The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has found former education minister Somsak Prissananantakul unusually wealthy and wants to confiscate his 16-million-baht house in Ang Thong province.
NACC secretary-general Sansern Poljieak said on Friday that the commission resolved by a majority vote that Mr Somsak was unusually rich for his having built the large house on three rai of land in Wiset Chai Chan district without declaring the property as an asset when he was in office.
Mr Somsak started building house number 5/5 in Phai Jam Sil sub-district in 1998 when he was a deputy education minister. The construction continued when he became education minister in 1999 under the Chuan Leekpai government. It was completed in 2011.
Mr Somsak had denied the accusation that he was unusually rich, but failed to convince the NACC, Mr Sansern said.
The anti-graft panel had already asked the attorney-general to seek an order from the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions to confiscate the house.
The NACC resolved in 2011 that Mr Somsak had made a false declaration of his assets in concealing the 16-million-baht house and some savings held by himself and his wife. The court later found him guilty of making a false declaration of assets and liabilities.
Mr Somsak, who is a former MP for Ang Thong and a former deputy leader of the Chart Thai Party, said on Friday that as the NACC had not listened to his explanation he would defend himself in court.
Under the revoked 2007 constitution and in the new draft constitution, a politician whose assets are confiscated for "usual wealth" is banned for life from running for election to the House of Representatives.