BANGKOK: Deputy Education Minister Kanokwan Vilawan was ordered by the Supreme Court here to stop work immediately after it accepted a case filed against her by graft busters.
According to the Bangkok Post, the court said it accepted the case by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) which accused the politician of committing s severe ethical violation in a case of land encroachment within Khao Yai National Park.
Kanokwan is a politician from the Bhumjaithai Party.
The court also ordered her to be suspended from politics immediately and tentatively banned her from politics for 10 years, or until the court delivers judgement.
Kanokwan and eight others, including her father, Soonthorn Vilawan were indicted by public prosecutors for the illegal occupation of about 150 rai inside the national park in her home province in June.
The NACC also brought a criminal case against Kanokwan, who is a party-list MP for Prachin Buri, in the Supreme Court
The corruption agency said in the complaint that Ms Kanokwan had committed a serious breach of ethics by colluding with land officials in applying for title deed over 30 rai supposedly owned by Thiew Malisorn on Feb 14, 1990. It turned out that Thiew Malisorn did not exist and the name was made up to clear the way for her to illegally own the land inside the national park. She and her father were issued title deeds.
The court set Oct 5 for the first hearing of the NACC case.
Kanokwan's father is the president of the Prachin Buri Provincial Administrative Organisation.
Kanokwan has kept low-profile at work since she and other accused were indicted by prosecutors in June.
She is the second cabinet minister to be suspended from duty in two days. The Constitutional Court suspended Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha from the prime ministership until it gives a ruling on his eight-year term in office.