Somsak denies receving free football tickets

Somsak was accused of receiving a gift costing more than Bt3,000, which may have violated a National Counter Corruption Commission rule.

Somsak said his youngest son wanted to watch the UEFA Champion League final in Russia between Manchester United and Chelsea.

He then asked his son to ask a close friend working at Heineken, the main sponsor of the UEFA Champion League match, for tickets.

At first his youngest son obtained just one ticket.

When their favourite team reached the finals, Somsak said he asked his son to apply for two more tickets so that he and his other son could attend the game as well.

Somsak, his elder son Paradorn, who is an Ang Thong MP, and his youngest son, Korawee are all Manchester United fans.

"But the ticket quota for Thailand was used up. Heineken then asked for tickets from Malaysia.

"So I told my son to tell the company I was willing to pay for the expenses. My son finally paid for the two tickets," Somsak said.

He said he did not know about the cost of the tickets and that he had not even seen them.

He left the matter with his son.

He denied he was given the best or VIP seat.

However earlier Paradorn admitted his family received "VIP" tickets for the match.

Somsak said he paid for the air tickets. He stayed only one night at his son's hotel.

If Somsak obtained the ticket for free it could be viewed as violating a rule of National Counter Corruption Commission that stated state officials must not receive assets or gifts costing more than Bt3,000 from nonrelatives.

Those who were found guilty of violating the law could spend three years in jail or fined a maximum Bt 60,000 or both.

According to UEFA website the tickets costs Bt4,000, 6,000, and 10,000.

Rossana Tositrakul, Bangkok senator, called the NCCC for investigating the case.

However there were contradictions in this story. While Somsak said he asked his son to contact Heineken for the tickets, the company said they invited his son.

Prin Malakula na Ayudhya, corporate affairs director for Thai Asia Pacific Brewery, told Matichon the company invited Somsak's son as a Manchester fan.

The firm gave him a Bt7,000ticket for free. Other expenses such as travel, air ticket and accommodations were paid by the guests themsleves.

Later Somsak's son asked for two more tickets and he paid the company Bt14,000. The company did not make contact with Somsak, he said.