Lawmakers bid to extend AEC's term
Three lawmakers submitted a draft bill yesterday to extend the term of the Assets Examination Committee (AEC) from September until the next government is set up after the election in December.
"The term extension is designed to allow time for the AEC to work until the arrival of the new government, which may want to keep it in operation," lawmaker Prapan Khoonmee said.Other sponsors of the bill are Samran Rodphet and Kamnoon Sithisaman. Prapan said the bill, if approved by the National Legislative Assembly, would enhance the AEC's mandate to summon individual witnesses and physical evidence to help its probes into alleged corruption by the ousted government. People who refuse to comply with an AEC summons would face penalties of up to three years in jail and a fine of up to Bt60,000, he said. In view of the staggering graft cases against the ousted government, the AEC was unlikely to complete its job within the one-year term, as previously anticipated, he said. The Nation
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