NACC comes up empty in Prawit scandal, saying watchmakers’ responses needed

[webfact]

NACC comes up empty in Prawit scandal, saying watchmakers’ responses needed

By KAS CHANWANPEN 
THE NATION

 

 

THE National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) continued to drag its feet in the case over Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan’s collection of luxury watches, showing no significant progress in the case yesterday.

 

The anti-graft body instead asked investigators to find out who was the real owner of all the watches, NACC secretary-general Worawit Sukboon told a press briefing.

 

Prawit had reported to the agency that the whole collection of more than 20 watches he had been spotted wearing on different occasions belonged to only one individual – his deceased, long-time, billionaire friend – the official said.

 

The photos of Prawit wearing the luxury watches exposed online suggested he had at least 25 different pieces. But the official yesterday corrected the number to 22, saying three photos featured the same watch.

 

He said two more individuals would be interrogated and 10 watch companies had been asked to respond to the agency’s questions. He declined to reveal the identity of the two individuals.

 

Four individuals had previously been interrogated by the NACC. 

 

Before that, the NACC had submitted questions to 13 watch companies, he added, but only three had responded to questions.

 

It was unclear how long the investigation would take, Worawit said, adding that there was not much left to investigate but it was largely up to when the watch companies would respond. 

 

Only after that, could the case be presented to the anti-graft commission, he said. 

 

Worawit yesterday did not respond to a query on whether Prawit could have violated the law by receiving gifts worth more than Bt3,000, going by his claim that he had been given the luxury wristwatches by his friend.

 

The scandal of Prawit’s luxury-watch collection and diamond rings erupted in early December and the NACC has been investigating the case for more than three months. 

 

Prawit was spotted wearing a Richard Mille, estimated to cost at least Bt2 million, and a large diamond ring. Questions arose as to how he had obtained such expensive items and if he had declared them to the NACC when he joined the post-coup government in 2014.

 

The scandal led to an investigation by the NACC to find out if Prawit had concealed his assets.

 

Prawit had been asked to clarify on four occasions how he had obtained the items after new photographs of him wearing expensive wristwatches kept emerging. 

 

The total value of the watches |is estimated at more than Bt20 million. 

 

Prawit, meanwhile, continues in office as both the defence minister and deputy prime minister, unfazed by the strong public censure. 

 

Regarding the diamond ring, Worawit said yesterday Prawit had reported he had inherited it from his parents.

 

Meanwhile, Pol General Watcharapol Prasarnratchakit has withdrawn from the commission and would not be involved in any decision regarding the case, the secretary-general said.

 

Watcharapol was Prawit’s secretary in 2014 when the coup-installed government was formed. 

 

His withdrawal came in response to public concern that he could influence the commission’s decision in the Prawit case.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30342046

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-03-30

[Khun Han]

Same tactic as in the Red Bull case then: "Case stuck because farangs won't help us." A winning formula.

Edited March 29, 2018 by Khun Han

[Samui Bodoh]

47 minutes ago, webfact said:

THE National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) continued to drag its feet in the case over Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan’s collection of luxury watches, showing no significant progress in the case yesterday.

Well, surprise surprise surprise!

 

Is there anyone out there who thought that the NACC would be unable to rule on such a clear cut case? I am shocked (he said sarcastically)

 

I do take some comfort from this embarrassing situation...

 

Prayut can no longer really be considered credible in his pronouncements that he is clean and/or a corruption fighter. If he continues to allow Prawit to sit in Cabinet, then it is 100% clear that his words on the subject are pure, unadulterated hypocrisy. And, it also means that as a candidate he is not really credible either. Who could vote for him under these circumstances? Would you believe that he is serious about fighting corruption? if he so clearly disregards all his previous pronouncements to shield his crony from the law, why would anyone believe him going forward?

 

The second bit of comfort is that this should be the final nail in the credibility of the NACC. Please do not misunderstand me; I think Thailand desperately needs an effective corruption-fighting organization, but the current NACC is clearly not it. It is time to disband the commission, fire the commissioners and start over. The NACC has become (or better said; always was) simply a political tool of the JUNTA to assassinate its political enemies and shield its political allies. 

