Cash handout faces legal hurdle

The government faces a new legal challenge after a petition was submitted to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), asking it to investigate a 35-billion-baht sum used to finance its 10,000-baht cash handout.

- CHAIRITH YONPIAM

Those who are implicated in the case include the current cabinet ministers, former ministers in the Srettha Thavisin Administration, as well as MPs and senators who voted for the budget bill for the 2025 fiscal year.

The petition was submitted by Charnchai Issarasenarak, a former Democrat MP, Somchai Swangkarn, a former senator, and Jade Donavanik, a former adviser to the Constitutional Drafting Committee.

They accused these cabinet ministers, MPs and senators of violating Section 144 of the constitution as well as Section 88 of the Anti-Corruption Act, which is the charter’s organic law.

Mr Charnchai and Mr Jade have asked the NACC to investigate the case, and if it finds enough grounds for the allegations, it must forward it to the Constitutional Court to rule whether to remove those accused from office.

Mr Charnchai said that the 3.75-trillion-baht budget bill for the 2025 fiscal year was accepted by the House for deliberation in its first reading in parliament on June 21, last year.