RAWBangkok

This story appeared in today’s Bangkok Post:

The Puea Thai party filed an impeachment motion against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Wednesday, with seven charges backing the move.

Puea Thai MP for Yasothon Peeraphan Palusuk led a group of about 20 party MPs to file the motion seeking the impeachment of Mr Abhisit with Senate Speaker Prasobsuk Boondej.

He presented a letter with a list of 158 MPs who backed the motion.

Mr Abhisit faces seven charges and allegations:

* his involvement in requesting royal intervention in appointing a prime minister;
* siding with the People’s Alliance for Democracy during last years political chaos;
* his “undemocratic” rise to power;
* being a mastermind of the PAD and appointing PAD members as ministers and their advisers;
* attempting to conceal donations made to the Democrat party;
* making a false report about the membership of a party member to a provincial election commission, and,
* asking Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij to cooperate with a mobile service provider in sending text messages to its customers after he was elected prime minister.

After receiving the letter, Mr Prasobsuk said he needed 15 days to verify the names of the MPs.If all checked out he would notify the Senate and forward the case to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Chief government whip Chinaworn Boonyakiat said the seven charges were not strong enough to remove Mr Abhisit or to bring down the government.

Frankly, I agree that these charges aren’t strong enough to remove the Prime Minister, but then again, Samak lost the same job because he was paid 5,000 baht honorarium to host two TV cooking shows.