Pressure on Yongyuth mounts

Internal pressure is growing on Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit to step down from his post.

Published: 27/09/2012 at 12:00 AM

Mr Yongyuth's eligibility to serve in the cabinet and as an MP is in doubt since the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) found him guilty of malfeasance for his handling of the controversial Alpine land case while he was a deputy permanent secretary for the interior in 2002.

The Interior Ministry's Civil Service Committee has decided to expel Mr Yongyuth with the expulsion order retroactively taking effect on Sept 30, 2002.

However, the committee has claimed that the expulsion, which was imposed this Sept 14, is also retroactively overruled by the 2007 Exoneration Act.

A source in the Pheu Thai Party said that Mr Yongyuth faces mounting pressure within the party despite support from Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Mr Yongyuth has received a direct order from "those in power" to suspend his duties pending a final ruling on his status, the source said.

His absence from the cabinet meeting on Tuesday has fuelled suspicions that his job is at risk. He reportedly opted to inspect the flood situation in Prachin Buri instead.

Mr Yongyuth has been assigned to serve as acting prime minister during Ms Yingluck's visit to the US.

This may explain the Pheu Thai Party's petition submitted to the Election Commission (EC) asking the agency to rule on Mr Yongyuth's eligibility to hold political office. The hand-written petition was submitted by Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit.

The source said that certain groups of red shirts, apparently backed by MPs jockeying for a cabinet seat, are stepping up pressure on Mr Yongyuth. Red shirts from Surin led by Thepphanom Namlee have already petitioned the EC to rule on Mr Yongyuth's status. Others are pressuring him to resign to avoid the possible dissolution of the party if Mr Yongyuth is ultimately found culpable and forced from office, as he is also the Pheu Thai leader.

The call for his resignation comes despite the Council of State's reaffirmation that Mr Yongyuth is covered by the 2007 Exoneration Act.

Democrat MP for Songkhla Wirat Kalyasiri said yesterday that the deputy prime minister is being forced by his own party to take the fall.

His opponents say that leniency under the exoneration act is not possible until Mr Yongyuth has served his punishment.

"He is being ousted by those who have the real power in Pheu Thai. They want to put an end to the Alpine case which is linked to other [politicians]," Mr Wirat said.

Mr Yongyuth had approved the sale and ownership of plots of land in Pathum Thani to Alpine Real Estate and Alpine Golf and Sports Club in 2002 despite the Council of State's ruling that it was monastic land and thus could not be sold or transferred.

The real estate developer had connections with former deputy interior minister Sanoh Thienthong and the property was later sold to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Mr Wirat said that Pheu Thai's petition to the EC for a ruling is nothing but an attempt to buy time.

"He thinks he may be able to clear the mess. If he really believes he is an eligible MP, why doesn't he ask the Constitution Court to make a ruling? It will go to the court sooner or later," the Songkhla MP said.

The Democrat Party is collecting signatures of 50 MPs to endorse a petition seeking a Constitution Court ruling on Mr Yongyuth's status. The petition will be submitted by the House Speaker.

Mr Wirat said the House Speaker is required to forward the petition to the charter court within 15 days.

A ruling would be expected in three months, he added.

Pheu Thai MP and legal specialist Pirapan Palusuk said yesterday the petition to the EC would clear any doubt about the party leader's qualifications.

He said it is the right authority to consult when the Council of State and the NACC seem to disagree.

Mr Pirapan added it was unlikely that Mr Yongyuth would lose his post _ especially with Ms Yingluck's support.

"Most party members don't think he has done any damage to the party. I don't think it will make a significant impact," he said.

Jaturan Boonbenrat, assistant coordinator for the Green Politics Group, said the group has asked the EC to rule on the qualification of Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi in addition to Mr Yongyuth.

Mr Plodprasop was found guilty by the NACC of malfeasance over the export of 100 Bengal tigers to a Chinese zoo when he was chief of the Royal Forest Department.

