Thai DPM pledges to resign if luxury watch probe finds him guilty
BANGKOK: Faced with mounting pressure, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan on Tuesday offered to resign if an anti-graft agency finds any wrongdoing on his part regarding the many luxury watches he has worn over recent years.
Political observers, however, have pointed out that the president of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is Mr Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit, who served briefly as General Prawit's secretary shortly after the junta came to power.
"Let the NACC look into the matter. If I am found to have done anything wrong, I will resign," Gen Prawit said.
He added that he did not think the NACC could be interfered with.
"The NACC has their own procedures of implementation," Gen Prawit said.
He said all of the watches he had been spotted wearing - many of them valued at millions of baht - belonged to his friends, and he has returned them. But he declined to be specific about how many watches he owned.
Earlier, academics called on the NACC president to step aside in the investigation of his former boss. - THE NATION/ANN
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now