A former Pheu Thai Party spokesman has sought an investigation into the affairs of Gen Prawit Wongsuwon over leaked audio recordings he believes could land the leader of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) in trouble for breaching the ethics law.
Prompong Nopparit on Thursday petitioned the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to open an ethics investigation against Gen Prawit, 79, in connection with comments made on the four audio clips.
The clips were first aired on Wednesday during an episode of the Inside Thailand TV show on MCOT. Mr Prompong said he believes the man’s voice in the recordings belongs to Gen Prawit and suggested they could be evidence of improper conduct.
The clips feature a man’s voice in one-on-one telephone conversations with different people. Palang Pracharath insists the audio clips have been doctored, or possibly created using artificial intelligence.
Mr Prompong said that if the clips were genuine, Gen Prawit has committed a serious violation of a ethical standards, punishable by a lifetime political ban.
In the first clip, the man can be heard accusing another man named “O” of going behind his back and colluding in a plot to remove him as party leader. The man goes on to maintain he will never quit the leadership. “O” denies the allegation.
In another clip, the same man speaks of his ambition to be prime minister.
“I’ve been working for the prime minister as his deputy for a long time and had a number of achievements. From now on, I’d like to ask the people to give me a chance to be number one,” he says.
The timing of the recordings is unclear. Critics said they were likely made quite some time ago, given what appear to be references to then-prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Mr Prompong called on the NACC to investigate the recordings, identify the parties involved, and transfer the case to the Supreme Court’s Criminal Case Division for Persons Holding Political Positions.
He said that Suttipong Juljarern, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Interior, has confirmed that he is heard speaking in one of the clips. However, a source claimed he is not the person identified as “O”.
Mr Prompong said he plans to submit another complaint against Gen Prawit over the recordings with the Election Commission on Friday, and to ask the Anti-Money Laundering Office on Monday to check the retired general’s finances.