Bangkok: Mr. Phanthil Nuamchim, a Bangkok MP from the Prachachon Party, has moved to submit a request to the Constitutional Court seeking the removal of Mr. Pichet Chueamuangphan from his position as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. The allegations are centered around corruption and improper budget allocations, with claims that Mr. Pichet has violated Section 144 of the Constitution by using public funds for personal projects.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Phanthil held a press conference detailing the accusations against Mr. Pichet, which include the alleged allocation of national budgets to benefit his own interests and those of his associates. The projects in question were reportedly approved by the Speaker of the House but met with concern from officials within the Office of Policy and Planning. These officials, alongside the Office of Legal Affairs and the House of Representatives' Finance Office, warned that the projects did not comply with legal requirements and posed potential violations of various laws, including the Fiscal Discipline Act 2018 and the Budget Procedure Act 2018.
Mr. Phanthil further revealed that Mr. Pichet had adjusted the projects into three seminar initiatives-focusing on youth development, public participation, and women's political roles-with exorbitant targets that appeared unachievable. Despite the cabinet reducing the proposed budget, Mr. Pichet allegedly sought additional funds, ultimately securing 178 million baht.
The Bangkok MP accused Mr. Pichet of forming a project management committee comprised of himself and fellow MPs to oversee the projects, suggesting undue influence and lack of transparency. He noted suspicious similarities in project requests, indicating potential premeditation in the budget's misallocation.
Mr. Phanthil asserted that the budget requests seemed to anticipate the impossibility of project implementation, implying a strategy to divert funds for other uses, such as infrastructure improvements around the parliament. This behavior, he contended, exemplifies misuse of taxpayer money and necessitates swift judicial intervention.
The Prachachon Party plans to submit the case to the Constitutional Court within the next week. Mr. Phanthil emphasized the urgency of addressing these actions, which he categorizes as corruption rather than a mere ethical lapse. He expressed a desire for a ruling that aligns with societal expectations, condemning the misuse of public funds for personal gain.
Mr. Phanthil concluded by noting Mr. Pichet's attempts to discuss the matter personally, which he declined, underscoring the gravity of the situation and the importance of maintaining transparency and accountability within the legislative process.