Anonymous complaint against Bangkok governor candidate causes probe

The House committee on corruption and misconduct prevention and suppression plans to probe a Bangkok candidate for governor after an anonymous party sent a complaint to the House committee chairman last month. The complaint said the candidate’s wealth was unusual, and he had committed wrongdoing. A committee spokesperson said the probe will start soon.

The candidate, Suchatvee Suwansawat, said he is ready for the probe, and confident he has done nothing wrong. There was also an announcement by the National Anti-Corruption Commission in December about a list of Suchatvee’s assets, and debts he owed. The spokesperson said Suchatvee’s wealth rose from 44 million baht in February 2016, to 74 million baht in September 2020, to 342 million baht last October. When he declared his assets and debts, he said he had 342.11 million baht in assets, and 35.19 million baht in debts. Some of his assets, he said, are a 35 million baht house, and a Porche worth 2.5 million baht.

Mr Suchatvee is the former president of King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL). He is running for governor with the Democrat Party.

This probe follows another recent political scandal in Thailand. In January, Thailand’s ruling Palang Pracharat Party ousted MP Thammanat Prompao after he encouraged Songkhla voters to vote for someone from a wealthy family in an election.
Source: Bangkok Post