Teerakiat ordered to explain watch scandal remark
Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha said he would order Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin to explain his remark which apparently attacked Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan who is embroiled in a luxury watch scandal.
“I will have him [Teerakiat] explain,” Prayut said before chairing a weekly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday at Government House.
Prayut was responding to Teerakiat’s interview with BBC Thai in London where he said that if he were exposed of possessing a luxury watch he would have stepped down from his post.
Although Teerakiat did not mention Prawit by name, the deputy prime minister is under investigation by an anti-graft agency after appearing in public with about 25 expensive luxury watches on different occasions.
Prayut declined to comment when asked if the remark would create a rift in the Cabinet.
The PM has previously expressed his support for Prawit despite pressure from the public for his right hand man to resign.
Prawit also declined to comment on Teerakiat's statements as he entered the Cabinet meeting and only smiled to reporters.
Prawit was in Laos for an official visit on Monday.