NACC targets 38 ex-senators

[webfact]

NACC targets 38 ex-senators
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The national anti-graft agency decided yesterday to initiate impeachment proceedings against 38 former senators accused of violating the abolished 2007 Constitution by backing amendments that would have allegedly benefited them.

In a majority vote yesterday, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) resolved to call on the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to impeach the ex-senators in question, NACC secretary-general Sansern Poljieak said.

The NACC has decided to forward its investigation results and accompanying documents to the NLA for further action, Sansern added.

He said the NACC still had the power to seek the former senators' impeachment even though the 2007 Constitution was abolished after the coup.

The NACC had agreed to look into the case and had followed due process even before the coup, Sansern explained. Also, he added, the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act is still in force, which empowers the NACC to investigate the case.

Many of the targeted ex-senators had been elected from the provinces and some of them are now members of the NLA or the National Reform Council, including Direk Thuengfang.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/NACC-targets-38-ex-senators-30247735.html


-- The Nation 2014-11-14

[NongKhaiKid]

Good luck with that.

Nice attention grabbing headline but look at some of those being looked at !

Ah well

[RustBucket]

Many of the targeted ex-senators had been elected from the provinces and some of them are now members of the NLA or the National Reform Council, including Direk Thuengfang.

Hmmmm..... I could be wrong here, but wouldn't there be a slight hint of conflict of interest here?

Sounds quite insane, of course we all know the NLA will 'buddy up' to protect their colleagues.

What the hell are Thaksinites doing on the NLA anyway?

I thought these committees were supposed to be made up of non partisan figures????

This place is a shambles and will head back to yet another coup over the coming few years. This will not heal the country, it will create divisions just as much as there was before.

Edited November 14, 2014 by RustBucket

[chainarong]

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Many of the targeted ex-senators had been elected from the provinces and some of them are now members of the NLA or the National Reform Council, including Direk Thuengfang.

Hmmmm..... I could be wrong here, but wouldn't there be a slight hint of conflict of interest here?

Sounds quite insane, of course we all know the NLA will 'buddy up' to protect their colleagues.

What the hell are Thaksinites doing on the NLA anyway?

I thought these committees were supposed to be made up of non partisan figures????

This place is a shambles and will head back to yet another coup over the coming few years. This will not heal the country, it will create divisions just as much as there was before.

You are not telling us anything we don't know , regarding the Shambles line, TVF has been in the fore front of this since the Coup, I predict a coup in 2020.

[EnglishJohn]

Great : put every last one of those dirty SOBs behind bars as an example to future governments.

Sorry, nodded off for a moment. I realise now the NACC's case will be quashed by other people long before it gets near any court. We don't want to set a precedent that politicians can be prosecuted.

If they can't get a case as clear as Yingluck's past the OAG, these have no chance.

[smedly]

Many of the targeted ex-senators had been elected from the provinces and some of them are now members of the NLA or the National Reform Council, including Direk Thuengfang.

Hmmmm..... I could be wrong here, but wouldn't there be a slight hint of conflict of interest here?

Sounds quite insane, of course we all know the NLA will 'buddy up' to protect their colleagues.

What the hell are Thaksinites doing on the NLA anyway?

I thought these committees were supposed to be made up of non partisan figures????

This place is a shambles and will head back to yet another coup over the coming few years. This will not heal the country, it will create divisions just as much as there was before.

have to agree

it seems they cannot find 200-300 educated people in this country that are not in someones pocket to make changes that will put an end to this cycle of election - abuse - theft - division - unrest - coup, if you look at the last 20 years you see 4x 5 years cycle of those that have been banned and ended up in office again and again..........ban them for life - if they have already abused while in office then they have no place getting back there...........don't they get it

Unfortunately it's starting to look like this post will still be on topic 20 years from now

two simple rules will sort this out

1. Life ban for abuse instead of 5 years

2. For Charter/constitution amendments and some other bills in the lower house must get 2/3 majority to get passed

If they had had these in place 3 years ago there would have been no issues and no coup - even the rice pledging scam would most likely have never got through without some alterations

I don't care who wins an election here as long as they are held accountable and cannot get away with rampant abuse

[rickirs]

If the NACC truly has the authority to seek impeachment of government officials for violating the 2007 Constitution even though the 2007 Constitution was abolished after the coup, then would it not also have the same authority to target the current NCPO and government leaders for violating the 2007 Constitution? The Junta had immunized itself from criminal charges by granting itself amensty in the 2014 Interim Charter but the 2007 Constitution does not provide for such immunity. So it would seem that the NACC, if it is truly an Independent Organization to pursue government corruption under the 2007 Constitution, should not restrain itself from examining NCPO actions.

