DSI likely to probe on five Constitution Court judges

BANGKOK, November 25 (TNA) - Thailand's Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is likely to accept a petition filed by a group of government MPs against five Constitution Court judges as a special case. DSI chief Tharit Pengdit told journalists on Monday that he had closely followed up the judgement and found it might affect other government agencies; so, he is speeding up required procedures to officially approve the petition as a special case for a further probe. Once approved, Tharit said he would, himself, head the case's investigation team against the five Constitution Court judges, who last week voted against the government's constitutional amendment on the making of the Thai Senate to be a fully elected chamber, with the first investigation session set on November 27, 2013. The DSI chief insisted although the accused are Constitution Court judges, everybody has to obey the laws and an investigation will be conducted if a person is found to have committed any criminal offence. The DSI chief made the remarks after three MPs of the ruling Pheu Thai Party and the coalition Bhumjaithai Party submitted the complaint to him, urging him to take legal action against the five judges whose majority vote last week was allegedly against rationality. The coalition government MPs particularly pointed out that Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had already submitted the draft Charter amendment bill, which was earlier approved by the House of Representatives, for a royal endorsement by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej as stipulated by the Thai Constitution, claiming that the Constitution Court ruling could be interpreted as violating the authority of His Majesty the King. On November 20, the five out of nine Constitution Court judges ruled that the Charter amendment to make the Thai Senate a fully-elected chamber violated Section 68 of Thailand's 2010 Constitution. (TNA)