Latest news with #NACC
Bangkok Post
a day ago
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
National Anti-Corruption Commission takes up PM's phone call case
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has unanimously agreed to set up a panel to investigate suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for alleged ethical misconduct, in connection with the audio clip featuring a controversial phone conversation between her and Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. The conversation in question, concerning border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, has not only called into question Ms Paetongtarn's ability to lead the government but also sparked ethical questions. On July 1, the Constitutional Court voted unanimously to accept a petition filed by a group of senators and, by a 7-2 majority, ordered Ms Paetongtarn's suspension from her duties as it began reviewing the leaked audio clip of the private conversation with Hun Sen. In the recording, the premier made critical remarks about the commander of the Second Army Region and appeared overly conciliatory towards the Cambodian strongman, allegedly implying a willingness to yield to his demands. Earlier, the NACC had unanimously agreed to launch a preliminary investigation into the matter, setting a 10-day deadline for officials to verify the facts. The panel was tasked with transcribing the leaked conversation, providing accurate foreign-language translations, interviewing relevant witnesses and reviewing applicable legal precedents. The precedents include the Constitutional Court's ruling in the case of former prime minister Srettha Thavisin, who was removed over his appointment of Pichit Chuenban as minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office. Pichit was convicted of contempt of court for attempting to bribe Supreme Court officials in 2008 while representing former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a controversial land case. The law forbids the appointment of cabinet ministers with a criminal background. NACC chairman Suchart Trakulkasemsuk and commissioner Prapas Kong-ied will serve as members of the new inquiry panel, according to a report by Isra News Agency. The formation of the inquiry panel marks the beginning of a formal legal process under NACC procedures, while several steps remain before any formal charges can be brought, said the report. If sufficient evidence is found, allegations will be formally presented, and the accused will be given the opportunity to respond. Only then will the case file be concluded and submitted to the NACC board for a final decision. On June 20, Senate Speaker Mongkol Surasajja formally signed a letter to the chairman of the NACC, forwarding a complaint submitted by the group of senators against Ms Paetongtarn. The complaint accuses her of a serious violation of ethical standards and possibly of committing a deliberate breach of the constitution or the law. On the same day, Mr Mongkol also filed a petition with the Constitutional Court, requesting a ruling under Section 170, Paragraph 3 in conjunction with Section 86 of the constitution. The petition seeks to determine whether Ms Paetongtarn's premiership should be terminated under Section 170, Paragraph 1 (4), in connection with Sections 160 (4) and (5), due to her alleged misconduct. This development stemmed from a motion filed by Gen Sawat Tatsana, senator and chairman of the Senate's military affairs committee, who earlier gathered signatures from fellow senators calling for the prime minister's removal. They accused her of lacking ability and credibility after she confirmed the veracity of the leaked audio clip. According to Constitutional Court President Nakharin Mektrairat, Ms Paetongtarn can seek a deadline extension to submit her defence in her ongoing ethics case. He confirmed that an extension can be granted, noting that at least one extension is standard practice.
