A group of senators will ask the Senate Speaker to suspend the selection of members of independent organisations on May 29-30.
They argued the selection process could be marred if it is to be allowed to go ahead as several members of the Upper House have been accused of being involved in vote rigging in last year's Senate election. The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and the Election Commission (EC) are jointly conducting the inquiry. The DSI has been handling allegations of money laundering and illegal collusion over the poll that was held in June last year, while the EC is focusing its probe on Senate election law violations.
Aside from the first batch of 55 senators summoned earlier over the alleged vote rigging, the candidates who lost their races and who are on the reserve list may also have engaged in collusion. They will likely be required to speak to the EC as well, said a source. So far, over 140 people have been summoned by the EC.
In light of the probe, a group of the so-called "minority senators", including Premsak Piayura and Nantana Nantavaropas are moving to gather the signatures of at least 20 senators to petition the Senate Speaker to halt the selection process. The Senate is meeting on May 29-30 to select members of independent organisations.
A Senate committee will check the background and conduct of nominees for two Constitutional Court judge vacancies, while another Senate committee will check nominees for one vacancy for an election commissioner. The Senate will select three members of the National Anti-Corruption Commission and another Senate committee will run checks on one nominee for the post of attorney-general.
Previously, Dr Premsak also called on the Senate Speaker to postpone the selection process, saying the main aim of a special parliamentary session on May 29-30 is to deliberate the budget bill for the 2026 fiscal year. However, it turns out the Senate has put the selection process on the session's agenda and the Upper House will hold a separate meeting for the selection process, Dr Premsak said.
Sen Nantana, also from the New Breed Senate group, said on Wednesday that if the senators who are accused of being involved in vote-rigging are allowed to select members of independent organisations, it could spell disaster for the country.
"It would be a severe conflict of interest because most senators are accused of securing their post illegitimately. They are now being investigated by the EC and the DSI," she said.
"If the court rules those senators are guilty as alleged, the Senate's selection of members of independent organisations will leave a disgraceful legacy on the country and this will have a negative effect on the status of independent organisations," Ms Nantana said.
She said the signatures of at least 20 senators will be gathered to petition the Senate Speaker on May 30 to halt the process. However, she admitted the signature-collection bid may not be easy because the Senate Speaker, Mongkol Surasajja, is among the 55 senators accused in the vote-rigging case.
Ms Nantana previously said she will also submit a petition to the Constitutional Court seeking a suspension of the Senate's authority to approve appointments to independent state agencies. She said she is acting now while a probe into the senatorial elections is underway. The petition will be submitted to Senate Speaker Mr Mongkol, also along with the signatures of at least 20 supporting senators, before being forwarded to the court.
It calls on all 200 senators to refrain from duties related to approving independent organisation officials.