Former Democrat MP for Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thepthai Senpong, has come to the defence of Dr. Suchatvee Suwansawat, the Democrat party’s Bangkok gubernatorial candidate, after the House committee on prevention and suppression of corruption said it plans to invite Suchatvee for questioning about his wealth.
Thepthai said today that the move by the House committee, headed by Thai Liberal Party Leader Seripisut Temiyavet, is suspicious and may be unfair to Suchatvee, who is an “outsider”.
He said that the organisation most appropriate in conducting the probe is the National Anti-Corruption Commission, which is an independent agency.
Suchatvee, meanwhile, has publicly declared that he is ready to be scrutinised by the House committee.
The former MP pointed out that the House committee based its decision to query Suchatvee’s wealth on an anonymous petition.
He suggested that the committee investigates the performance of government officials or complaints received from civilians of alleged unfair treatment by state officials.
Thepthai said he wonders whether Seripisut’s committee would conduct such an investigation if it received an anonymous complaint regarding the wealth of an MP.
Meanwhile, Democrat party deputy spokesperson, Darunwan Chanpipattanachai, said that Suchatvee has openly clarified any issue raised by the media, including the sources of his wealth since he was the rector of King Mongkut Institute of Technology Lat Krabang.
She pleaded with the public to be fair to Suchatvee and to be receptive to information from various sources.
The May Bangkok governor race will be the first in 9 years and is expected to be a fierce one. Yesterday, Move Forward Party’s Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn issued his resignation as an MP ahead of the race.
