By Xinhua,
Bangkok : Thailand’s Constitution Court on Wednesday disqualified Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsup as a cabinet member for failing to declare part of his wife’s assets within deadline.
The court ruled that Chaiya lost his status as a cabinet memberf or failing to inform the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) within 30 days after taking office that his wife held shares of more than five percent in a private company as required by anti-corruption laws.
Chaiya was under pressure after the graft-buster agency NCCC on April found him in violation of regulations in the Constitution concerning asset declaration for political post holders and their family members.
According to NCCC, Chaiya’s wife Churai was found to be holding25,000 shares, worth 2.5 million baht (some 80,600 U.S. dollars), in a firm, which accounts for half of the firm’s registered stock.
The 2007 Constitution stipulates that a minister, his spouse and children under the legal age who owns stocks beyond the five percent limit should inform the NCCC within 30 days of the minister’s appointment to the cabinet.
Chaiya was obliged to submit a report to the NCCC chairman by March 6 as he took office on Feb. 6, but he failed to do so.
Besides the asset-concealing case, Chaiya had been besieged by consumer and patient’s rights groups who petitioned Senate Speaker in March to seek Chaiya’s impeachment for his earlier decision to review the former military-appointed interim government’s issuance of compulsory licenses for cheaper cancer drugs patented by foreign pharmaceutical companies.
With Wednesday’s ruling, Chaiya would become the second cabinet member in the five-month-old elected government led by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to step down for legal troubles, and might not be the last.
On May 30, Prime Minister’s Office Minister Jakrapob Penkair announced resignation after police investigation found him guilty of lese majeste over an English speech he made last year at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Thailand.
Another cabinet member, Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama also has his job at stake after the Constitutional Court on Wednesday ruled that a Thai-Cambodian Joint Communique over Cambodia’s bid to list an ancient temple at the border as a World Heritage Site, which Noppadon signed on June 18, was in violation of the Constitution.
The Court said Noppadon had failed to get prior approvement from parliament before signing the treaty, regarded as concerning territorial sovereignty.
The opposition Democrat Party has said it would seek impeachment of Noppadon.