A political activist has asked the Thai authorities to probe the construction in northern Thailand of a dike named after a sister-in-law of the Thai junta leader. Meanwhile, a company where her son is a share-holder reportedly won two construction projects from the Thai Army.

On 19 September 2016, Srisuwan Janya, Secretary-General of a political group called the Association to Protect the Thai Constitution (APTC), submitted a letter to the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), urging it to investigate Pongphan Chan-o-cha, Chairwoman of the Army Housewives Association, Isara news reported.

Pongphan is the wife of Gen Preecha Chan-o-cha, the Permanent Secretary of the Defence Ministry and brother of Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the junta leader and Prime Minister.

Srisuwan urged the NACC to probe her and her husband over her role in presiding over the opening ceremony of a dike named ‘Mae Pongphan Development’ on 12 September in Doi Wiang Pha National Park in Fang District of Chiang Mai.

It was reported that at the same event, water containers bearing her name were presented to army bases in the area.

The APTC leader wants the NACC to decide whether Pongphan’s action amounts to corruption or not because she used the staff and budget of the Defence Ministry for the irrigation project despite the fact that she is not a civil servant.

Srisuwan also said that Pongphan and her followers also travelled from Bangkok to Chiang Mai in an aircraft belonging to the Royal Thai Air Force.

Isara news also reported that Contemporary Construction Pub. Co. Ltd., a construction company with shares held by Pathomphon Chan-o-cha, Preecha’s son, was also granted contracts for two construction projects in March 2015 and April 2016 from the Thai Army.

The first project was the construction of a building for the 3rd Army Division in Phetchabun Province with a base budget of about 13.68 million baht while the second project was the construction of a residential compound in the hospital of Fort Wachiraprakan in Tak Province with a base budget of about 13.28 million baht.

Pathomphon owns 33.33 per cent of shares in the company.

Pongphan Chan-o-cha presiding over the opening ceremony of a dike named ‘Mae Pongphan Development’ on 12 September 2016 in Fang District of Chiang Mai (Photo from the Army Housewives Association)