A committee will be set up to vet the bill within 58 days. Noted anti-corruption experts and former National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) members will sit on the committee, including Klanarong Chantik and Vicha Mahakun.

The NLA debated key controversial points of the bill before approving it. One of the points was the timeframe for the NACC to complete an investigation – within two years – to ensure its conclusion. According to the bill, if the NACC cannot finish its investigation within that time, it could seek an extension but it must also inform the public the reasons for the delay.

To ensure a system of checks and balances, NACC commissioners will be subject to examination by parliamentarians if malfeasance is suspected. Parliament could request the Supreme Court to make inquiries or launch a probe. NACC officials would also be subject to probes by the Office of the Auditor-General, which would then forward its findings to the NACC to consider and determine penalties.

Meechai Ruchupan, who drafted the NACC bill, said the newly introduced checks and balances mechanism would be further considered by the NLA. Meechai was also the chief drafter of Thailand’s new Constitution.