Barkar Nash (Page 949)

The parliament president has advised the Move Forward Party to shelve its request for the parliament to review last week’s rejection of the renomination of its leader Pita Limjaroenrat for prime minister, pending a court ruling.

House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, who is ex-officio parliament president, said on Wednesday the MFP should wait for the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the Ombudsman’s petition for a ruling on the joint sitting’s resolution, pushed through with the backing of appointed senators. 

The Constitutional Court’s ruling would have an effect on the parliament and all concerned, he said.

Mr Wan also said that his decision to postpone indefinitely the parliament’s next vote to select a prime minister, which had been scheduled for Thursday, was free of any political motive.

He made the decision because the Constitutional Court had still to consider the petition from the Office of the Ombudsman, which also asked for a postponement of the vote. 

If the court does not accept the matter for consideration, Mr Wan said, he could set a date for the next parliamentary vote right away.

Mr Pita failed to win a majority vote from both the House and the Senate to become prime minister on July 13.

He was renominated to a joint sitting on July 19 but the joint sitting rejected it on procedural grounds. Opponents argued it was in violation of parliamentary regulation 41, which prohibits the resubmission of a failed motion during the same parliamentary session.

Mr Pita’s supporters and many academics disagreed with the parliament’s resolution on July 19, arguing  that regulation 41 applies to general business, not the prime ministerial nomination, and asked the Constitutional Court through the Ombudsman to rule on the legality of Mr Pita’s renomination. 

Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra would be treated as an elderly prisoner and receive whatever medical treatment he may need if he is imprisoned on his planned return to Thailand on Aug 10, Corrections Department chief Ayut Sinthoppan said on Wednesday.

The department chief gave this assurance after Thaksin’s daughter announced her father would return to Thailand through Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport on August 10. Thaksin has previously said he would enter the justice process. 

When the former prime minister arrived at Don Mueang he would be met by immigration police and a record made of his arrest, Mr Ayut said.

Corrections Department officials would do whatever is ordered under a court warrant, he said. They would be at the court where the arrest warrant was issued. If the charges against the former prime minister ocurred in Bangkok, he would be taken to Bangkok Remand Prison if the court ordered his detention.

To date, the department had not received a court warrant for Thaksin.

Paetongtharn “Ung Ing’’ Shinawatra, one of three Pheu Thai candidates for prime minister, announced on Instagram on Wednesday that her father would arrive at Don Mueang airport on Aug 10.

Mr Ayut said Thaksin would b treated as an elderly inmate. If he had underlining illnesses he would receive medical treatment on the advice of a prison doctor. Thaksin would be quarantined at the prison hospital for Covid-19 testing for 10 days before being moved to a prison patient ward, as was the case with former Department of Special Investigation chief Tarit Pengdit, Mr Ayut said.

There was no timeframe for medical treatment. Doctors based at the prison would assess his condition, he said.

He denied reports that caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Kreu-ngam, as acting justice minister, had coordinated with the department regarding Thaksin’s return. He said Mr Wissanu had not been in contact with him.

Thaksin’s government was overthrown by a military coup on Sept 19, 2006, while he was overseas. He has since lived in self-exile, based in Dubai, except for a brief visit to Thailand in 2008.

During his absence, the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions sentenced him to a total of 12 years imprisonment in four cases.

In the first case, the court found him guilty of abuse of power in his then-wife Khunying Potjaman’s purchase of state-owned land in Ratchadapisek area for less than the market value. In October 2008, he was sentenced to two years in prison. The 10-year statute of limitations on the court ruling expired in October 2018.

In the second case, Thaksin was sentenced to two years in prison after he was found guilty of malfeasance in a case concerning the two- and three-digit lottery.

In the third case, Thaksin was handed down three years in prison for abusing his position by authorising loans totaling 4 billion baht to Myanmar by the Export-Import Bank of Thailand. The loans were used to buy equipment from a telecoms firm owned by his family.

The fourth case resulted in a five-year prison sentence. The court found him guilty of using nominees to hold shares in a telecommunications company, Shin Corp, which is prohibited for any political office holder.

The statute of limitations has not expired in the second, third and fourth cases. 

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is set to arrive at Don Mueang airport on Aug 10, his daughter Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra announced on Instagram on Wednesday.

“I can’t quite believe what I am typing, my father is returning on Aug 10 at Don Mueang airport,” Ms Paetongtarn wrote on her father’s 74th birthday.

