A core Pheu Thai party member on Wednesday threatened to file lawsuits against any National Legislative Assembly (NLA) members who vote to impeach former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and two former parliament speakers in upcoming cases before the NLA.
The NLA is due to begin scrutinising the impeachment motions against former Senate speaker Nikhom Wairatpanich and ex-House speaker Somsak Kiatsuranon today while Ms Yingluck's impeachment motion will be heard tomorrow. The votes on the motions are expected in a few weeks.
Surapong Tovichakchaikul said the impeachment proceedings initiated by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) against Ms Yingluck, Mr Nikhom and Mr Somsak are illegitimate and those who vote in favour of impeachment will be taken to court for abuse of authority.
Mr Surapong claimed the qualifications of some members of the NACC that ruled to forward the impeachment cases to the NLA for consideration are questionable, so the impeachment recommendations lack legitimacy.
In an earlier news report, Mr Surapong said three NACC members were appointed when they were directors of private companies, which might have tainted the NACC's impeachment process.
Ms Yingluck faces impeachment for alleged negligence of duty in the corruption-plagued rice-pledging scheme, while Mr Nikhom and Mr Somsak face proceedings for their support of an attempt to amend the 2007 charter to make the Senate fully elected.
Cherdchai Tantisirin, a former Pheu Thai MP and a red shirt member, yesterday warned that unfair rulings by the NLA could trigger a new round of protests and urged the NLA to do its job properly.
"This is not a threat, but we'd better not look down on the people. The military should honour their words that justice will be ensured. Without justice the country is in trouble," he said.
Adm Sitthawat Wongsuwon, an NLA member, said yesterday the three are likely to survive the impeachment motions because some NLA members believe the grounds for the impeachment are no longer valid.
Moreover, an impeachment requires three-fifths of the vote, or 132 members, and that is not easy to achieve, he said.
Asked if Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's recent remark about the proceedings is seen as a "go-ahead" gesture, he said there is no hidden message in the prime minister's words.
Gen Prayut was quoted as saying that reconciliation does not mean all wrongdoing will be absolved.
Mr Nikhom on Wednesday expressed confidence he would be able to clear himself against the allegations, saying he would appear before the NLA today to make his case.
"Another reason is that I want to uphold the standards of the law-making institution," he said.
"Every member is doing his job. If other agencies try to intervene in the affair, they won't be able to do their job independently."
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam played down concerns the impeachment cases would cause further divisions.
On the NLA's powers to proceed with the cases, he said the NLA president would have studied them before including the motions on the agenda.
NLA president Pornpetch Wichitcholchai said eight former cabinet ministers would be allowed to appear in Ms Yingluck's defence of the impeachment bid but they are not allowed to address the NLA as her witnesses.