Seven charges to impeach Abhisit

The opposition Pheu Thai Party on Wednesday filed the impeachment motion against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva spelling out seven charges for misconduct.

The seven charges are:

1. Abhisit's involvement in calling for the royal intervention to appoint a prime minister as per Article 7 of the suspended 1997 charter, a proof for anti-democracy and a linkage to the People's Alliance for Democracy which sought changes via non-parliamentary means.

2. Abhisit's grabbing of power by illegitimate means via the support of certain leading figures resulting in the minority usurping power from the majority.

3. Abhisit's acting like a mastermind or an accomplice for the PAD even though its activities have been illegal and obstructing the democracy under the King as head of state.

4. Abhisit's intentional evasion of the organic law on political parties by involving in the cover-up of financial contributions made by a listed public company and by failing to properly spend the party subsidy received from the Election Commission.

5. Abhisit's failure to uphold the territorial integrity as enshrined in Article 1 of the Constitution and this is evidenced by a neighbouring country constructing a road inside Thai territory to access Preah Vihear Temple.

6. Abhisit's falsifying a Democrat membership for Thanin Jaisamut as per the document sent to Satun election office on April 20, 2008 even though Thanin was banned from the electoral process by the Election Commission, hence he was not qualified for party membership.

7. Abhisit's graft violation by instructing Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij to organise a campaign for SMS messaging via mobile phone operators. This has incurred the cost worth millions of baht but operators waived the charges, tantamounting to demanding and accepting undue benefits, a graft offence as per Article 103 of the anti-graft law.