The Diplomat
a day ago
- Politics
- The Diplomat
Thailand Anti-graft Body Says It Will Probe Suspended PM Over Leaked Call
Thailand's anti-corruption body has decided to investigate suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for alleged ethics violations over last month's leaked phone call with Cambodia's influential former leader Hun Sen. According to a report in The Nation, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) yesterday voted unanimously to launch an investigation into whether the 38-year-old violated ethical standards and intentionally abused her power during the phone conversation. The June 15 call, which related to the ongoing border dispute between the two nations, was subsequently leaked by the Cambodian government. In the leaked recording, Paetongtarn appeared to kowtow to Hun Sen, whom she referred to as 'uncle.' She also vowed to 'take care of whatever' the 72-year-old politician needed, and criticized a prominent Thai military commander for inciting anti-government sentiment on the border issue and for being 'completely aligned' with her political opponents. The call has prompted calls for Paetongtarn's resignation, from both sides of Thai politics, while ultra-royalist agitators took to the streets to demand that she step down. On July 1, the Constitutional Court suspended Paetongtarn from office while it investigates her conduct in the call, following a petition from 36 conservative senators who argued that her conduct during the phone call showed a lack of responsibility and integrity and undermined the country's sovereignty. The complaint to the NACC was filed by the same group of senators. The NACC probe will run in parallel with the Constitutional Court's investigation, and a guilty verdict by either body could see Paetongtarn removed from office. The Constitutional Court gave Paetongtarn, who is currently serving in the cabinet as minister of culture, 15 days to submit her defense statement. Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who is filling in as acting premier during Paetongtarn's suspension, said yesterday that the Thai leader will 'probably' ask the court to extend the deadline by 15 days. As The Nation reported, the NACC will now set up an inquiry panel to review the claims made in the petition, and then submit its findings to the full NACC. 'If the commission concludes there are sufficient grounds to support the allegations, the case will be forwarded to the Office of the Attorney General for prosecution,' the newspaper stated. The inquiry panel has up to two years to complete the investigation, although in practice, such cases are usually resolved more quickly. The announcement increases the political pressure on Paetongtarn, who was appointed prime minister last August after the Constitutional Court removed her predecessor, Srettha Thavisin, from office, also for an ethics violation. Conservative opponents of the Shinawatra family have been gunning for Paetongtarn in recent months, as border tensions with Cambodia have increased. Critics accuse the 38-year-old of inexperience and of acting as a proxy for her influential father, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who returned to Thailand in 2023 after more than 15 years in self-exile. The NACC's decision is unsurprising; the body is one of a series of unelected institutions (others include the Constitutional Court and the Election Commission) that the conservative establishment has historically used against its perceived enemies, including a long line of Thaksin-aligned governments. But it does suggest that the verdict is essentially already in, and that the Thai leader's chances of surviving the current crisis are next to zero. (I have previously discussed what might happen in that eventuality here.) Even if Paetongtarn miraculously survives these two investigations, the Bhumjaithai party, which defected from her coalition after the leaked call with Hun Sen, has pledged to file a motion of no-confidence in her government. Royalist pressure groups have also pledged to mount public protests against her government, of a similar nature to those that accompanied the removal, by military or judicial coup, a series of previous pro-Thaksin governments. The question now is less whether Paetongtarn's tenure will be brought to a premature end than when and how.
Business Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Business Times
Suspended Thailand PM Paetongtarn hit by ethics investigation, source and media say
[BANGKOK] Thailand's anti-graft body will investigate suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for alleged ethnics violations over a leaked phone call with Cambodia's influential former leader Hun Sen, an official and local media said on Monday (Jul 14). The investigation will be another blow to the beleaguered government of 38-year-old Paetongtarn, Thailand's youngest premier, who the Constitutional Court suspended from duty earlier this month over the same issue. The leaked Jun 15 call, during which Paetongtarn appeared to kowtow before Hun Sen and criticised a Thai army commander, triggered a major backlash at home, with allegations she had undermined Thailand's integrity and sovereignty amid a heated territorial dispute with Cambodia. Paetongtarn has since seen protests calling for her resignation and the exit from her coalition of its second-largest party, leaving her government with a razor-thin majority. 'The commission has set up an investigation panel. There is no time frame,' said an official from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), who declined to be named because they were not authorised to speak publicly about the matter. The body has a broad remit to probe allegations of offences by state officials beyond graft. