentences because of his government position.

He gets government positions because his prison sentences were suspended.

Actually, a nice piece of circular logic.

He gets suspended prison sentences because of his government position.

He gets government positions because his prison sentences were suspended.

Yingluck's Cabinet marches on...

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