The National Legislative Assembly has scheduled July 28 to consider the National Anti-Corruption Commission's impeachment motion against former deputy interior minister Pracha Prasopdee.
The NACC, following an investigation into complaints against Mr Pracha, accused the former deputy interior minister of abusing his ministerial position to interfere in the Marketing Organisation executive board's inquiry into alleged corruption by former organisation director Theethat Suksa-ard.
The NACC then filed a motion with the NLA for Mr Pracha's impeachment under Section 6 of the 2014 interim constitution for violating the Anti-Corruption Act of 2009.
Surachai Liangboonlertchai, the first deputy president who chaired today's meeting of the NLA, informed the meeting that the NLA had scheduled July 28 for the NACC and Mr Pracha, the accused, to deliver their opening statements.
The meeting also considered Mr Pracha's request to submit an additional document for the NLA to consider. Mr Pracha said it was an NACC confidential document dated Oct 13, 2015 proposing disciplinary action against Marketing Organisation officials, including its executives, for alleged corruption in the renovation of a Thai-style building at the organisation's Bang Khla branch in Chachoengsao province.
Mr Pracha claimed the document was proof that he had never interfered in the work of the Marketing Organisation board and that he had nothing to do with the termination of Mr Theethat as director. He said the NACC had not considered this document in its investigation of his case.
Assistant NACC secretary-general Udomsak Dulyaprapan, representing the commission, told the assembly there was no objection to this document being considered by the NLA.
The NLA voted 108-53 with nine absentions to accept the document for consideration in the impeachment process, which was set for July 28.
The Marketing Organisation is part of the Interior Ministry.