Surapong and the National Anti Corruption Commission (NACC) will be given a chance to defend their acts before the NLA votes, Jet said.

The NACC voted unanimously a few weeks ago to seek criminal action against Surapong and also his impeachment over his decision to reissue passports to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2011.

The national anti-graft agency accused Surapong, a key politician from the Pheu Thai Party, of malfeasance and dereliction of duty under the Criminal Code.

The NACC asked the Office of Attorney-General to indict him for criminal negligence and malfeasance in connection with his actions and also requested the NLA to impeach him.

While serving as foreign minister in 2011, Surapong allegedly instructed the Foreign Ministry to issue two new passports to Thaksin, whose passports had been revoked in 2009 by the Democrat-led government of Abhisit Vejjajiva on the grounds that the former PM was deemed to be damaging the country while living abroad.

Thaksin’s diplomatic passport, often issued to senior government officials particularly prime ministers, had been revoked since December 2008.

Thaksin has lived in self-exile overseas after fleeing the country in 2008.

After the coup in May 2014, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, under then foreign minister General Tanasak Patimapagorn, revoked Thaksin’s two ordinary passports in May 2015. The revocation came after the ex-PM severely criticised the new administration and Thailand in an interview with foreign media.

The ministry explained that the revocation came after a suggestion by security agencies, which deemed Thaksin’s action a threat to national security and an attempt to damage the country’s reputation and dignity.

However, as a Thai national, Thaksin still has the right to return to Thailand although he no longer carries a Thai passport.