NACC defends its ruling over Prawit watch collection

By The Nation Weekend

 

The Nation

 

Insists it followed due process as activists collect signatures to impeach five commissioners

 

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) insisted yesterday that its decision to clear Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan for allegedly possessing a large number of luxury watches of unexplained orgin was legitimate after their ruling drew flak from both critics and politicians.

 

“The decision was made based on evidence shown in the case file,” NACC secretary-general Worawit Sukboon said. “As for the criticism, we cannot stop anyone from criticising this because they have the right to do so. But time will tell that the NACC did not use emotion in judging this case.”

 

He also said that the NACC cannot stop the public from gathering signatures to push for the impeachment of the five commissioners who found Prawit innocent. However, he said, people need to know that the anti-graft agency’s investigation and ruling had followed due process.

 

NACC’s statement came in response to widespread criticism after the commissioners decided to drop charges against Prawit’s controversial collection of 22 luxury watches that are believed to be worth over Bt20 million.

 

The agency announced on Thursday that the watches belonged to Prawit’s deceased friend, as the general had initially claimed, and that he was not guilty of concealing assets.

 

Anti-corruption activist Srisuwan Junya, however, issued a statement yesterday alleging malfeasance on the part of the five commissioners who had found Prawit innocent and declared he had gathered 20,000 signatures to get them sacked.

 

Activist Veera Somkwamkid said yesterday that he will file lawsuit against the NACC for letting Prawit walk free. Observers, meanwhile, along with politicians from different parties voiced similar concerns, saying this may set a new standard that borrowing such expensive items was legitimate.

 

“In the future, if others are caught in a similar situation, will they get away with it if they say they borrowed the items from a friend?” Pheu Thai Party deputy spokesman Wattanarak Suranatyut asked.

 

The party also questioned how the NACC had ruled out any possibility of conflict of interest related to this case. Undermining credibility Nattawut Saikua, a red-shirt leader and a core member of the Thai Raksa Chart Party, said yesterday that this case could ultimately undermine the country’s credibility in the eyes of the international community.

 

“This is a red flag in the scrutiny by independent agencies,” Nattawut said. “Now it’s impossible to ensure any scrutiny of corruption in this country.”

 

Democrat Party’s Charnchai Issarasenarak said on Friday that the NACC appeared to have found an excuse for General Prawit, instead of finding facts regarding the controversial collection.

 

“The NACC was incapable of finding facts about the 25 watches. This is a disgrace for the agency and could end up being a catastrophe for it,” he said. Charnchai, a former Nakhon Nayok MP, accused the NACC of lying to the public by claiming it could not find out who had bought these watches.

 

He too said corrupt government officials can use the same excuse in the future – that they “borrowed” their ill-gotten gains from generous friends.

 

Seri Ruam Thai Party leader Seripisut Temiyavej on Friday suggested the anti-graft agency’s decision to clear Prawit may have something to do with the fact that the incumbent NACC president was once the deputy PM’s subordinate.

 

Seripisut, a former national police chief, said he will “deal with” the NACC in relation to this matter if he gains political power after the elections.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30361308

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-12-29

All pals together, not 1 of them can be trusted, not 1 of them would know the truth, even if it was staring them in the face.

Close ranks... To hell with what the public thinks, look after our own at all costs.

Easy way out for them is to explain properly. Were recepits of purchase and dates for the watches found at Prawits friends house? Or nothing amd its all a case of Prawit says this and becayse friend is dead there is no rebuttal?

“The decision was made based on evidence shown in the case file..."

 

I wonder if Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan was standing over the shoulder of the person creating the case file, and pointing out his errors. Business as usual in the LOS. 

10 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

But time will tell that the NACC did not use emotion in judging this case.”

hand-waving foolishness, since when is emotion even a part of this ?

Let this spiral into a whole country march againt the junta. They need to impeach the whole self imposed government if that is possible before the farce elections.

15 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Undermining credibility Nattawut Saikua, a red-shirt leader and a core member of the Thai Raksa Chart Party, said yesterday that this case could ultimately undermine the country’s credibility in the eyes of the international community.

Never! The international community believe that you are a peaceful law abiding Buddhist country with spicy food, pristine beaches and lovely temples where everyone smiles!

Edited December 29, 20187 yr by PatOngo

All luxury watches come with a document with the owners name on it. I’m sure his rich dead friend should have had Prawit’s name listed as the owner as was a gift. 

Trying to defend their cowardly action will not help them and will not help their country.

They have lost all credibility.

Is the current location of the luxury collection in an urn or on a fat wrist would be question one????

The NACC is only in existence for two purposes. The primary one is to protect corrupt politicians from themselves when they are stupid enough to leave themselves exposed to accusations of wrong doing. The other main purpose of the NACC is/was to prosecute and convict the Shinawatras and anyone related to them. 

17 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

due process.

in true easy to understand cartoon  style

The short wide toll bridge between the hiso's and the military.

This guy is the epitome of everything that is wrong with Thailand.

35 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

 

Seripisut, a former national police chief, said he will “deal with” the NACC in relation to this matter if he gains political power after the elections.

Interesting. This is the first time I have seen reference to the possibility of miscreants "being dealt with" in the unlikely event of democracy returning to Thailand.

 

The lickspittles in the NACC are not very high in the little list I sometimes conjure with. I can think of much more prominent candidates who are due for a bit of attitude adjustment with knobs on.

 

Vengeful and uncharitable on my part? You bet. Bring it on.

