By Thai Newsroom Reporters
FOR FEAR OF the possibility that the court-suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra might be acquitted of an impeachment case by the Constitutional Court on the upcoming Friday, a parallel lawsuit was filed by a group of political activists to the National Anti-Corruption Commission today (Aug.26) and supposedly destined for the Supreme Court in a latest effort to have Thailand’s second woman prime minister impeached and deposed by law.
The separate impeachment lawsuit accuses the prime minister, daughter of de facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra, of perpetrating a severe breach of a politician’s ethics and manifesting lack of evident honesty allegedly tantamount to an act of treason during last June’s leaked cellphone conversation between senior Cambodian leader Hun Sen and herself pertaining to Thai-Cambodian border conflict.
According to the petitioners, Paetongtarn allegedly performed as a traitor to Thailand by leaking intelligence about Thai armed forces’ planned defence missions to the apparent enemy at the height of border tensions between the neighbouring countries, failed to protect and maintain Thailand’s national interests, flouted territorial integrity and prestige of this country and offered to serve the enemy’s interests during her exposed, spontaneous chitchat with Hun Sen.
“It was a secret deal which severely violated the country’s diplomatic protocol, ethical code and laws,” commented former senator Somchai Sawaengkarn who was among the petitioners including political activists Tul Sitthisomwong and Nititorn Lamlua.
If the NACC accepts the latest lawsuit filed against the beleaguered prime minister who has been suspended by the Constitutional Court from performing as head of government pending a court verdict on the earlier-lodged impeachment case on the upcoming Friday, the anti-graft agency will launch investigation into Paetongtarn’s alleged misconduct and forward the case attached with results of the probe to the Supreme Court judges in charge of criminal lawsuits against persons in political positions.
If finally ruled guilty by the Supreme Court judges, she could possibly not only be deposed of her elected premiership but be subject to legal penalties which could possibly warrant a jail sentence and a prohibition from engaging in political activity at all levels for life.
Fears among government critics have exponentially risen over the probability that Paetongtarn might barely survive Friday’s ruling of the Constitutional Court, thus being exonerated of all impeachment charges, whereas allegations of attempted payoffs have prevailed as the last resort to keeping her in power, prompting those anti-government activists to file the parallel lawsuit to the Supreme Court via the NACC.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page: Suspended prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Photos: Thai Rath
Insert: Former senator Somchai Sawaengkarn. Photo: Thai Rath
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