Share your thoughts

Discussion 1 : 28/09/2012 at 06:01 AM: D7@domdunn Quote This entire story is based on an unnamed PT 'source'. At the end of the story a named PT source, Pirapan Palusuk described as "a legal specialist", pours cold water on the whole story. Typical Bangkok Post. It has also been brought to court and the civil service and THEY think he is guilty too. He is however PTP, a Thaksin acolyte and needs the PTP double standards applied. Typical domdunn as the PTP and reds can do no wrong in his eyes.
Discussion 2 : 27/09/2012 at 04:02 PM: "The real estate developer had connections with former deputy interior minister Sanoh Thienthong and the property was later sold to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra." Will the government take back the land which was illegally sold to the fugitive??.
Discussion 3 : 27/09/2012 at 11:58 AM: D7 wrote : "This entire story is based on an unnamed PT 'source'". I guess that's the kind of conclusions you'll always reach when wearing red-tainted glasses. This unnamed PT source accounts for less than 5 % of the entire article. Claiming that PT MP & so called "legal specialist" Pirapan is pouring cold water on the whole story,must be what we call a rather biased personal opinion,if not an outright lie. Typical Domdunn. I would say that Pirapan is desperately trying to down-play this mess as he is acutely aware of the dire consequences this case could have...such as the Peua Thaksin Party being dissolved and several of their MP's being banned from politics. Not to mention returning the land to the Temple.
Discussion 4 : 27/09/2012 at 11:38 AM: The backstabbing has begun.
Discussion 5 : 27/09/2012 at 09:40 AM: What about the people that were actually involved in the trading back and forth of the property? Land deals of that size would normally require a lawyer who's job it is to seek out and verify the land title. At best the lawyer is guilty of malpractice but in reality it should invalidate all transactions with the money shifting back plus interest and the land being reverted to the original monastic holding.
Discussion 6 : 27/09/2012 at 09:33 AM: "Most party members don't think he has done any damage to the party. I don't think it will make a significant impact," he (PT MP Mr Pirapan) said. I think that statement reveals alot about the PTP. Mr. Pirapan is more or less directly stating that most PTP members do not care about damage to the country (or anyone else), as long as there is no damage to the party.
Discussion 7 : 27/09/2012 at 09:07 AM: He is a 'made man' protected by 'T'.Real estate is the family business.
Discussion 8 : 27/09/2012 at 09:04 AM: Another land corruption case linking to Thaksin. If this guys is so innocent he wouldn't be linked to so many corruption cases.
Discussion 9 : 27/09/2012 at 08:58 AM: I agree with Dom Dunn that this is another made up article to fill space, but I'm curious as to Dom's attitude about the long standing chant of no double standards.
Discussion 10 : 27/09/2012 at 08:51 AM: The real estate developer had connections with former deputy interior minister Sanoh Thienthong and the property was later sold to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit doing such a big favour for thaksin has not helped him get to the position he is in now. Why are they not reclaiming this land if it was bought illegaly??
Discussion 11 : 27/09/2012 at 08:37 AM: PT party members are starting to challenge Yingluck and her brother? Maybe there is some hope for democracy after all.
Discussion 12 : 27/09/2012 at 07:56 AM: I thought these guys are lawmakers. It looks more like they are deal makers. Land deals, tiger deals, what else? oh, rice deals, how could I forget that one. Is parliament just one big dealer-ship? Some day it will sink.
Discussion 13 : 27/09/2012 at 07:48 AM: This entire story is based on an unnamed PT 'source'. At the end of the story a named PT source, Pirapan Palusuk described as "a legal specialist", pours cold water on the whole story. Typical Bangkok Post.
Discussion 14 : 27/09/2012 at 07:27 AM: How can any political party claiming to represent the interests of the country and "the people" choose such a man for leadership. Considering the actions and activities of people such as Chalerm, this guy and many others, such people should be serving time - not "the people".
Discussion 15 : 27/09/2012 at 07:19 AM: D4@pjt If you srt proper standards and uphold them there is no place for double standards and that would never do for the government would it?
Discussion 16 : 27/09/2012 at 07:05 AM: One of the reasons why this is a problem is because this whole case has dragged on (or been dragged out) for so long. If you set proper standards for speed of investigation and have a fast track decision process on government officials (or politicians) accused of corruption or malfeasance you get these cases resolved quickly. The status of the individual to hold political or public office is then clear
Discussion 17 : 27/09/2012 at 06:47 AM: Let's just remind ourselves (we the other 35% of the population who don't find corruption acceptable), this is the nominated chief of the ruling party. The case involved was a major scandal that was somehow 'postponed' during a previous tenure of this crowd in power, until the statutes of limitation expired, thus another major political patriarch who Thaksin counted as an ally, got off the hook. Another minister in this govt is mentioned in this article as being found guilty of Malfeasance in another case. I could mentioned several others who have been found guilty of crimes but continue as leaders without facing any rebuke. Is it all politically motivated or is there a trend with this particular party?
Discussion 18 : 27/09/2012 at 05:45 AM: Yongyuth has been a protected lackey of Thaksin for years and years. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Rumors are he has interest in massive quantities of land that were illegally clear cut in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces.
Discussion 19 : 27/09/2012 at 04:47 AM: This story has been out there for years and whether Mr. Yongyuth is guilty of gross mismanagement or outright corruption, he is guilty and it's time people pay for such guilt. If the government doesn't take a stand against such conduct, as they claimed they would when asking for people's votes, then they are actively promoting it.

Share your thoughts

More From Bangkokpost.com