Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra plans to testify in writing to the Constitutional Court straight away if the court turns down her request Wednesday for extra time to defend herself in the Thawil Pliensri transfer case.
The court originally asked Ms Yingluck to testify by last Friday, but she sought more time. With the court due to give its decision on her request Wednesday, she has offered to send in a written statement immediately if her request is turned down, said Suranand Vejjajiva, secretary-general to the prime minister.
The court is considering her status as prime minister after she unlawfully transferred National Security Council (NSC) secretary-general Thawil.
Mr Suranand also denied rumours that Ms Yingluck plans to flee the country in anticipation of guilty rulings in other cases, one of which concerns alleged dereliction of duty in the rice pledging scheme being investigated by the National Anti-Corruption Commission. If that case reaches the Supreme Court, and if she is found she could face jail.
Ms Yingluck on Tuesday denied reports she would take a break from politics.
The premier said she did not discuss the matter with Thaksin and did not talk to her family about the Shinawatra members washing their hands of politics.
She reiterated she had no desire to cling to the prime minister’s position.
“I have not discussed any political break with anyone. I am not fixed on keeping the job. But what I would like to see is national peace being restored and everyone respecting the rules and having confidence in Thailand,'' the caretaker prime minister said.
Ms Yingluck said Thailand was suffering economic damage and loss of investors' confidence. The delay in organising the general election and the formation of the next government was dampening the country's economic prospects.
Negative impacts from political unrest on the economy could continue until next year, she said.
Asked if it was time to ask the King for guidance on a national solution, she said that may be the duty of the cabinet.
Meanwhile, the government’s Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (Capo) yesterday said Ukrit Mongkolnavin, chairman of the Independent National Rule of Law Commission, has written letters to support Ms Yingluck’s caretaker government.
According to Pol Lt Col Anchulee Teerawongpaisan, deputy spokeswoman of the Royal Thai Police Office, and Sirima Sunawin of the Capo secretariat, Mr Ukrit wrote that the Constitutional Court has no power to rule on the status of Ms Yingluck’s government because the cabinet no longer functions after the House was dissolved on Dec 9 last year.
Also, Ms Yingluck did nothing wrong in exercising her administrative authority to transfer Mr Thawil from the position of the NSC secretary-general, so the transfer did not violate the constitution.
Mr Ukrit also wrote that even if the court rules against Ms Yingluck's prime minister status, the ruling cannot take effect because His Majesty the King had appointed Ms Yingluck as the prime minister, so her premiership can only end by royal command.
In another open letter to Capo, Mr Ukrit said the court trial violated the rule of law because the court unilaterally set its own regulations in handling the case.
Mr Ukrit said the court’s ruling should neither be considered as final nor oblige parliament, the cabinet, courts and other government agencies to do as the ruling orders.
He suggested the court suspend its functions until it complied with the rule of law.