41 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Undermining credibility Nattawut Saikua, a red-shirt leader and a core member of the Thai Raksa Chart Party, said yesterday that this case could ultimately undermine the country’s credibility in the eyes of the international community.

Could? Just how far in the past is he living?

7 minutes ago, MARK74 said:

The short wide toll bridge between the hiso's and the military.

This guy is the epitome of everything that is wrong with Thailand.

Interestingly the PM is keeping tight lipped on this issue which must be very difficult for him. Perhaps he thinks that if he defended him (as would be expected) many people would see the junta and himself for what they really are and express their disgust at the ballot box accordingly. 

1 hour ago, smutcakes said:

Easy way out for them is to explain properly. Were recepits of purchase and dates for the watches found at Prawits friends house? Or nothing amd its all a case of Prawit says this and becayse friend is dead there is no rebuttal?

------->>>>>>Company sale and ownership records matching any receipts held.

Edited December 29, 20187 yr by SheungWan

So, this just proves that the result of the NACC's investigation into the police station construction projects is also a foregone conclusion.

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Insists it followed due process

Due process . . . the country's corruption problem defined in 2 words. For the NACC, it's like saying 'we know we're supposed to be monitoring the most corrupt regime on the planet, but this is how we've been ordered to do the job . . . there is no other or better process in this country . . . yet!' Huw Jones - a Welsh observer, at a guess - had this cretin summed-up and psychoanalised early in his excellent book, 'Thailand's Corruption Time Bomb', that covers the history and widespread scope of corruption in a country that will soon be struggling to hold onto its Land of Smiles nickname.

This case just one of many dubious cases that smell of selective prosecution. The list is long including Preecha’s appointment of son to officer rank and the nepotism case dropped, Rolls Royce alleged corruption, GT200 case, Suthep’s police station alleged corruption etc etc etc. That also bring into question the Yingluck’s rice scheme case whether it was politically influenced. 

1 hour ago, holy cow cm said:

All luxury watches come with a document with the owners name on it

Exactly. Expensive watches have a full history - I think it's called provenance. Shouldn't be too difficult to publish these to prove his innocence (or should that be guilt?). It's a shame that there is no such thing as investigative journalism here as in the west these documents probably would have already been published by the press.

What's all the fuss? The kid just has a thing for watches.

Sorry, but complete apathy for me on this topic. Nothing will change for a very, very long time.

1 hour ago, Cadbury said:

Interestingly the PM is keeping tight lipped on this issue which must be very difficult for him. Perhaps he thinks that if he defended him (as would be expected) many people would see the junta and himself for what they really are and express their disgust at the ballot box accordingly. 

Prayuth is not going to dis his boss! Prawit is and always has been the power behind the Coup. He is just clever enough to realize that he has literally zero charisma or redeeming features for public facing office.

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

“The NACC was incapable of finding facts about the 25 watches. This is a disgrace for the agency and could end up being a catastrophe for it,” he said. Charnchai, a former Nakhon Nayok MP, accused the NACC of lying to the public by claiming it could not find out who had bought these watches.

Anyone whose ever bought a real Lolex will know that all details like model number , Serial number , retailer I D etc will be recorded with the details of whoever's buying it as in Name , address , etc ( buy one in the UK and card payment details which is their preferred way of accepting payment will also be recorded as a matter of course as a measure against money laundering as they will not accept cash ) If those charged with looking into this have seen the timepieces in question all they had to do was submit those details to Rolex or RM or Omega et-al who then could have provided them with the buyer's details .. 

2 hours ago, smutcakes said:

Easy way out for them is to explain properly. Were recepits of purchase and dates for the watches found at Prawits friends house? Or nothing amd its all a case of Prawit says this and becayse friend is dead there is no rebuttal?

 

I think the answer to your question is in the OP

 

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

“The NACC was incapable of finding facts about the 25 watches. This is a disgrace for the agency and could end up being a catastrophe for it,” he said. Charnchai, a former Nakhon Nayok MP, accused the NACC of lying to the public by claiming it could not find out who had bought these watches.

 

2 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

 

I think the answer to your question is in the OP

 

 

I presumed they must have something otherwise its just so ridiculous they cannot possibly come to the public.... but it seems they have.

Anyone in Thailand who has been convicted using evidence from the NACC should be on the phone to their lawyers seeking the evidence to be inadmissible on the basis that the NACC are not independent and damn right incompetent and more....

Every Thai knows you don't ask why you are supposed to do something your boss tells you to do, you just do it and say he is "innocent" after you have waited a sufficiently long time so you give the impression of a complete investigation.

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

All pals together, not 1 of them can be trusted, not 1 of them would know the truth, even if it was staring them in the face.

Close ranks... To hell with what the public thinks, look after our own at all costs.

More likely they do know the truth but choose to ignore it.

54 minutes ago, Phuketshrew said:

Exactly. Expensive watches have a full history - I think it's called provenance. Shouldn't be too difficult to publish these to prove his innocence (or should that be guilt?). It's a shame that there is no such thing as investigative journalism here as in the west these documents probably would have already been published by the press.

Truly a shame 

2 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Interestingly the PM is keeping tight lipped on this issue which must be very difficult for him. Perhaps he thinks that if he defended him (as would be expected) many people would see the junta and himself for what they really are and express their disgust at the ballot box accordingly. 

I believe the only comment he has made on this, is that this is a personal issue for Prawit.