Suphoth to lose Bt17.5m cash, gold

The National Anti-Corruption Commission made its decision after discussing details of Suphoth’s case.

The NACC yesterday also scheduled another session on May 29 to decide whether the asset seizure should cover other items such as bank deposits, according to an agency member who requested anonymity.

The case came to light after a break-in at Suphoth’s home in November last year. Suphoth reported Bt5 million in cash and gold jewellery weighing 10 baht (about 150 grams) had been stolen. He said the cash was a wedding gift for his daughter. Police subsequently uncovered the gold and Bt18.1 million cash.

In his statement to the NACC, Suphoth insisted that he had lost Bt5 million plus the gold jewellery. He said Bt2.5 million cash was given to his daughter by her father-in-law and elder relatives gave a total of Bt568,000 as gift. The NACC ruled yesterday that only the gift money from the elder relatives was deemed justified. Therefore, the agency ordered the confiscation of the remaining cash.

The case is expected to be forwarded to the Office of the Attorney-General to petition for judicial endorsement of the asset seizure.

NACC spokesman Klanarong Chantik said yesterday that judging from the pictures taken during the wedding ceremony, the dowry given to Suphoth’s daughter was in new banknotes with plastic bands of the Bank of Thailand. However, the money seized from the robbers was used banknotes. The NACC members were not convinced the seized money was dowry. They also did not believe a claim by the father-in-law of Suphoth’s daughter that he gave Bt2.5 million cash to her, as he was the only witness, according to Klanarong.

Meanwhile, in response to the NACC decision, Transport Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan said yesterday that he would set up a committee to investigate Suphoth’s case, although the ministry’s top bureaucrat had tendered his resignation.

“The investigation will be carried out in parallel with the process of approving Suphoth’s resignation. They are considered different matters,” the transport minister said. 

“Although Suphoth has resigned, he will still be a former official of the ministry. While waiting for royal approval for his resignation, we will not consider appointing a new permanent secretary for Transport. Suphoth is still not completely out of his office,” he said.

Suphoth, who had earlier been suspended from duty and resigned from his post on Tuesday, is accused of malfeasance, being unusually wealthy and filing false information about his financial statements with the NACC. Yesterday, he declined any comments involving the NACC decision.

Nine people – eight men and one woman – have been accused of involvement in the armed robbery at Suphoth’s mansion in the Lat Phrao area. Six of them have been arrested, with some admitting to the alleged crime and others denying any involvement. Three of the alleged robbers are still at large, including alleged gang leader Weerasak Chualee, who is believed to have fled to Laos. The two other fugitives are likely to be in hiding in Thailand, according to police.