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Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The Nation

The National Counter Corruption Commission is expected to make a decision on whether to indict members of the Samak Cabinet and permanent officials involved in endorsing the joint-communiqué to support Cambodia's listing Preah Vihear as a Word Heritage Site.

NCCC commissioner Klanarong Chantik said the NCCC would make the decision today because the investigation results into the case were completed.

Four high-ranking ministry officials have been accused in the case comprising Foreign Ministry permanent-secretary Veerasak Futrakul, Chirdchu Raktrabutr, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Krit Garnjana-goonchorn, Director-General of the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs.

Members of the Samak Cabinet who are defendants in this case include four former cabinet members in the Samak government, namely, deputy prime minister Sanan Kajornprasart, deputy finance minister Pradit Pataraprasit, natural resources and environment minister Suwit Khunkitti and ICT minister Ranongruk Suwanchawee.

The Constitution Court had earlier ruled that the Preah Vihear joint communique was endorsed by the Samak cabinet in violation of the Constitution.

Former foreign ministry deputy permanent secretary Suchinda Yongsunthorn said he believed the permanent officials were innocent as they honestly did their job with the believe that the communique would not cause Thailand to lose any land.