Order to strip Abhisit of rank signed | Bangkok Post: breakingnews
Order to strip Abhisit of rank signed
- Published: 9/11/2012 at 11:03 AM
- Online news:
Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat had yesterday signed an order to strip Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva of his military rank and recall his salary as proposed by the defence panel.
The committee, set up to investigate Mr Abhisit in connection with alleged draft-dodging, was chaired by chaired by deputy permanent secretary for defence Gen Prasobchai Kasemsant.
It ruled on Tuesday that Mr Abhisit fraudulently applied for and obtained a job as a lecturer at Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy - a position that allowed him to be exempted from military conscription in 1987.
The panel called for ACM Sukumpol to recall Mr Abhisit's salary he received from the academy in addition to stripping him of his rank of acting sub-lieutenant.
The findings declared that Mr Abhisit dodged military conscription.
ACM Sukumpol insisted on Thursday that his order was made without any hidden political agenda as alleged.
He urged Mr Abhisit to submit a letter requesting for justice on this case or send additional evidences to prove his innocent to his ministry and that he was ready to provide justice for him.
Mr Abhisit said on Thursday that ACM Sukumpo's move to strip him of his military rank was politically motivated, aimed at discrediting the opposition party ahead of the censure debate.
In a response to the ruling of the probe panel, Mr Abhisit said the timing of it and its findings come as his opposition is preparing to expose the alleged failure of the Yingluck Shinawatra government in the House debate, scheduled between Nov 25 and 27.
No matter how the panel defends its ruling, he said, "people can sense this is not right".
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Pheu Thai: Abhisit should resign as MP | Bangkok Post: breakingnews
P.Thai: Abhisit should resign as MP
- Published: 9/11/2012 at 04:32 PM
- Online news:
Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva should resign as an MP now the Defence Ministry had issued an order to strip him of his military rank, Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said on Friday afternoon.
The case that Mr Abhisit was accused of draft-dodging was closely followed by the general public who wanted to see whether the former prime minister and opposition leader had really used falsified military document as alleged, said Mr Prompong.
Because the defence panel had ruled that Mr Abhisit had dodged military conscription and the Defence Ministry had stripped him of his rank and pay, he should resign as an MP status to show political responsibility, the spokesman said.
Former Pheu Thai leader Yongyuth Wichaidit had earlier resigned as MP and interior minister after he was found guilty of mishandling the Alpine Golf Course land sale.
He added that Mr Yongyuth had made such decision even though the Election Commission and the Constitution had not yet given their ruling on the case brought by the Democrats, he added.
Mr Prompong said if Mr Abhisit fails to show his political spirit by stepping down, he would take the case to the Constitution Court and ask it to rule whether he is still qualified to be an MP.
He insisted that this is not a political game to discredit the opposition leader, and that he just wanted the former prime minister to show responsibility.


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. You don't like Thaksin, so therefore Abhisit should not be held accountable in any way for his cheating. And of course, the Defence Minister should be impeached for daring to hold Abhisit accountable for his fraud, in a modern world that contains that single word "Thaksin". Righto, yeh, that makes a lot of sense mr forever junior poster.
