Jump to content

Rice pledging scheme: PM Prayut defends use of Article 44


Recommended Posts

Posted

RICE PLEDGING SCHEME
PM defends use of Article 44

WASAMON AUDJARINT
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE ENFORCEMENT of Article 44 of the interim charter in the rice-pledging scheme was mainly to grant legal protection to members of committees working on related cases, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday.

The need to fasten the process was crucial, Prayut said during his weekly press briefing, as the cases will be considered by the civil courts and have only one-year prescriptions.

"I have used the existing [legal] mechanisms as much as possible, but they are not enough to accelerate the working process," he said.

"For example, proceeding with a public hearing could take as much as two years," the premier said. "Should we wait that long? It can be fastened under this current [legal] circumstance, so why not?"

"I haven't used it [article 44] to overrule the laws or benefit any particular individuals, but to protect working officials to make them work more comfortably."

The order will also protect rightful officials from "dark authority", the premier added, possibly referring to how some of the committee members have to investigate their former commanders.

Apart from speeding up the process, Prayut added, his order will not support violations of original laws or regulations. He also stressed that the order was never meant to abuse any parties.

The premier, who is also the leader of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), on Sunday invoked his special power to guarantee officials protection against legal and disciplinary actions while they work on cases related to the managing of rice in government stockpiles and the selling off of rice stocks.

Such actions during the Yingluck Shinawatra administration were considered illegal.

The order came after it was reported that the officials were working under pressure and fear of possible legal consequences.

But Prayut's order has been criticised by members of the Phue Thai Party, most notably former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom, who said the order is a government self-defence tool and it proves that it was intended to make Yingluck and the scheme political scapegoats.

Anusorn Iamsa-ard, acting deputy spokesperson of Pheu Thai, agreed with Boonsong and said that the order could bring about early amnesties for related committee members and officials.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/PM-defends-use-of-Article-44-30272211.html

nationlogo.jpg
-- The Nation 2015-11-04

Posted

Make the most of it son one day it maybe you at the other end

You are wrong not right

But that is just your opinion, which like mine and 99% of all the posters on TVF is meaningless in Thailand.

Posted

Maybe the Constitutional Court should decide whether use of Article 44 circumvents due process of law.

But it can't because the Junta's use of Article 44 is automatically treated as contitutional. Rather convenient I'd say.

Posted

Why would anyone trust beaurcrats and civil servants to do an honest jobs. Anyone who has dealth with any of these Government offices knows they are as bent as anything regardless of who is in power. If you cant trust them to do their job day to day, why the hell would anyone trust them now.

Anyone ever dealth with the lands department, the immigration, the police, revenue department...........

I bet they will be rubbing their hands together at this little lot. If they go ahead and now take massive bribes from a party, are they covered by amnesty on all sides?

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



×
×
  • Create New...