Bangkok: The Constitutional Court has scheduled a reading of the verdict on the membership status of Senator Somchai Lenglak, following the Supreme Court's decision to revoke his right to run for election for a decade.
According to Thai News Agency, the Constitutional Court is set to determine whether Senator Somchai Lenglak's membership in the Senate has concluded, as per Article 82 of the Constitution. This follows a request from the Election Commission prompting the court to ascertain if his membership has ended under the Constitution, specifically Article 111 (4) in conjunction with Article 108 (c) (1) and Article 38 (5). This situation arises after the Supreme Court's ruling, Lt Sor Sor 338/2567, dated September 23, 2567, which revoked Somchai's electoral rights for 10 years, thereby potentially disqualifying him from his Senate role. Furthermore, the Election Commission has urged the Constitutional Court to declare Somchai's Senate position vacant from the verdict date.
The Constitutional Court has already suspended the duties of the Senate members from December 11, 2024, pending the court's decision. The verdict reading is scheduled for 3:00 p.m., with provisions made for public and media access via closed-circuit television from the courtroom to the second floor. Unlike previous sessions, there will be no designated areas separating media personnel from the public, as it is expected that the reading will not attract large crowds. Standard security measures will be in place.