Deputy Commerce Minister Suchart Chomklin vowed to file a defamation lawsuit against two People's Party (PP) MPs who linked him to the controversial purchase by the Social Security Office (SSO) of a building in Bangkok.
Mr Suchart, a former labour minister, said on Monday PP MPs Rukchanok Srinork and Sahassawat Kumkong gave false information about the purchase of SKYY9 Centre and caused serious damage to his reputation.
Ms Rukchanok said the purchase of SKYY9 Centre worth seven billion baht went ahead while Mr Suchart was serving as labour minister under the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP).
The MP also alleged there were other irregularities and losses incurred by the building's management. The building's net income was 40 million baht last year, even lower than the management cost of 50 million baht.
Mr Sahassawat, meanwhile, claimed that the labour minister at the time was found to have transferred a close aide to a committee directly in charge of investments, including the purchase of the building.
Mr Suchart said that he would file a defamation lawsuit and seek charges against them under the Computer Crime Act.
He criticised the MPs for making accusations without sufficient information and said they could have raised the issue in the House or sought to grill him in a no-confidence debate.
The building was appraised by a company registered with the stock exchange and that the minister cannot intervene in SSO investments due to a conflict of interest, he said.
The minister denied any knowledge of the SSO's reported purchase of another building in the Ratchadaphisek area, saying the question should be directed to the SSO board.
"If the SSO investment isn't proper, it should be investigated by the relevant agencies. If the investigation is carried out by people without the necessary knowledge, it could cause damage.
"This [the lawsuit] will be settled in court and there will be no negotiations," said Mr Suchart, now with the United Thai Nation Party.
According to Ms Rukchanok, the building had been abandoned during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. A company then purchased and renovated the building around the time the Social Security Fund (SSF) was amending its regulations, a move which may have led to parts of the fund being diverted into purchasing this building later.
Mr Sahassawat said the purchase of the building was made through a trust. About 70% of the trust was spent in purchasing this one building.