Experts query Pita snub

Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat raises his fist to fellow MFP MPs as he leaves the parliament chamber on Wednesday afternoon after the Constitutional Court had suspended him from MP duty pending its ruling on his eligibility to run for political office over shareholding in defunct media company iTV Plc. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)
Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat raises his fist to fellow MFP MPs as he leaves the parliament chamber on Wednesday afternoon after the Constitutional Court had suspended him from MP duty pending its ruling on his eligibility to run for political office over shareholding in defunct media company iTV Plc. (Photo: Nutthawat Wicheanbut)

Legal experts are questioning whether a parliament rejecting the renomination of Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat for prime minister was constitutional.

Borwornsak Uwanno, former chair of a constitution drafting committee, on Thursday slammed the resolution on Facebook, saying the Constitutional Court should look into the issue.

"Invoking a parliamentary session regulation has crippled the constitution despite the fact the charter specifically covers the prime ministerial election," he wrote. "It's a pity for Thailand."

He said he was disappointed with MPs who voted against Mr Pita's renomination.

He noted that the parliament's interpretation was not final. Anyone who thought their rights were affected over this matter could petition the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman will submit the petition to the Constitutional Court, Mr Borwornsak said, adding the affected person can also directly petition the court if the Ombudsman doesn't.

His comments came after a majority of MPs and senators voted on Wednesday to reject Mr Pita's renomination on the grounds that parliamentary meeting regulation No.41 prohibited the resubmission of a failed motion during the same parliamentary session.

Legal scholar Jade Donavanik said that he believed Mr Pita's nomination on July 13 was not a motion, so the regulation should not have been applied.

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Vocabulary

  • constitution: the set of laws and basic principles that a country in governed by - รัฐธรรมนูญ
  • constitutional: correct or allowed according to the constitution - ถูกต้องหรืออยู่ในขอบข่ายที่ระบุไว้ในรัฐธรรมนูญ
  • Constitutional Court (noun): the court that decides whether or not laws follow the constitution - ศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ
  • crippled: damaged and prevented from working properly - ที่พัง ที่ใช้การไม่ได้
  • draft: to write a document, plan, etc. that may be changed before it is finally accepted - ร่าง
  • interpretation: an explanation of the meaning or importance of something - การตีความ
  • motion: a formal proposal that people discuss and then vote on in a meeting or debate - ญัตติ, ข้อเสนอเพื่อการอภิปรายในที่ประชุม
  • ombudsman: an official whose job is to examine and report on complaints made by ordinary people about companies, the government or public authorities - ผู้ตรวจการของรัฐสภา
  • petition: to ask someone in authority to do something - ยื่นคำร้อง
  • pity: a strong feeling of sympathy that you have for someone because they are very unhappy or in a bad situation - ความสงสาร
  • prohibit: to not allow; to ban - ห้าม
  • query: to ask a question - ถาม
  • rights (noun): the basic rights which it is generally considered all people (or animals) should have, such as justice, freedom and the freedom to say what you think - สิทธิ
  • session: a formal meeting - การชุมนุม ประชุม
  • snub: insulting someone by ignoring them or being rude to them -
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