PM was 'unaware' of US sanction against Nalinee

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday insisted to the House she was unaware of any US Treasury sanction against PM's Office Minister Nalinee Taveesin before inducting her into the Cabinet.

"As I considered appointing [Nalinee], I verified the facts and [Nalinee's qualification] in the context of the Constitution. I did not know [about the US sanction against Nalinee]. And after I learned [about it] from the media, I took it as Nalinee's individual issue. And there has not been any official conclusion at the moment. According to the principle of personal rights, as long as there is no conclusion we must follow justice along with the rights. To relieve House members' concern, once there is any formal or legal conclusion, I am ready to comply with that," Yingluck said.

She was speaking at the question-and-answer session when Democrat MP Rachada Dhnadirek posed a query on Nalinee's qualifications.

Yingluck said after she had learned about the sanction, authorities advised her that Nalinee's appointment was in accordance with the Constitution and laws.

The sanction was a personal issue which Nalinee was in the process of rectifying by appealing to the US Treasury Department, she said.

Pending a resolution of the sanction and a valid objection to Nalinee's legal qualification to hold office, she was obliged to give her minister a chance to work.

Rachada asked whether there was any evidence to assure people the appointment was not morally wrong, and what would be the proof of what Nalinee had said?

"It is necessary for me to know that the Prime Minister had asked the US to clarify [its decision] as to whether [Nalinee] acted as she has been accused. More importantly, I need evidence and information to show that what Nalinee announced to the media was all true. For example, she said she could visit the US. What is the evidence to prove that her statement is true?" Rachada said.

Yingluck did not offer any evidence and left the response to her deputy Chalerm Yoobamrung and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"Today, the House member asked for the evidence, but we [the Cabinet] are here to respond to the administrative aspect and facts. If you ask about evidence, it is related to the law.

"I will have my deputy Chalerm and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs give information. We have to follow steps to see the evidence," Yingluck said, and the questions ended there.

Replying to Rachada's queries yesterday, Yingluck told the House only that Nalinee had a good education and work experience.

There had been no complaints against her during her five years as Thai Trade representative so Nalinee was qualified to be a minister.

The PM did not say whether she had known about the US sanction previously, but had asked Chalerm to clarify the legal aspects.

However, Rachada insisted she was asking about facts, not the law. House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont agreed and asked Yingluck to clarify the situation.