Pheu Thai Party members had unexpected guests joining their meeting in Udon Thani province on Wednesday as they were mapping out plans to fight impeachment bids against them.
Key Pheu Thai figures led by former prime minister Somchai Wongsawad rented a room at Napalai Hotel in Muang district to discuss their next moves in the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to stop impeachment bids against former northeastern MPs.
Security authories led by Col Supakarn Pubpan, the chief-of-staff of the 24th Military Circle, showed up at the hotel to talk to him about being permitted to attend the meeting, Manager online reported. They agreed to allow two officers each from the army, police and Interior Ministry at the talks.
Chusak Sirinin, the chief legal advisor to the party, said after the meeting that the party explained to the officials that the meeting was not a political gathering as the agenda was centred on the fate of the party members facing impeachment threats.
Pheu Thai did not alert authorities about the schedule as it was not a political initiative, he added.
Authorities recorded the meeting and took the meeting documents with them after it ended before lunchtime.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission has asked the NLA to impeach 258 former MPs, most of them Pheu Thai MPs, for misconduct in connection with the 2013 charter amendment to make the Senate fully elected.
Next meetings of the party will be in Roi Et and Ubon Ratchathani and Mr Chusak said he would not forget to tell authorities in the two provinces in advance.