Ex-MPs found at fault for allowing others to use their parliamentary IDs

Three former MPs were found guilty by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for allowing other members of parliament to use their ID cards to confirm falsely, their attendance at a parliamentary meeting on September 20, 2013 while, in fact, they were absent.

The ruling, more than 10 years after the incident occurred, was announced today by Saroj Phuengramphan, secretary-general of the NACC and also spokesman for the anti-graft watchdog.

The three former MPs were identified as Chaiwut Pongpaew and Phiraphol Lapharoj of the Democrat party and Sarunwut Sarunkate of Pheu Thai party.

Saroj said that the trio were found to have broken the law and that the NACC will submit the case to the Office of Attorney-General (OAG) for litigation in the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders.

In a separate case, he said the NACC has found a former MP Natchanon Srikorkua, of the Bhumjaithai party, guilty of ethical misconduct by allowing an “outsider” to pay for his medical expenses, estimated at about 1.4 million baht, for treatment at a private hospital in September and October of 2019.

Natchanon claimed the maximum medical fee he could get from parliament was only about 500,000 baht and he later appointed the “outsider” as one of his personal specialists as a return favour.

The case will be submitted to the OAG for litigation in the Supreme Court, said the spokesman.