Pheu Thai Party
Statement

Pheu Thai Party
had made a statement dated 13^th November 2015 calling for the
government to make announcements and provide details clarifying corruption
allegations concerning the Rajabhakti Park project and also to
show its responsibility of the commanding officers in various ranks. However,
it was found instead that the responsible high ranking officials in the
Government avoided and refused to take responsibility, claiming that the
project belongs to the Army and not the Government.  The building of the project did not use
government budget but came from donations of the private sector, and even
though irregularities may be found, the Government does not need to take
responsibility. Concerning these specific matters Pheu Thai would like to make
this statement to provide knowledge to the sovereign people of the nation as
follows:

1. The Cabinet made the approval of the proposal made by the Ministry of
Defense for the Army to take main lead in the building of the Rajabhakti
Park from funds that were to come from the collaboration and invitation of
various government and private agencies to donate. As evident in the document
marked Most Urgent Number MD  (กห)
0207/761
dated 30^th May 2015 and in the document marked Most Urgent Number
PMO (นร) 0505/19102 dated 3^rd June 2015 should
the Ministry of Defense need support for the building with the budget, it must
proceed to make such request. Thus the Government has been responsible for Rajabhakti
Park from the beginning under the approval of the cabinet. On the 19^th
August 2015 the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense also held a
religious ceremony to commemorate the statues of former Thai kings. Therefore,
the claim by  Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Defense (Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan) who signed the matter for the
approval of the cabinet, that the Government is not involved in the project is
false and is an attempt to avoid responsibility.

2. The Army responsible for the
Project is a government organization. The Park was build on the land of the
army which is government property. The staff involved are government officials
in the Army who receive their salaries from the taxes of the people, using the
land and property of the government for the project. The donations received for
the project was in the name of the Army’s Department of Civil Affairs and the
bank accounts was named “The Army’s Welfare Fund”. The donors could use the
receipts to apply for tax deductions, which is the source of the income of the
state, as per regulations of the Department of the Treasury Article 5 (4)
paragraph 2 concerning the receipt of money or asset made by donors to the
government B.E. 2526 which is considered as receiving donations in the name of
the government. The donation received, thus is government property, and when
there is corruption, which is an offense under criminal law, the Government
must urgently find and punish those who are responsible. This is not the matter
of the Army as it does not have the power as per the criminal code according to
the explanation made by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense who
tried to evade his responsibility.

3. As for Gen. Udomdej Sitabutr
who is responsible for this project and is a high ranking official in the Government
and the National Peace Keeping Council (NCPO), admitting that there has
been request for bribes during the progress of the Project, but the money has
already been donated. This is conceding that criminal offense has been
committed while he is in key positions as Army Chief, Deputy Minister of
Defense, Secretary General of the NCPO and the Director of
National Anti-Corruption Committee. Those in charge the project and the
commanders in higher levels which comprise of the Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Defense and Chairman of the NCPO who are political officials
therefore must show their responsibilities in this corruption scandal in
accordance with Article 10 and Article 29 of Regulation of the Prime Minister’s
Office concerning the Code of Ethics for Government Political Officials B.E.
2551. Thus, for the Prime Minister who is in charge of this regulation  to refuse his responsibility is a violation
of moral standard for those in political positions.

4. Pheu Thai Party would like to state that Rajabhakti
project is very important to the feelings and sentiments of the people of the
entire nation. When there is corruption which involves high ranking figures in
the government, it is pertinent for the government to most urgently clarify the
matter and seek those offenders to receive punishment. To be a good example to
the people, it must also politically take responsibility, especially when this
Government has come to power by seizing power to rule the country with one of
the excuses as to “reform the political structure” as appeared in NCPO
announcement number 1/2557
dated 22^nd May 2015. Therefore, it must demonstrate its moral
standards to the people as being better, or at least equal to the government
that had been elected by the people, so it can be a good example in the
political reform process that all parties, including this Government, demanded.
For this reason, the refusal of responsibility by the Prime Minister who is the
Head of the Government, not only violates the moral standards of those in
political positions, but also contradicts the attempt of political reform, and
the policy for the prevention and suppression of corruption, which is a key
policy by the Government itself.

Pheu Thai party thus implore the Prime Minister as the Head the Government and
Chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Committee to proceed with this
matter in an open, transparent manner and to urgently announce
clarification of this matter to the public.