Parliament yesterday voted to reject an amendment to the anti-corruption law that sought to transfer military corruption cases to the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases.
It was voted down in its third and final reading, with 415 MPs and senators opposing it, while 163 lawmakers supported it. There were 12 abstentions. The bill, sponsored by People's Party (PP) MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, targeted five sections in the anti-corruption law, proposing that military corruption cases involving individuals under the jurisdiction of the military court be transferred to the corruption court.
If the bill had been passed and were waiting to take effect, these cases would have been handled by the Attorney General in the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases.
However, after the debate on the amendment, which was revised by the special committee examining the bill, the joint sitting rejected it.
Mr Wiroj, also deputy leader of the main opposition party, criticised the ruling Pheu Thai Party, which is supported by the red-shirt movement, for not backing the amendment which he described as part of military reforms.
He said there were many cases in the military court that raised questions about the independence of judges. Among them were cases involving corruption and crimes against people and public property.
"Pheu Thai should understand this issue better than anyone. This clearly shows that the Pheu Thai-led government has no intention of pursuing reforms," he said.
