Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon is preparing to sue TV host Danai Ekmahasawat and former Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit for releasing voice recordings allegedly incriminating him.
Party secretary-general Paiboon Nititawan said on Wednesday that complaints would be lodged with Hua Mak police accusing the pair of wiretapping or spreading content obtained from wiretapping to the media. The offence carries a maximum jail term of five years and/or a fine of up to 500,000 baht.
The audio clip is said to involve a conversation between Gen Prawit and Suttipong Juljarern, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Interior. It is suspected the clip could have been obtained through illegal wiretapping.
It was one of four audio clips released on Sept 11 during an episode of Inside Thailand TV hosted by Mr Danai. Mr Prompong replayed the clip the following day as he filed a petition with the anti-graft agency seeking an ethics probe against Gen Prawit.
Mr Paiboon also said Gen Prawit will see the case against both of them through to the very end.
Prawit’s absences noted
Meanwhile, Mr Prompong continued his campaign against Gen Prawit on Wednesday, asking the House of Representatives to investigate if the list MP is fulfilling his role.
He said the 2017 constitution requires MPs to serve with honesty and prohibits them from missing more than one-fourth of meeting days without permission from the House Speaker, or their MP status will be terminated.
Mr Prompong said he petitioned House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha to review Gen Prawit’s attendance and determine if he is taking his duties seriously.
“Gen Prawit is rarely seen at the House meetings so I doubt that he fulfils his role as demanded by the constitution and the code of ethics,” he said.
He also requested copies of Gen Prawit’s letters of absence submitted from July 3 of last year to the present, as well as his salary receipts, while stressing the issue was not politically motivated.
He dismissed the threat of legal action over the audio clip, saying he was exercising his right as a concerned citizen.
He challenged Palang Pracharath to clarify which clips were doctored and which were genuine as the party previously dismissed them as fake. He said the lawsuits would be seen as an attempt to silence critics.
Gen Prawit, 79, rarely attends House sessions, ostensibly due to his weak health.
MPs receive a monthly salary of 113,560 baht as well as generous medical, pension and other welfare benefits. Meeting allowances can also add up handsomely for MPs involved in a lot of committee work.
Like his fellow 2014 coup leader Prayut Chan-o-cha, Gen Prawit lives in free housing at the 1st Infantry Regiment in Phaya Thai district of Bangkok. Also located there is the Five Border Provinces Forest Preservation Foundation, a military-backed organisation that he chairs.
Asked recently by reporters about his frequent absences from Parliament, he replied that if people need to talk to him, they can come to the foundation’s office and see him there.