Lower House’s Secretariat faces THB 1.66 billion in lawsuits

The Secretariat of the House of Representatives is facing three lawsuits in the Central Administrative Court with a combined damages amount of 1.66 billion baht, a news source said on Wednesday.

The source cited an audit report on the Secretariat’s finances by the Office of the Auditor General for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023. The report was submitted to the cabinet for acknowledgement on Tuesday (May 28) as stipulated by the State Fiscal and Financial Disciplines Act.

According to the ‘debts that may be incurred' as detailed in the lawsuits section of the report, the Secretariat has been a defendant in three different lawsuits with a combined amount in damage of 1,665,393,116.30 baht. These lawsuits are:

1. The breach of contract regarding the project to improve a gym and training room on the 2nd floor of the Secretariat of the House of Representatives building on Pradipat Road, and the improvement of a press room at the Parliament Complex on U Thong Nai Road. The plaintiff demanded a total of 65.5 million baht in compensation.

2. The breach of contract regarding the construction of the new Parliament Complex on Samsen Road with damages amounting to 1.59 billion baht plus 7.5% interest per year.

3. A class action lawsuit filed by plaintiffs who have been affected by the orders of the Secretariat, with damages of 3.23 million baht.

The source said all cases are being deliberated by the Central Administrative Court, and could eventually be dismissed, or result in the Secretariat being ordered to pay the damages, whether in amounts higher or lower than those demanded by the plaintiffs.