By Naewna and Thai Newsroom Reporters
PRIME Minister Srettha Thavisin has got infected with Covid-19 with his doctor advising him to rest and resume his official duties on Wednesday June 19, Naewna reported late last night (June 16).
Mr. Chai Watcharong, a spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office, said Srettha has been feeling a little weak since Friday June 14 thus went to see a doctor.
His doctor said it appears he has been infected with Covid-19 for some time now, or since he started developing symptoms last Friday, and he should undergo treatment until he is cured and also not spread the infection, that is till next Wednesday.
The Prime Minister apologised and is concerned about those who he met, talked to or got close to since catching Covid and urged them all to take care of themselves and undergo a Covid test if they too develop symptoms.
The Pheu Thai-attached prime minister faces a court ruling on Tuesday June 18 on an impeachment lawsuit filed by 40 senators against him.
Should he be immediately suspended at an order of the Constitutional Court from doing his duties as of June 18,he might possibly fail to address the House of Representatives on the 3.75 trillion baht 2025 budget legislation on Wednesday.
In the wake of such possibility, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, known as a right-hand man for de facto Pheu Thai boss Thaksin Shinawatra, might probably be named an acting prime minister for a period of time, pending a court ruling on the impeachment case against Srettha. Phumtham might probably address the House on behalf of the legally besieged prime minister on the 2025 budget bill.
Srettha had been accused of severely violating the constitution and code of political ethics by naming the notorious Pichit Chuenban, a former lawyer handling lawsuits on behalf of the de facto Pheu Thai boss, a minister attached to the Prime Minister’s Office despite the fact that he had been earlier sentenced to jail for an attempted bribery and contempt of the Supreme Court.
The contentious naming of Pichit who had already resigned under pressure had been allegedly pushed by the de facto Pheu Thai boss in behind-the-scenes fashion.
In what was seen as an unprecedented politically-related legal scenario, the Constitutional Court has scheduled for deliberation of three major legal battles on the same day – June 18, which coincides with the date on which the billionaire, powerful Thaksin is scheduled to be brought by the Office of the Attorney-General before the Criminal Court to formally hear of charges in a lese majeste lawsuit.
The two other significant cases which the Constitutional Court is scheduled to consider on Tuesday include a highly debatable lawsuit filed by the Election Commission in pursuit of the dissolution of the Move Forward on charges of attempting to undermine rule of the country by openly pushing for amendment to the lese majeste law, also known as Section 112 of the Criminal Code, and to rule whether the complicated, triple-tiered election of 200 senators nationwide may be deemed “unconstitutional” as charged by certain contestants.
CAPTION:
Top and Front Page: Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Photos: Thai Rath
Also read: PM might fail to address House on 2025 budget bill next Wednesday
Court proceedings on lese majeste case against Thaksin might be put off again
Analysis: Of a slap-and-kiss relationship
Thammanat shrugs off strained ties between Pheu Thai and Palang Pracharath
Thai-Khmer deal around Kood Island alleged as null and void
Army falls behind in drone deployment along Thai-Myanmar border
