Activist Challenges Parliament Committee Chair Over NBTC Probe
An activist has challenged the House Speaker to investigate a parliamentary committee chair for potential bias and procedural violations while probing the NBTC chair's qualifications, citing the same official's prior involvement in question
On July 2, 2569, independent activist Sanhanath Satthapon submitted a letter to House Speaker Sophon Saramay requesting an investigation into the Political Development, Communications, and Public Participation Committee's actions. The committee had been examining the qualifications of the NBTC chair and summoned documents and relevant agencies for clarification.
The complaint argues that the committee's conduct raises suspicions regarding the chair's impartiality, proper use of authority, and procedural compliance. The activist questions whether the actions conform to constitutional law and parliamentary rules.
The complaint highlights that the same person—the committee chair—previously, as a parliamentary member alongside Rakchanak Srinok, filed documents with the selection committee challenging the NBTC chair's legal qualifications. This raises concerns about predetermined bias when the same individual now leads the committee investigating the same matter.
The complaint identifies several procedural violations. First, under the 2562 House Rules Article 90, committees must report fact-finding activities to the House Speaker and avoid duplicating other committees' work. Second, requesting documents from state officials requires compliance with the 2568 Act on Parliamentary Committee Powers Article 6, which mandates notifying the Prime Minister or relevant ministers beforehand. Third, the complaint notes no evidence exists that the committee passed a resolution authorizing the investigation as required by Article 7 of the same act.
The complaint also notes that the NBTC chair's qualifications were previously examined by another parliamentary committee on May 15, 2568, with the same complainant. This raises questions about whether the current investigation duplicates prior work.
The complaint additionally invokes Article 11 of the 2563 Code of Ethics for Members of Parliament, which requires representatives to act fairly, impartially, and without bias in performing their duties.
