PM charged with breaking law over 6,000 baht gift to Paetongtarn

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

A FRESH COMPLAINT WAS FILED today (Dec.6) against Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin for allegedly breaking the law by handing a personal gift worth over 6,000 baht to Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

Political activist Srisuwan Janya lodged the petition against the Pheu Thai-backed prime minister to the National Anti-Corruption Commission calling for probe into the recent event in which the prime minister had bought out of his own pocket a large piece of Mudmee fabric for 6,000 baht from an OTOP store in Sri Boonruang district of Nong Bualampu and handed it to Paetongtarn, daughter of de facto Pheu Thai boss-cum-convict at large Thaksin Shinawatra, in the presence of government personnel and villagers.

Embroidered in Thai alphabet on the indigenously-made, pink fabric is Paetongtarn’s nickname Oong Ing.

On Monday, the prime minister headed the Pheu Thai-led government’s first roving cabinet meeting in the northeastern province.

The activist’s latest petition against the prime minister was filed in accordance with the law which prohibits government personnel and politicians from either giving or taking a handout item which may be commercially worth more than 3,000 baht.

Last month, the prime minister had allegedly admitted having been requested “too much” by Pheu Thai MPs to manage the promotion of certain police officers as superintendents of police stations in their respective constituencies.

Srettha was cited as saying to the Pheu Thai MPs during a partisan meeting that some of those government lawmakers would be pleased whilst others would be disappointed at their hush-hush requests in alleged pursuit of cronyism.

Nevertheless, the prime minister has categorically denied that he had done anything in support of cronyism as alleged and contended that he himself would not abuse his power by interfering in the business of the National Police with respect to transfers or promotions of any police officers.

CAPTIONS:

Top and Front Page: Pheu Thai leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra holding a piece of Mudee fabric that Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had just given her.

Insert: Political activist Srisuwan Janya. Both photos: Thai Rath

Also read: Srettha working on bringing Yingluck back home

Agriculture Minister joins crackdown on rubber smuggling

Justice Minister not empowered to endorse Thaksin’s extended stay at hospital

Paetongtarn shrugs off questions about her father’s ‘illnesses’

Abhisit urged to contest for return as Democrat leader

Thai business group keeps 2023 growth forecast at 2.5%-3.0%