Activist calls for NACC heads to roll

WATCHDOG ‘IGNORED’ DISCLOSURE ORDER

>> Anti-corruption activist Veera Somkwamkid yesterday threatened to take further legal action against the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).

He is angry it failed to respond immediately to the Administrative Court’s May 2 order to disclose details of its probe into former deputy premier Gen Prawit Wongsuwon’s highend wristwatches.

Mr Veera, head of the Anti-Corruption People’s Network, yesterday gave the NACC a final ultimatum of 15 more days to abide by the order, or he would seek another, which may result in arrest warrants being issued against NACC officials until it fully complies with the May 2 ruling.

The May 2 court order, which was accompanied by a 10,000 baht fine, came after the NACC ignored an order issued on Aug 22, 2019, to disclose to Mr Veera three documents pertaining to the NACC’s investigation into Gen Prawit’s alleged failure to declare his luxury wristwatches in a mandatory assets declaration with the NACC.

The Aug 22, 2019, order was made by the Office of the Official Information Commission in response to Mr Veera’s petition.

Should Mr Veera’s future petition for arrest warrants against the NACC be approved, the NACC secretary-general and all other commissioners will automatically lose their jobs and may face a long prison term, he said.

Paisal Puechmongkol, a lawyer, offered further elaboration on this legal process, saying Mr Veera will petition the Civil Court to order the detention of these NACC officials until they follow the Administrative Court’s May 2 order.

In addition to the threatened arrest of the NACC, Mr Veera said if the NACC continues ignoring the May 2 court order, he would also petition the Constitutional Court to probe the NACC for dereliction of duty.

And if the court agrees to hear his petition, the NACC will at the same time be suspended from duty, he said.