The NACC has decided to launch additional probe on SMS case involving Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij, NACC member Klanarong Chantik said on Friday.
Based on the prilimanry report, Abhisit and Korn formulated a policy to communicate with the people before the royal appointment of the prime minister on December 17, 2008, Klanarong said.
On December 16, 2008, Korn called a meeting of three mobile phone operators, AIS, Dtac and True Move, asking for their cooperation to provide short messaging services as a public service.
The SMS were sent out after the government came to power and all messages were screened and approved by Abhisit and Korn. The three operators signed off the SMS as sent by UR PM, an abbreviation for your prime minister.
The three confirmed they had cooperated in sending out SMS as the public service on several occasions in the past, such as the publicity related to Apec Summit in 2003, the royal ceremonies, The tsunami calamities, the power seizure and the Bangkok gunatorial race.
Following its debate on Thursday, the NACC found insufficient factual information to rule on the cause of guilt.
The complaint against Abhisit and Korn included the legal and tax issues for granting income tax exception from revenues generated by the SMS.
Unlike other short messages sent out as the public service which had no replies, the people responded by replying to SMS sent out by Abhisit and Korn, Each reply generated a Bt3 revnue for the operators.
Korn, after assuming office, ruled to exempt income tax on the revenue from SMS he deemed as public service.
The NACC ruled to collect additional evidence on whether Korn had abused his office on the tax exemption.
After completing the additional probe on the tax issue, the NACC will then proceed to rule whether launch the impeachment proceedings against Abhisit and Korn.