Former ministers report their assets one year on

Former defence minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapha owns 204 amulets and 455 Buddha statutes worth more than Bt49 million in total.

Details of Yuthasak's Buddha collection were made public yesterday when the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) announced assets statements of nine former Cabinet members exactly one year since they left office.

Yuthasak told the NACC that he had collected up to 204 amulets over the years from 1937 to 1997, and they are worth a total of Bt29 million. He also reported that he owned 455 Buddha statues worth Bt20.4 million and some had been given to him by his father. The former defence minister also stated in his assets statement that he has six pairs of ivory tusks worth Bt600,000.

Former energy minister Pichai Naripthaphan is another former Cabinet member who appears to have an outstanding collection. His assets are eight Patek Philippe watches worth Bt9.35 million, while his wife owns a jewellery set with rubies worth Bt1.5 million, ornaments decorated with diamonds worth Bt4million, a jade brooch worth Bt400,000 and a 10-karat diamond ring worth Bt4.5 million.

Former deputy education minister Surapong Ueng-ampornvilai has reported a collection of semi-automatic pistols, including a .45-mm semi-automatic pistol worth Bt90,000, a 9mm Beretta pistol worth Bt60,000, and two other 9mm automatic pistols worth Bt120,000 each.

Former finance minister Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala has a collection of 32 paintings worth a total of Bt10 million. He also reported that he owns 25 antiques worth Bt2.2 million.

According to the NACC, the wealth of nine former Cabinet members has grown since they left their posts, while seven have seen a drop in assets.

While others' assets changed by a few million baht or so, Yuthasak had declared net assets worth Bt380 million, which fell to Bt312 million one year on. Details show that the drop in Yuthasak's assets include cash, land and construction work.