Thai former MPs face impeachment as screw tightens on Shinawatras
AFP

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's anti-graft body on Thursday launched impeachment proceedings against 250 ex-lawmakers, the majority from the toppled ruling party of Yingluck Shinawatra, in a move that could be a bodyblow to her family's political network.

If the junta-picked National Legislative Assembly (NLA) votes for impeachment the former MPs will be banned from politics for five years, eviscerating the political base of the Shinawatra clan whose parties have swept every Thai election since 2001.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission says a 2013 attempt by Yingluck's Peau Thai party to tweak the kingdom's charter to make the upper house a fully elected chamber was unconstitutional.

"The NACC decided to file case to the NLA to impeach 250 MPs who signed up to support charter amendment because they intended to breach the 2007 constitution," the anti-graft body said in a statement.

The decision came just hours after the NLA voted not to impeach 38 former senators over the same issue, initially appearing to lessen the likelihood of the NACC pressing ahead with impeachment proceedings for the lawmakers.

As yet there is no date set for the assembly to vote on the impeachment.

Thailand's junta says it was forced to take power in May last year to restore order after months of street protests against Yingluck's government.

Critics say those protests were choreographed to prod an army intervention on behalf of the Thai elite, who accuse the Shinawatra clan of poisoning Thai politics with money and nepotism.

Peau Thai member Amnuay Klangpa told AFP that 160 party members were in the firing line after the NACC decision.

"I am confident they cannot impeach us because MPs had the right to amend the constitution and all processes were carried out within the law," he added.

Retroactive impeachment has already been brought down on Yingluck -- the younger sister of billionaire former premier Thaksin Shinwatra -- over her role in a bungled rice subsidy scheme.

She also faces criminal prosecution carrying up to 10 years in jail over the scheme, which funnelled cash to her family's rural support base.

Thailand's political landscape has been battered by nearly a decade of violent street protests, coups and legal manoeuvres leaving the country deeply divided.

Thaksin sits at the heart of the kingdom's political rupture after sweeping the 2001 polls with his pledge to represent Thailand's poor and drive the nation's economy.

Thaksin was toppled by a 2006 coup and now lives in self-exile to avoid jail on a corruption charge.

His sister Yingluck was ousted by a court decision eight years later, weeks before the latest coup knocked out the remnants of her government.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-03-13

Yes its only Justice that the people who have overthrown the Constitution with a Military takeover now seek impeachment of those who had the temerity to try and change the constitution by democratic means

If is wasn't plain to see before it certainly is now. This coup is purely to remove opposition of the elite and push honest working Thai's back to Serfdom

The PM assured recently that corruption will be fought and many of us posted about the likely selective application of the fight.

I'm definitely not a fan of the Shins and their sycophants but there's more than enough corruption here to go around and the PM would score a big PR victory if he proves that no one is above the law.

Let's face it, if there's anyone who needs favourable press it's ....!

So far, in respect of extreme wealth and nepotism, he's made it clear that certain people are all but untouchable.

Yes its only Justice that the people who have overthrown the Constitution with a Military takeover now seek impeachment of those who had the temerity to try and change the constitution by democratic means

If is wasn't plain to see before it certainly is now. This coup is purely to remove opposition of the elite and push honest working Thai's back to Serfdom

The problem arose when they tried to subvert democratic means to have the amendment passed.

It was agreed by the house with all parties in favor that the senate be fully elected and the first reading was passed.

Then it went to the committee stage and sneaky changes were made to allow relatives of sitting MP's to become senators and to do away with the 6 year term.

These were designed to give a party in power a hold over the senate and turn it into a rubber stamp.

When the amended bill was brought back for the second and third reading the speaker refused to let the opposition have their say then after they had been told the secession was over and to go home the bill was passed unopposed at 4.30am.

They didn't have to do this as they had the numbers to pass the bill, all they had to do was follow the correct procedure.

