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Bangkok Post
Bangkok Post
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Digging dirt in cabinet

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha greets MPs as Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon looks on during the censure debate on Wednesday in the House. (Photo by Chanat Katanyu/Bangkok Post).

The outcome of the House's censure debate is predictable. Most MPs are likely to vote in favour of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha tomorrow. Yet, the opposition parties have managed to question the government's credibility by making strong cases against a few ministers accused of abusing power and fraud.

The spotlight is now fixed on three ministers: Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, also secretary of the Bhumjaithai Party (BJP), Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the BJP leader; and Deputy Interior Minister Niphon Bunyamanee of the Democrat Party.

Mr Saksayam was accused by Move Forward Party (MFP) MP Pakornwut Udompipatsakul of share concealment and false asset declaration. He allegedly concealed assets in the Burijarearn Construction Limited Partnership and used an employee as a nominee to hold shares on his behalf.

Mr Pakornwut also said that Mr Saksayam's family business won many contracts from the Transport Ministry, suggesting that there is nepotism involved.

Mr Saksayam denied all the allegations, yet he cannot explain why he did not reveal financial gains and related tax payments from share transfers in the asset declaration he made.

The public may therefore suspect that the share transfer may not have taken place.

"I sold shares and I can spend the money on what I like," he said. "The point is I did not break any law at the time when I was required to reveal assets.

"I declared all the assets I had when I became transport minister," he added.

Critics in the censure debate also capitalised on the shortcomings of the BJP's populist cannabis legislation.

A video clip of Mr Anutin promising voters during the 2019 election campaign that cannabis legalisation would make people rich and that people would be able to "smoke pot" and "get stoned" inside their homes was played at the House meeting.

Despite Mr Anutin's ability to tap-dance around issues, including that his cannabis policy is for medical purposes only, he said little to the accusation that his family's company had invested in commercial cannabis.

Meanwhile, Mr Niphon was accused by an MFP lawmaker of illegally issuing land title deeds to his cronies.

Prasertpong Sornuwat, the MP, said land title deeds to coastal land in a forest reserve on Koh Nui Nok in Krabi province were being issued to businessmen and even a relative of a former high-ranking state attorney.

In response, Mr Niphon simply said: "I never knew the people" and "the Land Department needs to issue land plots to everyone who is eligible".

Whether the allegation rings true, these curt answers do not sufficiently clear public doubt.

It needs to be mentioned that Mr Niphon was previously embroiled in accusations surrounding land issues.

His relatives allegedly hoarded land plots to sell to investors at the problematic Chana Industrial Estate in Songkhla province -- where his constituency is located.

For over three years, this government has been dogged with image problems and corruption accusations -- starting with the extravagant Richard Mille wristwatch Gen Prawit Wongsuwon wore years ago and cabinet members' relatives receiving concessions.

Despite the censure debate ending tomorrow, there are already rumours of a cabinet reshuffle. All we can hope for is the reshuffle will be based on merit and not horse trading, as rumours suggest.

This is perhaps the last chance for Gen Prayut to fulfil his promise to make politicians clean.

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