Seven legislators – including Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s brother General Preecha – who have been accused of being frequently absent from law-deliberation meetings did not take more leave than the Constitution allowed and will not lose their National Legislative Assembly membership, the NLA insisted.

NLA President Pornpetch Wichitcholchai yesterday defended the approval given to members who sought to take leave, saying he granted the requests based on the body’s regulations.