An attorney on Monday called on national police chief Somyot Pumpunmuang to prosecute Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on lese majeste charges for invoking Section 44 of the interim constitution to strip Thaksin Shinawatra of his police rank.
Thanadej Puangpoon of Lighthouse Lawyer Service Co submitted his formal petition to Pol Gen Somyot through Pol Col Yutthapon Kongkaew, deputy chief of Legal Affairs Division at the Royal Thai Police headquarters.
In it, Mr Thanadej said Section 28 of the 2004 National Police Act stipulated that removing the rank of a commissioned police officer must be carried out in accordance with the RTP regulations and under His Majesty the King's endorsement.
- Earlier report: Prayut uses S44 to strip Thaksin of rank
He alleged Gen Prayut's invocation of Section 44 to remove Thaksin's rank of police lieutenant colonel violated Section 112 of the Criminal Code, known as the lese majeste law.
He said Section 28 of the police act clearly states that stripping an officer of his rank requires an announcement issued under royal command and, as a result, Section 44 cannot be used. Gen Prayut and the National Council for Peace and Order had no authority to do so, he maintained.
The lawyer said he petitioned the police chief on his own and was not hired by anyone to do so. He also said he does not know Thaksin nor has had contact with him.
Records show he was a former lawyer of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship.