The Royal Thai Police on Monday denied that a 1.1-billion-baht plane purchased recently would only serve the needs of Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon as critics have alleged.
"This plane is not only for the deputy prime minister and defence minister," police spokesman Piya Uthayo said on Monday in response to reports about the purpose of the luxury 10-seat small aircraft.
He said the police had to purchase a small plane that was able to land on short runways to carry out urgent police work.
The plane will be used for weekly missions, including drug suppression and other criminal crackdowns, though it will also sometimes serve commanders flying to visit police agencies countrywide.
The explanation came after the Watchdog Act Facebook Page posted a photo claimed to be elegant cabin space aboard the Dassault Falcon 2000S RTP 33-742 plane.
Pol Lt Gen Piya said that the picture was doctored. "The plane is nothing special and only equipped with necessary facilities."
Reportedly Gen Prawit, who also chairs the Police Commission, travelled in the plane on June 27, with an entourage to attend a ceremony to hand back land title deeds to villagers in Lob Buri.