NLA to hold special meetings on impeachment against ex-premier Yingluck, former top parliamentarians

BANGKOK, October 29 (TNA) - The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) will convene special meetings next month to consider the proposed impeachment against Thailand's former Pheu Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, as well as former Senate speaker Nikhom Wairatpanich and former House and Parliament president Somsak Kiatsuranon. NLA President Pornpetch Wichitcholchai told journalists on Wednesday that he will put the issue against former prime minister Yingluck, who is a younger sister of exiled ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, on the NLA's agenda in its special meeting on November 12. The case concerns a proposal of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to impeach Yingluck for her alleged negligence in her previous administration's rice-pledging scheme, after the NACC sent the case to the NLA on October 14. The NLA president stated the NACC found that Yingluck had exercised her authority in violation of Section 178 of the 2007 Constitution, Section 111 of the National Administrative Regulations and Section 158 of the Organic Law on National Corruption Prevention and Suppression, with copies of relevant documents having already been sent to Yingluck and all NLA members. The NLA president said the NLA will hold another special meeting on November 6 to discuss whether it is authorized to impeach the former Senate speaker and the former House and parliament president for their constitutional amendment on the make-up of Thailand's Upper House. (TNA)