According to the Pheu Thai Party’s prime ministerial candidate, she had missed only three of her father’s birthdays, with the latest one being this year, as there were many preparations to be made.

“(Our family) is both glad and worried, but we always respect our father’s decisions,” Ms Paetongtarn wrote.

She extended her best wishes to her father, hoping for his good health and safety, and that he could fulfil his wish of regularly sending his grandchildren off to school.

Ms Paetongtarn also wrote that her father was a prime minister who was recognised for having the most national contributions, but he also faced hardships and mistreatment.

Thaksin had mentioned his plan to return to Thailand since early last year, she wrote.

Since being overthrown by a military coup on Sept 19, 2006, Thaksin has been living in self-imposed exile, except for a brief visit to the country in 2008. During his absence, the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions sentenced him to a total of 12 years in prison in four cases.

In the first case, Thaksin was found guilty of abuse of authority in his then-wife Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra’s purchase of state-owned land in Ratchadaphisek at a price below the market value, resulting in a two-year prison sentence. The 10-year statute of limitations on the court ruling expired in October 2018.

The second case led to a two-year prison sentence for the fugitive former prime minister, as he was found guilty of malfeasance in connection with the two- and three-digit lottery case. 

In the third case, Thaksin received a three-year prison sentence for abusing his position by authorising 4 billion baht in loans to Myanmar through the Export-Import (Exim) Bank of Thailand. The funds were used to purchase equipment from a telecoms firm owned by his family.

The fourth case resulted in a five-year prison sentence for him, as the court found him guilty of using nominees to hold shares in Shin Corp, a telecommunications company, which is prohibited for any political office holder.

The statutes of limitation for the court decisions on the second, third and fourth cases have not expired.

Supporters have called on the Pheu Thai Party to pursue a quick formation of the new government it is set to lead and discard the commitment it has made with seven other parties to build a coalition government together.

A group of red-shirt supporters calling themselves the Media Alliance for Democracy arrived at the Pheu Thai headquarters on Tuesday to offer moral support as the party struggles to assemble a new government.

Pheu Thai has taken the leading role after the Move Forward Party (MFP), which emerged as the biggest party at the May 14 election, failed to do so. MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat has been unable to win enough Senate votes to become prime minister.

The group, led by Chatchawal Kanchanahut and Jutipong Phummul, released a statement on Tuesday, saying the ongoing administrative vacuum is damaging the economy and counter-productive to solving national problems.

The country cannot afford to wait any longer to have a new government, it said.

Some MFP supporters have suggested the selection of a new prime minister in parliament be delayed for another 10 months, by which time the Senate’s term will expire, and it will not stand in the way of Mr Pita becoming the new prime minister.

However, the group insisted people were facing hardship from the soaring cost of living, which must be addressed immediately.

Issuing a five-point recommendation to Pheu Thai, the group said the party is “100%” righteous in seeking to do whatever it takes to muster sufficient support in parliament to materialise a government with no pressure from other parties.

The party has drawn flak, especially from MFP backers, for approaching parties in the previous government as potential coalition partners. They include the Palang Pracharath Party and the United Thai Nation Party, which the MFP supporters branded remnants of the dictatorship of the coup-engineer, the National Council for Peace and Order.

The group also said Pheu Thai has the right to include parties opposing amendments to the lese majeste law in the new government it is trying to create. Amendment is an issue the MFP has campaigned hard for.

The group maintained the memorandum of understanding on government coalition formation, which binds the MFP, Pheu Thai and six other parties, should be scrapped now that the MFP is no longer in charge of putting together a government.

In addition, any one of the Pheu Thai Party’s prime ministerial candidates — Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Srettha Thavisin and Chaikasem Nitisiri — must be nominated for a vote in parliament without delay.

Most importantly, top priority must go to tackling economic problems, the group said.

MRTA sued by BTSC over Orange Line

The Central Administrative Court has ruled in favour of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) in a case brought against it by Bangkok Mass Transit System Plc (BTSC).

The case was regarding the MRTA’s decision on May 24 last year to change the terms of reference (ToR) of bidding for the right to invest in the Orange Line project, a source said on Tuesday.

The BTSC had accused the MRTA committee tasked with selecting a private partner to co-invest in the construction of the Orange Line’s extension between Bang Khun Non-Min Buri of unfairly changing the ToR with the intent of helping a certain bidder win.

The court, however, ruled on Tuesday the MRTA had strictly followed the law on public-private partnership investment and all changes made to the ToR were justifiable, said a source at the court.

