Hot : NACC finds Prawit innocent in relation to luxury watches

[bangrak]

32 minutes ago, tracker1 said:

Still haven't announced who the mysterious deceased billionaire is or was and his relatives should any exist look like never getting the borrowed watches back !

For your info, the 'other paper' names him as a certain 'Patthawat Suksriwrong'.

Does the name ring a bell for anyone, as having studied at St Gabriel's College together with the frog, and wealthy enough to have like a million USD. of watches, ...to lend out to 'good' friends...?

[jayboy]

Ever wonder why there is no outstanding Thai on the world stage ? Because there is not a single bone of integrity in their bodies. I wonder if there will come a day when an upright and honest thai politician rise above this quagmire political landscape ? A sad day indeed. 

Some will invoke the example of Khun Anand Panyarachun the subject of a recent lengthy and turgid biography which I have actually read.Despite the author’s efforts it doesn’t really make a convincing case its subject was much more than a competent bureaucrat - and a rather indifferent one (the usual Thai problem of equivocation and avoidance of hard decisions )if the opinions of his international colleagues at the UN are to believed.

Still he is an intelligent, honest and civilised human being which can hardly be said of other Thai PMs in the last 20 years.


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[greeneking]

'National Anti-Corruption Commission secretary-general Worawit Sookboon was on Wednesday evening booed by a large group of reporters who were disappointed by his refusal to discuss the controversial issue regarding Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan’s expensive wristwatches until  the next day.'

thaipbsworld.com

More extreme reactions following the actual verdict I hope.

A boycott of any event where Prawit wants to make an announcement would be a start.

[RichardColeman]

And Thailand breathed a sigh of relief knowing that there was no such thing as corruption and dishonesty caried out by Thais.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

1 hour ago, Justgrazing said:

 

 

I say

[lee68]

The UK is even more corrupt than these guys, we have a den of corruption called Westminster!

 

[greeneking]

NACC chairman Pol Gen Watcharaphol Prasarnratchakit recused himself from the case and didn’t attend the meeting of the commission today on the grounds that he was seen as having a close relationship with General Prawit.

He took no part in the actual voting which went 5 - 3.

3 agreed the evidence available was not sufficient and suggested that more evidence should be collected.

 

Very dodgy!  Verdict annulled?

Oh, silly me!

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, Eligius said:

... But the sheer in-your-face arrogance and chutzpah of the whole thing beggars belief...

What truly beggars belief is anyone with a semblance of appreciation of how things work here, thinking for one nanosecond that somehow there would be a different ending to this sideshow?

 

I won't comment on the "sheer in-your-face arrogance and chutzpah" of foreigners that perpetually chose to voice their righteous indignation and some sort of holier than thou attitude either.

 

Now, I am sure that a few of the usual TV vagrants, gadflies and guttersnipes will be along shortly to throw out that relatively new but fatally dated chestnut about my virtue signalling (again).

[NanLaew]

16 minutes ago, lee68 said:

The UK is even more corrupt than these guys, we have a den of corruption called Westminster!

 

And which MP did you vote for?

 

...you DID vote, didn't you?

[Eric Loh]

35 minutes ago, greeneking said:

'National Anti-Corruption Commission secretary-general Worawit Sookboon was on Wednesday evening booed by a large group of reporters who were disappointed by his refusal to discuss the controversial issue regarding Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan’s expensive wristwatches until  the next day.'

thaipbsworld.com

More extreme reactions following the actual verdict I hope.

A boycott of any event where Prawit wants to make an announcement would be a start.

Thai social media is bursting with negativity and mockery of Prawit’s innocence. This will definitely hurt the pro junta parties election chances. Sweet karma. 

[rkidlad]

2 hours ago, NanLaew said:

What truly beggars belief is anyone with a semblance of appreciation of how things work here, thinking for one nanosecond that somehow there would be a different ending to this sideshow?

 

I won't comment on the "sheer in-your-face arrogance and chutzpah" of foreigners that perpetually chose to voice their righteous indignation and some sort of holier than thou attitude either.

 

Now, I am sure that a few of the usual TV vagrants, gadflies and guttersnipes will be along shortly to throw out that relatively new but fatally dated chestnut about my virtue signalling (again).

You’re not virtue signalling - just looking for attention. 

 

Defending or excusing immorality will get you attention. Well done. 

[chickenslegs]

4 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

Thai social media is bursting with negativity and mockery of Prawit’s innocence. This will definitely hurt the pro junta parties election chances. Sweet karma. 

Sorry to disagree Eric.

 

This announcement has been timed perfectly. By the time the election is held most Thais will have forgotten about the Prawit watch scandal.

 

By my reckoning there will be, at least, three new scandals or national security threats (real or invented) to capture their attention before the (fixed) election.

[sjaak327]

7 hours ago, z42 said:

The NACC think by pulling this outrageous BS stunt that they've pacified the issue, I think that WHEN this whole business is actually proved to be a cover up (that no rational person could argue) that some serious repurcussions will ensue.

Eradication of corruption efforts under the NACC from here on in (under any circumstances / on any sides) will have absolutely no merit whatsoever. They've completely shattered whatever reputation they might have had after this. It's just so pathetic and wrong. Utterly shameful

This was evident when they flat out refused to handle the Suthep-abisit case, where a civilian government used the army to handle a demonstration. They are in someone's pocket. 

