NACC chief promises fair inquiry into Prawit’s watches

Referring to allegations about expensive watches worn by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, Watcharapol said the commissioners had agreed that their decision-making process must be straightforward and transparent, as the issue was in the public interest.
He said he was not worried about anything, as the NACC resolution on the matter would be passed by a majority vote and every commissioner would be responsible for it.
The remark came following concerns that Watcharapol’s personal close connection with Prawit could affect NACC’s decision on the issue.
Watcharapol was the PM Office’s deputy secretary-general attached to Prawit in 2014 when the coup-installed government was formed.
The NACC president also denied having counselled Prawit on the watch issue.
“Why [would Prawit] unburden himself to me? He just does his job and I do mine,” he said. “He hasn’t sought any advice with me. He won’t. Don’t you worry about that.”
Prawit was caught up in controversy over a month ago when he was spotted in a Cabinet group photograph wearing a luxurious Richard Mille timepiece that could have cost millions of baht.
The NACC took the matter in hand after members of the public questioned whether Prawit had declared the watch as an asset when he became a minister.
When the agency demanded that Prawit provide an explanation over the issue, more photos of the general wearing fancy wristwatches kept emerging. Netizens now believe that Prawit could have at least 15 such expensive watches.
Prawit late last month submitted an explanation letter to the agency, but new photos continued appearing on the Internet.
Watcharapol said NACC officials might need more time to verify the information before making a judgement.
Four individuals had been summoned to the inquiry, he said. Whether the agency would need to call any other witnesses was yet uncertain.
Watcharapol also refused to say whether any individuals would be further questioned if it was proved that they had a connection to the controversial watches.
Prawit, meanwhile, refused to speak about the issue on Monday, saying only that it should be left for the NACC to pursue.
The general shrugged off the fact that the controversy has drawn wide criticism of him on the Internet. He also refused to say if he had submitted an additional explanation to the agency, saying that he did not know and then walking out of the media interview.