PM accused of B263m coverup
Puea Thai party accuses the prime minister of grave violations of the political parties law as the opposition launches Chalerm unleashes barrage at Abhisit By: BangkokPost.com Published: 19/03/2009 at 12:58 PM Chalerm Yubamrung has unveiled a money trail of donations to the Democrat party by TPI Polene Company and questioned whether the 29 million baht provided by the Election Commission was actually spent on electioneering or ended up in someone's pockets.
Launching the no confidence debate in the House of Representatives, the Puea Thai MP accused Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of corruption, mismanagement and incompetence.
Mr Chalerm alleged Mr Abhisit certifiedg false party financial statements for 2004 in his capacity as head of the Democrats. and that the Democrat Party had received illegal donations worth more than 200 million baht (about US$5.7 million) from party members.
"Abhisit has gravely violated political party law twice," he told the House.
He accused Mr Abhisit of concealing the 263 million baht donation given to the Democrat party by TPI Polene Company, giving false statements about the 29 million baht campaign fund provided by the Election Commission and of perjury.
The maverick MP unveiled a money trail for the 263 million baht donation. The donation was not properly made because it was endorsed by just one board member, Prachai Leophairattana, instead of two as legally required, he said.
The money, he said, was paid out in instalments of less than two million baht each, in the form of about 70 bank cheques to Messiah Business, a front company set up by Prachuab Sangkhao to facilitate the donations for the Democrat party.
Mr Chalerm said he did not know whether the donations ended up in the coffers of the Democrat party, but he accused four groups of people linked to Democrat MPs, naming Deputy Finance Minister Pradit Phataraprasit, of receiving the money with the help of Mr Pradit's brother Thongchai.
Mr Chalerm charged that TPI, as a public company, had not declared the political donations in question in its financial statements to the Securities and Exchange Commission. He urged shareholders who suspect they may be affected by Mr Prachai’s alleged misconduct to file charges with the SEC against the company.
Regarding the 29 million baht election fund provided by the Election Commission, the Puea Thai MP charged that the Democrat party used a substantial part of the money, 23.3 million baht, to hire Messiah Business to produce campaign posters for the party but there was no contract between the party and the company. He claimed the money paid out to the company, 23.3 million baht, finally ended up in the private bank accounts of Mr Prachuab and several other people linked to the Democrat party.
Mr Chalerm held Prime Minister Abhisit accountable for the 263 million baht donation controversy and the 23.3 million baht campaign fund provided by the Election Commission because he approved the party’s financial statements which showed the two items in question.
As such, he said he could not trust Mr Abhisit to lead the country as the prime minister.
The no confidence motion focusses on Mr Abhisit, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij, Deputy Finance Minister Pradit Phataraprasit, Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul and Deputy Interior Minister Boonjong Wongtrairat.
Mr Abhisit and Mr Kasit are the main targets, the foreign minister because of his involvement in the People's Alliance for Democracy's occupation of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports late last year.
Mvh Isan Lover