NACC finds Prawit innocent in relation to luxury watches

“The controversy erupted late last year when Prawit showed up at a Cabinet meeting sporting a Richard Mille designer wristwatch said to be worth nearly 3 million baht.”

The National Anti-Corruption Commission has ruled in favour of Deputy PM General Prawit Wongsuwan, saying he was not guilty of falsely reporting or concealing his assets.

The national anti-graft commission’s secretary general Worawit Sukboon said the collection of luxury watches did indeed belong to a billionaire friend.

Prawit inherited the diamond ring from his parents after he had already declared the asset. Hence he was not guilty of concealing his assets. The controversy erupted late last year when Prawit showed up at a Cabinet meeting sporting a Richard Mille designer wristwatch said to be worth nearly 3 million baht.

It was later discovered that he had not declared the item to the NACC when he became a Cabinet member and netizens were wondering how a retired general’s salary could afford such expensive items.

Netizens then dug up old photographs that indicated the general possessed numerous expensive watches. He had at least 22 luxury wristwatches with a combined value estimated at more than 20 million baht.

Prawit was also pictured wearing a diamond ring, which again was believed to not have been included in his asset declaration.

The general said the ring belonged to his parents, while the watches were lent to him by a longtime collector friend. Prawit has said this friend is no longer alive.