Prawit tacitly admits leaked audio clip is genuine
Admission comes in police complaint filed on PPRP’s leader’s behalf citing law against publication of leaked phone conversations
An aide to Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwan on Wednesday filed a police complaint against two people for leaking and publishing a clip of Prawit’s eavesdropped phone conversation. Prawit had previously claimed the clip was fake, insisting it had been doctored or created using artificial intelligence.
The complaint, filed by PPRP secretary-general Paibul Nititawan at Hua Mark police station, targeted former Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit and Channel 9 TV host Danai Ekmahasawat.
It alleges that Prompong and Danai violated Article 2 of the 21st order of the 2006 military regime that prohibits the publication and usage of leaked phone conversations.
Danai played the audio clip during his “Inside Thailand” TV show on September 11. It apparently records Prawit in conversation with Suttipong Julcharoen, deputy permanent secretary for the Interior Ministry.
On September 12, Prompong lodged a complaint against Prawit with the National Anti-Corruption Commission, alleging the clip showed he had abused his authority by interfering in the work of permanent officials at the Interior Ministry.
In response, Paibul said Prawit assigned him to pursue legal action against Prompong and Danai for violating the coup order.
During his TV show, Danai played four leaked audio clips of phone conversations, allegedly of Prawit speaking to different people.
The clip cited in the police complaint seems to record Prawit expressing an ambition to take over as prime minister after serving as his deputy for years. The date of the recording is unclear, but Prawit served as deputy to prime minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha up until last year’s general election.
Prawit and his aides initially claimed all four clips were fake.
However, Suttipong has reportedly confirmed that one clip records him reporting to Prawit about promotions within the Interior Ministry.
Prompong alleges that the phone call shows Prawit was interfering in Interior Ministry affairs.
The fact that only this clip was cited in Prawit’s police complaint indicates a tacit admission that it is genuine.
