Former air force chief Chalit Phukphasuk, one of the 2006 coup leaders, was under the impression that he would be allowed to enjoy retirement from military service in peace.

Not so, if the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship continues to bug him with its anti-corruption moves.

ACM Chalit may not be prepared to see his name dragged through the mud with the UDD movement alluding to a possible link between a jet deal and his multi-million-baht, newly-built ''mansions''.

UDD leader Jatuporn Promphan has aired his suspicion about ACM Chalit's selection of ACM Itthaporn Subhawong as his replacement as air force chief.

Mr Jatuporn has hinted at the possibility of ACM Chalit choosing a successor who could carry on with the mission of reaping interest from the procurement of the 19-billion-baht Gripen jets from Sweden, a deal signed during his tenure.

Critics of the deal have noted the procurement, financed using a tied-over budget, was far costlier than similar offers put forth by other manufacturers.

Mr Jatuporn has alleged that ACM Chalit has built three ''mansions'' worth tens of millions of baht on a one-rai plot in the Pongpet area.

Mr Jatuporn claimed it was inconceivable how a career soldier who lived on a civil servant's pay cheque his entire life could afford such houses.

The opposition Puea Thai party is also tracing the wealth of other Council for National Security members who engineered the coup to bring down the government of Thaksin Shinawatra.

Puea Thai is the born-yet-again party of the dissolved People Power party which has its roots in the defunct Thai Rak Thai party founded by Thaksin, convicted over the Ratchadaphisek land scandal and who is now on the run abroad.

ACM Chalit, however, appears to be taking the accusations with a brave face, though he suspects some of the claims have been deliberately distorted.

He laughed at the suggestion the ''mansions'' were the product of ill-gotten gains, saying the houses were too small to be called mansions.

He said he owns just one of the three houses and the other two belong to his mother and sister.

The former air force chief said his house only cost him five million baht to build and the three houses only sit on a 300-square-wah family property that was bought by his father, the late Lt-Gen Chaiyuth Phukphasuk, in 1970.

ACM Chalit said the houses may appear large because of their clustered design and the UDD could have based its allegation on pictures taken of the houses from the top of a nearby condominium.

Bangkok Post

Ho hum.

And??

Mr Jatuporn has hinted at the possibility of ACM Chalit choosing a successor who could carry on with the mission of reaping interest from the procurement of the 19-billion-baht Gripen jets from Sweden, a deal signed during his tenure.

Critics of the deal have noted the procurement, financed using a tied-over budget, was far costlier than similar offers put forth by other manufacturers.

I'm sure you've all seen the pictures of the King and Queen of Sweden frequently visiting Thailand. The reason for their repeated visits seems a little clearer.

Sorry to those bored into sobriety. My mistake, I thought I had posted in General. Go back and re-re-read another hamburger post to get your equilibrium back.

Topped with Swiss cheese?

Edited January 10, 200917 yr by Ulysses G.

He should have come clean and told the truth. He and all his family have obviously cashed in their air miles after years of scrimping and saving them.

All Thai politicians (big shots) should be required to account for their unusual wealth. If they can't explain where the money came from, the people can assume it was stolen from them.

Edited January 10, 200917 yr by Gary A

All Thai politicians (big shots) should be required to account for their unusual wealth. If they can't explain where the money came from, the people can assume it was stolen from them.

Now you tell me

All Thai politicians (big shots) should be required to account for their unusual wealth. If they can't explain where the money came from, the people can assume it was stolen from them.

Keep dreaming :0

What a surprise. Thai politician/ General/Police/corruption. No, I'd never believe it.

No surprise here.

Surprised the houses are not inside a national park.

Good to see something like this, whether a justified allegation or an innocent misunderstanding, being raised and discussed.

Corruption is sometimes deterred, by the threat of possible eventual exposure, to the light of publicity !

All Thai politicians (big shots) should be required to account for their unusual wealth. If they can't explain where the money came from, the people can assume it was stolen from them.

Not Stolen , with all the transparancy here, it is called a legal commison paid to a relative in a Swiss bank account for help in facilitaing a deal.

PS: If politicians had to expalin there unusual wealth , you would find all of a sudden very few people entering politics , without a chance to put their noses in the trough ,why would any sane person become a Thai Politician??

Edited January 11, 200917 yr by ray08