Prawit defends the PM’s brother being appointed to the new Senate

PHOTO: Thai Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan

When the media are sceptical, get your wing man to back you up.

The deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan has defended the appointment of retired General Preecha Chan-o-cha, the younger brother of PM Prayut, as a senator in the new parliament’s upper house.

He said Gen Preecha is qualified as he was a member of the military-appointed NLA. When reporters questioned him today about General Preecha’s frequent absence from NLA meetings, he claimed to be unaware of the problem and asked the reporters to raise the question directly with the general.

General Preecha, former defence permanent secretary, is among about 60 NLA members who resigned en masse in preparation for assuming their new role as senators once there is a Royal Command endorsing the list of 250 senators. The list has already been submitted to His Majesty the King by the Thai PM.

Prawit has been head of the selection committee tasked with appointing 194 senators from different professional groups. The deputy PM brushed aside allegations that the Senate was just a “reincarnation” of the NCPO, claiming that only about 10 people closely associated with the junta will be appointed to the Senate.

“They want to work and want to help the government,” he said as he explained their appointment.

SOURCE: Thai PBS