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Junta head’s brother takes too many days off work, risking expulsion

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At least seven MPs in the junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly are failing to meet attendance requirements for voting sessions set by the Interim Constitution, making their occupation of office illegal.
 
An investigation by iLaw, a non-profit organisation concerned with freedom of information, has revealed that at least seven junta-appointed MPs are in violation of a constitutional requirement that MPs attend at least one-third of voting sessions during any 90 day period. 
 
One of the MPs is Gen Preecha Chan-o-cha, the younger brother of Thailand’s junta head Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha. 
 
According to Article 82 of the interim constitution, MPs who do not meet the attendance requirement will have their membership to the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) terminated. The voting attendance requirement is stipulated in Section 9(5).
 
iLaw surveyed a period of 180 days (two 90-day periods) during 2016 and found at least seven MPs who failed to meet the voting attendance requirement, and whose occupation of office is subsequently unconstitutional. There may be other MPs who violated the attendance requirement in periods not surveyed by iLaw. 
 
iLaw found that the majority of MPs in violation of the constitution simultaneously held other paid positions in public office. The estimated monthly wage of an MP is some 113,500 baht.
 
The seven MPs are Admiral Na Arreenich, the Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Navy; Air Chief Mashal Jom Rungsawang, the Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Airforce; Admiral Pallop Tamisanont, the navy’s former Chief of Staff; Supan Mongkolsutee, the President of the Federation of Thai Industries; Gen Preecha Chan-o-cha, the Permanent Secretary of Defence; Somsak Chotirattanasiri, the Director of the Bureau of the Budget; and Distat Hotrakitya, the Secretary-General of the Council of State.
 
In the case of Preecha, he came to work only 6 days out of 400.
 
While MPs can submit a special request to the President of the NLA for leave from voting in excess of the attendance requirement, iLaw found that this process is shrouded in secrecy.
 
When iLaw attempted to contact the NLA to request information on the extended leave taken by the seven MPs, officials replied that they could not release this information due to the confidentiality of public officials. It assured iLaw that the MPs followed due process in requesting extra leave. 
 
 
A parody cartoon of Gen Preecha Chan-o-cha (Photo from "ไข่แมว" Facebook page)

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