Latest news with #PichetChuamuangphan
Bangkok Post
a day ago
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Small win for graft fight
The falling from grace of Pichet Chuamuangphan, the First Deputy House Speaker, highlights a lapse in ethical standards among lawmakers. It also raises scrutiny of Section 144 of the 2017 Constitution, written to prevent lawmakers from using public money for personal or political gain, under which he was judged. The Constitutional Court on Friday found Mr Pichet had a role in pushing three projects to influence budget decisions for personal gain. He used his authority as both an MP of the Pheu Thai Party and job as First Deputy House Speaker to favour voters in his constituency, despite trying his best to cover it up. The court ordered Mr Pichet's MP status be terminated from Aug 1, and revoked his right to run in elections for 10 years. As a result, he lost the much coveted First Deputy House Speaker post. For the record, Mr Pichet is the first politician penalised for violating Section 144. But his transgression is not unusual among MPs and ministers. Lawmakers are known for resorting to budget tricks to have money diverted to their constituencies. Coalition governments also tamper with the budget to finance unnecessary election promises. This is what voters almost expect of the political and governing class, but it doesn't make it right. Mr Pichet initiated the projects to promote democracy among the younger generation, improve public participation and empower women's rights. The projects were to be conducted in his constituency in Chiang Rai province. The projects look sound, yet the process for obtaining the money was not. To make sure his proposals evaded tight budget scrutiny and audit compliance, Mr Pichet ordered his adviser to revise the details. Activities under the projects were redeveloped into 2,294 seminars for 124,700 villagers, but still attracted the scrutiny of the opposition. This petition was brought to court by People's Party MP Bhuntin Noumjerm, joined by 120 other lawmakers from his party. Mr Pichet's case is just a start. In the next few months, the court will decide whether the government under PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra violated Section 144 for moving 35 billion baht from state banks to fund the digital wallet handout. Section 144 was written by a coup maker-installed charter panel to prohibit the slashing of budget allocations used to fulfil legal obligations, particularly allocations set aside for debt payment to banks under the Financial and Fiscal Discipline Act. The decision affected several state-run banks, including the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives, which lost 31.3 billion baht, the Government Savings Bank (2.68 billion baht) and the Government Housing Bank (592 million baht). The allocations were originally intended to compensate the banks for revenue losses as a result of implementing state projects such as a debt suspension scheme for struggling farmers and a crop price guarantee project.
Bangkok Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Strained ties over deputy speaker role
Tensions are running high within the coalition government after the ruling Pheu Thai Party on Tuesday insisted the position of first deputy House speaker belongs to its quota, following an unexpected bid by the Klatham Party, a small yet powerful coalition partner, to nominate its own candidate for the post. The selection is required after Pheu Thai's Pichet Chuamuangphan was thrown out of parliament by the Constitutional Court. Mr Pichet, who represented Chiang Rai, lost his MP status on Friday after the charter court ruled he had violated Section 144 of the Constitution by misusing state funds. Sorawong Thienthong, the tourism and sports minister and Pheu Thai's secretary-general, said the party's MP had arranged to discuss the nomination later on Tuesday. The party nominated Chaiya Promma, MP for Nong Bua Lam Phu and a former deputy agriculture minister, as the candidate for first deputy speaker. The party's MPs reached the decision in a meeting ahead of the scheduled vote on Thursday. Mr Sorawong expressed surprise over a social media post by Klatham secretary-general Phai Lik, in which he requested that his party be given the deputy speakership. "We haven't had any discussions on this. I don't understand why Klatham felt emboldened to make such a request publicly," he said, though adding that the issue could be resolved through talks. House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said the deputy House speaker selection is urgent due to the need for full House leadership ahead of intense budget deliberations next Thursday and Friday. Meanwhile, Education Minister and Klatham leader Narumon Pinyosinwat voiced frustration over the lack of consultation within the coalition, while confirming her party had long expressed its readiness to nominate a candidate. "We've intentionally kept this issue out of the media spotlight due to ongoing national problems -- floods, economic challenges and border tensions," she said. "But when there's no communication at all, it becomes a problem. We are coalition partners. We should be talking." Ms Narumon warned that failure to engage in dialogue over key parliamentary roles could damage working relationships in the House.
Bangkok Post
7 days ago
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Court disqualifies Pheu Thai MP for misuse of funds
The Constitutional Court on Friday disqualified Pichet Chuamuangphan as a Chiang Rai MP for violating Section 144 of the Constitution by misusing public funds. Mr Pichet, who served as first deputy House speaker, was accused of influencing the approval of three budget proposals from the Secretariat of the House of Representatives. The case was filed by People's Party MP Bhuntin Noumjerm and 120 other MPs. In its ruling, the court found that Mr Pichet, from the governing Pheu Thai Party, had a role in pushing the three projects and used his authority as both an MP and deputy speaker to influence budget decisions for personal political gain. His action was a breach of Section 144 which prohibits lawmakers from altering or adding to a budget bill in a manner that leads to the misuse of state funds. The court ordered that Mr Pichet's MP status be terminated, effective from Aug 1, and revoked his right to contest elections for 10 years. As a result, he also lost his deputy speaker's post.
Bangkok Post
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Court to issue Pichet ruling on Friday
The Constitutional Court will issue its final ruling on Friday in the case of Pichet Chuamuangphan, the first deputy House speaker, who stands accused of unlawfully influencing budget allocations for projects in his Chiang Rai constituency. The court announced Wednesday it had ordered the inclusion of both parties' closing statements in the case file, ruling the evidence and legal arguments were sufficient for a decision. Final deliberations will begin at 9.30am, with the ruling scheduled for 3pm. The case was filed by People's Party MP Bhuntin Noumjerm and 120 other MPs who alleged Mr Pichet had influenced the approval of three budget proposals from the Secretariat of the House of Representatives. He said Mr Pichet, a Pheu Thai MP, directed his adviser to draft seminar proposals focused primarily on his home province, later reallocating the funds to other initiatives. The actions may contravene Section 144 of the constitution, which prohibits lawmakers from altering or adding to the budget bill in a manner that leads to the misuse of state funds, according to Mr Bhuntin. Mr Pichet's proposals drew objections from the Office of Policy and Planning and Office of Finance for not complying with parliamentary regulations and may breach constitutional spending provisions.
Bangkok Post
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Court to issue Pichet verdict on Friday
The Constitutional Court will issue its final ruling on Friday in the case of Pichet Chuamuangphan, the first deputy House speaker, who stands accused of unlawfully influencing budget allocations for projects in his Chiang Rai constituency. The court announced Wednesday it had ordered the inclusion of both parties' closing statements in the case file, ruling the evidence and legal arguments were sufficient for a decision. Final deliberations will begin at 9.30am, with the verdict scheduled for 3pm. The case was filed by People's Party MP Bhuntin Noumjerm and 120 other MPs who alleged Mr Pichet had influenced the approval of three budget proposals from the Secretariat of the House of Representatives. He said Mr Pichet, a Pheu Thai MP, directed his adviser to draft seminar proposals focused primarily on his home province, later reallocating the funds to other initiatives. The actions may contravene Section 144 of the constitution, which prohibits lawmakers from altering or adding to the budget bill in a manner that leads to the misuse of state funds, according to Mr Bhuntin. Mr Pichet's proposals drew objections from the Office of Policy and Planning and Office of Finance for not complying with parliamentary regulations and may breach constitutional spending provisions.
