Bangkok: The Senate has voted against a proposal to postpone the election of judges to the Election Commission and the Constitutional Court following a two-hour secret meeting. The meeting, chaired by Mr. Mongkol Surassajja, President of the Senate, saw a proposal by Senator Thewarit Maneechai to delay the selection process until a verdict is reached in a collusion case concerning the election of Senators. The motion was defeated with 130 votes against, 7 in favor, and 13 abstentions.
According to Thai News Agency, Senator Thewarit revealed that the majority of the Senate was concerned about the potential violation of Section 157 of the Criminal Code, which pertains to neglect of duty. He emphasized that there was no intention to submit a request for an independent organization to intervene and halt the election process. The Senate's decision not to delay the elections stems from fears that such an action might constitute an offense of dereliction of duty.
The session also saw the approval of establishing a standing committee to investigate the history, conduct, and ethical behavior of 15 individuals nominated for the position of Ombudsman. This committee has been given a 60-day period to complete its work.
Mr. Thewarit, in a post-meeting interview, aligned his stance with Mr. Phisit Apiwattanapong, the Senate Whip Spokesperson, who had earlier expressed concerns about the possible legal implications of delaying the election process. The senator clarified that the intention of the motion was to prevent conflicts of interest, as demonstrated by a previous incident in April when 13 members of a committee resigned over similar concerns during the investigation of members nominated for the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
Looking ahead, Mr. Thewarit indicated that evidence from the investigation into the alleged collusion could be submitted to the Ombudsman or the Constitutional Court. However, he expressed a preference for the Senate to manage the situation internally, without involving independent organizations.