The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) on Thursday decided by a vote of 96-1, with 75 abstentions, to hold a closed-door meeting to consider whether it has the power to impeach former Senate speaker Nikhom Wairatpanich and former House speaker Somsak Kiatsuranon.
The meeting, chaired by NLA chairman Pornpetch Wichitcholachai, first agreed to move up for consideration the National Anti-Corruption Commission's (NACC) motion seeking to impeach Mr Nikhom and Mr Somsak for their support of an attempt to amend the 2007 constitution to make the Senate fully elected. The motion was intially seventh on the meeting agenda.
The NACC move came after the Constitutional Court ruled that the charter amendment to establish a fully elected Senate was in breach of Section 68 of the constitution, which prohibits unconstitutional efforts to seize power.
Somchai Sawaengkarn, a member of the NLA whip, proposed the meeting be held in camera. Many NLA members including Wallop Tangkhananurak, Jate Sirathananon and Tuang Anthachai, were of the opinion that it was not necessary to do so, reasoning there was nothing secret about the impeachment push.
Mr Pornpetch called a vote to decide on the matter. The meeting subsequently voted 96-1 in favour of a secret meeting, while 75 other NLA members in attendance did not vote.
The meeting was continuing in camera to decide whether the NLA has the power to impeach the two former legislators.
A decision was expected to be reached today.