 

It is an unholy/ungodly monster that needs to go, that needs to go now and that needs to go quickly.

 

 

 

Edited March 29, 2018 by Samui Bodoh
Lack of coffee

[Khun Han]

41 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Well, surprise surprise surprise!

 

Is there anyone out there who thought that the NACC would be unable to rule on such a clear cut case? I am shocked (he said sarcastically)

 

I do take some comfort from this embarrassing situation...

 

Prayut can no longer really be considered credible in his pronouncements that he is clean and/or a corruption fighter. If he continues to allow Prawit to sit in Cabinet, then it is 100% clear that his words on the subject are pure, unadulterated hypocrisy. And, it also means that as a candidate he is not really credible either. Who could vote for him under these circumstances? Would you believe that he is serious about fighting corruption? if he so clearly disregards all his previous pronouncements to shield his crony from the law, why would anyone believe him going forward?

 

The second bit of comfort is that this should be the final nail in the credibility of the NACC. Please do not misunderstand me; I think Thailand desperately needs an effective corruption-fighting organization, but the current NACC is clearly not it. It is time to disband the commission, fire the commissioners and start over. The NACC has become (or better said; always was) simply a political tool of the JUNTA to assassinate its political enemies and shield its political allies. 

 

It is an unholy/ungodly monster that needs to go, that needs to go now and that needs to go quickly.

 

 

 

 

Pretty-much all right on the money. But a minor correction: Prawit is Prayut's 'pi' in every sense of the word. He would have been prime minister if he didn't have a 'perfect face for radio'.

[Somtamnication]

So the NACC ran out of "time" during this legal "watch"? 

[webfact]

NACC decides more probe is needed on DPM Prawit’s wristwatch controversy

By Thai PBS

 

 

After four months of investigation by its panel, the National Anti-Corruption Commission today (March 29) decided not to decide on the controversial issue pertaining to Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon’s diamond ring and luxury wristwatches by assigning the panel to conduct further probe to find out the real owner or owners of the wristwatches.

 

The NACC was supposed to make a decision to put an end to the controversy after the panel had wrapped up its investigative report which included four written clarifications from Gen Prawit about his diamond ring and 25 luxury wristwatches which he was reportedly seen wearing on different occasions.

 

NACC secretary-general Worawit Sukboon said the anti-graft watchdog wanted its panel to question two “new” witnesses and to examine further information from sale representatives of the brandname wristwatches in Thailand.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/nacc-decides-probe-needed-dpm-prawits-wristwatch-controversy/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-03-30

[JOC]

What a surprise......

And the winner is......Corruption and nepotism.....!!

Who would have thought....

[JOC]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Prawit had reported to the agency that the whole collection of more than 20 watches he had been spotted wearing on different occasions belonged to only one individual – his deceased, long-time, billionaire friend –

Seriously.....?

Was that the best a serial-liar could come up with...?

Does this so sadly deceased friend have a name?

[Thailand]

Pinoccochio's could never grow long enough to meet the rock bottom standards this bunch have climbed down to.

[kannot]

you spineless prick-s

Edited March 29, 2018 by kannot

[kannot]

What  will now happen is next time all the paperwork will be revealed to be in order all "specially prepared"  by Prawits friends who sold him the watches.

[kannot]

24 minutes ago, JOC said:

Seriously.....?

Was that the best a serial-liar could come up with...?

Does this so sadly deceased friend have a name?

Isaac  Hunt

[Khun Han]

47 minutes ago, webfact said:

NACC decides more probe is needed on DPM Prawit’s wristwatch controversy

By Thai PBS

 

 

After four months of investigation by its panel, the National Anti-Corruption Commission today (March 29) decided not to decide on the controversial issue pertaining to Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon’s diamond ring and luxury wristwatches by assigning the panel to conduct further probe to find out the real owner or owners of the wristwatches.

