NLA vote to impeach under threat

NLA vote to impeach under threat

The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) is reportedly split into three groups over an impeachment bid against former Senate speaker Nikhom Wairatpanich and ex-House speaker Somsak Kiatsuranon, an NLA source said yesterday.

According to the source, one group wants the NLA president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai to suspend a NLA regulation to allow for the setting up of a committee to study the issue before a vote is called.

The source said this group wants to clear any legal questions before a vote is cast and this means the vote can be delayed for 30 days.

The NLA president is required to include on the agenda an impeachment request within 30 days after accepting it from the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

The NLA will be asked to vote whether to accept it today.

Another group wants to ask the Constitutional Court to rule if the NLA has the authority to proceed with the vote, the source said. The third group wants to proceed with the impeachment request right away.

The source said the Secretariat of the Senate yesterday handed out a copy of the NACC's impeachment report to the NLA members for study prior to today's vote.

Several members may choose to sit out the vote today, said NLA whip Gen Akanit Muensawat.

He said a number of NLA members, especially those who are new to the job, still have questions about the impeachment case and may abstain from voting if they are still in doubt when the vote is called.

There are concerns that if a large number of NLA members abstain from voting, the vote could fail, he said.

"Some are considering abstaining because they are undecided,'' he said. ''I am concerned that if there are a lot of abstentions, what should the next step be?" Earlier, the NLA president promised to allow an extensive debate on the impeachment request before the members cast their vote.

While the NLA members have no doubts about their authority to impeach, they are not sure if they can proceed with the bid to impeach Mr Nikhom and Mr Somsak as the 2007 constitution was rendered void by the May 22 coup.

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