หัวข้อข่าว Pongphan seeks low profile as Preecha hit by another scandal
ที่มา; THE NATION Issued date 21 September 2016
THE NATION
PONGPHAN CHAN-O-CHA, the wife of Defence Ministry permanent secretary General Preecha Chan-ocha, yesterday acknowledged she had reluctantly received more public attention following criticism and controversy over a dyke bearing her name.
She said, however, that she would keep a low profile from now on.
Meanwhile, her husband Preecha, the younger brother of Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha, said he was ready to testify before an antigraft commission regarding alleged misconduct by defence officials relating to the controversy.
Pongphan said she wanted to help people in remote rural areas, adding that it had been the villagers’ idea to name the dyke in Chiang Mai after her. It was built with public funds.
The Association for the Protection of the Thai Constitution on Monday lodged a petition with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) against Preecha and other officials at the defence ministry over alleged misconduct.
“If the NACC orders me to testify, I will go. I have all the evidence [to prove my innocence]. I know what I’m doing,” Preecha said, adding that his family had not done anything wrong and he was not worried.
He also encouraged involved parties to “seek the truth”.
Preecha has been accused of misconduct and dereliction of duty for employing Army resources to fund or facilitate extraneous projects.
The accusations stem from social media criticism after Pongphan, head of the Wives Association of the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Defence (WAOPSD), on Monday last week presided over the opening of a dyke in the northern province of Chiang Mai.
She was criticised after pictures showed a sign bearing her image and name, which was erected near the newly constructed “Mae Pongphan Development” dyke. Critics have said the dyke should not have been named after her.
The charge of misconduct alleges Army officers and aircraft were inappropriately used to construct the dyke and facilitate Pongphan’s trip.
Air Force spokesman Air Vice Marshal Pongsak Semachai, meanwhile, said military personnel had responded to a request from the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Defence to provide aircraft, with no mention of the family connection.
Pongsak said the Air Force was not involved in the current controversy, adding that he could prove his military branch had behaved appropriately.
Last April, Preecha met harsh criticism when he appointed his youngest son, Patipat Chan-o-cha, to the post of second lieutenant in the Army.
Since last week, his wife Pongphan has become the new target of criticism after her photos were widely shared on the Internet, with many people commenting that the image of the project was highly inappropriate.
A local news agency also reported that the couple’s oldest son,Pathompol Chan-o-cha, had allegedly obtained business concessions for Army construction projects worth Bt26.9 million.
Preecha has said he did not abuse his power to help his son to win deals with the Army, but he added that his family would not explain the issue to the public following Prayut’s advice.
“My brother called me to warn me to be careful. Senior figures also told me to keep a low profile,” he said, adding that he believed that “what goes around, comes around”.
Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also defence minister, yesterday said it was not his ministry’s responsibility to inspect business concessions for Army construction projects obtained by the company of the nephew of the prime minister.
“If there is anything, they [the 3rd Army area] will set up a committee and follow [investigation] procedures as usual,” Prawit said. “They should see if prices [agreed between the Army and the company] are of appropriate amounts. But it will be overseen by the Army’s area commander, not the Defence Ministry.”