 

The NACC was supposed to make a decision to put an end to the controversy after the panel had wrapped up its investigative report which included four written clarifications from Gen Prawit about his diamond ring and 25 luxury wristwatches which he was reportedly seen wearing on different occasions.

 

NACC secretary-general Worawit Sukboon said the anti-graft watchdog wanted its panel to question two “new” witnesses and to examine further information from sale representatives of the brandname wristwatches in Thailand.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/nacc-decides-probe-needed-dpm-prawits-wristwatch-controversy/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-03-30

 

The guy in the photo (who I assume is Worawit Sukboon) looks a bit like a rabbit caught in headlights.

[colinneil]

Exactly what was expected.

Just a bunch of spineless pr++ks, not a man among them.

Now the whole world will see that this country is run by a bunch of crooks.

[Darcula]

Thick as thieves - the lot of them.

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

He said two more individuals would be interrogated and 10 watch companies had been asked to respond to the agency’s questions. He declined to reveal the identity of the two individuals.

their strategy is clear; interview all adults and all companies in thailand

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

He said two more individuals would be interrogated and 10 watch companies had been asked to respond to the agency’s questions. He declined to reveal the identity of the two individuals.

duplicate

Edited March 29, 2018 by YetAnother

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

He said two more individuals would be interrogated and 10 watch companies had been asked to respond to the agency’s questions. He declined to reveal the identity of the two individuals.

sad day for thailand; turning into a paper country

[lemonjelly]

God only knows how many holiday resorts, hotels, houses, and rai of land these people have tucked away..... a collection of watches is probably the tip of an iceberg

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

[Eligius]

It's turned out as many posters on Thaivisa have predicted: more delay, delay, delay. Clearly the matter is just going to get buried in the flow of time (Prawit is a Time Lord, with his 22 masterpiece watches). 

 

I thought that the NACC would at least pretend to find Prawit innocent, but perhaps even they realise how stupid that would make them look - so the only option is to drag the thing out further and further and further, until in the end everyone is heartily sick of it and just doesn't care any more. That seems to be their strategy now (as with the Red Bull criminal): make a few noises here and there, but do absolutely nothing.

[PremiumLane]

Just like the panther case, always need more time to gather 'evidence' 

[nikmar]

And everyone carries on pretending that this is normal and acceptable.

[JonnyF]

Just as predicted. If he was given them, he broke the law by not declaring the gifts. If he bought them, he broke the law not declaring them as assets and explaining where the million dollars came from.

 

This should be the catalyst for a full scale investigation of all his other assets, maids assets, gardeners assets etc. Instead they will just delay another 6 months until something more important comes along to take the attention away.

 

The NACC is a joke. If they can't make this stick they should be disbanded and start again with some honest people, if anyone can find some.

[irwinfc]

things are going right on cue, just like a swiss watch!

[Oziex1]

And this Ladies and Gents is how they fight corruption.

[PatOngo]

DPM Prawatch setting the bar for the elite.

[Lupatria]

Now I would like to know the names of the manufacturer, and the guy who broke the hourglass at the NACC headquarter to use the sand by throwing it into the public’s eye. That stuff works magic!

[anon467848]

Tick, tock, NOT.... It would have been helpful to know exactly what questions the watchmakers have been asked. This certainly is a good tactic, they will blame future delays on the watch companies and say the case cannot be completed without their co-operation.... 

[Anythingleft?]

Should this die off now, which I have no doubt that it will, it leaves the doors wide open for normal activities to continue. You could say resume but it never even slowed down!
They will throw a few of the lower ranks to the dogs every now and again to show that all is being done in the public interest, but the intended display is there, never, ever, go against the top floor....
Its a sham and they couldn't care less..

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

[kannot]

39 minutes ago, merlin2002 said:

Tick, tock, NOT.... It would have been helpful to know exactly what questions the watchmakers have been asked. This certainly is a good tactic, they will blame future delays on the watch companies and say the case cannot be completed without their co-operation.... 

An d that they cant disclose the names as its a breach of confidence in their clientele