Impeachment of Puea Thai MPs mulled
Sixty skipped House session to visit Thaksin
* Published: 14/11/2009 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: _News_
(http://www.bangkokpost.com/advance-search/?papers_sec_id=1)
Democrat Party MPs are planning to seek the impeachment of about 60
opposition Puea Thai Party MPs who skipped a parliamentary meeting to see
former
prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Cambodia yesterday.
Watchara Phetthong, a Democrat MP for Bangkok, said the Puea Thai MPs would
obviously rather serve a convict than work for the public interest.
They ran a serious risk of violating Section 157 of the Criminal Code for
neglecting their duties, he said.
He said all MPs had received letters informing them about the joint
parliament meeting, which was an important session, in advance.
Democrat MP Atthaporn Polabutr said his party would study relevant laws to
see if the MPs who had missed the session could lose their MP seats.
Kowit Tharana, a Democrat MP for Bangkok, said Thaksin was a convict on the
run and it was inappropriate for MPs to consort with him. He said if found
guilty under Section 157, they would be liable for impeachment.
Yesterday, about 60 Puea Thai MPs boarded a bus and five minivans to head
to Siem Reap in Cambodia to give Thaksin, who has been named the Cambodian
government's economic adviser, their moral support.
Puea Thai MP for Chiang Mai Surapong Towijakchaikul said before leaving for
Siem Reap that the 60 MPs would have dinner with Thaksin at a hotel and
stay overnight there.
Thaksin is scheduled to leave Cambodia today. They will also see him off at
the airport .
Mr Surapong brushed aside the Democrats' impeachment threat, saying all 60
MPs took business leave properly yesterday.
In the past Democrat MPs had been absent from parliamentary meetings and
caused the lack of a quorum several times, he said.
Puea Thai MP Sunai Julapongsatorn said he apologised for the MPs' absence
but added it was not every day that the MPs got to meet Thaksin in person.
Mr Sunai said the Puea Thai MPs paid for their own travel expenses. They
were there to attend Thaksin's lecture arranged especially for them.
Thaksin had earlier delivered a special lecture on economic rejuvenation
and his successful economic policies to the Cambodian government and business
people, Mr Sunai said.
Parliament President Chai Chidchob yesterday put off the joint parliament
meeting to Nov 20 following the lack of a quorum caused by the mass absence
of opposition MPs.
Somboon Uthaiwiankul, a Democrat MP for Trang, said a total of 79 MPs
failed to attend the joint parliament meeting yesterday. The majority of them
were Puea Thai MPs.
About the author
Writer: Manop Thip-Osod and Aekarach Sattaburuth
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