Yongyuth leaves options open on stepping down
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Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit yesterday insisted he would leave his options open despite a call from Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva for him to step down.
Yongyuth found himself in the hot seat after the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) decided on Tuesday to launch criminal and disciplinary proceedings against him for his involvement in the Alpine land scandal of 2002.
“Today’s sky is clear after the overcast yesterday,” he said in reference to the NACC’s clarification that the Alpine case had no bearing on his current Cabinet post.
However, his future would hinge on how his legal battle unfolds, he said.
“I’m braced for everything and will make my decision if and when a problem arises,” he said.
Only the prime minister could judge whether he should remain in the Cabinet, he added.
Yongyuth said he was entitled to the presumption of innocence, as his case would still have to be reviewed by the state prosecutors before reaching the court.
The saga dates back to 1969, when laws were bent to exploit a Buddhist temple plot for ill-gotten gains.
When veteran politician Snoh Thienthong served as the interior minister in 1990, he gave the green light to put the plot in Pathum Thani on the market even though it had been part of the temple’s grounds for 21 years.
The plot was developed into the Alpine golf course estate by the Thienthong family before it was sold for Bt400 million to the family of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 1998.
The much-publicised transaction triggered scrutiny on how the temple’s plot could be transformed for commercial purposes. Snoh escaped prosecution due to the statute of limitations.
But Yongyuth’s involvement took place some 12 years later, falling within the prosecution deadline.
When he served as acting permanent secretary for the Interior Ministry, he overturned the decision by the Lands Department to remove the plot from the market. His decision effectively blocked the plot from being restored as the temple’s property.
The NACC said he committed a serious criminal offence and engaged in misconduct because he did comply with the Council of State’s ruling on temple grounds.
Since the misconduct was when he was still in the civil service, it has no connection with his Cabinet portfolio.
Abhisit begged to differ, saying Yongyuth had to step down from his concurrent post of interior minister, as there was a clear case of conflict of interest.
“Yongyuth as the interior minister is in no position to sign a retroactive order meting out disciplinary punishment for Yongyuth as acting permanent secretary,” he said.