The committee allowed 60 days for a public hearing to be conducted on the changes announced on May 24 last year, as required under the 2019 Public-Private Partnership Investment Act, said the source, citing the court’s ruling.

And the fact that BTSC asked MRTA in a letter to extend the bid submission deadline as it needed more time to find a foreign partner to meet the new ToR clearly showed BTSC understood and accepted the new ToR and intended to take part in the new round of bidding, said the source.

The amended ToR required bidders to have previous experience in completing a state construction project.

This requirement is justified as the MRTA has to ensure the winner has the technical capacity and sufficient experience to complete the construction of the Orange Line’s new section, which involves digging a tunnel underneath important areas, said the ruling.

The requirement is also in line with a regulation issued by the Comptroller General’s Department, which is aimed at ensuring confidence in construction projects carried out by government agencies, according to the ruling.

As for BTSC’s claim that the bidding might not be fair as the MRTA owns 8.22% of shares in Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc (BEM), which ultimately won the contract, the court found that the MRTA is actually required to hold some shares in BEM, as outlined by a 2000 cabinet resolution.

His Majesty the King has placed nine schools for underprivileged children under royal patronage, Education Minister Trinuch Thienthong said on Tuesday.

Ms Trinuch said she signed a ministerial announcement on Monday concerning school name alterations after they are adopted by the Rajaprajanugroh Foundation Under Royal Patronage.

The nine schools for underprivileged children were formally named “Sueksa Songkhro” Schools. Ms Trinuch said all of them will be renamed “Rajaprajanugroh” Schools.

Also, they had been registered with the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) under the Education Ministry, however, the nine schools will now come under Rajaprajanugroh Foundation Under Royal Patronage’s management.

The nine schools are: Sueksa Songkhro Bang Kruai School in Nonthaburi, Sueksa Songkhro Mae Hong Son School in Mae Hong Son, Sueksa Songkhro Chiang Mai School in Chiang Mai, Sueksa Songkhro Chiang Dao School in Chiang Mai, Sueksa Songkhro Mae Chan School in Chiang Rai, Sueksa Songkhro Thawat Buri School in Roi Et, Sueksa Songkhro Surat Thani School in Surat Thani, Sueksa Songkhro Phatthalung School in Phatthalung and Sueksa Songkhro Narathiwat School in Narathiwat.

They become the 58th-66th Rajaprajanugroh Schools under the King’s royal patronage, Ms Trinuch added.

“The school name alteration and transfer to the Rajaprajanugroh Foundation Under Royal Patronage will allow students to be granted scholarships and have many more opportunities in education,” Ms Trinuch said.

She said that the nine schools had been selected because of the number of underprivileged children who need immediate help. The students will soon be given lessons to improve life skills such as culinary practice, farming, sports and music.

His Majesty the King has placed nine schools for underprivileged children under royal patronage, Education Minister Trinuch Thienthong said on Tuesday.

Ms Trinuch said she signed a ministerial announcement on Monday concerning school name alterations after they are adopted by the Rajaprajanugroh Foundation Under Royal Patronage.

The nine schools for underprivileged children were formally named “Sueksa Songkhro” Schools. Ms Trinuch said all of them will be renamed “Rajaprajanugroh” Schools.

Also, they had been registered with the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) under the Education Ministry, however, the nine schools will now come under Rajaprajanugroh Foundation Under Royal Patronage’s management.

The nine schools are: Sueksa Songkhro Bang Kruai School in Nonthaburi, Sueksa Songkhro Mae Hong Son School in Mae Hong Son, Sueksa Songkhro Chiang Mai School in Chiang Mai, Sueksa Songkhro Chiang Dao School in Chiang Mai, Sueksa Songkhro Mae Chan School in Chiang Rai, Sueksa Songkhro Thawat Buri School in Roi Et, Sueksa Songkhro Surat Thani School in Surat Thani, Sueksa Songkhro Phatthalung School in Phatthalung and Sueksa Songkhro Narathiwat School in Narathiwat.

They become the 58th-66th Rajaprajanugroh Schools under the King’s royal patronage, Ms Trinuch added.

“The school name alteration and transfer to the Rajaprajanugroh Foundation Under Royal Patronage will allow students to be granted scholarships and have many more opportunities in education,” Ms Trinuch said.

She said that the nine schools had been selected because of the number of underprivileged children who need immediate help. The students will soon be given lessons to improve life skills such as culinary practice, farming, sports and music.