Opposition seeks impeachment against allegedly corrupt ministers

BANGKOK, November 6 (TNA) - Thailand's opposition whip chief Jurin Laksanavisit says that the opposition side will submit an impeachment motion against allegedly corrupt ministers to the Senate Speaker on November 8, one day before submitting a no-confidence motion against the Pheu Thai Part-led coalition government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to the House Speaker. Jurin told journalists Tuesday that, after receiving the impeachment motion by the opposition camp, led by his Democrat Party, the Thai Senate Speaker is to forward it to the Office of the National Counter Corruption Commission (NACC) for a further probe, before sending back to the Senate, with a majority vote needed by senators to impeach any alleged minister found guilty by the NACC. According to the opposition's chief whip, the names of Thai ministers targeted for the impeachment will be unveiled on November 8 when the impeachment motion is lodged to the Senate Speaker, aimed at protecting public interests in a constitutional counter-check against the government side. The opposition chief whip said, meanwhile, that a censure motion against the coalition government will be submitted to the House Speaker, who is also the Thai Parliament President, on November 9 as scheduled, and that the censure debate has been set from November 25-26, before voting on November 27, as tentatively agreed by the government and the opposition whips. But if the no-confidence debate dragged on to November 27, then voting would be held on November 28, the last day of the present Thai Parliament session. (TNA)