New fiscal discipline court 'in pipeline'
Published: 24/11/2014 at 03:12 PM
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A new court may be set up to deal with "policy-oriented corruption" as part of national reform to clamp down on all forms of graft.
Corruption intent is hard to prove in a criminal court and politicians get away with it, Mr Kamnoon said. (File photo by Phrakrit Juntawong)
Kamnoon Sidhisamarn, a national reform councillor, wrote on his Facebook the new fiscal and budget discipline body would be spun off from the Auditor General's Office and established as a court under the Appeal or Supreme Court.
It will consider cases in which politicians and government officials adopted the policies which they benefit from but cause massive damage to the country.
At present, such intent is hard to prove in a criminal court and politicians get away with it, he said.
"The guilt in a fiscal and budget discipline case can be proven by 'credible evidence' instead of 'proof beyond doubt' like in a criminal case," he said.
He added guilty politicians and all levels of responsible officials would have to pay an administrative fine and compensation. The National Anti-Corruption Commission and the Auditor General's Office can also file suits without having to go through the Attorney-General's Office.
Once the court is in place, Mr Kamnoon said, the offender in a corruption case will face three forms of punishments instead of two currently.
At present, a personal found guilty is removed from office and banned from politics for five years. He also faces a criminal charge at the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Persons Holding Political Positions.
The new charter will empower the new court to impose an administrative penalty and demand compensation, he said.