Fugitive Vatana still in Cambodia, son’s aide insists

Fugitive Vatana Asavahame is still living in Cambodia and has not yet returned to Thailand, an aide of one his sons insisted on Sunday.

The aide of Chonsawat Asavahame, who did not want to be named, was referring to a video clip of Vatana blessing a local politician of Samut Prakan province on Saturday.

The clip showed a group of Thai politicians visiting Vatana at a large house and attending a party thrown for them.

Vatana was seen in the clip telling Samut Prakan voters to vote for Sunthorn Pansaengthong, former deputy agriculture minister of the Pak Nam group, in the upcoming Samut Prakan Provincial Administrative Organisation election.

Vatana was heard assuring Samut Prakan voters that Sunthorn, who was among the group of politicians visiting him, had been associated with him politically for a long time.

Vatana is the patriarch of the Pak Nam Group that has dominated Samut Prakan for decades.

Vatana fled Thailand in 2008 to avoid facing corruption charges related to a wastewater treatment project. He was subsequently convicted in absentia and sentenced to 10 years in jail. 

That case’s 15-year statute of limitations has expired. But Vatana is facing another case of alleged bidding collusion on the wastewater treatment project, and that case has not yet expired.

Vatana has reportedly acquired Cambodian citizenship so he could avoid extradition to Thailand.

The clip was uploaded on the Facebook page of Chana Nguangngamsri, a Samut Prakan provincial councillor of the Pak Nam group.

The clip led to speculation that Vatana had sneaked back to Thailand. But the source, who is a close aide of Chonsawat, said the clip was shot at Vatana’s house in Cambodia.

The source said Sunthorn and his canvassers and other local politicians were visiting Vatana at his Cambodian residence. There, Vatana reportedly gave his blessing for Sunthorn to represent the group to contest for the post of Samut Prakan Provincial Administrative Organisation CEO.

The source added the incumbent CEO, Nanthida Kaewbuasai, who is Chonsawat’s wife, would not run but would step aside for Sunthorn.