Thai Senators File Varathep Petition

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Senators file Varathep petition

The Nation

Senate Speaker Nikom Wairatpanij, fourth from left, accepts a petition from Senator Prasarn Maruekapitak and 23 other senators that calls on the Constitution Court to rule on the qualifications of newly appointed PM Office minister

BANGKOK: -- Senator Prasarn Maruekapitak led a group of 23 other appointed senators to petition Senate Speaker Nikom Wairatpanij to examine the eligibility of newly appointed Prime Minister's Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn.

Violation of articles

The letter asks Nikom to forward the petition to the Constitution Court to rule on whether Varathep's appointment is in violation of articles 175 (5) and 182 (3) (5) of the charter.

Prasarn believes Varathep, who was sentenced to a two-year suspended jail term in September 2009 over the lottery scandal, is ineligible because the law states that officials who've been sentenced for corruption are automatically banned from politics for five years.

Some academics have stated that Cabinet members should be held to a higher level of ethics.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday defended Varathep, saying his appointment is constitutional and no related agencies have opposed it. However, the opposition party and the senators are free to state their case, she said.

Yingluck also praised red-shirt co-leader Jatuporn Promphan for not making an issue out of not being appointed to a Cabinet post.

"Some things need to consider reason and timing and this doesn't mean Jatuporn doesn't care for the people," she said.

Varathep said he is not worried about the moves to disqualify him. He expressed confidence that his appointment is constitutional.

He said that the vetting of his suitability for the post was made transparently. It's up to the Senate speaker to decide whether to forward the letter to the Constitutional Court, he said.

In the meantime, Varathep vowed to immediately carry out his duties.

Further, he defended his morality and said if the law bars him from taking the post, then he would not be permitted to do so.

As for the two-year suspended sentence he received, he said that period is now over as it's been more than three years now.

Asked if he felt pressured that he's facing opposition even before he begins his job, he replied that's a normal predicament for a politician.

-- The Nation 2012-11-02

[LuckyLew]

I find it amazing how often people with less than admirable records

keep getting appointments and cabinet positions.

[asiawatcher]

I love the way they don't deny the reports! They just keep quoting if the law wishes to oppose they can but as yet, have not. Same line from the puppet PM.

[OzMick]

Fair suck of the sauce stick, boys. Will one more criminal in the PTP lin-up make any difference? What's next, complaining about all those party list MPs using their appointment to dodge prosecution?

[animatic]

I find it amazing how often people with less than admirable records

keep getting appointments and cabinet positions.

The duties performed for the Liege Lord more often than not caused their convictions,

they fall on their swords and get a seat back at the table closer to power later on.

This is a classic example.

[AleG]

Prasarn believes Varathep, who was sentenced to a two-year suspended jail term in September 2009 over the lottery scandal, is ineligible because the law states that officials who've been sentenced for corruption are automatically banned from politics for five years.

Any politician found guilty of corruption or abuse of power should be banned from politics permanently. Five years?, pffff!

[Pushit]

Prasarn believes Varathep, who was sentenced to a two-year suspended jail term in September 2009 over the lottery scandal, is ineligible because the law states that officials who've been sentenced for corruption are automatically banned from politics for five years.

Any politician found guilty of corruption or abuse of power should be banned from politics permanently. Five years?, pffff!

Any politician found guilty of corruption or abuse of power should be Jailed !!

[fxe1200]

"It's up to the Senate speaker to decide whether to forward the letter to the Constitutional Court, he said."

Lets wait and see. But: One crow does not peck the other's eyes.

[Pimay1]

Yingluck also praised red-shirt co-leader Jatuporn Promphan for not making an issue out of not being appointed to a Cabinet post.

"Some things need to consider reason and timing and this doesn't mean Jatuporn doesn't care for the people," she said.

Interpretation: My brother and I are glad this loose cannon Jatuporn didn't realize he is the latest of the useful idiots we dumped.

"Either he takes it or leaves it. His time is finished with us. Let him eat cake."

[Rancid]

Now hang on a minute, this is the same group of high paid toadies appointed by the army, those that have never even stood for election, and here they are outlining what they think about eligibility. Ha, ha, ha, you have to love Thailand, where else would such a dodgy group of sychophants even get a side article in the Obituary in a newspaper, not that most are far ffrom the lead article? Where else would they even have the complete audacity to talk about legitimacy.

[OzMick]

Now hang on a minute, this is the same group of high paid toadies appointed by the army, those that have never even stood for election, and here they are outlining what they think about eligibility. Ha, ha, ha, you have to love Thailand, where else would such a dodgy group of sychophants even get a side article in the Obituary in a newspaper, not that most are far ffrom the lead article? Where else would they even have the complete audacity to talk about legitimacy.

But, are they wrong?