Ruling on Preah Vihear charge deferred

BANGKOK, Sept 22 (TNA) - Thailand's National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) on Tuesday postponed its ruling on the previous government's resolution which supported Cambodia's listing of the Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site. It agreed to reconvene and decide the issue next Tuesday. The NACC decided last November to press charges against 44 persons including 28 Cabinet members in the Samak administration and state officials in connection with the signing of a joint communique with Cambodia without seeking parliamentary approval as required by the Constitution. The joint communique was signed by the Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An on June 18, 2008. NACC Commissioner Klanarong Chantik said the NACC agreed to consider the case on two separate issues: impeachment and criminal prosecution following the Constitutional Court's ruling that the joint communique was unconstitutional. He said the anti-graft commission would tackle whether each of the 44 was intentionally involved in malfeasance that caused damages to the country. The commission, he added, has finished its investigation on 12 people while the other 32 would be scrutinised and disclosed next Tuesday. Of the 28 accused ministers, four are members of the Abhisit government. They include Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart, Deputy Finance Minister Pradit Pattaraprasit, Information and Communication Technology Minister Ranongrak Suwanchawee and Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suvit Khunkitti. The accused were charged with negligence of duty and violating Article 190 of the 2007 Constitution which imposes that any treaty affecting Thailand's society, economy and integrity of its borders must be approved by Parliament. (TNA)