Bangkok: A petition has been filed with the Speaker of the Parliament to investigate the conduct of Ms. Rakchanok Srinok, a party-list MP from the People's Party, concerning her involvement in the TH-AI Passport initiative. The petition, submitted by political activist Mr. Sonthiya Sawasdee, raises questions about Ms. Rakchanok's actions in her capacity as chair of the House Committee on Budget Management and Monitoring.

According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Sonthiya submitted a letter to Mr. Sophon Saram, Speaker of the House of Representatives, requesting a thorough investigation into whether Ms. Rakchanok abused her authority and intimidated civil servants. He expressed concerns regarding her actions related to the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society's TH-AI Passport project, questioning if she had the committee's approval to conduct the investigation. Mr. Sonthiya argued that the committee's actions might have exceeded the boundaries of parliamentary rules, as MPs should not interfere with civil servants' work or threaten to report projects to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).

Mr. Sonthiya also highlighted that the project occurred during 2024-2026, when the People's Party was in opposition, and questioned why actions were taken post-bidding process completion. He urged the Speaker to assess whether the actions of Ms. Rakchanok and the committee violated the Constitution or parliamentary regulations, specifically Articles 184 and 185.

Further elaborating, Mr. Sonthiya explained that Article 184 (2) of the Constitution prohibits MPs from interfering in concession grants, and Article 185 bars them from budget processes. He questioned if Ms. Rakchanok's threat to sue the NACC, if the project passed, constituted a constitutional and ethical violation due to potential budget involvement. Mr. Sonthiya requested an investigation into whether these actions breached constitutional and ethical standards.

Additionally, Mr. Sonthiya plans to present the matter to the NACC to establish a precedent for MPs' conduct. He refrained from advising Ms. Rakchanok on her duties, acknowledging her experience and ongoing legal challenges. However, he emphasized that she should have followed proper procedures by securing committee resolutions and submitting findings to the House Speaker, instead of independently requesting project cancellations or threatening legal actions, which he claims overstepped the committee's authority.