PM Paetongtarn accused of 218 million baht tax evasion
The People’s Party accused the Prime Minister of Thailand, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, of tax evasion amounting to 218 million baht during a motion of no confidence held yesterday, March 24.
Yesterday’s parliamentary session marked the first time that the People’s Party, as the opposition, conducted a motion of no confidence, primarily targeting PM Paetongtarn. The discussion began with an accusation from Prawit Wongsuwan, leader of the Palang Pracharath Party and another key figure in the opposition coalition.
In his opening speech to Parliament, Prawit accused Paetongtarn of failing to improve Thailand’s economy, which, he claimed, had led to increased domestic debt and a higher cost of living. He also voiced his opposition to the Pheu Thai Party’s proposal to establish an entertainment complex and casino.
After about ten minutes of Prawit’s speech, the Thai premier stood up and gave a brief response.
“I would like to say that what the senior member just said is not true. Thank you.”
The 38 year old prime minister then sat down.
The discussion grew more heated when Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a People’s Party MP, accused the PM of falsifying her debts using promissory notes (P/N notes) to evade paying 218 million baht in taxes.
Wiroj explained that Paetongtarn had bought company shares from her family members, paying with P/N notes instead of money. These notes had no specific due date or interest and only required payment if explicitly requested.
He argued that her family members would never demand payment for the shares, meaning the PM had managed to acquire company stocks without actually paying for them or paying tax on them as inherited assets.
Wiroj then went on to question Paetongtarn’s qualifications as PM.
“This case proves that Paetongtarn cannot fulfil her duty as a Thai citizen by paying taxes. So how can she serve as prime minister and set a good example for the Thai people?
“She promised to improve the lives of Thai people is merely a strategy to exploit legal loopholes, ensuring that only she and her family benefit while evading taxes. She no longer has the dignity to hold this position.”
PM Paetongtarn denied the accusations, stating that both her assets and her family’s assets had been under strict scrutiny since the 2006 coup against her father, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra.
She insisted that all her financial transactions and bank accounts had long been monitored, made public, and maintained with full transparency.
A part of the PM’s response sparked controversy when she replied to Wiroj.
“The accusation that this PM (pointing to herself) evades taxes is entirely untrue. Even though I am younger than you, I am certain that I pay more taxes to the government than you do.”
Some criticised Paetongtarn’s statement targeted Wiroj and others’ financial and social status without necessaries.
PM Paetongtarn also maintained that her P/N notes had a structured payment schedule, which she had discussed internally with her family. The first payment was set for next year, and she insisted she would not be able to evade taxes as Wiroj had alleged.
Kiki
Several members of the coalition government also stood up to protest during Wiroj’s accusation against the PM. In response, Wiroj referred to them as “Kiki”. He later explained that Kiki is a reference to a character from the Japanese superhero television series Kamen Rider.
Wiroj clarified that Kiki is the nickname Thai Kamen Rider fans use for the Shocker Combatmen—minor villains in the series who make a “Kiki” sound when they appear. These combatmen are weak, merely showing up before the arrival of the real boss, only to be defeated shortly after.
In this context, Wiroj was comparing the protesting Parliament members to these characters, suggesting they were merely protecting their real boss, Paetongtarn. This remark triggered strong objections from many MPs, who demanded that Wiroj retract his use of the term Kiki.
Latest Thailand News
