Thai deputy PM under pressure to quit over watch scandal

BANGKOK - A petition calling for the resignation of Thailand’s deputy prime minister of signatures heaping pressure on the junta’s second-in-command to step aside amid a scandal over a luxury and undeclared assets.

The scandal has revealed growing signs of disgruntlement among the Thai public, and added to uncertainty over whether the junta will call an election later this year that is supposed to move the Southeast Asian nation back toward democracy.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) placed Prawit Wongsuwan, 72, a former army chief who is also defence minister, under investigation after his appearance in a photograph of the cabinet wearing a diamond ring and a luxury watch in December sparked an avalanche of criticism on social media.

Thai netizens have since identified 25 expensive luxury

former watches that the general has worn but not declared to the anti-graft body.

Prawit has said that he borrowed the timepieces from friends, but would resign if that was the public’s wish.

According to Thailand’s anticorruption act, all political office holders must fully disclose all of their assets.

Yesterday, a Change.org petition calling for Prawit’s resignation had more than

61,200 signatures.–