Pridiyathorn : Media reports on what I said to ASC unfair

Former finance minister M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula yesterday described as ''inaccurate and unfair'' media reports describing his testimony before the Assets Scrutiny Committee's sub-committee hearing into the 772-million-baht Ratchada land deal as favouring deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife. ''The reports are inaccurate and unfair,'' M.R. Pridiyathorn said, adding ''I was there only to provide the facts and not to give opinions.''

After the hearing on Wednesday, Mr Thaksin's lawyer Pichit Chuenban claimed that M.R. Pridiyathorn's testimony favoured Mr Thaksin and his wife Khunying Potjaman.

The couple are accused of exploiting Mr Thaksin's own position for personal gain, which violated the National Counter Corruption Commission Act prohibiting state officials and their spouses from having any interest in contracts made with state agencies.

Mr Pichit claimed that M.R. Pridiyathorn insisted in his testimony that Mr Thaksin was not the supervisor of the Financial Institutions Development Fund (FIDF), which signed the land deal with Khunying Potjaman.

Mr Thaksin's legal team was relying on the Bank of Thailand Act which says the prime minister is not empowered to supervise, regulate and scrutinise the FIDF's activities. The power rests with the FIDF board.

M.R. Pridiyathorn said that in total he answered 40 questions _ 16 from Mr Pichit and 24 from the sub-committee.

Mr Pichit submitted the questions to the sub-committee for M.R. Pridiyathorn to answer but was not allowed to be present when he answered them.

Mr Pichit's questions were crafted in a way which prompted a ''Yes'' or ''No'' response, M.R. Pridiyathorn said. ''There were some questions which appeared to be traps,'' he added. Therefore, all his answers to Mr Thaksin's lawyer were in the form of ''Yes'' or ''No'' and he gave no opinions.

He described the sub-committee's questions as ''better'', allowing him to explain the facts in greater detail. Also, he was questioned for an hour and five minutes and not three hours as reported.

''After my testimony, we were invited to lunch,'' he said. During lunch, Mr Pichit, who was allowed to join the lunch, asked him how he responded to certain questions. The former finance minister provided him with the answers.

Mr Pichit later told the press that M.R. Pridiyathorn's testimony would be beneficial to Mr Thaksin and his wife if the public prosecutors decide to indict them.

Bangkok Post

Last Updated : Saturday April 21, 2007