Former Thai minister faces impeachment over false asset declaration

[webfact]

Ex-minister faces impeachment over false asset declaration
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- THE NATIONAL Legislative Assembly (NLA) yesterday kicked off impeachment proceedings against former education minister Somsak Prissanananthakul over charges of owning disproportionate wealth.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) had petitioned the NLA to impeach Somsak after learning that he had submitted a false asset declaration and found his wealth to be disproportionate to his known sources of income.

In the opening statement, NACC member Narong Ratamarit said Somsak had failed to report that he owned a house in Tambon Pai Cham Sin, Angthong province, as well as certain bank deposits.

Narong said the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders had previously convicted Somsak of intentionally submitting false asset details, which resulted in him being banned from politics and losing his post on December 2, 2008. The NACC found that the house in question was funded by Somsak, and had been built while he was holding the ministerial post. He said Somsak claimed that he had used money contributed by the Chart Thai Party to build the house. He added that the party's former treasurer told the Supreme Court that Somsak had received Bt29 million in contributions from the party and an anonymous person.

However, Somsak declared in his tax report that he had earned just Bt5 million between 1998 and 2006, so the NACC ruled his wealth was disproportionate to his income and asked the court to confiscate the assets he had failed to declare. The attorney-general has also filed an indictment with the court to have Somsak's assets confiscated, and the court has accepted the suit.

Somsak defended himself before the NLA, admitting that he had concealed his assets - not because he wanted to hide it, but because he did not understand the asset-declaration law.

He claimed to have thought that he only had to report assets in his name, adding that the money from Chart Thai Party had gone to his wife's family, who had spent it in the rice-milling business. The family then used the money to buy land and build the house, he said.

He also denied being corrupt or receiving extra money as a minister, adding that during his term, he was never once censured over corruption charges.

He also said that the party and a high-ranking party figure had given him the money as they wanted him to support them. He also pointed out that no other politician has reported cash that they receive from political parties to carry out political activities.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Ex-minister-faces-impeachment-over-false-asset-dec-30271906.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-30

[maoro2013]

Yes, and the general does not have to declare his wealth or lack of!!

[Bakseeda]

Maoro..... get a grip of yourself... The present government are doing a very good and thankless job.. Do you really think Prayuth wants this job, he should be out playing with his grandchildren and enjoying his retirement, and spending some of his wealth... He has sacrificed his freedom because of his love for his home country, his love of the King, and wanting to stop the bickering of absolutely corrupt politicians bringing Thailand to its knees. There is no easy solution to the absolute corruption in Thailand. It is inbred.

The RTP are hot on the tails of politicians in the corruption stakes, but he is making inroads there. All of us Farangs should wish him well and only hope this government can make some difference. And a better future for Thai peoples.

Or let the Shinewatras and their gang of thieves loose on the Thai taxpayer again... (God save them)

[whatproblem]

Bakseeda well spoken, things are being done ,with so many problems there is no quick solution

[razer]

Under the previous democratically elected governments comprised of families and cronies, the corruption started at the new-hire cop all the way up to an MP. Corruption was eating the country alive and keeping it on a level comparable to undeveloped Africa. If anyone would take the time to research the true cost of corruption they would see that infrastructure and education are hit the hardest. The biggest losers are the greater population.IMO these hi-so homeboys and girls should be doing jail time and their ill-gotten gains confiscated by the government.

Edited October 30, 2015 by razer

[aussieinthailand]

Maoro..... get a grip of yourself... The present government are doing a very good and thankless job.. Do you really think Prayuth wants this job, he should be out playing with his grandchildren and enjoying his retirement, and spending some of his wealth... He has sacrificed his freedom because of his love for his home country, his love of the King, and wanting to stop the bickering of absolutely corrupt politicians bringing Thailand to its knees. There is no easy solution to the absolute corruption in Thailand. It is inbred.

The RTP are hot on the tails of politicians in the corruption stakes, but he is making inroads there. All of us Farangs should wish him well and only hope this government can make some difference. And a better future for Thai peoples.

Or let the Shinewatras and their gang of thieves loose on the Thai taxpayer again... (God save them)

Reckon it's you who need to get a grip mate...

If there was nothing to hide and for the sake of transparency and it's good for everyone else but he is above the laws, "I have established sovereign power" why is that not a massive LM charge right there???

then why not have separate independent audits done by an independent body to quash once and for all the speculation??? The problem is this bloke thinks he is above the law, is that fair, right, or correct for the leader of a country to do?

As for people being investigated for corruption and hiding assets and money great happy it's going on and hope to see more of it.

[Just1Voice]

If the good General is so "honest" and forcing himself to do a job he claims he doesn't really want, then why, in the name of "Transparency", won't he allow anyone, and I mean ANYONE, to question his own "unusual wealth" and where it came from?

If an independent audit of all members of the military, and police, above the rank of Captain were done, and laws strictly adhered to, they would have to build a new Super Max prison to hold them all.

Cleaning up corruption? I'll believe that when his own - and those of all his military buddies - are honestly investigated.

But wait, that won't happen because he said, almost from Day One, that his assets, and those he appoints, are "off limits" to investigation or questions.

Basically he is saying: "I alone will determine who has to follow the law, and be punished by it."

[jesimps]

Maoro..... get a grip of yourself... The present government are doing a very good and thankless job.. Do you really think Prayuth wants this job, he should be out playing with his grandchildren and enjoying his retirement, and spending some of his wealth... He has sacrificed his freedom because of his love for his home country, his love of the King, and wanting to stop the bickering of absolutely corrupt politicians bringing Thailand to its knees. There is no easy solution to the absolute corruption in Thailand. It is inbred.

The RTP are hot on the tails of politicians in the corruption stakes, but he is making inroads there. All of us Farangs should wish him well and only hope this government can make some difference. And a better future for Thai peoples.

Or let the Shinewatras and their gang of thieves loose on the Thai taxpayer again... (God save them)

This has to be a wind-up, no sane person could possibly believe this codswallop. I'm therefore not going to bite.

[Gunna]

20 October 2015

Somsak was accused by the National Anti-Corruption Commission of falsifying assets statements eight times since May 6 1997.

The NACC alleged that Somsak had Bt28 million in 21 bank accounts and failed to report the accounts to the NACC in the eight asset statements.

As Arthur Daley in Minder would say " A nice little earner "