February 2006 : Dissolution of the Lower House Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on February announced the dissolution of the House of Representatives and called for snap elections for April 2. The Senate resolved the NCCC problem by restarted selection process. Khunying Jaruwan Maintaka was reinstated as auditor-general after being dismissed for almost two years. The Election Commission gave yellow cards to Democrat Pradit Pattaraprasit of Phichit constituency 1 and Thai Rak Thai Atthasit Sappayasit of Nakorn Panom constituency 4. Teachers, executives and boards of 157 schools voted to come under the control of local administrative bodies. The corruptionwatch website decided to register in the United States after its local internet host closed it down. Five senior BMA officials were found fault and guilty of malfeasance in connection with irregularities in the 16 mega projects of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. Dissolution of the Lower House Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on February 24 dissolved the House of Representatives and called for snap elections on April 2 in order to solve political confusion, spun by a group of people discontented with his leadership. In his statement the prime minister cited a numbers of reasons for the dissolution including he wants to return the power to the people. Previously, he failed to call a special joint parliamentary setting for a general debate on the currently political turmoil but discontent was focused on the prime minister himself not his cabinet members. Controversy over the prime minister’s lack of morals and ethics have intensified after the tax-free sale of Shin Corp and the public are calling for another political reform – the urgent need to restore the checks and balances in regards to the constitution. There were cries on the process that allows the opposition to effectively check the prime minister and government’s performance and the selection process of candidates for seats in independent agencies sand improving the qualifications of the selection panelists. Ten of thousands of people from all walks of life and sectors of society have been gathering at Sanam Luang every Sunday night demanding PM Thaksin Shinawatra resign and end up of what they called Thaksin political regime. There were also an effort to petition His majesty the King to select the right person to form a new government. A group of 28senators also tried to solve the political deadlock through a petition to the Constitutional Court for the impeachment of the prime minister on ground that he was alledgely involved behind the scenes in corporate management while still in office but the court ruled 8 to 6 to reject the petition on ground that there was no supporting evidence implicating Mr. Thaksin in any wrongdoing. The sale of Shin Corp revealed that two Ample Rich Investment Ltds were involved and the prime minister was alledged in violating article 209 which prohibits cabinet ministries from having a conflict of interest. However, Mr. Thaksin claimed he had handed all Shin shares to his children and has nothing to do with the sales. The Securities and Exchange Commission has found Mr. Panthongtae Shinawatra guilty of two counts of disclosure violations and one count of breaking tender-offer rules regarding his direct and indirect share-holdings of the Shin Corp. NCCC selection process restart The NCCC selection process was restarted after the Senate unanimously voted 134:0 to resolve the problem and a 14-member panel to re-elect new members first met picked Supreme Court president Charnchai Likhitjitha to be the chief of selection committee, with Ackratorn Chularat, president of the Supreme Administrative Court as deputy and Thammasart University rector, Surapol Nithikraipot as spokesman. The selection panel will selects 18 NCCC candidates from all applicants and forward to the Senate to finalize to 9. The candidates have a week to apply for the position and those applying will be invited to speak before the panel. NCCC members term is nine years and the previous NCCC nomimees was rejected by the principal private secretary to the King on the grounds that the selection process was “inappropriate” due to the Senate chose 9 nominees out of 17 candidates, not the 18 as required by the law. Jaruvan reinstated as auditor-general Khunying Jaruwan Maintaka was reinstated as auditor-general after being dismissed for almost two years due to the Constitutional Court ruled selection process was illegitimate without saying she had to leave the position or not. While she was forced to leave office Wisut Montriwat was elected by the State Audit Commission (SAC) to replace her and he was submitted by the Senate for royal endorsement. However, Mr. Wisut decided to withdrew after waiting for months but both the SAC and the Senate didn’t reappoint Khunying Jaruwanuntil the government sent a letter to the SAC asking for the issue to be resolved. As the audit-general 4-year term ends this December SAC chief Norachai Sripimol said the agency’s legal department is now studying all legal possibilities which would allow the SAC to extend her tenure to compensate for the lost of time. While the position was vacant for almost two years all state construction projects, especially the construction of the Suvarnabhumi Airport was not being looked into. EC completes inquiries into 2005 elections The Election Commission (EC) completed the Feb 6, 2005 general election inquiries ordered a fresh poll on March 12 for a seat in Phichit and Nakorn Panom. The seat in Phichit constituency 1 went to Democrat Pradit Pattaraprasit and Nakorn Panom constituency 4 to Thai Rak Thai Atthasit Sappayasit. Both of them got yellow cards- meaning they lost their MP status but remain eligible to contest the by-election. However, Mr. Pradit said he has informed Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva that he decided not to recontest but will continue supporting the Democrats. The EC received 959 complaints from the last election but had handed down rulings in those cases: Red card, revoking the candidate’s political rights: then Democrat MP for Satun’s constituency 2, Thanin Jaisamut. Yellow cards, ordering new elections, then Democrat MP Vithoon Nambutr in Ubon Ratchathani’s constituency 3: then Thai Rak Thai MP Nawin Boonset in Phichit’s constituency 3: then Thai Rak Thai MP Phayap Panket in Sing Buri’s constituency 1: then Thai Rak Thai MP Praseang Monkolsiri in Uthai Thani’s constituency 1: as well as Mr. Pradit and Mr. Atthasit. 157 schools opt for local control Only 157 schools have so far volunteered to come under the control of local administrative bodies, while the rest 1500-pus school have not made up their minds. The decision to be transferred or not were reached by teachers, executives and boards by votes. The government resolved strong resistance from teachers by allowing the transfer on a voluntary basis. Among the 557 schools already cast their votes only 157 agreed to sever ties with the Education Ministry. Mostly of the 157 schools are in the northeastern region while only one school is in Bangkok Metropolitan. Graftbuster website registered in the US The corruptionwatch website decided to register in the United States after its local internet host closed it down. The website will be reopened and retain its old names, www.corruptionwatch.net. The objective was to investigate the corruption of past, present and future governments via information and opinions from the general public. 5 senior BMA officials found guilty of malfeasance An inquiry panel, headed by former police chief Pratin Santiprapob, has found five senior BMA officials, including the city clerk and a deputy governor, to be at fault and guilty of malfeasance in connection with irregularities in the 16 mega projects of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. Five of them, identified as the city clerk, a deputy governor, a public works director, a deputy public work director and a C-8 civil engineer were found to be guilty of dereliction of duty in overseeing the process of bidding for the 16 mega projects, worth 20 billion baht and slow in responding to the Interior Ministry’s warning of possible irregularities in the bidding process. Moreover, they failed to review the bidding procedures following complaints from some bidders that some technical specifications were tailored in favour of certain bidders and the selection of winning bidders had been rushed and lastly some of the bidders had been deliberately excluded from the race. The inquiry panel was appointed by BMA Governor Apirak Kosayodhin to investigate the BMA e-auction scandals after he put on hold those 16 projects. Mr. Apirak also ordered all 125 city projects, worth more than 17 billion baht, reviewed and set up a panel to reform city procedures following criticism of procurement irregularities. Regards to BMA scandal, 4 deputy governors and 9 consultants resigned in order to give Mr. Apirak free hands to appoint his executive team.