Bangkok: Parit Wacharasindhu, a party-list MP from the People's Party, has openly challenged Parliament Speaker Sophon Saram's remarks concerning the opposition's focus on the stock concealment case involving Saksayam Chidchob. Parit emphasized that the opposition is not "obsessed" with the issue but is wary of potential "cover-up" actions that might hinder the case's progression to the courts.
According to Thai News Agency, Parit addressed the concerns surrounding the Speaker's handling of a petition submitted to request the Supreme Court's intervention. The petition aims to prompt an independent investigation into the National Anti-Corruption Commission's (NACC) management of the concealment case. Parit outlined four major irregularities in Speaker Sophon's conduct, suggesting potential intentions to stall the case from reaching judicial review.
Firstly, Parit highlighted a discrepancy in the time taken to consider the petition. In a previous case, the acting Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Mongkol Surasajja, took less than 41 days to forward the matter to the court. In contrast, 74 days have elapsed since the current petition's submission, and Speaker Sophon has only established a committee to examine the case.
Secondly, Parit pointed out the lack of transparency in the committee's formation, noting that the Speaker unilaterally selected its members and withheld their identities. This approach, he argued, renders the committee "independent from public scrutiny."
Thirdly, Parit criticized the absence of any assurance that the petitioners will be invited to provide input during the committee's review process, despite claims of a comprehensive evaluation.
Lastly, Parit noted the Speaker's denial of intentional delays but expressed concern over the absence of a clear deadline for the committee to complete its review and submit recommendations.
Parit shared that the opposition whip had previously sent a letter to Speaker Sophon, dated July 22, demanding actions on four key points: revealing committee members' names, setting a clear timeframe, inviting petitioners for information, and publishing meeting minutes. To date, no response has been received.
Parit concluded by expressing concerns that the current actions might mirror those of the Election Commission, potentially preventing significant cases from reaching the courts. He emphasized the need for transparency and accountability to ensure justice is served in both the Senate corruption case and Mr. Saksiam's case.