Panel to prepare testimony for indicted ministers

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) on Thursday resolved that 28 members of the previous Cabinet led by Samak Sundaravej be charged for negligence and violating Article 190 of the Constitution, which states that any treaty that would affect Thai territories or sovereign rights must be approved by the National Assembly.

Many of those indicted are in the current Cabinet, including Somchai, who served as education minister in the Samak administration.

The accused ministers attended a Cabinet meeting in June that resolved to endorse the agreement signed by then foreign minister Noppadon Pattama and Cambodia's Deputy Premier Sok An.

Chusak Sirinin, the prime minister's secretary-general, said yesterday that the working group would consist of representatives from the Cabinet Secretariat, the Council of State and the Foreign Affairs Ministry, as well as legal experts.

He said the working group would draft the testimony based on the relevant documents and records so that the individual testimonies would be compatible with one another.

Chusak said a major problem was that many of the documents are kept in Government House, which has now been occupied by the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy.

"We will have to ask for copies from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, which may take some time," he said, adding that the Cabinet might ask the NACC to extend its 15-day deadline for the accused to testify if the joint testimony could not be completed by then.

Prime Minister Somchai yesterday said he did not think the indictment would affect his government's performance. He complained, however, that his Cabinet had faced much legal trouble and many accusations.

"I feel that we have served honestly and have done no harm to the country. It's strange. Some people find that they can file complaints easily [against Cabinet members]. Our duty is to explain and provide proof," said the PM.