Prawit ‘close to resigning’ amid scandal

[webfact]

Prawit ‘close to resigning’ amid scandal

By JITRAPORN SENAWONG 
THE NATION

 

 

ANONYMOUS SOURCE NAMES ‘FRIEND’ WHO REPORTEDLY LENT WATCHES TO DEPUTY PM
 

PRESSURE is building on the junta government and Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, although the defence minister had until recently seemed secure in office despite the ongoing scandal over photographs of him wearing opulent wristwatches.

 

A former military officer, however, is backing Prawit’s account of the origins of the watches that many people took as a poor joke – that the watches previously belonged to a friend who had subsequently died.

 

Former deputy prime minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula said yesterday that if he faced similar circumstances, he would have already resigned. “If we do something wrong, we have to show spirit,” he said.

 

He also referred to General Prem Tinsulanonda’s regime, when the country was also not under democratic rule. As the prime minister at the time, Prem took swift action against misbehaving ministers to set a good example, he said.

 

Pridiyathorn added that he believed Prawit would resign soon because of the mounting pressure.

 

However, any outcome would also depend on Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, he said.

 

A former military officer speaking on condition of anonymity named Pattawat Suksriwong as Prawit’s friend who had lent him the watches. Some of the luxury watches Prawit was seen wearing previously belonged to the late businessman, who passed away last year, the source said.

 

“Pattawat collected luxury watches. He had a collection of hundreds of them,” the source said. “He lent them to his close friends and Prawit is one of those friends. Their friends who went to the St Gabriel School know this.”

 

The source said that Pridi-yathorn, also a St Gabriel alumnus, was also aware of the story.

 

However, the source said he did not know when the timepieces were lent to Prawit. It would not be illegal but still it was important that Prawit explained the issue to the public, the retired general said.

 

However, Pridiyathorn yesterday denied any knowledge of the loans or the watch collections of Pattawat.

 

“You have to ask his children. I don’t have that deep [level] of information,” he said.

 

Pridiyathorn also laughed in response to a question of whether he had also been lent a watch and said that he would never take the offer, adding that he would also be in trouble if he had.

 

Prawit is facing fierce criticism after being photographed wearing many high-end timepieces on different occasions.

 

The public is continuing to question how a military officer making less than Bt1 million a year could possibly have afforded the luxury items.

 

The government’s inaction and Prawit’s account that the watches had been lent to him by a late friend continued to draw questions and scepticism, including from the international media.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30336814

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-01-22

[Thaiwrath]

[colinneil]

Bye bye, dont bang the door on your way out.

[AGareth2]

the people are watching

[darksidedog]

If he had any sense of shame whatsoever, he would have gone already.

[rkidlad]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

Former deputy prime minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula said yesterday that if he faced similar circumstances, he would have already resigned. “If we do something wrong, we have to show spirit,” he said.

Well, that really depends on what you did wrong. If you dropped the ball, fair enough. If you stole the public's money to buy yourself some fancy stuff, you shouldn't have any choices. Off to jail.

 

And herein lies the problem of apathy and the brainwashing of, 'when rich people steal, it's not really stealing'. Oh, it's stealing alright. It's the absolute worse kind of stealing. People who have lots of money stealing from people who don't have a pot to p*** in. 

[berybert]

He's leaving the job so he can spend more time looking after his watches.

[NCC1701A]

sounds like Prawit just made the last payment on his house in the South of France.

[tracker1]

As close to resigning as the next election !

[worgeordie]

Somebody give him a push.

regards Worgeordie

[jaltsc]

“If we do something wrong, we have to show spirit... "

That would make Thailand the "Hub of Spirit".

Edited January 22, 2018 by jaltsc

[Darcula]

44 minutes ago, webfact said:

A former military officer, however, is backing Prawit’s account of the origins of the watches

 

But, of course. Case closed.

[rkidlad]

2 minutes ago, Darcula said:

 

But, of course. Case closed.

Well, if they believe that, they'll believe anything. A great precedent for the junta and how they run things. No wonder they don't want elections. 

[PerkinsCuthbert]

"Remorse" would be a better word than "spirit".

[nikmar]

I ll miss him if he goes. For the comedy value alone.

[Dave67]

[quandow]

Prawit ‘close to resigning’

 

And I'm close to growing more hair on top of my head.

[robblok]

Would be nice if true.. I don't see him resigning.. and is resigning really enough. I don't think so (if they can prove these watches were him look how he got the money). Let him explain the money if he cant.. sentence him for corruption.

[Artisi]

Does this guy remind you of  a characters in the kids story  "Wind in the Willows" in looks and action. 

[Artisi]

4 minutes ago, quandow said:

Prawit ‘close to resigning’

 

And I'm close to growing more hair on top of my head.

Better there than elsewhere ?

[Artisi]

48 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

If he had any sense of shame whatsoever, he would have gone already.

The problem being sense, not particularly shame. 

[Artisi]

43 minutes ago, jaltsc said:

“If we do something wrong, we have to show spirit... "

That would make Thailand the "Hub of Spirit".

Isn't Thailand already the "Hub of spirits"  - but not the drinking kind

Edited January 22, 2018 by Artisi

[mikebell]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The public is continuing to question how a military officer making less than Bt1 million a year could possibly have afforded the luxury items.

Whilst still managing to increase his personal wealth by 5 million a year for the last SIX years.

[sammieuk1]

He will need a new face on his watch as well before this is over! Taxi for the general.

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Prawit ‘close to resigning’ amid scandal

hope it is true; his list of positive accomplishments is pretty short (benefiting from cronyism doesn't count)

[Eric Loh]

Happy to see him resign. What about stripping his rank and charged him for undeclared assets. Exposed his other undeclared wealth. He gets off easy if he just resign and no further action. 

[DoctorG]

So, a friend lends you some watches. The friend dies. You just decide to keep the watches? No thoughts of returning them to the estate?

Edited January 22, 2018 by DoctorG
typo

[Lupatria]

4 hours ago, nikmar said:

I ll miss him if he goes. For the comedy value alone.

He always reminds me on the guys hopping around in a circus with painted faces (unfortunately and maybe because of the country's weird defamation laws I cant remember the term).

[Artisi]

15 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

So, a friend lends you some watches. The friend dies. You just decide to keep the watches? No thoughts of returning them to the estate?

What, a Thai loan is usually for keeps, don't think there is a word in Thai vocabulary for repay / repaid / repayment.

[toybits]

“Pridiyathorn added that he believed Prawit (the most WATCHED General?) would resign soon because of the mounting pressure.”

 I am confused.  If there was no pressure, then Pridiyathorn would not believe it was necessary for Prawit to resign? So the only reason Prawit should resign is because of the pressure against him and NOT because he did anything wrong?  How much shallower can you get?

The Government Agency responsible for investigating this case is also tainted. Nothing reeks more of double-standard than this.