Whistle-blowing lawyer Sittra Biabungkerd offered more details today (Monday) about the sex scandal implicating a former deputy prime minister (DPM), saying that the DPM in question had quit the opposition Pheu Thai Party over five years ago and that the extramarital affair took place last year.
He also said that the DPM allegedly involved in the affair was in a very senior position at the Interior Ministry, likes to play golf but “hates the Alpine Golf Course” in Pathum Thani.
A scandal concerning the Alpine Golf Course dates back to 1969, when a wealthy landlady, Nuem Chamnarnchatsakda, donated 148 hectares of land to the Thammika Voraviharn Temple. In 1990, the land was sold to a foundation, despite legal restrictions on such a change of ownership. The transfer took place when Sanoh Thienthong was deputy interior minister and in charge of the Land Department.
The land was later sold to a company, which was majority owned by Sanoh’s family, to build a golf course and housing estate. The real estate project was later sold to the Shinawatra family for around 500 million baht. Yongyuth Wichaidit, then interior permanent secretary, changed all the rules, validating the transfer of the Alpine Golf Course land.
Sittra said that the husband of the woman, who allegedly had an affair with the former deputy prime minister, became suspicious of his wife’ behaviour, checked her smart phone and discovered the truth about the alleged affair.
Sittra claimed that the deputy prime minister filed a lawsuit, demanding the return of valuables he had given to the women, after he learned that her husband had found out about their alleged affair.
The woman, her husband and the deputy prime minister went to the Bang Yi Khan police station last year to settle the case, but the husband claimed that he felt threatened by the presence of “some men” at the police station, said Sittra, adding that the man also claimed that the group of men followed him to his house.
He claimed that he submitted evidence of the affair to one of the deputy commissioners of the Metropolitan Police Bureau.
He insisted that his exposing of the case is not politically motivated and not intended to damage any political party.
Probe sought into sex scandal allegedly involving former deputy prime minister
