Parliament removes Pichet from Deputy Speaker role due to disputes regarding the 2026 budget.
Thailand's Constitutional Court Revokes MP Pichet Chuamuangpan's Membership and Voting Rights
In a landmark ruling on August 1, 2025, the Constitutional Court of Thailand revoked the membership and voting rights of Pichet Chuamuangpan, the first deputy speaker of the House of Representatives and MP for Chiang Rai from the Pheu Thai Party, for a period of 10 years.
The court's decision was based on allegations that Pichet had violated Article 144 of the Constitution. The violation was found in his approval and participation in pushing for budget projects in the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years that directly benefited his constituency in Chiang Rai. This action was deemed a conflict of interest and aimed at gaining political advantage for his election campaign, which is prohibited under Article 144.
The case was filed by Phantin Nuamjerm, an MP from the People's Party, along with 121 other MPs. The court's ruling came after a morning consultation regarding the case. The accusation was based on Pichet's approval and participation in pushing for three budget amendments from the Secretariat of the House of Representatives in the aforementioned fiscal years. These budget amendments were directly related to Pichet's constituency in Chiang Rai.
The ruling is significant as it sets a legal precedent for similar future cases involving Article 144 violations. It is particularly relevant amid ongoing investigations involving Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra concerning alleged misuse linked to a "10,000 Baht Digital Money" policy, which may face scrutiny under the same constitutional provision.
As a result of the ruling, Pichet Chuamuangpan is legally disqualified from holding parliamentary membership and exercising voting rights for 10 years. The future implications include potential precedent application to other politicians under investigation for public fund misuse, potentially impacting the accountability mechanisms within Thai politics and the enforcement of constitutional ethics pertaining to conflicts of interest.
References:
- Constitutional Court revokes MP Pichet Chuamuangpan's membership and voting rights
- Pichet Chuamuangpan: The MP who lost it all
- Thailand's Constitutional Court rules against Pichet Chuamuangpan
- Pichet Chuamuangpan: A case study in political corruption in Thailand
- The ruling by Thailand's Constitutional Court, revoking Pichet Chuamuangpan's membership and voting rights, could have broader implications on the Thai economy, as it sets a legal precedent for future cases involving policy-and-legislation violations.
- The strained relationship between business and politics in Thailand, as evident in the Pichet Chuamuangpan case, has drawn international attention, with general news outlets covering the impact of policy-and-legislation violations on the country's overall stability and development.
- Healthcare initiatives and economic policies could potentially be affected by ongoing investigations and decisions made by the Constitutional Court, as some politicians face scrutiny for alleged misuse of public funds, similar to the case of Pichet Chuamuangpan.
