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Published on March 29, 2008

The panel is expected to complete the scrutiny within 20 days and the upper chamber is likely to finalise the appointment process by April 23.

The court's selection committee on Tuesday nominated the four candidates: Justice Ministry permanent secretary Jaral Pakdeethanakul, Appeal Court senior judge Wasant Soipisut and two retired diplomats, Supoj Kaimook and Chalermphol Ekuru.

 

Klong Dan trial deferred due to Vatana illness

The Supreme Court yesterday delayed the graft trial in the Klong Dan waste-treatment case, because Puea Pandin Party chief adviser Vatana Asavahame was suffering from influenza.

Vatana was scheduled to testify in his defence over alleged involvement in irregularities related to a land scam to inflate the price of a plot of land designated for construction of a waste-treatment plant in Samut Prakan province.

A new hearing was scheduled for next Wednesday.

Senate committee to probe speaker-lobbying case

The Senate committee tasked with investigating the allegation of lobbying for the Senate-speaker post will question the main suspect in the case.

Panel spokesman Wichian Kanchang yesterday said Lt-Colonel Kamol Prachuabmoh had been voted as chairman of the committee and General Sunthorn Saikwan as deputy chairman.

The panel will first summon Senator Somchai Sawaengkarn, who brought the allegation under the media spotlight, and then the person whom Somchai claims telephoned him to lobby him to vote for a certain senatorial candidate.

The committee will meet every Thursday and wrap up the investigation within 44 days.

 

Chalerm approves leave extension for Apirak

Interior Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung yesterday approved an extension of the leave of absence requested by Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin for the 15 days until April 11.

Apirak indicated in his request that he needed 30 days to prepare himself to fight charges filed by the Assets Examination Committee for involvement in the irregularities over the purchase of fire-fighting equipment.

He again assigned first deputy Bangkok governor Wallop Suwanned as caretaker governor during his leave.

Thaksin returns tomorrow, plans to discuss training

Ousted PM and now football-club owner Thaksin Shinawatra returns home tomorrow.

Spokesman Pongthep Thepkanchana said Thaksin would arrive at 3pm. Later the owner of Manchester City Football Club meets reporters at Muang Thong Thani, where he will discuss the training of 15 local youth players at the UK club.

The Nation