Former Thai prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra will personally deliver her opening defence statement in her impeachment proceedings concerning the rice-pledging scheme before the National Legislative Assembly when the case opens on Friday.
The process should conclude before the end of January, NLA Vice President Surachai Liangboonlertchai said.
Surachai added that the NLA would allow Yingluck and the National AntiCorruption Commission (NACC) to deliver their statements and answer questions without a time limit. "As she will be present, Yingluck can answer the assemblymen's questions right away," he said.
Surachai said that the NLA would set up two inquiry committees to pose questions on Yingluck's case and the two other impeachment cases against former Senate speaker Nikom Wairatpanij and former House speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont. The two are accused of abusing their authority in relation to unlawful charter amendment.
Each inquiry committee will consist of up to 21 members who will represent the NLA and its committees, including the whip committee. Surachai insisted that the inquiry committees would be neutral.
He said that the impeachment process against holders of political office took 23 days. Conclusions on both cases were thus expected by the end of this month, unless any party in the impeachment cases sought a postponement.
Surachai said that under the current circumstances, postponement was unnecessary.