Anti-government protesters will hold a rally the day the Constitutional Court rules on caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinwatra's case over the removal of security chief Thawil Pliensri, protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban said on Wednesday night.
Suthep Thaugsuban signals a major rally on judgement day about the status of caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)
Mr Suthep, secretary-general of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), made the announcement in his nightly speech to followers.
The court has set no agenda to hear final arguments or to give its decision, but has signalled it will begin hearings immediately after Songkran, or in about two weeks.
Mr Thawil has been reinstated as chief of the National Security Council (NSC). He was removed from the jobt and made a prime ministerial adviser in 2011. He took his unwelcome transfer to the Administrative Court, which ruled that he be reinstated.
Mr Suthep, who is wanted on several arrest warrants, said critics claim the Constitutional Court lacks authority to consider the case, and others claim the Court has "double standards", but he rejected these claims.
“When former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had just started working, people wanted me to order the Culture Ministry to take on some MPs to work there.
"However, I was warned that I could not do that because it was illegal intervention in the civil service, so I retracted that order,” he told supporters at Lumpini Park on Wednesday night. His speeches are broadcast by Bluesky TV.
He said that in the 2009 case, "There was no transfer order yet, but the National Anti-Corruption Commission resolved that I was wrong under the constitution" and forwarded the case to the Senate for impeachment. The Senate voted against impeaching him.
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“I cannot comment on the opinion of the Constitutional Court judges, but if you ask me, I believe that Ms Yingluck is certainly guilty because Mr Thawil did nothing wrong as the NSC chief. The premier wanted her relative to become national police chief so she kicked Mr Thawil out and transferred the then police chief to head the NSC,” said Mr Suthep.
If the Constitutional Court finds Ms Yingluck abused her authority, she will have to step down immediately. The court could also rule against the cabinet for supporting her move, which would disqualify the entire caretaker cabinet and leave Thailand without any government.
Mr Suthep said that if the court disqualfies Ms Yingluck, it would be an important "judgement day".
The Constitutional Court had given Ms Yingluck 15 days to prepare her defence, so PDRC supporters should prepare for a big rally after Songkran, he said.