Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra stood to speak for the second time in today’s no-confidence debate, denying all opposition accusations, including claims that she had dodged paying taxes.
She reiterated that she has already submitted the list of her assets to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), as required by law, emphasising that she had been transparent and has nothing to hide.
Opposition People’s Party MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn accused her today of failing to pay over 218.7 million baht in taxes, related to shares worth approximately 4.44 billion baht, which were transferred to her by family members in 2016.
During the debate, Wiroj claimed that the prime minister had issued nine promissory notes to her two siblings, her mother, her uncle and an aunt, in return for the shares.
Paetongtarn claimed that, because she had not yet paid for the shares, she was not required to declare them as part of her assets.
She added that, once she made the payment, she would include them in the list of assets submitted to the NACC.
Denying any tax evasion, Paetongtarn insisted that she had paid more tax than anyone else in the chamber. Her statement was met with jeers and boos from floor of the House.
Regarding allegations that her family’s procurement of a 148-hectare plot of land in Pathum Thani province was illegal, the premier stated that her family had acquired the land when she was very young.
She added that it was the Land Department that had issued the land title deeds, asserting that there was nothing illegal about the transaction.
