The National Legislative Assembly will hear opening statements on April 23 from three former Commerce Ministry officials accused of involvement in corrupt government rice deals.
The impeachment hearings for former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom and ex-deputy commerce minister Poom Sarapol, and Manas Soiploy, former director-general of the Department of Foreign Trade, will examine their roles in government-to-government rice sales during the previous Yingluck Shinawatra administration.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission charged the men with allowing two Chinese companies, unauthorised by the Chinese government, to seal bilateral contracts to buy Thai rice without having to bid.
They allegedly violated the Criminal Code, the Public Competitive Bidding Act and the Anti-Corruption Act.
The NLA rejected Mr Manas's request to present additional evidence for his defence, which included proposals to prevent rice corruption and letters from the Prime Minister's Office requesting information on rice releases and demand for rice.
He also wanted to submit his correspondence with the Guangdong Stationery & Sporting Goods Import & Export Corp which detailed rice price quotations and the company's demand for government rice.
Mr Boonsong, Mr Poom and Mr Manas are among 21 people indicted by public prosecutors. If convicted they stand to get life sentences and pay fines of up to 35 billion baht, in a trial at the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office-Holders.
According to prosecutors, Guangdong Stationery & Sporting Goods Import & Export Corp, and Hainan Grain & Oil Industrial Trading Co were allowed to buy pledged rice without competition from other bidders. The men then sold the paddy, which was purchased at prices lower than the government had paid for it, to Thailand's domestic rice traders to re-sell.
The alleged offences occurred between Sept 8, 2011 and Feb 22, 2013. Mr Boonsong also faces trial in the Supreme Court for alleged corruption in the rice deals. The Supreme Court yesterday selected the nine judges to oversee the trial, chosen during a closed vote attended by 130 jurists.