Validity of budget bill in doubt over ‘voting error’

The validity of the 3.2-trillion-baht budget bill for the 2020 fiscal year is now in doubt after a Bhumjaithai Party MP admitted voting in favour of the bill without being present in the chamber.

The irregularity was revealed by former Democrat Party MP Nipit Intarasombat who said Chalong Therd-wirapong, a Bhumjaithai MP for Phatthalung, was not in parliament when his votes were cast in House votes on the bill on Jan 10-11.

The marathon budget bill debate began on Jan 8. The House voted at the end of its deliberation of each section before voting on the entire bill in a third reading on Jan 11.

The 55-section budget bill sailed through its third reading with 253 votes in favour, zero objections and 196 abstentions. One MP did not cast a vote.

Mr Nipit claimed Mr Chalong used his electronic card to vote without being present in parliament when the House was deliberating Sections 39 to 55 of the bill. Mr Chalong was in Phatthalung at the time, which made his votes illegitimate, according to Mr Nipit.

He said this likely made House votes on Sections 39 onward constitutionally invalid, which threatens the status of the entire bill now being vetted by the Senate.

Mr Chalong said yesterday he left the House meeting suddenly to attend a funeral on Jan 10 and forgot to take his electronic voting card with him. It had remained inserted in his voting machine in the chamber.

On Jan 11, he presided over National Children’s Day celebrations in two locations in Phatthalung and did not return to Bangkok until Jan 13, according to Mr Nipit. Mr Nipit said the House would decide soon whether to refer the matter to the Constitutional Court.