'PM feared fallout at Parliament over removal of Charae'

Pornpetch was responding to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s “backflip’’ on his earlier decision to replace Charae Panpruang as secretary-general with Nut Phasuk, an NLA legal adviser.

Prayut issued the order by exercising his power under Article 44 of the interim charter to remove Charae from the post – a power that he claimed was used to facilitate reform and ensure peace and unity in the country. 

Prayut on Thursday signed the order to abruptly replace Charae, who was taken by surprise. Pornpetch said the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) removed Charae for negligence over failure to check corruption allegations in procurements believed to have caused a delay in the construction of the new Parliament complex in Kiak Kai, Nonthaburi. 

Construction of the new Parliament was supposed to be completed in November, but about only 17 per cent of the work has been done, Pornpetch added. 

The NCPO expects that Parliament could face legal battles with the firm in charge of the project due to the delay. 

Pornpetch said he recommended that the NCPO appoint Nut to replace Charae as Nut is highly knowledgeable in the legal field and holds a C-11 position, equal to the Parliament secretary-general. He said solving the two legal issues – the graft complaints and construction delay – needed a highly competent official.

He said he did not expect the move to transfer an official across state agencies would be met with strong resistance from parliamentary officials.

But he said Prayut was concerned that any resistance from Parliament would create negative repercussions since the NLA, the National Reform Steering Assembly and the Consti-tution Drafting Commission need the support of parliamentary officials.

He said Prayut had agreed with his recommendation and issued NCPO order No 38 to have Nut reinstated to his former position as legal adviser to the NLA. Pornpetch said he endorsed the most senior Parliament deputy secretary-general as caretaker secretary-general. 

He said he would resort to normal appointment procedures to select the new secretary-general. He had no idea yet how long the process would take because some deputy secretary-generals were under investigation.

Pornpetch did not want to see a lawsuit used to solve the delay in building the new Parliament because calling new bids would create damage and take time. “We need a special method to proceed with the construction.’’

He said the company behind the project, Sino-Thai Engineering and Construction, complained that the delay was caused by officials in charge of taking over the Parliament plot from Yothinburana School committing malfeasance.

It is alleged they wired money into a bank account that did not belong to Yothinburana School. 

NLA secretary-general Wararat Atipaet was chosen to head a fact-finding panel looking into the allegation.

Sources said Parliament deputy secretary-general Chanpen Arnamwat has been appointed caretaker secretary-general.

Meanwhile, Charae refused to comment about his removal saying he was now with the Office of the Permanent Secretary – the Prime Minister’s Office – and would do any work as assigned. 

Deputy PMWissanu Krea-ngam said Prayut used Article 44 to issue the order because it would have taken six months to appoint a replacement or create a new position.