Obviously, the NACC has not charged the NCPO with violating the 2007 Constitution which means it is being selective in its exercise of law. It would seem that all Thais are not equal under the rule of law. Some are above the law as they have made themselves The Law.

Thailand has had 20 abolished Constitutions since the 1933 military overthrow of the King. It would seem that the NACC, by its use of the 2007 Constitution as its authority, can pick and choose whatever Constitution it feels could be applied to punish any government official. If there is an area for reform, the NACC's "independence" should be a target for examination.

[Rimmer]

Troll post and a reply removed

[SOTIRIOS]

...with all the delays in laying charges on the big players....what is this...second choice....???

[toybits]

Trying to amend the Constitution - you get investigated. Abolishing the constitution - nada!!!

[FangFerang]

Prosecuting anyone for violating the rules of an abolished constitution retroactively is didactically wrong, incorrect and absurd. It sets a very dangerous precedent that is highly questionable no matter who is being pursued. It seems that if constitutional charges had been filed before the abolition, then it would be a matter of due process. To retroactively seek to enforce an abolished legal writ is, frankly, insane and highly suspicious.

This logic allows the government, at any time, to pursue those who violated any law, constitutional or otherwise, for any reason and at any time retroactively, and at any length of time after said laws were struck down or abolished.

I spoke to a Thai lawyer about it, actually a Thai attorney and University lecturer, and this is what he said:

"They are making it up as they go along, and any convictions are unlikely to be upheld by subsequent governments. Even though the law now states that there are no appeals under the current government, that iron blanket will not last for any time, because it is being used to enforce a temporary law with a permanent injunction."

[Robby nz]

Prosecuting anyone for violating the rules of an abolished constitution retroactively is didactically wrong, incorrect and absurd. It sets a very dangerous precedent that is highly questionable no matter who is being pursued. It seems that if constitutional charges had been filed before the abolition, then it would be a matter of due process. To retroactively seek to enforce an abolished legal writ is, frankly, insane and highly suspicious.

This logic allows the government, at any time, to pursue those who violated any law, constitutional or otherwise, for any reason and at any time retroactively, and at any length of time after said laws were struck down or abolished.

I spoke to a Thai lawyer about it, actually a Thai attorney and University lecturer, and this is what he said:

"They are making it up as they go along, and any convictions are unlikely to be upheld by subsequent governments. Even though the law now states that there are no appeals under the current government, that iron blanket will not last for any time, because it is being used to enforce a temporary law with a permanent injunction."

Wrong again.

Anyone who broke the law should (must) be answerable regardless of whether the law is changed after they broke it.

If they broke the law that was in place at the time of the criminal act they should be held responsible.

If the law on murder is changed it does not mean that previous murders did not take place.

Not to go after them in these instances would send a clear message to all future politicians that they could get away with anything they wanted by changing the law.

That was what the amnesty bill tried to do and that is what has led us to where we are today.

[sjaak327]

Prosecuting anyone for violating the rules of an abolished constitution retroactively is didactically wrong, incorrect and absurd. It sets a very dangerous precedent that is highly questionable no matter who is being pursued. It seems that if constitutional charges had been filed before the abolition, then it would be a matter of due process. To retroactively seek to enforce an abolished legal writ is, frankly, insane and highly suspicious.

This logic allows the government, at any time, to pursue those who violated any law, constitutional or otherwise, for any reason and at any time retroactively, and at any length of time after said laws were struck down or abolished.

I spoke to a Thai lawyer about it, actually a Thai attorney and University lecturer, and this is what he said:

"They are making it up as they go along, and any convictions are unlikely to be upheld by subsequent governments. Even though the law now states that there are no appeals under the current government, that iron blanket will not last for any time, because it is being used to enforce a temporary law with a permanent injunction."

Wrong again.

Anyone who broke the law should (must) be answerable regardless of whether the law is changed after they broke it.

If they broke the law that was in place at the time of the criminal act they should be held responsible.

If the law on murder is changed it does not mean that previous murders did not take place.

Not to go after them in these instances would send a clear message to all future politicians that they could get away with anything they wanted by changing the law.

That was what the amnesty bill tried to do and that is what has led us to where we are today.

By that definition, Prayuth and other members of the NCPO should also be prosecuted. Thanks for confirming you agree they should be prosecuted.

[Thanet]

More blah blah blah to placate fools the believe it.