No it isn't to get rid of opposition, it is to ensure things like that don't ever happen again.

Yes its only Justice that the people who have overthrown the Constitution with a Military takeover now seek impeachment of those who had the temerity to try and change the constitution by democratic means

If is wasn't plain to see before it certainly is now. This coup is purely to remove opposition of the elite and push honest working Thai's back to Serfdom

The problem arose when they tried to subvert democratic means to have the amendment passed.

It was agreed by the house with all parties in favor that the senate be fully elected and the first reading was passed.

Then it went to the committee stage and sneaky changes were made to allow relatives of sitting MP's to become senators and to do away with the 6 year term.

These were designed to give a party in power a hold over the senate and turn it into a rubber stamp.

When the amended bill was brought back for the second and third reading the speaker refused to let the opposition have their say then after they had been told the secession was over and to go home the bill was passed unopposed at 4.30am.

They didn't have to do this as they had the numbers to pass the bill, all they had to do was follow the correct procedure.

No it isn't to get rid of opposition, it is to ensure things like that don't ever happen again.

This sneaky stuff and voting on behalf of this person and that person was the reason the Constitution Court rule the bill void.

Pretty sure they can come up with another 250 new friends and thieves to take their place while these spend 5 years in the penalty box

The money they make and have is what they should be after, unless you take away their ill gotten gains and toss them in jail .. .so what

5 year political ban for a few hundred million seems worth it

Yes its only Justice that the people who have overthrown the Constitution with a Military takeover now seek impeachment of those who had the temerity to try and change the constitution by democratic means

If is wasn't plain to see before it certainly is now. This coup is purely to remove opposition of the elite and push honest working Thai's back to Serfdom

Get an education, Pratt!

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Yes its only Justice that the people who have overthrown the Constitution with a Military takeover now seek impeachment of those who had the temerity to try and change the constitution by democratic means

If is wasn't plain to see before it certainly is now. This coup is purely to remove opposition of the elite and push honest working Thai's back to Serfdom

Get an education, Pratt!

Well funny , took you long enough to think that one up , those long winter nights must fly by

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Yes its only Justice that the people who have overthrown the Constitution with a Military takeover now seek impeachment of those who had the temerity to try and change the constitution by democratic means

If is wasn't plain to see before it certainly is now. This coup is purely to remove opposition of the elite and push honest working Thai's back to Serfdom

Get an education, Pratt!

Well funny , took you long enough to think that one up , those long winter nights must fly by

Well your use of 'democratic means' does seem rather ignorant of the events. Maybe those honest working Thais should elect some honest working representatives instead of venal criminals will to sell their vote for a few thousand baht per month.

Yes its only Justice that the people who have overthrown the Constitution with a Military takeover now seek impeachment of those who had the temerity to try and change the constitution by democratic means

If is wasn't plain to see before it certainly is now. This coup is purely to remove opposition of the elite and push honest working Thai's back to Serfdom

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Yes its only Justice that the people who have overthrown the Constitution with a Military takeover now seek impeachment of those who had the temerity to try and change the constitution by democratic means

If is wasn't plain to see before it certainly is now. This coup is purely to remove opposition of the elite and push honest working Thai's back to Serfdom

Get an education, Pratt!

Well funny , took you long enough to think that one up , those long winter nights must fly by

Ignoring the banter Pratt, now you know the facts of this case, I think you'll agree that PTP are hardly the democratic champions they like to pretend to be; or honest in their words and actions.

This was not the only instance of lying and cheating whilst ignoring parliamentary procedures.

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Yes its only Justice that the people who have overthrown the Constitution with a Military takeover now seek impeachment of those who had the temerity to try and change the constitution by democratic means

If is wasn't plain to see before it certainly is now. This coup is purely to remove opposition of the elite and push honest working Thai's back to Serfdom

Get an education, Pratt!

