Defence Ministry keeps evidence against Abhisit under wraps

"Evidence has been submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman and I don’t know what implications they will have for Abhisit or in politics," Defence Minister Sukampol Suwannathat said yesterday.

In response, Abhisit said Sukampol’s remarks and his ministry’s moves were part of an attempt to help red-shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan, who is facing a libel suit for accusing the Democrat leader of evading military conscription.

Meanwhile, Sukampol said as far as he knew, a conscription officer had been discharged for being involved in allegedly falsifying Abhisit’s military records so he could be appointed as lecturer at the Royal Chulachomklao Military Academy. This job allowed Abhisit to serve out his mandatory military service in lieu of being drafted almost three decades ago.

Election Commission member Sodsri Satayathum said yesterday the problems related to Abhisit’s conscription record should not have any effect on his MP status because it was not one of the qualifications required of an MP candidate.

Questions in relation to Abhisit’s conscription records have been raised and rebutted several times in Parliament, and came under the spotlight again when the Democrat leader filed a libel lawsuit against Jatuporn. The case is currently undergoing judicial review.

Once tensions started rising in relation to the reconciliation and charter change bills, Pheu Thai Party’s legal team decided to file a complaint in May requesting a new round of investigation. The Office of the Ombudsman is in the process of collecting evidence in relation to this case.

Earlier this month, Jatuporn was convicted for libel against Abhisit in another case. The Criminal Court sentenced him to six months in jail and Bt50,000 fine, but the jail term was suspended for two years since Jatuporn has never been convicted in a similar case before. The red-shirt leader has filed an appeal.