'NLA members have no right to stop Samak'

People Power Party leader Samak Sundaravej, who is expected to become the next prime minister, appears angry during a photo session of party MPs at Parliament yesterday. At left is PPP deputy leader Yongyuth Tiyapairat, who is tipped to become House speak

He was responding to an attempt by NLA member Thawee Suraritthikul to collect the signatures of other members to support his bid to prevent the People Power Party (PPP) leader from becoming the prime minister.

The House will elect the new premier on Friday.

Meechai said the NLA members would not be able to examine the qualifications of Samak as an MP because they were not members of the House.

The NLA as the acting Senate was only supposed to exist to fulfil missing components of Parliament, he said. They had no authority to appoint or remove anyone.

In April 2006, the Criminal Court sentenced Samak and Dusit Siriwan to two years' imprisonment for defaming former Bangkok deputy governor Samart Ratchapolasit in their TV talk show. They were released on bail and have lodged an appeal.

NLA member vice Admiral Pajun Tamprateep, an aide to Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda, said he had refused to join Thawee's campaign. He said he had no idea why his name appeared on the list of NLA members who supported Thawee's bid.

Pajun said he spoken to a few other NLA members, including Prasong Soonsiri, whose names also appeared on Thawee's list. They said they had no idea why their names were mentioned without being informed.

Asked if the campaign was an attempt to involve Prem backing the bid to block Samak, Pajun refused to comment.

Thawee had said earlier he launched the signature campaign against Samak because he wanted to see a new standard of responsible politician, even though the defamation case was still in appeal.

The Nation