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am Asean Business Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies. Sign Up Sign Up Multiple Thai media outlets on Monday reported it had decided to investigate Pateongtarn. NACC secretary-general Sarote Phuengrampan told reporters he was not aware of the investigation or any decision by commissioners. The complaint came from 36 senators, who also petitioned the Constitutional Court, alleging Paetongtarn, the daughter of politically influential billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra, had violated ethical standards and intentionally abused her power. She is suspended from duty until a verdict is delivered. Paetongtarn has apologised for the call and insisted she was trying to find a peaceful solution to an escalating row with Cambodia, which saw a troop build-up on both sides of the border. Her battles after only 10 months in office underline a deep rift in Thailand between the Shinawatra political dynasty and its rivals among a conservative establishment backed by the army, a long-running power struggle that has seen two coups, and the fall of multiple parties and prime ministers by court orders. REUTERS
Barnama
a day ago
- Business
- Barnama
Top News Headlines In Indonesia, Singapore, & Thailand: July 15, 2025
The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has requested an additional Rp118 trillion (US$7.3 billion) to fund President Prabowo Subianto's flagship free nutritious meals programme, but lawmakers say they will review the proposal before approving the funds. After a decade of deadlock, the European Union has shifted its tone in negotiations with Indonesia on a long-awaited free trade agreement, a pivot that some economists attribute to mounting external pressure, particularly the growing uncertainty stemming from United States trade policy. 1. 'SOME CANNOT SOURCE OUTSIDE CHINA': S'PORE FIRMS' CHALLENGES AND SUPPORT NEEDED AMID US TARIFFS -- THE STRAITS TIMES For the past three months, business owner Ernie Koh has been cycling through various scenarios in his head, pending finalisation of tariff rates for Vietnam. 2. WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS RACE AT SENTOSA POSTPONED, WATER QUALITY FAILS TO MEET 'ACCEPTABLE THRESHOLDS' -- CNA The World Aquatics Championships women's open water 10km race at Sentosa was postponed hours before the event was due to begin as water quality levels failed to meet "acceptable thresholds", organisers said. THAILAND 1. LEGAL ACTION SOUGHT AGAINST HUN SEN FOR ALLEGED SEDITION -- THE NATION Thai police have forwarded a case involving Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen to prosecutors, accusing him of sedition over social media activity linked to Thai domestic politics. 2. NACC TAKES UP PM'S PHONE CALL CASE -- BANGKOK POST The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has unanimously agreed to set up a panel to investigate suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for alleged ethical misconduct, in connection with the audio clip featuring a controversial phone conversation between her and Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen. -- BERNAMA BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies. Follow us on social media : Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio Twitter : @ @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial TikTok : @bernamaofficial
AsiaOne
a day ago
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Suspended Thai PM Paetongtarn hit by ethics investigation, source and media say, Asia News
BANGKOK — Thailand's anti-graft body will investigate suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for alleged ethnics violations over a leaked phone call with Cambodia's influential former leader Hun Sen, an official and local media said on Monday (July 14). The investigation will be another blow to the beleaguered government of 38-year-old Paetongtarn, Thailand's youngest premier, who the Constitutional Court suspended from duty earlier this month over the same issue. The leaked June 15 call, during which Paetongtarn appeared to kowtow before Hun Sen and criticised a Thai army commander, triggered a major backlash at home, with allegations she had undermined Thailand's integrity and sovereignty amid a heated territorial dispute with Cambodia. Paetongtarn has since seen protests calling for her resignation and the exit from her coalition of its second-largest party, leaving her government with a razor-thin majority. "The commission has set up an investigation panel. There is no timeframe," said an official from the National Anti-Corruption Commission, who declined to be named because they were not authorised to speak publicly about the matter. The body has a broad remit to probe allegations of offences by state officials beyond graft. Multiple Thai media outlets on Monday reported it had decided to investigate Pateongtarn. The NACC secretary-general Sarote Phuengrampan told reporters he was not aware of the investigation or any decision by commissioners. The complaint came from 36 senators who also petitioned the Constitutional Court alleging Paetongtarn, the daughter of politically influential billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra, had violated ethical standards and intentionally abused her power. She is suspended from duty until a verdict is delivered. Paetongtarn has apologised for the call and insisted she was trying to find a peaceful solution to an escalating row with Cambodia, which saw a troop buildup on both sides of their border. Paetongtarn's battles after only 10 months in office underline a deep rift in Thailand between the Shinawatra political dynasty and its rivals among a conservative establishment backed by the army, a long-running power struggle that has seen two coups and the fall of multiple parties and prime ministers by court orders. [[nid:719752]]
