Attorney General Must Report to Constitutional Court Within 15 Days
PUBLISHED: 22 Oct 2024 at 17:25
The Constitutional Court convened on Tuesday, issuing an order for the attorney general to report back in 15 days regarding the status of a petition filed against Thaksin Shinawatra and his perceived influence over the Pheu Thai Party.
Lawyer Therayut Suwankesorn submitted a comprehensive 5,080-page petition on October 10, alleging that the former prime minister poses a significant threat to the constitutional monarchy through his sway over the ruling coalition party. The petition requests an official order to curb this influence.
Thaksin is identified as the primary respondent, with the Pheu Thai Party, headed by his daughter Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, named as the secondary respondent. The petition outlines six distinct allegations against both parties.
Key accusations claim that Thaksin manipulated the Ministry of Justice to prolong his stay at Police General Hospital following his conviction for abuse of power. Additionally, Therayut alleges that Thaksin attempts to share marine resources with Cambodia despite ongoing boundary disputes.
Further allegations point to Thaksin’s direction for the Pheu Thai Party to collaborate with the People’s Party in advocating for constitutional amendments. Notably, this party is a continuation of the disbanded Move Forward Party, previously ruled to threaten the constitutional monarchy.
Therayut also claims Thaksin engaged in discussions regarding a successor to former Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin just before Srettha faced an ethics violation dismissal on the same day.
Moreover, Thaksin is accused of orchestrating the exclusion of the Palang Pracharath Party from the coalition setup and aligning government policies with his previous statements made in August.
After noticing no action from the attorney general within the legally stipulated timeframe of 15 days, Therayut escalated the petition directly to the Constitutional Court. The court has since requested the attorney general to clarify how the petition is being managed and evidence compiled, mandating the report within the given timeframe.
