Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said on Tuesday he is ready to step down from the cabinet if the anti-graft agency found the case against him has grounds.
Gen Prawit told reporters at Government House that he will resign if the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) concludes in the investigation that he had committed wrongdoing over the wristwatch saga.
The watches belonged to his friends and all have been returned, he added.
It is the first time that the deputy prime minister made clear his stance since he has been in the hot seat over luxury accessories. Reporters spotted him wearing a luxury watch and a diamond ring and later found they had not been declared to the NACC as his assets. Social media users have further checked his photos and found he had worn other luxury watches on different occasions.
As of Tuesday, 24 watches have been unveiled by the CSI LA Facebook account.
All eyes have been on NACC president Watcharapol Prasarnrajkit since Gen Prawit was his former boss.
Pol Gen Watcharapol on Jan 9 dismissed worries about the connection and guaranteed a clean investigation, while Gen Prawit on Tuesday reiterated he would not interfere with the investigation.
His trouble has also turned him into a target of political parties. The latest one was Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, who warned Prime Minister Prayut Cha-o-cha that his credibility was at stake due to the scandal surrounding his deputy.