Thailand's Constitutional Court Slaps Down GT200 Bomb Detector Scandal and Prayut's Cabinet Pick
Court dismisses appeals related to GT200 and ex-Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha
The Constitutional Court of Thailand has given a resounding 'no' to two petitions, their verdict foreclosing a review of the GT200 bomb detector scandal and the controversial appointment of Thamanat Prompow by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, Thailand's former Prime Minister.
GT200 Scandal Petition Swept Away
Colonel Kriangkrai Ladpala's plea to eviscerate a ruling on the notorious GT200 fake bomb detectors met a rude rejection. Kriangkrai had initially argued that it was unconstitutional for the Ministry of Defence to prosecute military officers implicated in the purchase of the ineffective devices, claiming they too had been hoodwinked by the vendor. Following the court's dismissal, Kriangkrai filed a new petition, asserting that the court had overlooked the officers' deception in its initial ruling. But on Thursday, the court made short shrift of the reasoning and dismissed the plea for a lack of new evidence to substantiate a review.
Prayut's Pegging of Thamanat Defied
Political activist Pirapong Supkitthanakul made a beeline for the Constitutional Court to challenge General Prayut's appointment of Thamanat Prompow, citing Article 170(4) of the Constitution. Pirapong claimed that Thamanat's dubious past in drug trafficking disqualified him from serving in Prayut's Cabinet. However, the Court unanimously rejected the petition, declaring that Pirapong lacked the legal authority to file the complaint under Article 82 of the Constitution[1][2].
Following these developments, it appears that the political landscape of Thailand remains in a state of flux, with issues like border tensions and economic recovery looming large on the horizon.
- TAGS
- constitutional court
- GT200
- Prayut
- Thamanat
- ThailandNews
1. Tensions escalate: Cambodia presses on, Thailand hardens its stance2. New chairman for BOT Board: Somchai Sujjapongse3. IMF urges global markets to brace for a post-Covid world4. Thailand-Cambodia border crisis: NSC establishes committee
- The Constitutional Court's dismissal of Colonel Kriangkrai Ladpala's petition regarding the GT200 bomb detector scandal suggests a strong stance against contesting military procurement issues, raising questions about accountability and policy-and-legislation in Thailand's defense sector.
- The Constitutional Court's rejection of the petition challenging General Prayut's appointment of Thamanat Prompow raises concern about the impact of politics on business and finance, as this decisions limits the ability for general-news outlets to scrutinize the background and qualifications of politicians in high-ranking positions.
- The Constitutional Court's decisions on the GT200 and Thamanat petitions are likely to have broad implications for Thailand's economic recovery, as foreign investors may demand increased transparency and better governance, particularly in areas of policy-and-legislation and business dealings.