Edited December 27, 2018 by sjaak327

[sjaak327]

1 hour ago, chickenslegs said:

Sorry to disagree Eric.

 

This announcement has been timed perfectly. By the time the election is held most Thais will have forgotten about the Prawit watch scandal.

 

By my reckoning there will be, at least, three new scandals or national security threats (real or invented) to capture their attention before the (fixed) election.

You underestimate the Thai, rest assured the watch man will never loose his stigma. 

[sjaak327]

6 hours ago, lee68 said:

The UK is even more corrupt than these guys, we have a den of corruption called Westminster!

 

None of those actually got there through means of a coup. They will not even come close to this lot. 

[webfact]

NACC clears Prawit of any wrongdoing over watches

By KAS CHANWANPEN 
THE NATION

 

File photo

 

Anti-corruption watchdog finds luxury Timepieces were borrowed from now deceased friend, sniffs no graft.
 

THE NATIONAL Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) yesterday cleared Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan of wrongdoing over a collection of luxury wristwatches, accepting his claim that the timepieces belonged to a now-dead friend.

 

The diamond rings Prawit was also pictured wearing were passed on to him by his deceased parent, the NACC decided. Neither the watches nor the rings had been declared as assets by Prawit when he took up his Cabinet post. 

 

After taking a full year to investigate the matter, the anti-graft body ruled that General Prawit had no intention of concealing his assets when he entered government.

 

Prawit, who is also the defence minister in the junta-backed government, faced an outpouring of public criticism after photos of him wearing wristwatches and rings each worth millions of baht went viral on the Internet. 

 

The photos indicated he had at least 22 expensive watches and three diamond rings that he had failed to declare in the asset list submitted to the NACC as required by law when he became a Cabinet member.

 

In four letters to the agency responding to the allegation, Prawit claimed the watches had been lent to him by a friend who was a collector. That friend was identified as Patawat Suksriwong, a deceased billionaire.

 

Prawit had already returned the watches to their rightful owners, said the NACC.

 

Prawit said he had inherited the rings from his mother after taking up his Cabinet post, and so did not include them in the asset list.

 

The investigating committee interviewed individuals and sought information from agencies including the Customs Department and the Foreign Affairs Ministry, as well as watch dealers. It found that the billionaire Patawat was a watch collector and had often lent items from his collection to friends. Prawit was among those beneficiaries, the NACC said.

 

NACC secretary-general Worawit Sukboon yesterday told a press conference that the agency had found 21 of the 22 watches in question had belonged to Patawat.

 

Twenty of these were found in Patawat’s house, he said. 

 

One watch remains missing, but investigators did find its warranty car, he added. That left one watch whose ownership could not be confirmed, but the NACC believed it may also have belonged to Patawat, said Worawit.

 

Patawat had no business dealings with the Defence Ministry led by Prawit, the NACC added, implying that the watches were not loaned with any motivation other than friendship. 

 

The eight-member commission voted five to three that Prawit did not intend to conceal his assets, Worawit said. 

 

The three commissioners in the minority did not find Prawit guilty but said the evidence was insufficient and called for the investigation continue, he added.

 

NACC chair Pol General Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, who has a close personal connection with Prawit as his former subordinate, had withdrawn from the probe at the start, Worawit said.

 

Political activist Ekachai Hongkangwan, who filed the initial asset-concealment complaint with the NACC, told The Nation he would appeal the case with the agency after the New Year holiday.

 

“I never questioned who were the owners of the watches. This is about whether or not Prawit borrowed the expensive watches from Patawat,” Ekachai said. 

 

“If he really borrowed the watches, he should be scrutinised for receiving such expensive items. It could be illegal.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30361271

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-12-28

[PatOngo]

With such impeccable integrity he will surely qualify for "Person of the Year"! Maybe he will enter the monkhood to endorse that integrity.

[Prairieboy]

Just call me Nostradamus!

[LomSak27]

10 hours ago, faraday said:

What a relief, so glad to learn that he really is an honest man.

 

I hear you, I have to admit, it was causing a lot of lost sleep this week. Now I can get back to worrying about our offensive line and special teams as they playoffs approach ... whew!

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Honesty is for the most part less profitable than dishonesty.

 

Plato

[mikebell]

More evidence, if any were needed, that Thai Justice is an oxymoron up there with Army Intelligence and RTP's 'Serve and Protect'.

[stanleycoin]

Truth and Honesty will always prevail in Thailand.

Good job,  

[colinneil]

Well you got to hand it to Ole Fatty and cronies, in other countries there are comedies/ comedians to entertain the public, here the clowns are in government.

Anybody in need of a dose of laughter, just tune in to the goings on at government house, priceless comedy.

[Aussie999]

Can only hope that once this "government" meets its doom, these people, including Nacc, are all locked up, treasonous mob of so and sos.

[bristolgeoff]

No surprise in that nothing to answer for like the supreme leader in a nearby country

[kmj]

Anyone really surprised corruption rules in Thailand and everyone knows it 

[d2b2]

It would be laughable, were it not so pathetic

[pacovl46]

How could borrowing a watch be possibly illegal???

[baboon]

4 minutes ago, pacovl46 said:

How could borrowing a watch be possibly illegal???

You believe him, do you...?

[kcpattaya]

 

Belongs to Barney.

 

 

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