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Thai PM acquitted of ethics breach, wins crucial legal battle

WION Web Team
Bangkok, ThailandUpdated: Dec 02, 2020, 02:57 PM IST
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Photograph:(AFP)

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The kingdom's constitutional court ruled that Prayut was not guilty of conflict of interest by living in an army residence after leaving the military.

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, under pressure from months of street protests, Wednesday survived a legal challenge over his living arrangements that could have seen him thrown out of office.

The kingdom's constitutional court ruled that Prayut was not guilty of conflict of interest by living in an army residence after leaving the military.

Prayuth has been dealing with a persistent student-led pro-democracy movement that has been holding frequent well-attended rallies demanding that he and his government step down, charging that they came to power illegitimately.

"The defendant's position as prime minister remains unchanged," the head judge said.

The Constitutional Court ruled on a complaint brought by the Pheu Thai party, the largest opposition grouping in Parliament, that Prayuth had broken the law by continuing to live in his military residence after he retired as army commander in September 2014.

The complaint alleged that he broke constitutional articles barring government ministers from receiving special benefits from state agencies or enterprises because that would amount to a conflict of interest.