Senate rejects impeachment against Somchai

The Senate on Tuesday voted not to impeach former Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat for charges related to his involvement in the botched anti-riot operation on October 7, 2008.
By a majority decision of 76-to-49 votes, the impeachment charges were dropped at the conclusion of the Senate inquiry on Somchai.
Of the 134 senators present, six abstained from voting and three cast votes deemed invalid.
To impeach Somchai, a minimum requirement is 90 votes.
Since Somchai already stepped down, proponents wanted but failed to push for his impeachment as a symbolic gesture of punishment.
The Nation