http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011...-30148514.html

One senator disqualified, another acquitted

By The Nation
Published on February 12, 2011

The Constitution Court yesterday handed down to separate rulings on whether senators Itthiphon Ruangworaboon and Paiboon Nititawan are qualified for their jobs.

In the first case, the high court ruled that Itthiphon had violated the ban for family members to concurrently hold political office. Under the Constitution's Article 115, a senator will be disqualified if their spouse or family members hold political posts.

Itthiphon's son is the mayor of Si Songkhram district in Nakhon Phanom.

In the second case, the high court ruled in favour of Paiboon. The litigation stemmed from a petition sponsored by 16 senators charging Paiboon of abusing his power to interfere in the work of the Office of the Auditor-General.

Paiboon led the efforts to keep former auditor-general Khunying Jaruvan Maintaka in office despite the fact that she had reached mandatory retirement age.

In the verdict, the court said that Paiboon was a legal adviser to the Senate speaker when Jaruvan sought his opinion on her job status. The nomination of the auditor general comes under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Speaker.

Though Jaruvan used Paiboon's opinion as a justification to staying in office, the advice given could not be construed as interference, the court said.