Well funny , took you long enough to think that one up , those long winter nights must fly by

Ignoring the banter Pratt, now you know the facts of this case, I think you'll agree that PTP are hardly the democratic champions they like to pretend to be; or honest in their words and actions.

This was not the only instance of lying and cheating whilst ignoring parliamentary procedures.

.....but hopefully the last!!!

The best thing the Junta can do is to disband both the PTPS and the Democrats and level the entire playing field.

Ban all current and past politicians from the last 5-10 years and start afresh.

Pull Al the stops out and get rid of the 50 odd party system, make it literally a 2 or 3 horse race, and see how that goes.

But to do this they need to allow these new political parties to form, and be able to start selecting MPs from respective regions.

Ban anyone who was part of the current Junta from standing Too.

But let's not have these 3 parties as the RTA, RTN and the RTAF 555555

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Yes its only Justice that the people who have overthrown the Constitution with a Military takeover now seek impeachment of those who had the temerity to try and change the constitution by democratic means

If is wasn't plain to see before it certainly is now. This coup is purely to remove opposition of the elite and push honest working Thai's back to Serfdom

Get an education, Pratt!

Well funny , took you long enough to think that one up , those long winter nights must fly by

Bearing in mind his past quotes, and where he comes from this probably represents unparalleled heights of sophistication!

If you look at pictures of the NCPO and NLA voting, there are less than fifty people present....

Here comes the old boss, same as the new boss.

"The National Anti-Corruption Commission says a 2013 attempt by Yingluck's Peau Thai party to tweak the kingdom's charter to make the upper house a fully elected chamber was unconstitutional". and yet it's okay for Prayuth to come to power with an illegal coup, totally scrap the 2007 constitution and replace it with one of his own liking that exempts himself from any future charges? How does that work? Wake up Thailand.... Don't bother tweaking it, just scrap it!

I'm glad that finally the current PM takes a hard stand on bringing family members into power or government!

Well...except appointing his brother as Military commander and Chief...

...and giving his wife a government paid secretary...

...and that secretary being a cousin...

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Yes its only Justice that the people who have overthrown the Constitution with a Military takeover now seek impeachment of those who had the temerity to try and change the constitution by democratic means

If is wasn't plain to see before it certainly is now. This coup is purely to remove opposition of the elite and push honest working Thai's back to Serfdom

Get an education, Pratt!

Well funny , took you long enough to think that one up , those long winter nights must fly by

Bearing in mind his past quotes, and where he comes from this probably represents unparalleled heights of sophistication!

And where he comes from? Oh I see, a thick mick, a paddy, a bog trotter. Ha ha ha very good. Must remember that one. Or maybe I should write "where he come's from"

If you look at pictures of the NCPO and NLA voting, there are less than fifty people present....

Here comes the old boss, same as the new boss.

NCPO? Voting?

Here we have the NACC forwarding a request for impeachment to the NLA which will deliberate whether or not they will pick up the request and if they do then after further deliberations, questions to and answers from the 'accused', will vote.

So, what were you talking about?

Was Taksin toppled by a 2006 coup? If my memory serves me well this is not true?

If this were a body, it would be like cutting off its own arms and legs simply to spite itself and prove an unprovable point.

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Yes its only Justice that the people who have overthrown the Constitution with a Military takeover now seek impeachment of those who had the temerity to try and change the constitution by democratic means

If is wasn't plain to see before it certainly is now. This coup is purely to remove opposition of the elite and push honest working Thai's back to Serfdom

Get an education, Pratt!

Well funny , took you long enough to think that one up , those long winter nights must fly by

Bearing in mind his past quotes, and where he comes from this probably represents unparalleled heights of sophistication!

And where he comes from? Oh I see, a thick mick, a paddy, a bog trotter. Ha ha ha very good. Must remember that one. Or maybe I should write "where he come's from"

Guess the mods are only banning junta critics for personal attacks. Seen several from this junta fanatic lately getting by without any censure.