Military leader Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan is in the news this week for flashing a watch reported to cost several million baht — more money than most Thai citizens will see in a lifetime.
A picture of the deputy PM shading his eyes with his hand — and revealing the flashy timepiece — went viral Monday because of the diamond-encrusted Richard Mille watch costing between THB4-10 million strapped to his wrist, reported The Nation.
The watch is from the same maker as flashy wrist accessories favored by rappers Jay-Z, Kanye West, and singer Ed Sheeran.
Thais immediately wanted to know how a military man could pay for such an item and whether he had reported ownership of it on his asset list with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) — a list all government officials must complete when they take office.
Turns out that Prawit did not declare the blinging bracelet when he took his post in 2014, though it’s possible he bought it since then.
Legal officials are now urging the NACC to investigate the deputy PM’s assets to see what else he may have neglected to declare.
As always, pitch-perfect political cartoonist Onan Hiroshi produced the ultimate statement on the hubub. In it, we see the country’s beloved deceased King Bhumibol Adulyadej wearing his trusty, reliable, understated Seiko beside Prawit, likened to a pig, with his attention-getting bauble. We are not sure where Onan sourced his prices though.
