The Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders will decide next week whether to hear a complaint filed against Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) MP for Ratchaburi, Pareena Kraikupt, who stands accused of serious ethical misconduct in a land encroachment case.
The complaint was filed with the court on Tuesday by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), which last month concluded that the outspoken MP was guilty of gross misconduct as a lawmaker, a criminal offence under the revised NACC law.
According to the NACC, Ms Pareena failed to comply with laws and regulations governing the conservation of nature and natural resources, which are of national interest, and had violated ethical standards expected from a lawmaker.
In its subsequent lawsuit, the NACC also asked the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders to suspend Ms Pareena as an MP until the delivers a ruling and possibly strips her of her political rights for 10 years.
Ms Pareena's land ownership dispute came to light in November 2019, when Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, a former member of the dissolved Thai Raksa Chart Party, asked authorities to inspect her 711-rai poultry farm in Ratchaburi's Chom Bung district.
The Royal Forest Department sprang into action and concluded that her farm encroached on public land. It then asked the NACC to take action against the MP.
A source said if the Supreme Court accepts a breach of ethics case involving public officials, defendants are required to stand down from their duties unless the court says otherwise.