The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) on Friday impeached former Pheu Thai MP Pracha Prasopdee and barred him from political or government positions for five years for interfering in an administrative process while deputy interior minister.
The assembly impeached him by 182 votes to seven and suspended his right to hold political or government office.
On Thursday the NLA heard submissions from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and Mr Pracha, 55.
Then NACC member Supa Piyajitti told the assembly that Mr Pracha had phoned a deputy chairman of the Market Organisation on Nov 11, 2012 and ordered the official to postpone a board meeting set for the following day, when it was scheduled to dismiss organisation director Titus Suksaard.
At that time Mr Pracha had not been assigned to supervise the state enterprise under the Interior Ministry, so he was considered to be interfering with it. Besides, authority to dismiss the director rested with the board, not a deputy interior minister, Miss Supa said.
Mr Pracha told the NLA on Thursday that he had authority to do so and had intended only to ensure good management of the organisation.
Mr Titus had been accused of irregularities in a project to renovate the organisation's regional office in Chachoengsao province. He had faced a complaint over price collusion that had put the organisation at a disadvantage.