Prasong slams PM for 'house in forest reserve'

He was speaking during the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) censure debate.

Prasong displayed an aerial map that he claimed indicated that Surayud's rural home at Khao Yai Thiang in Nakhon Ratchasima was in fact located inside a forest reserve.

"This land is inside reserve forest, which is forbidden from being issued with a land document. Because of that, anyone who resides in the area must be considered a trespasser of public land and the penalty is imprisonment," Prasong said during the censure debate of the Cabinet.

Prasong went on to detail how the land had been acquired by Surayud. He claimed that a local villager had sold the plot to Noppadon Pitakwanich in 1995 for Bt700,000. Two years later, the land was resold to an Army officer for Bt50,000. It was later sold to Surayud's wife, Khunying Chitravadee.

Prasong said the discrepancy between the two amounts was most suspicious.

He also cited a remark made last December, when Surayud claimed he would accept responsibility if he had done anything illegal.

He urged the PM "to set a new standard" and accept responsibility for the ownership of the land, which Prasong believes is illegal and unethical for a prime minister.

"If the prime minister can stay there, why should a number of villagers be arrested?" Prasong said, adding that several years ago a well-known monk called Phra Prajak was defrocked and prosecuted for setting up a monastery in a nearby area.

He added that the prime minister should know full well that it is his duty to protect public property, instead of it belonging to him privately. Such ownership is also against Prime Minister's Office regulations No 22, he said.

Prasong cited the example of US Olympics track-and-field gold medallist Marion Jones, who has just returned the medals she won in Sydney seven years ago following her admission that she had cheated by taking drugs before the competition.

Jones should be an example for both men and women that people should return what is not rightly theirs, he said.

Prasong, who spoke for more than 30 minutes, added that Surayud's administration had also violated the 2007 Consti-tution by proceeding with the Japan-Thai Economic Partner-ship Agreement - better known as Jtepa - without the approval of the NLA.

He said the NLA, which is acting as the Parliament, must approve any such undertaking under the new Constitution.

Other assembly members debated what they viewed as the government's ethical problems, with some directing their criticism at the PM while others slated the Cabinet in general.

The debate went on well after 10pm, having started around 6.30pm.

Surayud attended the proceedings, saying he would listen until the debate ended. Other members of his Cabinet were also present, including Deputy Premier General Sonthi Boonyaratglin and PM's Office Minister Thirapat Serirangsan, who was assigned by Surayud to explain matters to the NLA on his behalf.

Other Cabinet members attending the meeting include Deputy Prime Ministers Sonthi Boonyaratglin and Kosit Panpiemras, Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas, Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram, Transport Minister Admiral Theera Haocharoen and Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongchaum. Education Minister Wijit Srisa-an, Deputy Interior Minister Banyat Jansena, Tourism and Sports Minister Suvit Yodmani and PM's Office Minister Thirapat Serirangsan also attended the meeting.

Kamnoon Sittisaman was the first NLA member to scrutinise the Cabinet, saying he was assigned by Prasong, who is the chairman of the NLA's panel on promotion of ethics and morality, to scrutinise the government without the intention to cause a delay to the election planned for December.

He said the government announced on December 8 last year it would suppress and prevent corruption. Yet after 10 months it had not accomplished anything clearly, he said.

Kamnoon questioned the Cabinet's approval of the procurement of 96 Ukrainian-made armoured vehicles worth Bt3.9 billion. He pointed out that the manufacturer had failed to present its proposal by the deadline, the vehicles were second-hand and their quality questionable.

He also wondered whether the transfer of NLA member Bannawit Kengrian from the post of Defence Ministry deputy permanent secretary to chief adviser was because Bannawit had questioned the vehicle purchase plan, rather than it being down to his criticism of his boss.

by Pravit Rojanaphruk

 The Nation