Chada defends his Cabinet qualifications amid scrutiny

Caretaker Deputy Interior Minister Chada Thaised insisted on Tuesday that he has no shortcomings that would render him unqualified for a seat in the next Cabinet.

However, he said, it will be up to Bhumjaithai Party leader and caretaker Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to decide whether he should be nominated. Otherwise, Chada said, he will simply go home.

Chada’s qualifications came under the spotlight after Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced that she would closely scrutinise each candidate’s background to avoid repeating the mistake made by her predecessor Srettha Thavisin.

The Constitutional Court removed Srettha from office last week after finding him lacking integrity by appointing former jailbird Pichit Chuenban as minister.

Chada was not present at the press conference on Sunday held after Paetongtarn was appointed by royal command as premier on Sunday.

He said on Tuesday that he could not attend the event because he was unwell and had informed Anutin.

Chada has come under the spotlight because he was once linked to a murder case. Before entering politics, Chada was an influential person in his home province of Uthai Thani. He reportedly fought a turf war with other influential persons in the province to expand his businesses in different sectors, including construction, rock grinding, hotels and land brokerage.

He was arrested in 2003 for allegedly masterminding the murder of Somkiart Chanhran, secretary to then-Pheu Thai MP Prasaeng Mongkolsiri, but was acquitted two years later.

He also narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on August 20, 2012, at which his son Farud Thaised was killed.

“How am I not qualified?” Chada quipped when asked for a comment on speculation that he may be left out of the next Cabinet due to his qualifications.

“I am facing no cases. I have won cases in the past. My profile has been checked thoroughly. But in politics, one can come and go, depending on how the party leader uses me and depending on the decision of the prime minister.”

Chada also insisted that he had never violated the code of ethics.

“The issue of ethics is abstract. I don’t know what it really is, but I have never violated ethical standards,” Chada added.

He also said that Anutin has not indicated whether he will or will not get a seat in the new Cabinet.