House panel may summon PM in probe into alleged corruption in military housing project

The Committee on Political Development, Mass Communications, and Public Participation on Wednesday received a letter from lawyer Paisarn Ruangrit and victims, asking it to investigate graft in the military housing project, which resulted in the Nakhon Ratchasima massacre of 2020.

An Army sergeant-major shot dead 29 people and injured 58 others in Nakhon Ratchasima province reportedly due to a conflict with an Army officer and others involved in the project, which allows those in lower ranks to borrow money to buy houses.

The committee chairman, Nattacha Boonchaiinsawat, said the lawyer and victims have urged the Defence Ministry to clarify the case as no progress has been made since the massacre.

He explained that the lawyer and victims had also attached documents related to the case, such as contractors' bribe payments to construction inspectors.

The lawyer and victims also claimed that the Army procedures and problems that soldiers are facing are due to corruption by senior Army officers, he said.

"Hence, it is necessary to summon Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who is also Defence Minister, and Deputy Defence Minister General Chaichan Changmongkol to clarify the case," he said.

Meanwhile, Paisarn said this move aims to protect people and prevent a repeat of the tragedy because this case was concealed since 2020.